Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1825 edition. Excerpt: ...without spot to God.' Luke nr. 1. ' Jesus, being full of the Holy Ghost, ' and v. 18. compared with Isai. Ixi. 1. 'the Spirit of the Lord Jehovah is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me, ' &c. Acts x. 38. ' God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power.' i. 2. ' after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen.' It is more probable that these phrases are to be understood of the power of the Father, than of the Holy Spirit itself; for how could it be necessary that Christ should be filled with the Holy Spirit, of whom he had himself said, John xvi. 15. 'he shall take of mine?' For the same reason I am inclined to believe that the Spirit descended upon Christ at his baptism, not so much in his own name, as in virtue of a mission from the Father, and as a symbol and minister of the divine power. For what could the Spirit confer on Christ, from whom he was himself to be sent, and to receive all things? Was his purpose to bear witness to Christ? But as yet he was himself not so much as known. Was it meant that the Spirit should be then manifested for the first time to the church? But at the time of his appearance nothing was said of him or of his office; nor did that voice from heaven bear any testimony to the Spirit, but only to the Son. The descent therefore, and appearance of the Holy Spirit in the likeness of a dove, seems to have been nothing more than a representation of the ineffable affection of the Father for the Son, communicated by the Holy Spirit, under the appropriate image of a dove, and accompanied by a voice from heaven declaratory of that affection. Thirdly, the Spirit signifies a divine impulse, or light, or.
