ART. V. Of the Holy Ghost. HE Holy Ghost, proceeding from the Fa T ther and the Son, is of one Substance, Ma jesty, and Glory, with the Father, and the Son, very and eternal God. The Holy Ghost] Many at this day, as well as in former times, deny the power and Godhead of the Holy Ghoft. " Yet no"thing less than the infinite power of God the Holy Ghost, " faith Bp. Beveridge, can convince mortals (who are lost in " rebellion against God) that there is any fuch Being as the "Holy Ghost." That the Holy Ghost is very and eternal God, appears plainly from those many operations attributed to the Holy Ghost, or Holy Spirit, recorded in the scriptures, as diftinct from the Father, and the Son, yet of equal power, and eternally proceeding from both. See Matt. x. 20. Rom. viii. 9, 11. 1 Cor. iii. 16. Heb. ix. 14. Peter faith, that of old time the prophets, and all holy men of God, Spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, 2 Pet. i. 21. The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life,* Job xxxiii. 4. Job received this knowledge by the influence of the Holy Ghoft. See alfo Mark xii. 36. xiii. 4. Acts i. 16. iv. 8. Ananias and Sapphira are said by Peter to lye against God, the Holy Ghost, Acts v. 3. again, the Holy Ghost is called the Spirit of Christ, 1 Pet. i. II. and our bleffed Lord promised his disciples, that he would send the Holy Ghost, who should teach them all things, John xv. 26. xvi. 14. and that he should convince the world of fin, &c. John xvi. 8, 9. and make intercession for the faints, Rom. viii. 26, 27. Very and eternal God.] This is evident, fince those things are attributed unto the Holy Ghost, which cannot be ascribed to any but God; it neceffarily follows that the Holy Ghost is alfo " very and eternal God," equal "with the Father and " the Son." See 1 Cor. iii. 16, 17. John i. 1. Pfal. civ. 30. Athanafian Creed. (The most notorious opposer of the God" head of the Holy Ghost was Macedonius, of Constantinople). * Mr. Romaine's 10th Discourse on the Apostles Creed. B Again 1 Again the Holy Ghost or Spirit of God was present, affifting at the creation of the world to give Life, Gen. i. 2. ii. 7. When God breathed into man's face, or nostrils, the breath of life; by the Holy Spirit. Compare this with John iii. 5, 6, 8. where Christ is speaking of a second restoring to spiritual life, by the Holy Spirit, which Adam, and we all in him, have lost by fin. Again, the Holy Ghost effected the Incarnation of Christ, Matt. i. 18, 20. Luke i. 17. He teacheth all things, leadeth into all truth: giveth utterance to bis fervants; and fealeth the elect unto the day of Redemption. See John xiv. 26. xvi. 13. Acts ii. 4. 1 Cor. xii. 8. Eph. iv. 30.-1 John v. 7. and happy are they, who can call Jesus Lord, by the Holy Ghost, I Cor. xii. 3. See Pearson on the Creed.-The Sin against the Holy Ghost. See Art. XVI. ART. VI. Of the Sufficiency of the holy Scriptures for Salvation. OLY Scripture containeth all things neceffary to Salvation: fo that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it should be believed as an Article of the Faith, or be thought requifite or neceffary to Salvation. In the name of the holy Scripture we do understand those Canonical Books of the Old and New Testament, of whose Authority was never any doubt in the Church. Of the Names and Number of the Canonical Books. And the other Books (as Hierome faith) the Church doth read for example of life and instruction of manners; but yet doth it not apply them to establish any Doctrine: Such are these following: The Third Boek of Efdras, The Book of Tobias, The Book of Judith, The rest of the Book of Hefter, The Book of Wisdom, Jesus the Son of Sirach, Baruch the Prophet, The Song of the Three Children, The Story of Susanna, Of Bell and the Dragon, The Prayer of Manafjes, The First Book of Maccabees, All the Books of the New Testament, as they are commonly received, we do receive, and account them Canonical. Although some of the ancient fathers and doctors at first did not receive all the Books of the New Testament as Canonical, yet in process of time they were all received and acknowledged by common consent of the whole Church of Christ all over Christendom: for the Holy Spirit in the hearts of all true believers doth testify, that they are from God, as they carry a divine authority with them. Every word of God is pure : add thou nothing unto his words, lest be reprove thee, and thou be found a lyar, Prov. xxx. 5, 6. The whole fcripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for inßruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. 2 Tim. iii. 16, 17. So Ignatius, Tertullian, St. Cyprian. Origen observes, that the books of the Old Testament are twenty-two, the exact number of the Hebrew letters. ART. VII. Of the Old Testament THE HE Old Testament is not contrary to the New: for both in the Old and New Testament everlasting life is offered to mankind by Christ, who is the only Mediator between God and Man, being B 2 1 being both God and Man. Wherefore they are not to be heard, which feign that the Old Fathers did lock only for transitory promises. Although the law given from God by Mofes, as touching ceremonies and rites, do not bind Christian men, nor the civil precepts thereof ought of neceffity to be received in any commonwealth; yet notwithstanding, no Christian man whatsoever is free from the obedience of the commandments which are called moral. Not contrary to the new.] " For holy men of old looked for " eternal happiness thro' a Saviour to come, as well as for tem"poral bleffing: all the prophets spake of a Saviour to come. "Of his Incarnation, his Birth, his Power, his Office, his "Miracles, his Sufferings, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension; " &c. as clearly as if they had really seen him." The first blessed promise is to Abraham, and his feed. Gen. xxii. 17, 18. Pfal. ii. 7. confirmed Acts xiii. 33. Heb. i. 5. Isa. vii. 14. Compare Matt. i. 23. Luke i. 31.-His Office, &c. See Isa. xlii. 1, 5, lxi. 1. Also Matt. xii. 18. Luke iv. 18. His Humility, Zech ix. 9. Compare Matt. xi. 5. John xii. 15. His Suffering and Death, Ifa. liii. 4, 5. Compare Matt. viii. 17. Rom. iv. 15. 1 Cor. xv. 3. 1 Pet. ii. 24. His Resurrection, Píal. xvi. 10.-Acts ii. 31, 32. Thus the Old Testament and the New exactly agree with each other, and convey a great authority to those blessed truths; both speak of the fame blessings in Chrift, both point to the fame end, the recovery of fallen man, and eternal falvation through Jesus Chrift, that God-man. " love the prophets," (fays Ignatius in his epiftle) "because "they preach the gospel, and hoped in Christ, and looked for "him." Read the confeffion of Old Simon Luke ii. 29, 30. "The writings of the prophets, are Evangilical, found, pure, " and perfect." Irenæus, Justin Martyr, &c. We The Law-giver.] That is, the ceremoines of the Mofaical law, were to be abolished, as God himself foretold, Jer. xxxi. 31,32. Christ came to fulfill the law for us, so that neither the Mofaical law, nor any of the Jewish ceremonies, are to be obferved served by us christians; as St. Paul and St. Peter do clearly demonstrate in their epistles, &c. See Acts x. 13. Gal. ii. 3, 4. iv. 10. Eph. ii. 14, 15. Col. ii. 16, 17. But the moral law established by Christ is to be strictly observed and read by all chriftians. See Matt. v. 17, 18, 19. Acts xv. 20,-29. Rom. xiii. 1. 1 Pet. ii. 13. Acts xxii. 25. xxv. II. James ii. 8, 9, 10. ART. VIII. Of the three Creeds. THE HE three Creeds, Nicene Creed, Athanafius's Creed, and that which is commonly called the Apostles Creed, ought thoroughly to be received and believed: for they may be proved by most certain warrant of holy Scripture. Creeds.] " In Latin, Symbola, which also signify watch" words, or fignals in war." Archbishop Welchman. Nice or Nicene Creed, so called because the greatest part of it was composed by the Fathers who were assembled at the council of Nice, a city of Bithynia, in the reign of Constantine the Great, who summoned together all the Bishops and Fathers in Christendom, to the number of 318, in the fourth century, about 325 years after our Saviour's Incarnation. That part of it which relates to the divinity of the Holy Ghost, was added by the council of Constantinople, some years after. Archdeacon Welchman. Athanafius's Creed.) So called, not because it was wholly written by Athanafius, but because it is quite agreeable to his fentiments, who was the most celebrated champion for the orthodox faith of the gospel; and was levelled directly against Arius the heretic, and his followers. This, as well as the Apostles Creed, is most clearly to be proved from many plain texts of scripture, which are quoted, and to be found in this work, under their proper heads: Of God the Father, Elohim. See Article firft. Of God the Son, in unity with the Father. See Art. 2d. Of God the Holy Ghost, the third person in the ever blessed Trinity, " with the Father, and the Son, is co-eternal together, and co" equal." See Art. 5. " Who The |