"a lying unto God." Now from these expressions see who the Holy Ghost is :
1. He is a distinct person — [It would be absurd to imagine that the Holy Ghost is a mere quality ; for on such a supposition the language of the \postle would have no meaning at all. If he is tempted and deceived, he must be a person : and accordingly we find him spoken of continually as one indeed with the Father and the Son, but vet as personally distinct from them.
He possesses the attributes of a person ;— understanding °, willc and, if not affections, yet a susceptibility of impression suited to the manner in which he is treated by usd. He sustains the offices of a person, being a Comforter6, an Intercessor f, a Teacher^, a Witness11. He also performs the acts of a person; commanding5, forbidding*, judging1. And, that we may not confound him with either of the other persons of the Godhead, he is spoken of as distinct from both, and as sent from the Father by the Son for specific ends and purposes, which, according to the plan proposed between the Sacred Three, were to be accomplished by him alone m.]
2. He is the true God —
rThis also is declared with no less clearness than the former- for, He is called by the incommunicable name, Je- hovah11 He has all the perfections of the Deity; eternity0, omnipresence p, omniscience0. He does the works that are proper to God alone : he formed the body of Jesus m the Virgin's womb1 ; qualified him for the office he was to sustain"; is the author of every good work in us1 ; and inspired from the verv beginning all the Prophets and Apostles, that they might communicate to us with infallible certainty the mind and will of Godu. He receives also the worship that is due to (jod only*, and is joined with the Father and the Son as the glorious Bein^' to whom we are consecrated in our baptising and as equally with them the source of all spiritual blessings2.
From this view of the Holy Ghost we see with what propriety the Apostle spoke of him as " God;" nor do we hesitate for a moment to proclaim him, " The Most High God3. J
f 1 Cor. ii. 11. c l Cor- xiL n>
i Lsai.lxiii.10. Eph.iv.30. e John xiv. 16,17.
t Rom. viii. 26, 27. * John xiv. 26. h Rom. vm. 16.
i Acts xiii.2— 4. k Acts xvi. 6, 7. 1 Acts xv. 28.
m John xv. 26. n Isai. vi. 8—10. with Acts xxviu. 25.
o Heh ix 14. p Ps. cxxxix. 7. q 1 Cor. n. 10.
i Luke i. 35. s Isai. lxi. 1. r Gal. v. 22.
u 1 Pet. i. 11. and 2 Pet. i. 21. x 2 Thess. m. 5. Rev. l. 4.
>• Matt, xxviii. 19. z 2 Cor. xiii. 14.
a Compare Heb. iii. 7—9. withPs. lxxvm. o6.