Heb. II. II. HE that SANCTIFIETH and they who are fanctified are all of one; for which caufe he is not ashamed to call them brethren. Rom. XV, 16. Being SANCTIFIED by the HOLY GHOST. XXIII. - perform all fpiritual and divine ope rations. 1 Cor. XII. 16. It is the fame GOD which WORKETH ALL IN ALL. Col. III. II. CHRIST is all and IN ALL. I Cor. XII. 11. But ALL thefe WORKETH that one and the felf fame SPIRIT, CONCLUSION. Let us now take a review of what has been collected in these papers, and fum up the evidence in its own natural terms. It has appeared from the first Chapter, that Chrift Jefus, whofe Divinity is daily blafphemed amongst us because it is not proved in the Scrip ture, ture, is the Lord of Hofts, the firft and the laft, than whom there is no greater, and befide whom there is no God: that he is the Saviour of the world, the Lord and God of the holy Prophets and Apoftles, the most high God", the fearcher of all hearts, comprehended and made known to us under the name of that God to whom the world was reconciled. Who though he was the Word of God, that came forth from the Father into the world; yet he was God', and of the same divine nature with him that sent him. Though he was perfect man, of the feed of Abraham, born of his mother, and in all things made like to his brethren; yet the fulness of the Godhead dwelt in him bodily". Though he fuffered, died, was pierced upon the Crofs, and redeemed us by his blood; yet that blood was the blood of God, and upon his Crofs Jehovah was piercedo. m That the objections urged against all these pofitive proofs, proceed wholly upon false principles: being drawn, partly, from natural religion and Philosophy, which never was nor ever will be fubject to the law of God; and is not intended fo to be by those who set it up and dispute for it. Partly, from the economical offices and humi с liation of Chrift in the flesh; in which it is nevertheless affirmed, that God himself was made manifeft. And lastly, from the unity of God fo often afferted and infifted upon in the Scripture; not in oppofition to the Godhead of Christ, but to the Idols then worshiped all over the heathen world. Hence it is, that God is called the true God; for they were false ones : one God; for they were many: the living God'; for they were vanities without life. Yet in the place of these idols, who are to fupply the contrast, they have substituted the person of their blessed Redeemer, the true God, the everlasting Father", the Lord of Glory1, who is able to fubdue all things to himself, and of whofe kingdom there shall be no end. From the fecond Chapter it has appeared, that the Holy Ghoft is our spiritual Father, by whose 'divine power we are begotten to a new life; and to whom we daily pray that he would not lead us into temptation'. That he is the Lord", even the Lord of bofts", the ruler of the Christian æconomy, calling men to that honour in his church, which God only can bestow upon them. That a XXV. XXVI. XXXIX. b 1 Tim. 3. 16. XXXIII. c XXIV. d XXII. 1 John 5.21. e 1 Cor. VIII. 5. 6. f Acts 14. 15. . i 1 Cor. 2. 8. he is incomprehenfibly united with God, and fenfible of the omnipotent will in himself; even as the human Spirit is united to man, and understandeth its own thoughts". That his power, is the immediate power of God himself; his inSpiration, is the inspiration of God; his presence, the prefence of God. That he is God, even the highest; for the man Chrift Jefus, who is the Son of God and the Son of the highest, was fo called BECAUSE he was begotten of the Holy Ghoft. f That the objections usually brought to disguise and destroy this evidence, are taken from the unity, the attributes and will of God, and the miniftration of the Spirit in the æconomy of grace; all of them falfely interpreted. For as to the unity of God, it is not an unity of perfon. As to the supreme attribute of goodness, it is also posfeffed by the Spirit. As to the Will of God, according to which the gifts and graces of the Spirit are distributed, it is opposed to the will of man, not to that of the Spirit; which is faid to blow where it lifteth, and to divide or distribute unto every man his gifts, not as man the receiver, but as he himself willeth ". a XIII. f XXI. b XVII. c VI. g XXIII. XXIV. d IX. V. XX. e VIII. h XXV. с It has appeared from the third Chapter, that God is fignified to us throughout the old testament by a name that is plural, and proved to be fuch from many particular inftances; yet generally so restrained and qualified, as to destroy the fufpicion of a plurality of Gods. That to this common name of God, many other plural names and expreffions are added"; and that an interchanging of the plural and fingular is frequently observed, which neither grammar nor reason can account for upon any principle, but that of a real divine plurality. That the perfons of God are three in number, precisely diftinguished on fome occafions by the personal names of the Father, the Word or Son, and the Holy Spirit, and alfo by different offices. That the fame term is not always peculiar and proper to the fame perfon; because the words God, Lord, Jehovah, and Father, are fometimes applied to one perfon, fometimes to another; while at other times they are not perfonal, but general names of the divine nature. That in the Lord of Hofts" fitting upon his throne, and fpeaking of himself in the plural to the Prophet Ifaiah, there was not one perfon only, but three; The Father, Jefus, and the Holy Ghoft, all expreffed under one name a Chap. III. Art. 1. d XVIII. e XIX. b V. VI. VII. VII. c IX. X. |