PROPOSITION XX. 1953 peculiarly and only to the Father, and if paid to Christ person- ally considered are ridiculous and absurd. But to proceed. We may pay also divine honours and praise to the Holy Spirit for his miraculous gifts of old, for in- spiring the prophets and apostles, for all his distributions of gifts; graces, and sacred influences to his churches, his saints, and his ministers in our days. But if we mention expressly his deputation to this sacred office by the Father and the Son, then we give thanks to the Holy Spirit, who has accepted this office in our salvation, to enlighten, Comfort and sanctify us; and in executing this blessed office by Commission from the Father and Sen, distributes his gifts and his graces among us. Now this form of words Could not properly be used in au address to the Father, nor to the Son. Yet in the third place, III. I would make this remark here, viz. That when we mention merely the benefits that we receive from the Son or Spirit, we may give thanks to God the Father for them all, be- cause in the order of the gospel, he sent both the Spirit and the Son to provideand bestow thoseblessings on us. Thus we may bless God the Father for the atonement of Christ, and his glo- rious righteousness ; for the providential government of Christ over the nations, and his spiritual government over his church, as well as for the enlightening, sanctifying and comforting in- fluences of the Holy Ghost, &C. We may give thanks also to the Son, fer all the benefits that we receive from the Holy Spirit; for it is the Son who by the appointment and gift of the Fattier sends the Holy Spirit to us. But we cannot properly give thanks to the Son or the Spirit; considered in their distirèt personal Characters, for all the benefits and blessings which are particularly attributed to the Father in scripture ; such as contriving our salvation, sending the Son to purChase it, and by the hands of the Son sending the Spirit to apply it ; for this would bring confusion into that admirable divine order, which God bath established in our sal- vation. All these things flow with soclear and natural an evidence from the scriptures, which have been before cited, that it is need- less to cite and repeat them here. Thus it is abundantly evident; that distinct personal honours, must beaddressed to the three sacred persons, on the account of their different properties, characters and offices, though thesame absolute and essential honours of the deity or godhead may be addressed to all three together, or to God subsisting in three per- sons. Now in the fourth place; IV. To give a short and direct answer to the third question, When the common doxologies are used, wherein glory is given to the Father, on and Spirit., in the saine form of words, we N 2
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