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cate, I believe, occurs but once in the New Testament, and then it is applied to Jesus Christ. It is, however, in the original, the same word which, in other places, is translated Comforter, and is applied to the Holy Spirit. Thy rod and thy staff," says the Psalmist, "they comfort me." Here a rod and a staff are comforters; but no one hence supposes that they are persons.

"We

* On the term Comforter, used by John in chap. xv. 26, the following remarks occur in the Monthly Repository. learn from the context, that our Lord had just before informed his disciples that he should be betrayed by one of them, and delivered into the hands of his enemies, who would put him to death. On this account sorrow had filled their hearts; to prepare them for, and to support them under, that trying scene he delivers to them the consolatory discourse contained in this and the two following chapters, in which he assures them of the most solid support and consolation from the comforter whom he would send unto them in his name. The word rapaxλyros, rendered, Comforter, is applied to the Holy Spirit in connection with this promise, but in no other instance is it applied to the Holy Spirit in the New Testament. The word occurs only in one other passage, 1 John, ii. 1., where it is applied to Jesus Christ and is rendered an advocate. The circumstance of the Spirit being another advocate to the apostles in the room of Jesus, confines the promise of the Spirit in this connection, and under this view, exclusively to them, to whom alone that promise could apply, because they only were the companions of his life and ministry:

With respect to making intercession, I believe that the only passage, where this is supposed to be stated, as the office of the Holy Spirit, is Rom. viii. 26, 27, “but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts, knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God." I am inclined to think, that, if this passage be

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a little while I have been with you, I have been your advocate, I have guided, instructed and defended you, and now I go to him that sent me, and ye shall see me no more; but the advocate I will send to you in my stead shall abide with you for ever-of his instruction, support and consolation, you shall never be deprived."

There is one other observation necessary to be made on this passage, that is, on the reason why it is said, the world cannot receive the Holy Spirit, a reason which would be universal in its application, and preclude the possibility of its reception. The word λapavw, rendered receive, signifies to take by force, to apprehend, seize. See Matt. xxi. 35, 39. Mark xii. 3, 8. Luke ix. 39, 1 Cor. x. 13. It is as if Jesus had said, "I shall be seized and crucified and slain, but the comforter, the spirit of truth, whom the Father will send in my name, cannot be taken from you, the world cannot seize it," and the reason why they cannot seize it is forcible and pertinent, because to them it would be invisible and unknown, "because it seeth it not, neither knoweth it, but ye know it, for it dwelleth or abideth with you, and shall be in you." Monthly Repository, vol. ii. p. 83.

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accurately examined, it will be found not to allude to the operations of the divine Spirit, or the miraculous powers, the primitive Christians possessed, but to their own spiritual desires and exertions. It may then be thus paraphrased, · Our

spiritual desires come in aid of our bodily weakness: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but our inward spiritual desires intercede for us, though we cannot express them in appropriate language. He, that searcheth the heart, knoweth the desires of our spirit, that, agreeably to the will of God, it pleadeth in behalf of the holy.” But suppose it to mean the Divine Spirit, that the apostle did not intend to convey the idea that it was a distinct being, but merely the miraculous powers the Christians possessed is evident from an expression which he uses a little before; "the Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit." Now I think, for consistency's sake, you must allow, that if, by the Spirit of God, he meant a distinct being, by the spirit of man, he must also have meant a being distinct from the man, for they both equally bear witness.

Let us just revert to these arguments, and see how much they prove. Only do not say that, in one instance the words must be figurative and in another they must be literal, just as best suits the system you have adopted. Upon fair reasoning then on scripture grounds, if your arguments prove the Spirit of God to be a being distinct from God, from precisely similar premises we may draw the following inferences, that the Spirit of Jesus was a being distinct from Jesus, the Spirit of Paul, a being distinct from Paul, and the spirit of every man, distinct from the man himself. They will prove, thanksgivings, dignity, evil thoughts, corrupt communication and wickedness to be distinct beings. And they will prove the same of fear and anger, mercy, truth and peace! Now this is only acting consistently, and carrying the argument to its proper extent. It appears clearly to shew, in what sense the scripture writers use those words from which you infer a separate exist

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I now proceed to those arguments which are considered proofs of the per

sonality of the Holy Spirit. 1st. "It may be inferred from the distinction which has been shewn to exist between the Father and the Holy Spirit." As the distinction between the Holy Spirit and the agency of the Father has not been proved, this argument of course fails.

2nd. "It is collected from the very name of Spirit." From this very name I should draw precisely the opposite inference; that because it is a spirit, it is not a substance or person. But upon this I shall enlarge a little under the next head, when we come to the arguments against the personality.

3rd. "The scriptures, speaking of the Holy Spirit, use the article agreeing to a person." "When he shall come, the spirit of truth, &c." This is so common a practice, in every nation and every language, that I much wonder it should be urged with such apparent triumph. Even in our own language, which is not thought to be particularly florid, we are continually using this figure. When speaking of the sun, we frequently say, "he shines;" and of the moon, that "she withdraws her

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