142 THE CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE Or THE TRINITY. Leave to infer, that Arian and Socinian doctrines are not the doc trines of the bible, which in matters of such moment and conse- quence are and must be so easy, open and clear, that the igno- rant and the unlearned may read and understand ; " for ofsuch is the kingdom of heaven." Now the plain christian,, who reads his bible honestly, and follows the natural meaning Of the words, will be led info the most dangerous mistakes, and to the practice of downright idolatry by the""very bible itself," if these divine characters which I have mentioned are not really applicable to Christ. If Christ were nota partaker of true .godhead, 1 can never imagine that the great God; Who is so jealouscof his own honour, and so kind and faithful to his people,; and who knows how reedy mankind is to take every occasion to run into idol-worship, would ever lay such stumbling-Weeks or temptations in their way, and leave them in his word for the use of all ages. I cannot persuademy- self that this GOd would have let those passages stand in the holy scriptures asour rule of faith.and practice, which have such a natural tendency to diminish his own dignity, to give away his divine prerogatives to another, and to deceive the humble and the simple into such pernicious snares, and that in a point of so high and awful importance. I proceed new to consider whìch'of the peculiar divine cite. vacters are ascribed in scripture to the Holy Ghost, and in this part ofmy discourse I shall be much briefer ; not only because the scripture has not occasion to give half so many proofs of the godhead of the Holy Spirit, but because if the true and proper godhead of Christ be fully proved, that of the Holy Spirit will be easily. admitted. " Divine characters ascribed to the Holy Spirit." I. The peculiar name of God, which is ascribed to the Holy. Spirit in scripture, is Jehovah. The Spirit of God is the saine with Jehovah ; Is. vi. 3. " One of the seraphims cried to another, saying, holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts, in the original, it is Jehovah, the whole earth is full of his glory." And the voice of this Jehovah said, verse 9, 10. " Go and tell this people, hear ye indeed, but understandnot; and see ye in- deed; but perceive not," &c. Now that these words were spo- ken by the Holy Ghost, is evident from Acts xxviii. 25, 23. " Well spake the Holy Ghost by Isaias the prophet, unto our fathers, saying, go unto this people, and say, hearing ye shall hear, and not understand ; and seeing ye shall see, and not per- ceive," &c. Nor is it any sufficient Objection that these words are applied to Christ; .John xii. 41. " These things, said Isaias, when he saw his, that is, Christ's glory, and spake of him." For Christ and the Holy Ghost are one in godhead, as We shall spewhereafter.
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