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"then laid they their hands on them, and they "received the holy ghoft, i. e. fome extraordinary gifts and powers," (Acts x. 44.). "While Peter "was speaking at the house of Cornelius, the holy "ghost fell on all them which heard the word: "and they of the circumcifion were astonished as 66 many as came with Peter, because that on the "Gentiles was poured out the gift of the holy "ghoft, for they heard them speak with tongues "and magnify God.

How abundantly evident is it from these paffages (and numbers which might have been produced) that by the holy ghoft, is particularly meant those spiritual gifts, which came down upon men from heaven immediately, or were communicated, in great variety, by the laying on of the hands of the apoftles. The miraculous powers conferred on the apostles and others in the first age of chriftianity, are the very thing intended by the holy ghost this is the true and precife meaning of the term. We are thus direaly led to understand by it, that special influence of God, whereby they were enabled to fpeak quite beyond their natural conceptions and abilities, to prophecy, and perform many wonderful works in the name of Christ. This extraordinary illumination and power, beftowed on the first chriftians, this divine influence, our faviour calls the comforter, or advocate, and with the utmoft propriety, for hereby they were effectually enlightened and affifted, aided and en

couraged,

couraged, convinced and confirmed: this thing also gloriously pleaded the chriftian caufe: this was the demonftration of the spirit and of power: this fatiffied themselves and enabled them to convince and fatisfy others this juftified the apoftles in preaching boldly in the name of Jefus, and fecured fuccefs with the attentive and well difpofed.

Hence, it appeared, that God was among the christians of a truth: this was a thing of fufficient importance to be publicly noticed and diftinctly mentioned, together with the Father and the Son in the baptifmal form.* "In the name of the Father, Son and holy ghoft," (Matt. xxviii. 19.). These three things, were the great things to be

• The author feems to have given in what follows a juft idea of this text, and, perhaps, it was not strictly accurate in him to use the phrase baptifmal form, for there is no evidence that our lord intended that this form of words fhould be used by his apostles, in conducting the ceremony. "It is obfervable, there is no men"tion in the Acts of baptizing in the name of the Father, of the "Son, and of the Holy Ghoft. Peter exhorted the Jews of Jeru"falem to repent and be baptized every one of them in the name "of Jefus Chrift. Philip baptized the Samaritans in the name of the "lord Jefus. Peter commanded believers at Cæfarea to be bap"tized in the name of the lord. Many chriftians take it for "granted that the apostles thoroughly understood the words of "the lord Jefus, and fuppofing the form of words of local and temporary use, adminifter baptifm in the name of Chrift, and "think themselves juftified by the book of the Acts of the Apo"ftles." Robinson's Hiftory of Baptifm, p. 49. Ed.

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believed

believed by a convert to christianity, that the gofpel, is the will and council of Almighty God, that Jefus Chrift was divinely commiffioned to reveal it, and that his divine miffion was com pletely ascertained by that divine feal, miracles : i. e. they were to be baptized in a profeffion of faith in, and an obligation to obey, the doctrine taught by Jefus Chrift, with authority from God the Father, and confirmed by the holy ghoft, by a moft manifeft and visible concurrence of divine power. And they could not have become chriftians without believing that Chrift taught in the name of God, and that his divine commiffion was proved by undeniable miraculous atteftations.

Objection. As to the holy ghoft being often spoken of in perfonalifing terms; that is, so common and easy a figure of speech, to be met with in all writings, and frequently occurring in scripture, that no reasonable objection can arife from that circumftance. There is no phrafeology of this kind, but what may be eafily accounted for: there is nothing that need lead us to afcribe real. perfonality to the holy ghost.

Does not

Is not wisdom introduced by Solomon, as a perfon, addreffing herfelf to mankind? St. Paul perfonalife death and fin? And how beautifully does he perfonalife charity, in his fublime and animated defcription of that mistress of the virtues.

If

1

If we had been to understand by the holy ghoft, a being, perfon, or great agent, diftin&t from God, the actual infpirer of the chriftians and worker of the miracles; the evangelical writers would have expreffed, thofe things in a different manner. It is also most reasonable to think, that if the apoftles had understood by the holy ghoft, a divine perfon, different from God; this would have plainly and particularly appeared in the folemn valedictory wishes and doxologies of their epistles. But we find, though there are wishes of peace from God the Father, and our lord Jefus Chrift, there are none, diftinctly, from the holy ghoft: nor are there any doxologies or afcriptions of praise and glory to the holy ghoft, but many to God and Chrift, or to God through Christ.

The term holy ghoft is, in the epiftles, used evidently in the fame fenfe as in the gospels, meaning, not a perfon, but a gift, or an effufion of various extraordinary gifts and powers.

Thus have I endeavoured to fuggeft the fcrip ture idea of the holy ghost, and to show, that there is no reafon to afcribe real diftinct perfonality to it, but to look upon it, and the effects attributed to it, as the work, and gift, and favour of God, extraordinary divine influence, afforded to the apoftles and firft chriftians. Hence it appears, that the holy ghoft confidered as a third person in the trinity (according to the scho

laftic

laftic theology) is no reality, but the creature of human imagination. And it appears to me of no small moment, that the chriftian scheme be freed from this, as well as other errors. The multiplying of invifible beings, to which we are to pay religious regard, without foundation in scripture, is furely no flight evil. It must have a bad effect, tending to perplex, or to diminish the regard, due to the fupreme, eternal God.

To conclude: I cannot but apprehend, that it is only, by means of the fentiments I have been inculcating, that we can truly and properly underftand and throughly acquiefce in, that declaration of St. Paul, THERE IS ONE GOD, AND ONE meDIATOR BETWEEN GOD AND MEN, THE MAN CHRIST JESUS.

SERMONS

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