TH ART. V. Of the Holy Ghoft. HE Holy Ghoft, proceeding from the Father and the Son, is of one Substance, Majefly, and Glory, with the Father, and the Son, very and eternal God. .. Yet no The Holy Ghoft] Many at this day, as well as in former times, deny the power and Godhead of the Holy Ghoft. "thing less than the infinite power of God the Holy Ghoft, "faith Bp. Beveridge, can convince mortals (who are loft in "rebellion against God) that there is any fuch Being as the "Holy Ghoft." That the Holy Ghoft is very and eternal God, appears plainly from thofe many operations attributed to the Holy Ghoft, or Holy Spirit, recorded in the scriptures, as diftinct from the Father, and the Son, yet of equal power, and eternally proceeding from both. See Matt. x. 20. Rom. viii. 9, 11. 1 Cor. iii. 15. Heb. ix. 14. Peter faith, that of old time the prophets, and all holy men of God, Spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghoft, 2 Pet. i. 21. The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life,* Job xxxiii, Job received this knowledge by the influence of the Holy Ghoft. See alfo Mark xii. 36.—xiii. 4, Acts i. 16.—iv. 8. Ananias and Sapphira are faid by Peter to lye against God, the Holy Ghoft, Acts v, 3. again, the Holy Ghoft is called the Spirit of Chrift, 1 Pet. i. 11. and our bleffed Lord promifed his difciples, that he would fend the Holy Ghoft, who should teach them all things, John xv. 26.-xvi. 14. and that he should convince the world of fin, &c. John xvi. 8, 9. and make interceffion for the faints, Rom. viii. 26, 27. 4. Very and eternal God.] This is evident, fince those things are attributed unto the Holy Ghoft, which cannot be ascribed to any but God; it neceffarily follows that the Holy Ghoft is alfo " very and eternal God," equal with the Father and "the Son." See 1 Cor. iii. 16, 17. John i. 1. Pfal. civ. 30. Athanafian Creed. (The most notorious oppofer of the Godhead of the Holy Ghoft was Macedonis, of Conftantinople). * Mr. Romaine's 10th Difcourfe on the Apoftles Creed. Again Again the Holy Ghoft or Spirit of God was prefent, affifting at the creation of the world to give Life, Gen. i. 2.-ii. 7. When God breathed into man's face, or noftrils, the breath of life; by the Holy Spirit. Compare this with John iii. 5, 6, 8. where Christ is fpeaking of a fecond refloring to fpiritual life, by the Holy Spirit, which Adam, and we all in him, have loft by fin. Again, the Holy Ghoft effected the Incarnation of Christ, Matt. i. 18, 20. Luke i. 17. He teacheth all things, leadeth into all truth: giveth utterance to bis fervants; and fealeth the elect unto the day of Redemption. See John xiv. 26.-xvi. 13. Acts ii. 4. I Cor. xii. 8. Eph. iv, 30.-1 John v. 7. and happy are they, who can call Jefus Lord, by the Holy Ghost, 1 Cor. xii. 3. See Pearfon on the Creed.-The Sin against the Holy Ghoft. See Art. XVI. ART. VI. Of the Sufficiency of the holy Scriptures for Salvation. OLY Scripture containeth all things neceffary to Salvation: fo that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it should be believed as an Article of the Faith, or be thought requifite or neceffary to Salvation. In the name of the holy Scripture we do understand thofe Canonical Books of the Old and New Teftament, of whose Authority was never any doubt in the Church. Of the Names and Number of the Canonical Books. And the other Books (as Hierome faith) the Church doth read for example of life and inftruction of manners; but yet doth it not apply them to establish any Doctrine: Such are these following: The Third Boek of Efdras, The rest of the Book of Hefter, Baruch the Prophet, The Song of the Three Children, All the Books of the New Teftament, as they are commonly received, we do receive, and account them Canonical. Although fome of the ancient fathers and doctors at first did not receive all the Books of the New Testament as Canonical, yet in process of time they were all received and acknowledged by common confent of the whole Church of Christ all over Christendom: for the Holy Spirit in the hearts of all true believers doth teftify, that they are from God, as they carry a divine authority with them. Every word of God is pure: add thou nothing unto his words, left be reprove thee, and thou be found a lyar, Prov. xxx. 5, 6. The whole fcripture is given by infpiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for inflruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be fect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. 2 Tim. iii. 16, 17. So Ignatius, Tertullian, St. Cyprian. Origen obferves, that the books of the Old Teftament are twenty-two, the exact number of the Hebrew letters. per ART. VII. Of the Old Teftament THE HE OldTeftament is not contrary to the New: for both in the Old and New Teftament everlasting life is offered to mankind by Chrift, who is the only Mediator between God and Man, being B 2 being both God and Man. Wherefore they are not to be heard, which feign that the Old Fathers did lock only for tranfitory promifes. Although the law given from God by Mofes, as touching ceremonies and rites, do not bind Chriftian men, nor the civil precepts thereof ought of neceffity to be received in any commonwealth; yet notwithstanding, no Chriftian man whatsoever is free from the obedience of the commandments which are called moral. Not contrary to the new.] "For holy men of old looked for "eternal happiness thro' a Saviour to come, as well as for temporal bleffing: all the prophets fpake of a Saviour to come. "Of his Incarnation, his Birth, his Power, his Office, his "Miracles, his Sufferings, Death, Resurrection, and Afcenfion; "&c. as clearly as if they had really feen him." The firft bleffed promife is to Abraham, and his feed. Gen. xxii. 17, 18. Pfal. ii. 7. confirmed A&ts xiii. 33. Heb. i. 5. Isa. vii. 14. Compare Matt. i. 23. Luke i. 31.-His Office, &c. See Ifa. xlii. 1, 5, lxi. 1. Alfo Matt. xii. 18. Luke iv. 18. Zech ix. 9. Compare Matt. xi. 5. John xii. 15. and Death, Ifa. liii. 4, 5. Compare Matt. viii. 17. Rom. iv. His Humility, His Suffering 15. 1 Cor. xv. 3. 1 Pet. ii. 24. His Refurrection, Pfal. xvi. 10. As ii. 31, 32. Thus the Old Teftament and the New exactly agree with each other, and convey a great authority to those bleffed truths; both speak of the fame bleffings in Christ, both point to the fame end, the recovery of fallen man, and eternal falvation through Jefus Chrift, that God-man. "We "love the prophets," (fays Ignatius in his epiftle)" because 66 they preach the gofpel, and hoped in Chrift, and looked for "him." Read the confeffion of Old Simon Luke ii. 29, 30. "The writings of the prophets, are Evangilical, found, pure, "and perfect." Irenæus, Justin Martyr, &c. The Law-giver.] That is, the ceremoines of the Mofaical law, were to be abolished, as God himself foretold, Jer. xxxi. 31, 32. Chrift came to fulfill the law for us, fo that neither the Mofaical law, nor any of the Jewish ceremonies, are to be ob ferved served by us chriftians; as St. Paul and St. Peter do clearly demonftrate in their epiftles, &c. See Acts x. 13. Gal. ii. 3,.4. iv. 10. Eph. ii. 14, 15. Col. ii. 16, 17. But the moral law eftablished by Chrift is to be ftrictly observed and read by all chriftians. See Matt. v. 17, 18, 19. Acts xv. 20,-29. Rom. xiii. 1. 1 Pet. ii. 13. Acts xxii. 25. ii. 8, 9, 10. xxv. 11. James TH ART. VIII. Of the three Creeds. HE three Creeds, Nicene Creed, Athanafius's Creed, and that which is commonly called the Apofiles Creed, ought thoroughly to be received and believed: for they may be proved by most certain warrant of holy Scripture. Creeds.]" In Latin, Symbola, which alfo fignify watch"words, or fignals in war." Archbishop Welchman. Nice or Nicene Creed, fo called because the greatest part of it was compofed by the Fathers who were affembled at the council of Nice, a city of Bithynia, in the reign of Conftantine the Great, who fummoned together all the Bishops and Fathers in Chriftendom, to the number of 318, in the fourth century, about 325 years after our Saviour's Incarnation. That part of it which relates to the divinity of the Holy Ghoft, was added by the council of Conftantinople, fome years after. Archdeacon Welchman. Athanafius's Creed.] So called, not because it was wholly writ ten by Athanafius, but because it is quite agreeable to his fentiments, who was the most celebrated champion for the orthodox faith of the gofpel; and was levelled directly against Arius the heretic, and his followers. This, as well as the Apostles Creed, is most clearly to be proved from many plain texts of fcripturè, which are quoted, and to be found in this work, under their proper heads: Of God the Father, Elohim. See Article first.-Of God the Son, in unity with the Father. See Art. 2d.-Of God the Holy Ghoft, the third perfon in the ever bleffed Trinity, "Who "with the Father, and the Son, is co-eternal together, and co"equal." See Art. 5. |