against him; but to suppose that his attributes are capable to be sinned against, would be to deify them, and thus to make as many gods as there are attributes in the Deity. This would not help us through the difficulty, but involve us in one still deeper and more perplexing; in which we should be left without assistance from the holy scriptures. Ananias lied unto God, in lying to the Holy Ghost; if then we speak of God as of a person, why may we not so speak of the Holy Ghost? there is not, as we see, any impropriety in so doing. 2dly. On the supposition that the Holy Ghost is the power of the Father, the language of the sacred oracles is unintelligible. In Acts x. 38, it is said, "God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power." This passage, on the supposition now opposed, would stand thus: God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy power of God, and with power. In Romans xv. 13, Paul prays, "Now the God of peace fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost." This would be, That ye may abound in hope through the power of the Holy power of God. In verse 19 of the same chapter, in describing the effects of his ministry, he says, "Through mighty signs and wonders by the power of the Spirit of God." That is, through the power of the power of God. Paul's preaching at Corinth was not in man's wisdom, "but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power." This would be in demonstration of power and of power. Is this the way to interpret the word of God? is it thus that the argument for the personality of the Spirit of God is to be gotten rid of? Shall it be said any more, that this divine person signifies only the power of God? Did ever any reasonable man write in a manner so unmeaning? It is much to be la mented that sober-thinking men should adopt a system which leads them into such difficulties. Can the word of God, which is intended to make us wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus, be written thus ? God, in addressing his creatures on the great things of eternity, would undoubtedly so speak as to be understood. It is safer, therefore, to abide by that meaning of his word which makes it common sense, than to admit of that, which, to say the least of it, is confused and perplexing. We should bring our sentiments to the word of God in its plain and fair meaning, and not his word to our sentiments. If it contains difficulties, this is nothing more than every thing else contains; what is necessary to our salvation and comfort is easy to be understood. 3dly. To say that the Holy Ghost is nothing more than the power of God, renders our Saviour's account of blasphemy incomprehensible. Blasphemy denotes detraction, or abusive language, used against whomsoever it is invented. This cannot be directed against power, which is unconscious; but must be directed against one capable of perceiving it, and of being in some degree affected by it. Nor can we understand how blasphemy against God, in all other forms of it, should be forgiven, while that against his power can never be forgiven. There is nothing sacred in this attribute ; when considered in its own nature it contains no excellence, e; and the forms in which they are mentioned so various, that it would be useless to name them all. The Spirit is said to speak; "He shall not speak of himself:" to strive; "My Spirit shall not always strive with man:" to intercede: "The Spirit maketh intercession for us:" to search; "The Spirit searcheth all things:" to know; "The things of God knoweth no one, but the Spirit but is rather terrific; associated | Ghost. These are so numerous, with the infinitely amiable perfections of God, it renders him an object of the highest veneration; but in itself it has no at tractions. Besides, allowing it possible that this sin could be committed against an attribute, it does not appear credible that the Saviour should select power as its object, to the neglect of mercy, love, and goodness. The Holy Ghost is God employed in restoring fallen man to him- of God." Here we ask, Can any self, without whose operations creature possibly conceive that for that purpose even the be-knowledge, one essential attrinefits of Christ's death can be bute of God, can with any reaof no use to him. If the maligni- son be said to be power, which is ty and evil of sin is to be esti- another attribute of him? Or, mated according to the greatness whether power with any proof obligation in the being who priety can be said to know any commits it, when God comes to thing? Yet all this, and much that being in the last and only more, must be conceived, before form in which mercy can be we can allow that the Holy Ghost shown to him, and he knowingly is only the power of God. When and wilfully calumniates or speaks it is said that God knows all in a detracting manner of him, things, we understand the expresthat being must perish. God, as sion, so far as it is necessary to the Sanctifier of his people, de- be understood; but who could serves the supreme affection and understand any thing if it were gratitude of mankind; but if any said that power, which is in man be so hardened by sin, as itself unconscious, knows all maliciously to ascribe his gifts things? and grace to Satan, he must be shut up in impenitence and unbelief; there can be no pardon for him; he rejects the only remedy. This comports with what our Lord says of the sin against the Holy Ghost, and it also shows the propriety and force of his declaration concerning it; but on the supposition, that we are to understand nothing more than an attribute of God, as the object of this sin, we can have no idea of what our Lord could mean. Finally. The attributes and actions of a person are ascribed by the sacred writers to the Holy The deep things of God can be known only to his own infinitely blessed Spirit, who is one with himself, and to his only begotten Son Jesus Christ. May this Spirit "shine in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ; that bing sanctified by his influence, we may be prepared to dwell with all the saints in the regions of perfect light and peace, for ever and ever." Amen. G. BRIEF NOTES ON THE FIRST PSALM. PERHAPS there is no part of the Book of God with which pious people have been more familiar in every age than the Book of Psalms. Who among the family of God have not been refreshed, instructed, warned, comforted, and aided in their devotions, by these sacred and sublime composures? The Volume in the Hebrew is called TEHILLIM, or Psalms of Praise; because praise is the principal subject of these hallowed pages. Praise ought to be, and is, the favourite, the perpetual employment of the people of God; and praise shall fill the exulting heart, and break in the sublimest strains from the animated lips of his servants through eternal ages. I proceed to make a few observations on the First Psalm, with an occasional reference to the Hebrew text. It Preserver, and Benefactor. signifies also to be unquiet-because ungodly people are never long at rest, or at ease,—thus, the Prophet Isaiah says, "The wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked." Isa. lvii. 20, 21. Sinners, (HHATTAIM)—the word has reference to those who are accustomed to the paths of iniquity; of whom it may be said with propriety, "Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Then may those who are accustomed to evil learn to do well.” These are characters peculiarly to be avoided. Scornful-LETSIM. The Greek Translation of the Bible, a version of great value and antiquity, has very expressively rendered the Hebrew word, by Xouwv, of pestilences. Scorners are men who may very fitly be compared to a plague, so contagious and so ruinous are their principles and their example. The Psalm describes the man who is truly blessed; he is one who avoids the society, and contemus the sentiments and conduct of the ungodly, and his delight is in the law of the Lord. There is a pro V. 1.—The term ASHRE, translated blessed, is a plural term, and means literally blessednesses, —that is, all manner of blessings, both here and hereafter, belong to the people of God.-The word,gression in vice as well as virtue. HALAK, rendered walketh, denotes the manner of life and conversation of an individual, especially in reference to religion. See Gen. v. 22. vi. 9. 1 Kings iii. 6, 14. The root whence the term ungodly (RASHA) is derived, includes in its meaning a reference to an unequal balance; thus we read in Micah vi. 11. of the scales of unfairness, as Parkhurst renders the verse. Iniquity is injustice; it is robbing God of that glory, homage, praise, and obedience, which in the highest degree belongs to our adorable Creator, No man ever became very base all at once. We should especially guard against the beginnings of iniquity. Let the young, (for character is generally formed in early life,) beware, that as they enter on the world, they choose the right path. Few return from the path to perdition who once stand in the way of sinners, and take their seat in the chair of the scorner. This Psalm mentions a distinction of character, the righteous and the wicked, which includes the whole human race, and which shall survive every other, and be eternal. cannot but bring forth good fruit. V.2-For the law-bethorath. | fruit even to old age. A good tree -This word is derived from a root, which literally means, to teach, to direct, to put even. Hence the holy law of God in particular, and the scriptures in general, teach the ignorant in reference to their duty to God and man; they direct the inquirer into the only way in which felicity can ever be found; and where their dictates are obeyed, they put things into their right places, they regulate all that is disorderly in reference to society and individuals. This verse intimates, that a good man makes the service of God his business and his delight. His religion is not that of many around us, in exercise only on a single day in the week. Love to the holy law of God, and to the scriptures, is an evidence of love to God. David affirmed, that they were more valuable in his estimation" than thousands of gold and of silver, sweeter also than honey, or the droppings of honeycombs." V. 3.- Rivers,-PALGHE, from PALAG to divide. Hence as a noun it means a river, which divides the tract of land through which it flows, or the waters of which are divided from their source. One V. 4. The Greek translation of this verse differs from our version; it is as follows." Not so the ungodly, not so; but they are as the chaff which the wind driveth away from the face of the earth." -A wicked man is usually very unstable. He is driven hither and thither by every wind of doctrine. He lives and acts at random. He has no rule for his life but the veerings of passion. Present gratification being his only object, different and contrary passions solicit him at the same time. appetite saith to him, Go, and he goeth; another says, Come, and he cometh. The slave of sense, and the sport of passion, he is driven to and fro like the chaff before the whirlwind, and his life is one continued scene of levity, inconsistency, and folly."-But we may pursue the awful subject farther. Who has not marked many an ungodly man driven from one delusion to another, till at length, when his dreadful career has been finished, he has died miserably, and perished in his iniquities? "Hear the just law-the judgment of the skies, He that hates truth, shall be the dupe of lies; And he that will be cheated to the last, Delusions strong as hell, shall bind him fast." His leaf-VEALEHU, -from ALA, to ascend, because a leaf shoots upward, or ascends from a branch of a tree.--The V. 5.-Stand,-JAKUMNUgood man is one who does not from KUM, to rise or to stand. content himself with meditation, They shall not stand in the judg and the discharge of those per- ment, accepted with God, parsonal duties that are incumbent doned, or justified; they shall not on him; no, he is actively bene-rise up on that awful day: they volent; like his divine Master shall "awake to shame and everhe" goes about doing good." In lasting contempt." They shall be this Psalm he is compared to a so ashamed that they have not tree, not a cumberer of the loved God, that they have neglect ground, but one that is flourished their souls and despised their ing, which does not cease from great salvation, that they will call yielding fruit, which brings forth for the rocks to fall on them, and hide them from him who sitteth" the foundation of God standeth upon the throne, and from the Lamb. -He is one who is known, approved, and beloved by the Lord; and at the great day of account, he shall stand accepted, and justified, and shall hear the Judge inviting him to enter into the kingdom "prepared for him before the foundation of the world.” Southampton. B. H.D. sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his; and The righteous,—t saddikim, let every one that nameth the from the root TSADAK. The name of Christ depart from all iniword has an evident reference quity."-The happy man then who to the equal poise of a balance. is described in the psalm, is one Thus Justice has usually, in ancient who contemns the society, the and modern times, been represent- principles and conduct of the uned with a pair of scales in her godly,-who delights in the law hand nicely balanced. Enoch, of the Lord,-and who brings the seventh from Adam, prophe-forth the fruits of righteousness. sied of a judgment day. It should be much in our remembrance, that it is appointed to men once to die, and after death the judgment."-It appears from the derivation of the term righteous, that a just man is one of full weight, or measure. This is not the case with any individual of mankind before God. They are all gone out of the way, and have trodden God's requirements under their feet. They are wanting in the grand essentials of vital godliness, love to God, and their fellow-men. Hence they are justly regarded by the scriptures as in a state of condemnation: but those who have fled for refuge to the divine Saviour, and by faith have cordially embraced his glorious salvation, are in a state of justification, or righteous in the sight of God. "God hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us." "There is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." INCIDENTAL REMARKS ON MATT. VII. 7, 8. are an IT must be obvious to every person who reflects for a moment, that the account we have of our Lord's instructions comprises but a very small portion of what actually fell from his lips. The facts and doctrines contained in the four Evangelists abridgement of what, if recorded, would have composed numberless volumes. It is also of importance that this circumstance should be borne in mind when we read the accounts transmitted to us, and especially when we are comparing the accounts with one another, as this will sometimes account for apparent contradictions. If, for instance, a pious V. 6. The term knoweth is often used in the scriptures as expressive of approbation and affec-female anointed our Lord's head tion; thus our Lord says, "I am the good Shepherd, I know my sheep, and am known of mine." Hence the apostle declares, that and feet; in two different abridged accounts of this transaction, one Evangelist might say that she anointed his head, and the other |