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heart to lie to the HOLY GHOST? Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.† Allt scripture is

that there was a God,-which must be the sense, if the copulative be admitted; but they denied the truths taught by the apostles, concerning the character and kingdom of Jesus Christ. Now, since the things predicated in the texts, are constantly applied to Jesus Christ in other scriptures, what reason can be assigned, why the apostles should apply them to any other, in these texts under consideration.

Besides, admitting the copulative and in these and other texts conveys a very strange idea of what is predicated of the great God and Jesus Christ, as if there were one appearing of the great God, another of Jesus Christ-one commandment of the great God to make Paul an apostle, another of Jesus Christ.One righteousness of God, another of Jesus Christ, and so of all the texts where it is found. Whereas the appearing, commandment, righteousness, denying, &c. mentioned in the texts, is but one appearing, &c. therefore it must be one and the same subject or person they are predicated of.

Such considerations kept in view, in reading many passages of the new testament, would make the scope and meaning of them abundantly more clear; and set the proper Deity of Jesus Christ in the plainest point of view that language can possibly express it: but otherwise, the texts are either pressed as arguments against the Deity of Christ, or at least, subject to the criticisms of such as are no friends to it.

Acts v. 3, 4.

+ The antithesis is here betwixt man and God;-and Ananias lied unto God, because he had lied unto the Holy Ghost; who, by the plainest inference, (if the apostle spoke good sense) is therefore God. Had it not been thus, the apostle would have said, "Thou hast not lied unto the Holy Ghost, or, to the Holy Ghost only, but unto God." If the Holy Ghost is not God, the apostle is certainly culpable for writing so uncautiously; for any man of common sense, whose mind is not prejudiced, and reads only to know the truth, must necessarily conclude from this and other texts, that the Holy Ghost is God. To interpret them otherwise, needs a great deal of criticism and learned pains; and after all, the interpretations appear to the unprejudiced very unnatural and forced,

2 Tim. iii. 16.

given by inspiration of GoD. But holy men of God spake as they were moved by the HOLY GHOST. Know ye not, that ye are the temple of GOD, and that the SPIRIT of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of GoD, him shall God destroy; for the temple of GoD is holy, which temple ye are. Know ye not, that your body is the temple of the HOLY GHOST?"

CREATION WORK is proper only to God. "The§ LORD he is GOD, it is he that made us. Thou, even thou, art LORD alone, thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein. He that built all things is GOD."

But CREATION WORK is ascribed to JESUS CHRIST. "All** things were made by him (the Word); and without him was not any thing made that was made. Bytt him (JESUS CHRIST) were all things created that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him and for him. And he is before all things, and by him all things consist."

And to the Spirit." The‡‡ SPIRIT of GOD (the§§ SPIRIT GOD) hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.”

* 2 Pet. i. 21. & Psa. c. 3.

** Jolin i. 3.

+ 1 Cor. iii. 16, 17.
|| Neh. ix. 6.
tt Col. i. 16, 17.

Ibid. vi. 19.

¶ Heb. iii. 4.
‡‡ Job xxxiii, 4.

§§ In this text, as well as several others, (which we will have occasion to notice afterwards) there is no possessive pronoun to denote a relation to any other; which makes it a clear proof that the Spirit is God; and that creation work is properly ascribed to him.

The Author of divine revelation, is GOD. "GOD* shall reveal even this unto you. GOD,† who spake in time past unto the fathers, by the prophets. Thus saith the LORD of Hosts."

But this is attributed to Jesus Christ." For$ I neither received it of men, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of JESUS CHRIST. Since ye seek a proof of CHRIST speaking in me, which to you ward is not weak, but is mighty in you. These¶ things saith the SON OF GOD."

And to the Holy Ghost." It** was revealed unto him by the HOLY GHOST. Itt is not ye that speak, but the HOLY GHOST. Thus the HOLY GHOST."

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The divine law hath its authority from GOD, They who break it tempt GOD.-" So$$ then with the mind, I myself serve the law of GOD. There is one law-giver, who is able to save, and to destroy. Ye¶¶ shall not tempt the Lord your God."

The same is said of Christ.-" Bear*** ye one another's burthens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. Neither tt let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents."

Of the Spirit." The‡‡‡ law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus, hath made me free from the law of sin and death. How§§§ is it that ye have agreed together, to tempt the Spirit of God?"

Phil. iii. 15. § Gal. i. 12. ** Luke ii. 26. Rom. vii. 25. *** Gal. vi. 2.

+ Heb. i. 1.
|| 2 Cor. xiii, 3.
tt Mark xiii. 3.

1 Sam. iv. 12.
ttt 1 Cor. x. 9.
§§§ Acts v. 9.

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↑ Isa. i. 24. ¶ Rev. ii. 18. it Acts xxi. 11. ¶¶ Deut. vi. 16. ttt Rom. viii. 2.

ETERNITY is a perfection proper only to God. "Even* from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. Thet eternal God is thy refuge, and underheath are the everlasting arms."

Attributed to Jesus Christ.-"Unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given,-and his name shall be called--the everlasting Father, (the Father of eternity.) I§ (the Redeemer) am the first, and I am the last. I am alpha and omega, the beginning and the ending. Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever."

To the Spirit.-" How ** much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot unto God."

IMMENSITY is another perfection proper only to Deity." Cantt any hide himself in secret places, that I shall not see him? saith the Lord: do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord."

This is also attributed to Jesus Christ, who is "head‡‡ over all things to the church, which is his body, the fulness of him (Christ) that filleth all in all."

To the Spirit.-" Whither§§ shall I go from thy Spirit? or whither shall I fly from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there," &c.

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He that is present with all the saints, and dwelleth in them, is God. "Ye* are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them. Godt is in you of a truth."

But Jesus Christ dwelleth in them.-" Know‡ ye not your ownselves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? Thats Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith."

-To the Spirit.-" Even the Spirit of truth, he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead, dwell in you; he that raised up Christ from the dead, shall also quicken your mortal bodies, by his Spirit that dwelleth in you."

GOD only is holy." Who** shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy."

This perfection is ascribed to Jesus Christ." Butt+ ye denied the holy one, and the just. These things saith he that is holy, he that is true." Even Jesus Christ who indited the epistles to the seven churches.

And to the Holy Ghost." But§§ ye have an unction from the holy one, and ye know all things."

God only is the fountain of life." That thou mayest love the Lord thy God-for he is thy

2 Cor. vi. 16. § Eph. iii. 17. **Rev. xv. 4.

+ 1 Cor. xiv. 15. John xiv. 17. ++ Acts iii. 14.

§§ 1 John ii. 20.

t 2 Cor. xiii. 5.

Rom. viii. 11. #Rev. iii. 7.

Deut. xxx. 20.

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