An.sh. p316

Page 15,

10. And this Answers his next Argument, That the Miracles of Chrift are attributed to the Holy Ghost, or to the Father dwelling in him: for Father, , Son, and Holy Ghoft act together, as Chrift tells My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.

us,

11. His next Argument is; Had our Lord been
more than a Man, the Prophefies of the Old Testament
in which he is promifed, would not defcribe him barely
as the Seed of the Woman; the Seed of Abraham; a
Prophet like unto Mofes, the Servant and Miffionary
of God, on whom God s Spirit fhould reft. That our
Saviour ought to have been thus described, though he
had been more than a Man, is plain enough, because
he was to be all this: the Seed of the Woman,the Seed
of Abraham, a Prophet like unto Mofes, but a much
3. Hebr. 5,6. greater Prophet: for Mofes was faithful in all his
Houfe as a Servant, but Christ as a Son over his own
Houfe. But what he infinuates, that he is barely thus
defcribed, fhews, That this Author will never loofe
a Cause by over-much Modefty; for we with all the
Christian Church, and we have the Authority of
Chrift and his Apostles for it too, fay, That he is de-
fcribed in the Old Testament alfo, not only as the
Seed of Abraham, but as the Son of God. Of which
more presently.

Page 16.

ว

His next Attempt is againft the Divinity of the
Holy Ghost, but here is little that requires a distinct
Answer, it being only the Repetition of his old Fal-
lacies.

1. That the Holy Ghost or Spirit, and the Power of God, are Spoken of as one and the fame thing. And what then? His intended Conclufion, I fuppofe, is

that

that the Holy Ghoft is not a Perfon; which is the Intention of his fecond Argument; but this is fo novel and ridiculous a Conceit, (too fenfless for any of the ancient Hereticks) that it ought not to be ferioufly confuted,but defpifed: for it is as eafie to prove the Father and the Son to be no Persons, as the Holy Spirit. He is the Spirit of God, which fearcheth the deep things of God, and he who knows all that is in God, is a knowing Mind: but to dream of Power and Inspiration in God, diftinct as he confeffes from God, and no Person; is to attribute fuch Powers and Faculties to an infinite Mind, as there are in created Minds; to compound God of Mind and Intellectual Powers and Faculties, which all Men, of fense have fcorned the thoughts of: what are Faculties in us, are Perfons in God, or elle God is not a pure and fimple Act, as I fhowed above. Which shows the vanity of his Pretence, That the Holy Spirit is spoken of as a Page 18. Perfon, by the fame figure of Speech that Charity is, defcribed as a perfon, 1 Cor 13. 4, 5. and Wisdom, 9 Prov. 11. For thefe natural or acquired Powers and Habits are faid to do that which the Perfon who has them, and acts by them, does; as Charity fuffereth long and is kind, because a charitable man does fo, Sr. And if we will allow fuch Habits and Powers in God, the Cafe may be fomewhat parallel; for when we have compounded God of Subftance or Effence, or Faculties or Powers, we may then find figurative Perfons in God, as there are in Men.

II.

This is certain, all Perfonal Acts belong to a Perfon, and therefore whatever has any Perfonal Acts afcribed to it, we must conclude is a Perfon, unless we know by fome other means, that it is no Perfon and then that proves the Expreffion to be figurative.

Thus

Thus we know Charity is no Perfon, but a Grace or Vertue, and therefore when Perfonal Acts are attributed to Charity, as to fuffer long, and be kind, &c. we know this is a figure; but it is ridiculous hence to conclude, That the Holy Ghoft, who has Perfonal Acts afcribed to him, to work Miracles, to raise the Dead, to comfort, to convince to convince, to fanctifie the Church, to dwell in the Church, as in his Temple, &c is yet no Perfon, becaufe Charity, which we know to be no Perfon, has Perfonal Acts afcribed to it which is as much as to fay, That because Perfonal Acts are fometimes ufed figuratively, therefore they must never be properly expounded; whereas on the other hand, we must never expound any thing figuratively, but where the fubject will not admit of a proper fenfe. If it were as known and certain, that the Holy Ghoft is no Perfon, as that Charity is none, then there would be reason to allow a figure; but to prove that the Holy Ghoft is no Perfon, only becaufe Perfonal Acts are fometimes figuratively attributed to that which is no Perfon, is a maxim only in the So-= cinian Logick, which is nothing else but a System of abfurd and ridiculous Fallacies.

2. His fecond Argument against the Spirit's being God, is this ; A manifeft diftinction is made, as between God and Chrift, fo alfo between God and the Holy Spirit, or Power and Inspiration of God; fo that 'tis impoffible the Spirit fhould be God himself. This has been answered already, as to the distinction between God and Christ, and the fame Answer will serve for the Holy Spirit. But this Confeffion of the Socinian confutes his whole Hypothefis, and proves the Holy Spirit to be a Perfon, and a God.

He

He fays the Holy Spirit is diftinct from God, fo distinct that 'tis impoffible he should be God himself; then fay I, this Holy Spirit is either a Divine fubfifting Perfon, or nothing but a Name. If this Spirit were a Divine Vertue and Power, as he would have it, then it is not diftinct from God, but is God himfelf, as the Powers and Faculties of the Mind, though they may be distinguished from each other, yet they can't be any thing diftinct from the Mind, but are the Mind it felf; and therefore if the Spirit,as he says, be represented in Scripture, as fo diftinct from God, that 'tis impoffible he fhould be God himself, then he must be a diftinct Divine Perfon, and not the meer Power of God, which is not diftin& from God himfelf.

If the Spirit be diftinct from God, and not God. himself, and yet have Perfonal Acts afcribed to him, then he must be a diftinct Perfon; for Faculties, Vertues, and Powers, have Perfonal Acts and Offices afcribed to them, only upon account of their unity and fameness with the Mind in which they are, which is A sp 720 a Perfon, and acts by these Powers; but a Power which is distinct from God, and is not God himself, (as he fays the Holy Spirit is) if it have any Personal Acts, must be a diftinct Perfon; and if these Perfonal Acts are fuch, as are proper only to God, it must be a diftinct Divine Perlon.

He fays, this Holy Spirit is the Infpiration of God; be it fo: This Inspiration then is either within God himself, or without him, in Creatures, who have this Infpiration. If it be within God himself, it must be a Perfon, or else it cannot be distinct from God; and a Divine Perfon unless any thing be in God, which is not God. If this Inspiration be without God, in Crea

tures,

tures, who are infpired by him; how is it the Spirit of God for the Spirit of God must be in God, as the Spirit of Man is in Man: How does this Inspiration 1 Cor. 2.10,11. in Creatures fearch all things, yea the deep things of God? and knoweth the things of God, as the Spirit of a Man knoweth the things of a man? For the Infpiration in Creatures fearcheth nothing of God,and knoweth nothing of God, but what God is pleased to reveal. The Infpiration knows nothing of God, but the infpired Mind knows as much, as it is infpired with the knowledge of. So that according to this Account, the Spirit of God is nothing but the infpired know ledge in Creatures; and therefore no Perfonal Acts can be attributed to it, but what Creatures can do by fuch Infpiration; and let any man confider, whether this Anfwers thofe Characters we have of the Spirit of God in Scripture.

If this be fo, I defire to know, How the Spirit of God differs from his Gifts and Graces? For if the Spirit be nothing but God's Infpiration in Creatures, the Spirit is either a Gift or a Grace, and is not One in All, but as many as thofe Creatures are, that are infpired; and as different as the Gifts and Graces are, with which they are Infpired: Whereas St. Paul tells 1 Cor. 12,4,5, us, There are Diverfities of Gifts, but the fame Spirit; and there are differences of Adminiftrations, but the fame Lord: and there are diverfities of Operations, but it is the fame God, which worketh all in all. So that the Spirit is diftinguished from his Gifts, as the Lord is from his Administrations, and God from his Operations; and is the fame Spirit in all, as it is the fame Lord, and the fame God.

6.