m )i ( r lii □: Q^ 03L .^^ o^ ''^:2^ (IK TUK PRINCETON, N..J. . ^^ SAMUEL iV G N E W^ , OK P H I r, A I) K L J- H I A , PA. f; Case,, Division .'..ij;.^.. ; '^^'-^^ 6ect..n, %^, »c<^^oc<^^,'w I - ' JLM.»»g-^B>g yr?^.'s -r sec T' SO THE Scripture Dodrine OF THE PROPER DIVINITY, REAL PERSONALITY, AND THE External and Extraordinary W O R K S O F T H E HOLY SPIRIT, STATED and DEFENDED} I N Sixteen SERMONS, Preach'd at the MERCHANTsLECTUREat Pinncrs-Hall, In the Years 1729, 1730, 173 1. By the late Mr. JOHN HURRION. LONDON, Printed for J. Oswald; at the Rofc and Crown b the Poultry, near Stocks-Market. 1734. < 3 -I ? T O T H E Reverend the MINISTERS, And to the other GENTLEMEN, Who are vinitcd in a SOCIETY. To encourage the Education of Young Men, Who are cnclined to the Sacred Work of the Ministry, THESE SERMONS. O F A Late WORTHY Member, Are, with all Respect, DEDICATED, By their faichful humble Servant, Abr. Taylor. 4 flf H OUi>. .^r.^ ... .1 ^iJ'. "; lii r^rf ^PT^ S-TK ni 3^KS I'v] THE iP R E F A C E- WHEN any man of d thoughtful, ferious tem- per confiders the great decay of pradical religion in this na- tion, and, at the fame time, calls to mind the contempt which has been, for many years, caft on the Holy Spi- rit and his operations, he muft readily conclude that this is the grand caule of the corruptions and abominations which abound among us. The Spi- rit has been grieved and offended, and he, in a great meafure, is withdrawn and gone j it is therefore no wonder that the religion of the clofet, and the family, is fo much neglected, and that public ordinances are of fo little be- nefit, to fuch as in a formal way en- gage in them. A 3 There vi The Preface. There is fcarce any method which could be taken to affront the holy Spirit, but has been fallen into, by Ibme or other^ in our prefent day of darknefs. The errors formerly held and propagated by the Arians and Macedonians, have been revived, and eager attempts have been made to rob him of his true divinity, and to make him pafs for one of the creatures ; and fome, who would not be reckoned among his enemies, have gone fo far^ as to recommend it to Chriftians, to wordiip him diredly, only occafional- ly, as prudence and expedience may require, and not to bind it on their own conftiences, or upon others, as a neceffary thing. The deteltable herefy of Sabellius has been raked out of the afhes ; for fome have denied the Spi- rit's real Perfonality, and have plead- ed, thai he is only a divine power, the aftive, or the intelligent effe- ctive power of God, perfonalized by fome idioms of Ipeech, Thefe oppo- (itions The P R E F A c Ei vil fitions made to the fcripture dodtrine of the Holy Spirit's fupreme Deity and real Perfonality, are as outrage- ous infults as can well be otFerM him ; and the treatment which he meets with, from the beforemention'd ene- mies of the truth, muft be highly pro- voking to him. It muft be likewife own'd, that the Holy Ghoft has high affronts put upon him, by many who do not pro* fefs to run the dreadful length of de- nying his real Perfonality and divine glory : His work, as a regenerating^ converting^ fandtifying Spirit, is too commonly denied ; and what can on- ly be brought about in a foul dead in Y trefpaffes and fins, by his efficacious 0 grace, or by his illuminating the dark mind, bending the ftubborn will, and purifying the corrupt affeftions, is, ^ by many, afcribed to the will and -t power of the fallen creature, in the \( whole or in part. It muft be acknow- < ledged, that a great wound has been BtioM A 4. infliiSed jjViii The P r e f a c £. inflifted on pradical religion, by the weak and profane ridicule, ufed by one fort of thofe who call themfelves Chriftians, as to praying by the Spi- rit ; and the etfeft of this is fuch, that it may jullly make a confiderate man afraid of bantering fuch a facred thing; for fervent prayer is almoft loft among thofe who have run the aforelaid length. It would be well, if, when we look nearer home, w^e could fay, that undue contempt has not been caft on the Spirit's operations. His mo- tions, as a quickener, a convincer, an inftrudter, and a comforter, are frequently bantered ^ by fuch as would not be thought to throw olf all regard to the Chriltian inftitution ; his fealing up bsllevers to the day of redemption, or his witneiling with their fpirits^ that they arc the children of God, is treated with grimace, by fome who pretend the bible is their religion ; all that profefs to depend on his aid and conduct, are ridicul'd as Enthufiafts^ by .The Preface. ix by fuch as do not in words deny the authority oi: fcripture. It muft with - forrow be faid^ for though it is a fad - truth, it is a real fadl, that it has been too common for the Holy Spirit to be left out in preaching upon duty, and it has been too general a thing, to neg- lect putting fuch as are preffed to re- gard their falvation, on keeping up in their minds, a continual fenfe of their being able to do nothing aright, with- out his aid and afliftance. Since matters are come to fuch a fad pafs, it certainly is the duty of thofe who have the honour of the Spirit at heart, as the coofequence of their having heard his voice, and felt his power, to ftand up in vindication of the glory of that almighty agent, who fandtifies, and conduds to the land of uprightnefs, all the ele6t of God : Accordingly that late learned and judicious divine, the excel- lent Mr. Hurrion, undertook to dif- courfe of the Holy Spirit's Divinity, fd Per- t The Pre FACE. Perfonality, Proceflion, Office^ exter- nal and extraordinary Works, and his inward work on the fouls of men. He chofe to deliver his thoughts on thefe great fubjeds, in that ancient lecture which is carried on at Pin- ners-hall ; which Sermons he propo^ fed to publifti, in cafe he Ihould be fpared to finifh this work ; which he was fo defirous of doing, that he faid^ as I have been told, that if once he could compleat his defign, he could fay, Lord, now letteft thou thy fervant depart in peace. He was frequently interrupted in his courfe of preach- ing by illnefs^ and he had the great- eft difficulties to incounter in the compofing his difcourfes, riling from his bad habit of body ; however, his delight in the important fubjeft of them was fuch, that he furmounted obftacles that were feemingly infu- perable, and continued labouring the great points he had undertaken to Itate and defend^ when he was fcarce able The Preface. xi able to move about. The laft Ser- mon was preach 'd, not three months before he was difmifled from labour to reft. Some months before he was taken from us^ he told me, that in cafe of death, which he foon exped:ed, his Sermons on the Deity and Perfonality of the Spirit (liould be left to my care, to be publifh'd if 1 faw fit; he hoped to get them tranfcribed, but in cafe he (hould not, he direded me to make two or three alterations in the method, and to add, if I could conveniently^ the paflages of the an- cients^ to which he had only referred. He had not then finifh'd his Sermons on the Spirit's external and extraor- dinary Works, and there was no profped that he would ever do it ; but it pleafed God to revive him a little, and he went through that part of his defign. He did not get any of them tranfcribed, only he new com- pofed fome parts of the five fir ft dif* courfes, xii The Preface) courfes, and made them much larger than they were at firft. It pleafed God that his delircs and our wifhes were not anfwer'd, as to his going through with his whole de- fign : He purpofed to difcourfe on the work of the Spirit in reproving and convincing finners, and infufing common grace and gifts into fome of them ; on his work in and upon the redeemed of the Lord^ in their union with Chrift^ juftification and adop- tion, in their regeneration, converfion and fanftification^ in their confolation, perfeverance, and growth in grace; on his witneffing to, fealing, leading and guiding them ; on his enabling them to mortify fin, to vanquifh temptation, and to bring forth the peaceable fruits of righteoufnefs ; on his affifting them in prayer, and ma- king interceffion in them, and on his raiiing them from the d^ad^ and gi- ving them eternal life. This would have been a work of labour and tiv^e^ :id The Preface, xiil and it was earneftly wifhM \>y feveral, fhat it might have been performed by fo able and judicious a divine; but it pleafed him^ in whofe hand our times are^ not to give life and op- portunity for this fervice. He had made fome entrance upon it ; he had preach'd one excellent Sermon on the Spirit's convincing finners, but as he did not finilh that part of his main fubjedt, it cannot be publifli'd. When after his deceafe the Sermons v^ere put into my hands, though they v^ere not revifed by the author, yet I found they were every way worthy to be publifh'd. I knew that he was very defirous to print them, and elpe- ciaDy thofe in which fome notice is taken of Dr. Watts's diflertations, whofe tenets he look'd upon to be of u dangerous tendency, and therefore oppofed them with an uncommon zeal: However, being fenfible how little agreeable difcourfes of this na- ture are to the guft of the prefent xiv The Preface; age^ I was uncertain what reception they might meet with, and fo I wa» not ibrward to piiblilh them ; but I v/z^ lb earneftly foUicited, by many of th'^fe wno had a value for my de- ceail-d friend, that at laft I fet about fending them abroad into the world, I found the manufcript to need no more than a bare revifal for the prefs^ except as to the quotations ; 1 alter'd the method in two or three places, as the author directed me ; and I have fearch'd out, and put down in the margin, the paflages of the ancient writers, to which he referr'd ; this has been a work of a great deal ot toil and trouble. I w^as forry I was forced to omit the paflages quoted from Ambrofe and Auguliine ; for I had no editions at hand, which in any wife correfponded with thofe which he ufed ; and I was very much ftrait* ned for time. I am not afraid of recommending the following difcourfes tp the candid and The Preface. xv and pious reader. We have had a great deal wrote of late years on the Deity of Chrift ; but fome have thought there was room to be more large and diftinfit on the divinity of the Holy Spirit ; I hope it will be found, that fome farther light may be thrown on this neceffary point of divinity^, from our author's nervous and mafculine performance. The proof of the real Perfonality of the Spirit, he has very much laboured ; but as 1 have been engaged in controverfy with the Gentleman whom he has op- pofed^ I (hall fay no more of this part of the workj leaving it to the reader'^ jjudgment. In the other Sermons ma- ny things are very judicioufly handled, which are not commonly treated of. It has coft me a great deal of labour to fit this work for the prefs ; but I (hall think my pains well fpent^ if it is made ufeful, to eftabH(h the faith of Chriftians in thofe prime articles of pur religion, about which it treats ; that xvi The P R E F A^c e; that it may be fo, I recommend it^ and thofe who read Ic, :o rhe blefling of that good Spirit^ Vvhole 5 :ry is plea- ded for in it, and who, with the Fa- ther and the Son, is the one fupreme blefled God ; to whom be all glory, and praife, now, henceforth, and for evermore. Amen. Auguft 12, 1734. Abraham Taylor. THE THE TRUE DIVINITY p F T H E HOLY SPIRIT PROVED FROM SCRIPTURE. In Six SERMONS, i^^^elg^^^lSSIgi^Sil^ s f 3 ] A P R 7. L I M I N A R Y PISCOURSE CONGER NliJG THE DIVINITY O F T H E HOLY SPIRIT. SERMON I. Preached JULT i, 17^9. I C O R. iii, 16. Knojv you not that you are the temple of God^ and that the Sprit ojGod dwells in you ? INtending, if the Lord pleafes, to dif- courfe upon the Deity, Perfonality, Office, and Works of the Holy Spirit, I have chofe the words now read, as a foundation of what I fhall offer concern- ing the firft of thefe, the Deity of the Hcly Ghoft. As the fubjedt: is very neceflary, ini- B 2. portanr^ 4- A preliminary ^ifcourfe portant, fublime, and difSculr, I do not on- ly defire the prayers of my hearers, but alio humbly invoke the afliftance of him, con- cerning whom I am to fpeak, that he may lead me into the truth, and enable me to fpeak of him the things that are right, and tliat may be to his glory, and our edification and conn fort. As he is the fountain of all wifdom, from whom we receive the holy fcriptures, and a right underftanding of them, we cannot fee but by his light, nor know or acknowledge him, but by his afli- ftance. As therefore the apoftle pray'd for the Ephefians, that they might be endow'd with the fpifir of wifdom and revelation i and pray'd to the Holy Spirit, on the behalf gf the Corinthians, that he would commu- nicate, of himfelf, to them, in thofe words, ^' rlie communion of the Holy Ghofl: be with you ^"*3 it is very proper to apply to him, for his gracious aid and afliftance : An example of this we have in Cyprian, that eminent ftrvant of Chrut, 2nd martyr for him : When he compofed his dncourfe con- cerning the rioly Spirit, he begun it with a foleiTHi addrefs to him; which being fd agreeable to my prefent text and fubjecft, it may not be improper to rehearfe Tome part of it: ** O Holy Spirit, be thou prefent; and from heaven flied down thy confolations Ml;-,. .' • f iCor^ xiii. i^. Oft concerning the Sf iritis divinity. 5 Cn thofe that exped thee. ; fanaify the tem- ple of our body, and confecrate it a habita- tion for thy felf : Make thofe fouls joyful with thy prefence, who defire thee : Make the houfe fit for thee, the inhabitant j adorn thy chamber, and furround the place of thy reft with a variety of virtues y ftrow the pavement with ornaments; let thy manfioa fhine witn the brightneft of carbuncles and precious ftones ; and. let the odours of all thy gifts inwardly difcover themfelves ; let thy fragrant balfam perfume thy refidence, and expel w^hat ever is no.fome, and the fpring ^f corruption ; do thou make this our joy, ilable and laftmg ; and this renovation of thy creature, do thou continue for ever, in un- fading beamy*' '*. . The apoftle, in this chapter, ufed many arguments againft the carnal dividing fpirir, which was predominant among the Corin- thians: And particularly, he puts them in * Adefto fanfte Spiritus & paraclefin tuam expeftantibus illa- l>ere coelitus, fandifica tempium corporis noUri, & confecra inhabitaculum tuum ; defiderances ce animas cua praefentia laeciHca ; dignum te habicatoredonumcompone ; adorna thala- mum tuum ; & quictis tuae, rtclmatorium circumda variecatibus virtutura J Scerne" pavimenta pigmentis, & omnium charifma- tum irt^rinfecus fpirenc odoramenca ; Atfatim balfami liquor fragrantia fua cubiculum tuum imbuat ; & abigens inde quic- ijuid tabidum eft, quicquid corruptelae fcminarium, ftabiie & per« pecuum facias hoc gaudiam noiirum, & crcationis tuae rcnora- tionem 5n decore immarceiribili {oilides in aetemuflj, Cyprian ^eSpiricuS. p. 4^4. b. 4S5. a. Ed. Famelii, E 3 mind^ 6 A preUminary ^ifcourje mind, ' that they were God*s building, and therefore ought to be compact, and clofely united together : And having amplified this allufion, in a diicourfe concerning the buil- ders, the foundation, and the materials of the fuperflrudlure, he, in the fixteenth verfe, which is my text, returns again to the whole church J and reprefents them not only as God's building, but under a higher confide- ration, as the temple of God ; which there- fore ought not to be defiled with envy, ftrife, and variance -, but (hould be kept pure and holy, on the account of that holy, glorious One, who dwells in it, even God, the Holy Spirit ; who is the perfon who is faid to dwell in this temple. For the apoftle having faid, that they were the temple of God, as art explication and evidence of it, he added, in the very next fentence, *' The Spirit of God dwells in you ", as in his temple, as it is ex- plained in a following part of this epiftle : *' Know you not that your body is the tem- ple of the Holy Ghoft ^ ". A temple is God's holy place, where he dwells, and receives holy adoration. The Holy Spirit dwells in every particular be- liever, and in holy aflimblies of fuch -, and therefore, whether taken collectively, as in my text, or individually, as in the laft ci- ted f«ripture, they are properly his temple. f 1 Cor. xiii. $. *' 1 Cor. vi. 15. As concerning the Sfirifs Divinity. j As imbodied, or united in one Chriftian fociety^ they are a habitation of God % through the Spirit : They are his houfe, his dwelling place, his reft. The Spirit of God, and of glory, refts upon them, in allufion to the Shechinah, or Glory, that dwelt former- ly over the ark, and in the temple. And every particular believer may be laid to be the temple of the Holy Spirit -, becaufe he dwells in him, and receives homage and adoratioa from him j becaufe the believer was confe- crared and devoted to his fervice and glory, in baptifm, being baptized in the name of the Holy Spirit, as well as in the name of the Father, and of the Son : And becaufe the Holy Spirit fanftifies, adorns, and for ever preferves this temple, and there imparts his gifts, and manifefts himfelf to the Chriftian. If thefe things are confider'd^ the allufion appears very beautiful j and the fimilitude between God's dwelling in the temple of bid, and the Holy Spirit's dwelling in belie- vers, as in his temple, is very apt and in- ftruilive, and carries in it a ft'tiking con- viction of the Deity, Perfonality and Glory of the Holy Ghoft -, for, as has been well obferved, temples were never eredled, orde- fign'd for any inferior to God '. If then the ^ Ephef ii, za. ^ None but God dwells in the faints as hb temple: But the Spiri: of God dwells in the faints as his temple ; there- fore the Holy Spirit is Goi- Vide Zanch. de uno Deo, p. soi. B 4 Holy 8 A preliminary ^fcourfe Holy Spirit dwells in the faints, he is that God whofe temple they are faid to be. B^:li ancient and modern interpreters have view- ed my text in this light ^^ Notwithftanding the evidence of the Deity of the Holy Spiric is *' io clear and ftrong, his adverfaii^s have had the confic^^nce to af- firm, that he is vo where, in fcriprure, cal- led God ; by wiiich they muft mean, thzi this propofition, *« The Holy Spine is God '\ is no v here, ?*^ p-r; .rcfs terms, found in fciiptiire : To whicii it may be replied; That we no where read thefe exprefs words in fcripture, *' the Fathet is God *' 5 and yet enough is faid in other words, to prove him fo to be. In like manner enough is faid in my text, and in many other places, to prove 8 Theophylad upon it fays ; It we be the temple of God, be- cauie the Spiiic of God dwells in us, then the Spirit is God. V. e know no other reafon why we are the temple of Go^^^^ when the Spirit of God dwells in us, but only becaufe the Spi- ne oF God is God. Bifhop Pearfon on the Creed, p. 310. I unQCtftand no other way, by winch we can be faid to be the temple of God, but by the inhabitation of God, as it is writ- ten ; Ye are the temple of the living God, as God hath faid, I will dwell in you, and walk in you. Idem. ibid. In this place (fays Calvin) we have a clear reftimony, alTerting the divinity of ihc holy Spirit ; for if he was a aeaiure, or a tih only, he would not have made them the temple of God, by dwelling in them. Calv. in loc. ^ How impudently do you deny the Deity of the Holy Spirit, when you read, that the Spirit hath a temple ; for ic is written. Ye are the temple of God, and the Holy Spirit dweDs in you. God therefore hath a temple ; a creature hath no real temple : But the Spirit hath a temple i for he dwells in you. Ambr. de Spir.San^. 1. 5. c. is. p. 163. 2 the concerning the Sprit* s divinity. ^ the Holy Spirit to be God, as I hope will evifiendy appear hereafter. The adverfaries * to this truth afk, if the Holy Spirit is God, why is it inferred from Mb dvvelling in us, that God dwells in js, or that we are the temple of God ? Nuw, if he that dwells in us as his temple, is God, iwhat other conclufion can be drawn from thence but this, that we are the temple of God ? But, on the other hand, if he that dwells in the faints were not God, his dwel- ling m them could hot prove believers to be the temple of God. " That perfon whofe inhabitation makes a temple, is God ; for if the notion of a temple be nothing elfe but to be the houfe of God ; and if to be the houfe of any creature is not to be a temple, as it is riot, then ho inhabitation of any crea- ted perfon can make a temple; but th6 in- habitation of the Holy Ghoft makes a tem- ple, as we are informed by the apoflle : What, know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Gholl, which is in you ? Therefore the Holy Ghoft is God " ^ Having thus endeavoured to explain and vindicate the fenfe of the text, we may -•'^xt take notice of feveral important truths con- tained in it : As for inftance ; That there is an intimate union and communion between God and his people ; they are his temple : * Crelius de uno Deo, 1. i. Scifl. 5, ^ Pearlbn on the Creed, p. 319, That I o A prdimimry jDifcourfe That this union and communion is by thi inhabitation of the Spirit of God : That the Spirit of God is that God, whofe temple be- lievers are : That the Spirit of God, dwel- ling in his people as God, is known to them, and worshipped by them as God ; *' Know you not that you are the temple of God" : That he who dwells in the faints is a real perfon, and diflincft from hirh whofe Spirit he is faid to be ; and, That this perfon is not created, or circumfcribed, but is immenfe and infinite, dwelling, at once, in a multi- tude of different perfons, in diflant places : All believers, all the world over, are his temple. Among thefe feveral important truths con- tained in my text, I fliall fingle out the fol- lowing, to be infilled on, that the Spirit of God, is that God, whofe temple believers are. Before I come to prove the Holy Spirit'3 true and proper Deity, I fliall do the fol- lowing things by way of preliminary. I. I fliall enquire, who, or what is meant by the Spirit of God. 11 I Ihall hint fome things included in hisi dwelling in believers. III. I fliall fhcw the weight and impor- tance of the fcripture doctrine of the Splrit*s divinity, or how neceffary it ii fo be !;iio\vn, believ'd, and improv'da IV. concerning the Spirifs ^Divinity. \ l iV. I fhall give fome (hort account of the oppofition that hath been, and is made to this doftrine. I. I fhall enquire who, or What is meant by the Spirit of God. The word Spirit has many fignifications in fcripture, of which I. fhall now take no notice -, becaufe it is not a fpirit, or the fpirit in general, but the Spirit of God in particu- lar, of which my text fpeaks; which words often denote the Holy Ghoft himfelf, perfo- nally confider'd, and not barely his gifts and opperations; which are often fignified by the word Spirit : But here fomething is af- cribed to him, which imports both Deity and Perfonality, as has, in part, been de- clared already, and may more fully after- wards. He is properly ftiled, the Spirit of God ; becaufe he proceeds from GodJ, and is of the fame nature and eflence with the Fa- ther and SoUj who are God. He is that Spirit which ' is of God by proceffion; he is that Spirit which dwells in the faints, who are his temple ; and therefore he is him- felf God, as has been already hinted. I may add, that as the Holy Ghoft is in- tended by the Spirit of God, in fcripture, fo moftly, if not always, when he is fo cal- ledj there is fomething faid of him, which ' I Cor. ii, u. John xv. 26. ifhews a A preliminary ^ifcourfe fliews him to be that Spirit ; which is alfo God : As when it is faid, " the Spirit of God moved upon the waters *",'* in the crea- tion of the world. And elfewhere it 5s faid, " The Spirit of God hath made me "" ^ And when he is faid to fcarch all things, even the deep things of God (though God*s ways are, to all creatures, unfearchable.) Thefe ^i7orks of God being afcribed to the Spirit of God, it appears, that God the Spi- rit is meant by the Spirit of God. What has been faid upon this head, I hope may be fufficient to {hew ^hat is meant by the Spirit of God. IL I {hall hint fome few things which are imply *d and included in the Spirit's dwel- ling in believers. I. It fignifies, that the Spirit himfelf is ia believers. Chrifl has "" promifed to the per- fon that loves him, that both he and the Fa^ ther will come to him, and make their abode with him. This is done by the mi{non and inhabitation of the Holy Spirit. Believers are an habitation of God, by or through the Spirit : For, as by the Spirit we have accefs to the Father, through the Son p ; fo it is by the Spirit, that both Father and Son come to, and dwell in the faints -, for he comefi •" Gcn.i. 2. " Job xxxiii. 4. i Cor. ii, n, • Johia k\v.i6, p Vcr, 26. Chap, xvi,^, and concerniffg the Spirits T)tmntty. \ ^ and tafees ^ his throne in the foul, as fent by the Father and Son. This informs us how the Father and Son are both faid to dwell in the faints ; and yet they are peculiarly the temples of the Holy Spirit, and he personal- ly dwells in them ; for fo I think the follow- ing fcriptqres ^each us : " Know you not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghoft, which is in you, which you have of God ^? '* as much as to fay ; You are the temple of the Holy Spirit -, not only by his gifts and gra- ces, difpofing you to worfliip him, but by his immediate prefence, and perfonal inhabita- tion, he is in you, whom you have of God. jft is likewife faid, " That good thing that was committed to thee, keep by the Holy Ghoft, which dwells in us ^ ". Here is an evident diftinftion between the gifts and graces of the Spirit, and that Spirit who dwells in the faints. If he dwelt in the faints only by his gifts and graces, then Paul's exhortation to Timothy, to keep the good thing, by the Holy Ghoft which dwelt in him, had only figniiied this, that he muft keep thofe gifts and graces, by thofe gifts and graces which dwelt in him : But if we take the latter claufe of the perfonal indwel- ling of the Holy Spirit, the exhortation is plain and forceable; as the Holy Spirit beftow- ^d thefe good things upon thee, andperfonally ^ Ambr. & Spr. p. 265. ! 5 Cor. vio X9^ 5 a Tiro, i, 14, dwells 14 A preliminary Difcourfe dwells in thee ; fo do thou look to him, to proted: and preferve his own work. Befides, it appears, that the apoflle fpeaks of the in- dwelling of the Spirit himfelf ; becaufe he applies it not only to Timothy, as had been proper, if his gifts and graces had been all that was meant by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit : But he fays, which dwells in us ; whereas Timothy's gifts and graces did not dwell in Paul, but the Spirit, who is the fountain and author of them, dwelt in Paul and Timothy both, and in all the faints; of him therefore it might be faid, which dwel- leth in us. An inftance of the Spirit's thus dwelling in believers in common, and ano- ther of his dwelling in the extraordinary of- ficers of the primitive church have been hint- ed ; I will only add here, that the perfonal indwelling of the Holy Spirit, is not fo to be underftood, as if there was a perfonal uni- on between him and the believer : The ha- bitation and inhabitant remain perfonally diftind:. It may not be faid of the Spirit, that he was made flefh, and dwelt amongft MS, as it is faid of the Son ; for the Son af- fumed our nature, and took upon him the form of a fervant : But the Holy Spirit dwells in the believers perfon, as in his tem- ple. There is, as has been obferv'd% an union of perfons, as in marriage ; but not * Goodw, on the Splric, p, $8, concerning the Spirit^s divinity. 1 5 aperfonal union, as that between foul and body. The icripture has declared thus ; '' Becaufe you "are fons, God hath fent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts " ''. '' This is my covenant, that my Spirit fhall not depart out of the mouth of thy feed, and thy feed's feed"" ". The Spirit himfelf is fent into the covenant feed, and his graces attend him, not go before him : Our perfons, as one fpeaks "", are the temples of his Perfon immediately; his gra- ces are the hangings, the furniture, that he may dwell like himfelf: He is a Holy Spirit, and holinefs becomes his houfe for ever. 2. The Spirit's dwelling in believers figni- fies his conftant refidence in the faints. The Greek word oiy.&ty dwelleth, ufed in my text, fignifies to dwell, as in a perfon's houfe, or place of fettled abode. God has promifed y, that his Spirit (hall not depart from Chrift*s feed, from henceforth, even for ever. Chrift fays, that the Comforter fhall abide with his difciples for ^ver ^ He is in them, not as a fojourner, or traveller, for a night, but as one who never fully or finally departs frora them. " OfSion, he faith. This is my refl, here will I dwell ; for I have defired it^'\ Though he forfook the Jewifh temple, and departs from fuch as partake only of his ordi- nary, or extraordinary gifts -, yet fuch as par- take of his fpecial grace, fhall never lofe him, " Gal. IV. 6. "^ Ifa. lix. zi. * Goodw. Spr. p. 5 J, y Ifa, Jix. 21. » John xiv. 1^0 ? Pfal. cxxxii. a. or 1 6 A preliminary T>ifcottrfe pr his refidence in them, as in his temple* " He {hall abide with you for ever ", faid oui: Lord, or to eternity ; for ^ fome obferve, this word is conftantly ufed fo by John : We are not then to limit the expreffion to the apoftles and primitive Chriftians ; but to underiland it as including all Chriftians, at all times, even for ever > which is a moft ufeful and comfortable truth. What Chrift faid, *' That he may abide with you for ever *', he fpoke it to comfort them : His abode with you, faid he, fhall not be tem- porary, as mine is, but it fhall continue to eternity. The Spirit is always ^ wuth all the faints. David indeed faid, " Take not thy holy Spirit from me^": This may be meant of the gifts of the Spirit : He might fear left thefe (hould be taken away from him, as they were from Saul, upon his heinous fm : The Chaldee paraphrafe, as the learn- ed Ainfworth obferyes, favours this fenfe, in rendering the words thus ; '< Take not the Holy Spirit of prophefy from me ". Da- vid's fm was now ever before him j he want- ed the voice of joy and gladnefs ; he niight therefore queftion the truth of his grace, and fo put up luch a petition, vvithout fup- pofing that any a e faint could be utterly forfaken by the Holy Spirit. This he might do, as v/ell as he could pray, that God *• Poors An not. continued on the place. "^ Vide ThcophyUa. in Jo, vv. i^. t Pfa^» ^»- would concerning the Spirits ^ivtmty. 1 7 would blot out his tranfgreffions 5 when but juft before God had lent the prophet to aflure him % that he had put away his fin. It is one thing really to have pardon, and another thing to have the fenfe of it. It is one thing to hold it as a principle, that the Holy Spirit (hall never utterly forfake the faint, and another thing to have ar frefli afTu- rance of it from God, fpoke horhe to a di- llreiTed foul; but perhaps David might de- precate the temporary departure of the Holy Spirit, or the fufpenfion of his gracious in- fluences ; hiving known by experience, how evil and bitter a thing even that is to a god- ly man. David had been guilty of the dread- ful fins of murder and adultery 5 and yet God had not ^ taken the Holy Spirit from him, as is flrongly imply*d in his petition ; for if it had been already done, there had been no room for him to pray that God would not do it; befides, he looked upon the Holy Spi- rit as a free Spirit, and his heart was breath- ing after his fealing impreflions ; that he might again hear the voice of joy and glad- nefs, and have that fpoke to his heart by the Holy Spirit, which God had fpoke to his ear by the prophet, God hath put away thy fin. 3. The Holy Spirit's dwelling in believers, befpeaks their excellence and dignity. As * 2 Sam. xii, z^. ^ Non aic Spiritum Sandum tuum da mihi ftd ae aufecw Si inc. Aug. in loc. ucri plura videas. C there l8 A pnlirhinarj T)'iJcouyIc there was a vifible glory in Solomon's tetii-i pie, fo there is an invifible glory, and mag- nificence, in the fpiritnal temple. '' The king's daughter is all glorious within^"; both with refped: ro the graces which adorn this temple, and the perfon who dwells in it : Faith, love, joy, peace, meeknefs, goodnefs, are the ornaments of this temple, and the preferice and refidence of fo great a Perfon in it, as the Spirit of God, makes it honour- able and glorious. The virgin Mary was reckon'd bleifed, for carrying in her womb that body, in which the Son of God dwelt 5 and it is the honour and glory of every true believer, to be the temple of the Holy Spi- rit. From the dignity of the faints, on thefe accounts, the apollle, in my text, argues againft flrifes and divifions, which ill be- come the temple of peace, and the refidence of the Spirit of peace. In another place he expofes the ^ vile fin of uncleannefs, as utterly unbecoming the dignity of thofe bodies which have the honour to be the temples of the Holy Ghoft. The righteous is more excellent than his neigh- bour, as he is adorned with fuch graces, and is honoured with fuch a prefence of God the Spirit, refiding in him as his temple. A Heathen could fay, I am greater, and born tQ greater things, than to be a Have to my body, 5 Pfal. xlv, 13. ^1 Conri. 18, 19, Every concermng the spirit^ s divinity, i^ Every Chriflian fhould fay, I am greater, and defign'd to greater things, by being made the temple of the Holy Ghoft, than to be a ilave to fin, or to be taken up with the honours or fleafures of this world. 4. The dignity and greatnefs of the Holy Spirit is imply'd in his dwelling in belie- vers. He, as God, fits in the temple of God^ fhewing himfelf that he is God ; for there he receives the adoration and worfhip of the faints \ ^^ The Holy Spirit dwells in his temple, not as a prieft, or fervant, but as God 'y as it is written, *^ I will dwell in them, and walk in them j and I will be tO them a God, and they fhall be to me a peo- ple ', and David faith, the Lord is in his holy temple ^ ". His infinite grace and condefccn- fion, appears in his dwelling in the faints ; he is the high and lofty one, who inhabits eternity ; yet he dwells in thofe who are of a broken and contrite fpirit, and fliews forth his infinite perfedlions, in his operati- ons in them, and for them. The Spirit's dwelling in the faints as his temple, fhews his dignity and greatnefs, that he is indeed Lord and God, and as fuch he is to be ho- noured and adored. IIL I (hall {hew the weight and impor- tance of the fcripture dodlrine of the Holy » Ambr. de Spr, Sanft. 1. 3. c. ij. p, z6^, J^Pfal. xi.4, C 2 Spirit's ao A preliminary Difcourfe Spirit's divinity; or how neceflary it is td be known, believed, and improved. The doctrine of the Spirit of God, is one of thofe great heads of gofpel truth, where- in the glory of God, and the good of fouls are moft eminently concern'd. The fending Chrift to redeem us, and the fending the Spirit to dwell in us, and to apply that re- demption to us, are the two grand promifes of God in the Bible, and the principal ob- jedls of our faith and hope. Hence the do- ftrine of the Deity, Perfonality, office, op- perations, and grace of the Holy Spirit, is fo much inlifted on in the New Teftament: This is the great ' promife of Chrift, that upon his going away, he would fend the Spirit, to fupply his abience, to glorify him, and to conduct the redeemed to glory. *< Take away the work and powerful efficacy of the Holy Spirit, from the adminiftration of the gofpel, and it will prove but a dead letter, of no faving advantage to the fouls of men ; and take away the dodtrine concerning him, the Holy Spirit, from the writing of it, and the whole will be unintelligible and ufelefs""". Chrift promifed to be with his minifters and people ", to the end of the world ; he is fo by his Spirit, who was to fupply his place upon his going away: It is therefore of great? importance to all Chriftians, to know, be- ' John xvi. 5 15. '" j\-. Owen of the Spirit, p. ^5. " Mate, xxviii, ly. z lievey concfrriing the Spirit^ s "Divinity, a i jieve, and improve the fcripture dodlrinc, concerning the holy Spirit. It highly con- cerns us to learn, from the fcriptures, who he is, and what he does, how we are to car- ry it towards him, and what we may expeft from him, to whom is committed the mani- feilation of Chrift*s glory in this world, and the perfefting of our falvation. And how fliall we be fure the work is in fafe hands, if he is any thing lefs than the true and living God ? The devil is a fubtil and powerful fpiric : Adam, in innocency, could not ftand againft him : Many fince have been over- come by him ; he is the God of this world; a reftlefs, aftive, malicious fpiric, who had the boldnefs to tempt Chrift himfelf : And how ihall the poor Chriftian be fafe or cora- fortabie, if he does not know that he who is in him, is greater than that fpirit that is in the world ? How {hall he be able to fay, I know whom I have believed, and am per- fuaded, that he is able to keep that which I have committed to his truft r or, what con- fidence can he have, that he will carry on the good work in him, to the day of Chrift, if he does not know him to be infinite in power, grace and truth ? Who could raife a dead foul but he who is almighty ? Were not his grace and patience infinite, how could he dwell in fuch vile and provoking creatures as we are ? How could he feal us to the day of redemption ? or, how could we depend C 3 eithis^ 5 a A preliminary Dijcourfe cither upon his written word, or inward witnefs, if we did not know him to be trutl^ it felf, the God of truth, and without ini- quity ? How fliould believers either pray to him, or praife him, and otherwife treat him with due honour, if his Deity and Perfonali- ty, Office and Work, be not known and be- lieved '^ To give him divine worfhip, if he be !:c^ -jod, is idolatry; and to with-hold it if he is God, is a heinous fin. To be well iiiforrn'd in this point then, is of the laft im- portance. How dangerous and defperate a rifque do they run, who treat him with con- TciTipt and difgrace, who deny his Deity and V rlonality, defraud him of his worihip ^nd glory, if he be our God ? ""■ J ,-'--pel is a miniflration of the Spirit: Ther^ is no good revealed, or communica- ted to us, or wrought in us, or by us, but it proceeds from the Holy Spirit ; the know- ledge of him, of his will, work, and glory, ^annot therefore be needlefs, and of no im- portance; and efpecially feeing the unpar- donable fin is peculiarly againft' him -, and ' our acccx^s to the Father, through the Son, is pnly by him ; and if any man has not the Spirit of Chrift, he is none of his. The malignant oppofition made to him by fomc, and the vile contempt cafl upon him by others, are things which have quenched and grieved him, and caufed him to depart, 1^0 that degree, as thereby almoft al| vital re- ligion concerning the Sprites Titvinity. i ^ ligion is loft out of the world. Hence it is that the glory of God and Chrift, the faith, joy and zeal of Chriftians are under fuch a cloud at this day. Is it not then high time to fpeak ? Are not the great dodrines rela- ting to tlie Spirit to be reviewed, believed, and improved. IV. I fhall give fome account of the op- pofition that has been, and is made, to c^^e fcripture dodlrine, concerning the Koiy Ghoft. Satan, the God of this world, has raifed up many adverfaries, to this truth, both in ancient and latter times. Some have denied the Deity of the Holy Spirit ; others, who owned him to be God, yet have denied his Perfonality : A third fort have denied his proceffion from the Son, which occafioned a long conteft between the Greek and the La- tin church 5 tho' fome have endeavoured to fhew that the difference was rather nominal than real -, the latter Greeks allowing, that the Spirit proceeds from the Father by the Son °. Of a forth fort fome have denied, and others flighted the work of the Holy Spirit. Si- ;non Magus, the father of hereticks, accord- ing to fome p, affirmed his Helena to be the Holy *^ Vide Gerh. de Spr. Sando, p. 296. Pearfon on the Creed, P Vid. Epiphan. Haer. zi. But according to Trenaeus, lib. i. C. 15. p. 99. Ed. Ben. He made himfelf to be the Holy Ghoft; and this feems to be confirmed by hia own words : Ego fum C ^ fcrm*. 54 A preliminary ^ifcourfe Holy Spirit. Some of the Jews % with whom the SocinianG agree, make the Spirit to "be only the influential power of God : An4 fome, in our days, have advanced much the fame erroneous opinion; of which, more may be faid hereafter. The Mahometans, as the Macedonians did of old % take this Holy Spirit to be an eminent angel ; fome ^ fay Gabriel i however, but a creature. The Macedonian herefy was condemned in a fy- nod of one hundred and fifty bifhopsat Con- ftantinople ', as it had been by feveral lefs councils before. The Arians of old, and of late, rejecfl the Deity, and fome of taem the Perfonality of the Holy Ghoft % as might be made appear by numerous teftimonies. The Sabellians pretend, that the Spirit of God ""' is only a different name, or difpenfa- tion of God the Father. Praxeas, and Noe- tus, before Sabellius, were of the fame opi- nion. Paul of Samofata faid, that the Holy Spirit was only an adlion, or power of God -, with whom agreed Servetus and others^ feimo Pci, E-go Paraclctus, Ego omnipotens. Apud Hieron. in M?.u. xxiv 5, See Dr. Beniman's hiftorical account of the Xiinicarian eontrovcrfy, p. i^j i9- and Mr. Taylor's treatife agajn(l Mr. Waits, p I7,zii. 1 ViJ.. Dr. Qwtn of the Spirit, p. 33, ?4. ^ Anno Dom. 340. • ^ Gcrh. dt Spr. Sanft. p. joS, pcaribn on the Creed, p. 316. ' A. D. 581. . »» Vide Crell. de uno Dec, 1. (J. 3, * Vide tpiphan. Hatr. Ixii. §. i. p. 513. Ed. Par. See Mr. Taylor's fcripture dodtrine of the Trinity vindicated a- ^aijift My. Waits's fchtmc. zd Ed, Pref, p. xxviii, xxix. Some concerning the Spirit^ s T)ivinity. a 5 Some have affirm'd the Holy Spirit to be God., &n xxxiva 29. mife- 28 A preliminary ^ijcourfe^ &c. miferabU condition ? As this fliould fill us with admiration and thankfulnefs, (o it ihould excite us '' to glorify God the Spirit, in and with thofe fouls and bodies which are his temple : Hov/ awful are thofe words fol- lowing my text, " If any man defiles the temple of God, him will God deftroy. 3. We may learn the infinite condefcen« fion and love of the Spirit. " Next to the love of Chrift, in taking our nature, and dwelling in it, we may wonder at the love of the Spirit, in tak'ng up his refidence in fuch defiled fouls, and turning a dungeon into a temple, a prifon into a paradife, yea, an heli into an heaven '". What reafon have we to love and adore the Holy Spirit ? He is God^' and therefore worthy of our love and high- eft regard ; worthy to be fought of him, who giveth him to them that aflc him ; and worthy to be ador'd as God, dwelling in his people as in a temple. Know you not that you are the temple of God, and that the Spi- rit of God dwells in you. * 1 Cor- vL 19, 20» ^ Sibs's fount, fealed, p. lz. THE l^9l THE HOLY SPIRIT'S DI VI NIT Y PRbVED FROM HIS T I TLBS. SERMON 11. Preached September ^j ijk^. 1 COR. iii. 1 6, Know you not that you are the temple of God^ and that the Spirit of God dwelk in you ? IN a former difcourfe upon chefe words, I endeavour'd to explain what is meant by the Spirit, ahd by his dwelling in the faints, and to prove that he does fo as God : The neceffity of knowing and believing the Deity of the Holy Spirit was evinced, and the oppofuion made thereto, was like wife reprefen^ed. I flball now proceed to produce fome evidence of the true and proper divini- ty ^o The Holy Spirt t^s 7)ivimty ty of the Holy Spirit, the third Perfon of the bleffed and adorable Trinity in unity ; and as I go along, I fliall anfwer fome 6f the prin- cipal objcdlions which are raifed againft it. The topics I iLall infift on to prove the Spi-- rit's true Deity, are four, which I fhall fpeak to under fo many diflind: propofi- tions. L The Holy SpiHt is truly God, becaufe, in fcripture, he has divine titles. II. The Holy Spirit is truly God, becaufe, according to the oracles of truth, he is inverted with divine perfections. Til. The Holy Spirit is truly God, be- caufe he is reprefented, in fcripture, as performing thofe works which only the great God can do. IV. The Holy Spirit is truly God, be- caufe divine worfhip is given him in fcripture. I purpofe to fpeak to all thefe, if -the Lord Ihall permit j and fl:iall now begin w*ith the firft. Prop. I. The Holy Spirit is truly God, be- caufe, in fcripture, he has divine titles^ fuch as Jehovah, God, and Lord. It was confidently affirmed of old, and has been of late, that the word God, in fcrip- ture, ^^ where fignifics the perfon of the Holy proved from his Titles. 31 Holy Spirit ; but the contrary to this, I hope to make appear in feveral inftances. Before I enter upon this, I would obferve, that, though the Father isfaid to be the God of Chrifl, with relpeft to his human nature 5 yet he is never faid, in fcripture, that I re- member, to be the God of the Holy Spirit ; becaufe he has not another nature inferior to the Father, as Chrift has. Let it alfo be obferv'd, that when the word God is apply'd to fuch as, by nature, are not God, fomething is always added, by which we may know it ; as when it is faid, " I have made thee a god to Pharaoh "*; it appears, that Mofes was not god by nature, becaufe he was a made god ; which the true God is not ; and he is faid to be a god only to Pharaoh j whereas, the true God is God over all, bleffed for ever. And in that paflage, " I have faid, you are gods ; but you Ihall die like men ^5 it iS plain the true God is not intended ; for he is but one : Whereas, that text fpeaks of more than one, and calls them gods, and fays, they ihall die like men ; but the true God is immor- tal and eternal. Once, in fcripture, it is faid, chat God is a Spirit "'i and from thence we conclude, that God is a fpiritual imma- terial Being ; efpecially feeing there are fo many things faid in fcripture, which prove * Exodi vii. I. ^ Pfal. Ixxxii* 6- ^ John iv. 24. him 32 The Holy Spirals divinity him fo to be. In like manner, if we could produce but one text, in which the Holy Spirit is called God; we ought tp believe him fo to be, efpecially feeing, in other pla* ces, fuch things are afcribed to him, which can belong to none but the true God. It is, indeed, granted, that if he were never fo ex- prefly, and never fo often called god, yet, if in thofe places, as in the cafes above, any thing was affirm'd of him, inconfiftent with his being true God, we ought not to believe him fo to be -, but otherwife, one fuch afler- tion is fufficient. I will only add, before I come to the in- ftances themfelves, that when any name is apply'd in fcripture, to any perfon, or thing,' we are to confider, whether the fcripture only reports it as done by fallible finful men, or as done by the faithful, infallible God 5 if it be the latter, we may conclude it is right- ly apply'd ; for God cannot err nor deceive us. Having premifed thefe things,, I come to the fcripture proofs, that the names of God, Lord, Jehovah, God himfelf, are apply*d to the Holy Spirit, without any thing added^ inCionfiftent with his being true God. I. I fhall confider the feveral paiTages of the Old Teftament, in which the Holy Spi- rit has divine titles. In the Pfalms •* we read^ ^ Pfal. Ixxviii, J7, 18, that proved from his Titles. 3 5 that the Ifraelites provoked the Moft High, in the wildernefs, and tempted God in their hearts : This the prophet Ifaiah apply'd to the Holy Spirit, when he faid, " They re- belled and vexed his Holy Spirit'*^: The confcquence of this is, the Holy Spirit is the Moft High God. The apoftle Paul fpeak- ing of the fame thing, introduced the Holy Ghoft faying, " Harden Hot you hearts, as ia the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wildernefs, when your fathers tempted me^"; fo that the Spirit is God, of whom the Pfalmift fpeaks in the paflage cited ^. . It was faid of Ifrael, by Mofes, " The. Lord, viz. Jehovah, alone, did lead them, and there was no ftrange god with him ^ ". Who this Jehovah is, that did thus lead them, we are informed by the prophet Ifaiah *, in whom we read, that the Holy Spitit led them by the right hand of Mofes, with his glorious arm : He therefore is the Lord Je- hovah, true and eternal God. The Pfal- mift fays, " 1 will hear what the Lord will fpeak J for he will fpeak peace to his peo- ple ^ " y which is interpreted of the Holy Spirit, whoie work it is to fpeak peace to ;he faints. Peace is one of his fruits K Likewife the Lord of Hoft, in Ifaiah's "* vi- * Ifa. Ixiii. 10. f Heb iii. 7, 8. 5 Vid. Witfius de Spir. Sand. p. 420. ^ Deuc.xxxiii. 12. ^ Ifa. Ixiii. ir, 12. ^ Pral. Ixxxv, 8. ^ Gal. V, II, "' Ifa. vi. h 4* D fion. 54- The Holy SpiriCs divinity iion, faid, '' Go and tell this people. Hear you indeed, but underftand not " *' : This is, by the apoflle ^ apply'd to the Holy Ghoft ; " Well fpoke the Holy Ghoft, faying, Hearing ye fhall hear, and ihall not under- ftand '\ The Holy Ghoft then is the Lord of Hofts, the true and real God. One of the ancients p comparing the foremention'd texts in Ifaiah, and in the Ads, thus argues : " It was the Spirit that fent Ifaiah : If it was the . Spirit that fent him, then it was the fame Spirit that he faw fitting upon a throne^ high, and lifted up, with whofe glory the houfe was filled ; the feraphs faying to one another -, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hofts, the whole earth is filled with thy glory : Therefore the Holy Spirit is the Lord of Hofts ". It has been objedled, that Ifaiah's vifion was of Chrift's glory, and is fo interpreted in the New Teftament '^ : To which it may be replied. That there does not appear to be any inconfiftency between thefe two, the manifeftation of the glory of Chrift, and of the Spirit ; feeing it is the Spirit's work to glorify Chrift, by ftiewing his things to men. And why might not the Spirit now appear in the glory of Chrift, and in his own " Sec the Scripture Dodrine continued, p. 127. ** A(5is xxviii. 15, 16. ' Ambr. de Spir. Sancl. p. i; 3, 274. s Johuxii. 41. See Mr. Nelfon's frieftd, p. iij. Sec Gaftrel, p. 112. glory proved from his Titles. 5 5 glory at once -, as Chrifl hereafter fhall ap- pear in his own glory, and alfo in the glory of his Father ? And it may be, thofe words, « Whom fliall I fend " ? and, '' Who will go for us ? " may favour this anfwer to the objection ; but I fubmit the whole to confi- deration s only I would beg leave to add, that I am not lingular in this opinion ; both ancient and modern interpreters have thus ex- plained it ^ Thus we fee, chat in the Old Teftamenr, the names and titles, which belong to the great God, and have nothing join'd with them that is inconliftent with true and proper Deity, are attributed to the Spirit -, which being explain'd by other fcriptures, that ap- ply to the Holy Ghoft what, elfewhere, had ^ Chryfoftom upon thofc words, Thefe things faid Ifaiah, when hefaw his glory, fays, Whofe glory ? The Father's i How then doth John apply it to the Son, and Paul to the Spirit ; noc as confounding the Perfons, but declaring the glory to be buc one. Jerom fays on the place in Ifaiah, who that Lord was, that Was feen, may be fully learnt from John the Evangclift, and the Ads of the Apoftles ; John evidently means Chrift ; Paul, in the Ads, fays, Well fpoke the Holy Ghoft by Ifaias : But the Son was feen in the drefs of a king, and the Holy Ghoft fpoke as being a partner in the glory, and one with him in fubftance. The glory that appear'd to Ifaiah, is the glory of the Fa^ ther. Rev. iv. 8. and of the Son, John xii. 41. and of the Holy Ghoft, Ads xxviii. 26. Now (ince three Perfons are manifefted in one glory, and the manifeftations are defigned to bring us into the knowledge of the things manifefted ; it is a great probability, that the one glory teaches us the unity or identity of nature, of the Perfons manifefted in it. Script. Dodrine on the Trin, by Mr. Nelfon's friend, p. 115. D 2 been 36 lihe Holy SpirU's divinity been fpoke of Jehovah, the Mod High Gd(3, aflford a plain fcripture evidence, that rhe Holy Spirit is God Moft High. And thus he is feprefented by one of the ancients, dcfcanting upon thole words, " All thefe things works that one and fclf fame Spirit, dividing to every man feverally, as he wilH". " As he will, it is faid, not as he is commanded -, dividing, not as divided 5 he being the Author, not fubject to authority. Do you not fee the perfect power ? for they who have the fame nature, no doubt, have the fame authority ; and they that have the fame dignity, have one and the fame virtue and power ' ". 2. I now proceed to the more diftinft Gonfideration of feveral paffages in the New Teflament, which declare the Deity of the Holy Spirit. The firfl: is that in Luke*s gof- pel : " The Holy Ghoft fhall come upon theCj and the power of the higheft (hall ovcrfhadovv thee " ". We have here the aft and work of a voluntary and free agent, and not barely an emanation, or efflux of power, fent forth from God. The power ^ J Cor. xii. I r. i^\i7icL fxict. Chryfortom ; Serin, xl. Vol. v. p. Joi. Ed, Francot. " Luk« i. 35» Sse Dr. Calamy's feventh Scrni. p. z%6, of proved from his Titles. ^7 of God is faid to be given to men, or they are faid to be endued with it ; but it is not faid to come upon a perfon ; for that and overfliadowing, are vohjntary perfonal acti- ons, and cannot well be apply'd to a divine power or attribute, or the efficacy of that power. To fuppofe the Holy Ghoft to be only the power of God''', and not a real per- fon, is to make Luke guilty of a grofs tauto- logy, in faying, " The Holy Ghoft (hall come upon thee, and the power of the High- eft dial 1 over{hadow thee " : For, according to this fuppofition, he had faid, the power of the Higheft ihall come upon thee, and the power of the Higheft fliall overfhadow thee. When it is faid, Chrift "^ return'd in the power of the Spirit ; is the meaning, that he return'd in the power, of the power of God ? as it muft be, if the Spirit of God does not denote a per- fon, but only God's efficient power. The Spi- rit and power are often join'd together in fcripture -, but that, as one ^ has obferv'd, does not fo much denote the Spirit to he power, as it diftinguiihes him from that power with which he is conjoined. By the Holy Ghoft we are then to under- ftand a Perfon, and by the Higheft, the fame Perfon "■ is denoted. He migh^ vvell be called ^ See Watts'ififchDilTerr. p. 122.. * Luke iv. J4. y BiHerf. concra Crell. p. 415. "■ Conciniiacion of Pool*? An nor, m loc^ ^8 The Holy Spiriis divinity the Higheft, as performing a work peculiar to the Mod High God; the forming or crea- ting Chrift's human nature in the womb of the virgin, by overfliadowing her. The word, overihadowing, is thought to allude to the work of the Holy Spirit in the firfl creation, when he moved % or, as the word fignifies, brooded upon the waters, or gave a prolific virtue to them, as fowls do to their eggs, by fitting upon them. The Holy Spirit, by a fecret almighty power, form'd Chrift's bo- dy, out of the fubftance of the virgin, and animated it with a living foul. The Holy Ghoft then is the Higheft, and his power is the power of the Higheft, ex- erted in this work, in a voluntary way ; for it cannot be reafonably thought, that the Spirit who does all his other works, accord- ing to his own will, ftiould be only a paflive inftrument in forming Chrift's human na- ture, in the womb of the virgin. The fame perfon, and the fame almighty power, are here to be underftood, as are meant in thofe ^ other places, w^here it is faid, that " God breathed into Adam the breath of life, and he became a living foul '*. And again ; " The Spirit of God has made me 5 and the breath of the Almighty (the fame Almighty Spirit) has given me life ". Thus we fee that the Holy Ghoft is the Higheft, ' Gen. i. i. Sefe Patrick in loc. * Gen. ii, 7. Job xxxiii. /j. the proved from his Titles. 5 9 the Creator and Maker of man, and particu- larly of Chrift's human nature, and therefore true and real God. Again, believers are faid to be born of God ', ' which is explain'd by Chrifl:, of be- ing born of the Spirit : The Spirit therefore, by whom men are regenerated and new born, is God ; and is fo filled in fcripture. Another celebrated paflage, is that in the Adls '^ ; '' Why has Satan filled thine heart to lye to the Holy Ghoft ? thou haft not ly*d to men, but to God *\ Lying to the Holy Ghoft is lying to God ; becaufe the Holy Ghoft is God. The offence was a tempting, or an endeavour to deceive the Holy Qho.ft ; a trial of f]i -^'coTYfloi sr/, i^ TiH '-l^Tvi^ ii^icLi. Ubi fup. p.*6oo. dv]vi^ ru \lct]el «Vi«tf. ^ Ibid. p. 609. " h^CS^ ^ rtAo^/je a;c sTtti;', w? cu iVQ)]Ucf.i* li y(i^ " /« proved from his Titles. 4. 2 and inconfiderate man — Peter fays not as you take it ; for if the contumely againft the Spirit redounds to God, as one that fent him, it fhould have been faid, Thou haft not lyed to the Spirit, but to God *" ". I fhall conclude the explication and vindi- cation of the text, under confideration, with the words of the great Dr. Owen ^ upon it; « The Holy Ghoft is exprefly called God; and having the name of God properly and diredtly given to him, with refpedl to fpiri- tual things, or things peculiar to God, he muft have the nature of God. Ananias is faid to lye to the Holy Ghoft ; this is repeat- ed and interpreted, " Thou haft not lyed to men, but unto God " ; the declaration of the perfon intended by the Holy Ghoft, is added for the aggravation of the fin ; for he is God, the fame perfon, the fame object of the fin of Ananias, is exprefl^ed in both places ; and therefore the Holy Ghoft is God ". I have been the longer upon this, becaufe it is fo full a teftimony to the Deity of the Holy Ghoft, and becaufe our adverfaries arc fo zealous to wreft it out of our hands. In my text, and the following verfes, the Holy Ghoft is called God three times ; p. 296, 107. Ed. Fran. ■ ** Vid. Wicdus de Spir. San^, p. 424. ^ Of the Spirit, p. 64. " Know 44 The Holy Spirit^s Divinity *' Know you not that you are the temple of God. — If any man defiles the temple qt' God. _ The temple of God is holy ". The God intended in all thcfe expreffions, is the Holy Ghoft, who dwells in the faints, as in his temple, as has been largely proved in the explication of my text. He wha dwells in the faints, as in his temple, is the living God : " You arc the temple of the living God 5 as God has faid, I will dwell in them "^ '\ The Holy Ghofl dwells in the faints as in his temple : *' Your body is the temple of the Holy Ghoft ". There- fore the Holy Ghoft is the living God; and they are properly faid to be the temple of God, in whom the Holy Spirit dwells. Another text in which the Holy Ghoft is called God, is this > " Faith, which is of the operation of God "^ ". It is the Holy Spirit, who worketh faith in the heart ; it is one of his fruits \ The Holy Spirit there- fore is God. In another place, the apoftle fpeaking of his own preaching, fays, That it was in the demonftration of the Spirit, that the people's faithmightnotftandinthe wirdomofman,but in the power of God, even of God the Spirit, in whofe demonftration the apoftle fpake ^ It is likewife faid, that " all fcripture is given by infpiration of God " ^ or of the *i 1 Cor. vi. 15, 19. ^ Col. ii. ii. <" Ca!. v. 12. - I Cor. ii, 4, 5. Spirit^ ffoijdJYom his Titles. 45 Spirit; for, " the holy men fpake as they were moved by the Holy Ghoft" ". We read, '* that God has fet in the church, firft apoftles, fecondarily prophets, thirdly teachers "^ " : Now it was the Holy Ghoft who made them overfeers, called Jthem to their work, and made it fuccefsful'; they were minifters of the Spirit, and their fpiritual weapons were mighty through God, to the pulling down ftrong holds : The Holy Ghoft then is that God, who fet the officers in the church, and gave them affiftance and fuccefs in their work. With refpecft to the internal work of grace and confolation, he is often, in fcripture, fpoke of as God. " It is God that works in you to will and to do of his own good plea- fure "" ". But it is the Holy Spirit^ whofe im- mediate work it is, to make men willing to work out their falvation, and to enable them to do it ; and this he does of his own good pleafure ; for he diftributes to every man fe- verally as he will. All our good works are wrought in God, even God the Spirit \ who renews, fanfti- fies and quickens us, and enables us to obey the truth \ The apoftle Paul ^ fays. That it is the fame Spirit, Lord, and God, that works « 1 Tim. iii. i6. z Pa. \.i\, ^ i Cor. xi?. 2?. ^ Phil. ii. i^ Y John iil 21. " * 1 Pec. U ii. * I Cor. xii. 4, 5, 6. 2 all 4^ The Holy SpiriCs T>ivtntty all in all. The fame Spirit that gives diver- fities of gifts, is that Lord who a(fts with fo- vereignty, and that God who works all ia all. Hence it follows, that the Holy Spirit is God 5 and he is, I think, fo expreily cal- led in the fcripture referred to. I know that many, by the fame Spirit, un- derftand the Holy Ghoft by the fame Lord Jefus Chrifl, and by the fame God, God the Father ; becaufe, as they think, the Spirit, Lord, and God, are diftinguifhed from one another : But this is begging the queftion j for all thefe titles may be apply'd to the Holy Ghoft, who really is both Spirit, Lord, and God. He may be called Spirit, as to the gifts of grace, which, as a Spirit, he be- ftows : He may be called Lord, with re- fped: to thofe fervices, and adminiftrations which he, by his authority, appoints; for he makes minifters, calls and fends them as he pleafes : And he may be called God, with refped: to thofe miraculous works which re- quired an almighty power. And feeing it is faid, that " it is the fame God that works all in all ", and that one and the felf fame Spirit works all thefe, why may we not, by the fame God, and the one and felf fame Spirit, underftand one and the felf fame Perfon, even the Holy Ghoft : And efpecially feeing the apoftle's exprefs defign, in this chapter, and the two which follow, is to treat of the gifts and v/ork of the proved from his Titled. 47 the Holy Spirit, and not of thofe of God the Father, as diftinguiflied from him. If we underftand the " fame God " who works all in all, of the Father only, then Ave exclude the Spirit, who is exprefly faid to work all thefe things. And though the works of the Trinity, as to creatures, are undivided, yet it feems not fo agreeable to the divine ceconomy, to afcribe that work to God the Father, which, in the fame dif- courfe, is fo largely and exprefly apply'd to the Holy Spirit. Farther, when the apoftle had faid, " It Is the fame God who works all in all " ; he im- mediately adds, to {hew who he meant, that the manifeftation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit with ; in what way fo- ever God the Spirit works in, or by thofe to whom he imparts his gifts 5 it is all de- ligned for the good of thofe to whom they minifter, and not to nourifh pride, or tear the church with contention. ^ I may add, that the perfonal pronoun, dvlhg^ being joined with O 0ej^r, it cannot fo well be applied to the Godhead, as including Father, Son, and Spirit, as it may be applied to the Spirit alone. The words, " that fame", and, <« that felf fame*', fo often ufed by the apoftle, feem to denote one and the felf fame Perfon, fpoke of in all the feveral pla- ces in which they are ufed. Nor, 4 8 The Holy Spirit'* s Divinity , Nor, to me, does it fecm improper to call the Holy Spirit, the fame Lord, feeing the government of the church is put into his hands by Chrill, and he manages it with au- thority and ibvereignty, dividing to every man feverally as he will ; all his gifts are favours : Thofe that have the greateft have no reafon to boaft ; nor thofe who have the leaft, to murmur. Dr. Owen has thus explained this place: " Treating of thefe fpirituai things, or gifts, in the church, he (the apoftle) firft declares their author, from whom they come, and by whom they are wrought and beftow'd ; him he calls the Spirit, the Lord God : And to denote the oncnefs of their author, not- withftanding the diverfity of the things them- felves, he calls him the fame Spirit, the fame Lord, the fame God ^ *\ And having mentioned their opinion, who apply the words Spirit, Lord, and God, to the Spi- rit, Chrift, and the Father. He adds ; " But rather the Spirit alone is intended, and hath this threefold denomination given unto him J for as he is particularly denoted by the name of the Spirit, that we may know whom it is that he eminently intends ; fo he calls him, both Lord and God, as to mani- feft his fovereign authority in all his works and adminiicrations, fo to ingencrace a due re- ^ Owen of che Spirit, p. 5, verencc proved from his Titles. 49 verence in their hearts towards him,, with whom they had to do in this mattei , and no more is intended in thefe three verfes, JDUt what is thus fum'd up : "But all thefe works that one and the felf fame Spirit, dividing to every man feverallyas he will". The apoftle Paul prayed thus : " The God of patience and confolation grant you to be like minded to one another, according to Chrift Jefus j that you may, with one mind, and one mouth, glorify God, even the Fa- ther of Chrift Jefus " ^ The God of pati- ence and confolation is here fpoke of, as a perfon diftindl from the Father, and from Chrift Jefus -, and fo it is beft underftood to be God the Holy Ghofi, who is the author of the Chriftian's patience and comfort. . When the apoftle fpeaks thus ; *^ Accord- ing as God has dealt 10 every man the mea- fure of faith '^^ ; I take ic to be meant of God the Holy Spirit, who is the author of faith, as well as of all thofe gifts mentioned in the following verfes. It is alfo faid 5 " I will put my laws into their minds, and write them in their hearts ; and I will be to them a God, and they fhall be to me a people*". He who write-? the lav^^ in the heart, is the Holy Spirit ; as we read, " You are manifeftly the epiftle of Chrift, written not with ink, but with the *^ Rom. XV. 5, o. ^ Chap, xii. 3. ! Heb. viii 10. E Spirit go The Holy Spirit^ s divinity Spirit of the living God ; not in tables of ftone, but in the fleflily tables of your hearts ^ ". He who writes the law in the; heart, is God ; I will write it. I will be to you a God. The Spirit therefore who writes the law in the heart, is God. The apoftle Paul faid, with refpecl to him- felf and his fellow labourers, " All our fufficiency is of God, who has made us ableminifters of theNewTeftaments". This is God the Spirit : It is his work to qualify men for the work of the miniftry, to call them to it, to affift them in it, and to make the weapons of their fpiritual warfare, mighty and fuccefsful ; they are minifters of the Spirit, of that Spirit who gives life, of thai^ Spirit which makes men overfeers over the church, and which faid, " Separate me Barnabas and Saul, to the work to which I have called them^ ". This is that God who made them able minifters, of whom is all their fufficiency. The apoftles alfo faid, " We our felves are comforted of God ' " 5 or, the Holy Spirit, who is the Comforter : The churches walk- ed in the comforts of the Holy Ghoft. The Holy Ghoft therefore is that God who com- forted the apoftles. The Ho!^^ Ghoft is ftiled Lord, and the Lord with the article : A name, which, as ^ t Cor. iii. i 3. 8 Chap. Y% 6, ^ Ads xiii. 2. * 2 Ccr. i 4. has proved from his Titles. 5 1 has been often obferved, anfwers to the name Jehovah, in the Old Teftament, and is, by the feventy, often ufed for Jehovah in the Greek verfion of it. The adverfaries are not willing to allow that the Holy Spirit is called Lord ^ in fcrip- ture. But that he is fo, is, I think, very plain in the ^ following place ; " The Lord is that Spirit, changed into the fame image, ieven as by the Spirit of the Lord, or, more properly, according to the Greek "", by the Lord the Spirit". His lordftiip had been before declared, in his making and employ- ing minifters, and now in renewing fouls, and bringing them out of bondage into li- berty. It is faid, " The Lord direcfb your hearts into the love of God, and into the patienc waiting for Chrift " ". Where the Lord pray'd to, is the Spirit, in exprefs diftlnd:ion from God the Father, and from Chrift 5 for the apoftle prays to this Lord to diredt their hearts into the love of God, that is, the work of the Lord the Spirit ; and aUb to taufe them patiently to wait for Chrift; and this alfo is the work of the Spirit : The Spirit therefore is that Lord to whom he pray'd. ^ For neither in the Old or in the New Teftament, is there any one place where the Holy Ghoft is ever fpoken of under the title of Lord. Dr. Clarke's anfwer to Mr. Nelfon's friend, p. 105. ' 1 Cor. iii. I7> i8. ™ Ki/e<» ^vvi/,AlQ; « z TheiT. iii. 5. E 2 And 5 0, The Holy Spirifs j)tvmty And to interpret the word Lord of any other^ would fnake the apoftle to exprefs himfelf very improperly : For, if by Lord we un* derftand God the Father, then he prays thus* God direvft your hearts into the love of God : It would rather have been, into the love of himfelf, if the Father had been meant : Or, if by Lord, Chrift be meant, then the latter part of the petition runs thus; The Lord Chrift diredt your hearts into the patient waiting for Chrift ; and why not in- to the patient waiting for himfelf, if by Lord he had been inrended? But if by Lord we undcrfrand the Holy Spirit, the expref- fions are clear and full to his purpdfe. Am- brofe makes ufe of this fcripture to provej that the Spirit is Lord, as well as the Father and the Son ". '' Let it be fhew'd what Lord it is, that direds into the love of God, and patient waiting for Chrift, if we deny the direc!lion of the Holy Spirit". By Lord here, underftand the Spirit, fays Theophy- laft p, adding, That the great Bafil had fo explain'd it. In another place the apoule fays, " The Lord make you to increafe and abound in love one towards another, to the end he may efta* blifti your hearts unblameable in holinefs be- fore God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jefus Chrift '^ '\ Here again, the *'■ Ambr de Spir. San(fl. I. ^. c. i$. p. i66, P Vide Thtoph. ia loc. "i J Thefl". iii« 12, 15. 2 Lord proved from his Titles. 5 ^ Lord fpoke of, is difcinguilh'd from the Fa- ther and the Son ; for he is to efcablifli the heart before the Father, and at the coming of Chrift ; and therefore is a tliird perfon, even the Lord the Spirit, whofe work it is to fan6tify and eftablilli the faints. Thus we fee that the Holy Ghofc is called Jehovah, in the Old Teftament, and often God and Lord in the New Teftament. The moft high God, whom the Ifraelites provok- ed in the wildernefs, is, by Ifaiah and Paul, declared to be the Holy Ghoft. The Lord Jehovah, who alone led the people, was the Holy Ghoft, as Ifaiah explains it. The King, Jehovah of Hofts, who fent the prophet ifaiah to the people, was the Holy Ghoft. It was Jehovah who promifed to write his laws in the people's hearts : Bur, according to the apoftle, it was the Holy Ghoft who faid, I will write my laws in their hearts. The Holy Ghoft is alfo that perfon, who is the highefr, and manifefted an almighty creating power, in forming Chrift's humaa nature. The Holy Ghoft is that God of whom believers are born; that God to whom Ananias ly'd -, that God whofe temple be- lievers are ; that God who works faith in the heart ; that God, by whofe infpiration the fcriptures were given ; he is that God in whofe power the believer's faith ftands; that God who feis officers in the church; ;hat God who works in Chriftians to will E 3 and 54 The Holy Spirit^ s 7)ivmty and to do ; that God who works all in all, in the diverlity of gifts bcftow'd on men 5 he is the God of patience and confolation ; that God who deals to every man the mea.- fure of faith ; that God who writes his laws in the heart -, he is that God of whom is all our fufficiency, and who made the apoftles able minifters of the New Teftament ; that God who comforted the apoftles, and en« abled them to comfort others. The Holy Ghoft is th« Lord who gives liberty, and changes men iuto the image of Chrift; he is that Lord who diredls our hearts into the love of God, and the patient waiting for Chrift ; he is that Lord who makes us to en- creafe and abound in love one towards ar other. If this is the fcripture dodlrine concerning the Holy Spirit, we may then fafely con- clude, that he, as well as the Father and the Son, is true and real God ; thofe high titles before mentioned, being applied to him, iq as full and unlimited a fenfe as to either of the other perfons in the Godhead ; for it cannot be ihew'd, that any one of thefe names, or titles of God, was ever given, in fuch a maimer, and with fuch circumftan- ces, to any being below the true and living God. We may then juftly wonder, how any, who retain any ferious regard to the holy fcriptures, fhould deny the Deity of the Holy Ghoft 3 which is fo abundantly declared in the fcriptures alledged, and may alfo proved from his Titles^ 5 5 alfo be otherwife proved, as I hope to make appear in our progrefs upon thisfubject. But the adverfaries have not been afraid to contradict and blafpheme; they have em- ployed all their diligence, art, and fubtiky, in oppoftng his Deity, Perfonality and Glo- ry : What indefatigable pains have they ta- ken to v^reft the fcriptures, and pervert chem into any fenfe, and fometimes into ponfenfe, rather than they fhould proclaim the Godhead of the Holy Spirit ? I. It is objefted, that the name Jehovah is apply^d to what is not God, and therefore the application of that name to the Holy Ghoft, docs not prove him to be God : We find one altar ' called Jehovah Niffi, another Jehovah Jireth, a third Jehovah Shalom, and a city Jehovah Shammah: To which I anfwer ; That the inftances alledged, do not come up to the point in hand, becaufe the name Jehovah is not there apply 'd to an intelligent being, but to an altar, or a city, and fo mult be underflood in a metaphorical fenfe : Neither is it alone, and by it felf, ap- ply'd to the things fpoke of, but is joine4 with other words, which fignify the occa- fions or reafons of that metaphorical appli- cation, as Jehovah Nifli, the Lord is my banner ; Jehovah Jireth, the Lord will fee, or provide; Jehovah Shalom, the Lord *■ Exod.xvii. I J. Gen. xxii. 14, Judges vi, 24. Ezek. xlviii. 3J, E 4 fen^d, 56 The Holy Spirit^ s T)ivmty fend peace; and Jehovah Shammah, the Lord is there. But where is the word Jehovah, alone, and by it felf, apply 'd to any in- telligent being but God ? He plainly appro- priates it to himfelf : *' His name alone is Jehovah ^ " I am Jehovah, and there is none elfe : The word Jehovah fignifying the eter- nal immutable God, cannot properly be ap- ply*d to any other but that God, who is eter- nal and immutable -, and, being apply'd to the Holy Spirit, fhews him to be eternal and immutable God, one in nature v/ith the Fa- ther and the Son ; for it is God alone, and none elfe, whofe name is Jehovah 5 that is his memorial, and his glory will he nor give to another. 2. It is faid, that the word Jehovah cannot be apply'd to more perfons than one, and con- fequently cannot be the name of the Holy Ghoft : To which I reply, That this is fo. far from being true, that it is apply*d to three feveral perfons in fcripture, the Fa- ther, Son, and Spirit, and to two at once. I, viz. Jehovah, will fave them by Jehovah, their God ^ Jehovah the Father, promifes to fave them by Jehovah the Son ; which, I think, is a fufficient anfwer to this ob- jeftion. 3. It may be faid, that the Holy Spirit is, \Ti fcripture, called God and Lord i yet that ?■ Pfal. Ixxxiii, 1 8. < Hof. i* 7. may provdfrom his Titles. 5 7 may be meant only minifterially % as they were called gods, to whom the word of God came, who yet were not the true God ; fo he who fpeaks not of hunfelf, but what he hears, as the Spirit does, may be called god, and yec not be true God. To which it may be re- ply'd, That the gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, fliall perifli, from the earth, and from under the heavens: But the Holy Spirit made the heavens and the earth, as will be fliew'd hereafter, and is the eternal Spirit -, and therefore no made god, or god only by office. He has taken upon him an office in the work of our falvation, as the Son alfo did ; but this does neither exclude nor deftroy the Deity of either of them. As the Son remain'd in the form of God, notv/ithftanding he took upon him the form of a fervanr, fo the Floly Spirit is true and real God, though he has taken upon him an office and work in the church : Nay, the very works he does, prove him to be true and real God, as will appear more fully hereafter, 4. It may be objcded, that the Holy Spirit being, as fome fay, only a power in the divine nature"^, he cannot be God, in the compleac and full fenfe of the word. 1 anfwer, that the Holy Spirit is not only fpoke of in fcrip- ture, as God, but in as full a fenfe of that " John X. 3$, 36. Chap. xvi. 13. ^ See Wacts's fifthDiflerc. p. ijo, ijd. word 5 8 The Holy Sprites Divinity word as the Father. The fame evidences which we have of the Peity and Perfonality of the Father, we have likewife of the Deity and Perfonality oi the Holy Spirit, as will be fhew'd more fully in its proper place. That the Holy Ghoft is reprefented as the power of God, with refpeft to his influence and effeds, is very true ; but that he is only the power of God, or God the Father, exert- ing that power, can never be prov'd from fcripture. This is not the higheft or fulleft idea of him as God ; feeing iinderftanding, will, and all the elTential powers of God, and the higheft works of God are afcribed to the Holy Spirit, in fcripture, as to a real and proper perfon in the Godhead, as I hope to make evident : And therefore, in the ftridl and higheft fenfe of the word, he is, both in fcripture, and in ancient writers, called God, as one in nature with God the Father, and the Son, and equal to them in all the effential perfedions of the divine na- ture. The Jewifli church, and the moft eminent lights in the primitive Chriftian church, did thus believe and teach, as might be made very evident from iheir writings. Dr. Allix * has prov'd, from the Jewifh wri- ters, That they give the name Jehovah to the Holy Spirit, and thought him to be a real * Judgment of the Jewifh church. Sec p. i$i, id5, 167% *68, 169, 173, PerfoHs proved from his Titles. 5 gj PerfoD, uncreated, proceeding from the firft, by the fecond. Clement of Rome % fpeaking of tlie Spirit of the Lord, and his fearching the heart, fays, *' It is better to offend the foolifli and proud men, than God '\ Polycarp "" con- cluded his lafl prayer at the fiake in thefe words : " I praife thee for all thhigs ; 1 blefs thee, I glorify thee with the eternal and heavenly Jefus Chrift, thj beloved Son, with whom to thee, and the Holy Spirit, be glory for ever and ever. Amen. This ^fcription of glory to the Holy Spirit, is an evidence that he believed him to be true and real God. Juftin Marryr % in his firft apology for the Chriftians, in vindication of them from the charge of Attieifm, declares that they worfliipped and adored the Father, the Son, and the prophetic Spirit : He there- fore owned the Holy Spirit to be God j be- ^ Aiyei ^^v Ilviv^a, aveta ^v^v©-, \^ivvav ta rat/// tiA *? T \vvoiZv Y\^m i'S'ir J^iAhoyti j) iTe) 05(5'. Clcm, Epift. i. c. II. p IC4. i^. Ed. Wotton. * Ala. TKTO }^ 'sfet fudvle-iv div(o cri, cvhoytj <7?, cTofat^o :c. power, frov^d from his Attributes. 6 7 ^ower, place, and ktiowledge, cannot be a creature ; and conlequently muft be God, to whom it is peculiar ; to be without begia- hing ; to be infinite in power and know* ledge, and to be immenfe, filling heavea and earth , but not to be limited or circum- fcribed by them. A created and uncreated nature, may be united in the fame perfon, as in Chrift ; biir to be infinite and finite, eternal and tempo- rary ; to know all things, and to know oaly fome things ; to be every where, and yet confined to one certain place, cannot belong to the fame nature ; for then that nature would be a contradiction to it felf. If God's eflential properties could be com- municated to a creature, then the ctHcace of God muft be communicated to the creature ; for thb eflince and eftential properties can- not be feparated ; for then God muft be fe- Earated from hirrifelf, and both be and not e at the fame time. And farther, if God's effeiice could be communicared to a creature, then the creature would, that moment, be- fcome God ; but God cannot be a creature ; nor can a creature become God : Therefore God's eflfential attributes cannot be commu- hicated to a creature. Such peffedlions as require an infinite, in- dependent, unchangeable being for their fub- jedt, are what may be called God's eflTential attributes, that is, they are fuch a$ belong F 2 19 68 The Holy Spirits T)ivimty to God, and can belong to no other being 5 fuch are, immenfity, omnipotency, omni- fcience, eternity, and immutability. A crea- ture may bear fome refemblance to God, in a lower degree, as to wifdom, goodnefs, ho- linefs ; yet even thefe, in creatures, are li- mited, both as to meafare and duration ; whereas in God, they are eternal and infi- nite, as his eflence is 5 in which fenfe none is good fave one% even God : But no crea- ture can be every where prefent, be without beginning, and without end, know all things, and be able to do all things. If then we can prove from fcripture, that God's effential perfections belong to the Ho- ly Spirit: Hence it will certainly follow, that the Holy Ghoft is God, of the fame na- ture and perfeftions with the Father and the Son. This being premifed, let us now proceed to fome of God's effential attributes and per- fections, which, in fcripture, are apply'd to the Holy Spirit. I. Immenfity, or omniprefence, is an ef- fential attribute of God, and can belong to no creature : God appropriated it to him- felf, when he faid, " Am I a God at hand, and not a God afar off ? Do not I fill hea- ven and earth, fiith the Lord ? The heaven is my throne, the earth is my footftool*^ ", : ^ Mart. xix. 17. * Jcr. r.xiii. 15. Ifa. Ixyi, i, in proved from bis Attrihtiles. 69 In God we live and move, and have our be- ing ; he is in all, and through all, and above all, unlimited, uncircumfcribed, and incom- prehenfible ; this is one of the properties or perfedions of the great God : And this im- menfity, or omniprefence, is afcribed, in as full, and, indeed, the iimic language, to the Holy Spirit, as it is to God the Father-, as in thefe v^^ords of the Pfalmift ; *' Whither fliall I go from thy Spirit? or whither fhall I fly from thy prefence r If I afcend up into the heavens, thou art there : If I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermoft parts of the fea -, even there fhall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand fhall hold me "" ". There is no going from that Spirit who is every where prefent, and fills all in all : He is in Chrift, the head, in hea- ven; and in his members, fcattered wide abroad upon the face of the earth : He made all things ; and therefore is prefent with jail things : He works all in all ; and therefore is not limited and confined to a certain place. It is true, we have no adequate idea of the divine immeufity, or omniprefence ; nor is it poffible that we fhould ; but this is fufH- cient to our prefent purpofe, that we have the fame evidence and conception of the *■ Pfal, cxxxix. 7,&c F 3 omnir yo The Holy Spirit'^s Divinity omniprefence of the Spirit, as we have of the Father's omniprefence. Cannot we fly from God's pi efence, or go where he is not ? no more can we go rrom the Holy Spirit, or where he is not j for he fills all things, by the immenfity of his divine nature. It is alike ^impoffible to go from God's Spirit, and to fly from his prefence. The Father amd Spirit then are both omniprefent, in the feme fenfe, and confequently God j two peffons i^ one Godhead. The Holy Spirit is, indeed, fot^etimes faid to defce.nd, and fometimes to depart 5 but this is no more than is affirmed of the Fa- ther, vfhofe omniprefence is not difputed ; and if it is no valid objeftion againfl: the omniprefence of the Father, neither is it againfl: the omniprefence of the Holy Spirit : /According to his operation, or the mani- feftation, or fufpenfion thereof, he is faid to defcend, or depart -, though, as to his ef- fence, he is always every where prefent. The apoftles were fcatter'd and difperfed fhrough the world ; yet none of them were feparated from the Holy Spirit, who could not be deceived, and from whom nothing could be hid ; he therefore is the unlimited infi- jiite Spirit ^, and therefore God : for as an encient \vriter has exprefl^ed it 5 " There is one Father of the univerfe, one Word of th^ ^ See Dr. Knight's eighth Sermon, p, 279, &c. ; Vide Athanaf. adSarap.p. 15. yd. ii. Ed. Par. proved from his Attributes^ 7 1 univerfe, and one Holy Spirit, which is every where prefent ^ ". Wherever the Chriftian's lot is caft, in the darkeft dungeon, or in a cave, ia the utmoftendsof the earth, far diftant frora all fellow Chriftians ; yet the Holy Spirit, who is every where prefent, is with him, to lead and teach, to fupport and comfort him, and to bring him, through Chrift, into the pre- fence of God the Father ; for by this im- menfe, omniprefent Spirit, both thofe that are nigh, and thofe that are afar off, have accefs to the Father '\ How evident then is it, that the Holy Spirit is God? and how comfort- able may it be to the believer, that he can never be caft out from his prefence, grace, or protection. 2. The Holy Spirit is omnipotent, or al- piighty : As he is in all places, fo he can do all things. What room can there be to doubt of this, when creation, regeneration, and the refurred:ion, with the other works of omnipotency, are, in fcripture, afcribed to him ? The eternal power ^ and Godhead are clearly feen, by the viiible things of the crea- tion, or the things that are made : Whoever then created, or made the world, the hea- vens, the earth, and the other vifible parts of ^ EifrSr oKuv Uetjfif* iti 0 0 Twv oKav Aoyof, k^ to 'zrviu' (/.A TO ayiov hy x^ Ti aJJo ^apJcIx^, Clem. Alex. Paedag. #b. i. c. 6. p. 12,3. £d. Oxon. ' Ephef, ii. l6» ^ Rom.i. to, f 4 thr 7 0. The Holy Spirit's divinity the creation, is pofleffed of eternal power, and is true and real God, according to thefe fcriptures : " In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Thou, even thou, art Lord alone; thou haft made hea- ven, the heaven of heavens, the earth, and all things that are therein. He hangs the earth upon nothing. By his Spirit he has garnifhed the heavens 3 his hand hath form- ed the crooked ferpent : But the thunder of his power, who can underftand ? He hath made the earth by his power ^ ". Creation is a work of infinite power, and can belong to none but the omnipotent God : It is ne- ver, in fcripture, apply'd to the higheft of angels, or the moft glorious created Spirit ; the Creator, and the creatures *" are exprefly contradiftinguifhed. A finite nature is not capable of receiving, or exerting infinite power. How fhould a created power, which can neither produce the leaft atom out of no- thing, or turn it into nothing, make the world ? No inftance can be produced of any jfuch effedt of the greateft created power ; how foolilli and wicked then is it, to pretend to it ? How was Job confounded, when God fet before him the works of creation^ and put thofe awfal queftions to him ; ' Gen. i. i. Neh. ix. 6. Job xxvi. 6, 7, 15, 14. Jer, ;x. ir, 12. ^ They virrfhippcd and ferved the creature more than (gr iiefide) the Creator, who i\ blsfl'ed fojr ever, Rom. i. :•<>• "Where p'ovdfrom his Attributes. j ^ '« Where were thou when I laid the founda- tions of the earth ? Who has laid the mea- fures thereof? Haft thou commanded the morning fince thy days ? Haft thou perceiv'd the breadth of the earth ? Haft thou an arm like God ? or, canft thou thunder with a voice like him " " ? To any other, the high- ell and heft creatures, God may fay ; '* Haft thou not known ? haft thou not heard, that the everlafting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, faints not, neither is weary, I am the Lord that makes all things, that flretched forth the heavens alone, that fpread abroad the earth by my felf °*^ Thus we fee that the work of creation is a work of almighty power, and that it is the work of God, exclufive of all creatures. How then could any creature beGod*s mini- fter, or inftrument, in the great work of creation : For God could not be faid to do that alone, and by himfelf, wherein he makes ufe of the miniftry, and afliftance of another. But fuppofing, not granting, that fome glorious p created Spirit might be fome way imploy'd in the works of creation and pro- vidence, I demand, whether this fublimc " Job xxxviii. 4, J, 12, 18. Chap. xl. 9. *> Ifa. xl 28. Chap, xliv. 24. if See Dr. Watu's fourth Diflfert. p. 109* Spirit 74 The Holy Spirifs Divinity Spirit has an infinite, or only a finite "^ powef communicated to it, for this enc. ; if an infi- nite power, this is to deify a cre^.i ure s*;if on- ly a finite power, that can nev r go beyond it felf, aft where it is not, or pj yiuce fome- thing out of nothing : The Creator of the world is therefore God, endow'd with in- finite almighty power. Having fettled this point, I now proceed to fhew, that the Holy Spirit is the Creator of the world. The fcripture fpeaks thus \ *' By the Word of the Lord were the hea- vens made, and all the hofls of them, by the Breath, or Spirit of his mouth. The Spirit of the Lord has made me, and the Breath of the almighty has given me life. Thou fendeft forth thy Spirit, and they are crea- ted j thou reneweft the face of the earth. By his Spirit he has garniihed the hea-? vens ' ". All the glorious luminaries that adorn the heavens, are the produft of the Spirit's almighty, creating power ; and by the fame power, all the decays of nature are repaired, and the face of the earth is renewed, as it were, by a continual new creation, per- formed by that Spirit, who, at firft ^, moved upon the waters, and gave being, order, and *i See Dr. Bifhop's Serm. p. 273, 174. Alexander's Eflay, f Gen. i. i beauty, p. IC5, III. ' Ffal« xxxiii, 6. Job xxxiii. 4. Chap. xxvi. 1$. * Gen. i. i. proved from his Attrihutes^ 7 5 beauty, to the feveral creatures forni*d out of the firft confufed chaos. The forming Chrift's human nature in the womb of the virgin % was a glorious effect, and evidence of his infinite almighty power. The miracles " wrought by Chrift and the apoftles, were done by the almighty power of the Holy Ghoft : The raifing the dead, which is a work of omnipotent power, is afcribed to the Holy Spirit : He raifed Chrift, and he fhall raife the bodies of the faints "^^ Chrift was quicken'd by the Spirit ; and the fame "" Spirit ihall quicken the mortal bodies of the faints : The Spirit therefore is omni- potent, the true and real God j for it is the work of God to raife the dead, and a work that required an exceeding greatnefs of power, a power above that of any finite created being. Why ftiould it be thought an incredible thing that God ftiould raife the dead y ? God almighty can do every thing ; he can change the vile body ; he has a power fufficient to fubdue all things to himfelf ; fuch infinite power has the Holy Spirit j for he raifed the dead, and therefore he is al- mighty God. If it ftiould be objefted, that the Spirit is not, in fcripture, ftiled omnipotent or al- Hiighty, ia exprefs terms ; I anfwer ; Fad:s * Luke i. ;5. «• Matt. xii. z8. Rom. xv. ip. *^ i I'et* iii. i8i * Rom, viii. ii. ^ A^ xxvi. 8. Job xlii. z, PhiLiii. »;« .-^ » fpeak 76 The Hoi) Spirt fs Divinity fpcak as loud and plain as words. If the Holy Spirit does not the works of the Al- mi«"hty, wc muft not believe him fo to be ; but if he does, we mud believe it for the works fake. He that does the works which are peculiar to almighty God, muft himfelf be almighty G (>u ; But, in the fgripture, we are told, that Baalam faw the viiion of the Almighty, even of the Spirit of God, who came upon him ; and Job faid, '' The infpiration of the Almighty giveth under- ftanding ''. And again, '' The Spirit of God has made me ; and the Breath of the Al- mighty has given me life '' ". In which pla- ces, it is mofi: probable, that the Holy Spi- X\x. is ftiled Almighty. But be it otherwife, yet we have fufficient proof from his works, that he is Almighty, whether he is exprefly called fo or not, as has been declared 5 and, I think, more need not to be added upon this head. 3. Eternity, in the full fenfe of the word, belongs to the Holy Spirit , and therefore he is God, one with the Father* and the Son. Eternltv is an incommunicable attribute of God ; he, and he only is without begin- iiing, and v/ithout end s and therefore is faid to inhabit eternity ^ Many perfons and things are eternal, a parte poft, they fhall ''- Nim-.b. xxiv. z^ 4. Job xxxii* ^» Chaf. xxxiii. ^o ' Ha. Ivii. 1 5. never provdfrom his Attributes. 'jj never ceafe to be ; but God only is eternal, a parte ante ; he never begun to be : This is fully expreffed in thofe fcripture words^ *' from everlafting to everlafting, thou art God. Before me there v^as no God formed, neither fhall there be after me. I am the firft, and I am the laft ; and befides me there is no God ^ *'. So that eternity, in the ftridl and full fenfe of the word, is peculiar to God, and a certain indication that he is fo. The next thing to be done, is, to prove that the Holy Spirit is eternal, from everlaft- ing to everlafting, and therefore true and teal God : And this will appear, if we con- fider him as Creator, and Maker of all things: In the firft creation, he is faid to move upon the face of the waters' j he therefore was be- fore all things ; and by him all things con- fift. The caufe muft be before the effed:; the maker before the thing made : He, who in the beginning, created the heavens and the earth, muft himfelf have been without be- ginning, or before time, and created things were, and therefore eternal ; for, what could there be before time, but eternity, or that God who inhabits eternity. But it has been faid, that the Holy Spirit is not eternal, becaufe the fcripture fays, that the Spirit was not yet '^ ; becaufe Chrifl was not yet glorified. I anfwer, Though the ^ Pfai. xc. z. Ifa. xjiii. lo. Chau. xli/ 6, ^ Gen. t» 2, * John vii, 3 s;. word 78 The iioly SfiYit's Dmmty word ^' given " Is not indeed in the originalj it is neceflarily imply*d ; " This fpoke he of the Spirit, which they that believe on hint fhould receive ; for the Holy Ghoft was not yet '* ; that is, was not given, or poured our, in thofe extraordinary gifts which were re- ceived after Chrift's afcenfion On the day of pentecoft, mentioned irt the fecoiid chapter 6f Ad:s Chrift laid, '* If I go not away, the Comforter will not come 5 but if I go, I will fend him * ". But it does not hence follow, that the Holy Spirit had no ex- iftence before Chtift was received up int6 glory ; for we read, that by the Spirit, Chrift caft out devils j that he was led up by him into the wildernefs, to be tempted of thfe Devil ; that he defcended upon Chrift at his baptifm, in the form of a dove; that he over- (hadowed the Virgin, and formed Chrift's human nature in her womb ; that he was in the ancient prophets, and teftify'd, before hand, the fufferings of Chrift, and the glory that fliould follow ^. Stephen told the Jews, that they always refifted the Holy Ghoft, as their fathers had done before them ^ : And^ very early, God faid, " My Spirit ftiall not always ftrive with man ^ '\ So that the Ho- ly Spirit had an exiftence before Chrift was glorified j yea, before he was Incarnate. * John xvi.7. ^ Matt. xii. xS. Chap. iv. i. Chip. ill. 16. Luke i. 55. « Pet. i, 10, it. ^ A&s vii. 5U * Gen. vi. i. pYov'd from bis Attributes. 79 We are told, in fcripture, that Chrift, through the eternal Spirit, offered himfelf to God, without fpot ' : Where, by eternal Spirit, the Holy Ghoft is intended, as many think. He afiifted the human nature, in the exercife of all that faith, love, and holy zeal for the glory of God, and the falvation of men, which appeared in Chrift, when he gave himfelf for us, as Dr. Owen ^ obferves. Others think, that Chrift's eternal Deity is intended by the eternal Spirit ; but this, as the fame author ' fays, will not abfolutely fol- low, to be the fenfe of the place, upon the common reading : For, the Holy Spirit is no lefs an eternal Spirit, than is the Deity of Chrift himfelf. Chrift's divine perfon is fig- nified in thofe words, in the alledged fcrip- ture, " Chrift'*, " who" ; for it was as God and Mediator that Chrift offer'd up himfelf to God : So that by eternal Spirit, the Holy Ghoft may be intended, without excluding Chrift's Perfon ^!s God, from its part in this great work. Another fcripture which feems to ^each us, that the Holy Spirit is eternal^ is this j " When the Comforter is come, whom I will fend to you, from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which procedes /rom the * Heb. ix. 14. ^ Of the Spirit, p. 143. and EpoC In loc. p. 387, * Idem. ibid. Vid. WicGus in fyrab. p. 424, Fa- 8o The Holy Spirit'* s T)ivlnity Father "^ '\ Here is an evident difFerehcc between the million and proceflion of the Holy Spirit -, the former is fpoke of as then to come ', *' I will fend" ; the latter is fpoke of in the prcfent tenfe " ; " which proceeds " ; even by an eternal emanation, in which there is no fucceflion, nothing paft or to come ; and therefore, it is thus expreffed ; "proceeds'*, not *' did proceed", or " fhall proceed"; he is ever proceeding, without beginning, and without end ; and therefore is ftriftly eter- nal, as the Father is, from whom he is here faid to proceed ". Parallel to this, is Chrift's expreffion of his eternity, in thofe words j Before Abraham was, I am '' ", not I was : So that when we hear that the Spirit pro- ceed^, we are not, by proceffion, to under- hand his miffion, as the miniftring fpirits are fent forth : But the natural fubfiftence of the Spirit, is his proceffion, even his natural fubfiftence from or with the Father ^ Now if the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father, as being of the fame nature and eflence with him ; and if there never was, or can be, any beginning or end of that proceffion, then he is, and muft be, eternal : For in God there are no changes, no compofition, abfciffion, or aug- mentation. God is one infinite, uncompound- cd, undivided, eternal Being. Hence, though "* John XV. 26. " Vide C.crh. rle Spir. Sand. p. z8o. « John viii. 5b'. p Thcophyl. in John xv. 26. we provJ from his Attributes^ 8 1 we read of the Spirit's proceeding, yet never of his beginning to be; nor have we the leaft intimation that it could ever be faid, that he was not. . The firil: time God is fpoke of in fcripture, that is, in the firll fencence of the bible, 'tis very probable that the. Spirit is included. *' In the beginning God (or Gods, the noun being of the plural number) created the heavens and the earth '^ ". And, in the very next verfe, the Holy Spirit is exprcfly men- tioned j ** The Spirit of the Lord moved upon the face of the waters '\ This could not be meant of the air or wind, that ele- ment being not yet feparated from the reft, or brought into form and regular motion, it is then meant of the Holy Ghoft, who ex- ifted in the beginning, and before all crea- tures, even from eternity. Of this truth the ancient Chriftian writers were well apprized, Tertullian has thefe words; "Who knows the things of God but the Spirit of God, v^ho is in him, noc out of him V. And again ; " Thefe three are one, in unity of fubftance, not Angula- rity of number ' ". Irenaeus thus fpoke ; " The Father has ever with him his Word "^ Gen. i I. .. * Quis fcic quae funt in Deo nifi Spiritus qui in ipfo eft non extra ipfiim. Tcrcuiian adv. Praxcam, c. 19. p. 650, Ed. Riiialc. • ^ Qi:i rrcs unum funt, non unus- — ad fubftantiae unitatem, non ad i.iiaicii Uni^ularituain. Icem. ibid. c. 25. p. 627. G and %i The Holy Spirit's T>ivinity and Wifdom, his Son and Spirit ; by whom, and in whorfi he made all things freely ' '\ The fame perfon citing that text in Ifaiah, according to the feventy, ** The Spirit {halt proceed from me, and I have made the breath of all " ; — has thefe remarkable words; " Speaking of the Spirit, as peculi- arly belonging to God, and ranking it with him, who, in the laft days, poured it out by the adoption, but reckoning the breath in common to the creation, and declaring it to be a made being. Now, what was made muft be different from the Maker; there- fore the breath is temporary, but the Spirit is eternal "^ ". I will conclude this head in the words o^f Gregory Nazianzen, which (hew the fenfe of the church in his time, as to the eternity and divinity of the Holy Spirit. " The Holy Spif it alw'ays was, and is, and will be: He had no beginning, nor fliall have any end, but is always joined with the Father and the Son, and numbered with them ; for it was not fit that the Father fhoiild ever be * Adeft ei femper verbuni & fapientia, Filius &: Spiritus, pec 2U0S & in quibuj omnia libere & fponte fecic. Ircnaeus, lib. iv. . 20. §. I. "" Ifa. Ivii. 16. ^ ^ ^ ^ To 'TTVivfjLa. IcTjwj c^ rni 0«» ret^Af t^ iKyj-ovlof etvjo •"^—J^iet 'f y^O'd-iffietf cTH "5^ etpd-^WTToTifjct' r ok ■■srvoiiy KOtvcoi oTii ^ K\i(ri(>>i >^ ^oinfxet dt> '\ And of the Son it is faid,. " Thou art the fame " ; and, " Jefus Chrifl is the fame yefterday, to day, and for ever * '*. Now the Spirit of the Father and the Son, being one in nature with them, muft, confequently, be un- changeable in his nature, as they arc. ft would be abfurd to imagine, that a change- able Spirit {hould proceed from the un- changeable Father, and the unchangeable To '5r('?yuct TO if.ynv )W [xtv ettri^ /^ iTi aj trau, » rs itf^ct- 'l:/.ya-'A'OV K, (7iiVd.e.t'j/jJ.u;yQl>' bS'i -)% iTreiTTiV eAAt^-Tt-if '?tr;7» H nov ri-t/ci \] '^I'ivy.A. tux)* -77«) uiyiTco yj ccv Hf a.J 3^ jr n -J-sO- u/JJ^'^'-'t 'i /'•'>'»'73 > ^VaAA3;.-:73,, ike. Grci^oi. Nuz. Ora;. xiiv. Voi. I. p. 71 I- b-'i- l^ar. y Mdl. lii. 0. janK-ii, i-j. ^- Hcb. iL u. Chap. xiii. 8, G 2 Son J §4- The Holy Spirit^ s ^Dhmty Son ; nor can there be any variablenefs, or Ihadow of turning with that Spirit, who^ as has been prov'd, is flrid:ly and properly eternal, or from everlafting to everlafting. Hence the Holy Spirit is reprefented as un- changeably the fame, under the variety and diverlity of giftSj adminiftrations, and ope- rations : Whatever changes he makes, ad extra, in the church, or in the world; yet, ad intra, in himfelf, he is ever that one and ielf fame Spirit ; and therefore he is fo often called the fame Spirit, and that one and felf fame Spirit in the compafs of a few verfes ^ I may add, that the Holy Spirit being Jeho- vah, as has been proved, is therefore im- mutable, or unchangeable 5 for the word Jehovah fignifies one who is eternal^ un- changeable, and necelTarily exifting. And there is no reafon to fuppofe, that the only wife God would put the application and perfedling our falvation, in which his glory is fo much concerned, into the hand of one precarious and changeable in his nature , the efFe6l of that had been feen, in* intruding our happinefs, at firft, with a mutable head 5 even Adam, who foon loft it, and ruined both himfelf and us : But herein lies our prefent fafety and fecurity, the great God can fay, '' I am Jehovah, I change not ; there- fore you fons of Jacob are not confumed ". ^ 'O avV(j d< t3 oLi/li 'avivfj.^.* I Cor. xii. 1 The frovd from bis Attributes. 8 5 The Father, who elefts, is unchangeable ; {o is the Son, who redeems us ; and lb Is the Holy Spirit, who applies the redemption ; for his gifts and calling are without repen- tance ; and the Holy Spirit being thus un- changeable, is confequently true and real God. 5. Infinite and fovereign grace, and good- nefs, belong to the Holy Spirit ; and there- fore he is God. When God proclaim'd his name to Mofes, this was part of it, " The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, abundant in goodnefsand loving kindnefs''"; and thefe at- tributes are very often appropriated and applied to God, in fcripture, as we can- not but obferve in the reading it. I (hall therefore fhew that this infinite fovereign grace and goodnefs, belongs equally to the Spirit, with the Father ^ and thence the conclufion will be certain, that he is God, one in nature with the Father and the Son. To clear this I would obferve, that the Holy Spirit could no more be compelled to undertake to fanftify and comfort us, than the Son could be compelled to undertake to redeem us. Though the Son and Spirit are faid to be fent by the Father, as the firfl in order, and in the divine oeconomy; yec they were not fent againft, or without their ^ Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7. G 3 will; 86 The Holy SfiriCs 7)ivmty will ; but did as freely, and with the fame fovercign grace, take their parts in the work of falvation, as the Father did. When there-^ fore it is faid, that the Spirit (hall not fpeak ofhimfelf, but what he (hall hear, that fliall he fpeak, that he fhall glorify Chrift, by taking of his things, and fliewing them to men ; and that he (hall flied the love of God abroad in our hearts. All this refers to the dif- penfation and office which he had undertaken, by mutual confent and agreement among the Perfons in the ever blefled Trinity ; and does not exclude his fovereign grace and goodnefs in his firft undertaking, or \n his future ac- complifhment of that work. Thofe words, *' He fl:iall not fpeak of himfelf, but what lie iTiall hear, that he fhall fpeak'*', do not contraxiicft the laft aflertion, but rathei" confirm it ; '' That what he fliall hear, chat Ihall he fpeak ; he fhall not fpeak of him- felf ": He fhall bring no new, different, or contrary '^ dodrine, but fhall confirm mine ; he fliall take of mine, and fliew it to you ; and as my things are the things of the Fa- ther, fo he fhall declare my mind, and the mind of the Father, as being my Spirit, and the Spirit of the Father. " He ihall bring all things to your remembrance whatever I have faid to you ''"^ But this is fofar from ex- ■^ John xvi. I 3. '^ VideClnyloO. Vo). vi. p. 189, roo I'd. Fran. * John xiv. 26. eluding frovd from his Attributes. 8-^ eluding him from having the lame fovcreign infinite grace, as the Father and the Spn, that it neceflarily implies and fuppofes it ; for if he were not God, of the fame nature and fovereign grace as the Father and the Son, he could neither hear nor receive, nor fliew this grace to man ; " As no man knows the things of a man but the fpirit of a man that is in him ; fo none knows the things of Cod, but the Spirit of God that is in him, and proceeds from him ^ '* : We have recei- ved the Spirit, which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given us of God ", The Holy Spirit is a free Spirit ; he is the Spirit of grace, not only as to office, but with refped: to his nature; he ads according to his own fovereign and gracious will ; f* He works in us to will and to do of his own good pleafure^ *'; not merely according to the good pleafure of the Father and the Son : " As the wind blows where it lifts, fo is every one that is born of the Spirit : He divides to every man feverally as he wilP' '*. Herein the Holy Spirit fhews himfelf to be a Perfon of infinite and fovereign grace. *' Ac- cording to his own proper will he infpires, or works, where he will, in whom he will, in as many as he will, and as much as be will ; he fills whom he will with his grace. ^ I Cor. ii. II, l:. s Phil.ii, 15. '^ John iii. 3, Cor. xii. 11, G4 and 88 The Holy Spirit's "Divinity and to what degree he pleafes ; he is not fil- led himfelf i he works perfedlion, does not receive it -, he fandifies, is not fanxflified * " i <« He divides as he will, not as he is com- manded, according to his Own good plea- fure, not according to a neceiTity of obfe- quioufnefs, or pleaiing another ^ ". It may be faid, If the Spirit is the fountain of grace, why is hot he, as well as the Father and Son, apply'd to, by the in^ fpired writers, when they wifh grace and ' peace to thofe to whom they wrote? To this it may be anfwer'd ; That the word Fa- ther, wdiich is join'd with God, in the fa- lutation, or apprecation ; ** Grace be from God our Father ", ^'^y denote the relatiofi of God to his people, and not the diftindion of perfons in the Godhead. In Paul's epi- ftles, it is ten times '' God our Father ", and but three times *' God the Father ". Now God our Father^ and indeed, God the Fa- ther, may denote the Deity, and not thac perfon only called the Father. If this fenfe be admitted, then the Holy Spirit is inclu- ded in the words, ** God our Father ", he being a Perfon in the Godhead. But ic will be faid. Why then is Jefus Chrift ex- prefly mentioned -, for he, as God, is inclu- ded in the w^ords, " God our Father ", ac^ i:ording to this explication of them ? To ' Ambrpfe in Symb, p. <;o. Vol. i. ^ idem dtiidt.-, p. 135. which proud from hu Attrihutes. 89 which I reply, That Jefus Chrift may be liere confider'd as Mediator, of whofc ful- tiefs we all receive ; and this makes the fenfe plain and eafy. But farther, the Holy Spirit is join'd with the Father and the Son in that place ; ** Grace be to you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and is to come, and from the feven fpirirs, &c. and from Jefus Chrift ^ " ; where, by feven fpirits, I hope, hereafter, to make it appear, that the Holy Spirit is intended. And, in that folemn benedidtion, ^' The grace of our Lord Jefus, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghoft be with you "' " ; the Holy Spirit is exprelly apply'd to for fpiritual bleffings. And, in other places, he is diredlly pray'd to, as may be made appear hereafter. *' How can grace be without the Spirit, feeing all grace is in the Spirit, fays Ambrofe " ". The Spirit came in Chrift's name, and his work was to glorify Chrift, which may be a fuf- ficicnt reafon why he is not fo often menti- oned and apply'd to, as the fountain of infi- nite and fovereign grace, although he really is fo, together with the Father and the Son: But, in praying for grace and peace, belie- vers pray for the Spirit, from whom all grace and peace are derived and communi- cated : He therefore is neceftarily imply'd,-^ ^ Rev. i. 4, 5. ^ z Cor. xiii. 14. " De S^iritu San(fl. p. 117. - though 90 The Holy Spint^s divinity though not exprefly named in fuch fupplica^ tions. The fenfe of fuch addrefles, viz. " Grace and peace be to you, from God the Father, or our Father, and the Lord Jefus Chrift '*, is this, as one reprefents it ; ** W^ pi'^v God the Father, and his Son, that the Holy Spi- rit may dwell in you, and that he would fill you with his gifts °j for fo Paul explains it, when he wiflies the communion of the Holy Ghofl; : And, if this be true, it was not fo fit, much lefs neceflary that the Spirit (hould be exprefly joined with the Father and Son, as the immediate objedt of the prayer, when he, the Spirit, and his gifts and grace are pray'd for. The objeftion being, I hope, fufficiently #nfwer*d, we may ft ill hold it faft, as a cer- tain truth, that the Holy Spirit is infinite and fovereign in his grace, and that there- fore he is God. As a farther confirmation of this, I fliall add, that the apoftle Paul p exprefly menti- ons the love of the Spirit, the love where- with the Spirit loves us; for as the Father and the Son, fo alfo the Spirit loved the world. And again, it is faid, *' There is none good but one, that is God '^ '* ; none but he is abfolutely eternally good: But yet the Holy Spirit is fpoke of as good, without any ^' BiAerf. concra Crtll p. 599. '■^ Rom. \v. 50. '5 Matt. xix. 17. reftriclion j^Yov'd from his AttrihHtcs. 9 1 reilrlftion or limitation, in a pofitive and abfolutc fenfe ; '' Thy Spirit is good : Thou gaveft them thy good Spirit ' **. The con- clufion which follows hence is, that the Holy Spirit is true and real God, infinite and fove- reign in his grace. 6. The Holy Spirit is omnifcient, or knows all things, and therefore he is God. The fcriptures fpeak of it as peculiar to God, to know the hearts of all the childreu of men ; " Thou, even thou only, knoweft the hearts of all the children of men ^ '\ And when it is faid, " The heart is deceitful a- bove all things ; who can know it *' ? It im- mediately follows ; " I the Lord fearch the heart, I try the reigns^ '* ; and thofe words, *' God which knows the hearts "" ", are ufed as God's appropriate charadler : ** He un- derftands the thoughts afar ofF*^"; and has declared of himfelf, *' I am God, and there is none elfe ; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times, the things that are not yet done ^ '\ And thus he confounded the gods of the Heathens, and confirmed his own Deity ; *' Shew the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that you are gods. Tell you and bring them (the idol gods) near ; let them ' Pfal. cxliii. ro. Neh. ix. 20. ^ i King* viii. S9- ^ Jer. xvii. 9, lo. ° A<^s XV. 8. ^^ Pfal, cxxxix. i. ^' Ifa. xlvi. 9, :o. ^ take 9 :i The Holy Sprites Divinity takecounfel together, who has declared this from ancient time, who has told it from that time ; have not I the Lord ? and there is no God clfe befide me ^'\ But all the p^^.rrs of this knowledge, and fomethinr^ ^ ' rer, belong to the Holy Spirit, b/ .. Per- ception, not by inftrucSion ai)d on from another ; for, '* who has dm.^ he Spirit of Jehovah, or being his counl^iior, has taught him ? Who has taught him know- ledge, and fhew'd him the way of undrr 'la lad- ing ^ ". He is infinitely knowing himfelf, and needs not to be taught by any. How he fpeaks not of himfelf, but what he hears, was explained before ; and, rightly under- ilood, contradidls not the prefent aifercion. It was the Spirit % in the New Teftament prophets, that made manifeft the fecrets of the heart, to the convi(5lion of unbelievers, who occafionally came into the Chriftian aflemblies : It was he that enabled Peter to convidl Ananias and Saphira ^ of falfliood, and to declare to Simon Magus, that his heart was not right in the fight of God : From him proceeded the gift of difcerning fpirits '. The amazing gift of prophefy, declaring the end from the beginning, and foretelling particular events long before- hand, as exadlly as they came to pafs, with y Ifa. xli. 2^ Chip. xlv. if. * Chap. xl. 15, l.-j. * 1 Cor. xiv. i5. ^ At% V. i — lo. Chap. yiii. 21. ' I Car. xii. the provJJrom his Attributes. 59 the particular circiimftances of them, was from the Holy Spirit : And in this he plain- ly fliew'd his infinite knowledge ; thus, for inftance, Chrift's birth, the manner and place of ir, and the circumftances of his fuf- ferings and death, and the following glory, were fignified to the prophets, by the Spiric of Chrift that was in them '^ : He enabled Mofes to write the hiftory of the creation ; and who could know it better than he who had fuch a hand in it : He lhew*d the apo- ftles things part, and things to come: He reveals the whole will of God contained in fcriprure, which is given by his infpiration. All the fecrets of nature, of grace, and of glory, are known to him ; and, fo much as are difcovcr'd, are revealed by him, who, with the Father and the Son, is the Author of nature, grace, and glory. He is immenfe, and eternal, every where prefenr, and the former of all things ; and he that formed the eye, fl^iall not he fee : He that teaches man knowledge, Ihali not he know \ Of all kinds of knowledge, prefcience, or the knowing things to come, feems to be the hardefl ; and of all the ads of prefcience, the foreknow- ledge of things, which depend upon the wills of free agents, feems to be mofl difficult. But, is any thing too hard for the Spirit to do, too didiculc for him to know r A re- '' I l\r. i. ii. - I'fiil. xclv, 9, 10. '" " markable 94 The Holy spirit^ s Divinity markable inftance of the prefcience, or fore^ knowledge of the Holy Spirit, we have re- corded in that hiftory, where we find a pro- phet uttering thefe words ; ** O altar, altar, thus fays the Lord, Behold a child lliall be born to the houfe of David, Jofiah by namej and iJpon thee ihall he offer the priefls of the high places, that burn incenfe upon thee, and mens bones fliali he burn upon thee ^**. This prophefy was delivered fome hundreds of years before the accomplirhment; the certain birth, and name of the prince, of what family he fliould be 5 and forde re- markable things he Aould do, are foretold as exaftly as if they had been then done; and yet thefe events feemed very contingent and uncertain ; there were ten or eleven kings in David^s line, after the prophets, and before Jofiah : And what might happen among them j the birth of this prince, and his name, his deflroying the altar, and burning the priefls bones thereupon, feemed to depend on the voluntary adls of men j but God the Spirit, as weil as the Father, underftands the thoughts a fir off, and forefees the end from the beginning ; a kno\yledge too great for any creature, and peculiar to the only true God. But there is yet a higher knowledge than that laft mentioned, afcribed to the Holy ^ I Kings xiii. 1. Spirit; proved from his Attributes. 95 Spirit, in fcripture, in the following words ; " The Spitit fearches all things, yea, the deep things of God: For what man knows the things of a man, fave the fpirit of man, which is in him 3 even fo the things of God knows no man, but the Spirit of God 5'*. The things here faid to be known by the iSpirit, are fuch as no man knows • for no man can find out God to perfeftion ^ : They are the deep things of God ; things relating to his nature, fubfifttncies, perfedions, COun^ cils, and operations> both internal and ex- ternal : Thefe depths of God are infinite, and can be fathomed and comprehended by none but him, whofe underftandingis infinite, and is as intimate with the deepeft things of God, as a man is with his own thoughts, which he is moft privy to, and often recol- lefts and reviews. The Spirit of God is in- wardly confcious of the things of God, as the fpirit of a man is of the things of a man. What we know of God is faid to be revealed to us by the Spirit ; but there is not the lead intimation, that they were revealed to the Spirit by another : But he is faid, of him- felf, to fearch all things, even the depths of God. The adverfaries of the Holy Spirit lay hold on the word '* fearches", as containinp- an argument againft liis Omnifcience and Deity. ^ I Cbr.ii. 10, 11. '^ Jrjb xi, 7. " None, 96 The Holy Spirit^ s Divinity " None, fays Crellius, is faid to fearch thofa things of which he has the cleared and moft perfed: knowledge in himfelf' ": But did not God fearch David ^^ though he knevy his thoughts afar off, and had all his mem- bers written in his book, before ever David exifled ? and therefore he knew him prima- rily in himfelf. The word " fearching ", is ufed to fignify the perfedlion of knowledge,, not the ignorance of him, who is faid to fearch 3 or to denote that he gains his know- ledge by ftudy or enquiry. Hence the Spirit is faid to know the things of God, by felf confcioufnefs, as a man knows the thoughts and workings of his own mind. " The heretic, faid Chryfoftom, when he hears the word " fearch ", fays. If the Spirit knew what things are in God, he would not fearch them ; for this fearch is a fign of ignorance : To which he replies, It is plain, that God fearches the heart j Shall we then condemn God as ignorant ? Hear Paul's faying con- cerning the Spirit ; He fearches all things, the deep things of God : And, fpeaking of God, he fays, He that fearches the heart, knows the mind of the Spirit : If therefore, God being ignorant, fearches, then the Spi- rit, being ignorant, fearches. But, that you, may fee that to fearch, is not the pare of one that is ignorant, but of one who » Apwd Biftcriield, p. 481. ^ Pfal. cxxxix. i,&c. thorough- proved from his Attrihutes. 97 thoroughly underflands, he adds ; Even fo the things of God none know but the Spirit of God ; &nd fo he afcribes knowledge to the Spirit^ *'. But it is faid, no man, or none, knows the things of God, but the Spirit of God; do not the Father and the Son know their own things? I anfwer, the e^clufive terms tnuft be rightly apply'd to the perfons or things intended, and not abfolutely ; it is faid, " None knows the Father but the Son : Does not the Father know him- felf"? And again, "- None knows the Son but the Father '" : Dbes not the Son then know himfelf ? What is fpoke of one of the perfons in the Godhead, is not to be taken as excluding any other perfon in the Trinity, ex'cept what relates to the Perfonality ; but as excluding all who, by nature, are not gods : We are therefore, as Ambrofe '^ well obferves, rio more to exclude the Father and >^%lJt.C M'tiy it yd nJ^ei, (pnatiTc ^viufxa. rdcv-wd Qiy »>t aiv £f5u- vct.y iJ.a.{\v^ti-)dd'J]2 rlj ctyvotrx )) Ifiufct' ii rotvuv to i^iuvttv ro ^vivyLct TO dytov rd ^d-jn 'H ©eS", ayvoia,^ Kctjiyoeiav TloLV\(Q-y (DiXTtV, 0 3 k^ZVV&V rdi XaL^S'lAi OlJ^i Tl TO (?e^p>l- U.cL ivmty^ &c. dudts them through this world, they cannot perifli ; for greater is he that is in the faints than he that Is in the world* To the foris and daughters of Zion, there- fore, it may be faid, ^* Fear nor, and let not your hands be llack j for the Lord your God is in the midfl of you, whofe temple you are ; he is mighty, he will fave you '\ The beft of Chriftians are weak and offend- ing creatures -, but the Holy Spirit will not deftroy them; for he is God and not man^ unchangeable and infinite in his power, pati-^ ence, faithfulnefs, and grace. :^€' THE T H E HOLY SPIRIT'S DIVINITY Proved from his wo R K s. SERMON IV. Peeacwed December a, 1729. I COR. iii. 16. Jfjiow yon not that you are the temfle of God^ and that the Sprit oj God dwells In yot{ ? IN feme former difcourfes upon thefe words, I have endeavoured to prove ths Deity of the Holy Spirit ; or to fhew, that he who dwells in the faints, as in his temple, is true and proper God. Several evidences of this truth were drawn from his fcripture names and titles, and from fuch attributes as belong to the true God, and to him only ; as immenfity, or omniprefence, H 3 qmr loa The Holy Spirits T)tvtntty omnipotency, eternity, immutability, infi- nite and fovereign grace, omnilcience, or; knowing all things. It is God's appropriate and peculiar cha- radler, to know the thoughts afar off, and to declare the end from the beginning ^ : This he himfelf declared, when he faid, " I am God, and there is none elfe ; 1 am God^ and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times, the things that are not yet done ^ '\ But this the Spirit of God does ; he it was that enabled the prophet to declare, " That a child fhould be born to the houfe of David, Jofiah by name, who fliould burn the bones of the priefts of the high places, upon the altar of Bethel ' " : And this he foretold three hundred, or three hundred and fifty years before hand ; and when there were ten or eleven kings in David's line, to preceed him, and from whom Jofiah was lineally to defcend ; which feemed to be very contin- gent and uncertain, and to depend on the wills of free agents, and the fovereign and fecret difpofal of the great God : This is a knowledge too great for any creature, and peculiar to the only true God. But there is yet a higher inftance of know- ledge, afcribed to the Holy Spirit : " He is faid to fearch all things, yea, the deep f Pfal.cxxxix. ^ Ifa. xlvi. lo. 5 i Kings xiii. z. things proved from his Works. i o ^ things of God ; for what man knows the things of a man, fave the Spirit of man, which is in him ? Even fo the things of God {cnows no man, but the Spirit of God '^ ". The word " fearches " does not imply ignorance, or imperfeftion, in the Holy Spirit, but the depth and perfedion of his knowledge : He knows the depths of God, as intimately as a man knows his own thoughts and defigns : He knows them not by revelation, but by felf confcioufnefs, or intuition ; being the Spirit which is of God, qr proceeds from him, of the fame nature with the Father ; the fame, even infinite in knowledge, and therefore true and proper God. The fum of this argument is, that he, to whom the incpmmunieable attributes and perfections of God belong, is true and real CJod ; but the incommunicable attributes and perfeftions of God, do belong to the Holy Spirit 5 therefore he is true and real God. I now proceed to a farther evidence of the Deity of the Holy Spirit, which may be colle(3:ed from his works. Prop. III. The Holy Spirit is truly God, becaufe he is reprefenced, in fcripture, as performing thofe works which only the great God can do, '^ I Cor, ii. 10, II, H 4 H» 104 The Holy SpriCs 7)ivmty He that does the works proper and pecu- liar to God, Is true and real God : But the Holy Spirit doqs the works which are pro-^ per and peculiar to God; therefore the Holy Spirit is true and real God. I. The work of creation is a work pecu- liar to God ; and yet this is attributed to the Holy Spirit. The great Creator has thus declared: ** I am the Lord that makes all things, that ilretches forth the heavens alone, that fpreads • abroad the earth by my felf ^". This is the work of the Lord Jehovah, of the true and living God, and of none elfe, asthis fcripture and many others, teach us 5 from the things, that are created and made, the eternal pow- er and Godhead are clearly feen and under- Hood ^. The fcriptures fpeak nothing, that 1 can find, of the creation-work of a crea- ture, or of the inftrumentality of a creature, in the making all things ; this is peculiar to the eternal Power and Godhead ^ not pecu- liar to the Father, nor confined to the Fa- ther and the Son, but is alfo afcribed to thq Holy Spirit , yet it belongs to fuch only as are pollelied of eternal Power and Godhead ; and therefore the afcriptipn of this work to the Holy Spirit, proves him to be a Perfon in the Godhead, or that he is true and real God. Elihu declared thus 3 " The Spirit of * Ifa. xliv. 24, ^ Rom. i. 20. po,d provdfrom hu JVorhs. 105 God has made me, and the Breath of the Almighty has given me life ^ '\ Mofes faid, " The Lord God formed man of the duft of the ground, and breathed into his noftrils the breath of hfe '' ". Mofes and Elihu agree hi fenfe, and very near in words, in their account of the creation of man ; and what the one afcribes to God, the other affirms of the Holy Spirit ; and that, very juftly, fee- ing the Spirit is God, and was a joint effici- ent caufe with the Father and Son in that work, according to thofe words, " Let us make man ' ". The word " made '\ ufed by Elihu, is the fame ufed by Mofes, to ex- prefs God's adt of divine power, in creating man, as one ^ has well obferved. The fame Spirit which created one, created all : " The Spirit moved upon the face of the waters, and formed the feveral kinds of creatures, out of the firil confufed mafs \ And this is as much the work of God as the producing that iirft mafs out of nothing. Hence God fpeaks of the Itretching forth the heavens, and laying the foundations of the earth, and forming the Spirit of man within him, as his proper works, and the evidence of his eter- nal power and Godhead "' : " By his Spirit he has garnifhed the heavens " '*, or adorn- ed them with the glorious lights of fun, 8 Job xxxiii. 4. ^ Gen. ii. 7. ^ Chap. i. 26, ''^ See Dr. Knight's eighth Sermon, p. 16S. : Gcn.i.2.' ^ Zech. xii. i. ^ Job xxvi. ij, moon. lo6 The Holy Spirt t'^s 7)ivmty inoon, and ftars. This is the work of God^ and not of a creature ; " God faid, Let there be light in the firmament of the heavens; and God made two great lights, the greater light to rule the day, and the lefs light to rule the night ; he made the ftars alfo : And God fet them in the firmament of the heaven, to give light upon the earth ° ". We are likewife told, that, " by the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and all the hofts of them, by the breath of his mouth, or by the Holy Spirit ^ ". Some, by breath, would have us underftand the wind, which they think, may be laid to garnifli the heavens, as it difperfes thofe mifts and clouds, which obfcure and hide its beautiful lights 5 how remote and low a fenfe this is, I think, every one may fee. But fuppofing, though not granting it, yet with what propriety and truth could it be faid of the wind, that all the hofts of the heavens were made by it ; this is the work of God. '' He that built all things is God "^ " ; and as it is the ^york of the Spirit, it proves him to be God. It is objedled, that when God is faid to do^ theie things by the Spirit, it denotes his in- ftrumentality, diftindlion from, and inferi- ority to God, and therefore that he is not God. But when it is faid, ** That all things • Gen. i. 14. ^ Pfa]. xxxiii. 6. Vide Owen againft Biddle, p. 354- '^ Hcb. iii. 4. art proved from his Worlds. 1 07 arc by God ' '\ does that fignify his diftin- £tion from, and inferiority to himfelf, or that he was his own inftrument, in the producing and forming of all things ? The order of working is according to the order of fub- iifting 5 the Father is firft, as the fountain of all, and firft in conception, whenever we think of the Deity ; but this does not ex- clude the Holy Spirit from being the famq in nature, power, and efficiency with the Father, but only from being the fame as to perfonality and order of working ; the Fa- ther does all, by and through the Son and Spirit ; fo, by the word of the Lord, the Logos, or Son, were the heavens made, and all the hofts of them, by the Breath, or Spirit of his mouth, even by the Holy Spirit : Thus the text was underftood very, early, by Irenaeus, Tertullian, and many others ^. Irenaeus having before referred to this text, fays, " The God of all ftands in need of nothing, but by his own Word and Spirit, makes, orders, governs, and gives being to all things ' *\ And in another place ; " God needed not the angels for the production of thofe things which he had ' Heb. ii. lo. It became him for whom are all things, and by whom are all things. ^ Dr. Waterland's Sermons, p. 71. * Nihil indiget omnium Deus : Sed & per Verbum & Spiritura fuum omnia faciens, & difponcns, & gubernans, & omnibus eife praeAans. Irenaeus, lib. i. c. zz. §, i. " t '' ' ' deter- Io8 The Holy Spirits ^rvinity determined to make, fince he had his owi^ hands ; for his Word and Wifdom, his Sori and Spirit are ever with him " '\ In like manner Tertullian, quoting the Pfalmift's words, thus explains them ; ^' This is the right hand of God, and both his hands, by which he wrought all things, which he has made -, for the fcripture fays, The heavens are the works of thine hands "" '\ The Holy Spirit being one in nature with the Father and the Son, is alfo one with them in power and operation ; and as crea- tion is the work of the Father and of the Son ; fo it is equally the work of the Holy Spirit. This accounts for the plural form pf expreflion made ufe of, in refped: of the works of creation ; " In the beginning, God^ according to the Hebrew, Gods, created the heavens and the earth : Let us make man. Remember thy Creators in the days of thy youth. Let Ifrael rejoice in his Makers. Where is God my Makers "" '-. ^ Nee cnim indi^ebat horiim [Angelorumj Deus ad £aci- cnduru quae ipfc apud Ic pracdcfiaicrac fieri, quaii ipfc fuas nou habcrec inanus : Adcft enim i<^ fcmpcr Verbuin & fjpicncia, Fi- iius, &;Spiritiis. Idem» lib. iv. c io. $. i. ^^ Scrinone ejus Cocli confirmarl func Sc Spiritii ipfius uni- verfac vircutes torum. Hie e(l Dei dextra & manus ambac, per quas optratus e(t ca quae molitus eft ; Opera enim manuuo luarum, inquit, cocli. Tertullian, c. Hcrmogenqnij c, 45. p. i88. Ld. Rigalt. " * Gen. 'i. 1, ;6. Ecclef. \ii. i. Pfal. cxiix. s- Job XXXV 10. The provdjrom hisWorh. 109 The prophet Ifaiah declares the Infinite power, and exahed Majefty of the Holy Spirit, as Creator, in the follovvitig paflage t " Who has meafured the waters in the hol- low of his hand ? and meted out heaven with a fpan, and comprehended the duft of the earth in a meafure, and weighed the mountains in fcales, and the hills in a ballance ? Who has direded the Spirit of the Lord^ or being his counfellor, has taught him '' ? In making and beautifying of the world ; *' Behold, the nations are as the drop of a bucket, and are counted as the {mail duft of the ballance : Behold, he takes up the ides as a very little thing. And Le- banon is not fufRcient to burn, nor the beafts thereof for a burnt offering. All nations are before him as nothing, lefs than nothing and vanity ^ ". What a magnificent defcrip- tion have we here of God the Spirit ? He is the Creator of the heavens and the earth ; and in himfelf, infinitely greater than they; infomuch as that all things are before him as nothing, lefs than nothing, and vanity. He is not fpoke of by the prophet, as an inferior agent, but as the moft high God, whofe wifdom, as well as his power, is infinite: This is not a communicated or given wii- dom, but that which is elTentially inherenr in himfelf. This is fignified in a variety of y Ifa. xl, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17. expref- i I o The Holy Spirit'' s Divinity cxprefSons, to make the deeper impreflion upon us : " Who has direded the Spirit of the Lord, or being his counfellbr, has taught him ? With whom took he counfel, and who inllrucfted him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him know- ledge, and (hew'd to him the way of under- ilanding ^" ? This perfedt Spirit was diredl- cd by none inferior to himfelf ; he was his own counfellor, his own director, in creating the world, and giving it all its beauty and luftre. Infinite wifdom could not be want- ing in him, who has infinite power and ma- jefty in himfelf, and is exalted far above all creatures. This is fpoke of the Spirit, not in exclufion of the Father and the Son, but in conjund:ion with them ; for the three iii heaven are one, one in eflence, and one in operation ^ There is a joint concurrence of all the three Perfons in the Godhead, in the works of nature, providence and grace ; as Chrift fays, " My Father works hitherto^ and I work ; and whatfoever the Father does, the Son does likewife^". The fame may be faid of the Spirit, who, with the Fa- ther and the Son, is the Creator and Maker of all things. No man that confiders the magnitude of the earth, the compafs and depths of the feas, the height and extent of the heavens, the ftupendous bulk and fize * Ifa. xl. I 3, 14. * I John v. 7* ^ John v. 19. ©f proved from his Works. 1 1 i bf the heavenly luminaries, thofe moving Worlds of light, the nice proportion of their diftances, the regularity and harmony of their courfes and morions, but muft confefs the maker and diredlor of them, to be a di- vine perfon, endow'd with infinite power, wifdom, and greatnefs, and therefore true and real God. It is clear from the facred writ, that the Holy Spirit created all thefe things 5 thefe proclaim him to be the omni- potent and eternal God. David faid, " When I confider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the ftars which thou haft ordarn'd. What is man that thou art mindful of him •" ". What a poor creature is he for fuch a Creator to regard ? How high and lofty an one then muft that fpirit be, who, jointly with the Father and the Son, is the maker of them all. When we confider the Holy Spirit as the Creator, not only of inanimate bodies, but of men and angels, thofe intelledlual beings^ the former kind of which, is fearfully and wonderfully made j with how much ftronger convidlion muft we be forced to confefs, that the Spirit, who gave them their being, and all their powers and capacities, is the great God, infinitely exalted above the high- eft of creatures. f Plal. viil J, « The 1 1 2 The Holy Spirit^ s T)mnity *' The gods that have not made the hea- vens and the earth, even they fliall perifli froni the earth, and from under thefe hea- vens: He has made the earth by his powef, he has eftablifhed the World by his wifdoni, and has flretched out the heavens by his difcretion'^'*, fays the prophet Jeremiah. This is the v^ork of the great God, and of none ehe ^ and being the work of the Holy Spirit, as has been proved 3 it follows, that he is the great God, otherwife he muft be of the number of thofe gods who fhall perifli from the earth, and from under thefe hea- vens, which were blafphemy once to ima- gine. The texture and frame of the human body is wonderful, and a ftupendous work of God, as the Pfalmift declares at large: ^' Thou haft poiTefTed my reins : Thou hart covered mc in my mother's womb. I will praife thee ; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. When I was made in fecrer, and curioully wrought in the loweft parts of the earth. In thy book all my members were written '''*. Th€ ftru- d:ure of the body fhews the infinite wifdoni and power of the Archited: or Maker, who, in a fecret place, and, in a way unknown and incomprehenfible to us, fo curioufly fram'd it, that the fineft embroidery may not be compared with it ; this filled the Pfal- •' Jcr. X. 1 1, n. f Pfal, cxTCxix. i Jj I4> 1 5> i^^ 2 mift prov'Jfrom his JVorh. 1 1 ^ mift with wonder, and even a Pagan^ Galen, the eminent phyfician, in contemplation of it, compofed a hymn of praife to the Crea- tor : But who can declare the far more noble and excellent nature, powers and fa- culties of the human foul ; whatever they be, they are all the work and produdl of the Holy Spirit ? " The Spirit of God has made me **, faid Elihu : The fame Spirit formed Chrifl*s human nature, in the womb of the virgin 3 he is then an almighty Creator, true and living God ; for the forming the Spirit of man within him, is as much the work of the Lord Jehovah ^, as the laying the foun- dations of the earth. We cannot doubt of the Spirit's being Creator, when we know the author of our Lord's incarnation, faid Ambrofe % long ago ; and one of late thus fpeaks : " Can any rcafonable man conceive, that fo rare a piece (the human body) con- fifting of fuch parts, inexpreffibly various, inconceivably curious, incomparably fur- paffing all the works of the moft exquifite art, (hould be effedted without exceeding great wifdom, without the raoft deep coun- fel and defign ^ ". And, as he farther ob- ferves, " The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament fhews forth his handy work. We cannot, without doping our eyes, exclude that I'ght of divine glory ^ Zach. xii. i. 2 DeSpincu, p. 1^9, " Barrow on the Creed, Vol. i, p. ^SU^S7* I wbichi 1 1 4 The Holy Spirit^ s T)ivmity which fills and illuftrates the world : Every ftar in heaven, every bcafl upon earth, every plant, every mineral, yea, every ftone, fpeak thofe moil: glorious properties of God : There is no fpeech or language where the voice is not heard ; their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. The eternal power and divinity are perceived, by obferving the makes or con- flitutions of the creatures in the world ". Thus the works of creation do declare the eternal power and Godhead of the Holy Spirit, who, with the Father and the Son, is the Maker of them all. But I have been large on this ; I proceed, 2. The works of prefervation and pro- vidence, are the works of the Holy Spirit, and proclaim him to be God ; feeing none elfe can perform them. Providence is God*s work 5 he works all things, with refpedt to all creatures, according to the counfel of his own wilU and for his own glory. He works all in all ; his kingdom rules over all ; of him, through him, and to him, are all things '\ It is confonant to reafon, that he that made all things fhould preferve, direft, and over- rule all things, to the ends for which he made them j and this is what we call provi- dence, and apparently can belong to no o- ther, but the Creator of all things: " For * lOjr. xii.6. Pfal, ciiir 19. Rom, xi. 36, 2 who provdfrom his Worh. 1 15 who hath diredled the Spirit of the Lord, or being his counfellor, has taught him''"? The Holy Spirit, proceeding from the Fa- ther, and, being one in eiTence with him, is alfo one in operation ; as in creating, fo ia preferving and governing all things, to their defigned ends ; for which, he is perfed:ly qualified, being infinite in wifdom, power, and all perfedlions, fearching all things, even the deep things of God \ The fcrip- tures afford us numerous inftances of his pro- vidential power and influence. The confer- vation of the order and courfe of nature, is afcribed to him in thofe words ; " Thou fendeft forth thy Spirit, they are created ; thou renewefl the face of the earth *" *\ The Holy Spirit is the immediate agent j it is he thatfruftrates mens defigns, and cuts ofFtheir lives with his blaft : " The grafs withers, the flower fades, becaufe the Spirit of the Lord blows upon it ". The furprizing deaths of Ananias and Saphira are memorable in- ftances of this. When the enemy comes in as a flood, it is he that lifts up a ftandard againft him ', he made his people reft in the wiider- nefs ; when furrounded with enemies, he led them, and made to himfelf a glorious name. He gives wifdom, iTcill, and cou- ^ Ifa. xl. n. ^ I Cor. ii. 10, r I. *" Pfal.civ. lOi •** Ifa. xl. 7' Chap. ]ix. 19. Chap. Ixiii. 14, Judges iii. ipr Zech, iv. 6i 7, Afts xiii. Chap, xvi. 7. I 2 rag« 1 1 6 The Holy Spirit'' s ^ivi$ity rage to men, to do his will : When Ifrael had no might or power, he brought about their building of the temple. He prelides and governs in all the affairs of the church, as well as of the world : He calls minifters to the work j dife^ls and over-rules their courfe, endows them with gifts, and fuc- ceeds their endeavours, according to his own fovereign will and pleafure : He glori* fies Chrift, regenerates men, carries on the , good work in them, comforts, or makes them fad, as he fees occafion ; and diredts the events of providence, to ferve his defigns. Now certainly fuch an univerfal influence and government, in and over all the works of nature and grace, not only over the bo- dies, but fouls and circumftances of men, over enemies as well as faints, over fatan, and all the powers of darknefs, is too high and too great, for any meer creature, and can belong to none but the true and the living God. Seeing therefore it appears, from the inftances given, and from many others which might be colled:ed from fcripture, that fuch a providence is exercifed by the Holy Spirit, it hence ncceffarily follows, that he is the true and living God. For, " The Lord looks from heaven, he beholds all the fons of men : From the place of his habitation, he looks upon all the inhabitants of the earth ; he fafhions their hearts alike; he con- fiders all their works. Our foul waits for the proved from his Works. 1 1 j the Lord ; he is our help and our fhield * ". Thefe are the works of the Spirit, as well as of the Father, and of the Son ; and he being one with them in fuch operations, mud con- fequently be one with them in nature, even true and real God. 3. The refurredlion is another work of ahc Spirit, which proves his Deity. To raife the dead requires the fame power as at firft created man ; hence it is afcribed to God in fcripture : " Why fhould it be thought an incredible thing with you, that God fhould raife the dead^" ? It might in- deed be thought incredible, that any crea- ture fhould do it : But cannot the fame al- mighty power that formed the body out of the duft at firft, and breathed into it the breath of life, raife it out of the duft a fe- cond time, and reinfufe the fame vital Spi- rit. Chrift*s refurredlion was a kind of fe- cond creation; therefore it is fpoke of as a -begetting or new making of him : " Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee ** "; which was fpoke when he was raifed from the dead. The fame almighty power was put forth upon the body of Chrift, in his refurredion, as was exerted in his concep- tion, and formation in the womb of the vir- gin : But the refurre<5tion of Chrift, as well as of Chriftians, is exprefly afcribed to the <» Pfal. xxxiii. 12, 15, QPc. ^ Aasxxvi. 8. «» Pfal. ii* 9. explain'd ofChrift'srcfurreftion, Afts xiii. 53. I 3 Holy 1 1 8 The Holy Spirit^ s divinity Holy Spirit, in thefe words of the Apofllc Paul; " If :he Spirit of him that raifed up Jefus from the dead, dwells in you ; he that raifed up Chrift from the dead, fhall alfp quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwells in you *■ ". There had been np room for the word ** alfo ", in fpeaking of Chriftians being raifed from the dead, by the Spirit, if Chrift had not been raifed from the dead by the fame Spirit. Chrift was put to death in the flefh, but quicken'd by the Spi-- rit^'*i by that Spirit, who, by Noah, in his day, preached to thofe who are now in pri- fon ; and this Spirit was the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Chrift, which was in the prophets and preachers of old -, who teftified before hand, the fufferings of Chrift, and the glory that fliould follow ' : Chrift's refurredlion is afcribed to the Father, and to Chrift himfelf ; but this does not exclude the agency and concurrence of the Holy Spirit therein : And from this work of his we may well con- clude, that he is true and real God. The Apoftles indeed, healed the fick,- and raifed the dead " : But then they did it not by their own power or holinefs, but by the power of the Holy Spirit, which was poured out a- bundantly upon them. A mighty power, or an exceeding greatnefs of power "", was exerted upon Chrift, in raifing him from the *■ Rom. vili. ii. ^ I Pet.iii. 1 8. * Chap. i. 12, Adsiii. iz. ^ Ephef. i. 2o, dead^ provd from his JVorks. 1 1 q dead, even the almighty power of God; the Holy Spirit raifed him from the dead, as we have feen 3 therefore he is God Almighty. 4. Regeneration, daily renovation and confolation are the works of the Spirit, which proclaim his Deity. Believers are born of the Spirit, quicken- ed and renewed by the Holy Ghoft "^ : This is a new creation, and requires the fame al- mighty power, to effeft, as the firft crea- tion did. We are God's workmanfhip, crea- ted in Chrift Jefus, to good works ^ : It is God that works in us to will and to do. The fame almighty power is put forth in work- ing faith, as was exerted upon Chrift, in raifing him from the dead. The Holy Ghoft therefore has manifefted his eternal power and Godhead, in working of faith and holi- nefs in the hearts of finners. If the Spirit is not God by nature, but is a creature, how are they faid to be born of God, who are re- generated by the Spirit ? The new creation feems to be a work of greater difficulty and power than the old. As in the old creation there was nothing to work upon, fo there was nothing to oppofe : But in the new creation there are ftrong holds to be pulled down, high thoughts to be brought low, blindnefs, enmity, and ob- flinacy to be fubdued, as well as divine pow- f John iii, 6^ Titus iii, J. ^ Eph. ii. iq» Chap. i. 19, 10. I 4 ers 1 ao The Holy Sprifs T)ivinity crs and principles to be infufed ! Hence the regenerate are faid to be born, not of flcfh, nor of blood, nor of the will of man, but of God ^ It requires the efficiency and power of God, to make a man a new crea- ture, to caufe old things to pafs away, and all things to become new ^ The phrafe of a new creature, or a new creation, argues the greateft change imaginable, fuch an one as can be wrought by no other power than that of God, as the Apoftle had hinted a lit- tle before : He that hath wrought us for the fclf lame thing, is God. And befides, faith is faid to be of the operation of God ^ The Holy Spirit then, who is the worker of faith is God } and by this work proves himfelf fo to be. The progreffive work of fandlificatlon, or the renewing the foul day by day, is the work of God ; hence the Apoftle Paul faid, '' The very God of peace fandlify you wholly "^ '\ But as it is well known, fandtification is an eminent work of the Holy Spirit ''^ God chole men tofalvation, through fanftification of the Spirit ', and he adually doth this work > for the fcripture fays, " You are fandified by the Spirit of our God, and transformed into the fame image, from glory to glory, by the Spirit of the Lord, or by theLord the Spirit' ''- ''• John i. 15. * 2 Cor. V. IT. Ver. 5. ^ Col. ii. li. c 1 Their. V. 2 J. • iXhefl. ii. I J, ' 1 Cor. vi. si. xCor. iii. i8u It provdfrom his Works. i a i It is God*s work to comfort thofe that arc caft down j therefore he is called the God of all comfort. It is God who faid, *' I, even I am he that comforts you -, I create the fruit of the lips peace ^ ". The word af- fords no comfort without the Spirit, who is come in quality of the Comforter «, He was upon Chrift, enabling him, as man, to preach glad tidings to the meek, to bind up the broken hearted, and comfort all that mourn. The primitive churches walked in the comforts of the Holy Ghoft. It is no eafy thing to quiet a troubled mind, to comfort a wounded fpirit, or to renew the joys of a foul made forrowful, by fin and temptation; a man may as well flill the raging ocean, as, by his own power, give peace and comfort to a foul fwallowed up with over much for- row : But in the multitude of diftreffing thoughts, God*s comforts can delight the foul ^y his peace paffes all underftanding ' : But now this joy and peace are fruits of the Spirit ^ } he therefore is the God of all com- fort. None but God could be fuch a Com- forter as he is. 5. The glorifying Chrift in the world, is a work which proves the Holy Spirit to be God. *■ 1 Cor. i; 3, 4, 7, 8. Ifa. li. 12. Chap. Ivii. 19. « John 11V. i6. Ifa.lxi. 1,2. Aftsix. 31. '^ Ffal. xciv. 19. * Phil. iv. 7. ^ Galat. r.iz. If 122 The Holy Spirit* s Divinity If weconfider the infurmountable difficul- ties that lay in the way, which none but al- mighty power, and infinite wifdom could remove, we may, in this work, fee the Dei- ty of the Holy Ghoft in a clear light. Who but God could remove the ftrong prejudi- ces, the flupid ignorance, and conquer the vicious appetites of men, and caufe them to quit their worldly intereft, pleafurcs and ho- nours, for the fake of an unfeen Jcfus, who, when in the world, was defpifed and fejecft- ed, and who died out of it, under the great- eft ignominy and difgrace ; who was recom- mended to the world by the plain narrative of a few poor fifher men, perfons of no ac- quired learning, extraordinary parts, power, courage, or intereft -, and whofe account of him had fo many things in it, to raife a diflike, rather than to create an efteem of him, and to make men willing to prefer him and his crofs before all the world. Yet, fo it was, that Chrift crucified, who was to the Greeks foolifhnefs, and to the Jews a ftumbling block, was made the power and wifdom of God, to the falvation of multitudes; all the world over, where the gofpel came, Chrift became precious to thofe that believed \ Men forfook all to follow him, chofe to die the moft tormenting deaths, rather than blafpheme or forfake him. Time would fail \ I Per. ii. 7, prov'J from his JVorks. i a 5 to give an account of that glory that hais been given him in this world ; according to prophefy, he has been exalted and extolled very highly, and as much efteemed, as for~ mcrly he had been defpifed *" ; his kingdom has prevailed, his crown has flourifhed, and his name fhall be continued as long as the fun J and all nations fhall call him bleffed ". But, whence is all this ? by what power and wifdom is it brought about ? according to Chrift's predidlion and promife, this is ef- fefted by the Holy Spirit : " He, faith Chrift, fhall glorify me -, for he fhall re- ceive of mine, and fhew it unto you ° *\ And can he that does this, be any thing lefs than God ? did any creature ever raife his own, or another*s honour fo high, continue it fo long, or fpread it fo far and wide, abroad in the world, as the Holy Spirit has done ? The glory of Chrifl continues, notwithflanding the combined fubtilty, malice, and rage of men, and devils againft him : Is not he then, who is in the faints, greater than he that is in the world p ? is not the Holy Spirit infi- nitely above the apoftate Spirit, who is the god of this^ world, but is made to fubmit, by that Holy Spirit, who is Chrift's glorifier, and the true and living God ? "» Ifa. lii. 1 5, 14, T ^ n pfal. Ixxli. 17. 5 John ^vi. i^. Pi John iv. 4. 6a Ano- 114 ^^^ ^^h *S/?^^/W divinity 6. Another work of the Holy Spirit, which declares him to be God, is the gift of eternal life. Such as fow to the Spirit, (hall, of the Spirit, reap life everlafting "^ : He not oi>ly prepares the foul for it, and fits the body in the refurreiStion to enjoy it ; but he is faid to beflow it, as a reward of grace upon the faints. Now eternal life is the gift of God ' ; none below him has a power or right to con- fer it . Seeing then the Spirit does it as well as the Father and the Son, he is God, one in nature and eflence with them. There are a great many other works of the Spirit, which might be infifted on, and from which his Deity might be pro- ved } which may be confider'd under ano- ther fubjeft, the works and offices of the Holy Spirit ; but from thefe mentioned, I hope the truth of his Godhead clearly ap- pears : I (hall therefore only add a more general account of him, and his divine works, as I find them reprefented by one of the an^ cients'*, and fo conclude the dodtrinal part of this branch of my fubjedt. ** Chrift, fays he^, is born, the Spirit is his forerunner ; Chrift ^ Galat. vi. 8. «■ Rom. vi. i, &c. ^ TiviATou Xeiu Ket]% T S'vvcLuiv' dyA^lv iv^ify rtyifj-oy/KOVy (pCaei k yurei' aiyta^ou ^k clydcti^bfjuyov' y.'!'']^'iv » }/.{jf)ifxivQP' y{liyJtiJ.ivov i y-'^l-X'^^' '^^>'?^t' « '3'A»r- f9yivov,^—rhciya,7o yiVio for the Son has life in himfelf, and quickens whcm he will ; and it is not to be fuppofed, that the Farh^r would command divine worfhip to be given to a being, not pofTefs^d of thofe infinite perfedions; for he will not give his glory to ??nother ^. And fee- ing God claims, and is worthy to be loved, with all our hearts, fouls, and ftrength, there is no room for higher and lower wor- fhip, or for men to offer fupreme or inferior worfhip in the exercifes of religion. The worfhip it felf may be either inter- nal in the foul, fuch as eftecm, reverence, love, trufl, fubjedtion, felf dedication ; or internal and external both, in fome outward adls of worfhip, as prayer, praife, pro- flration, oaths and vows ; but flill it is, and mufl be, an acknowledgment and venera- tion of the divine perfedtions, regulated by the v/ill of God, and not by the intention and fancy of the worfhipper. ' John V, i3. comp. with ver. aij i6» *" Ifa. xlii. 8. The tfov'dfrom the JVor/hip given him. i 59 The Pfalmift thus called upon believers ; « O come let us worfhip and bow down, let us kneel before Jehovah our Maker ; for the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods ' '\ His fupremacy and crea- ting power are here afligned, as the reafon of giving him religious worfliip ; the exter- nal part of which, is expreffed by bowing down and kneeling before him, finging to him, and giving of thanks. Hence it ap- pears, that religious worfhip is an acknow- ledgment of the divine perfections, with fuitable reverence, fubjedlion, love, thank- fulnefs and obedience. God's command to Ifrael was, " You {hall fear Jehovah, and him {hall you wor{hip, and to him {hall you do facrifice. And the flatutes, and the ordi- nances, and the law, and the commandment which he wrought for you, you {hall obferve to do for evermore, and you (hall not fear other gods "* ". Not only the internal, but alfo all external adls of religious worfliip are for- bid to be given to any but the mo{l high God 'y for he has thus fpoke ; *' I am Jeho- vah thy God : Thou {halt have no other gods before me. Thou {halt not bow down thy felf to them, to any beings befide Jeho- vah, either in heaven, earth, or the waters, nor ferve them ^ ". Hence Job faid 5 " If I beheld the fun when it fhined, and the « Pfa]. xcv, 6. " i Kings xyii. }6, 57. ^ Exod. moon 140 The Hoi) Spirits Divinity moon walking in brightnefs, and my heari has been fecretly enticed, and my mouth has kifled my hand ; I fhould have denied the God that is above "^ ". We have here the internal part of worihip, the engage- Hient of the heart in that delight and re^ verence due to God : And the external part of worfhip is fignified by his mouth's kifling his hand, in token of fubmifBon and fubjedion ; as Samuel kifled Saul when he anointed him king ; and as the Jews kifled the calves : And princes are required to kifs the Son in token of their adoration and wor- fhip of him y. Tertullian fpeaks of the Hea- thens kifling the fun at its rifing ^ ; that is, as one "" explains it, they ufed to lift up their hands to the fun, and then kifs them with their mouths, in token of adoration. Bodi- ly, as well as fpiritual adoration, is referved to God only, whom v/e are to glorify, and whofe our bodies and fpirits are. I now proceed to fliew, that religious worfliip is due, and has been given to the Holy Spirit. y In the ninety fifth Pfalm ^ we have a fo- / lemn exhortation, to worfhip the Lord our i Maker, and to bow down and kneel before him : But this Lord appears to be the Holy Ghofl:, by the Apofl:le Paul's application of ^ Job xxxi. 26, 17, i^. y I Sam. x. i. Hof. xiii. 2. . Pfal. ii. 12. * Apol. capo 16. ^ Caryl in Job xxxi. 17. " Ver, 6. the prove! from the Worjhip given htm. \\\ the Pfalm to him ; '' Wherefore, as the Ho- ly Ghoft fays, Harden not your hearts 5 I was grieved with that generation ; your fa- thers tempted me, proved me, and faw my works *^'\ Which expreiTions the Pfalmill mentions as the words of that God, whom we are to worfliip ; and it appearing from the Apoftle, that they are the words of the Holy Ghofl, fpeaking in his own name, it follows, that he is that God whom we are to worfhip, together with the Father and Son ; for as all Three concurred in creation, fo it is fit that all Three (liould be wordiip- ped and adored by all their reafonable crea- tures. All the charaders of the object of worfliip, mentioned by the Pfalmift, as the rock of falvation, a great God, and a great King, the Maker of the feas, dry land, and of men, belong to the Holy Spirit, as well as to the Father and the Son : The Spirit there- fore, together with the Father and the Son, is to be worfhipped and adored. The fame truth is not obfcurely hinted, in thofe words of the prophet, concerning the Holy Spirit ; " Lebanon is not fufficient to burn, nor the beafts thereof futHcient for a burnt offering ^ '\ Hereby, as I conceive, is fignified his right to the higheft expref- fions of divine worfliip, and aUo how much he is exalted above them j for all the nations ' H?b. iii. 7. ^ Ifa. xl. i6. be- 1^1 The Holy Sprites Divinity before him, are as nothing, lefs than no^ thing, and vanity. ^ The apoftle Paul having told the Corin- thians, that they w^ere the temple of the Ho- ly Ghoft, he adds, " Glorify God in your bodies and fpirits, which are God's ^ ". To what end does the Holy Spirit dwell in the faints, as in the temple, if not to be v/or- ihipped and glorified by them ? The Jewifli temple, to which there feems here to be an allufion, was a place of the moft folcmn re- ligious worfhip of that God to which the temple was built and dedicated. Believers being the temple of the Holy Ghoft, are bound to worfhip him, whofe temple they are. None went into the temple with their fhoes on, or ufed any irreverent pofture there -, they always ftood at their prayers : When they departed, they bowed low before the Lord, even falling on the ground ; and when they went our, they went backwards, becaufe they might not turn their backs up- on the altar, as Dr. Lightfoot ^ tells us. Thefe tokens of veneration and adoration were due to him who dwelt, and was wor- fhipped in the temple. In like manner all the ads and tokens of a religious veneration, are due to God the Spirit, who dwells in the faints as in his temple. " 1 Cor. vi. 19, Vid. Auguft. Voi, ii. p. J 18, 519. Ep. €6. We provdfrom the JVor/iip givtn htm. 145 We may be the more confirmed in this fentimenr, when we find fo great and fo good a man, and one who lived fo near the time of Chrifl, as Juftin Martyr ^ declaring, that with reafon they worfhipped and adored the prophetic Spirit : This he fpoke as the fenfe and pradlice of the church, in the firfl and pureft ages of Chriftianity, long before the Arian or Macedonian herefies appeared in the world. But a greater teftimony thaa his, is that of the apoftle, if the following reading of the text be right ; " For we are the circumcifion which worfhip God the Spirit ^ " ; as it may and has been rendered, agreeable to the original, 01 'zirviv julclIi 0e(S Aa7^'cv7e^. Thus Ambrofe * renders the words i " We are the circumcifion, who ferve God the Spirit ^ if (fays he) any one contends about the variety of the Latin co- pies, let him infpe«ft the Greek copies, where it is thus written, 6i (^ioprsrvivfjioLti \^1^ivov%(; ; which is interpreted, who ferve God the Spi- rit : Therefore, when he fays, the Spirit is to be ferved, the fame apoftle who affirms, that not the creature, but the Creator is to be ferved, evidently (hews the Spirit to be the Creator -, and that he is to be worfhipped with the honours of the eternal divinity, be- fSf^pfjiKov (TiCo^jLi'd'A }i^ 'OoaKvy^^iv, juflin, Apol, i. p. 1 1. Ed. Ox. p. 56. Ed. Par. ? Phil, iii, 5. I De Spir. c. ii. p. 240, 2 caulc 1 4 4- T/^^ /^^^/j Spirit'' s Divinity caufe it is written, Thou fhait worfhip the Lord thy God, and him only flialt thou ferve ^ ". Auguftine ^ followed this readings we worfhip God the Spirit : And Beza fays, That he found it fo in five manufcript co- pies, and that almoft all the Greek copies, and moft of the Latin ones, fo read the text 5 though he prefers the other reading ; which, as he thinks better fuits the fcope and defign of the context, to recommend the fpiritual worfhip of God, in oppofition to that which is carnal and ceremonial. But if this fpiri- tual worfhip be meant by the circurricifion, I fee not but that, as this is the work of God the Spirit, it as naturally led the apoftle to worfhip God the Spirit, as to rejoice in Chrift Jefus, and to have no confidence in the flefti. However"', I fubmit it to con- fideration. The apoftle Paul, fpeaking of the convincing work of the Spirit upon un- believers, under the miniftry of the New Teflament prophets, fays, '' That fuch con- vinced perfon will fall down on his face, and worfhip God ; and report that God was in ^ Serve and worfhip mean che fame thingj according to him. Vide p. 26 5j 16^,. * In loc, *" Robert Stephens, in his edition of the Greek Teftamcnc,! 549, reads the text thus; " Oicj'zs-viv'^.^i hctl^ivov]i^ ; and Bleau in hisj 1635. and Janfenius in his, 1659. and Weliein in his, 1711. And there being no prepollcion governing an ablative cafe, we may well underrtand 'O-ysJ/afitJ/j to be the dative cafe, anfwering 0.-w, by apportion ; which, if allow'd, is an evi- dent proof of dired worlhip paid to the Holy Spirit. Mr. Mather on the divinity of the Holy Ghoft^ p. 8^. theft provd from his TVor/hip given him. 14.^ thefe prophets of a truth " " ; that is, God the Spirit, by whom he was convinced and judged, and who made manifefl the fecrets of his heart ; hirn therefore he worfliips and adores, as God dwelling in his fervants the prophets. This fcripture appears to me not only to teach us the Deity of the Holy Spirit, but alfo that religious worfliip is due to him, as Godj which even infidels will give to him, when convinced by his divine in- fluence and power upon their hearts and con- fciences. Such, indeed, as have felt his di- vine power, and tafled that he is gracious, muft furely own his Deity, and adore and wor- fhip him as God. One of the ancients dif- canting oh thofe words of Chrift, or the di- vine Logos; The Lord God, and.his SpiriCj,' has fent me, after he had exprefled his ad- miration, that the Maker of the heavens and earth fhould be fent by the Spirit : He adds % '' Adore the Holy Spirit, whom you hive re- ceived ; fay often that you are well reward- ed : Chrift has taken thy fleffi, and given ' " I Cor. xiv. 24. 25. (pi ctvli^offti %%ii' i^cLd XciTui ^3?^ Jajb -TsrActVfca t3 .ay2(rtv, IvJiC&n; -o-zrei/atr/f, « iKK^^i^aia, is frovd from the Worjhij) given him. 1^7 IS every one who is born of the Spirit '^ ''". He irhparts his gifts and influences as he will \ He feems to be addrelfed, as the North-wind, to blow upon the church, to blaft her corruptions, and purify her members; for he is a Spirit of judgment, and of burn- ing ^ ', and, as the South- wind, torefrefh, che- riili, and invigorate her graces, that thofe gra- ces which arc the fruits of the Spirit % mighc flow out in their pleaflng and lively opera- tions and exercifes. If this be the fenle c>f the cited fcripture, it is a remarkable in- flance of prayer made to the Holy Spirit, by the whole body of the church. She in- vokes the Holy Spirit, faying, Come, O Holy Spirit, and blow upon our hearts, that by the love of God, and our neighbour, a fweet odour may be fent forth ". Thofe words, *' Create in me a clean heart, renew a right fpirit within me "^"j are thought to be a prayer direded to the Holy Spirit, whofe work this is ''. And thofe words, "' John iii. S. *' i Cor. xli. il. ^ Ifa. iv. ^« • (Jalac. V. It. "■ See Ainfvvorth, Pifcator, and Durham on the place, '-' iH\l li. 10. "^ Thac pariage, Pfal. cxliii. lo. " Thy Spiric is good ; lead xne into the land of upri<;htncfs ", is thus render'd by the learned Dr. LeufJcn, Suintus tuus bonus deducat me in terra jccta : Let thy good Spirit lead nie in a ri^hc land. Which J3 as truJv an adoraiion of che Spirit, as thar, the grace of our Lord Jofus Chrifl be wi^h you, is an adoracion of Chrili ; aj one obferves, Mather of ;he Holy Gholl, p. 86. whofc, viz.. L i ihe 1 ^8 The Holy Spirits T>ivmtty words, ** Pray you therefore the Lord of the harveft, that he will fend fprth labour- ers into his harveft ^ ", are underftood as a command of Chrift, to pray to the Holy Spirit, to fend forth miniflersj to labour in the word and dodlrine. It is certain,- that he makes men overfeers over the church ' ; he called Saul and Barnabas to preach to the Gentiles ^ -, and they were feparated to him, as lord of the harveft j who, by his authori- ty and influence, alTifted and diredled them in their work , and qualifies and fends forth all other minifters for their work, and aflifts and fucceeds them in it* He therefore may be properly called the Lord of the harveft, and is to be pray'd to, to fend forth thofe labourers, who are made able minifters of the New Teftament ; minifters of the Spirit:, as they are exprefly called ^ The Holy Spirit gave anfwer to the prayers of the prophets and teachers ; but for what reafon, unlefs it was becaufe they had in- voked or pray'd to him, according to Chrift's direftion, before mention d. And this Spi- the Spirit's, guidance, I befcech, as well as defence, that I may do nothing, no, not for my prefervation, but vvhac is per- fectly agreeable to thy laws. Patrick on the place. Thy good Spirit fhall lead me in the land of uprightnefs, as Ainfworth renders the words : We may read it prayer-wife^ faith he, Let thy good Spirit lead me, and fo undcritand it, as a prayer to, aa well as for the Holy Spirit. y Matt. i:i. 38. Vide Witlius in Symb. p. 4*7. "^ A(fts XX. 28, ^ Ibid, xiii, «. ^ 2 Cor. iii. 6. pYovd froyn the Wor/hip given him. i^^ rit, as Lord, declares, upon his own autho- rity, what he would have Saul and Barnabas do, and declares, that it was he himfelf who called them to their miniftry ; and it fol- lows, that after prayer and failing, and lay- ing hands on them, they were fent forth by the Holy Ghoft. And when he had decla- red, that he had called them to their work, and commanded that they fliould be fepa- rated to him, by prayer, farting, and impo- fition of hands, as their practice declared, can it be reafonably thought that their pray- {^rs were not dire(fled to that Spirit, who called them, appointed them to be fepara- ted to him, and fent them forth ? and if they were, this inftance is to be look'd upon as a fair and clear example of obedience to Chrift*^ before-mentioned command, to pray to the Lord of the harveft, to fend forth more la- bourers into ir. When thechurch at Jerufalem lifted up their voice with one accord, and faid, Lord, thou arc God' ; who, by the mouth of thy fervant Da- vid, hafli'aid; It is thought, byfome"^, that the prayer is direcfted to the Holy Spirit, who fpoke by the mouth of David. But whether this in- terpretation be confiflent with the following words, pare of that prayer, *' Thy holy child Jefus ' ", twice mentioned, I leave otiiers to judge. But if this example be not clear, yet I ^ A<^s iv. 14, i5. '^ Dr. Calamy'sOlh S.rmon, p. 192. I Ibid. i7, \o, L 3 think 150 The Holy Spirh's T>tvmty think thofe that follow are fo, and this in particular 5 '' The Lord direft your hearts into the love of God, and the patient wait- ing for the Lord Jefus Chrift ^ '' ^ where the Lord prav'd to is exprefly diftinguifl:i'd frora God the Father, and aUb from Chrift ; and therefore furely muft mean the Lord the Spirit. And this likewife 5 " Th^ Lord make you to encreafe and abound in love, to the end he may ertablifli your hearts unblameable in holinefs, before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jefus Chrift ^ " y where a work belonging to the Holy Spirit, is afcribed to the Lord pray'd to, and he is again diftinguifhed from God the Father, and from Chrift, and therefore the Holy Spirit muft be the perfon intended, as thq Lord to whom this petition is as plainly di- rected as the former ^ that the apoftles way might be direded to them, is prefented tQ the Father and the Son. Paul addrefles the Father and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, by way of prayer, in that folemn benedidlion ; ** The love of God, and the grace of our Lord Jefus Chrift, and the communion of the Holy Ghoft b^ with you ^ ". Prayer, and benedidion, or blelTing, in the name of the Lord, are fo iar from being inconfiftent with each other, that one creature has no other way of blef- f 2 Thtir. iii. 5. . Si Thcil. iii. iz, 13. , ^ Vtr, Vx Cor. xiii. 14. jing yrovd from the TVor/hlp givc^t him. i c^ x fing another, but by praying to God ro hlcfs him : Accordingly, when the priefts and levites are laid to blefs the people, it is faid, *' That their voice was heard, and their prayer eame up to his holy dwelling place, even to heaven ' ", they bleffed the people by praying for them, according to that diredion, '* On this wife fhall you bids the children of Ifrael, faying, The Lord blefs thee, and keep thee, the Lord make his hcc Ihinc upon thee, and be gracious to thee ; the Lord lift up upon thee the light of his coun- tenance, and give thee peace '' ". Accord- ingly the apoftle's benedid:ion is to be look- ed upon as a prayer to the Father, for his Jove, and to the Son, for his grace, and to (he Holy Spirit, for his communion, fel- lowfliip or communication of his bleflings to the Corinthians, and the Spirit as equally, and as plainly addrefs'd, or pray'd to, as the Father and the Son. So evidently falie are the blind and bold aflertions of the adverfa- ries of the Holy Spirit, who have told us, in print, that for putting up prayers diredt- ly and exprelly to the Holy Spirit, there is no clear precept or example ' : And that the invocation of the Holy Ghofl, is not only Jiot fupport^d by fcripture, but a dired breach of the firft Commandment. ' I Chron. xXx. 7. ^ Numb. vi. 2?, 24. ' Clark's Sciiptmc DoC^iinc, Ware li. \\ 54. Whidon's Pnmidve ChiilUanicy, \'oi. V. Append, ii. p. 10. L 4 The J 5 1 The Holj Spirit'' s Divinity The laft inftance which I {hall infift ov\^ of prayer directed to the Holy Spirit "\ is that in the Revelations, where St. John prays for grace and' peace from him, which is, jind which was, and which is to come ; and from thb fever, fpirits which are before his throne, and^ from Jefus Chrif^. Some by the kvtn fpirits, would have Us underftand angels; bur, when before the throne, they are not capable bf knowing the prayers made on earth, and as unable to give the grace and mercy pray 'd for ; and alfo, they are exprefly " precluded froni religious wor- fhip, of which prayer is an eminent part : Nor are there any other creatures who haVe either authority or ability to communicate grace and peace to us. Now feeing this is too great a thing to be done by, or defired of 4ny creature, and feeing the objedl of this prayer is exprefly diftinguijLhed from God the Father, and from Chrift, it remains, that it <6an be no other than the Holy 'Spirit, to whom the ihfpired writer prays for this; grace and peace. ' ' - Thofe words, " The feven fpirits, which are before the throne", have occafioned many cavils of adverfaries, and many conjectures among the advocates "" of the Deity of the Holy Spirit. Some have thought the Holy Spirit is reprefented as feven' fpirits, with re-? " Rev. i. 4. " Colof. ii.'i3. ;? Vide Burnt':"s Expo'-tion of the Air. p„ 39. fpca provdfrom the WoYJhtj) given him. 1 5 ^ fped; to the plenitude and perfeftion of hh gifts and graces ; others fuppofe him to be lb reprefented, with relation to the feven churches, to whom he fpoke ; but in that refpeft he is conftantly fpoke of as one fpi- rit, not as feven. '* Let him hear what the Spirit fays to the churches '\ But the Holy Spirit p may be reprefented as (tven fpirits, in allufion to the feven lamps in the golden candleltick mentioned in the law ^ : Accord^ ingly the feven fpirits of God are reprefent- ed as feven lanips of fire burning before the throne of God '. In the day of pentecofle, the Holy Spirit defcended in the form of cloven tongues of fire, and abode upon the faithful >*. As the tabernacle w^as a type of Chrift, and the golden candleftick, with its feven lamps, was in the tabernacle, fo the Holy Spirit was given to Chrift without meafure, and fliined with a glorious light, when he fhed him down upon the church: Andj in conformity to the things before men- tioned, Chrift is faid ' to have thefe feven fpi- rits of God y and they are faid to be the horns and the eyes of Chrift, denoting, it may be, the knowledge and power of the Holy Spirit, who, by the prophet, is defcribed as a Spirii of wifdom and underftanding, of counfeland inighr, of knowledge and of the fear oi^ P Vide Wicfius in Syn\b. p. 428. "^ Exod. XXV. 57. '■ Rev. iv„ ^c * A(.ts iJ. 5, a. ^ Rev. iii. 1. Chap. v. 6» the 154- The Holy Spirit'* s Divmty ^he Lord refting upon Chrift ". By compa- ring all thefe things together, it appears, that by the feven fpirits, the Holy Spirit is intended. It is objected, that thefe feven fpirits are faid to be before the throne ; which feems not to agree to the Holy Spirit, if he be God, of the fame nature with the Father : But the Spirit of God may be thus repre- fented, with refpeft to the ceconomy and office wherein he is engaged, as fent from the Father, to fupply Chrift's abfence, and carry on his work : He is placed between the Father and the Son, in St. John's faluta- tion, denoting, as fome think, his intimate, union with them in nature, dignity, and glory; for it is but reafohable to conclude, that he is the fame in nature with them, who is invocated in the fame manner, as the Fa- ther and the Son, and for the fame grace and peace, for which they are addrefled. And if this be the true fenfe of the text un- der confideration, it contains a pregnant proof of the religious worfhip of the Holy Spirit, in folemn prayer, and of his Deity, as being fo worfhipped, and applied to, as the author and fountain of grace and peace, as well as the Father and the Son. It is mon- ftrous, and moft abfurd, to imagine, that an infpired perfoA Ihould apply to any crea- ^ Ifa. xi. 1, Sec Dr. Owen on Heb, ix. to. p. $io. ture. proved from the JVorfhtp given him. i 55 cure, or creatures, for fuch divine bleffings ; and efpccially that he fhould place them in conjundlion and equality with God, in fucK an invocation or prayer. The learned Dr, Lightfoot"^ upon the place, fays, *' That John terms the Holy Ghoft the feven fpirits, ac- cording to the Jews common fpeech, who Ipeak much of the feven fpirits of the Mef- fiah". It is alfo obferved, by the judicious and accurate Witfius "", that the feven fpirits are never faid to worfhip God, as the elders and living creatures do ; bur, on the con- trary, arc invocated by John ; which ho- nour belongs not to created fpirits ; and that John invokes them, in the fame manner, and with the fame worfhip as he gives to the Father and the Son, as the author, with the Father and Son, of grace and peace, with- out any note of difcrimination. It has been objeded, that the Spirit is ne- ver reprefented as upqn a throne, but as be- fore it : To which I anfwer ; That his work in the world was, to glorify Chrift, not to fpeak of himfelf, to fliew us Chrift's glory, and not fo much his own ; and therefore it is no wonder, if the tokens of his God-like Majefly, be lefs frequently mention'd in fcripture. But farther ; though he is not often fpoke of as upon a throne, yet he is reprefented as in the midll of it, in the fol- '•"' VoU i. of his works, p. J^r. * Excrcir, vie Spiric. Sand. p-4i8. lowing 156 The Holy Spirit^ s ^Divinity lowing fcripture ; *' And I beheld, and lo* in the midft of the throne, flood a iamb, as it had been flain, having feven horns and feven eyes, which are the feven fpirics of God^ " y where the Holy Spirit, meant by the feven fpirits, is reprefented as being in the midft of the throne, together with Chrift. And in Ifaiah's vifion, he is reprefented as fitting upon a throne, high and lifted up ^ ; as I fhall have occafion to fhew more at large, when I come to treat of doxologiea. But this may be a fufficient anfwer to this objedlion. From what has been faid, it may appear with how little truth or modefty our adver- faries affirm, that, jn fcripture, we have no precepts or examples of invocation or prayer addrefled to the Holy Spirit. 2. As the Holy Spirit is the objecfl of prayer, fo is he the objedt of thankfgivingand praife : This, indeed, would follow from the former, had we no exprefs examples of it. For he who is omnipotent, omnifcient, all-fufficient, and infinitely gracious, as the objeft of prayer muft be, is, on the account 01 thefe perfeftions, worthy to be praifed ; there is a glory due to his name, refulting from his effential excellencies : Hence the Heathens ^ were inexcufable, becaufe, ^fter they had known God, or learned, from ti;e ^ Klv, v. 6. * Ifa. vi. r, 5, ^ Rom. xx. 11, works provJjrom the Wor/hlp given him, i 5*^ works of the creation, his eternal power and Godhead, they glorified him not as God. By a parity of reafon, we might learn, from the infinite power, knowledge and grace of the Holy Spirit, that he is to be worfl:iipped, praifed, and glorified, if the fcriptures had been wholly filent as to his worfllip and praife ; But they are not fo. As we have feen many inftances of prlyer to him; fo we have a divine exhortation to make him the obje(fl of our thankfgiving and praife. In the ninety fifth Pfalm, which relates to the Holy Spirit, as has been proved, it is faid ; " O come let us fing to the Lord, let us make a joyful noife to the God of our falvation ; lee us come before his prefence with thankfgi- ving, and make a joyful noife before hiin with Pfalms \ This is fpoke oif the Spirit, though not exclulive of the Father, and the Son ; but as he, together with them, is the one Jehovah, Maker of heaven and earth. It was the Spirit that conduded Ifrael out of Egypt, through the Red Sea, that led them through the deep, as a horfe in the wildernefs, that they fhould not flumble ; the Spirit of the Lord caufed them to reft ' : If we compare this with the Song of Mofes% we may fee how the Holy Spirit was then adored and praifed. *'I will fing to the Lord, for he has ttiumphed glorioully : The Lord '' Ver. I, 2, *^ ifa. Ijciii. !o— 14. "^ Exod. xv, t, i r. is 158 The Holy Spirit's Divinity is my ftrength and my fong. Who is like to thee, O Lord, amongft the gods ? who is like thee, glorious in holinefs, fearful ini praifes, doing wonders ? Thou in thy mer- cy haft led forth the people '\ As this was the work of th6 Holy Spirit, as Ifaiah tells us, he certainly muft be the objedl of this adoration and praife, as well as the Father and the Son, being one in nature and ope« ration with them. The A p p L I c A 1 1 o N. I. Let us take heed of feducing fpirits, who lie in wait to deceive. " Believe not every fpirit ; but try the fpirits, whether they be of God ' ". Surely no man by the Spirit, can deny the Deity and Glory of the Holy Spirit : We have, in part, tried them who have done it, and have found them liars, and therefore are not to be carried away with every wind of dodlrine. or believe every bold and confident aflertion of thofe who are adverfanes to the Godhead of the Holy Ghoft, and deny him the worfliip and glory due unto his name. Right apprehenfions of the obje(5l of di- vine worfliip, are of the higheft importance, ^itli relation to practical religion. But thefe ^ f I Jdhfl iv. I. provJ from the iVor/iip givin him. 1 59 muft be received from the Holy fcripture?, comparing fpiritual things with fpiritual, and not from the fallible dilates of men^ who are fenfual, and have not the Spirit, and have fuch low thoughts of him, be- taufe they have too high thoughts of them- felves. However, from what has this day and formerly been faid, we may fee more realbii to fear, that We fliall be guilty of the high- eft facrilege, in refufing to give divine wor- fliip to the Spirit, than others have of being guilty of idolatry in giving it to him : For, whatever they pretend, I think it is clear, from the fcripture, that divine worfliip is due, and has been paid to him, in many prayers and praifes direcfted to him, as the bbje(ft of them. 2. How great and glorious is the fal vation of believers ; not only that, which is yet to come, but alfo that which they have at prefent ? As it was their mifery, by nature, to be alienated ^ from the life of God, afar off, and without God in the world, fo it is their unfpeakable happinefs, by grace, to be brought back to God -, to have God dwel- ling in them, and they in God ; " For here- by we know that we dwell in him, and he in us, becaufe he has given us of his Spirit ^ '\ Believers are an habitation of God through the Spirit ^ : They arc the temple of God, in ^ Hph, iv.. 18. Si John iv. i^ '• Fph. ii. 2 2. whom i 6o The Holy Spirit'* s divinity whom the Spirit of God dwells s for he k God, and they are his temple. There is no room,' by way of doubt, but great reafon, with afTuradce and admiration, to fay, Will God, indeed, dwell on the earth ? Believers have not only the Father's promife to dwell with them, and the Son's purchafe of it, but the Spirit's adual pof- feffion of them ' ; they dwell in love, the fruit of the Spirit 3 and fo it appears, that they dwell in God, and God in them. What a wonderful recovery, how early a rellora- tion is this! Not only in heaven will he dwelt with them, but even on earth he dwells in them ; heaven meets believers in their way thither. God is not fatisfy'd with admiting them into his temple above, but he dwells in them as his temple here below.^ Know you not that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you, fays the apoftle in my text : What a glo- rious falvation is this, for fuch who' had been caft away fo early, and fo far from God's prefence, to be thus reftored to hy and be- come his habitation and temple, where he is enjoy 'd, worftiipped, and adored, in the communion and fellowfliip of God the Holy Spirit ? We may fay, Lord, what is man, what are the beft of men, that God fhould fee thus mindful of them, thus condefcend- •* ilev, xxi. 3. i Pec, iii. i8, i John h, 160 provd from the JVor/hip given him. 1 6 1 ing, and gracious to them ? He helps them to pray, and he hears their prayers ; accord- ing to that paflagc of the Plahnirt:, *' Thou wilt prepare their heart ; thou wilt caufe thine ear to hear ^' ". One great glory of our falvation, is God with us, God dwel- ling in our nature, in the perfon of the Son ; and another glory of it is, God dwelling in our perfons, by the inhabitation of the Holy Spirit in believers, as in his temple : This teaches us purity, prayer and praife ; his temple is holy, and muft not be defiled; his prelence is glorious, and ought to be cele- brated with praife \ his fovereign power and grace render him a proper objed: of prayer ; this is part of the temple fervice here below, preparatory to that above, and £hews the glory of that falvation, which, at prefenr, makes believers the temple of God, having his Spirit dwelling in them. ^^ Pfal. X. 17. M T H E l6a The Holy Spirit^ s 'Divimiy THE HOLY SPIRIT'S DIVINITY Prov'd from his being the Objedt of WORSHIP. SERMON VI. Preached February 24, 1 7 j^. I COR. iii. 16. Knono you not that you are the temple ef God^ and that the Sprit of God dwells in you ? THE important article of the Chri- ftian faith, the Deity of the Holy Ghoft, being under our confidera- tion^ in my laft difcourfe, I made an entrance on the confirmation of it, drawn from the religious worfhip due to him, according ta the fcriptures. y I thought it necelTary, and accordingly endeavoured^ by way of preliminary, ta prove^ provd from the Worjh'i^ given him. 1 6^ prove, that God only is the objedl of all reli- gious worfhip ; and then to explain the na- ture of religious worfliip ; which is an ac- knov/ledgment of the divine excellencies and perfcdtions, according to the divine will of God, with relation to himfclf ; " Him fliall you fear ; and him iliall you worfliip, and to him fliall you do facrifice, and the ftatutes, and the law, and the ordinances, and the commandment, which he wrought for you, you fliall obferve to do for evermore'' ". We have here a defcriptipn of religious wor- fliip, as including the internal part, faith, fear, love, reverence, and fubje^lion; and the external part, the obfervation of God's ordi- nances and commandments. Job ^ fums ic up in two things, his hearts being inticed, and his mouths kifllng his hand; or in the internal veneration, and the external expref- fions of it, with regard to the objedl of wor- fliip. This being the nature of religious wor- fliip, I proceeded to prove in general, that religious worfliip, according to the fcrip- tures is due, and has been given to the Holy Spirit : After which, I proceeded to parti- cular inftances ; as prayer and praife, both which were largely infifted on : I now pro- ceed to other inllances. 3. Baptifm, in the name of the Holy Ghoft, is an illuflrious inftance of divine -_^ i Kings xvii. 36, 37- ^ Job x:ixi» 25, iy, 28. M 2 wor-i 164 The Holy Spirt fs divinity worfhip given to him. The account which we have, in fcripture, of this inflitution, is as follows : ** Jefus came and fpoke to them, faying, All power is given to me in heaven and earth. Go you therefore, and teach all na- tions, baptizing them in the name of the Fa- ther, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft ; teaching them to obferve whatfoever I have commanded you ; and lo I am with you al- ways, even to the end of the world ^ '\ There are feveral acfts of religious worfhip included; (i.) When any are baptized in the name of the Holy Ghoft, there is an acknowledg- ment of his divine authority and fovereigntyo To be baptized in his name, is to be bap- tized by his will and appointment. Baptifm,. indeed, was inftituted by Chrift ; but by him appointed to be, not in his own name only^ but alfo in the name of the Father, and of the Holy Ghoft, denoting the joint autho- rity and concurrence of all the three divine Perfons, in the appointment of this ordi- nance: Thus when Chrift faid, that he came in the Father's name % he intended^ that he came by his appointment, and afted by his authority. So to receive baptifm in the name of the Holy Ghoft, is, among o- ther things, to own and fubmit to his autho- rity, in the inftitution of it ; which acknow- ledgment is no fmall part of religious wor- f Mac, xxviii. 18, Jp, zo. ^ John v. 43. fhipj p'ovd from the JVor/hip given him. \ 6 5 fhip ; for if the authority of the Father, and of the Son, be recognized in this ordinance, fo alfo is the authority of the Holy Ghoft ; for it is jointly in the name of all the Three, equally appointing, approving, and blefling it. It is abfurd to imagine, that Chrift fhould appoint baptifm to be in the name of the Father, and of the Holy Ghoft, without their concurrence and joint authority ; for he tells us, that he did it by virtue of a power given him, and therefore, according to the will and defign of the Giver, God the Father, Son, and Spirit, who invefted Chrifl as Mediator, with a power to inftitute this ordinance, as a religious homage paid to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft. " To bap- tize in any one's name, is, according to the fcripture ftile, to baptize by his authority and command, and according to his will ; for he, in whofe name any thing is done, is the prime efficient caufe of the adlion ^ ". The religious fubmlffion to this authority, in baptifm, might be confider'd on the pare of the adminiftracor, called and feparated to his work, and made an overfeer by the Holy Ghoft, and celebrating this ordinance in his name, and the reception and reftipulation of the baptized, and of fuch as prefenc them are adts of religious wordiip, and obedience to the Holy Ghoft, as well as to the Father and the Son. * Bifterfeild contra Crell. p. 585. M 3 (2.) In- J 66 The Holy Spirit'^ s divinity (2.) Invocation or prayer belongs to the ordinance of baptifm. Hence Ananias faid to Saul, " Be baptized, calling on the name of the Lord ^*\ As prayer is to be ufed in the adminiftration of this ordinance -, fo it is reafonable to diredl that prayer to the per- fon, or perfons, in whofe name the ordinance is adminiflred. As therefore baptifm is in the name of the Holy Ghoft, as well as of the Father, and the Son, fo fupplications are to be made to him, as well as to them, in the celebration of it : As they are all com- prehended in one name, fo are they all com- prehended in one addrefs or fupplication, as being jointly concerned in this ordinance : And the Holy Spirit being thus the ob- jed: of invocation or prayer, is the objedl of religious worfliip, as has been before declared at large. (3.) Dedication, or being devoted to the faith, worfhip, and fervice of the Holy Spi- rit, is another thing included in Chriftian baptifm, and may be called not a part, but the whole, the fum and fubftance of religi- ous worfhip. We are to remember that bap- tifm is a federal rite, a feal of the new co- venant, a ratification of God's covenant with the baptized, wherein there is an explicit acknowledgment of the mutual engagements between God and his covenant-people. As ^ Ads xxii. 16, God proved from the IVor/hip given him. 1 67 God engages to be their God, and that he will not turn away from them, to do them good ; fo the baptized are folemnly devoted to him, as his people, to believe what he reveals, to do what he commands, and to love and glorify him with all their fouls and ftrength : This is called the anfwer or refli* pulation of a good confcience towards God in fcripture j " The like figure whereto, bap- tifm, does now fave us, not the putting away the filth of the flefli, but the anfwer of a good confcience towards God^". E7ra^:Jr/]//a, the anfwer, or flipulation, fignifies a pro- mife y whereby he that is baptized, cove- nants to believe, and do, as he in baptifm is required, as a learned critick ^ obferves up- on the word. Tertullian calls it, Sponfio- nem falutis ', the promife of falvation. " If, faith he, by three witnefles, every word is eftablifh'd, how much rather fhall the number of the divine names. Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, be fufficient to confirm our hope ; when we have, by the divine bleffing, the fame witnefles of our faith, and fureties of our falvation j when, under three, we 5 I Pet. iii. zj, ^ See Leigh's Crit. Sacr. p. 97. ^ Nam i\ in tribus teftibus ftabit omne vcrbum, quanco magis dum habemus, per benedidionem, eofdem arbicros ridei quos & iponfores falutes, fufHcic ad fiduciam fperi noftrae etiam numerus riominum divinoium ; quum fub rribus & teiUtiofidei &: fponfio falutis pignercLur^ &c, Tcrculliau dc baptifmo, c. 6. p. 258. Ed. RigiJc. M 4 have 1 68 The Holy SfiriCs T>ivinUy have the teftimony of our belief, and pro- mife of falvation pledged or afllired" ? And as there is, in bapcifm, a ftipulation and re- cognizing the covenant, on God's part \ fo there is a reflipulation, or fealing to it, on the part of the baptized, wherein they are dedicated to the one God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, in oppofition to all other gods and lords, to fatan, and all his fervants and works J and the baptized are devoted to con- fefs, love, worfhip and ferve that God, in, • or into whofe name they are baptized. Now, if being baptized in the name of the Father, fignifies our folemn dedication to the faith, worfhip, and fervice of the Fa=- ther, as the Chriftian church has, in all ages, underftood it j then the being baptized in the name of the Holy GJioft, mull fignify our folemn dedication to the faith, worfhip, and fervice of the Holy Ghoft, as well as of the Father and the Son 3 for he is join'd in the fame form, and in the fame name with the Father and the Son -, there is no diflin- ftion of nature, or authority, or glory, made between him and them ; and, as a learned writer ^ fays, " Why fhould not the fame outward ad:, refpedling all the three, carry with it the fame import and lignificancy '' ? If baptizing in the name of the Father, re- cognizes him as the objed: of religious wor- ^ Di* Waterland's eighth Sermon, p. 294. ihip. proved from the IVor /hip given him. 169 {hip, it likevvife recognizes the Holy Ghoft as the objedt of the fame rehgious wor- fliip ; for there is no difference in the form of adminiftration, no indicatioji of a diffe- rent kind or degree of refped: or veneration, to be given to one, from that to be given to the other tw^o: They a^e alljoin'd in the fame name, authority, dignity, and glory, as one God ; though there is a diftindlion of perfo- nality and order, yet not of honour, w^or- fl:iip, or perfections ; the Father is firft, the Son fecond, the Holy Ghoft placed third ; yet their nature, name, and glory, are all one ; for we are to be baptized in the name, not names, of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. If their natures, or the glory due to them, had been different, it is ftrange they fhould be join'd in the fame name, and be honoured with the fame religious wor- fhip ; that we fhould be alike dedicated to God and a creature, or have no guard a- gainft giving that glory to a creature, which God has faid, he will not give to another. In being dedicated and devoted to the Holy Ghoft, as well as to the Father and the Son, is there not a confeflion of his Deity, Sover- eignty, and other divine Perfeffions, and a confidence placed in him, which can be due to no creature for the perfedling our falva- tion ? For, as baptifm is a feal of the cove- nant of grace, it is reafonable to underftand ^he ufe and application of it, to be agreeable ' ' ■ to 1 70 The Holy Spiru^s divinity to the method and order of that covenant i wherein the Holy Spirit is particularly re- prefented, as applying redemption, and per- feding the falvation of the redeemed; works fit only for a perfon of infinite wifdom, pow^ er, and grace to perform, a perfon to whom divine adoration and worfliip is due. Thus the form of baptifm was underftood from the earlieft ages of Chriftianity. Ori- gen fays, fpeaking of baptifm, " That it is by virtue of the invocations there made, that the fpring and fountain of graces is to every one that dedicates himfelf to the divinity or Godhead of' the adorable Trinity ^ ". He fuppofes baptifm to be a dedicating our felves to the fervice and wor(hip of the whole Tri- nity, as a learned writer "" obferves ; and al- fo, that the fpiritual graces, or influences, defcend from all the Three Perfons, by virtue of our invocation of them. Bafil the great, fays, *' W^ ought to be baptized, as we have received the form deliver'd to us, and to believe as we are baptized, and to glorify as we believe, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft " " : And he proves an equality of Eph.iv. 5, 6. ^ Unu3 Deus Pater oftenditur, qui eft fuper omnia & per omnia, 8c in omnibus ; fuper omnia quidem Pater, & ipfe eft caput Chrifti ; per omnia autem Vcibum, & ipfe eft caput eccle- iiac i in omnibus aucem nobis Spiricus, Irenaeus, lib. v. c. i^, p. 3M. Ed. Benedid. See Dr. Berriman'a fecond re vie v/ of primitive Doxologies, N mus 178 The Holy S fir it's Divinity mus baptized his followers in the name of the uncreated Father, and of the created Son, and of the fanftifying Spirit, created by that created Son**: So inconfiftent did Chrift's form of baptifm appear to him to be with their denial of the Deity of the Son and Holy Ghoft : For the fame reafon, as we may well fiippofe, our modern Arians^tell OS, that baptifm is unneceflary for the de- fcendants of baptized Chriftians ; though Chrift fignifies the perpetuity of this ordi- nance, by promifing his prefence with his minifters, in the ufe of it to the end of the tvorld. 4. Religious fervice and fubmiffion to the Holy Ghoft, is another part or adl of religi- ous worfhip, which proves him to be God. The command is, " Thou (halt worfhip the Lord thy God, and him only {halt thou ferve^". Yet the Holy Ghoft fa id to the prophets and teachers in the church at An- tioch, ** Separate to me Barnabas and Saul, for the work whereto I have called them ^ ". And they immediately obey'd j they fafted and pray'd^ and laid their hands upon them^ and ^ See Dr. Waterland*s Sermons, p. 319,510. Dr. Berri- man's hiftorical account of the Trinitarian controverfy, p. 134, Mr. Taylor's true ^Scripture Doctrine of the Trinity, p. 151, * Sec Dr. Calamy'* Sermons ; where notice is taken of >lr. Emlyn's paper about this matter ; printed towardi the end of his poflhuroous tra^s. 5 Malt. IV, 10, » h&i xiir. 1. fens provdfrom the U^orjiip given him. 1 79 fent them away : And Paul and Barnabas be- ing fent forth by the Holy Ghoft, departed -, they yielded religious obedience to the Holy Ghoft, in going about the work to which he called th^m, as the prophets and teachers did in feparating them to it, at his command, by prayer and fafting, and laying on of hands. This Is a very clear and memorable inftance of religious worfhip and fervice paid to the Holy Ghoft, biy as great men in the church of Chriftj as ever were in it. The like obedi- ence we find paid to him, by the apoftles, elders, and brethren, met at Jerufalem, as appears by the form of the decree ; " Ic feemed good to the Holy Ghoft ^ " ; where they ov^n his fovereign and divine authority, and recommend obedience to it j for the decree which run in his name, was delivered to the churches to keep. Paul ^ and his Companions obey'd the Holy Ghoft in his prohibition, not to go into Afia, and after- wards into Bithynia, to preach ; and Paul went bound in the Spirit, or in obedience to him, to Jerufalem. All which inftances in- clude an acknowledgment of his fovereiga divine v<^ifdom, authority and poWer ; and are to be Idok'd upon as a part of that ho- mage and fervice, render'd to hirri as God 5 for he, the Holy Ghoft, fpeaks in his own iiame, " Separate to me, — to the work whereto I have called them" ; as he diftri- N 2 buted 1 8o The Holy Spirits T>tvimtj buted his gifts, (o he did his commands, to eve- ry man feverally, as he would, and an obedi- ence to this will, thus confider'd, is fuch a pare of divine worjQiip as (hews him to be God. 5. A folemn appeal is made to him in the nature of an oath ; which is a part of religious worfliip, limited and reftrained to God. The law fpeaks thus ; '' Thou flialt fear the Lord thy God, and ferve him, and ilialt fwear by his name. You fhall not go after other gods ^ '\ There is a recogni- tion of the omnifcience, omniprefence, ve- racity, juftice, and righteoufnefs of God in fuch an oath, or an appeal is made to him, as to the truth and certainty of a thing done, or to be done, fuffer'd, or to be fuffer'd, de- fign'd, or not defign'd j with a petition that he, as the fearcher of hearts, and the re- warder of truth and falfliood, would deal with a man as he fpeaks truth, or not. Now the Holy Ghofl has this part of worfhip gi- ven him by the apoftle Paul, who thus fpoke ; *' I fay the truth, I lye not ; my confcience alfo bearing me witnefs in the Holy Ghoft ^ ". Here is an appeal to Chrifl, and to the Holy Ghoft, as to the truth of what he faid. Here is a folemn appeal to the Holy Spirit, as knowing his heart, and a witnefs of his fm- cerity and veracity in what he declares, con- cerning his folicitude and zeal for the falva- tion of the Ifraelites. He to whom he thus ^l Peu:, vi, ij, 14, ] Rom, ix. i. addrefles provd from the IVor/hip given him. \ 8 i addreffes himfelf, as a witnefs of the fecrets of his heart, inufl furely be a real p^rfon, and is, by him, herein worlhipped, as rhe true and iiving God. An oath being an adt of re- ligious worfliip, in which God is called up- on as a witnels to the truth, or an avenger of the faHhood of what we teftify or pro- niife. By fwearing by the Holy Gholl, the apoftle muil perform an adt of religious wor- fl:)ip to him, and thereby acknowledge his divinity • and by calling upon him to bear witnefs to the fecrets of his heart and confci- ence, he mud afcribe to him the knowledge of the fecrets of the heart and confcience ; which is the property of God alone, as the fcriptures teach us : Hence Solomon faid, *' Thou, even thou only knowell the hearts of all the children of men "" ". Thus we have a farther evidence, that the Floly Ghoft has re- ligious worfhip given him, and that he is true and real God. 6. The Holy Ghoft is the objedl of doxo- logics ; or they are afcribed to him as well as to the Father and the Son : Therefore he is the obje(ft of religious worfhip, and true and real God. Becaufe this is doubted by fome, and con- fidently denied by others, I fiiall proceed with caution, in advancing, explaining, and confirming the following propofitions rela- liiig thereto. "* I K'nj::s viii. 59. N 3 (i.) Ic i 8:j The Holy Sftrii^s divinity (i.) It being the grand defign of the n^if- fion of the Spirit, that he (hould glorify Chrift, we are not to expedt that afcriptions of glory fhould fo frequently and fully be rnade to the Spirit, as to the Son, in, or un- der the difpenfation of the Spirit. As Chrifl came not to glorify himfelf, but the Father, fo the Spirit came not to glorify himfelf, but Chrift ; as our Saviour teaches us in thefe words; ^' He (the Spirit) fhall not fpeak of himfelf; but whatfoever he {hall hear, that fhall he fpeak : He fhall glo- rify me ; for he Ihall take of mine, and (hew it to you " ''. When Chrift came in the flefh, he veiled his own glory, and pro« claimed the Father's : So the Holy Spirit, as it were, conceals his own glory, to promote the glory of Chrift, in whofe name he both fpeaks and ads. But yet as Chrift fometimes turned afide the veil, and manifefted his own glory, fo the Holy Spirit fometimes, in the fcriptures, difcovers his own glory, though iiot fo frequently, fo clearly, and fo fully, as that of the Son. This duly confiderd, might reprefs the triumphs and infults of the adverfaries ; who confidently conclude, that the Holy Ghoft is not God ; becaufe the fame afcriptions of glory are not, as they pre- tend, made to him as to the Father and the iSdn. But they forget that the defign of his " John xvi. 13, 14. miffion proved from the JVor/hip given him. \ 8 7 mifllon was to glorify the Son, not himfelf ; and as Chrift was no lefs God, and no lefs worthy of glory, when he humbled himfelf, than when he was exalted ; fo the Holy Ghoft is no lefs worthy of glory, when he comes to reveal the glory of Chrift, than if • he had come more fully to difplay his own. But I proceed, (2.) The Holy Ghofl: is included in thofe doxologics made to God, without naming any difference of perfons. The word God, when ufed without any note of perfonal diftinftion, is to be taken as including all three, and is often fo ufed in fcripture : For example ; it is faid, " I an) God, and there is none elfe j there is no God befides me"*". If the word God here means only that perfon called the Father ; then the Son and Spirit cannot be God : But, if ic means more than the Father, then it may, and undoubtedly does, take in the Son and Spirit ; who, with the Father, are one im nature, and one God. Ic is alfo faid, *< There is one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you allp^'j which text, if it does not include the Three 'divine Perfons, deftroys the Trinity, and ex- cludes the Son and Spirit from being God. But the text has been generally underftood by the ancients, as a learned man ** obfsrves qf * Ifa. xlv. 5. P Eph. iv. 6. ' Dr, Waterland's firft Defence, p. lo. N 4 the 184. The Holy Spirit^ s T)mntty the whole Trinity ; above all, as Father j through all, by the Word, and in all, by the Holy Ghoft '. Once more, we read, that: *' In the beginning the Word was with God, and the Word was God ■ '* , where the word God muft include both Father and Son. And if, in one place it includes two perfons, in others it may include three, the Father, the Word, and the Spirit, who are faid to jbe one ^ Upon this foundation I proceed to confi- der fome doxologies to God, where there is no mention of one particular perfon, in di- ftinftion from the other two ; and may there- fore be reafonably fuppofed to be diredled to the Son, and Holy Ghoft, as well as to the Father. We read that the Creator is blef- fed for ever ". The Spirit is Creator as well as the Father and Son, and therefore the doxology belongs to him as well as to them ; For it is biit reafonable to fuppofe, that where there is an unity of effence and ope- ration, there fhould be an unity of gloryo According to what Chrift teaches ^ *^He that honours not the Son, honours not the Father j for, faid he, I and my Father are One "* *\ So, with refpecft to the Holy Ghoft, he has the fame nature with the Father > for he proceeds from him, and he has the fame ef- »■ Iren. adv. Heief. I. 5. c, 18. cited above. ^Johni. I. ' I John V. 7. "Rom. i. 15. ' ,y John V. 19)30* fential provdfrom the Wor/Lip given him. 1 8 5 (ential attributes, and does the fame works which belong only to God ; and therefore he mull be allow'd to have a communion with the Father, in honour and glory, as he has in elTence and operation. It is, in ano- ther place, faid, " Of God, and through him, and to him, are all things : To whom be glory for ever. Amen ^ ". God, as in- cluding Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, feems here to be the objedt of the doxolo2;y. And when it is faid, *' Now to the king, eternal, immortal, invifible, the only wile God, be honour and glory, for ever and ever. Amen^. As the Holy Ghofl is eternal, immortal, in- yilible, and the only wile God, as well as the Father and the Son ; fo to him we may well fuppofe the honour and glory to be af- cribed, together with the Father and the Son. A great many other inftances of this fore might be produced 3 butlfliall only add here, ;hat when we fee other parts of religious worihip given to the Holy Ghofl, as in prayer, praife, baptifm, and fwearing by his name, no reafon can be given why he (liould be excluded in the doxologies w! ich are of- fer'd to God, without any thing in the text or context, to confine them to the Father, or to the Father apd the Son only. If the fcriptures prove a Tinity in Unity, and the word God often means the Father, * Rem. >i. 36. y I Titr. i. 17. Son, 1 86 The Holy Spirals Divinity Son, and Holy Spirit, as has been proved, then it is very juft to underftand thofe doxo- logies to be afcrihed to the Holy Ghoft, as v^ell as to the other perfons, which are di- recfled indefinitely to God, without naming any one particular perfon. There is a glory due to God's name ; and no perfon who has the name of God in him, or his divine perfedions, as the Holy Ghoft has, is to be excluded from that glory which is due to his name. Let it be farther ob- ferved, that the fcriptural doxologies are but occafionally mentioned ; and though they fhew the lawfulnefs and need of fuch addref- fes to God ; yet they were never defigned as ftanding forms to be continued in the church; nor would the total want of fuch forms in fcripture, prove that no fuch ad- dreffes are to be made to God, feeing we are commanded to give to him glory a,nd ftrength, the glory due to his name. I will clofe this propofition with one inftance, to the pur- pofe before mentioned ; which is this ; " Glory to God in the higheft, on earth peace, and good will towards men ^ ". What rcafon can be given, why the Holy Ghoft fhould not be included in this doxo- logy, when he is fo much interefted in the things mentioned in it, and that wonder- ful event which was the occafion of it ? ' Luke ii. 14. It prov'd from the JVorfhip given him, 1 8 7 It was the Holy Ghoft who form'd Chrift's human nature in the womb of the virgin; it was he who affifted that nature, in tempta- tions, preaching, working miracles, fufFer- ing death, and in Chrift's refurredtion from the dead ; it is the Holy Ghoft that fends and afTifts .the meflengers of peace, flays the enmity, and brings the peace of God into the heart, and fheds abroad the love and good willof the Father there: And, after all, muft he be excluded from that glory which is due, and given to God on thefe ac- counts ? (3.) In fcripture we have thofe commands relating to the Holy Ghoft, as fhew him to be a prpper object of doxology, and fome examples of it. This is included in the form of baptifm, which is in the name of the Holy Ghoft, as well as of the Father and Son, ^nd includes not only invocatings, but thankfgivings, as was hinted before. Hence St. Bafil % who well underftood this matter, fays, ** We are to be baptized, as we nave received the form delivered to us, and to believe as we are baptized , and to glorify as We believe ay'tov ^ycifxa. Baiil Ep. Ixxviii. Tom. iii. p. 139. iTTotuffetfxi'^ei. Id. de Sp. banft. Tom. ii. p. 5^. See Lr. Berrimaa's fcafoaable Review of y;;ikUive Doxo^ logies, p. j/j, IS, the 1 8 8 The Holy Spirit's "Divinity the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft. And again, we make the confeffion of faith, as it were the beginning and mother of the doxolo- gy ". There is a doxology to the Holy Ghoft, in Ifaiah's vifion ; where we find the feraphs crying, " Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of Hofts ; the whole earth is full of his glory ^*' The Lord of Hofts here fignlfies God, in- cluding Father, Son and Spirit : None will exclude the Father ; Sr. John applies the paflage to the Son ; and Paul " interprets ic of the Holy Ghoft -, for the Lord of Hofts, who is faid to utter his voice, and fay, " Whom fhall I fend ? and who will go for us*'? and who faid, *' Go and tell this people^": This Lord, according to Paul, is the Holy Ghoft. As Father, Son and Spirit have one undi- vided eflence"^, fo they have one undivided glory ; it is therefore no contradidlion for the glory to belong to all Three, and to be afcribed to the Three Perfons in the God- head : 'Thofe words, " Who will go for us *\ fignify that the Lord of Hofts, -whofe glory Ifaiah faw, includes more than one perfon : And it has been an ancient opinion, that the threefold repetition of the word holy, refers to a trinity of perfons in the di- vine eflence. There are others, indeed, who * Ifa. vi. ^ John xii. 41, ^ Afts xxviii. 25, &c. . * Vide Wicfius's Mifcd. Vol. ii. p, 10. make provdjrom the Wor/lip given him. 189 make light of this notion ; but the famous Turrentine % I find, approves it, becaufe the feraphs fong is to Jehovah, who is Three in One ; and becaufe it is faid, " Who will go for us *' y and the command given the pro- phet, not only refpedts the Father, but alfo the Son, and Holy Ghoft, according to the New Teftament application of it; and there- fore the Holy Ghoft is the object of this doxology. Another learned writer ^ fets this in a clear light, and in a few words ; " The Holy Spirit, fays he, is ador'd by the fe- raphs ; for he who faid to the prophet, *' Go make the ears of this people heavy ", is ho- nour'd by the angels with this celeftial doxo- logy : But this was the Holy Spirit, as the Apoftle teftifies, he therefore is adored by the feraphs. The apoftle Paul having told the Corin- thians, that their bodies were the temples of the Holy Ghoft, he enjoins them to glorify God, or God the Spirit in their bodies, and fpirits s, which were his j he having ta- ken pofleffion of them, and dwelling in them as his temple -, what could be a more natural and ftrong inference from thence, than this that they ihould give him honour and glory. The apoftle fays, *' To him that is able to do exceedingly above all that * Inftit. Pari I. p. 504. ^ Gcrh. in !oc. Thtol. Parti, p, »9l. * 1 C«r. vi. 19, 10. we 190 Thff Holy Spirit^ s Divinity wc afk or chink, according to the power that works in us, (the power of the Spirit menti- oned) to him be glory in the church, now and for evermore ^ ". The Holy Gholl being the neareft antecedent, it looks as if he particu- larly were the objedl of the doxology j but I fubmit it to the judgment of others, and will not be too dogmatical. I will add one fcripture more, which was taken notice of before ; " Of him, and through Kim, and to him, are all things, to him be glory for ever. Amen » ". That is, fays a learned and accurate writer ^, to the one fupreme God, fubfifting in a trinity of perfons, be glory 5 " Of him, referring to the Father, through him, referring to the Son, and to him, or in him, pointing out the Holy Ghoft. Thus I have given fome inftance of doxo- logies to the Holy Ghoft; in fcripture, and injunftions to give him glory; which may juftify the making him the diftinft objedt of doxology ; that the fcripture does not more abound in examples of this kind, may be ac- counted for by this, that the glorifying of Chrift being the grand defign of the miffion of the Holy Spirit, it is no wonder that he ** Eph. iiL 10, ii. ^ Rom. xi. 36. ^ Dr. Berriman's fecond Review, p. 54. See Dr. KnigKt's Scripture Dodrine continued, p. 98. Balil, Ambrofe, Auguft, thus undcrilood it, Ibidc docs prov*J from the Worfhip given him. I91 does not more abound in the afcriptions of glory to himfelf. To clofe this, if the Holy Ghoft is not true and real God, he has not a right to any a upon the clear, explicit, and certain know- ledge of which, he is confident, the divine and falutary influences of the Spirit do not depend. To what purpofe then has he troubled the world with a difcourfe of about one hundred and twenty pages, to puzzle himfelf and his readers, with his ideas and reprefentations of the Holy Spirit, with ob- ied:ions againft his real perfonality, and with mifinterpreting many texts of fcripture, to draw them in to the fupport of his dark and confufed hypothefis. But however, in the opinion of fome of fuperior penetration and ludgment, the knowledge and belief of the perfonality of the Holy Spirit, is no fuch indifferent matter as he thinks. The learned Dr. Jonathan Edwards "" has obferved, that on difowning the perfonality of the Holy Ghoft, the neceQity of his grace, and the efficacy of his operations upon the minds of men, muft fall to the ground. And elfewhere " he has thefe words ; " Whether they can be led by that fpirit who blafpheme his perfon, and not only refufe his affiftance, but fcoflF at, ridi- cule, and deride it, it will become them fe- rioufly and timely to confider ". Dr. Owen • fays, that " if men prevail in the oppofition they make to the Spirit's perfon, it is to no great purpofe to concern our felves in his operations, for the foundation of any fabrick "* Prefervative againft Socinianfm, Pc. I. p. 6. " Ibid» Pt. III. p. i6i. • Of che Spirit, p. 46. being proved from Scripture. 009 being taken away, the fuperftrudture will be of no ule nor abide ". We have been told, by a late known wri- ter, that " the proper, diflin^ft and real charaifJiivuy, uv to fxtV 2(Xlct9 r, fent by Chrift from the Father to the Apo- ftles : But if the words are underftood of the Holy Ghoft, as a real perfon, the fenfe is eafy and clear, and that they are fo intended, what follows, makes evident j " Even the Spirit of truths which proceeds from the Father^ h^ (hall teftify of me '\ To call God's Q:;;i effiei- aiS The spirit^ s real Terjomlity efficient power the Spirit of truth ; and for Chrift to fay, He, the efficient power of God, fliall teftify of me, is, I think, very unintelligible language, not likely to be ufed by him, who is the wifdom of God, and who fpoke as never man did. The perfonal pronoun, a'j7sv, Him, is ap- ply'd to the Holy Ghoft by Chrift, in thefe words; ** If I go not away, the Comforter will not come to you ; but if I depart, I win fend him to you •" *' ; what, fend him a faculty, property, or efficient power of God, or him the Comforter, a real divine perfon ? The diftinftive charaders of a perfon, are plainly apply'd to the Holy Ghoit, ia thefe words ; " The Comforter, the Holy Ghoft ^ (for the words " which is '\ are not in the original) whom the Father will fend in my name, he fhall teach you all things ". Here the perfonal terms He, and Whom, are ap- ply'd to the Holy Spirit -, and the mafculine pronoun. He, being joined with the word Spirit, which is a noun of the neuter gender, is a ftrong expreffion of the perfonality of the Spirit, as the criticks have obferved : That Spirit, that Holy Spirit, whom the Father will fend in my name, he fhall ' teach you all things j if thefe expreffions do not fignify * John xvi. 7. ^ John xiv. 26. * When (k«p©-, that perfon, the Spirit of truth, if comc* pr. Clark'i Scri^cur^ Do^iae, p, 2.qi. provd from Scripture. 11^ a real perfon, what words can do it " ? What fenfe would it be to fay, the Comfor- ter, God's efficient power, that Spirit, that holy one, whom the Father will fend in my name, he, chat efficient power of God, (hall teach you all things ? Did God fend his efficient power, in the name of Chrift, and as a teacher of all things? and muft we noc underftand thefe words of an intelligent, fub- fiftent, or real perfon in the Godhead, cal- led the Holy Ghoft, to whom fuch diftin^ dive perfonal charadters do belong ? Another place, in which the Holy Spirit is fpoke of in the ftrongell terms of perfona- lity, is this ; " When he is come, he (hall reprove the world of fin; and he will guide you into all truth ; for he fhall not fpeak of himfelf; but what he (hall hear, that fhall he fpeak ; and he fhall ihew you things to come ; he fhall glorify me ; for he fhall re- ceive of mine, and fliall fhew it unto you ^' ". Where the perfonal pronoun. He, is ap- ply'd, no lefs than {even times to the Spirit ; and bendes, the word himfelf plainly de- notes a perfon, as alfo do his reproving, his guiding, his fpeaking, his hearing, his Ihew- ing, his glorifying Chrift, and his receiving of his things. " *E;tHj'©- vfxeL^ J^iJ^ai^€i, praecelTiC to 'srvivua Ta aytou, Conftriidio igitur refcrcur ad fcnfum, & pronon.iae mafcu- iino notatur manifeftc per fona. Pifcat. Schpl. in lor, ^ John xvi. 8, 1 3. ^ Q. 3 The ^30 The Spirit's real Terfonality The Application. Is the Holy Spirit a real infinite perfon ? What reafon have we to feek, defire, and rejoice in the communion of the Holy Ghoft ? What fatisfadtion others may take in denying or oppofing the perfonality of the Holy Ghoft, I know not ; but furely it may be a great pleafure and comfort to every fe- rious Chriftian, that he has not a divine power only, but an infinitely knowing, gracious, and faithful perfon to apply tq, and converfe with, in all his circumftances of fin, forrow, and danger, or of joy, de- light, and comfort in this world. He that dwells in the faints, and is their guide and comforter, is not a mere divine power, that has fpme perfeftions, but an infinite, intelli- gent, gracious perfon, who has all the di- vine perfeftions, inherent in himfelf, and is capable of exerting them for our good, as he pleafes : When we feek his aid, we apply to one who knows our cafe, and is full of grace and truth, and can hold communion with us, in adls of power, faithfulneis, pity, grace, and love. As it is a greater comfort to con- verfe with a living friend, who is wife and good, and can accommodate himfelf to the prefent occafion, than barely to converfe with his dead writings, fo I fhould think it may be a matter of exceeding joy, and en- I courage- proved from Scripture. a 5 1 couragemenr, to have all our fpiritual con- cerns in the hands of fo great and glorious a perfon, as the Holy Spirit, who knows our hearts and circumftances, and is able and ready to help us againft all our infirmities, to fhew us the things of Chrift, and to (hed the love of God abroad in our hearts, and carry on his good work to the day of Chrift. What greater bleffing could the Apoftle de- fire for the Corinthians, than the commu- nion of the Holy Ghoft "" ? Let us then love and adore his perfon, value his operations, and cherifli his good motions. As the Spirit is an intelligent, free agent, he is capable of knowing and refenting our diirefpedt and difobedience to him ; and therefore we fliould carefully avoid offending him, by in- dulging fin, or lefiening the glory oi his perlon, or of his work. Let me therefore fay to you, as Paul faid to his beloved Philippians, " If there be any fellowfhip of the Spirit, fulfil you my joy J be you like minded. Work out your own falvation with fear and trembling. For it is God (the Spirit, that holy and gracious perfon) who works in you, to will and to do of his own good pleafure ^ '' : May he efta- blifh your hearts unblameable in holinefs i May the great Comforter comfort your hearts, and eftablifh you in every good word * a Cor. xiii. 14. ^ Phil. li. i, 2, 11, 1 3. 0^4 and 5^2 The Spirit^ s real Terfomlity^ Sec. and work. Let us, I befeech you, ftrive toge- ther in prayer for the communion of the Holy Ghoft, that he may glorify Chrift in our hearts, and change us into his image, from glory to glory ; and may be in us a well of water fpringing up to eternal life ; that we may live in the Spirit, and walk in the Spirit, be filled with the Spirit, fow to the Spirit, and of the Spirit reap life cver- lafting. Finally, let us keep in view the dignity of Jiis perfon, and the excellency of his work, that we may own and honour him, accords ing to the divine charafters given him infcrip- ture, and particularly in my text ; wherein his perfonality, proceflion from the Father, miflion, and work, are reprefented fo clear- ly by Chrift: "When the Comforter is come, whom I will fend to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, be fhall teftify of me '\ r H E THE REAL PERSONALITY O F T H E HOLY SPIRIT PROVED FROM SCRIPTURE S E R M O N 11. Preached May 19, 1730. JOHN XV. a6. When the Comforter is come^ whom I mil fend to you from the Father^ even the Spirit of truth, vohich proceeds from the Father^ HE jhajl tefiify of me. IN thefe words the Perfonality, Proceffion, Miflion, Work, and Office of the Holy Spirit are declared} an entrance has been made on the firft of thefe, the pTOot ef the perfonality of the Holy Spirit. 2 54- The S fir lis real Terfonality I here, by way of preliminary, fhew'd what is meant by the word perfon, and then I proceeded to prove, that the Holy Spirit is not a figurative, but real perfon ; and one argument for it was drawn from the a£ls and operations of the Holy Spirit, relating to the other perfons in the Godhead, as his fearch- ing all the deep things of God, and making known his will, taking of the things of Chrift, and his proceeding from the Father ; his coming, as fent by the Father j his ma- king interceflion to the Father ; the fame thing appears to be true ; becaufe the defini- tion, as a real divine perfon, belongs to the Spirit. This was explained, and apply'd, in the fcveral parts of the definition, as being a fubfiftent in the divine efl^ence, having un- derftanding, will, and diftinftive operations afcribed to him : A farther evidence was the application of the diftin6t:ive, perfonal cha- rafters, I, Thou, He, to the Spirit in fcrip- ture. The fum and force of the argument is this ; He to whom the diftinftive perfonal characters belong, is a real perfon : But the diftinftive perfonal characters belong to the Holy Ghoft, and are often apply*d to him in fcripture : Therefore the Holy Ghoft is a real perfon, diftindt from the Father and the Son. Prop. IV. That the Holy Spirit is a real perfon, appears from the inftituted form of baptifm^ proved from Scripture. a^c jbaptifm, which is in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoft. All allow the Father, in the form of bap- tifm, to denote a real perfon ; and there is the fame evidence that the Son and Spirit are al- fo real perfons ; for there is not the leaft dif- ference between them in that refpedt fignir lied. And, in the nature of the thing, it is neceflarily imply'd, or fuppofed, whether we regard the authority of the facrcd Three, which is fignified thereby, or the covenant, which therein is equally and jointly fealed with them. It would be very ftrange to en- ter into covenant with one or two divine per- fons, and a third, that is only a divine power, and no real perfon ; or to be fubjedl to the authority of one or two divine perfons, and to a third, which is only a divine power or faculty in God ; and that we fliould ftipulate obedience and fubjeftion to the perfon of the Father, who muft be fuppofed to include all divine eflential powers and perfedlions, and then over again to one divine eflential power, faculty, or perfedion ; what a confufed and abfurd a reprefentation of the Chriflian ii^- ftitution would this be ? It is worthy of notice, that the articlp T« is thrice repeated ; tS cr-a?*^'; tS i^5 jC) ri ay!^ rArv'cVjLcalocy in the form of baptifm, to denote the diftin(5t perfonality of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoft. And if the Father is, m baptifm, worlhipped as a per- fon, a^f> The Spirit^s real Terfonakty fon, fo is the Son, and (o is the Holy Ghoft. To have our religious worftiip, in baptifm, dire(fled to one divine perfon, the Father, to one human perfon, the Son, and to one di- vine power or facuhy, the Holy Ghoft, un- der the fame name and form, is to introduce a flrange confufion into this eminent part of religious worfliip ; and muft greatly diftradt the minds of the worftiippers, as well as puz- zle their underftandings, if they ferioully confider what they are doing. But allowing the Holy Ghoft to be a divine perfon, and worfhipping him as fuch, the difficulty and confufion are avoided, and we know what and why we worfhip ; even one God, inclu- ding Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, as the fcripture reveals him. " We are, as Dr. Owen obferves % baptized, ef; tS oro/^a, into his name ; and no fenfe can be affixed to thefe words but what includes his perfonali- ty "• " And, as another learned writer ^ fays, why, with as good reafon, ffiould we not be confecrated into the name of the divine goodnefs, of the divine juftice, of the divine wifdom, or of any other divine attribute, as into the name of the divine power ? Yea, as he obferves, fuperfluoufly, and to no pur- pofe, does the Holy Ghoft feem to be ad- joined, if by it nothing befides the divine ef- ficacy is defigned ? for acknowledging the * Dr. Owen of the Spirit, p. 51. ^ Di. Barrow's fecond Vol. p. 453, Fa- proved from Scripture. 057 Father, we withal acknowledge his power and efficacy, congruous to the divine na- ture ; worfhipping the Father, we together adore his power j devoting our felves in obedience to the Father, we likewife fubjed: our felves to his power -, as if one has promi- fed faith and loyalty to the king, he herein has abundantly fatisfied his duty; fo that there is no farther need to profefs himfelf devo- ted to the king*s power or efficacy, who fees not that in fuch a cafe it is fuperfluous and idle, to fever the king from his royal pow- er *'. But the Holy Ghoft being a real per- fon in the Godhead, fufficient reafon appears for our being devoted to him, or confecrated and baptized into his name. Prop. V. Another proof of the perfonality of the Holy Ghoft, we have in thefe words -, ** The Spirit himfelf bears witnefs with our fpirir, that we are the fons of God "^ '\ We have here the witnefs of the Spirit, diftinguiftied from the teftimony of our own fpiritsj our own fpirits can witnefs our adoption only by the fandlifying work of the Holy Spirit upon them ; that other teftimo- ny whereby the Spirit is faid to witnefs with our Spirits, muft be fomething diftinft from this, and confequently what is called the im- mediate teftimony of the Spirit ; which is f Rom. viii. I^« the 258 Tbe Spint^s real Terfonality the work not of a divine power, but of a divine perfon, who fees and judges, and fpeaks in his own name, and fhews a belie- ver the true ftate of his foul. To apply this to God's efficient power, muft be very ab- furd J for though that may make a change in us, which is the matter of our own tefti* mony, that we are the children of God ; yet this power cannot be faid to Witnefs with our fpirits, with regard to this work ; for that would be for this power to witnefs with it felf, and fo the teftimony would be biit one ; whereas in the cited text, it is fpoke of as twofold, that of the Holy Spirit, and that of our own fpirits. It is hard, if not impof- fible, to conceive how a divine power fhould, in a way diftindt from its work upon us, witnefs our adoption ; but it is eafy tb con- ceive, that a divine perfon may do it by his own immediate teftimony, added to that of our own fpirits ; which therefore is called a witneffing with our fpirits. A parallel text, which may illuftrate anci confirm our interpretation, and (hew it to be agreeable to the analogy of faith, is this ; " In whom alfo, after that you believed, you were fealed with that Holy Spirit of pro- mife ^ ". By fealing here, we muft under- ftand the afluring our hearts, concerning our right to the inheritance ; this is faid to be done proved from Scripture. 259 done after believing : So it is not the work of faith, but fomething diftinft from it, which is this feal, the immediate witnefs and teftimony of the Spirit, as Dr. Goodwin ex- plains it^ ; and he confirms it by that text, " There are three that bear record on earth ; the Spirit, the water, and the blood ^"; where, by the witnefs of the Spirit, he un- derftands the immediate witnefs of the Spi- rit, diftind: from the other two, the water, and the blood. The teftimony of the Spirit is an overpowering light from the Holy Ghoft, afluring the perfon that he is the Lord's ^ The feal of great perfons is fet without hand or witnefTes, as the broad ieal among us is. Thus the Holy Spirit, in his own light and authority, affures the Chriftian of his intereft in the heavenly inheritancCc Now this fealing and witneffing muft be the work of an intelligent agent, a real perfon ; and, being the work of the Holy Ghoft, proves him to be an intelligent agent, a real perfon. When the Spirit is faid to witnefs with our fpirits, that we are the children of God, it is not, as has been obferved \ the teftimony of the graces and operations of the Spirit, but of the Spirit it felf. A Chriftian's own • Dr. Goodwin's Expofition on the Ephef, Sermon xvi. p. zo6, Z07. ^ I John v. 8. ' Vide Dr. Owen of the Spirit, p. i<58« ^ Continuation of Pool's Annot. in loc. fpirit 340 The Spirits real Terfonality fpirit v^itncfles to him his own adoption -, h« finds in himfelt, upon diligent fearch and examination, the manifeft figns and tokens thereof; but this teftimony of it felf is weak, and Satan has many ways and wiles to inva- lidate it : Therefore, for more aflurance, it is confirmed by another, and greater tefti- mony, and that is of the Spirit himfelf ; he witnefles with our fpirits, and feals it up to us : He witnefles to our fpirits, by an imme- diate teftimony 5 and he witnefles with our fpirits, by a conjuniflive and concurrent tefti* mony : This muft be the work ^^ real perfon. Prop* VI. A farther proof of the perfona- lity of the Holy Spirit may be taken from his appearance at the time of Chrift's baptifm in a vifible ftiape and form *. In that hiftory we have an account of three who appear'd in their diftindl perfona- lities ; the Father, who fpoke from heaven; the Son, who afcended up out of Jordan ; and the Spirit, who defcended from heaven, and refted upon him. Here it is weakly ob- jected, that a dove, in whofe form the Spirit defcended, is not a perfon, and therefore the Spirit that defcended is not a perfon. For it is not faid, that a dove defcended, but that f©me perfon, or thing, defcended, in the I Matt, iii, i6i iikc** pYOvd from Scripture. s^ i likehefs, or form of a dove : And the aftions of defcending, and abiding, or refting upon Chrift, are perfonal actions, never afcribed to powers or properties. Where do we read of a divine power, or property, affuming a vifible (hape, or making a vifible defcent, and appearance ? and therefore, as the learn- ed Turretine ^ notes, the Spirit's defcending and refting upon Chrift, fufficiently prove him that defcended, to be a perfon, and noc a quality only \ This was io much the fenfe of the ancients, that it was a ufual faying among them. Go, Arian, to Jordan, and be- hold a Trinity, that is, ofperfons. The fcripture fpeaks of being baptized with the Holy Ghoft ; but this no more hin- ders the Holy SpiritV being a perfon, than our putting on Chrift denies his being a per- fon : It is evident, that in both the alleged cafes, the expreffions are figurative arid me- taphorical : But what has been alleged con- cerning the defcent of the Holy Ghoft, ac Chrift's baptifm, is a plain hiftory of matter of fadt, in which there is no figure or me- taphor. Prop. VIL Perfonal afFedions and dlfpo- fitions are, in fcripture, afcribed to the Holy Spirit i therefore he is a perfon, ^ Tnfticut. par. I. p. 294. ^ Gifcs are faid to come from above, but not ia a vi(ible (hape. Tames i. 17. R The ^4^ The Spirit's real Terjonaltty The Holy Spirit is faid to be vexed "* : This is proper to be faid of a perfon that has un- derftanding, will, and refentment ; but to fpeakof a vexed power, or property, is con- trary to the common ufe of language, and the fenfe of mankind ; nor do I find the word " vexed " once in all the fcripture, ap- plied to any thing but a perfon, except in that one paflage, wherein the Pfalmift fays, " Heal me, for my bones are vexed " " ; where the inftrument is evidently put for the fubjedt of the vexation, his foul, or intel- leftual part. The Spirit of God is faid to be grieved ** , but who ever heard of a grieved power or property ? nor can it be fo taken in the cited text J which evidently fpeaks of a perfon, and afcribes to him a glorious perfonal work, the fealing us to the day of redemption, which the Apoftle hints as a reafon why we fhould not be ungrateful to him, who does fuch great things for us, or from whom fuch a be- nefit is derived. We likewife read of the love p of the Spi- rit 3 as elfe where of his grace and goodnefs; all which are perfonal difpofitions and af- fedions ; and being applied to the Holy Ghoft in fuch places, and in fuch a manner, as gives us not the leaft reafon to fufped: a trope or figure is ufed, we have realon to "» Ifa. Ixiii. 10. " Pfal, vi. i. » Ephef. iv. 30. ' Rom. XV. 30. take fYOV^d from Scripture] a 4.^ take them as indications of the real perfona- lity of the Holy Ghoft j for to talk of a lo* ving power, that has neither underftanding nor will belonging to it, is mere trifling, noc to fay abfurd : And every ching that has un- derftanding and will, and power of opera- tion, is a real perfon. Prop. VIII. Perfonal jpowers and proper- ties are, in fcripture, alcribed to the Holy Spirit J therefore he is a real Perlbn. We read '^ of the mind of the Spirit, even of that Spirit who helps our infirmities, which is the Holy Spirit. By ** mind ", a power of a rational agent is intended, and, I think, not one inftance can be produced from fcripture, of its being apply'd to any other kind of things. If then the Holy Spirit has a mind, he is a real perfon* The apoftle Paul fays, " And he that fearches the hearts, knows the mind ''^ of the Spirit, becaufe he makes interceffion for the faints, according to the will of God. He that hasa defign to carry on, an intention to accomplifh, muft be an intelligent volun- tary agent, and confequently a real perfon : It would found very harfh and abfurd, to all ttien of fenfcj to talk of the defign and in- *i Rom. viii. 17, ^ Ic is not indeed m, but Of Jr/^^^t, which comprehends under it the ad and exercife, boch of the mind and will, ia kom. viii. 7. it feems to be taken for the faculty, or power, (called the mindj the carnal mind is snmity. Leigh's Critic. Sacra, in verb. s R 2 tention 044- T'^^^ Spirt t^s real Terfonality tention of an efficient power, which is al- ways adled and direfted according to the de- fign and intention of another. Perhaps it may be faid, does not the mind of the Spirit here mean the defign and inten- tion of God the Father, ading by his Spirit, or efficient power ? But this evafion will not do in this place, nor does it carry any proba- bility in it, becaufe the mind of the Spirit is di- llinguiffied from him that fearches the heart, or God the Father, who knows the mind of the Spirit ; for otherwife the fenfe would be this; God the Father knows what defigns and intentions he will accomplifh by his efficient power -, and fo there would be a diftindtlon without a difference ; for the fearcher of hearts, and the mind of the Spi- rit, would be all one; and alfo the inter- cefTor, and he to w^hom the interceffion is made. The fum of the Apoille's argu- ment feems to be this ; that the Holy Spirit, " with a defign agreeable to the will of God, forms and excites holy defires and bieathings in the fouls of believers, and God- the Father attending to the meaning and defign of the Holy Spirit, in thofe prayers, hears and an- fwers them, knowing them to be agreeable to his own will. The Spirit is, in the fcripture I am confi- dering, not only diflinguifli'd from him that fearches the hearts, but alfo from the faints or believers, '^ He, that perfon, the Holy Spirit, provd from Scripture. 2^5 Spirit, makes interceffion for the faints, ac* cording to the will of God, or more ftridlly, according to the original *", according to God " ; as fome tliink, according to his di- vine nature, which caules him to fugged to the faints fuch things as are agreeable to the Father's will ; for the Father and Spirit be- ing one in nature, are confequently one in defign ; and as the Spirit fearches all the deep things of God, fo God knows what the Holy Spirit intends in thofe unutterable de- fircs, which he raifes in the hearts of Chri- flians ; for they cannot but be agreeable to his own nature and v*^ill. An underflanding is predicated of him, or afcribed to him, in the prophetic account of the gift of the Spirit to Chrift, which, in the New Teftament, is faid to be without meafure, or limitation ^ The prophet Ifai- ah " firft defcribes the Spirit tliat (hould reft upon Chrift as a Spirit of wifdom and un- derflanding, to fliew what he is in himfelf ; and then what fliould be the effcft of his reft- ing on Chrift*s human nature ; he ihould make him of ^quick underflanding in the fear of the Lord ; and he that teaches man knowledge, fliali not he know ? And if he is an intelligent agent, certainly he is a perfon: To talk of ^n underflanding, efficient power, ^ YLctld Oiov. Thefe words, " the will of ", are not in the Greek text ; but may be underftood as now explain'd. ' John iii. 3^. " Ifa. ii. 2. R 3 is. 046 The Spirit^s real Terfonality 5s, I think, if not to lie down in darknefs, yet to talk in the dark, and to give us very cloudy and confufed, inftead of clear ideas, in a matter of fuch great importance : But if by Spirit we underftand not an efficient power, but a real perfon, the fenfe is clear and plain, and the reafon appears why he is ftiled a Spirit of wifdom and underftanding, and knowledge. The apoftle Paul has fpoke thus ; " The things of God knows no one but the Spirit of God. He fearches all things, even the deep things of God "^ " : Therefore he muft be an intelligent agent, a real perfon. To evade the force of this argument, we have been told, that the Spirit of God here fignifies God himielf ''. That the Spirit is God, and in that fenfe fignifies God himfelf, we not only allow, but earneftly contend for ; but that the Spirit here fpoke of, is not God the Father, is evident, by his being diftinguifh- ed from him -, when it is faid, " God has re- vealed them to us by his Spirit ", is it by himfelf ? " the Spirit fearches all things, even the deep things of God " : God the Father fearches all things, even his own deep things 5 for fo the fenfe muft be, if the Spirit is not a diflinft perfon from him, whofe things he is faid to fearch and reveal. Farther, when it is faid, in the context, ** W^ have Z I Cor. ii, 10, 1 1, ^ Watts's fifth pifleit. p. 130. a re- provd from Scripture, 14.7 received the Spirit, which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given us of God ", is the meaning, we have received God the Father, which is of God, that we might know the things which are freely given us of God the Father ? Or can the meaning be, that we have received the efficient power, which is of God, and fearches all the deep things of God, that we might know the things that are freely gi- ven us of God ? In {hort, as ads of underftanding and knowledge are afcrib*d to the Spirit, here fpoke of, fuch as can be the ads only of a di- vine infinite perfon ; and feeing this divine infinite perfon is diftinguiftied from God the Father, we may juftly conclude that the Holy Spirit is that divine infinite perfon, to whom this knowledge and this underftanding are afcribed. The fcriptures reprefent the Spirit as ha- ving a will ; and whatever is endowed with an intelligent will, is a perfon ^. This is imply'd in thofe words, " As the wind blows where it lifts, fo is every one that is born of the Spirit ^ ". The Holy Spirit ads with freedom of will in regenerating men ; <' Of his own will begot he us, by the word of truth ^ ". The Apoftle Paul having given us a l^rge enumeration of the Spirit's gifts, which y Owen of the Spirit, p. 57- * John iii. 8. * James i, i8, R 4 flow O4.8 The Spirits real Terfonality flow from the Holy Spirit, he adds thefe re- markable words, full to our purpofe ; ** All thefe things works that one and the felf-fame Spirit, dividing to every man feverally as he will ^". Thefe laft words, " he will ", are very ftrong perfonal terms, wherein not on- ly the perfonal pronoun, " he ", hut alfo the /' ,^ perfonal power of a will, is afcribed to the i^ Holy Ghoft, and without a figure mud be- long to him ; otherwife the whole hiflory to which thefe paflages relate, muft be a mere fancy and fable : For to talk of the will of an efficient power, that is no perfon, is to me unintelligible language, and as mere a found of words without ideas, as fome other fentences have been to others. Befides, jf we afcribe a diftindl will to one power of God, as fuppofe his efficient power, which we are told, is the Holy Spirit, why may we not to another power, and indeed, to every power and perfcdlion of the divine nature ? and then we fhall not have one will in God, but many -, which, I fear, will be as unin- telligible as the do(5lrine of three proper perfons in the Godhead. The text laft cited, " dividing to every man feverally as he will ", afcribed to the one and felf fame Spirit, carries in it fo clear a diftind:ion of the one Spirit, from his vari- ous gifts, and fuch ftrong expreffion§ of his ^ I Cor, xii, II. free proved from Scripture. n\(^ free choice an^ommunications, which are ads of will, as well as of power, that the adverfaries of the perfonality of the Holy Ghoft, are here driven to their miferable fhift of profopopoeias and figures, heap'd one upon another; which is the laft fupport of a dcfperate caufe. Of this fome notice fliall be taken, when I come to anfwcr the objeftions raifed againft this truth ; and therefore I ihall not interrupt the feries of this difcourfe by confidering it here. There are likewife many texts which fpeak of the works of the Holy Ghoft, which neceffarily include in them adls of underftanding and will, which might be brought in here ; but, to avoid repetition, I refcrve them for that branch of the fubjecSt. We read ' of divers gifts of the Holy Ghoft, according to his own will ; if we refer the words, " accord- ing to his own will ", to the neareft antece- dent, which is the moft natural conrtrudlion, then they plainly declare, the Holy Ghoft to be endowed with a will, which is proper to a perfon ; and this fenfe of the words agrees with the text laft before mentioned ; and indeed, with the immediate fubjed: matter of the context, figns and wonders, and divers miracles and gifts, of which the Holy Ghoft was the efticient caufe, and that in a voluntary and fovereign way and manner. fHeb.ii.4. Theo- 350 The SpirU^s real Terfonality Theophyladt upon the place rfius underftands it ; " The diftributions of the Spirit, fays the Apoflle, are made according to his own will -y he knows whac h proper for every one, and accordingly diftributes his gift and grace '^ ". By this will, Otcumenius ^ alfo underftands the will of the Holy Ghoft ; and fo it is taken by many modern interpreters. Crellius, in contradiftion to the apparent fenfe of the text, by the gifts of the Holy Ghoft ^, would have us underftand the di- ftribution of the Holy Ghoft it felf, by God the Father to believers, in various meafures, as he pleafes, which could not be faid of a perfon : But this is not to interpret the text according to the analogy of faith. We elfe- where ^ find the Holy Ghoft to be the di- ftributer of the gifts, and not to be the things diftrlbuted, but the efficient caafe of them i " All thefe works that one and felf fame gpiric, dividing, or difiributing to every man as he, that felf fame Spirit, v/ill '\ If the Spirit is the fame thing with the gifts, why are the gifts fo many, and th^ Spirit but one and the felf fame ? And why does the author of the epiftle to the Hebrews fpeak of the gifts in the plural number, and of the Holy Ghoft ^, in the Angular num- ber ? Therefore adhering to our intcrpreca- ^ Thcophyl. in loc. ' Vide Oecumen, in loc. ^ CrelL '^t uno Deo, Cap. ix. ^ 1 Cor. xii. 11. tion provJ from Scripture. 151 tion of the text, we may ftill retain it, as an evidence that the Holy Ghoft has a will, or afts in a voluntary way, and therefore is not a figurative, but real proper perfon. A will is afcribed to the Holy Ghoft in thofe places where he is faid, to command, call, fend forth, forbid, or not to fuffer or permit '* the Holy Ghoft faid, feparate me Barnabas and Saul to the work whereto I have called them ' " ; feparate me, are words of command, and every command is a fignification of the will and pleafure of him that gives it. Calling to a work fome perfons in diftindlion from others, is the work of will and choice. The fame may be faid of fending forth ; which is alfo af- cribed to the Holy Spirit ; " So they, Bar- nabas and Saul, being fent forth by the Holy Ghoft, departed ^ ". If it fhould be faid, that the command to feparate the Apoftles, and the fending them forth, are afcribed to the Spirit, becaufe thefe things were done by the prophets, un- der the power and influence of the Spirit, and not by the Spirit, as a diftinft, intelli- gent, voluntary agent or perfon. I reply, that there is not in the text, or context, the leaft intimation of the prophets giving out fuch a command, or of their fending forth Parnabas and Saul, but only of their fub- * Aft» xui, 1, 4, I Ver. 4. jedtioa 2 5^ T^be Spirit's real Terfonality jedion and obedience to that Spirit that fpoke, declared by their failing and praying. Befides, thofe words, " feparate me ", or, *' to me ", will not bear, fuch an interpre-^ ration ; for if tliey were the words of the prophets, it {hould have been, feparate us, or to us : But, were Barnabas and Saul fepa- rated to the fervice of the proohets ? or if by '' me ", one eminent prophet were in- tended, which of them was it ? and how could it be faid, whereto I have called them, feeing there were more than one under thisi influence or power of the Holy Ghoft ? But if we take the words as the command and order of the Holy Spirit, as a divine perfon, fignifying his will and pleafure in his own name, though by feveral prophets, as inftru- ments in his hand, then the language is pro- per, and the fenfe is eafy and plain. " To call men to the miniftry is a free adl of authority, choice, and wifdom, which are properties of a perfon, and none other ; nor is either the Father, or the Son, in fcrip- ture, introduced more direcftly clothed with perfonal properties than the Holy Ghoft is in thefe places, as the excellent Dr. Owen ^ has well obferved ". Thofe words, " They were forbidden of the Holy Ghoft to preach the word in Alia ; and they affay'd to go into Bithynia ^ but the I Q£ the Spiritj p. 6i. Spirit proved from Scripture. a^^ Spirit fuffer'd them not "" ", {how that aa the Holy Ghoft fent them forth, fo he or- der'd their courfe, as a voluntary, intelligent agent, or as a real perlbn. The fame might be proved from that obfer- vable text, " It fcem^d good to the Holy Ghoflr, and to us " '\ Where there is an evident di- ftindion between the judgment of the Holy Ghoft, and of the Apoftlcs, and an account of the fubmiffion of the latter to the former ; the word "'ES'c^^, " it feem'd good'*, imports not only an adt of knowledge, but alfo of judg- ment and choice, as well as of authority and power, and being thus apply'd to the Holy Spirit, in diftind:ion from others, muft fig- nify his own immediate power, of knowing, willing, and determining, in the matter pro- pofed j and fo taken, it is a clear proof of his real perfonality -, for, I think, it was never heard, nor can be conceived, that an efficient power (hould thus fee, judge, choofe, and de- termine, and efpecially in diftindlion from them, upon whom it was exerted. The aft of the Holy Ghoft cannot be underftood barely of an influence of divine power upon their underftandings and wills ; for then there would be no diftind:ion between its feeming good to him, and feeming good to them ', but the obvious fenfe is, that the Holy Ghoft, as an intelligent agent, or per- "^ A^s XV!. 6, 7. " Chap. xv. 18. fon. 54- The Sprtis real Terfonaltty fon, judged what is fpoke of to be neceflary j and the Apofties, in fubordination to, and compliance with his determination, and as inftruments of its difcovery, did alfo fo judge and determine. If it feemed good to the Holy Ghoft, in diftinftion from the Apo- fties, then the Holy Ghoft is a perfon diftind from the Apofties ; for both underftanding and will are neceflary to make a thing feem good to another ; but it did feem good to the Holy Ghoft, in diftinftion from the Apo- fties, to enjoin the neceflary things mention- ed, and therefore the Holy Ghoft is a perfon diftinft from the Apofties, endowed with underftanding and will. The Application. 1. Let us believe and hold faft this impor- tant article of our faith, the perfonality of the Holy Spirit. Notwithftanding all the arts that have been ufed, to pervert or ob- fcure it, yet ftill it appears, with fufficient evidence, to be a do(^rine of revelation, clearly and abundantly taught in fcripture, and, as has been obferv'd by a good judge % the univerfal Catholic church always believ'd and taught, that the Holy Spirit is a diftinft perfon from the Father. « Bull, Def. Fid* p. 104. proved from Scripture. 255 It has been infinuated p, that the know- ledge and belief of it are of no great impor- tance in religion, that falutiferous influen- ces do not depend upon it. But I take it to be a dodrine of greater importance than fuch apprehend. How fliould the Spirit fupply Chrift's place, and proted:, guide, and condud the church to glory ? How fhall he apply the redemption which Chrift has procured, if he is not a perfon, a divine, voluntary, intelligent agent ? How fhould Chriftians be afraid of grieving him, and de- firous of being led and comforted by him, if he were no perfon ? What foundation could there be to pray to him, or praife him, to exped or defire his grace or love, his tefti- mony to our adoption, or his teaching us the truths as it is in Jefus, and declaring to us the mind and will of God, if he were only an efficient power, that has no mind or will of its own ? How incompleat and imperfed muft the objed of our religious worrfiip be, if the Holy Spirit be not received as a real perfon in the Godhead, who, together with the Father and the Son, is to be worfliipped and adored ? How is the confolation of the faithful leffened, if not loft, if the perfonal communion of the Spirit, as well as the per- fonal love of the Father, and grace of the Son, be not believed, fought, and enjoy 'd '^ ? P Watts's fifch DifTert. p. 178. ^ 2 Cor. xiii. 14. If 256 The Spiriis real Terfmalhy If the children of God are bound to be- lieve God's fending the Spirit of his Son into their hearts, crying, Abba Father, and that he is another Comforter, diftindl from the Son, who teftifies with our Spirits, that we are the children of God, then we rikift hold the perfonality of the Holy Ghoft ;%ther- wife we cannot take in this falutary dodrine; the knowledge and belief of it, is therefore the foundation of that faith, without which it is impoflible to pleafe God, and confe- quently it is a doctrine of great impor- tance. The perfonal agency of the Holy Spirit being abfolutely neceffary in forming and building the church, which is a habitation of God through the Spirit % and the efficacy of its ordinances depending on his voluntary gifts, influences, and blcffing, his perfonal fubfiftence and operations, are abfolutely ne- ceffary to its being and well being, to its continuance, comfort and edification. Now, if the fupplying Chrifl*s place, and fulfilling his work ; if the being, edification, and comfort of the church, and the regards of Chriftians to the Holy Spirit, their care not to grieve him, and to worfhip and adore him, if the witnefling to our adoption, and our gracious communion with the Holy Ghoft, and our meetnefs for glory depend l^ " Ephef. ii. 2t, Ads ixo $i. Chap, xx* a8. I Cor. xii. on provd from Scripture. i^ b'n the pcrfonal agency and work of the Holy Spirit, then his perfonality is an important article of our faith, which we ought to hold faft, and contend earrieftly for, how eager foever fome are to deftroy It, or how eafy foever others are to give it up, as uneviddnt, and not neceffary to be explicitly, clearly and certainly known, in order to falvation. Such a notion received may induce fome more freely to part with it, and others more fiercely to oppdfe it. But it becomes us to be upon our guard, that none may feduce us, or lead us into any ftrange dodtrines, where* by the perfdnal glory of the Spirit is fo much obfcured, the duty and comfort of Chriftians is fo much obftrudled, and fuch perplexity and confufion is introduced into the oecono- my arid method of our falvation, 2. Let us t^ke heed not t6 grieve the Holy Spirit. Were he only an efficient power, there would be no room for fuch an exhor- tation ; but feeing he is a voluntary, intelli- gent agent, or divine perfon, who knows and refents the difrefpedt that is ftiew'd him^ we ought to take great care not to offend him. He is not to be treated as a mere in- flrument, or fervant, but as God, and fove- reign Lord ; who, ifi applying falvation, works all things according to his own wilL Muft it riot then offend him, to difbwn hii perfonality, and thereby rob him of his glofy m the work of falvation ? For if he is S m 2iy^ The Spirit's real Tcrjonality no perfon, he can exercife no wifdom, grace^ love, patience, or faithfulnefs therein. What idea can any man have of the v^ifdom, love^j truth or patience of a mere efficient pov^er, that has in it neither underftanding or will ? Whatever great things be done by it, the ho- nour or glory thereof, muft be afcribed to the perfon, who employs the power, and not to the unintelligent pov^er it felf. If it would grieve a wife and good man, who had employed his wifdom or kindnefs in a high degree, for the good of others, to have his wifdom and kindnefs conceal'd or denied by thofe very perfons for whom he had employed them ; may we not much rather concludej that it muft highly oifend God the Holy Spirit, to deny him the glory of his wifdom, grace, and love, in that part which he bears in the work of our falvation ; and to deny, if not contemn his deity or per- fonality, inftead of praying to him, praifing him, taking care to pleafe him, and being afraid to vex and grieve him. How hardened and fecure foever fuch per- fons, a& are thus guilty, may now be, yet the fcripture will come as a fwift witnefs againft them, for repeating the fame fin, and expofing themfelves to the fame punifliment, of which they had fuch plain notice and warning, when it was faid ^of the Ifraelites, *« They rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit 5 ^ Ifa, Ixiii. 10. and p'ovd from Scripture. 259 and therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and fought againft them ". The Spirit knows how to withdraw from, or come againft a perfon in anger, if he be male treated. Such as read the fcriptures cannot be ignorant of the prohibition ; " Grieve not the Holy Spirit ''*; nor that it muft grieve him to deny him the honour of his divine fubfiftences of his love and fo- vereign grace in our falvation, when the fcripture had put him upon a level with the Father and Son, both in baptifm and the apoftolic benediction, and the prayer for grace, mercy and peace ; why then fhould he be defrauded of his part in religious wor- ship and honour ? can this be, and he not be grieved ? There are indeed, many other ways of grieving the Holy Spirit, as the denying or overlooking his internal work upon the foul, the refifting his good motions, the indulging any fin, an oppofition to any parts of the gofpel, or rejedting the divine revelation dicflated by him as the Spirit of truth -, but thefe, and various others, may be taken no- tice of, when I come to fpeak of the miffion, office and work of the Holy Spirit ; what I have now hinted, I thought moft proper to add to what has been offer'd in proof of the real perfonality of the Holy Spirits ^: Ephef iv. 3c. S 7. As a6o The Sp'int^s real Terfonality As then we wduld not grieve and offend the Spirit, let us own and admire his in- finite wifdom, fovereign grace, patience, and faithfulnefs in the applying and perfeft- ing our Salvation. Let us worfliip, adore^ fcarj love and praife him, feek his prefence, value his favour, exalt his glory, as thole who believe him to be an infinite, real, glo- rious perfon in the Godhead, and are afraid of flighting, and grieving him. 3. Let us feek to walk in the Spiritj and be led by the Spirit. The infinitely wife and gracious Spirit is the fittefl and beft guide to lead us into the land of uprightnefs^ he is no blind guide 5 he is wifdom and truth it felf, and well knows how to lead us into all truth. His external and internal teachings and inftruftions, exadlly agree with each other ; all inward motions and influences, contrary to the drreftion of the feriptures, proceed not from the good, but the evil Spirit ', every dodlrine and inward impreflion therefore, which does not harmonize with the word, is to be rejected s but we may fafe- ly commit our felves to the guidance of that intelligent, gracious, Holy Spirit, who fpeaks not of himfelf, but what he hears and re- ceives, who glorifies Chrift, by taking of his things, and fhewing them to us. If the dodlrine is true, which has been this day delivered, and the Holy Spirit is a real, not only a figurauve perfon, then we may apply provd from Scrtpture. 16 1 apply to him in the words of the Pfalmift ; *' Shew me thy ways, O God, teach me thy paths, lead me in thy truth, and teach me : For thou arc the God of my falvation ; on thee do I wait all the day long " ". This is the guide fent by the Father and the Son, and therefore every way fit to conduct us to heaven. It is not in us to dircdl our own fteps; but the Holy Spirit is a fafe, a faith- ful, an unerring guide : He conducted the human nature of Chrift, in that difficult and untrodden path, in which it was to go, and he has condufted multitudes of faints to glo- ry ; we need not therefore fufpedt his ability to bring us fafe thither, if we give up our felves to his gracious condudt, in the ways of truth and holinefs, mark'd out in the holy fcriptures ; for I am far from pleading for enthuliaftic raptures, above or againft the word : We are not to believe every fpirit, but try the fpirits, whether they be of God j to the lav7 and to the teflimony; who ever fpeaks not according to them, it is becaufe \\\tvt is no light in him. 4. What encouragement have poor weak deje' ^ Titus iii. 6. ^ James i. 18. " Bi(hop Pcarfoa on the Creed, p. 310. si per< vrov^d from Scripture. I'J i a perfon fpcaking, a perfon reproving, a per- fon inftrucling ". If ic lliould be faid, that thefe are indeed, the works of a perfon, of God, called the Father, and are afcribed to the Holy Spirit, not becaufe he is a perfon, but becaufe God performs them by the Holy Spirit, as his efficient power : I anfwer, that this evafiom may be prevented or confuted by thofe paf- fages of fcripture which evidently diflinguidi the Holy Spirit from the Father and the Son, in thefe works, and, confequently, not only prove him to be a perfon, but alfo ano- ther perfon, diftinft from the Father and the Son, and therefore not the Father, ex- erting his efficient power in the accomplifli- ment of thefe things 5 '' I, faid Chrift, will pray the Father, and he iliall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever °" : And again, " The Com- forter, which is the Holy Ghofl, whom the Father will fend in my name ^ ". Here tlie other Comforter is diftinguifhed from the Son, who prays for him, and from the Fa- ther who gives him. And farther, the Com- forter is.exprefly faid to be the Holy Ghoft, and is diftinguifhed from the Father, who fends him, and from the Son, in whofe name he comes. When the Father fends the Com- forter in Chrift's name, does he fend him- ° John xiv. 16, P Ver. 26. felf, ^7 1 The Spiriis real Terfomlity felf, in the Son's riariie, if not, then, indeed; the Comforter is another perfon diftin nor does God the Father receive of the things of Chrift ; therefore this per- fonal work cannot be figuratively afcribed to the Spirit, becaufe it is the perfonal work of God the Father, ading by his Spirit. Nor can this perfonal work be figuratively af- cribed to the Spirit, becaufe it is the perfo- nal work of Chrift, adting by the Spirit : For, when Chrift fent the comforter from the Father, he did not fend himfelf from the Father j nor when the Spirit received of the things of Chrift, did Chrift receive of his own things. Now feeing this perfonal work of coming as a comforter, fent by Chrift from the Father, and receiving of Chrift's things, and fhewing them to others, cannot be the work of any mere creatures ; fuch as angels or men -, nor of God the Father, nor of Chirft 5 Hence it follows, that it is the work of the Holy Spirit, not as a figurative, but real perfon ; or elfe we muft fay, that a work, which can be done only by a real per- fon, was performed by that which is no real perfon, which would be abfurd, and indeed, a contradi(^ion in terms. In the form of baptifm there is no figure; yet in that the Holy Spirit is joined with two other real perfons in the fame adt of worfliip, ^nd in the fame perfonal honours which are given $8l The Spirit^ s real Terfonality given to the Father and the Son ; and it is very ftrange and abfurd to fuppofe that the fame name into which we are baptized, fhould mean two real perfons, and another, who is only a figurative perfon, without the leaft hint of fuch a diftincftion and vaft di- flance between them. If we take the liberty 10 afcribe a figurative perfonality to the Holy Spirit, in this ordinance, we may as well make the ordinance it felf only a figurative feal of a figurative covenant, made with the Father and Son, as only figurative perfons, and fo we fhall, at laft, have only a figura- tive falvation : But it is not enough to fup- pofe a figure, when and where we pleafe ; but it ought to be clearly proved, that where the Holy Ghoft is fpoke of in the ilrongeft terms of perfonality, it is, and it muft be, figura- tively. This v/ould be done effedually, if our adverfaries could produce any fcripture, wherein things, inconfiftent with real per- fonality, were plainly, and without a figure, afcribed to the Holy Spirit, which they will never be able to do ; and till then, we may rejecfl their profopopoeias, and other figures, with far greater reafon than they can advance them. We do not deny that the Holy Ghoft: is fpokeof figuratively in fcripture ; butwewiU never grant that, becaufe he is fo fpoke of fometimes, he muft be fo always; for, by the fame rule, the perfonality of the Father may proved from Scripture. 18^ tnay be denied : He is often fpoke of figu- ratively ; is he therefore no perfon ? If men arc at liberty to put a figurative fenfe upon fcripture, at pleafure, without any figns of it in the text, or any neceffity of it from the matter treated of, any fundamental article of religion, nay, the very being of God may be left without any fcripture proof. When the Holy Ghoft is defcribed as a comforter, and another comforter diftindt from Chnft, and is promifed to be fent, and the promife afterwards is hiftorically decla- red to be fulfilled, and that, in the plainefl language, what room is there, in fuch pkr Ces, to dream of figures, metaphors, allego- ries and profopopoeias : To fuppofeit, would be to caft the utmoft contempt upon the fcriptures, as if they were fram'd only to mif- lead us, and as if Chrift impofed upon his difciples, and deceived them inftead of com- forting them, when, in his laft difcourfes, he promifed to fend his Spirit to perform the afts of the greateft wifdom, love, and grace towards them and the whole Chriftian church : But let fuch blafphemy be for ever abhor 'd by all Chriftians. 2. It may be pretended, that the Holy Ghoft is faid to be given, and the gift of God is not a perfon 5 but this admits of ^ (hort and aneafy anfwer. Chrift is the gift of God, and yet is a real perfon ; the Spirit then may be |he gift of Godj and yet a re^l peribn. The fcrijp- a 8 4- T^he Spirit^s real Terfonality fcripture has told us, that " God fo loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son'^ " ; who is allowed to be a real perfon : The ob- jedion therefore contains in it an evident falfhpod, that a gift of God cannot be, or is not a perfon y and therefore needs no farther reply. 3. It may be alleged, that the Spirit is faid ^o be poured out, given in a double meafure, parted afunder ; as when God faid, " He would take of the Spirit that was upon Mofes, and put it upon the feventy elders of Ifrael '^ " s therefore the Holy Spirit is not a perfon, who cannot be fo divided. Now thefe expreffions no more belong to any cfTential power or property of God, than to a real perfon : The Spirit, in thefe places, is to be taken for the gifts of the Spirit ; and whereas they are elfewhere evidently diftin- guifhed from the Spirit himfelf, fuch gifts may be poured out, parted, or divided a- mong many, and yet the Spirit himfelf be a true and real perfon. Scripture muft be iur terpreted by fcripture. The Apoftle fpeak- ing of fpiritual gifts, fays, " AH thefe works that one and felf fame Spirit, dividing to every one as he will ' ". The Spirit is one, though the gifts ^re many ; the gifts are divided, but the Spirit is one and the felf-fame undivided perfon, giving to every one feverally as he will : So then the di- f Johniii. 16. ^ KumUxi. 17, f i Cor. xii. vidingj proved from Scripture. 085 viding, or pouring out the gifts of the Holy Spirit, is no argument againft his real perfo- nality, any more than when Chrift is faid to be received, put on, to be eaten, to dwell in the heart, it is any prejudice to his real per- fonality. When therefore the word Spirit is ufed for fuch things as are not proper to a perfon, they do not prejudice our aflertion, feeing we own that the effcSs and fruits of the Spirit, fometimes, are put for the Spi- rit : But we find, in other places, fuch at- tributes afcribed to him, as can belong to none but a real perfon. 4. It has been often infinuated, that the Spirit is faid to be fent, therefore he is not a real perfon : But, ori the contrary, becaufe he is fent, and fent to do the work of an in- telligent voluntary agent, therefore he is a real perfon, as has been largely proved be- fore ; and this, I think, is afufficient anfwer to fo weak an objedlion, 5. Our adverfaries tell us, that the Holy Spirit is not the objedt of invocation or pray- er ; nor can any inflance of it be produced from fcripture, or primitive antiquity, there- fore he is not a real perfon. This objedion is founded on an untruth ; for many inftances have been produced from fcripture, of prayer diredled to the Holy Spirit ; and alfo examples of it are not wanting in primitive antiquity ; St. Cyprian's prayer to the Holy Spi- ^86 The Spirits real Terfonality Spirit ^ formerly mention'd, is a proof of this. So that the objedlion refis upon a falfhood iii both the parts of it, and confequently the Holy Spirit being an objed: of prayer, ac-^ cording to Teripture and primitive antiquity^ is alfo a true and real perfon : But if no ex- amples of prayers directed to the Holy Spirit could be produced, yet feeing it has plainly been proved that he is true Godj it follows that he is to be pray*d to ; unlefs any will de- ny that God is to be pray'd to. He who is om- nipotent, omnifcient, omniprefent, eternal, and infinitely gracious ; who has heavenly gifts to beftow, and a will to diredt in the difpofal of them, is a proper objedt of prayer j or elfe no proper objedl of it can be found 5 but the Holy Spirit is omnipotent^ omnifci- ent, eternal, and infinitely gracious, and has heavenly gifts to beftoWj and a w^ill to direft in the difpofal of them ; and therefore he is a proper objedl of prayer, and confequently not a figurative, but a real perfon : And this, I hope, will appear to be a fufHcient anfwer to the lad mentioned objection. 6. It may be faid, that Chrifl: was anointed with the Holy Ghoft, and it was given to him without meafure, the difciplcs were baptized with the Holy Ghoft ; but it is abfurd to fay one perfon is anointed, or bapti:2ed, with ^ In the beginning of the firft Sermon of chc Holy Spiric'i divinity. ano-^ proved from Scripture. aS'jf another; therefore the Holy Spirit is not, cannot be a true and real perfon. When Chrift is faid to be anointed with the Holy Ghoft> it is added, and with power, healing all that were oppreffed of the devil ; which fhews that the gifts and operations of the Holy Spirit are intended, as the caufe is of- ten put for the efFecft. The Holy Spirit de- fcended upon Chrift, dwelt in him, and com- municated all thofe powers and gifts to his human nature, which are called a being anointed with, or as it might be rendered, by the Holy Ghoft, according to that word of prophecy, " The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, becaufe the Lord has anointed me ^ " ; which word Chrift fays, was ful- filled ^ when the Spirit defcended and refted upon him, and enabled him to utter fuch gracious words as raifed wonder in the hearers. In like manner, when the difciples were baptized with the Holy Ghoft ; the gifts of the Holy Ghoft are fignified by the Holy Ghoft, as the event declares, " He has (hed forth this which you now fee and hear * " j or, the before mentioned gifts and powers of the Holy Ghoft ; but this is not inconfiftenc with the perfonality of the Holy Spirit, but father fuppofes it -, for he divides his gifts 8 Ifa. hi. I. ^ Luke iv. i8, » Afts ii. 35. 2 to 588 The Spirit's real Terfmality to every man feverally as he will, as the fcriptures declare ''. 7. It is a common objeftion, that one per- fon is one feparate being ; and therefore cither God is not one being, or the Spirit cannot be a real perfon ; but to this I reply, though one perfon is one feparate beirtg a- mong intelligent creatures ; as Peter is one intelligent being, feparate from John ; yet it docs not follow, that, with refpedt to God, one perfon is one feparate being. God, in- deed, is one infinite being, but includes three diftincft fubfiftents, to each of which, perfonal powers, properties, and works arc afcribed 5 and yet thefe three are one being, each of them God, and all three peffons but one God. If it be faid, this is unin- telligible, I anfwer, It is eafy to underftand that the fcriptures declare God to be one, and yet that there are three to whom both deity and perfonality belong : But if the mo- dus of the unity and diftindion is demand- ed, and clear and adequate ideas of it are required; all I {hall fay to it is^ that ** As none knows the things of a man but the fpirit of a man that is in him ^ fo the things of God knows no man, but the Spirit of God, who fearches all things, even the deep things of God ^ '*, God's judgments arc ^ T Cor, xii, ir^ ^ Chap. ii. ti. unfearch- provd from Scripture. 289 unfearchable, much more his nature. *^ What is his name, or his fon's name, if thou canft tell '" " ? Seeing the Holy Spirit has not been pleafed to reveal to us the unity and perfonal di(lin6lions in the Godhead, or how God is one, being yet three perfons, we ought to be content not to comprehend itj and it is not hard to conceive, that there may be many things in fuch a fublime, in- finite nature, which we finite and fliort- fighted creatures cannot comprehend, when we find, among creatures, and even in our felves, many things which we are fure to be real, the manner of which, or how they are, we are not able to underfland; and muft man comprehend his God, who cannot com- prehend other creatures, or himfelf ? But God " is great, and we know him not. .8. It may be pleaded, that though there is one fcripture in the bible where the word hypoflafis % or perfon, is attributed to the Father, and one text ^ where the word pro- fopon, or perfon, is applied to the Son of God incarnate, yet no verfe in the bible caa be found, where any word which direcftly iignifies perfon, is attributed to the Holy Spirit, and therefore the perfonal characters attributed to him, may be fuppofed to be only figurative : But here we may obferve, that the word hypoftafis, which is rendered "* Prov. XXX. 4. " Job xxxvi. i6. ® Heb. i. 5. * 2 Cor. iv. 6, U perfon. 190 The Spirits real Tcr[oyiality perfon, and once applied to the Father, does rather fignify fubftance, and is fo taken by many learned interpreters, both ancient and modern ; the word is ufed but five times in the New Teftament 3 and in all the other four, it fignifies fomething that is not a perfon : In one place '^ it is render'd confi- dence; and in another place 'it is render'd the fame way ; and it is alfo render'd confi- dence in this place \ " If we hold fafl the beginning of our confidence " : And where it is faid, faith is the fubflance, the word is \hr:<^ccai^ ^ ; in none of thefe places can it fig- nify perfon ; and the only remaining place ■where it is ufed, being that under confide- ration, if there it does not fignify perfon, but fubftance, or real being and exiflence, then confefTedly there is no place where the word perfon is applied to the Father; and may we therefore fuppofe the perfonal cha- racters attributed to him are only figurative, or that the Father is no real perfon, be- caufe we can find no verfe in the bible, where any word that direftly fignifies perfon, is at- tributed to him? or, may we not rather fup- pofe that the Spirit is a real perfon, though ^o verfe in the bible applies that word to him ; as well as we allow the Father to be a real perfon, though we find no text wherein ^ z Cor. ix. 4. *■ Chap. xi. 17. ^ Heb, xl. 14. the provd from Scripture^ ^^gi the word petfon, or any word that diredlly fo fignifies. But the vanity and weaknefs of the ohje- dion may farther appear, if we confider, that he who has real perfonal properties, powers, attributes and works, properly predicated or affirm'd of him, and nothing proper- ly afcribed to him, inconfiftent with real perfonality, is to be owned to be a real per- fon, though the word perfon be never apply 'd to him in fcripture; but fuch perfo- Kal properties, attributes, powers, and works are afcribed to the Spirit in fcripture, and nothing is affirmed that is inconfiftent there- with 5 and therefore he is to be own*d as a real perfon, though the word perfon be not ufed concerning him, or apply'd to him. It is not for us to teach God how to exprefs things in fcripture ; but it becomes us, with a humble reverence, to receive them, and believe them as he is pleafed to reveal and reprefent them there : And, I think, more need not be added in anfwer to this ob- jedtion. The Application, I. What perfonal regards are due to the Holy Spirit ? He is a real infinite perfon, and therefore is to be treated as fuch by all Chriftians. The Father and Son are confi- der*d as diftind: perfons in the behaviour of 9fi U 2 be- ^9^ The Spirit's real Terjonaltty believers towards them, and regards due to real perfons are paid to them j and why fliould not the fame be paid to the third per- fon in the Godhead, as to the firll: and fe- cond ? If we believe that the Spirit is a real perfon, let us treat him, and treat with him as a real perfon. Let us own and honour him, and apply to him as a real perfon, a divine perfon, who has an infinite know- ledo^e, will and fovereignty, and is therefore the proper objedl of faith and obedience, prayer and praife, and as one capable of holding diftindl perfonal communion with US. If the Spirit is a real divine perfon, he is the proper objedl of faith : Hence the com- mon, or the Roman creed, directs us to be- lieve in the Holy Ghoft as a perfon ; the foundations of believing in him, are his in- finite knowledge, and his infinite veracity. He cannot be deceived himfelf j and fuch is the redlitude of his will, that he cannot de- ceive us i yea, fuch are his power and grace, that they render him a proper objedl of truft and dependance, in the great work of our falvation j hence the apoftle Paul fpoke with alTurance ; " Being confident of this very thing, that he which has begun a good work in you, will perform it till the day of Chrift ! " s or, we firmly truft, that the Holy provJ from Scripture. 195 Holy Spirit, who has begun to fanftify you, will carry on that work, and perfefit it in the day of Chrift: : Chriftians have as much reafon to depend upon him for this, as they have to confide in the eleding grace of the Father, or the merits of the Son our Re- deemer. That glorious divine perfon who leads into all truth, and fulfils in the faints all the good pleafure of the divine goodnefs, is worthy of our religious truft, a meet ob- jeft of a divine faith, having in himfelf eve- ry power and perfection which may war-? rant our belief in him. Obedience is due to the Holy Spirit, as having an infinite underftanding to diredl, and a fovereign authority and will to com- mand thofe who are led by him ; his voice is to be heard and obey'd j for he is a perfon who makes laws for the church, appoints officers to execute them, and rewards obe- dience, and punifhes difobedience. As Chrift came in the Father*s name, not only pof- feffing his perfeftions, but alfo vefted with his authority 5 fo the Holy Spirit comes in the name of Chrift, pofleffed of the fame perfections, and having the fame authority as fent by the Father and the Son, and there- fore he is to be owned and obey'd, as an in- quire perfon, able to fulfil his commiffion, -' becaufe he is poffefled of the fame nature, powers and perfections, with the Father an^ the Son* V $• If 094 The Spirit's real Terfonality If the Holy Spirit is a real perfon, who beftows his gifts and graces as he will, as ap- pears from fcripture, then furely he is not Only to be pray'd for, but alfo to be pray'd to ; as Paul pray'd to the Holy Ghoft for his fellowfhip or communion ; and John defired his grace, as well as that of the Fa- ther and the Son. And if God's benefits are not to be forgot -, if what is freely, defign- edly, and voluntarily done in our favour, ought to be acknowledged, and the goodnefs and kindnefs of fuch a benefaftor is worthy of praife -, then we, undoubtedly lie under ftrong obligations to the Holy Spirit, to ren- der praifesand thankfgiving to him, who, not ignorantly, or involuntarily, but with fo much underftanding, grace and goodnefs, confers his bleffings on the faints. The fcrip- ture fays, " Where there is firft a willing mind, it is accepted with all thankfulnefs"^ ". We {hould then accept the gifts and bleffings of the Holy Spirit, feeing he is the Spirit of grace, and communicates to every man fe- verally as he will. The fcripture fpeaks of the fellowfliip of the Spirit "" : As fellowfhip among men con- fifts in mutual adts of favour and friendfliip ; fo fellowfliip of, or with the Spirit, confifts in afts of mutual kindnefs and goodnefs, be- tween him as an intelligent voluntary agent, "^ i Coy. viii. II. * Phil.ii. f. and provd from Scripture. 195 and the believers who koow him, love him, and give him glory. Tli^re is a certain in- expreflible joy in the communion between voluntary intelligent agents, who give and receive ad:s of kindnefs and goodnefs in fuch communion : With good realbn then did the Apoftle ^ defire, that the communion of the Holy Ghoft might be with the believing Corinthians. On what foundations fuch build thefe vi- tal adts of pradticai religion, faith in, obedi- ence and prayer to the Holy Spirit, and prai- fes afcribed to him, as deny his real perfona- lity, they ought to confider ; but to us who own him as a real infinite perfon in the God- head, they appear to be neceflary and rea- fonable, and delightful parts of our commu- nion, obedience and fervices. 2. Let us, with purpofe of heart, glorify him who, not accidentally, or of neceffity, but freely, and with infinite knowledge, undertook to prepare the faints for, and bring them to glory : Whofe work could this be but his, whofe underftanding is infi- nite, and whofe good will towards men, pafTes knowledge j whilft others deprive him of the glory due to his grace and love, by denying his perfonal agency in our falvation, lee us own it J and give him the glory due to an intelligent voluntary agent therein ; This is a pradti- y 2 Cor. xiii. 14. U 4 cal 096 The Spirit's real Terfonality cal and important ufe which we ought to make of the real perfonality of the Holy Spirit. If others think it a meer point of fpeculation, which has no influence on our practical religion, I muft beg leave to diflent from them, and to conclude, that their pradical regards to the Holy Spirit are not what the fcripture requires, and the faithful, in all ages, have paid to him. 3. Let us improve the love and faithfulnefs of the Holy Spirit : My text reprefents him as phe Comforter and the Spirit of truth; being a real perfon, infinite in love and ve- racity, he is perfedtly qualified to dp us all kind and good offices to lead us into the truth, and to fhed abroad the divine love in our hearts -, not only the Father's and the Son*s, but his own. The primitive faints were fo fenfible of the love which the Holy Spirit bears to the faints, that the Apoftle puts the love of the Spirit upon a level with the grace of Chrift, in making them mo- tives to excite the believing Romans to pray for him; his words are, " Now, J befeech you, for the Lord Jefus Chrift's fake, and the love of the Spirit, that you flrive toge- ther with me in your prayers to God for me * '*. Chriflians often feek a fenfe of the love of the Father and of Chrift, but are too apt 10 negled; the love of the Spirit, or tq ^ Rom. XV. 30. pray proved from Scripture. 597 pray for it, prize ir, and be thankful for it, and yet there is nothing more nearly con- cerned in our communion with God, and the inexpreflible fweetnefs of it. God is love, the Spirit is God ; therefore he is love, infi- nite love 5 fuch as dwell in his love dwell ia God, and God in them. God, in the per- fon of the Holy Spirit, dwells in the faints as in a temple of love : Let us then improve the love of the Spirit, as a real and glorious perfon in the Godhead, to e^xcite and in- flame our love to him, and enlarge our com- munion with him : If we review his graci- ous work in our fouls, what affefting diC- coveries of his love and truth may we have therein 5 and I am confident, that one hours communion with him this way, will baffle a thoufand cavils againft his Deity, and perfo- nality. His gifts and graces, and tokens of love, flow from him in a free and volunta- ry way, and therefore are to be received and improved, not as the neceflary emanati- ons of a divine power, but as the inteliigenc voluntary adts of an infinitely gracious perfon, who does all in love and faithfulnefs towards us. 4. Let us apply to the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of life, as the author of the firft fpiri- tual life, and of all vital influences after- ward. The general council at Conftanti- nople, very properly inferted this claufe in their creed 5 " The Lord and giver of life "; with 298 The Spint's real Terfonality^ Sec, with him is the fountain of life 5 and in his light we fliall fee light j we may, and fhould, when we find our felves dead, apply to him to quicken us. He is able to hear, pity, and help us : He is the Spirit that quickens, that gives life, maintains, encreafes, and perfects ir, not merely as a paffive power, but as that glorious perfon, the Comforter, fent from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, and teftifies of Chrift. Thus I have finifli'd what I defigned, con- cerning the Deity and Perfonality of the Ho- ly Spirit: His Proceflion, Miffion, Office and Work, yet remain to be confider'd, if he ihall afford ability and opportunity for it, in whofe hand all our times are. O F [ ^99 ] OF THE PROCESSION AND MISSION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. SERMON IV. Preached i^^^^w/? ii, 1750. JOHN XV. a6, When the Comforter is come^ whom I will fend to you from the Father^ even the Spirit of truths which proceeds from the Father^ HE /hull tefiify of me. IN difcourfing on the Holy Spirit, I, at firft, propofed to fpeak of his Deity, Perfonality, Proceffion, Miffion, and Work. The Deity of the Holy Spirit I have cndeavour'd to prove, in fix difcourfes on ano- 300 Of the Miffion of the Holy Spirit. another text : His real Perfonality I have labour'd to evince, in three difcourfes from this text : I now fhall proceed to fpeak of his Miflion, premifing a few things concern- ing his Proceflion from the Father and the Son. The Proceflion of the Holy Ghoft is ex- prefly taught by Chrift, in very flrong terms in my text : The Spirit of truth, he tells us % proceeds from the Father ; the Proceflion here fpoke of, is evidently difliinguiflied from his Miflion ^ for it is faid, " Whom I will fend to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceeds from the Fa- ther *'. If his miflion and proceflion were the fame thing, there would be a tautology in the words ; his miflion, according to that inter- pretation, being mentioned twice over in the fame verfe. Chrifl; here defcribes the per- fon of the Spirit, and fliews him to be con- fubftantial with the Father, and therefore worthy of credit, in his tefl:imony concerning himfelf. Some would ^ have us believe, that the proceflion of the Holy Ghofl:, even from the Father, refpeds not his nature or fub- fl:ance, but his miflion only; and that no more is meant in my text, which fenfe has been difproved already: And befides, if the Holy Spirit does not, as to his fubftarice pr ^ Waus's fifth Diir. p. 156. pature. Of the Mijfm oj the Holy Spirit. 50 1 nature, proceed from the Father, how is he true and real God. In oppofition to this truth, it is pretended, that no diftintt and clear ideas can be formed of this proceflion; fo it is given up as Popifh, fcholaflick, un- conceivable and indefenfible^: But what clear idea can be given us of the unoriginate, felf- exifting, eternal being of the Father ? Shall we therefore deny him to be without begin- ing or end, and to be felf-exiftenr, becaufe we know not how he is fo ? If not, why muft we give up the proceffion of the Spirit, be- caufe we know not the modes of it ? For my part, I fliall no more undertake to ex- plain the manner how the Spirit proceeds from the Father, than to explain the eter- nal generation, and hypoftatical union of the two natures of the Son ; and yet, I think my felf bound to believe all three, becaufe the things themfelves are revealed in fcrip- ture, though the manner how they are, is not declared. 1 may fay to the objedlor, as Gregory Nazianzen formerly did to his ad- verfary ; •* Do you tell me how the Father is unbegotten, and I will attempt to tell you how the Son is begotten, and the Spirit pro- ceeds '^ ". « Watts'j fifth DilT. p. 157. ^vivy.Aj^. Grcgor, Nazianz. Orac. xxxvii. p. 597. Ed. Par. The 5oa Of the Mtffion oj the Holy Sprit. The clearefi: and fulleft account of this proceffion, next to that in my text, which we have in fcripture, is that in the Apoftle Paul's firft epiftle to the Corinthians ; " The Spirit which is of God " *' ; That Spirit which is the fame in nature and eifence with the Father, and fo is faid to be of him, or out of him, not as to local feparation, but with refpeft to identity of nature K Jn my text there is an obfervable diffe- rence in the form of expreffion, relating to the difpenfatory miflion of the Spirit, which Chrift expreffes in the future tenfe, *' Whom I will fend " ; and his natural proceiUon from God, which is fpoke of in the preient tenfe, '' which proceeds (not fhall or will proceed) from the Father'*. The difference of time fliews the difference of the things, and that the Spirit's proceeding from the Father is not the fame thing with his future temporary miffion, as an advocate or com- forter. As the Holy Ghoft is exprefly faid to pro- ceed from the Father, fo he is often faid to be the Spirit of the Son, or to be of the fame nature with him : For when God is faid to fend forth the Spirit of his Son, it is evi- dent that the Spirit is called the Spirit of the Son, not on the account of his miffion ; for that is afcribed to the Father, but on fome * To isviZu.dL rl ly^ 0£«, i Cor. ii. 12. ^ Barrow's fccond Vol, Serm. xxxiv. p. 459. Other Of the Mlffton of the Holy Spirit. 505 other account ; and what can that be but his proceeding from him, as one in nature with him, and in order of nature, though not of time, being after the Son 5 the Father be- ing the firlt, the Son the fecond, and the Holy Ghoft the third perfon, or fubfiftent in the Godhead. On this account the latin church has ^ not fcrupled to fay, that the Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son ; though the Greek church choofes to exprefs it thus 3 the Spirit proceeds from the Father, by, or through the Son, or he receives of the Son ; all owning, both Son and Spirit, to have one and the fame divine nature : Dr. Lightfoot obfcrves, that where- ever the Holy Ghoft, in the Old Teftament, is ftiled the Spirit of God, it is, in the He- brew, the Spirit of Elohim, in the plural number, denoting his proceeding from more perfons than one, even from the Father and the Son \ I now proceed to confider the Miffion of the Holy Spirit, or his being fent to perform his glorious paft in the works of man's fal- vation. The Father found a ranfom, the Son pur- chafes falvaiion ; both Father and Son fend s See Bi{hop Pearfon on the Creed, p. 32^. See Ecrri- man's Scrm. p. 371. ^ Dr. Lighcfooc's works, fiift Vol. p, ^Si. the 504. of the Miffion of the Holy Sptrh. the Spirit to apply and finifti that great work : This is fignified in that claufe of the text ; " Whom I will fend to you from the Father " ; which I am now to confider. The Miffion and coming of the Spirit, to complete our redemption, is a great truft, beyond and above all thought and admira- tion ; for, as the glory of all works refults from the finifhing part, fo the Father and Son put their glory into the hands of the Spirit, in fending him to perfed: that great defign. No inferior agent was equal to the undertaking, and no undertaking could be more glorious to all the perfons concerned in it; infinite wifdom, power, and grace, were as much requir'd in the applier, as in the contriver and purchafer of falvation ; and as each of the divine perfons has a di- ftindt part, fo each of them has a peculiar glory in the work. The nature, circumflances, ufe, and ends of the miffion of the Holy Spirit, I fhall en- deavour to explain and confirm, under di- verfe diftincft propofitions, after I have pa- ved the way by fome previous confidera- tions. I. This miffion of the Holy Spirit does not include his many and great works per- formed by him before Chrift's incarnation. He moved upon the waters, in the firft crea- tion, ftrove with the old world, infpired the prophets, inflrudled the people, and did ma- ny Of the Mijfton of the Holy Spirit. 505 ny other glorious things in the Jewifli church, which yet come not within the compafs of this million; for Chrift, a little before he fuffer'd, fpeaks of it as a thing yet to come, and that, after his departure, " If I depart, I will fend him ' ". 2. We may alfo obferve, that, for a long time before this miffion, the Holy Spirit had been withdrawn from the Jews, for more than three hundred years ^, fome fay four hundred after Malachi, their laft prophet, the Spirit of prophecy ceafed from among the children of Ifrael. This was a time of thick darknefs, of great wickednefs and ca- lamity ; as appears by the prophefy of Ma- lachi, and the hiftory of thofe times. When Chrift came ', the light fhined in darknefs, and the darknefs comprehended it nor. And with relation to this difmal circum- ftance of the Jews, the withdrawing of the Holy Spirit "* j the people are faid to fie in darknefs, and in the fliadow of death : Bur, 3. As the grcateft darknefs of the night preceeds the dawn of day j fo when Chrift came, there were fome firft fruits and prelibations of the Spirit, previous to his folemn miffion. Zacharias and Elizabeth were filled with the Holy Ghoft " ; as the * John xvi. 7. ^ Pfideaux's Conneft. Vol. I. p. in; Ughtf. Vol. U. p. 802. ^ John i. 5. "^ Luke i. 7^. ^ Luke i. 41, 67, Chip. ii. 25, 26, \i, X fong 3o6 Of the Nliffm of the Holy Sprit. fong of the virgin Mary flifew'd her to have been -, fo were ahb Simeon, Anna, and John the Baptift : And the greateft inftance of all was Chrift himfelf ; who " had the Spirit gi- ven to him without meafure : But though thefe, and efpecially the laft inftance, had a lurprizing greatnefs and glory in them, yet they were all antecedent to that folemn mif- fion of the Spirit, of which my text fpeaks : for it was long after the inftances before- mentioned, that Chrift promifed to fend the comforter ; and he faid exprefly, that after his departure, he would fend him. The fending of the Spirit was after Chrift 's afcenfion ; but the work of the Spirit was not delay'd, nor confined to that period and the times that follow'd. Had we lived in the day of Chrift, confi- der'd his conception by the power of the Holy Ghoft, the glorious appearance of the Spirit refting on him at his baptifm, his prefence with him in his temptations, in his preaching, in his miracles, in the whole courfe of his life ; how he went about do- ing good, and the zeal of God's houfe eat him up ; how he endur'd the contradiction of finners againft himfelf ; and how, through the eternal Spirit, he offered himfelf up to God at death : I fay, if we had confider'd how he was anointed with the Holy Ghoft, *• Johniii. 34. that Of the Miffion of the Holy Spirit, 5O7 that oil of gladnefs, above his fellows, what could we have look'd for more ? what othef or greater miffion of the Spirit could we have expedled ? and yet thefe things, great as they were, muft be own'd to be but a pre- lude to that glorious miffion of the Spirir, whereof I am to fpeak , ** The works that I do, fays Chrift, fliall he do, and greater works than thefe ihall he do j becaufe I go to the Father. And I will pray the Father, and he fhall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever^ *'. Having hinted thefe preliminary confide-^ rations, I now proceed to give you my thoughts of the miffion of the Holy Spirit in feveral diftindt propofitions. Prop. L The miffion of the Holy Spirit is cxclufive of every thing inconfiftent with his Deity and divine perfonality. That the Holy Spirit is true God, and that he is a real perfon, has been prov'd before at large ; that yet the Holy Spirit is fenr, is alfo plain from fcripture : Hence it follows, that his miffion mull exclude every thing that is inconfiftent with his deity and perfo- nality. He that is true and real God, and a true and real perfon, muft be fo neceflarily and eternally 5 for God is from everlafting to everlafting ; and the Holy Spirit being P John xiy. ii, i^. X 2 true 3o8 Of the Mijjion of the Holy Spirit. true and real God, neceflarily exifting from cverlafting to everlafting, can never do, or fubmit to that which is inconfiftent with his nature and perfedlions as God ; for if he could, he muft then be God, and yet not be God at the fame time, and in the fame fenfe, which is a plain contradiction •, and both parts of a contradiftion cannot be true ; therefore, I. The miffion of the Holy Spirit does not imply or include local mutation, or change of place ; for he who is in all places, at all times, cannot properly be faid to change place, or be fent out of one place into another ; " Whither (hall I go from thy Spirit ** ", faid the Pfalmift. Among men, the perfon fent goes from one place to ano- ther, becaufe he is a finite and circumfcribed being, who can be and adl but in one place at once : But this does not hold good with refpeft to him who is immenfe, omnipre- fent, or in all places, at one and the fame time, as the Holy Spirit is. He, indeed, is faid to be fent, to defcend, to come ; but thefe phrafes do not denote his change of place, or his pafling out of one place into another, any more than God*s bowing the heavens, and coming down, and his depart- ing and returning to his place, fignify any change of place, or removal of God's effen- *» Pfal. cxxxix. 7. tial Of the Mijfm of the Holy Spirit. :j09 tial prefence. God is faid to come to be in that place where he works, and to depart from that place where he fufpends or with- draws his operations, and the tokens of his prefence. In like manner, when we hear of the Spirit's being fenr, and of his coming, we are not prefently to conceive of him, as a cir- cumfcribed being, who changes place in order to fulfil the work he is fent to do; but that he is engaged to exert his power in that place, and in that way before appointed and agreed upon. 2. This million of the Holy Spirit does not imply his inferiority in nature, or original power, to the Father or Son. A mafter, in- deed, among men, fends his fervant, as the Centurion did his foldiers, faying to one, Go, and he goes, and to another, Come, and he comes. It cannot be denied, that to fend among men, is many times an aft of autho- rity and fupreme power in him that fends, over him that is fent ; but yet it is not al- ways fo among men, or ever fo among the glorious perlbns in the Trinity. Among men, we fee companies, or bodies corpo- rate, where all are originally equal, but, by common confent, one member is fent by the reft to tranfadl fome affair, and yet is not inferior to the reft of the fociety. The Son of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God ; yet the Father fanftified him, and fcnc him into the world, by mutual conpert and a^reepient, before the world was ; and there- X 3 fore, 510 Of the MiJJion of the Holy Sfirlt. fore, before he took upon him the form of a fervant. There was a peculiar reafon, in- deed, why the Son, when fent, fhould, and did come in that form -, becaufc he was to be made under the law % to redeem us who were under the law j but there was not the fame reafon for the Spirit to come in a ftate of fubjedlion ; for he comes not to pur- chafe, but to apply and perfe the Spirit both inftitutes the miniftry, makes ' it effedlual, and difplays the glory of the gofpel thereby. The Holy Spirit therefore does not ad a fervile, but a lordly part in this difpenfation ; for it is faid, " We are changed from glory to glory ", by the Lord the Spirit " -, by the lame Lord, who, by the miniftry of the gofpel, produces fuch wonderful efFeds, and performs fuch glori- ous works. 4. This miffion does not fignify an inabi- lity of the Spirit to adl of himfelf. Among men, the meffenger is only an inftrument of delivering the meflage, or doing the work of another, according to his mafter's dire- ction, without being able to have contrived or formed the defign or work : But this is not the cafe as to the Holy Spirit ; for he created and upholds all things ; fearches all things, even the deep things of God, and therefore is not fent barely to execute the defign of another, without entering into the fprings and grounds of it himfelf; but ho that is fent, equally knows and approves the defign he comes upon, as much or as well as they do who fend him. The prophets, indeed, delivered mefiages which they themfelves underftood not, but became fearchers into the meaning of what they themfelves had delivered ; as the fcrip- ^ 1 Cor. iii. 1 8» Inures Of the Miffion of the Holy Spirit. 515 tures inform us ; " Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Chrift, which was in them fignified, when it teftified be- fore-hand, the fufferings of Chrift, and the glory that ftiould follow '^. That Spirit who could and did know and declare the defign before-hand, could not be ignorant of it, or be, when he was fent, a meer inftrument, unable to ad: in ic of himfelf. This is a thought too low for Deity, and inconfiftent with his precious works. It is faid, indeed, that, "He (hall not fpeak of himfelf s but whatfoever he (hall hear, that (hall he fpeak ; and he will (hew you things to come. He (hall receive of mine, and fhall fhew it to you*". Chrift had told the difciples that he had many things to fay to them ; but they could not bear them at that time; but, faid he, " When the Spirit is come, he fhall lead you into all truth y " ; according to our tranflation ; or, more properly, according to the Greek, into all that truth, which Chrift had to tell them, and which they could not then bear. He, the Spirit, fhall not fpeak of himfelf, or bring any new or contrary dodrine, but car- ry on my work, and difcover to you what I have to reveal, but you cannot now receive. And this, as an ancient commentator ob- ferves, does not fuppofe that the Spirit had ** I Pet. i. II. * John ivi. 13, l^. ' '£/; ^a^oly any 5 1 4 Of the Mtfjion of the Holy Spirit. any need of a teacher % but rather that he is true God ; for who clfe could hear and receive, and io exactly communicate the deep things of God, and, in order thereto, fit and enable the Apoftles to receive them, which thefe were not able to do till the Holy Ghofl came upon them. Hence it plainly appears, that the Holy Spirit was fufficient and able of himfelf, to know and carry on his work, though by difpen- fation he is fent by the Father and the Son. He fhall not fpcak of himfelf ; or, as Chryfoftom ^ obferved, nothing contrary to, no other thing than he himfelf, even Ghrift would have faid, *' For my knowledge, faid Chrift, and that of the Spirit, is one and the fame '\ " When Chrift fays, the Spirit fhall not fpeak of himfelf, the meaning is, that he fhall not come with any abfolute new difpenfation of truth or grace ; he was only to build on the foundation, Chrifl's perfon and doftrine, or the truth which he had re- vealed from the bofom of the Father -, he 0£y<; dvJoJ'l^CLKjoV To lym' 'T^ViVfJiCL — )C, OK, r^" jn be. p. 789- Ed. Par. ret in loc. Vol. VIII. p. 497. Ed. Francof. wa5 Of the Miffion of the Holy Spirit. 5 i 5 was to reveal no other truth, communicate no other grace but what is in, from, and by Chrift ; as a learned man ^ well explains the text under confideration '\ The Spirit is faid to fpeak that which he hears, or that which he knows to be the mind of the Fa- ther and Son. Hearing is a means of our knowledge, a fign of his ; as when God is faid to hear, it is not meant that he acquires any new knowledge ; but it is only an ac- commodation of fpeech to one way of our knowing the mind of another by hearing : So to exprefs the Spirit's knowledge of the things of God, he is faid to hear them, al- though he knew them from eternity ; for he fearches all things, even the deep things of God. It has been faid, He that is a meflenger cannot be the author of the mefiage, but on- ly delivers the mind or fentiments of him or them that fend him' ; but this is not uni- verfally true among men 3 a privy counfel- lor may firft give his advice to his prince, and then go in his princes name, to propofe the fame thing to another : Much more the Holy Spirit being of the fame nature and elTence with the Father and Son, muft have a joint intereft in all their counfels and defigns, and in the appointed time, is fent by the Father and Son to fulfil and accom- ^ Dr. Owen on the Spirit, p. i6o. ^ Vide CrclL deuno Deo, cap. xii. pliOi 5 1 6 Of the MiJJion of the Holy Spirit. plifli them, and that without fuppofing any inability in the Spirit, of himfelf to have known and taught the fame things ; which, I think, is a fufficient anfwer to the objedlion, and enough to clear and confirm the propo- fition. Prop. II. The miffion of the Holy Spirit^ by Chrift, from the Father, proves him to be a perfon diftinft from the Father and the Son. The Spirit, as he is fent, is faid to be another comforter "* ; Chrift fpeaks of him as another comforter different from the Fa- ther who fends him, and from Chrift him- felf, who prays for him : And as a com- forter, he is a perfon ; for none but a real perfon could do the works which he does ; therefore he is a perfon diftinft from the Fa« ther and the Son j being fent by the Father and the Son, he cannot be the perfon of the Father or the Son ; for they do not fend themfelves. If the Holy Spirit were the perfon of the Father, he could not be fent from the Father ; for then the Father muft be fent from himfelf; and if he were the perfon of the Son, he could not be fent by the Son, or come when the Son departed ; for then he muft be fent by himfelf, and both depart and come at the fame time, which * John xiv. J 6, would Of the Mijjm oj the Holy Spirit. 5 1 7 would be abfurd to imagine : And if the Holy Spirit were not a real divine perfon, he would not be fent to do the works of a real divine perfon ; nor be faid to adt with under- ftanding, will, and fovereign power ; and therefore from his miflion we learn his real divine perfonality. When Chrift faid, " I will fend him ^ '\ he (hews the diflindtion of perfons, feeing he fpoke of two : But I need not enlarge on this point, which has been fo fully handled before. Prop. III. It was needful and expedient that the Holy Spirit (hould be fent. 1. This might be proved from the dark and difmal flate of the church, before this time, of which fome notice was taken in a former part of this difcourfe. The need of this miffion Chrift himfelf taught us when he faid, " It is expedient for you that I go away *, for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come ; but if I depart I will fend him to you ^ " ; as if he had faid, It is ex- pedient that the Spirit fhould be fent and come J therefore it is expedient that I (hould depart and fend him. 2. Chrift's bodily prefence was a great comfort and bleffing, in its time and place i but as the difciples were to be difperfed a- broad in the world, they could not all, or * Chryfoft. on John tvu 15. p. 498. *" John xvi. 7, naany 5 1 8 Of the MiJJion oj the Holy Spirit. many of them, have had his bodily prefence with them ac once ; whereas, the Spirit that was to be lent in his room, could be, and was with them in all places, and at all times, and was capable of giving them the greateft afliftance and confolation. The Holy Spirit was for this end defired of the Father, and fent by Chrift, that he might be the teacher of truth, and the vicegerent of Chrift s. A few minutes before Chrift was taken up out of the fight of his difciples, he told them, that they ihould receive power, after that the Holy Ghoft was come upon them, and that they fliould be witnefles to him, both in Jerufalem, and in all Judea; and that in Samaria, and to the uttermoft part of the earthy by his prefence and afliftance they fhould be enabled to carry their teftimony : Unlimited and infinite then is the Holy Spi- rit, who was in and with the Apoftles, when fcatter'd abroad, at a great diftance from each other J but he that fills all things filled them all in all places : And this he does ac- cording to his procefiion, which is two-fold ; the one is natural and perfonal, the other is oeconomical or difpenfatory. In the holy 8 Age nunc omnes (Ecclefiae) erraverint ; deceptus fie & apoftolus de ccftimonio reddendo : Nullara refpexeric Spiritus Sandus, ad hoc miirus a Chrifto, ad hoc poftulatus a patre, ut efTec dodor vericatis : neglexeric officium, Dei villicus, Chrifti vicarius? Tertuliian. de praefcriptione adv. Haeretic, c. z8. p. 241. Ed. Rigalc. '; Ads i. 8. oecono- Of the MiJJion of the Holy Spirit. 3 1 9 oeconomy, there are external acfls of one per- fon towards another ; So the Father and the Son fend the Spirit, as he condefcends, in an efpecial manner, to the office of being a fandtifier and comforter of the church \ As he is of the fame nature, and equally omni- prefent, with the Father and the Son, fo he has the fame power and will, and diftri- butes to every man, in any place, as he will, according to his own fovereign grace, good pleafure and omniprefence. " The Lord going to heaven, it was ne- ceflary (fays one of the ancients^) that he fliould fend the Comforter to his difciples, that they might not be left deftitute, and without an advocate and tutor ; for it is he that confirmed their minds, and enlightened them in things divines fo that being ftrength-- en*d by him, they feared neither prifons nor chains for the name of the Lord ; but trampled upon all the torments and powers of the world, being arm'd and confirmed by . ^ See Dr. Owen of the Spirir, p. 46, 89. ^ Quoniam Dominus in coelos efTec abicuriis Paracletum diC- cipulis neceflario dabat, ne illos quodam modo pupillos, quod minime decebar, relinquercr, & fine advocaco 8c qtiodum cucore defererec : hie elt enim qui ipforum animos menrefq; firma- vir, qui evangelica facramenta diftinxic, qui in ipfis illuminator rerum, divinarum fuir, quo confirmati, pro nomine Domini nee carceres, nee vincula timuerinc ; quinimo ipfas fcculi poteftares, & tormenca calcaverunc, armaci jam fcilicec per ipfum acque fir- mati, habtnces in fe dona, quae hie idem Spiritus eccleliae, Chritti fponfae, quali quatdam ornamenta dcltribuit 8i dirigir. Novatian de Trinic, c. xxix. p. iii. Ed. Uxon, him J 5 ^o Of the Miffm of the Holy Spirit. him J and having in themfelves thofe gifts which he, the fame Spirit, diftributed to the church, the fpoufe of Chrift, as certain or- naments *', " All is by the guidance of the Holy Spi- rit, (faid Cyprian ^) that thofe who wander'd are diredled, the wicked are converted, the weak are ftrengthen'd : He, the right Spirit, the holy Spirit, the princely Spirit, rules, perfefts, dwells in our fouls, and fuffers not thofe in whom he dwells, to err, or to be corrupted, to be overcome, he perfects thofe whom he has taught, thofe whom he polTefTes, and whom he has girded with the fword of moft powerful truth. He wafties away fins, juftifies the ungodly, heals difcord, binds ftrongly with the bond of love, raifes us up to heaven, and freeing us from the vanities of this world, makes us heirs of the heaven- ly kingdom j of which this is the chief hap- * Tocum ex ejus conftac ducatu, quod devii diriguntur, quod impii coavertuntur, quod debices confirmantur, Spiritus redus, Spiritus fandus, Spiritus principalis regii", componic, confum- mat & pcrficic quas inhabicac mences, & corda quae polTidet ; Nee errare patxcur, nee corrumpi, nee vinci quos docuerit, quos pofTedcric, quos gladio pocenci/rimae virtutis accinxeric. Cyprian, de Spirit. Sand. p. 486. b. Ed. Pamel. Hie peeeaca diluic, hie juftifieat impios, & ai vitam revocat mortuos, hie difcordes paeificat, 8c vinculo diledionis adflringic & ligac, hie nos coclo invehic, & a mundi hujus vanicatibus avulfos fuperni regni conftituit haeredes, cujus fumma eft faeliei- tas, quod corpui iftud Spiricali effeftu cum angclis convcrfabi- tur, nee ultra erit carnis, & fanguinis aliquis appecitus, ic^ erit omnium plena fufHeientia, cognofcibilis Deus, & inhabitacor Spiritus Saodiis. Idea. ibid. p. 48 S, I pinefs. Of the Mtffion of the Holy Spirit, jn i)inefs, that this body, by fpiritual influea- ces, converfes with angels, nor (hall there be any more the appetites of flefli and blood, but the fulnefs of God is known, and the Spirit dwells in them '\ i 3. The neceffity offending the Spirit may farther appear^ if we confider the ftate and condition of the Apcftles, and their com- pany, upon Chrift's departure ; fome doub- ted whether he was the true Meifliah ; one deny*d him^ another betray'd him, and they all forfook him and fled ; and when the firft fright Was a little over, yet, upon good tefti- mony, they could hardly be brought to be- lieve, that he was rifen from the dead : And after he had convinced them by ocular de- monftrarion, and fufFcr*d one of them, more incredulous than the reft, to handle his body, ftill their fears were fo great, that they hid themfelves in an upper room : Now were thefe men in this condition, fit to be Chrift's witnefles before kings and rulers, and to carry his name and gofpel, in the face of death, to the ends of the world ; no, no, Chrift very wifely and mercifully ordered them to ftay at Jerufalem, till they fhould be endued with power from on high "a How needful was it that the Holy Spirit (hould be fent to expel their fears ; and, I may add, their ignorance; for they had ^ Luke xxiv. $9, <^- y ftrong ^ai Of the Nlijfm of the Holy Spirit. ftrong imaginations of Chrift's temporal kingdom ", and dream'd of thrones and fceptres, rather than of bonds, imprifonment and death, which they were ill prepared to cxpofe themfelves to, in the caufe of Chrift, till the Spirit was pour'd out upon th*i. Bcfides, being illiterate men, how (hould they be able to carry their meffage into all the world, if they could not fpeak the feve- ral languages ? But when Chrift fent the Spi- rit, he removed that difficulty alfo ; every nation heard the truth in its own language **. Then alfo p the Apoftles waxed bold ; great grace was upon them all, and with great power did they bear witnefs to Chrift. 4. By this miffion, there was a more clear and full manifeftation of the blefled Trinity, not in words only, but in fadls, which were feen and taken notice of all over the world : The '^ perfon of God the Father had been difcover'd more eminently in the work of creation, and of providence, for many ages before the coming of Chrift : The Deity of the Son and Spirit were more clearly reveard after the miffion and eiFu- fion of the Holy Ghoft. God manifefted in the fiefh, was juftified in the Spirit ; Chrift was declared to be the Son of God, in the preaching and writings of the Apoftles, who were infpired by the Holy Ghoft : And the " Ads i. 6. ° Chap. ii. 8. P Chap. iv. 33. ** See Dr. Owen on the Spiiif, p. 8. gifts Of the Mijjion of the Holy Spirit. 515 gifts and graces which he beftow'd, and the miraculous works which he efFedled, difcovcr- ed the Deity of the Holy Spirit himfelf : And therefore it was very proper and fit that the Holy Spirit ftiould be fent for this end, as well as for many others, 5. In this miffion the Father and Son ma- nifeft the light and luftre of their grace and love to men. The Holy Spirit is a Spirit of grace; he comes to do all the offices of grace and love to men ; and as he is fent by the Father and Son, and in the name of the Son^ in his miffion there is a glorious difcovery of the grace and love, both of the Father and the Son. Chrift fpeaking of the time when he fhould be gone to the Father, faid, " My Father will love him (him that loves me and keeps my words) and we (I and my Father) will come to him, and make our abode with him ", (by the Spirit ;) therefore he adds, " The Comforter, the Holy Ghoft, whom my Father will fend in my name, he fhall teach you all things ' ". When Chrift: was to be no longer bodily prefent with them, yet the Comforter, the Spirit, fent by the Father, in his name, was to manifeft and magnify the grace and love of the Father and Son towards them, as well as his own. The laft ages were defign'd to Ihew the ex- ceeding riches ^ of God's grace in his kind- ' John xiv# 23, 26. ^ Bphef, ii, 7. Y 2 nefs ^^4 Of the MiJJion of the Holy Spirit. nefs towards us in Chrift Jefus : Accord-^ ingly, when the Spirit was fentj great grace was upon all thofe on whom he was poured out 5 the Father and Son came to them, and fhed abroad their love in their hearts by the Holy Ghoft. It was then feen^ and felt, and known, that the Father hi m- felf loved them, and that the Son loved them to the end, and without end 5 for in and by the Spirit fent, both Father and Son made their abode with them, according to Chrift*s promife. By the miffion of the Spirit then, the grace of the Father and Son, as well as of the Spirit, fhin'd in its full luftre and brighteft glory ; for this end therefore it was neeeffary that the Holy Spi- rit ihould be fent. 6, By this miffion falvation is well fecu- red. If it had been left to our own fpi- rits, or to any other fpirit inferior to the Holy Spirit, how certainly had it mifcar- ried ? But it is fafe in his hand, who is fent to compleat it. Prop. IV, The miffion of the Holy Spirit confifts in his lignal manifeftations and ope- rations in our falvation^ in compliance with the will and appointment of the Father and Son, according to the divine oeconomy. I. There h a certain method and order ©f proceeding in the work ot our falvation % • P(a}. cxliv. 7. mutu- Of the Mtjfm of the Holy Spirit. 525 mutually and freely agreed upon by the Fa- ther, the Son, and Spirit, whereby each perfon takes and performs his proper part. This is what is called the oeconomy and dif- penfation, and is much fpoke of by the an- cients. The fum of this oeconomy or dif- penfation is hinted by the Apoftle Peter in thofe v/ords ; '' Eledl according to the fore- knowledge of God the Father, through fan- ftificarion of the Spirit, and fprinkling of the blood of Jefus Chrift " ". The Father choofes, the Son redeems by his blood, the Spirit fancSifies, or applies and perfefts the redemption"^. The order of difpenfation is according to the order of fubliftence ; the Father is firft in order, and therefore firft ia office; the Son is from the Father, there- fore he is fent by the Father; the Spiritis from the Father and Son, and therefore is fent both by the Father and the Son ; and yet this mif- fion is by mutual conient and agreement. The Spirit "^ could no more be compelled to come to fanftify, than the Son could be con- ftrained to come to redeem. All is dane by Father, Son, and Spirit, according to their order of fubfiftence, and according to mutual agreement among themfelves: The beginning of the work is afcribed to the Fa- ther, the carrying it on to the Son, the per- " I Pet.i. 1. w Ephef. i. 4,7, U. ^ See Dr. Waterland's fecond Defence, p. 177. Dr. Oiven pn the Spirit, p. 3^. y 3 fefting 516 Of the MtJUion of the Holy Sprit. fefting of it to the Holy Spirit, aot becaufe one is before the other, in point of duration, but becaufe one is of or from another ; and as the Spirit is laft in order of fubfiftence, (o he is laft in order of miffion and opera- tion, but not laft in point of duration, nor inferior in nature to the Father or the Son i the Father, Son, and Spirit being, in na- ture, all one, even one God. 2. According to this oeconomy we may conceive the Father and Son fending the Spirit, or v^illing and appointing him to appear and perform the v^ork allotted to him, at the proper time, and in the agreed me- thod and order j and yet w^e may believe hirn to be, in nature, one with the Father and Son, and effentially equal in power and glory. 3. The (ending the Spirit, refpedls his ap- pearance and operations in a place. The Spirit is faid to be fent by the Father and Son, when he difcpver*d his power and glo- ry in thofe works which he performed after Chrift's afcenfion, by the approbation and will of Father and Son. The Spirit is faid to be lent by the Father, to denote the Fa- ther's concurring authority and appointment in the divine oeconomy ; and the Spirit is faid to be fent in the name of Chrift fo^- the fame reafons, or as denoting the Son's au- thority and appointment of the Spirit, to ^c- complifti and perfed: this great work. Of the Miffion of the Holy Spirit. :^lj 4. We are not by this miflion to under- ftand any lervile miniftration, office, or work of the Spirit, as was hinted before ^ The Holy Spirit being God, could not be fent by way of fuperior authority and com- mand ; for, as God, he acknowledges none above him -, but he might be, and was fent by confent, as one equal may be fent by another, and fuftain a diverfity of office without an inferiority of nature, or original power and authority. Thus by difpenfatioa the Spirit is fent by the Father, in the name of the Son ; but yet it is not by way of na- tural fuperiority in the Father and Son, and natural fubjeftion on the part of the Holy Spirit, but by confent and agreement, and gracious condefcention to us on the part of the Spirit ; he is in himfelf a free Spirit, a fovereign Spirit, and ads according to his own will, and in our falvation, with the fame fovereign grace as the Father and Son do. Though Chrifl faid, that the Father will fend him, and that he will fend him, yet he never faid that the Father will com- mand him to come, or that He * will com- mand him, or that the Spirit ihall be obedi- y Vide Aug. contra Maximinum, Vol. VI. p. 670, 681, Vide Turret. Vol. I. p. 358. * He is not a meer inftrument or fcrsrant, difpoling of the tilings wherein he has no concern, or over which he has no power ; but in all things works towards us, according to his own will, Dr. Owen of the Spirit, p, 16$, Y 4 ^nc. ^it Of the Mijfm of the Holy Spirit. cnt. Chrift, indeed, faid, ^' He fhall be in you ; he fhall glorify me, and he (hall lefli- fy of me " ; but the words might as well have been rendered, " He will be in you, he will glorify me, and teftify of me ''; as elfe- where it is faid, " He will guide you into all truth } he will reprove the world of lin '\ His coming at the appointment of the Fa- ther, and in the name of the Son, is an afl: of choice, not of fervitude or fubjedion. £, In the explication and confirmation of this fourth propofition, let it be obferved, that this miflion is to be referred to the fignal or eminent manifeftation and operations of the Holy Spirit ; for this will diftinguifh his folemn miflion from all his previous works. He had done great things in the church, upon the human nature of Chrift, and in the world; but yet his miflion, or that which is eminently fuch, was not till pentecofl:, as will be noted hereafter. 6. This miflion is the joint ad: of the Fa- ther and the Son : The fcripture thus re- prefents it; " Whom the Father will fend in my name. Whom I will fend to you from the Father. If I depart I will fend him to you ^ ". Here we fee that this mif- fion is afcribed both to the Father and the Son, they both agreed in it ; and fometimes it is afcribed to one, fometimes to the other ? Johnxiv. 26, xvc a6= xvi. 7. Of the Miffion of the Holy Spirit, ^i^ pf them ; it was what they both concurred in y " For hitherto my Father works and I work ^ ", faid Chrift ; and what things foever the Father does, thefe alfo does the Son like- wife : " The Son has not a different power from the Father, either inferior or fuperior to his 5 but there is one fubftance, one power, and one operation of the Father and the Son% when Chrift faid, " My Father works and I work ", he fhew'd the equality between them** : Being in the form of God, he thought it no robbery to be equal to God ; but being alfo Mediator, he prays the Father to fend the Spirit ; he receives the promife of the Father, and fends the Spirit as his reprefen- tative and vicegerent, according to the oeco- nomy or difpenfation agreed upon by the Fa- ther, Son and Spirit, from eternity. Prop. V. The Holy Spirit is fent, and comes by virtue of the new covenant, and i$ given by Chrift as head of the church. This miffion is called the promife of the Father, and Chrift having received the pro- mife of the Holy Ghoft % he fent him, or fhed him forth. But all promifes of grace and mercy, efpecially the grand promife of the Spirit of grace, belong to the new co- venant, not to the old ; hence the Apoftlc faid, " Becaufe you are fons, God has fent ^ John V. 17, 19. *= Vide Theophyl. in loc. «» Vide Chryfoft. in Jo€, f Luke xxiv. 49. A^ i. 4, ii, 3?. forth 5 5 O Of the MiJJion of the Holy Spirit. forth the Spirit of his Son ^ , which (Holy Ghoft) he filed on us abundantly through Jefus Chrifl ". It is by and from him as Me- diator, and head of the church, that we re- ceive ^ the promife of the Spirit through faith, and not by the law ; «^ This only would I learn of you, faid the Apoftle ; re- ceived you the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith ^ '* ? The fandtifying grace of the Spirit is the conco- mitant of evangelical mercy. ** I will put my Spirit within them * ", is a grand promife of the new covenant. The miffion of the Spirit then is no mean or common thing, not the produft of nature, or of common providence, but of new covenant grace, com- municated by and from Chrift, our new covenant head. Believers are built an habi- tation of God through the Spirit^ ; but then it is by God, through Chrift our head, from whom the whole body grows and encreafes to the fulncfs of Chrift, and all is by the Spirit, and his gifts, which Chrift commu- nicated when he afcended up on high. Prop. VI. There is a difference between the miffion of the Holy Spirit, and of other fpirits, and between other miffions of him and the grand miffion fpoke of in my text j * Gal. iv. 6. Titus iii. 6. « Gal. iii. i— -I/j, ^ Dr. Bates Harm, Fol. 224. ' Eiek. xj^vi. 27. ^ Eph. iv. 10, !»>>?> i^» l ana Of the Mijjion of the Holy Spirit. ^^ i and alfo between the miflion and gift of the Spirit. Not only the Holy Spirit, but alfo other fpirits are faid to be fent ; the angels are fent forth to minifter ^ for them that (hall be heirs of falvation. The angels are fent to parti- cular places and perfons, the Holy Spirit to all ; angels pafs from place to place ; the Holy Spirit fills all places. Angels being fervants, obey ; the Holy Spirit, being fove- reign, afts according to his own will "' : An- gels, when fent, depart from the prefence of the Lord, from that place where his blifs- ful, glorious prefence is enjoy 'd : But the Spirit, when fent, remains ftill in and with the Father ; for he fills all things, and is every where prefent. There is a difference between other mif- fions of the Holy Spirit, and the grand mif- fion fpoke of in my text. Long before Chrift's incarnation ", the Spirit of Chrift was in the prophets ^ therefore he was fent to them. And before Chrifl's afcenfion, Chrifl breathed on the Apoflles, and faid, ♦' Receive you the Holy Ghofl *": And yet it is truly faid elfewhere, that *« the Holy Ghofl was not given, becaufe Chrifl was not glorified p ". He was not given in that vifi- ble, abundant, and glorious manner as he J Heb. i. 14. f. Vid. Ambr. de Spir. Sand. Lib. I. c, X. p. ii6. 5 J Pet. i. iio • |ohn xx, i*. p Chap. vii. 39. ^^^ Of the Miffm of the Holy Spirit. was after Chrift's afcenfion. The previous^ mifiion and gift of the Spirit is look'd upon, as none at all, compared with that, at, and after pentecoft. We may alfo note fome difference be- tween the miffion and gift of the Holy Spi- rit ; though they are commonly fpoke of as the fame thing ; but there is fom.e difference between them ; the mifTion is more ex- tenfive than the gift j the Spirit was fent to reprove the world, but was not given to the world, but to them that obey him ; fo the gift and the miflion feem to differ as a part differs from the whole. Prop. VII. The fignal and eminent miffior^ of the Holy Spirit was on the day of pence- cofl, when Chrifl having received of the Father the promife of the Holy Ghoft, fent him down '^ upon the difciples, and he ap- peared and fat upon them, as cleft tongues like as of fire, and they were filled with the Holy Ghoft. The appearance of tongues fitly reprefent- cd the gift of tongues, which the Holy Spi- rit then endowed them with ; and their be- ing cleft, aptly reprefented the fpreading of the gofpel among all nations. Gentiles as well as Jews ; and the fiery appearance, fig- nified the energy and power of their meifage, 5n- Of the Miffion oj the Holy Spirit. 335 inflaming the hearts of the hearers^ with faith and love, and the other graces which are the fruits and effedls of the Spirit. The fitting of thefe tongues upon them might denote the continued and lafting energy and power of that Spirit, who was to abide ia and with the church for ever. Thus Chrift baptized " them with the Holy Ghoft, and with fire, as it had been foretold. This was an awful and wonderful events which fiU'd the ^ beholders with amazement, agreeable to the prophetic account of it, which is given Us in very magnificent language J ** I will pour out my Spirit upon all flefli * ; and I will fhcw wonders in the heavens, and in thd earth, blobd, and fire, and pillars of fmoke 5 the fun fiiall be turned into darknefs^ and the moon into blood". Peter explaining this wonderful event, faid, " This is that which was fpoken by the prophet Joel " ", reciting his prophefy now mentioned ; and added, " Therefore Chrift being, by the right*hand of God, exalted, and having received of the Father the promife of the Holy Ghoft, he has (hed forth this which you now fee and hear '\ He fent the Spirit in that vifible and glorious way and manner, at pentecoft, before related. From whence it is very plain, thac this was the fignal and eminent miffion of the ^ Matt. iii. 1 1. ^ Afts ii. 7. * Joel ii. i3, 30, ji. » Aitsii. 17, 3?' a Holy 554 Of the Mijfion oj the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit, of which my text and oth^r fcriptures fpeafc. Prop. VIII. The miffion of the Holy Spi- rit was not confined to that firft and eminent cffufion at pentecoft, but extends to the whole church of Chrift in all ages. The Spirit "" was to abide for ever ; but the Apoftles and primitive Ghriftians did not live for ever in this world. It holds true in all ages, that, " if any man has not the Spi- rit of Chrift, he is none of his * ". Chrifti- ans y are built an habitation of God through the Spirit. " In this promife of the Spirit, Chrift founded his church, and by it he buildcd it up j and this is the hinge on which the whole weight of it turns and depends to this day 5 take it away, fuppofe it to ceafe^ as to a continual accomplifhment, and there will be an end of the church, of Chriftianity in the world ; no difpenfation of the Spirit, no church. He that ^would utterly feparate the Spirit from the Word, had as good burn his bible " '\ It belongs to all God*s children, and to the very ftace of adoptionj to have part in the miffion of the Holy Spirit 9 " becaufe you are fons, God has (tni forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying Abba Father ^ '\ ** John xiv. 16. ^Rom. viii. 9. / Eph. ii. 22t, * Dr. Owen of the Spirit, p, 57, Vide p. 16, ' Gal. iv. 6, There Of the Miffm of the Holy Spirit. 555 There were extraordinary miraculous works attended the miffion of the Spirit at pente- coft, and fome time after ; thefe are ceafed ; but he is ftiil fent to fandtify and comfort the redeemed. " This, gift of the Spirit, is with us to the end of time : This is the joy of our cxpedlation, the dear pledge of our hope in the exercife of our gifts : This is the light of our minds, and the fplendor of our fouls : This Holy Spirit therefore is to be defired and fought ^ ". Prop. IX. Infinite wifdom directed a fit time and place for the grand miffion of the Spirit. Jerufalem was the place where Chrift had been put to public fhame j here the^Spirit glo- rified him in converting and confounding his enemies, and putting a glory upon his friends* Jerufalem was a place full of perfons of all nations, as we are informed ; and it was ac the time ' of a public feaft, of the firft-fruits, which made it more public and remarkable : It is obfcrv*d alfo, that it was on our Lord*s- day, which put an honour upon it. As the law was given ^ fifty days after the paiTover, ^ Hillary deTrin. Lib. 11. ad fin. * Afts xi. 5. Exod. xxiii. 16. Chap, xxxiv. iz< ^ Lex a Pafchalis agni immolatione die quinquagefllmo da- tur : & peacecofiesmomcn tancae rei folemnicas ea lege accepic, in ipfo dierum numsro i^icramenci magni complicans rationem. Cyprian de Spir. Sanft. p. 48^. Ed. Pamel. fo 5^6 OftheMiffmof the Holy Spirit. fo the Spirit was given fifty days after Chrirt was facrificed for us, to write the law in our hearts, and make us free from the law of fin and death. Jerufalem being the place of the pouring out of the Spirit, the difciples were kept together there^ inexpeftationof it, and mutually comforted and confirmed by their common participation of this glorious gift. This was done about ten days after Chrift's afcenfion, as a proof of the truth of it, as an evidence of Chrift's love, faithfulnefs, and care, of the prevalency of his merit and inter- ceffion, and of the glory of his exalted ftate. Thus, according to prophefy % the word of the Lord went forth from Jerufalem, and all nations fiow*d into the church. This glorious miffion of the Spirit was deferred till Chrift was afcended, becaufe the Spirit was to be Chrift's vicegerent, and was to glorify Chrift in the world, a work which did not fuit his humbled ftate and bodily prefence on earth. Hence it is faid, " The Spirit was not yet given, becaufe that Jefus was not glori- fied^",. Prop. X. This miffion of the Moly Spirit was very glorious j it carried grandeur and glory in all the parts and circumftance? of it^ I(a. ii. 2,3. ^ John vii. 59. Vide Auguft. de Trimdi Unitac, p. 959»9^e< ri r ^ariv iffet^ix^^* « ifoAA^) [xei^ov 'f ^uijf m Cluyfoft. in loc. Tomj XL p. 569. Ed. Francof. 248 Of the Worh of the Holy SpirU. only gives life, but the Spirit, from whom that life flows; which truly (fays he) is much greater, and more excellent ". The word A;a;com, which we render mi- jiiftration, fignifies miniftry, work, or fer- yice, whether done by virtue of fome fpecial office, or otherwife. It is apply'd to paftors, apoflles, angels, and to Ghrift himfelf. In my text, it is applied to the Holy Spirit, and, I apprehend, denotes the office and work of the Holy Spirit, in the oeconomy of our fal- vation, or that work and office, which, by difpenfation, the Holy Spirit was fent to ful- fil and accomplifli. Some fcruple to affign any office to the Holy Spirit, leaft it fhould ingenerate too low and mean thoughts of him in the minds of men : But I fee no reafon why we may not as well fpeak of the office of the Spirit, who is fent by Chrift, as we commonly fpeak of the offices of Chrift, and efpecially ^ when Chrift himfelf has ftiled him^ the Comforter or Advocate, and the Spirit of truth ; and has told us his work, in many parts of it, as to teftify of him, glorify him, reprove the world, &c. all which are confiftent with the Spirit's equality in nature, to Father and Son, as has been prov'd before. ^ See Pearfon on the Creed, p. 10% By Of the jVorh oj the Holy Spirit. :^^^ By office we intend no more than a fpecial Work, which the Spirit has undertaken to perform^ by mutual agreement between him and the Father and Son j and therefore, I think, the word is not improper 5 however, as it is not, in fcripture, apply'd to him, I fhall not contend about the word, if the thing intended by it be allowed a fpecial work, which he has undertaken to perform, in the accomplifhment of man's falvation, according to the divine oeconomy : And that fuch a fpecial work belongs to him, appears from his names and titles, and the prophefy and promifes concerning him, contained in fcripture. Dodor Owen "" obferves, that the Spirit's bearing witnefs to Chrift, that he was the Son of God, and the true Meffiah, comprifes the head and fountain of the w^hole office of the Holy Spirit towards the church. And when the Holy Ghoft faid, *^ Separate me Barnabas and Saul '' -, He fpoke as one en- tered upon an office or work committed to him, and betrufted with him, fays Dodtor Goodwin " ; and it is as if he had faid, " This is my work proper to me ; I am the immedi- ate Governor and Adminiftrator herein ; for all that any ways concerns the edification of the church is committed to my management and care. The learned and accurate "" billiop "» Of the Spirit, p. 149. " Of chp Holy GhoO, p. u. * On che Creed, p. ^16, 527, Pear. 550 Of the Works of the Holy Spirit. Pearfon thinks, that the Spirit of God is called the Holy Spirit, becaufe it is his par- ticular office to fanftify or make us holy : «< But, fays he, when I fpeak of the office of the Holy Ghoft, I do not underftand any niinifterial office or fundtion, fuch as that of the created angels is ; for I have proved this Spirit to be a perfon properly divine, and confequently above all miniftration 5 but I intend thereby, whatfoever is attributed to him peculiarly in the falvation of man, as the w^ork wrought by him, for which he is fent by the Father and Son". " Another, fays Chryfoftom p, is the Lord, who diftri- butes thefe gifts j for the Holy Spirit is Lord, the Father, Son, and Spirit, divided among themfelves the difpenfation undertaken for our fake ". The Spirit is the interpreter of the Fa- ther and Son, performing towards us, the office of a Counfellor and a Comforter j as . the learned Turretine '^ exprefTes it. Accord- ing to thefe reprcfentations, I underftand the office of the Holy Ghoft. Some may think it to be of little moment, whether we confi- der the Holy Spirit ading as in office, or not : As to the word office, it is not fo ma- f* Et?^-?^ HVeiQ- J^IAVilxeoV Tct ^co^ TAUT Ay }y yO TO TffViV- ;^ iioi >C) ayiov •zivivfj.A. Chryfoll, d. f. Pcntecofte. Tom. V. p 49 r. Ed. Francof, *^ Vol. I. p. 3J4. terial Of the Works of the Holy Spirit. 551 terial whether we life it or not, if another, or other words can be found that exprefs the thing defigned by it, or a fpecial work in man's falvation ; which the Holy Spirit is engaged by the Father and Son, and his own confent to perform : But if we may let go the word office, yet we muft, by no means, let go the thing intended by it, the folemn engagement of the Holy Spirit to fulfil the work allotted to him in our falvation. It is a matter of great confequence, and of great encouragement and comfort, to look upon the application and perfedling our redemp- tion, as a work given to the Holy Spirit to do, and which he has engaged to the Fa- ther and Son who fent him to accompliftl. It is then no occafional and uncertain work, bu t what he has undertook to finiih and perfecSt* Chrift fays, that the Father would fend the Spirit in his name, and that he fhould take of his things, and glorify him j he was to come to fupply Chrift's abfence, carry on his work, and perfed: the falvation which Chrift was to be to the ends of the earth j and this takes in all that is included in what we call the work and office of the Holy Spirit. Chrift had promifed to be with his minifters to the end of the world "" ; but foon after the promife was given, he was taken up out of their fight > how then did he make good his I Matt, xxviii. 1 9. Ads i. 9. pro- 55^ Of the TVorh of the Holy Spirit. promife ? how was he, how could he be with them to the end of the world ? does not Paul fay, " Henceforth know we Chrift no more after the flefli ^ '* ? And elfewhere we read, that the heavens muft retain him to the time of the reftitution of all things ' ^ what then becomes of the promife of Chrifl's be- ing with the Apoflles, and their fucceflbrs, to the end of the world ? I anfwer, Chrift ful- fils the promife by the Spirit, who is his re- preferitativci who is fent in his name by the Father, and whofe work It is to take of the things of Chrift, and to fhew them to us". So that the faithfulnefs and honour of Chrift are very much concerned in the Holy Spirit's difcharging his office, and fulfilling his work. Salvation is not the effedt of chance, or of inconcerted meafures, but of infinite fore- fight, knowledge, and counfel, if a fparrow does not fall to the ground without our hea- venly Father, much lefs does fo great a work as man's falvation come to pafs, without a previous fchcme and agreement, how the whole ihould be tranfadted : This-is called God's working all things according to the counfel of his own will '' j which was to ga- ther together in one, all things in Chrift, in the difpenfation of the fulneis of times. The covenant is ordered in all things relating to man's falvation j and the Holy Spirit be- ^ i Cor. V. 17. * Ads iii. 17, " John iv. 16. Chap. xvi. 14. ^ Eph. i. 11, ing Of the JVorh of the Holy Spirit, g 5 V ihg called to it by the Father and Son, has taken upon him this part or office, to apply and perfedt the falvation of the redeemed • and his love, faichfulnefs and honour, arb as much concerned in perfedling, as Chrift's were in purchafing our falvation. Hence the Apoftlc fpeaks of the fealing work of the Spirit *, and reprefents him as the Spirit of wifdom and revelation, in the knowledge of Chrift, and mentions his mighty power in working faith, and creating us in Chrifl Jefus to good works, and in bringing both Jews and Gentiles, to the enjoyment of God through Chrift, •' For by one Spirit, we both have an accefs, through Chrift, to the Fa-» ther ". This is all according to oeconomy, and office, according to the counfel of the divine will, in which it was agreed and de- termined what the Father fhould do, and what the Son fhould do, and alfo vvhat the Holy Spirit fhould do in the wdrk of man's falvation. And this may be fuffieient to clear V/hat is intended by the work and office of the Holy Spirit, relating to falvation ; the whole gofpel difpeiifation being a miniflration of the Spirit. There are fbme things which it may be neceffary to hint before I enter upon the particular works of the Holy Spirit. * Ephef. i. 13, 17, 19. Chap* ii, lo^ i8, A a I. Ther^ ^54 Of the Worh of the Holy Sprit. I. There are fome works of the Spirit which may be called natural ; as the work of creation, wherein the Spirit concurred and wrought as the third perfon in the Tri- nity, and not as fent by the Father and Son 5 the Spirit being one in nature with the Fa- ther and Son, could not but alfo be one in operation with them in the making the world. This work is not, ftridlly fpeaking, a part of the difpenfation 5 but yet, when we treat of the work of the Spirit in general, none of the works afcribed to him in fcrip- ture, ought to be omitted. The operations of the Spirit, which are in- ternal, and immediately refpeft the Father and Son, in the communion of the one un- divided Godhead, are natural and neceflary, not by difpenfation or agreement ; as for ex- ample ^ ; the Spirit's love to the Father and Son, and his fearching and knowing the deep things of God. If there never had been any ©economy of falvation, or any falvation of (inners at all ; yet there would have been fuch a work of the Spirit as is laft roention'd : It could not be otherwife ; it is the refult of nature, and of thofe divine perfeftions whereof the Holy Spirit is poflefs'd as God^, who muft kjiow all things, and love both Father and Son. y See Dr. Ovren on the Spirit, p. 45. a. A t)fthe Wdrh of the Holy Spirit. 55^ 2. A fober, humble and diligent enquiry into the work of the Spirit is very necefiary ; fo it has been at all times, but never more tftan in our day, wherein men are fo full of themfelves, and fo fond of their own workSj^ that they have almoft excluded the Spirit and his work, from their religion ; as the 'Writings and difcourfes of too many make evident. The Pfalmift fays, that the works of God are great, fought out of all that have pleafure therein 5 his work is honourable and glorious ; he has made his wonderful works to be temember'd ^ If this is true of God's works in general^ then furely the works of the Spirit, which are the moft glo- rious works, ought not to lie negledted : The fcripture is full of them, from one end of the bible to the other 5 and it is ftrange to fee how induftrioufly fome feem to overlook them, or to leffen, explain them away, or to afcribe to their own fpirits what belongs to the Holy Spirit. Is not this one great thing that has quenched and grieved him^ and caufed him to withdraw and leave us in fuch a deplorable condition ? It is high time then to awake out of fleep, and to do what we can in vindication of the glorious work of the Holy Spirit. If we honour him he will honour us ; but if we defpife him, what