sors, and who suffered martyrdom for the truth, understanding the scriptures as we do, and giving the same glory to the Holy Spirit as we plead for and practise. A late writer a, with his usual hesitation, meanly insinuates, that there may be two or three examples of a doxology addressed to the Spirit in the three first centuries: Whereas a greater number are yet extant, as he could not but know, if conversant with the primitive writers; but if not, he did ill to impose such a partial account upon his readers b. 99 Polycarp, who lived in the first century, and suffered martyrdom for Christ, when he came to suffer, made an address to God, which he thus concluded, "To thee with him, (Christ) and thy Holy Spirit, be glory, now, and through everlasting ages c. This testimony is the more to be regarded, because Polycarp had been a hearer of St. John, if not of other apostles. His church at Smyrna, the same to which St John, in the Revelations, directed his epistle, closed their letter, which gave an account of his sufferings, with these words; "with whom (Christ) be glory to God, even the Father, and to the Holy Spirit d." Justin Martyr, who lived in the second century, tells us, "That the Christians of his time, worshipped and adored the Father, Son, and prophetic Spirit e." In the same age, Clement of Alexandria said, “Let us give praise to the only Father and Son, with the Holy Spirit; to whom be glory now and for ever. Amen f." Hippolytus, in a Watts's Dissert. Part II. p. 151. b See Mr. Taylor's Treatise against Mr. Watts, p. 104, 105. See this matter relating to Doxologies more fully discussed in Dr. Berriman's two Reviews of primitive Doxologies, and in Mr. Taylor's Scripture Doctrine of the Trinity vindicated against the Arian scheme. Part I. c. 3. ο Μεθ' ε σοὶ καὶ πνεῦματι ἁγίῳ ἡ δόξα καὶ νῦν καὶ ἐις μέλλοντας αιώνας. Aun.-Polycarp. in Epist. Eccles. Smyrn. p. 71. Ο Μεθ ̓ ὦ δόξα τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ Πατρὶ, καὶ τῷ ἁγίῳ πνεύματι. Ibid. p. 75. ε Εκεινόν τε κ τον παρ' αυτό υιον ἐλθόντα - - πνεῦμά τε προητικὸν σεCóμrda y agooxvvμsv.-Justin Martyr, Apol. i. c. 6. p. 11. † Παράχει. · ἐυχαρισῶν, τῶ μόνῳ Πατρὶ καὶ υἱῷ · σὺν καὶ τῷ ἁγίῳ the third century, has this doxology; "To him (Christ) be glory and strength, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, in the holy church, now and for ever, and for evermore. Amen a." Dionysius, bishop of Alexandria, a writer of the third century, and the greatest man in his age, concluded a letter, wrote to Dionysius bishop of Rome, with this doxology: "To God the Father, and his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, with the Holy Ghost, be glory and power, for ever and ever. Amen b." Herein, as he says, he followed the ancient custom and rule of the church, and joined with it, praising God with the same voice with those that had gone before him; which shews how early these doxologies, to Father, Son, and Spirit, had been used in the Christian church. Basil tells us, They had been continued in the churches, from the first preaching of the gospel to that present time, which was in the fourth century c." A council of a hundred and fifty bishops d, met at Constantinople; and in their creed, or confession of faith, in opposition to the Macedonian heresy, they declared their faith in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life, who spoke by the prophets, and proceeds from the Father, and, together with the Father and the Son, is worshipped and glorified. 66 Thus we have seen, that divine worship is due, and has been paid to the Holy Ghost, in prayer and praise, in baptism, in religious service and submission, in swearing by his name, and in doxologies; and that, seeing he is thus the object of religious worship, due only to God, he is true and real God. πνεύματι· πάντα τῷ ἑνί. ᾧ ἡ δόξα καὶ νῦν εἰς τὰς αἰῶνας. Αμήν, αντίστα Clemens Al. Paedag. lib. iii. p. 211. α Αυτῷ ἡ δόξα, καὶ τὸ πράτΘ, ἅμα Πατρὶ κ ἁγίω πνεύματι, ἐν τῇ ἁγία ενκλησία καὶ νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ, καὶ εις τὲς ἀιῶνας τῶν αιώνων. Αμην.—Hippolytus, c. Noetum, p. 20. 6 Τῷ δε Θεῷ, καὶ Πατρὶ, κ υιῷ τῷ κυρίῳ ἡμῶν Ιησᾶ Χρίσῷ, σὺν τῷ ἁγίῳ πνεύματί δόξα και κράτΘ εις τὰς αἰῶνας τῶ ἀιώνων. Αμην. Dionys. Alex. ap. Basil de Sp. Sanct. c. 29. Tom. iii. p. 358. c De Spir. Sanct. c. 29. VOL. III. F d In the year 381. APPLICATION. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith in, and love and high regards to the Holy Spirit. What industry and arts soever others use, to lesson and degrade him, to conceal and hide his glory, let us say, He is our God, and we will exalt him. The evidences for his Deity drawn from his names and titles, attributes, works and worship, are so clear and strong, that we may be well satisfied in giving him that honour and glory which is due to God. How they will justify or excuse themselves, who deny his Deity, Personality, or Glory, it concerns them to consider. However, let us take heed not to grieve him, or do despite to him, for his sake and our own. His divine nature and works deserve our highest love and deepest veneration. Shall we not own and honour him, who proceeds from the Father, glorifies the Son, converts us from sin to grace, from death to life, and conducts us through the life of grace to glory? Has not every true Christian reason to “He that is mighty has done to me great things, and holy is his name: My soul magnifies the Lord, and my Spirit rejoices in God my Sanctifier and Comforter. I am his temple, and will give him glory: I will adore him for his infinite wisdom, grace, and love; for his holiness, power, and omnipresence, and for his wonderful works, both in the old and the new creation. As he is superior to all created spirits, I will depend upon him to give me the victory over Satan and all the powers of darkness; and as he is good and faithful, I will trust to him, to carry on in me his good work, and to lead me into the land of uprightness." say, Finally, Let every believer look upon himself as the temple of God, seeing the Spirit of God, who is God, one in nature with the Father and the Son, dwells in him. Now to the Holy Spirit, whose work it is to renew, convert, sanctify, strengthen, and conduct to glory, the elect of God, and the redeemed of the Lord, be ascribed, with the Father and the Son, all honour, glory, and power, now, henceforth, and for evermore. Amen. |