250 THE DOCTRINE OP THE TRINITY, [SEEM. XLIV. Thus God created the world, and raiseth the dead byhis Spirit, as an almighty principle ofoperation*. Proposition X. This Divine Principle, the Spirit of God, is sometimes represented ina personal manner, as a divine person, or sovereign intelligent Agent, even as the true eternal God himself, with divine names, titles, attri- butes, &c. So the spirit of a man, though it be but one distinct principle in man, yet is sometimes represented as the man himself: and this is very common in the Hebrew idiom, and sometimes in other languages. There are several instances of this representation of the spirit of God in scripture. Is God the Father the God of Israel? And is not the Holy Spirit so too? 2 Sam. xxiii. 2, 3.' " The Spirit of Jehovah spake by me, the God of Israel said." The Holy Ghost is that Jehovah, who was tempt- ed by the Jews in the wilderness: Compare Ps. xcv. 3. with Heb. iii. 7. -9. He is that God, that dwells in the saints, as in his temple; 1 Cor. iii. 16, 17. and vi. 19. He is that God to whomAnanias told a lie; Acts v. 3, 4. " Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God." He is that divine Person, who said, Separate to me Paul and Iiarnabas for the work whereunto I have called them," Acts xiii. 2. He is that divine Agent, who sent Peter to Cornelius, Acts x. 20. "The Spirit said to him, be- hold two men seek thee, go with them, for I have sent themt." Here note, that there are some places of scripture, wherein it is pretty difficult to determine, whether the Holy Spirit be represented as the sovereigndivine Agent, * It might be added, perhaps under this proposition, that, when the F.piritof God is represented as speaking or acting in believers, he seems tube described as the Spirit of the Father, or a divine almighty principle really belonging'toGod, which operates in them, but is entirely distinct and different from their own spirits; so Mat. x. 20. " It is not youthat speak, but the Spirit of your Fatherthat speaketh in you." It is this same Spirit of God, which taught their tonguestospeak strange languages, and wrought miracles by their lips and their hands. It is manifested as a di- vine principle of agency speaking and acting in them, infinitely different from all their human principlesof acting : This appeared eminently in the primitive and inspired christians, and in the ancient prophets; they were acted as by another spirit, or a divine active principle, distinct from, and vastly superior to their own. f Here I take occasion to correct a mistake of my memory, in my last " Dissertations on the Trinity," - whereI did not remember, that the pro- noun I, was applied to the Holy Spirit, in the New Testament.
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