DISSERTATIONVII. 385 employ his divine powers in his work of creation, viz. his Word in contriving, and his Spirit in effecting all things ? Or in his works of grace, viz. the Word in redemption, and the Spirit in Sanctification ? Thus Gqd created all things by his Word and S{brit, and he saves mankind by the same Word and Spirit.* 'I'he great God, by his word or wisdom, directs the agency of his Spirit or executive power. III. May net the soul be sometimes considered as the prime agent, in distinction from the mind and will, while the soul is said to employ the mind and will in particular transactions ? And thus, while the divine nature, or God, employs his two powers, the Word and Spirit, may he not sometimes in this view be esteemed, in an economical sense, the chief agent, and thus sus- tain a distinct sort of personality, even what is usually called the personality of the Fattier, though it may not signify that he is the author, or producer of the Word, or of the Spirit ? Is it not generally given as one reason, why Christ iscalled the Son of God in his pre- existent nature, viz. that he is ap- pointed to .his royal offices by God himself, considered as the supreme rector of the world? Now, if Christ may be called a Son inscripture, Ps. ii. 7. and Ps. lxxxix. 27. as being deputed to the,mediatorial government, why may not God, the supreme rector of the world, who deputes him to this government, be called the Father on this account? Ps. lxxxix. 26. Surely I should suppose, that those who grant a filiation to be derived from the economy, might allow the same concerningpaternity. IV. Is God ever called the Father in scripture, as giving birth or origin to the divine nature, either of the `Word or Spi- rit ? Are they ever plainly represented as depending upon him, or derived from him, as.to their divine existence ? Does not the word Father rather signify the godhead, considered as the su- preme head, as the spring and' origin of all creatures, or as being the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ as man ? Or, at most, as only sustaining the character of the Father, or chief agent, in the economy of creation And redemption ? V. May not the human mind and the will be represented in a personal manner, or as distinct personal agents, at.least by a figurative way of speaking, though they are but two powers of the saine soul ? May I not use such language as this, " My mind * God is not only said to act by his Word and his Spirit, but he is some- times said to send forth his. Word, and sometimes his Spirit, yet all this maybe very fairly expounded cencerning two divine powers, since in other places of ácriptare God is said to send several things which have no proper personality, Ps: lvii. 3. " God shall send forth his mercy and his truth" Ps. Ixxviii. 49. where the original Hebrew by the same word expresses " God sending forth the fiercenessof his anger, wrath andondignation as he does the sending forth of evil. angels." Ps. cxi. 9. " He sent forth redemption to his people." Ps. xx. 2. " The Lord send thee help frow the sanctuary." VOL. vI. B a
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