DISSERTATION V. 347 of Godbe but one power of the divine nature, how can it be de- scribed as vested with all manner of intelligent characters, pow- ers, and properties, such as understanding, will, affections, &c? " The Spirit has knowledge; for he searches the deep things of God ;" 1 Cor. ii. 10. " He has will, for he distributes gifts to every man severally as Le will.;" I Cor. xii. 1l. " He has at%c- tions, for he is grieved;" Eph. iv, 30. This seems to represent the Spirit as a complete person, and not as one power. Answer I. To this I reply, first, I have already acknow- ledged that in some places of scripture the Spirit of God signifies God acting by his Spirit : So that the divine essence is included in the term, together with his almighty efficient power ; and this gives'a solution to that difficulty in several .texts of scripture : God considered as acting by his Spirit, has also all other divine powers belonging to him. II. But, in the next place, I add also, that wheresoever things are represented in a personal manner, or as persons, there all personal or intelligent characters, viz. understanding, will, affections, &c. are ascribed to them. Even human wisdom, as well as divine, in the book of Proverbs, ltas various intelligent and voluntary characters and actions ascribed unto it, when it is personalized. The same may be said of charity ; 1 Cor. xiii: 4-8. It has knowledge and thoughts ; " charity thinketh no evil, charity believeth all things. It has a will and design ; Cha- rity seeketh not her own. It has affections ; charity is kind, it rejoiceth not at iniquity, but it rejoicetlt in 'the truth." That this sort of language is common among the Jews, may be seen abundantly in the apocryphal books of Wisdom, and Ecclesias- ticus, where all manner of powers, strength, knowledge, will, motion, &c. are ascribed to wisdom. Even inanimate things, when represented personally, have knowledge, will, and aflc- tions, ascribed to them. The sun is said to have knowledge, for he knoiveth bis going down ; Ps. civ. 19. The sun has affections for he rejoiceth to run his race ; Ps. xix. 5. The wind itself, to which the Holy Spirit is compared ; John iii. 8. has àwill as- cribed to it. "' The wind Wowed) where it listed), o,m OA. where it will." By all these instances, and many others which might be added, it appears that though the blessed Spirit may have both understanding and will, and affections, attributed to it in scrip- ture language, it may still be one divine power, and not a proper literal person, dr a distinct conscious mind. But I have said many .other things toward the solution of this difficulty in the discourse about the " use of the word per- son," and in another that treats of the " distinctions in the divine natures" and 1 shall add something further on this head in the end ofthic discourse, by giving several specimens bow even those See Uiss,ctaÙOUS
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