866 THE ARIAN INVITED TO ORTHODOX FAITS'. How frequently are reason and fancy introduced like two 'oppo- nents or disputants. Is not conscience at every turn brought in as a person speaking to the sinner, as an accuser charging him with secret crimes, or as a judge approving the actions of a good man, and condemning a rebel, and all this under a personal cha- racter and in personal language ? Are not dialogues introduced oftentimes between reason and fancy, between a man and his con- science ? And this not merely in studied rhetorical language, but in common discourse. And since human powers are thus represented as persons, why may not the Word and Spirit, which are divine powers, be thus represented also ? And why may not God be represented as a person, transacting his owndivine affairs with his Word and his Spirit under personal characters ; since a man is represented as transacting human affairs with his understanding, mind, will, reason, fancy, or conscience, ina personal manner ? H. There is yet a further reason why we may expect such personal representations of the divine powers in scripture c For it is thecustom of eastern writers and particularly of the penmen of theholy scripture to represent the several parts, principles, characters, or virtues of a man in 'a personal manner. So the body and the soul are called the outward and inwardman ; 2 Cor. iv. 16. So the principles of grace and principles of sin are re- presented personally, and have personal actions and characters attributed to them under the names of flesh and spirit ; Gal. v. 17. These same principles are called the old man and the new man, which are personal names ; Rom. vi. 6. Eph: iv. 24. Só charity is represented as a person ; 1 Cor. xiii. And under- standing, or wisdom, is frequently made a person, in the book of Proverbs, even where it doth not so evidently signify theMessiah ; and much more may it be exhibited as a person where Christ himself is presignified and designed. It is so customary with eastern writers to personalize every thing, that even inanimate beings, as well as virtues and vices, are represented by them under personal characters. The sun and the wind have personal properties-ascribed to them ; Ps..civ. 19. " The "sun knoweth his going down. " John iii. S. " The wind bloweth where it listeth." Here are knowledge and will attribu- ted to mere corporeal beings. The countries of Edom and Egypt, the cities of Tyre and Jerusalem, are called the daughters of Edom, and Egypt, of Jerusalem and of Tyre, &c. Job said to corruption, " thou art my father, as well as to the worm, thou art my mother and my sister ;" Jobxvii. 24. Sparks of fire are called thesons of the binning.coal ; Job v. 7. And the word son and daughter are applied almost to every thing in their style, which names de-
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