creature inferior to the Son, consist with Christ's being conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost? and his being honoured by having the Holy Ghost descending upon him? and being anointed with it, and working his greatest miracles by the power of the Holy Ghost? and its being a great honour done to Christ, that the Spirit was given to him not by measure? Besides, the Holy Ghost being a creature, not only infinitely inferior to God, but inferior to the Son, is exceedingly inconsistent with almost every thing said of the Holy Spirit in Scripture; as, his being called the Power of the Highest; his searching all things, even the deep things of God, and knowing the things of God in the most distinguishing manner, as the spirit of man within him knows the things of a man; the Scripture's being the word of God, as it is the word of the Holy Ghost; Christians being the temple of the living God, as they are the temple of the Holy Ghost; lying unto the Holy Ghost being called lying unto God; the chief works of God being ascribed to the Holy Ghost, as the works of creation, and the forming of man in the womb. (Eccles. xi. 5. Job xxxiii. 4.) Giving the highest sort of wisdom, viz. spiritual understanding; forming the human nature of Christ; being the author of regeneration and sanctification; creating a new heart, and so being the author of the new creation, which is spoken of as vastly greater than the old.

Blasphemy against the Father is pardonable; but not against the Holy Ghost. It is unreasonable to suppose that only the body of Christ was made by the Holy Ghost. It is evident, that the whole human nature, the holy thing that was born of the virgin, was by the Holy Ghost; Luke i. 35. But the Son of the virgin was a holy thing, especially with regard to his soul. The soul of Adam was from the Spirit of God, from God's breathing into him the breath of life. But this breath of life signifies the Spirit of God, as appears by Christ's breathing on his disciples after his resurrection, saying, "Receive ye the Holy Ghost." The Spirit of God is called the breath of God; Job xxxiii. 4. "The Spirit of God hath made me; the breath of the Almighty hath given me life." If God's Spirit gives life to other men, or mankind in general, doubtless he gave life to Adam. And if that Spirit of God which gives life to mankind in general, be, in doing that work called the breath of God; we may well suppose, that when we find that which gave life and soul to Adam, called God's breath, thereby was meant God's Spirit.

§ 23. How unreasonable must our notions be of the creation of the world, on Arian principles? For it is manifest in the Scripture, that the world was made by the Spirit of

God, as well as by the Son of God. But the Son of God is, according to them, a created Spirit; and the Spirit of God must therefore also be a created Spirit inferior to him.Therefore, we must suppose, that the Father created the world by the Son, and that the Son did not create the world by himself, but by the Spirit of God as his minister or instrument. So that the Spirit of God herein must act as the instrument of an instrument!

For

24. It is evident that the same Word, the same Son of God, that made the world, also upholds it in being, and governs it. This is evident, in part, unto reason. upholding the world in being, and creating it, are not properly distinct works; since it is manifest, that upholding the world in being is the same with a continued creation; and consequently, that creating the world, is but the beginning of upholding it, if I may so say-beginning to give it a supported and dependent existence and preservation is only continuing to give it such a supported existence. So that, truly, giving the world a being at first, no more differs from preserving it through all successive moments, than giving a being the last moment, differs from giving a supported being this moment. And the Scripture is as express, that the world is upheld by Christ, as that it was created by him; Colos. i. 16, 17. For by Him were all things created, and by Him all things consist." Heb. i. 2, 3. “By whom also he made the worlds, and upholding all things by the word of His power. And it is He that shall bring the world to an end. Heb. i. 10, 11, 12. "Thou, Lord, in the beginning, hast laid the foundations of the earth, &c. They shall perish, but Thou shalt endure. As a vesture shalt Thou change them, and they shall be changed. But Thou art the same, and Thy years shall not fail.”

But if these things are so, what shall we think of the upholding and government of the world, while Christ was in his humbled state, and while an infant, and when we are told that he was wearied with his journey, and his strength in some measure spent, only with governing the motions of his own body? Who upheld and governed the world at that time? Doubtless, it will be said, that God the Father took the world out of the hands of the Son for that time, to uphold and govern it, and returned it into his hands again at his exaltation. But, is there any ground to suppose such a mighty change as this, as to the author of the universe, that it should have such different authors of its being, and of all its properties, natural principles, motions, alterations, and events, both in bodies and all created minds, for three or four and thirty years, from what it had ever before or since? Have we

any hint of such a thing? or, have we any revelation of any thing analogous? Has God ever taken the work of a creature out of its hands, according to the ordinary course of things?

§ 25. The Supreme God is doubtless distinguished by some works or other. As he must be infinitely distinguished from all other beings in his nature; so, doubtless, there are some manifestations or other of this vast superiority above all other beings. But we can have no other proper manifestations of the divine nature, but by some effects of it. The invisible things of God are seen by the things that are made. The word of God itself is no demonstration of the superior distinguishing glory of the Supreme God, any otherwise than by his works; and that two ways: 1. As we must have the perfections first proved by his works, in order to know that his word is to be depended on. 2. As the works of God, appealed to and declared in his word, make evident that divine greatness and glory which the word of God declares. There is a difference between declaration and evidence. The word declares; but the works are the proper evidence of what is declared.

Undoubtedly, therefore, the vastly distinguished glory of the Supreme God, is manifested by some distinguishing peculiar works of his. That the Supreme God is distinguished very remarkably and most evidently from all other beings, by some works or other, is certain by the Scripture. It is often represented, that he most plainly and greatly shews his distinguishing majesty, power, and wisdom, and vast supe riority to other beings, by his works that are seen, and set in the view of the children of men. So Psalm 1xxxi. 8. "Among the gods there is none like unto thee, neither are there any works like unto thy works;" see also verse 10. Psalm lxxxix. 5, 8, 9, 10. "The heavens shall praise thy wonders:-for who in heaven can be compared to the Lord? who amongst the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the Lord? O Lord of hosts, who is a strong Lord like unto thee, or to thy faithfulness round about thee? Thou rulest the raging of the sea; when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them." Deut. iii. 24. "What God is there in heaven or in earth, that can do according to thy works, and according to thy might?" Psalm lxxii. 18. "Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only doth wondrous things." This is often added to the declarations of God's works, "That ye may know that I am the Lord, or that I am Jehovah." And this, "That ye may know that there is none like unto me," &c. Exod. viii. 10. 22. chap. ix. 14. 16. and x. 2. and innumerable other places.

§ 26. But now, what are these distinguishing works of God? or the works by which his distinguishing dignity and glory are clearly manifested? What works are they that can be named or thought of? Is it CREATING the world? Or is it the creating of the spiritual, intellectual world, which undoubtedly is an unspeakably greater work, than creating the material world? Is it PRESERVING and upholding the world? or is it GOVERNING the world? Or is it REDEMPTION and salvation; or at least some particular great salvation? Was it the redemption out of Egypt, and carrying the people of Israel through the wilderness, and giving them the possession of Canaan? Or is it the greatest work of redemption, even salvation from spiritual, total and eternal destruction, and bringing to eternal holiness and glory? Is it conversion, regeneration, restoring a fallen, sinful creature, and making men new creatures, giving them holiness, and the image of God? or giving wisdom to the heart, the truest and greatest wisdom? Is it the conversion of the Gentile world, and renewing the whole world of mankind, as consisting of Jews and Gentiles? Or is it conquering Satan and all the powers of darkness, and overcoming all evil, even the strongest holds of sin and Satan, all God's enemies in their united strength? Is it searching the hearts of the children of men? Is it working any particular kind of great miracles? Is it raising the dead to life, or raising all in general at the last day? Is it judging the world, angels and men, in the last and greatest judgment? Is it bestowing on the favourites of God, both men and angels, their highest, most consummate, and eternal glory? Is it destroying the visible creation, and bringing all to their final period and consummation, and to their most perfect and eternal state? Or, are there any other works greater than these, that can be thought of, which we can find appealed to as clearly manifesting the most peculiar and distinguishing glory of the Supreme God, in comparison of whom all other beings whatsoever are absolutely as nothing? Yet all these are ascribed to Christ.

§ 27. The creation of the world in general is often spoken of as the peculiar work of the Supreme God, a work wherein he manifests his glory as supreme, and distinguished from all other beings: Rom. i. 16, 20. "Because that which may be known of God, is manifest in them. For God hath shewn it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world, are clearly seen, being understood by the things which are made, even his eternal power and godhead." Doubtless it is the Supreme God who is here spoken of. And what godhead is clearly to be seen by the creation of the world, but the supreme Godhead? And what can that invi

sible glory and power of this God be, but that by which he is distinguished from other beings, and may be known to be what he is? It is said, "that which may be known of God, is clearly manifest by his works." But doubtless, one thing, and infinitely the most important, that may be known of God, is his supreme dignity and glory, that glory which he has as Supreme God. But if the creation of the world be not a work peculiar to him, how are these things so clearly manifested by his work? The work of creation is spoken of as one of the great wonders done by Him, who is God of gods and Lord of lords, who alone doeth great wonders; as in Psal. cxxxvi. 2-9. "O give thanks unto the God of gods.—O give thanks to the Lord of lords.-To him who alone doeth great wonders. -To him that by wisdom made the heavens.-To him that stretched out the earth over the waters. To him that made great lights,-The sun to rule by day," &c.-This is the work of the Supreme God, which he wrought alone, Job ix. 8. "Which alone spreadeth out the heavens." And 2 Kings xix. 15. “O Lord God of Israel, which dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; Thou hast made heaven and earth." 1 Chron. xvi. 24, 25, 26. " Declare his glory among the Heathen, his marvellous works among all nations. For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised. He is also to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the people are idols: But the Lord made the heavens."-Isaiah xl. 25, 26. "To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things." How plain is it here, that creating the world is spoken of as a work of the Supreme God, most evidently shewing that none is like him, or to be compared to him? So verse 12. compared with verse 18. God asserts the creation of the world, to be his work, so as to deny any associate or instrument; as in Isaiah xliv. 24. "Thus saith Jehovah, thy Redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am Jehovah that maketh all things, that stretcheth forth the heavens alone, that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself." Isaiah xiv. 5--7. "I am Jehovah, and there is none else; there is no God besides me: That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the Lord, and there is none else; I form the light, and create darkness." Verse 12. "I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens." Verse 18. "Thus saith Jehovah that created the heavens, God himself that formed the earth and made it." Verse 21. "I am Jehovah, and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour, there is none beside me." Yet these works are applied to Christ.