10 TTIE DOCTRINE OF 111E TRINITY. This has been the general sense of all our divines in this matter, and I thought it necessary to insert this proposition here, that it might more evidently appear, that though, in some scrip- tures, the term Spirit, and holy Spirit, may signify his gifts, graces, and influences, yet this does not at all derogatefrom the true and eternal godhead, which is plainly ascribed to the Holy Spirit in other places. I-Ierenote, though it ishard to determine always with certainty, when the Holy Ghost, or Spirit of God, signifies the divine Agent himself, and when it denotes his influences ; yet there are some texts, wherein the Sense is plain and evident. XIII. Though the Son, and Spirit, are true God, as well as the Father, yet all divines universally acknowledge, that the language of scripture seems to ascribe some sort of peculiar eminence, or special prerogative, to the Father, in such respects as these: 1. The Father, as I hinted before, is always represented as the first and chief Agent in creation, in providence, and in the affairs of salvation: the Father is described and exhibited,as acting by his Son, or Word, and byhis Spirit, as sending them, and employing, or, using them, as mediums of his agency : Whereas the Son, and Spirit, are never represented as Chief Agents, in comparison with the Father, nor are they said, in this manner, to act by the Father, or to send, or use, and em- ploy him as such a medium of their acting. 2. When the name of God is used absolutely in scripture, it generally relates to the Father. This appears in innumerable instances : As, for example, where Christ is called the Son of God, the word God plainly signifies the Father : And indeed, this idea of God, as the Father or prime Agent, is much the most frequent and general sense of the word God, in the Old and New Testament, as all men confess. 3. The Father is described as the only true God, as the one God, even the Father ; and that in such scriptures, where the Son, or Spirit, are named, and plainly distinguished fromhim; Johnxvii. 3. Christ saith to his Father ; " This is life eternal, to know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent;" Eplh. iv. 6. There is one body, oneSpirit, oneLord,oneGod God dwells in them, and abides with them for ever; John xiv. 16, 17. For lie that hash not 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 down ou men, which would be the plain consequence of interpreting such scriptures con. ceroing the divine Agent himself, or the Iioly Spirit, who is true God; and for that reason our divines have generally thought it proper and necessary to inter- pret many of these expressions, rather concerningthe gifts, graces, and influen- ces of the Spirit.
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