But before we proceed, we may, in our way, observe a great con- gruency of success in those who have denied the Deity of the Son and those who have denied that of the Holy Spuit. For as to. the Son, after some men began once to disbelieve the revelation concern- ing him, and would not acknowledge him to be God and man in one person, they could never settle nor agree, either what or who he was, or who was his Father, or why he was the Son. Some said he was a phantasm or appearance, and that he had no real subsistence in this world ; and that all that was done by him was an appearance, he himself being they know not what elsewhere. That proud beast, Paulus Samosatenus,^ whose flagitious life contended for a pre-emi- nence in wickedness with his prodigious heresies, was one of the first, after the Jews, that positively contended for his being a man, and no more; who was followed by Photinus and otliers. The Arians per- ceiving the folly of this opinion, with the odium of it amongst all that bare the name of Christians, and that they had as good deny the whole Scripture as not grant unto him a pre-existence in a di"\dne nature antecedent to his incarnation, they framed a new Deity, which God should make before the world, in all things like himself, but not the same with him in essence and substance, but to be so like him that, by the \viitings of some of them, ye can scarce know the one from the other; and that tliis was the Son of God, also, who was after- ward incarnate. Others, in the meantime, had more monstrous ima- ginations: some, that he was an angel; some, that he was the sun; some, that he was the soul of the tvorld; some, the light within men.
' A heresiarcli of the tliird century, elevated to the bishopric of Aiitioch about A.D. 260. lie is said to have indulged in hau<!;hty pomp and licentious practices, and was deposed by a council held in 2Gf), chiefly for liis heretical doctrines; — amongst which he held, that wliile the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are one God, they are not respectively distinct persons, and that the Son in particulai- had no distinct personality, but existed in God, and caiuo to dwell in the man Jesus.
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Departing from their proper rest, so have they hovered about, and so have they continued to do until this day.
In the same manner it is come to pass with them who have de- nied the Deity of the Holy Ghost. They could never find where to stand or abide; but one hath cried up one thing, another an- other. At first they observed that such things were everywhere ascribed unto him in the Scripture as uncontrollably evidence him to be an intelligent, voluntary agent. This they found so plain and evident, that they could not deny but that he was a 'person, or an intelligent subsistence. Wherefore, seeing they were resolved not to assent unto the revelation of his being God, they made him a created spirit, chief and above all others; but still, whatever else he were, he was only a creature. And this course some of late also have steered.
The Socinians, on the other hand, observing that such things are assigned and ascribed unto him, as that, if they acknowledge him to be a person, or a substance, they must, upon necessity, admit him to be God, though they seemed not, at first, at all agreed what to think or say concerning him positively, yet they all concurred per- emptorily in denying his personality. Hereon, some of them said he was the gospel, which others of them have confuted ; some, that he was Christ. Neither could they agree whether there was one Holy Ghost or more ; — whether the Spirit of God, and the good Spirit of God, and the Holy Spirit, be the same or no. In general, now they conclude that he is "vis Dei," or " virtus Dei," or " efficacia Dei;" — no substance, but a quality, that may be considered either as being in God, and then they say it is the Spirit of God ; or as sanctifying and conforming men unto God, and_ then they say it is the Holy Ghost. Whether these things do answer the revelation made in the Scripture concerning the eternal Spirit of God, will be immediately manifested. Our Quakers, who have for a long season hovered up and down like a swarm of flies, with a confused noise and humming, begin now to settle in the opinions lately by them declared for. But what their thoughts will fall in to be concerning the Holy Ghost, wlien they shall be contented to speak intelligibly, and according to the usage of other men, or the pattern of Scripture the great rule of speaking or treating about spiritual things, I know not, and am un- certain whether they do so themselves or no. Whether he may be the light within them, or an infallible afflatus, is uncertain. In the meantime, what is revealed unto us in the Scripture to be believed concerning the Holy Ghost, his Deity and personality, may be seen in the ensuing testimonies.
The sum of this revelation is, — that the Holy Spirit is an eternally existing divine substance, the author of divine operations, and the