3. From the Scripture commonly describing the Holy Spirit as a person; calling him not it, but he, &c.-from its attributing to him personal offices, of a master, leader, guide, monitor, witness; yea, of a legate, &c.—from its attributing also to him personal faculties and operations, such as understanding, will, affections of grief and anger, those of sense, &c. : these shown. 4. The Holy Spirit, in the same manner and by like right as the Father and the Son, is the object of our faith, worship, and obedience; the which, as by many other ways, appears also from the form of baptism prescribed by our Lord: this topic enlarged on. 5. The personality of the Holy Ghost is also perspicuously evinced, from its being represented under the visible shape of a subsistent thing, év eïdeι owμarik, as is stated in the gospel. III. It is, in the third place, asserted (supposing his personality) that the Holy Ghost is God, co-essential with God the Father, and God the Son: this proved by the following arguments. 1. The most proper names of God, and the most divine titles, are everywhere (according to just interpretation and by conspicuous consequence) attributed to him; inasmuch as, on various occasions, the same words, works, and acts are referred to God and the Holy Spirit: this fully shown. 2. To the Holy Spirit are most expressly attributed all the incommunicable perfections of God; the essential characters and properties of the divine nature: this also shown. 3. Most divine operations, transcending the power of any created being, are ascribed to the Holy Ghost: this explained. 4. The divine majesty of the Holy Spirit may also be asserted from the divine worship which is to be yielded to him, by God's appointment; as in the case of baptism, &c. 5. Again, whereas Christ, even as a man, is elevated above all creatures, he is yet in that respect inferior to the Holy Spirit; forasmuch as he received his nature from him, (Mat. i. 20.) and more honor than the house hath he that made it, says the Apostle this topic enlarged on. 6. It may be added that, whereas on divers occasions the ranks and orders of creatures are mentioned in Scripture, this top and leader of all creatures, if creature he be, is wholly omitted, &c. To the preceding arguments may be added, the authority of so many Fathers and Councils, and the constant consent of the church. IV. The next point considered is the original of the Holy Spirit; which we assert to be in way of procession jointly from God the Father and God the Son: this explained. The Holy Spirit is not from himself, as the Father is; or else there would be more first principles than one, and consequently more gods than one. That he proceeds from the Father appears from this, that the Father is the fountain of all essence; and by our Saviour the Spirit is said to go out from the Father; &c. That he also proceeds from the Son may be shown, 1. Because, as he is called the Spirit of the Father, so also he is often styled the Spirit of the Son. 2. As he is said to be sent from the Father, so also is he from the Son. 3. The Son saith of the Holy Spirit, He shall take of mine, and shall show it unto you; that is, he receives knowlege from the Son; which, since he is God, cannot be any otherwise than by his receiving his essence from the Son. 4. The Holy Spirit is a Person third in order. 5. Our Saviour himself did signify this procession from himself, when breathing on his disciples, he said, Receive ye the Holy Ghost. 6. To these arguments may be added, the consentient authority of the Latin Fathers, and the most ancient of the Greek. V. Concerning the peculiar offices, functions, and operations of the Holy Spirit. 1. It is his especial work to declare God's mind to us; whence he is styled the Spirit of truth, of prophecy, of revelation; &c. by his inspirarion the holy Scriptures were conceived. 2. To him it especially belongs to execute the will of God, in matters transcending the ordinary power and course of nature: whence he is called the power of the Most High; &c. 3. By him God manages that great instrument of our salvation, the working in us all good dispositions, the enlightening of our minds, aud the sanctification of our hearts, the assuring us of God's favor, and the confirming of our hopes; &c. 4. He is also our intercessor with God, and thence called the Advocate. 5. To which we may add, that the Holy Ghost bears the office of a soul to God's church, informing, enlivening, and actuating the whole body thereof; connecting its members in spiritual union, quickening its governors and pastors, constituting them in their several functions, and enabling them to discharge their duties, &c. VI. Brief application of this doctrine to practice. 1. We are, on the premises, obliged to render all honor and adoration to the majesty of the divine Spirit. 2. To entertain a humble affection and devout gratitude to God for so inestimable a favor conferred on us, as is the presence of his Holy Spirit. 3. To desire earnestly and pray for such excellent graces, privileges, and joys, to which he will introduce us for our heavenly Father will give the Holy Spirit to them which ask it. 4. We should endeavor to demean ourselves well towards this heavenly guest, when he vouchsafes to visit us. 5. It is matter of great comfort and consolation to consider that we have such a guide and assistant in our religious practice and spiritual warfare. I believe in the holy Ghost. SERMON XXXIV. THE DIVINITY OF THE HOLY GHOST. I CORINTHIANS, CHAP. III.-VERSE 16. Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? My purpose is at this time, for our edification in Christian knowlege concerning that grand object of our faith and author of our salvation, the Holy Ghost; and for arming us against erroneous opinions about him, such as have been vented in former ages, and have been revived in this; to explain briefly the name, nature, and original of the Holy Ghost, (according to what appears discovered of him in the sacred writings;) to consider also the peculiar characters, offices, and operations, which (according to the mysterious economy revealed in the gospel) are assigned and attributed to him ; so that incidentally by testimonies of Scripture, and arguments deduced thence, I shall assert the principal doctrines received in the church, in opposition to the most famously heterodox dogmatists that have appeared. For the doing which this text of St. Paul doth minister good occasion: for the full explication thereof doth require a clearing of the particulars mentioned, and itself affordeth good arguments against the principal errors about this matter. His being called the Spirit of God may engage us to consider his nature and original; his being said to dwell in us doth imply his personality; his divinity appears in that Chris tians are called the temple of God, because the Holy Ghost dwelleth in them; his sanctifying virtue may be inferred from his constituting us temples by his presence in us. I shall then in order prosecute the points mentioned; and lastly shall adjoin somewhat of practical application. 1. First, then, for the name of the Holy Spirit; whereby also his nature and origin are intimated. Of those things which do not immediately incur our sight, but do by conspicuous effects discover their existence, there is scarce any thing in substance more pure and subtile, in motion more quick and nimble, in efficacy more strong and powerful, than wind, (or spirit.) Hence in common use of most languages the name of wind or spirit doth serve to express those. things, which from the subtilty or tenuity of their nature being indiscernible to us, are yet conceived to be moved with great pernicity, and to be endued with great force; so naturalists, we see, are wont to name that which in any body is most abstruse, most agile, and most operative in spirit. Hence it comes that this word is transferred to denote those substances which are free of matter, and removed from sense, but are endued (as with understanding, so) with a very powerful activity and virtue. Even the Pagans these sort of beings were called spirits: the souls of men are by them so termed ; (anima hath its derivation from áveμos, wind.) Our life,' saith Cicero, 'is contained by (or comprised in) body and spirit:'* and, We,' saith he again, are at the same time received into the light, and endued with this heavenly spirit,'+ that is, with our soul. Particularly the Stoics used to apply this name to our soul; I allege the Stoics,' saith Tertullian, who call the soul a spirit, almost therein agreeing with us Christians.' They likewise frequently did attribute this appellation to God; among Coelum et terram camposque liquentes, said the prince of their poets: by the word spirit understanding (as Lactantius and Macrobius do interpret him) God him * Or. pro Mar. † De Arusp. resp. Tert. de Anim. 5. |