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tal. I perish, I die :-there speaks the trembling flesh. I can never perish; I shall live forever:-there speaks the rejoicing spirit. What, now, should we think of a reasoner upon human nature, who should take only one half of our words and actions, and cast aside or distort the other, merely because he could not understand how two principles, so apparently opposite, could exist together? Yet just such an error is that of the Rationalist, who takes the Scriptural texts which prove the manhood of Christ, and casts aside those which prove his Divinity, merely because he does not fully comprehend that mystery of Godliness, ‘God manifest in the flesh;' although, if he would but look within himself, he might find a similar mystery, if not so glorious and sublime, yet perhaps not less incomprehensible. Let us, then, my beloved brethren, adhere to that Apostolic faith which accords with the whole counsel of God, as revealed to us in the blessed Gospel. Let us believe in the Divine Majesty of our great Redeemer, with full assurance of faith, according to the language of Prophets and Apostles, of Angels and men, according to the express testimony of Christ on earth, and the voice of the Father from heaven. Let us acknowledge his wondrous works; let us supplicate him for grace, mercy, and peace conjointly with the Father and the Spirit; let us fall down at his sacred feet with the Apostle, and claim him as our Lord and our God. If we thus confess him before men-fully accepting the whole mystery of Godliness, and acknowledging the Redeemer as God manifest in the flesh, trusting in his all-prevailing atonement and perfect righteousness, loving him supremely, and manifesting our love by keeping his commandments, he will confess us also, before his Father in heaven. In life, he will never leave us nor forsake us; in death, he will be our comfort and our hope; and in

purchased for his people, There,' in the language

that blessed world which he has eternal joy shall be our portion. of the Prophet, 'we shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more, neither shall the sun light on us, nor any heat; for the Lamb, which is in the midst of the throne, shall feed us, and shall lead us unto living fountains of waters, and God shall wipe away all tears from our eyes.'

DISCOURSE IV.

2 CORINTHIANS XIII. 14.

THE GRACE OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, AND THE LOVE OF GOD, AND THE COMMUNION OF THE HOLY GHOST, BE WITH YOU ALL, AMEN.

The last branch of the Trinitarian doctrine, my brethren, namely, the Divine Personality of the Holy Spirit, now claims our attention. In reference to this, three principal errors have troubled the peace of the Church. The first was the heresy of Sabellius, who maintained that the Holy Ghost was simply another name for the Father. The second was the heresy of Theodotus and Artemon, revived by Socinus, who held that the Holy Spirit was merely a figure of speech for the influence of the Deity. The third was the heresy of Arius, who taught that not only Christ, but the Spirit also, was a creature. A few quotations from the only infallible guide-the Word of inspiration-will show the error of these various opinions, and leave us in peaceful possession of the truth.

In confutation of the error of Sabellius, there is evi、dence enough afforded in a single passage from the conclu

ding discourse of the Redeemer, recorded in the sixteenth chapter of St. John's Gospel. It is expedient for you,' saith the Divine Teacher to his Apostles, 'that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.—I have yet many things

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to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit, when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.' Now if we connect this with the twenty sixth verse of the foregoing chapter, where the Saviour saith, These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you; but the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you,' the proof appears to be full that the Holy Ghost must be distinguished both from the Father and the Son, for otherwise, on the Sabellian hypothesis, no intelligible'sense can be affixed to these solemn declarations of the Redeemer.

In regard to the heresy of the Socinians, who hold that the Holy Spirit is not a Divine Person, but only an influence of the Deity, we recur to the same Scriptures, in order to learn how we should speak of him. And here we find that personal injunctions, personal commands, personal gifts, and personal actions are ascribed to him, not in the poetical or figurative parts of the inspired volume, but in the plain details of sober history. The diversities of operations,' manifested in the Church, are directly attributed to him,— ' all these,' saith the Apostle, 'worketh that one and the self same Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will;' and many are the passages which clearly demonstrate this truth. Thus the Redeemer declares, 'the Holy Ghost shall TEACH you in the same hour what ye ought to say :' again, we read that the coming of Christ was REVEALED' unto Simeon by the Holy Ghost:' again, the Holy Ghost SAID, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I HAVE CALLED THEM:' again, saith the sacred histo

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rian, 'we were FORBIDDEN by the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia:' again, we find St. Paul saying to the Ephesian presbyters, 'Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock over the which the Holy Ghost HATH MADE YOU OVERSEERS.' And again, saith the same Apostle, 'The Holy Ghost WITNESSETH in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide mé.'

But this is not all that the Scripture sets before us, to prove the personal agency of the Holy Spirit. We find it farther asserted that 'the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man; but holy men of God spake as they were MOVED by the Holy Ghost.' Again we read that 'the Spirit SEARCHETH all things, yea the deep things of God,' and again, that 'the Spirit MAKETH INTERCESSION for us.' Nay, as if to demonstrate his Personality beyond the reach of cavil, we are told not to 'GRIEVE' the Holy Ghost-not to 'RESIST' the Holy Ghost-with the dreadful denunciation of the Saviour himself, that 'Whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, IT SHALL NOT BE FORGIVEN him, neither in this world, nor in the world to come.'

It is probable, my brethren, that more than enough has been cited, to satisfy the unsophisticated mind upon the point in question. Yet there are two other passages, which, to the Christian's heart, invest the doctrine with especial interest; the one already quoted, in which the office of consolation is appointed to the Holy Ghost, and the peculiar name of 'COMFORTER' is applied to him: the other, where St. Paul calls the body of the believer, the temple of the Holy Ghost. 'What!' saith he to the Corinthians, 'know ye not that your body is the TEMPLE of the Holy Ghost which is in you?' And again, 'If any man defile

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