GERM. XLIV.] AND THE USE OF IT that is, God himself; or, as a distinct power, or princi- ple in the godhead, by which,God the Father acts. And, upon this account, some texts may be fairly interpreted both ways, without any inconvenience : Yet, in other places, this distinction is plainly observed, as may appear by several of these scriptures which I have cited. Proposition X.I. Sometimes this Divine Principle, the Holy Spirit, is represented in a personal manner, but in a subordinate character, and as a person more directly acting according to the economy of the gospel. Then he is set forth, not only as proceeding* from the Father, and given to the Son, but he is described also as sent both by the Father and the Son, to perform various offices and operations in the world, and especially in the church. John xv. 26. "When the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me." And though under this idea in the christian eco- nomy, the Spirit is represented in a. subordinate manner, yet in his divine nature or godhead, he is truly, essen- tially, and eternally one with God the Father. If this proposition does not give full satisfaction, con- cerning the representation of the Holy Spirit, in a subor- dinate manner, in some scriptures, perhaps, the next proposition may relieve those difficulties. Proposition XII. The term Spirit, and Holy Spirit, in scripture, does. not always signify the divine. Agent hitnself, but sometimes it means his gifts, graces, and influences, the virtue or efficacy of this divine principle' in godhead. Nor is this at all strange, for Jesus Christ himself is called the Word of God, because he reveals the will of God to men; and yet the very laws and re- velations, which God bathgiven to men by Jesus Christ, are sometimes also called the Word of God; so, though the Spirit of God himself distributes gifts, and graces, and divine influences among men, yet these' very gifts, and graces, anddivine influences, which are given by the * I do not here enter into that question, whether the Holy Spirit, con- sidered in his own divine essence, or subsistence, is derived from the Fa- ther, or from the Son, or both. But I content myself here to declare, that, as to the economy of the gospel, and the manner of operation, the Spirit proceeds from the Father, and is sent both by the Father and the Son. This is plain scripture,, and beyond all dispute.
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