SECT. IV. The Paffages, wherein are contained the Other Highest Expreffions concerning Him in the New Teftament. 3 IIZI. Magainst AT. xii; 31, 32. The Blafphemy the Holy Ghoft, fhall not be forgiven unto Men. And whofoever speaketh a Word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; But whofoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it fhall not be forgiven him, neither in This World, neither in the World to come. By the Holy Ghost here, 'tis evident cannot be meant the Perfon, but the Works of the Holy Ghost: For no reason can be given, why Blafphemy against the Perfon of the Spirit of God, fhould be more unpardonable, than Blafphemy against the Perfon of the Son of God, or than Blafphemy against the Perfon of God [the Father himself. But the Works of the Spirit,being the greatest and last means of Conviction, that God ever intended to afford men; the rejecting of them, was confequently the higheft Aggravation of Guilt. Further; it is remarkable, that neither here, neither in any other place of Scripture, is there any mention made of any SIN against the Holy Ghoft, but only of a BLASPHEMY against the Holy Ghoft: Which being a contemptuous Reviling of our Saviour's greatest Miracles, than which no ftronger Conviction could be offered men; they who were guilty of This Blafphemy, were justly declared incorrigible and unpardonable: Not upon Account of that ingle P 3 At, but of that incurable Temper, whereof That Act, in thofe Circumftances, was an evident Sign; As appears from our Saviour's Similitude in the following Verfe, (ver. 33,) of a corrupt Tree being known by its Fruit. Now that This fevere declaration of our Saviour, concerned Thofe only, who Saw his Mirascles, and obftinately rejected That greatest Evidence of his Miffion, and maliciously afcribed them to the Power of the Devil; appears likewife, from what St Mark adds, ch. iii, 30, that he fpake this, BECAUSE they faid, he hath an unclean Spirit. And forafmuch as Many even of the Pharifees themselves, who were at all times our Saviours greatest Enemies, (and whom he here mentions as having spoken against the Son of Man, did yet repent afterwards and were baptized; and it does not appear that Any, who offered themselves, were ever rejected from Baptifm; 'tis not improbable but This fevere declaration was meant only against Thefe Particular Pharifees, whofe incorrigible Malice difcovered it felf in This particular Blasphemy against fo evident a Miracle, and to whom therefore our Saviour might judicially refolve to afford no further means of Conviction: And then, the Meaning of the Words will be explained by those parallel places, Joh. x, 26, and ch. viii; 21, 24, Ye are not of my Sheep; -ye fhall die in your Sins. * 1122. Luke i, 35. The Holy Ghost, Power of the Higbeft. the 1123. John xiv, 17. The Spirit of Truth, whom the World cannot receive. 1-124.203 101 XV, 26. The Spirit of Truth, which proceedeth from the Father. John All Truth. 1125. John xvi, 13. He will guide you into 1.128. Holy Ghoft, xv, 28. It seemed good to the to lay upon you no greater 1129. 1 Cor. ii; 10, 11. The Spirit fearcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man,fave the Spirit of man which is in him? Even fo the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. The Mysteries of the Gofpel, mentioned Rom. xvi, 25: Ephef. i, 9; and iii; 3, 5, 9: Col. i, 26. iii, 16. Ye are the Temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwelleth in you. See No 66. vi, 19. Know ye not that your P54 modig doBody Body is the Temple of the Holy Ghoft, which is in you, which ye have of God? See No 66.Jakt dh 1132. 2 Cor. iii; 17, 18. The Lord is That Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Liberty. But we all with open Face, beholding as in a glafs the glory of the Lord, are changed into the fame Image, from glory to glo. ry, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. The Meaning of this whole paffage, is This: The Lord is That Spirit, that is, Chrift (or the Gospel of Chrift) is the true Intent and Spirit (in oppofition to the dead Letter and Burdenfom Rites) of the Law: And we all,that is, we Chriftians, (in oppofition to the Jews, who have ftill the Veil of Ignorance over their Face,) beholding with open Face (that is, clearly and diftinctly, not in Types and Shadows,) the glory of the Lord; are changed into the fame Image, from glory to glory; as by the Spirit of the Lord. Thefe laft words, [aare and Kvojs @vwμaтG,] are very ambiguous, and may equally fignify either [as by the Lord the Spirit,] or [as by the. Lord of the Spirit,] or [as by the Spirit of the Lord.] Which laft endring, is followed by our Tranflators, booy and is moft agreeable to the Senfe of the place, and Jon to the Tenour of Scripture. * I132 Heb. ix, 14. Who through the eternal Spirit, offered himself without Spot to God. 1133. Pet 1, 12. That have preacht the Gofpel unto you, with the Holy Ghoft fent down from Heaven; which things the Angels defire to look into. I134. iii, 18. Chrift 700 3 being quickned by the Spirit. By the Power of the Father, Luke i, 35. Sce N° 1013 & 260 & 1169. 1135. iv, 14. The Spirit of Glory and of God. 1136. 1 Joh. v, 6. Because the Spirit is Truth. 1137. Rev. xxii, 17. And the Spirit and the Bride fay, Come &c. SECT. V. The Paffages, wherein is declared what Honour and Worship is due to Him; and how his good Motions ought diligently to be obeyed, and not refifted, |