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was not yet given, because that Jesus was not yet glorified."

Here also, as is very plain, by the spirit, and the Holy Ghost, is meant a gift, or a plentiful effusion of spiritual gifts.

John xx. 19-22, " Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week-came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them: Peace be unto you-As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them: Receive ye the Holy Ghost:" that is, he encouraged them to rely upon him for the fulfilment of the promise he had made, that they should receive from above sufficient qualifications for the discharge of their high office. Which actually came to pass on the day of Pentecost next ensuing.

Acts i. 4, 5, " And being assembled together with them, he commanded them, that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, Which, saith he, ye have heard of me." [Luke xxiv. 49.]" For John truly baptized with water: but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost, not many days hence." Which cannot be understood of a person. The meaning thereof is : Ye shall be favoured with a plentiful effusion of spiritual gifts. As the event likewise shows. See John i. 33, and Acts xi. 16. Ver. 8, " But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you."

Acts ii. 1-4," And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place: And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the spirit gave them utterance."

When all men wondered at this strange appearance, and some mocked, ver. 14-18, Peter, standing up, says, "This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel. And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh. And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your old men shall dream dreams. And on my servants and my handmaidens I will pour out my spirit, and they shall prophesy."

Ver. 33, "Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth, [or poured out,] this which ye now see and hear.”

Ver. 38, "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized-in the name of Jesus Christ: and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."

Acts iv. 8, " Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel-" -Ver. 21, " And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost. And they spake the word with boldness. Ver. 33, And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon all.”

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Acts vi. 3, " Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business." Ver. "And the saying pleased the whole multitude. they chose Stephen, full of the Holy Ghost, and Philip." Ver. 8, " And Stephen full of faith and power did great wonders and miracles among the people." Ver. 9, " Then there arose certain,-disputing with Stephen." Ver. 10. "And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake."

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Acts viii. 14, Now when the apostles, which were at Jerusalem, heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John." Ver. 15, "Who when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: for as yet he was fallen upon none of them. Only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus." Ver. 17, "Then laid they their hands on them; and they received the Holy Ghost." Ver. 18, "And when Simon saw, that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money." And what follows.

Acts x. 44, "While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word." Ver. 45, "And they of the circumcision which believed, were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost." Ver. 46," For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God." Ver. 47, "Then answered Peter: Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we ?"

Acts xi. 16, 17, " Forasmuch then, as God gave them the like gift, as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus; what was I, that I could withstand God?" Ch. xv. 18," And God, which knows the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, as he did unto us.'

I have omitted Acts ix. 17, and x. 38, for the sake of brevity, and as not being necessary to be now insisted

upon. The paragraph in Acts xix. 1-7, will be considered hereafter among the texts that are to be explained.

Rom. v. 5, "And hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given to us."

Tit. iii. 5, 6," According to his mercy he has saved us by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which he shed on us, [has poured out upon us, ov egexeev ep' nμas,] abundantly, through Jesus Christ our Saviour."

Heb. ii. 4, "God also bearing them witness both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will."

"And gifts of the Holy Ghost." It should be rather rendered, And distributions of the Holy Ghost: Kaι TVEVpatos apie pepiopois. A remarkable expression, plainly declaring that by the Holy Ghost, or the Holy Spirit, was meant those spiritual gifts which came down upon men from heaven immediately, or were communicated in great variety by the laying on of the hands of the apostles.

Heb. vi. 4, "Those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were partakers of the Holy Ghost.”—— Τες άπαξ φωτισθεντας, γευσάμενος τε της δωρεας της επερανία, και μετοχές γενηθέντας πνεύματος ἁγιο.

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Dr. Whitby's paraphrase is this: and having tasted of 'the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy 'Ghost, sent down from heaven, and conferred on them by 'the imposition of hands.'

Learned interpreters are not agreed in the meaning of the heavenly gift. To me it seems that by both these expressions, one and the same thing is intended, even the Holy Ghost and that the writer of this epistle calls it the heavenly gift, in allusion to the descent of the Holy Ghost upon the apostles and their company on the day of Pentecost, as related, Acts ii. 1-13.

But though commentators do not agree in their interpretation of the first particular, I suppose, that by the Holy Ghost they generally understand miraculous powers and gifts, of which persons here spoken of had partaken. So Whitby, as just cited. So likewise Grotius. Subjicit etiam "participes fuisse Spiritus Sancti," id est, dona consecutos prophetiæ, linguarum, sanationum, quæ non contingebant eo tempore nisi justificatis, id est, purgatis. Grot. in loc. Du Saint Esprit.] Des dons miraculeux. Le Clerc.

1 Pet. i. 12," Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto

themselves, but unto us, they did minister the things which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel to you, with the Holy Ghost sent down from hea

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Here I suppose to be a plain reference to the plentiful effusion of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles on the day of Pentecost, as related by St. Luke at the beginning of the book of the Acts. It is probable, that many of the christians, to whom St. Peter is here writing, were converted by St. Paul, who was not present with the rest on that memorable day. Nevertheless he had received the Spirit in a very plentiful measure, and immediately from heaven, without the intervention of any of those who were apostles before him. It is also very likely that St. Peter himself, and some others of the twelve, had been in these countries before his writing this epistle. For, not now to mention St. John, who perhaps did not take up his abode at Ephesus, till after the writing this epistle of Peter, I think we have good evidence that Philip, one of the twelve apostles, resided for some time, and died at Hierapolis in Phrygia. And it may be reckoned probable, that he was for a while very useful in preaching the gospel in those parts, and that he wrought miracles among the people there.

By the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven, I suppose to be meant the inspiration of the apostles, and the miraculous powers and gifts with which they were endowed.

Res illæ magnæ nobis plene explicatæ sunt per apostolos, et eorum adjutores, cælitus donatos spiritu sancto,' id est, donis majoribus, quam ipsi prophetæ habuere, et de quibus ipsi prophetæ sunt locuti, ut Joel ii. 28. Grot. in loc.

1 John iv. 13," Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit:" OT EK TO πνεύματος αυτο δεδωκεν ημιν. And see ch. ii. 20.

In these texts the Spirit, or the Holy Ghost, is oftentimes spoken of as a gift. And there is a variety of expressions, such as giving, pouring out, falling upon men, receiving, and being filled with, the Holy Ghost; which import a gift, a power, a privilege and blessing, rather than a

person.

To all which may be added, fourthly, that in the epistles of the New Testament there are at the beginning, and elsewhere, wishes of peace from God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ, but none from the Spirit distinctly. Nor are there any doxologies, or ascriptions of glory to the Spirit d Vid. Euseb. H. E. 1. 3. c. 31. 1. 5. c. 24. in Hieron. de V. I. cap. 45. Polycrates.

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distinctly, though there are several such ascriptions to God and Christ, or to God through Christ.

Rom. i. 7, "To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints; grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ." So also 1 Cor. i. 3, 2 Cor. i. 2, Gal. i. 3, Eph. i. 2, and elsewhere. And Eph. vi. 13," Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith from God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ."

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Some of the doxologies are these: Rom. xi. 36, "For of him, and through him, and to him are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen." Ch. xvi. 27, " To God only wise be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen." See Eph. iii. 20, 21. Philip. iv. 8, " Now unto God, even our Father, be glory for ever and ever." See 1 Tim. i. 17. Heb. xiii. 20, 21, Now the God of peace-make you perfect, through Jesus Christ: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." 1 Pet. iv. 11, "That God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ: to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." 2 Pet. iii. 18," But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ: to whom be glory both now and ever. Amen." And see Jude, ver. 24, 25. Rev. i. 5, 6, "Unto him that loved us, and redeemed us from our sins by his own blood, and has made us kings and priests unto God, even his Father: to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." See also Rev. iv. 9-11, v. 12, 13, vii.

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I quote no other books as of authority, beside the books of scripture commonly received by christians, as of divine original. Nevertheless I may observe by way of illustration, that the wishes of peace and the doxologies in the most early christian writers, are agreeable to those in the epistles of the New Testament, which have been just now alleged.

The epistle of Clement, written in the name of the church of Rome to the church of Corinth, begins in this manner. 'Grace and peace be multiplied unto you from God Al'mighty through Jesus Christ.'

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In this epistle are several doxologies. And they are all ascribed to God, or Christ, or to God through Christ.

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The conclusion of the epistle is in these words: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you, and with all every where, who are called by God through him through whom to him be glory, honour, might, majesty, and ever'lasting dominion, for ever and ever. Amen.'

The epistle of Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna, which is sent to the Philippians, is inscribed in this manner: Polycarp,

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