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Dr . Owen , we may observe , tfeat there i « not one single position in it which derives any support from any thing to be found in this account as related
by Matthew . It is not true that the same things are here spoken concerning the Holy Spirit and the Son of Man , nor is it true that they are here both distinctly spoken against . The
Pharisees speak against Christ as not " casting out devils , but by Beelzebub , the prince of the devils . " But they are so far from speaking against the Holy Spirit , that they do not say a single word about it : nor are they at all charged with having blasphemed
it . Our JLord , we are told , proceeded to reason on the absurdity of supposing that Satan would cast out Satan , and asks them , if he by Beelzebub cast out devils by whom did their sons cast them out ; " they therefore , " says he , " shall be your judges ; " and then draws the conclusion , that if , on the
contrary , he did this miracle by the spirit or finger of God , ( not that they had blasphemed the finger of God , but ) that , " no doubt the kingdom of Grod was come upon them , " and then Matthew goes on to represent him as warning them against being guilty of the sin of blasphemy against the
Holy Spirit ; probably referring to the future dispensation of the Spirit which had not yet taken place ; for John tells us that the Holy Spirit was not yet given , because the Son of Man was not yet glorified , and Jesus him * self says , that unless he went away the comforter would not come unto them .
** Whosoever , " says he , * speaketh a word against the Son of Man ( which they had done , ) it shall be forgiven him , but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Spirit" i . e . whosoever should reject and blaspheme that last , and clearest evidence of his
Messiahship , ** should not be forgiven . ' The Holy Spirit and the Son of Man are not distinctly spoken mgainst 9 then , in this connexion , nor are the same tilings in the same sense said of them 9 nor does the passage afford one iota in support of the point which Mr . Wardlaw adduces it to
Pjeove . We proceed to consider Mr . Wardlaw ' s proof of the personality of the Holy Spirit from Acts v * 3 > 4 : 44 But Peter said , Ananias , why hath ) Satan
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filled thine heart , to lie to the Holy Spirit , and to keep back part of the price of the tend ? Why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart ?
Thou hast Hot lied unto men , hut unto God . " And verse 9 : " Then Peter said unto her , How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord ?"
" He" ( meaning the Spirit , says Mr . Wardlaw , what charming auxiliaries are these personal pronouns to his hypothesis on every occasion ! ! He >) " is in these verses , represented as lied unto 9 and as tempted or tried ' . " But how can any one be lied unto , " but one who in capable of hearing and receiving a testimony , and of discerning its truth or falsehood ? Or how can any one be tempted or tried * but one who is possessed of understanding and will ? " *
Will it be denied that Ananias lied to Peter ? Undoubtedly to him personally was the lie uttered , and uttered in his hearing ° and he acting at the time under divine inspiration says , that it was lying to , and tempting the Spirit of Gou ; but to lie to and to
tempt the Spirit of God 9 is to lie to that person whose spirit it is . So our Lord tells his disciples that to receive them was to receive God , t because they were his messengers , and spake as they were moved by his spirit * So to lie to an inspired apostle is to lie to the Spirit of God . Ut . Wardlaw himself explains these words , J * Lying to the Spirit of God , " says he , " in these verses , is the same as lying unto God . To say that it is lying to an inspired man , does not affect the conclusion , for by whom
were these men inspired ? They were holy men of God 9 who spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit . Ananias and Sapphira lied not to the supernatural influence which Peter possessed , but to the Divine Author of that influence , not to the inspiration of Peter , but to Him by whose influence Peter was inspired . " Who was the Author of that influence ? By whom was Peter inspired ? The only answer that can be given to these questions is , God . § What then is this influence * this inspiration ? The - - . 1 | - ¦¦ ¦ , Ill-f |)| i ¦ | III
? Pnge 286 . f John xiii . 20 . t Pare 293 . ^ 1 Them , iv . 8 .
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« 46 Mr . Marsom on the Deity of the Holy Spirit . —Letter TVo
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), April 2, 1818, page 246, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2475/page/22/
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