to guide, the Church of God. Thus we find the elders of the primitive Churches are said to have been appointed by the Holy Ghost (Acts xx. 28). The Holy Spirit directs in that which pertains to God's elect people; and the appointments which then took place, when the Church was under especial guidance, no doubt were influenced by an operation of the Spirit. And no doubt the Holy Spirit still influences among God's people. To doubt it, is to doubt God's promises. But when the Church fled into the wilderness, God's Holy Spirit could not be influencing in that visible community called the Church, and from which false Church the true Church fled. The Holy Ghost did not, and does not, influence in the appointment of popes, and cardinals, and archbishops, &c., &c., which have no relation to God's Church. The caution addressed by Paul to elders in the text now referred to sufficiently attests this. St. Paul uses not only the language of caution, but that likewise of prophetic condemnation. God's Spirit cannot be present with the proceedings of a body which His holy Apostle prophetically denounces (Acts xx. 28-31). With regard to any authority for using the words of our Lord in the same authoritative manner He did there is none to be found in the Scriptures. There is no instance on record of their being so used, nor would an instructed child of God dare so to use them. Peter and John prayed that the converts "might receive the Holy Ghost" (Acts viii. 15). Though Peter had before declared "Repent, and be baptized every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost; " yet, when he employs the words in a ministerial act, he prays that the baptized "might receive;" he does not authoritatively say "Receive ye the Holy Ghost." He could safely affirm to all who repented of past sins, and sought forgiveness in Christ, that they should receive the Holy Ghost, because a faith in Jesus can only be given by the Holy Ghost. "No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost" (1 Cor. xii. 3). The spirit confession, that Jesus is the Lord, is a result of an operation of the Holy Ghost. In the ordination of a pastor, or minister, to pray that he "might receive the Holy Ghost," would be very suitable, and proper, and scriptural; but authoritatively to say "Receive ye the Holy Ghost," assuming a function which belongs alone to the God Omnipotent, is startling and arrogant presumption. It arises out of the pretensions of a mediating priesthood. No doubt it is a power assumed in ignorance. No doubt that they who pretend to exercise it agree with Hooker, that "profanely to bestow, or loosely to use, or vilely to esteem of the Holy Ghost, they do in show and profession abhor." But this does not save them from acting a great impiety. To convey the Holy Ghost is a power belonging alone to God, and when bestowed, the recipient becomes a member of the Church. The one Spirit unites all the members by a common bond. In this the unity and strength of the Church consists. This operation of the Spirit belongs alone to God, and for any man to dare to exercise an assumed authority, professing it falsely to be derived from God, is "to sit in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God." This is one of the acts, and exhibits one of the marks of "The Antichrist," and to exercise such assumed power is daring presumption, and awful blasphemy." H. WOOLDRIDGE, STEAM PRINTING OFFICES, WINCHESTER. the Holy Ghost" (1 Cor. xii. 3). The spirit confession, that Jesus is the Lord, is a result of an operation of the Holy Ghost. In the ordination of a pastor, or minister, to pray that he I might receive the Holy Ghost," would be very suitable, and proper, and scriptural; but authoritatively to say "Receive ye the Holy Ghost," assuming a function which belongs alone to the God Omnipotent, is startling and arrogant presumption. It arises out of the pretensions of a mediating priesthood. No doubt it is a power assumed in ignorance. No doubt that they who pretend to exercise it agree with Hooker, that "profanely to bestow, or loosely to use, or vilely to esteem of the Holy Ghost, they do in show and profession abhor." But this does not save them from acting a great impiety. To convey the Holy Ghost is a power belonging alone to God, and when bestowed, the recipient becomes a member of the Church. The one Spirit unites all the members by a common bond. In this the unity and strength of the Church consists. This operation of the Spirit belongs alone to God, and for any man to dare to exercise an assumed authority, professing it falsely to be derived from God, is “to sit in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God." This is one of the acts, and exhibits one of the marks of "The Antichrist," and to exercise such assumed power is daring presumption, and awful blasphemy.` H. WOOLDRIDGE, STEAM PRINTING OFFICES, WINCHESTER. |