w-4-0 THE noC'TftrNE OP THE TM-NTT ?J. [sr/tic xr,kv? Spirit, are sometimes called the Holy Spirit.. This has been always granted by our best writers. And perhaps, this may be the meaning of that tern, in some of those places of scripture, -where the Spirit is said to bepoured out upon men, to be shed down on the apostles, tobe given to believers by laying on the hands of the apostles, where men are said to have a portion of the Spirit, whether greater, or less, or double; or perhaps, where the Spirit is said to be, or not to be given by measure, or where persons are said to be filled, or anointed with the Spirit. Perhaps, I say, some of these scriptural phrases may be better explained concern- ing the gifts, graces, and influences of the Holy Spirit, than concerning the divide Agent himself, who is true God. It seems to be much more proper to say, divine influences are shed down, poured out, andgiven to men, by laying on of hands; &c. than to say, that the true God himself is shed down, is poured out, or is given to some men, by other men's laying hands upon them ; or than to say, we are anointed with God, or God is given, or not given, by measure, &c*. This has been the general sense of all our divines in this matter, and I thought it necessary to insert this pro- position here, that it might more evidently appear, that though, in some scriptures, the term Spirit, and Holy There are several other scriptures that confirm this proposition. It is evident, that it was the Holy Spirit bywhich Elijah spoke and acted, and yetit is called the spiritfElijah, that is, his gifts ; 2 King ii. 9, 15. It is the Holy Spirit by which the Corinthians spake, yet it is called the spirit of the prophets, and these are said to be subject to the prophets : 1 cor. xiv. 52. whichwould hardly be said concerning the divine Agent or God himself. See Pool's Annotations. ' This proposition does by no means deny, or diminish the truth and glory of the Spirit of God dwelling eminently in the human nature of Christ, -who was anointed and filled with the Spirit, and subordinately inevery true christian: For God himself it said to dwell in his people, as in his .temple, and the " Spirit of God 'dwells in them, and abides with them for ever ;" Joint xiv. 16, 17. For " he that hathnot the Spirit of Christ, is none of his ;" Rom. viii. 9. But this proposition relieves those harsh and unwarrantable expressions, of being anointed with God, of receiving a double portion of God, of God being shed, or poured don on men l!hich would be the plain consequence of interpreting such scriptures concerning the divine Agent himself, or the Holy Spirit, who is true God : and for that reason our divines have generally thought it proper and ne- tessary to interpret many of these expressions, rather concerning the gifts, graces, and influences of the Spirit.
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