First. He is placed in the same 7'ank and order, without any note of difference or distinction as to a distinct interest in the divine nature (tlmt is, as we shall see, personality) with the other divine persons. Matt, xxviii. 19, " Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." 1 John v. 7, " There are three that
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bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost ; and these three are one," 1 Cor. xii. 3-6, " No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. Now, there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administra- tions, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all." Neither doth a denial of his divine being and distinct existence leave any tolerable sense unto these expressions. For read the words of the first place from the mind of the Socinians, and see what is it that can be gathered from them, " Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the virtue or efficacy of the Father." Can any thing be more absonant from faith and reason than this absurd expression? and yet it is the direct sense, if it be any, that these men put upon the words. To join a quality with acknowledged persons, and that in such things and cases as wherein they are proposed under a personal consideration, is a strange kind of mysteiy. And the like may be manifested concerning the other places.
Secondly. He also hath the names proper to a divine person only ; for he is expressly called " God," Acts v. He who is termed the " Holy Ghost," verse 3, and the " Spirit of the Lord," verse 9, is called also " God," verse 4. Now, this is the name of a divine person, on one account or other. The Socinians would not allow Christ to be called God were he not a divine person, though not by nature, yet by office and authority. And I suppose they will not find out an office for the Holy Ghost, whereunto he might be exalted, on the account whereof he might become God, seeing this would acknow- ledge him to be a person, which they deny. So he is called the " Comforter," John xvi. 7. A personal appellation tln^ is also; and because he is the Comforter of all God's people, it can be the name of none but a divine person. In the same place, also, it is frequently affinned, that he shall come, that he shall and will do such and such things ; all of them declaring him to be a person.
Thirdly. He hath personal properties assigned unto him ; as a will, 1 Cor. xii. 11, " He divideth to every man severally as he will;" and understanding, 1 Cor. ii. 10, "The Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God;" — ^as also, all the actings that are ascribed unto him are all of them such as undeniably affirm personal proper- ties in their principal and agent. For, —
Fourthly. He is the voluntary author of divine operations. He of old cherished the creation. Gen. i. 2, " The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters." He formed and garnished the heo^vens. He inspired, acted, and spake, in and by the prophets. Acts xxviii. 25, " Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers;" 2 Pet. i, 21, "The prophecy came not in old time by the
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will of man ; but lioly men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." He regenerateth, enlighteneth, sanctifieth, comforteth, instructeth, leadeth, guideth, all the disciples of Christ, as the Scrip- tures everywhere testify. Now, all these are 2^&'^sonal operations, and cannot, with any pretence of sobriety or consistency with reason, be constantly and uniformly assigned unto a quality or virtue. He is, as the Father and Son, God, with the properties of omniscience and omnipotency, of life, understanding, and will; and by these pro- perties, works, acts, and produceth effects, according to wisdom, choice, and power.
Fifthly. The same regard is had to him in faith, worship, and obedience, as unto the other persons of the Father and Son. For our being baptized into his name, is our solemn engagement to be- lieve in him, to yield obedience to him, and to worship him, as it puts the same obligation upon us to the Father and the Son. So also, in reference unto the worship of the church, he commands that the ministers of it be separated unto himself; Acts xiii. 2, "The Holy Ghost said. Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them;" verse 4, "So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed ; " — which is comprehensive of all the religious worship of the churcli.
And on the same account is he sinned against, as Acts v. 8, 4, 9 ; for there is the same reason of sin and obedience. Against whom a man may sin formally and ultimately, him he is bound to obey, worship, and believe in. And this can be no quality, but God him- self For what may be the sense of this expression, " Thou hast bed to the efficacy of God in his operations?" or how can we be formally obliged unto obedience to a quality ? There must, then, an antecedent obligation unto faith, trust, and religious obedience be supposed, as the ground of rendering a person capable of being guilty of sin to- wards any; for sin is but a failm-e in faith, obedience, or worship. These, therefore, are due unto the Holy Ghost ; or a man could not sin against him so signally and fatally as some are said to do in the foregoing testimonies.