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" DISCOURSE
CONCERNING THE
HOLY SPIllIT
KK ACCOUNT IS GIVEN OF HIS NAME, NATURE, PERSONALITY, DISPKW- SATiON, OPERATIONS AND EFFECTS.
NATURE AND NECESSITY OF GOSPEL HOLINESS,
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GRACE AND MORALITY.
REV. JOHN OWEN, D. D,
ABRIDGED BV GEOBOE BURDER.
' Search tlie Scriptarea."
PHILADELPHIA: PRESBYTERIAN BOARD OF PUBLICATION.
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59
CONTENTS.
BOOK I.
Page CHAPTER I. — General principles concerning the Holy Spirit,
and his work, ----- - 17
CHAPTER II. — The name and titles of the Holy Spirit, - 33
CHAPTER III. — The Divine nature and personality of the Holy
Spirit proved and vindicated, . - - - 39
CHAPTER IV. — Peculiar works of the Holy Spirit, in the first or
old creation, ----- - 54
CHAPTER V. — The manner of the dispensation of the Holy
Spirit, -----
BOOK II.
CHAPTER I. — Peculiar operations of the Holy Spirit under the old Testament, preparatory to the new creation, - - 67
CHAPTER II. — General dispensation of the Holy Spirit, with re- spect to the new creation, - - - - - 84
CHAPTER III. — Work of the Holy Spirit with respect to the human nature of Christ, the head of the new creation, - 90
CHAPTER IV. — The general work of the Spirit with respect to the members of Christ's mystical body, ... 107
BOOK III.
CHAPTER I. — W^ork of the Holy Spirit in the new creation, by regeneration, - - - - - -119
CHAPTER II. — VV^ork of the Holy Spirit preparatory to regene- ration, ------
CHAPTER III. — Corruption or depravity of the mind by sin, - 144 CHAPTER IV. — Life and death, natural and spiritual, compared, 169 CHAPTER V. — The nature, causes, and means of regeneration, - 175 CHAPTER VI. — The manner of conversion explained, in the instance of Augustine, - - - - - 195
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135
4 CONTENTS.
BOOK IV.
Page CHAPTER I. — The nature of sanctification and gospel-holiness
explained, - - - - - - -219
CHAPTER 11. — Sanctification a progressive work, - - 230
CHAPTER HI. — Believers the only object of sanctification, and
subject of holiness, - - - . - . 24(5
CHAPTER IV". — The defilement of sin, wherein it consists, with its purification, ...... 254
CHAPTER V. The filth of sin purged by the Spirit and blood of Christ, ....... 262
CHAPTER VI. — The positive work of the Spirit in the sanctifica- tion of believers, . . ... . - 278
CHAPTER VII.— Of the acts and duties of holiness, - 299
CHAPTER VIII. — Mortification of sin, the nature and causes ofit, . . . - . . - 305
B 0 0 K V.
CHAPTER I.— The necessity of holiness, argued from the nature of God, ....... 323
CHAPTER II. — Eternal election a cause of, and motive to holi- ness, -.....-- 337
CH.\PTER III. — Holiness necessary from the commands of God, 348 CHAPTER IV. — Necessity of holiness, from God's sending Jesus Christ, . . . . . . - 361
CHAPTER V. — Necessity of holiness, from our condition in this world, ...... 371
APPENDIX.
The work of the Holy Spirit in prayer, - - - . 385
The work of the Holy Spirit as a Comforter, - • 398
ADVERTISEMENT.
Among the numerous and valuable works of Dr. Owen, his Discourse on the Holy Spirit claims a principal place : it has been thought by some, " An epitome, if not the masterpiece of his writings."* The subject is certamly of the greatest importance ; and it is managed with that depth of judgment, solidity of argument, and fervour of piety, which characterize his theological per- formances. But notwithstanding the intrinsic excel- lence of the work, it is undoubtedly too large, too learned, and too expensive for the generality of serious readers. It is therefore rather extraordinary that no abridgment of it has yet appeared. The doctrine of the Scriptures concerning the Holy Spirit and his gracious operations in the Church, is so intimately con- nected with every branch of gospel truth, and every part of Christian experience, that a good discourse upon it must be useful at any time : but if we consider how much the Divine influences on the human mind are now slighted by some, and ridiculed by others, the re- publication of this admirable treatise will appear pecu- liarly seasonable.
Dr Owen, like many of his contemporaries, was a
• No^fton's Cardiphonia, vol. ii. p. 142.
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6 ADVERTISEMENT.
voluminous writer. Prolixity was the fashion of the age Indeed, his profound learning, penetration, and expe rience, enabled him to exhaust every subject that he undertook. And it may be observed, that when the divines of that day were excluded from their pulpits by persecution, and devoted their talents to the press, the people read with avidity in the closet, what they were not permitted to hear in the Church. This may account for the number and bulk of religious publica- tions in the last century. But the taste of the present day is not for ponderous folios. Modern professors of the gospel, having very frequent opportunities of hearing it in public, spend, perhaps, too little of their time in re- tirement ; and those who do read, wish to have " mucl in a little."
The utility of abridgments, when properly executed, is sufficiently obvious ; and some of the most useful books in every science are of this description. The late Rev. Mr. Hervey much wished that the writings of our venerable ancestors were reduced to a smaller com- pass. In a letter to a friend he thus expresses himself; " I wish some judicious hand would give us the quin- tessence of Dr. Owen's works, each in a size portable both for the pocket and the memory. I really think it would be one of the most substantial acts of service which a scholar and a divine could perform for the present age."*
• See Letter V., in the Rev. Mr. Ryland's Character of Hervey, lately published.
ADVERTISEMENT.
The Editor ventured on this undertaking with much diffidence ; and therefore published proposals for print- ing his book by subscription. His chief intention was to ascertain what number of copies should be printed, but a mor^ valuable purpose was answered ; for he has had the pleasure of learning, from a great number of evangelical ministers and judicious Christians of va- rious denominations, that his design is cordially ap- proved : nothing could have given him equal encourage- ment amidst the fatigues of the work.
The Author's large and numerous quotations from the Greek and Latin fathers are here omitted. Many tedious digressions are passed over. Brief extracts of some of the more critical parts are printed with a very small type in the notes. The sense of many a long and perplexed sentence is carefully preserved in fewer words ; and the repetition of the same sentiment, which sometimes occurred in one long paragraph is studiously avoided. By these means, the substance of this excel- lent but prolix book, is reduced to a moderate size: but such was the Editor's veneration for the memory of Dr. Owen, as well as his regard to fidelity, that no liberty whatever has been taken with the sense of the Author, nor the least wilful misrepresentation made of his views, in a single instance. The method also of the original work remains unaltered.
The Appendix contains some fine extracts from other writings of Dr. Owen, on the work of the Spirit in prayer, and on his operations as a Comforter.
8
ADVERTISEMENT.
With what judgment and propriety the Editor has performed the difficult task ; and whether he has omitted or altered too much or too little, must be left to the decision of the public. Many imperfections will pro- bably be discerned by a critical eye. However, he has the satisfaction of reflecting, that he has sincerely en- deavoured to form a useful work ; and that he has put into the hands of many hundreds of serious persons the essence of a most valuable book, hitherto confined, in a great measure, to the studies of the learned ; and which he humbly hopes will be instrumental of much spiritual information, edification and comfort to the people of God.
THE
AUTHOR'S PREFACE
ABRIDGED.
A GENERAL account of the nature and design of the ensuing discourse, being given in the first chapter of it, I shall not detain the reader by a long preface. But it is necessary to mention a few things, with respect to the matter contained in it, and the manner in which it is treated.
The subject matter of the whole is, The Holt Spiiiit of God, and HIS Operations. And there are two things, either of which is sufficient to render any subject difficult or unpleasant to be treated of; both which we have now to combat. For where the matter itself is abstruse and mysterious, the handUng of it cannot be without difficulty ; and where it is fallen under public contempt, there is ari abatement of satisfaction in the consideration and defence of it. Now all the concerns of the Holy Spirit are eminently " the deep things of God ;" for as the knowledge of them wholly depends on Divine revelation, so they are in their own nature heavenly, and remote from every thing that the heart of man. in the mere exercise of reason, can conceive. And yet there is nothing in the world more generally despised, as foolish and contemptible. That man forfeits his reputation with many, and is deemed a fanatic, estranged from the conduct of reason, and all generous principles of conversation, who dares avow an interest in His vsork, or take upon him the defence of it. Wherefoic these things must be briefly considered, in order to show whence relief may be had against the discouragements with which they are attended.
It must be granted, that the things here treated of are in themselves mysterious and abstruse : but yet the way in which we may seek an ac- quaintance with them is made plain in the Scriptures. God, who is the eternal, original spring and fountain of truth, is also the only sovereign cause and author of its revelation to us. And whereas that truth, which originally is one in him, is of various kinds, according to the variety of the things which it respects in its communication to us; the ways and means of its communication are suited to the distinct nature of each par- ticular truth. The truth of natural things is made known from God by the exercise of reason, or the due application of the human understanding to the investigation of them : " For the things of a man, knoweth the spirit of man that is in him." But as to supernatural things, the teachings of
00
10 PREFACE.
God are of another nature, and a peculiar application to him for instruc- tion is required from us. And though all that diligence in the use of outward means, which is necessary to the attainment of any other useful knowledge, is indispensably requisite in this; yet if there be not an ad- dition of spiritual ways and means, suited in their own nature, and ap- pointed of God for the reception of supernatural light, and the under standing of the deep things of God, our labour about them will in a great measure be fruitless and unprofitable. For though the letter of the Scrip- ture and the sense of the propositions, are equally exposed to the reason of all mankind ; yet the real spiritual knowledge of the things themselves is not communicated to any, but by the special operation of the Holy Spirit : " For the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God," and they to whom they are revealed by him.
In the first part of the work, which respects the name. Divine nature, personality, and mission of the Holy Spirit, I do but declare and defend the faith of the Catholic Church against the Socinians ; with what advan- tage, light, and evidence, is left to the determination of the learned reader.
The second part of our discourse treats of the work of the Holy Spirit in the old creation ; in its production, preservation, and rule. And whereas I had not the advantage of any one author, ancient or modern, to beat the path before me, I have confined myself to express testimonies of Scripture, with such expositions of them as suflRciently evince their own truth.
The same may be said of what succeeds, concerning his work under the Old Testament, preparatory for the new creation, in the communica- tion of all sorts of gifts, ordinary and extraordinary ; all kinds of skill and ability in things spiritual, natural, moral, artificial, and political.
As to what respects his work on the head of the new creation, or the human nature in the person of Christ, I have been careful to keep strictly to the bounds of sobriet}^ and not to indulge any curious or unwarrant- able speculations. I have, therefore, not only attended diligently to the Scripture, our only infallible guide, but also expressly considered what was taught and believed in the ancient Church in this matter, from which I know that I have not departed.
More I shall not add, as to the first difficulty, with which an attempt of this kind is attended, arising from the nature of the subject treated of. The other, concerning the contempt that is thrown on all these things, must be further considered.
In all the dispensations of God towards his people under the Old Tes- tament, there was nothing of good communicated to them, nothing of worth or excellency wrought in them or by them, but it is expressly assigned to the Holy Spirit as the author and cause of it. But yet, of
PREFACE.
11
all the promises given to them concerning a future and more glorious state of the Church, next to that of the coming of Christ, those are the most eminent which respect a more full communication of the Spirit. Accordingly we find in the New Testament, that whatever concerns the conversion of the elect, the edification of the Church, the sanctification and consolation of believers, &c., is so appropriated to him, that, without his special operation, nothing of it can be enjoyed or performed. So careful was God to secure the faith of the Church in this matter, as he knew its eternal concernments to lie therein. Yet notwithstanding all this evidence, the Church has in most ages been exercised with opposi- tion, either to his person or work; nor does it yet cease so to be. Yea, though the contradictions of some in former ages have been fierce and clamorous, they have fallen short of what is come to pass in our days. For, not to mention the Socinians who have gathered into one head, or rather ulcerous imposthume, all the virulent oppositions made to his Deity or grace by the Photinians, Macedonians, and Pelagians of old ; there are others, who professing no enmity to his Divine person, yea, admitting the doctrine of the Church concerning it, are yet ready, on all occasions, to despise his whole work. Hence it is become a reproach to make men tion of his grace, or to profess an interest in that work of his, as his, without which no man shall see God. And some have taken pains to prove, that various things expressly assigned to him in the gospel, as effects of his power and grace, are only filthy enthusiasms, or, at least, weak imaginations of distempered minds. Nor is there any end of calum- nious imputations on those who avow his work, and profess his grace. For let any persons but plead for the known work of the Spirit of God, and they are immediately charged with leaving the rule of the word to attend to revelations and inspirations, as also to forego all thoughts of the necessity of the duties of obedience ; though no work of his is pleaded for but that, without which no man can attend to the rule of Scripture as he ought, nor perform one duty of obedience in a proper manner. And there are none of this conspiracy so weak or unlearned, but they are able to scoff at the mention of him, and to cast the very naming ot him on others as a reproach. And it is well, if some begin not to deal with the person of Christ in the same manner ; for error and profaneness «ne always fruitful and progressive, and will be so, whilst darkness and corruption abiding on the minds of men, the great adversary is able to make impressions on them. But in these things, not a few please them- selves, despise others, and would count themselves injured, if their Christianity should be called in question. But what value is there in that name, if the whole mystery of the gospel is excluded out of our re- ligion 1 Take away the dispensation of the Spirit, and his effectual ope-
12 PREFACE.
rations in all the intercourse that is between God and man — be ashamed to avow the work attributed to him in the gospel — and Christianity is plucked up by the roots. Yea, this practical contempt of the work of the Holy Spirit, having become the only plausible defiance of reHgion, is at the same time the most pernicious ; being constantly accompanied with profaneness, and commonly issuing in atheism.
To obviate these evils in some measure — to vindicate the truth and reality of Divine spiritual operations in the Church — to avow what is be- lieved and taught therein concerning the Holy Spirit and his work — to evince the iniquity of those calumnies, under the shade of which some endeavour to countenance themselves in their profane scoflls — to manifest that what is ascribed to him, is not only consistent with religion, but also that, without which religion cannot consist, is the principal design of the ensuing discourse.
Now because the effectual operation of the blessed Spirit, in the rege- neration or conversion of sinners, is of ail other parts of his work most violently opposed, and has of late been virulently traduced, I have the more largely insisted on it. And because it can neither be well understood, nor duly explained, without the consideration of the state of fallen or corrupted nature, I have also taken in that at large.
Probably some will think, that our discourses on these subjects are canied to an unnecessary and inconvenient length, by that intermixture of practical applications which runs along in them all. But if they are pleased to consider, that my design was not to handle these things in a controversial manner, but, declaring and confirming the truth, to accom- modate the doctrines treated of unto practice ; — and that I dare not treat of things of this nature in any other way, than such as may promote the edification of believers ; — they will either be of my mind, or readily admit of my excuse.
However, if these things are neglected or despised by some, there are others who will judge their great concern to lie in such discourses as may direct and encourage them in the holy practice of their duty. And whereas the way and manner of the Spirit, in translating sinners from death unto life, have been variously handled by some, and severely re- flected on by others, I have endeavoured so to assert what the Scripture teaches concerning them, as is suited, I doubt not, to the experience of those who have been made partakers of that blessed work of the Holy Ghost. And whilst in the substance of what is delivered, I have the plain testimony of Scripture, the suffrage of the ancient Church, and the experience of believers to rest upon, I shall not be greatly moved with the censures of those who are otherwise minded.
The only inconvenience with which our doctrine is charged, is the pre-
PREFACE. iZ
tended difficulty of reconciling the nature and necessity of our duty, with the efficacy of the grace of the Spirit ; I have therefore been so far from waving the consideration of it, that I have embraced every opportunity to examine it in all particular instances, wherein it may be urged with most appearance of probability. And I hope it is made to appear, that not only the necessity of our duty is consistent with the efficacy of God's grace ; but also, that as on the one hand we can perform no duty with- out its assistance, so on the other, that the work of grace itself is no way effectual but in our compliance with it in a way of duty : only with the leave of some persons, or whether they will or no, we give the pre-emi- nence in all to grace, and not to ourselves. The command of God is the measure and rule of our diligence in a way of duty ; and why any one should be discouraged from that diligence, by the consideration of the assistance which God has promised to him, I cannot understand. The work of obedience is difficult, and of the highest importance; so that if any one can be negligent therein, because God will help and assist him, it is because he hates it. Let others do what they please, I shall endeavour to comply with the apostle's advice upon the enforcement which he gives unto it ; " Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling : for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his own good pleasure."*
Another part of the work of tiie Holy Spirit, consists in our sanctifica- tion. How much all his operations herein are despised by some — what endeavours there have been to debase the nature of gospel-obedience, and to substitute a heathenish honesty, at best, in the room thereof, is well known. Hence I thought it necessary to make a diligent inquiry into the nature of evangelical holiness, and that spiritual life unto God, which all believers are created unto in Christ Jesus. And herein, following
♦The Doctor hero adds— " These things, with several of the like nature, fall- in" unavoidably under consideration, have drawn out these discourses unto a length much beyond my first design ; which is also the reason that I have forborne to add to them, those other parts of the work of the Spirit, in prayer; — iji illumination with respect to the right understanding the mind of God in the Scriptures;— In the communication of gifts to the Church ;— and the consolation of believers; which must nov/ wait for another opportunity."
The Editor begs leave to observe, that Dr. Owen afterwards wrote a treatise on each of these subjects. His Sitstij Hvfvi.i.aTixri ; or, the causes, ways, and means of understanding the mind of God as revealed in the word, appeared in the year 1678. His discourse on the work of the Spirit in prayer, was published in 1682 And his two other discourses, which completed the plan — the one, ott the Spirit of God as a comforter; and the other, as he is the author of spiritual gifts, were published after his death, by the Rev. Nathaniel Mather, 1693.
The reader will find some large extracts from two of these discourses, in an appendix to this abridgment. These appeared to the Editor the most necessary to complete the work, and were all that the limits of the present volume would aamit of.
14 PREFACE.
the conduct of the Scriptures from first to last, the difference that is be- tween them, and the exercise of mere moral virtue, did so evidently mani- fest itself, that it needed no great endeavour to represent it to any impar- tial judgment.
In the last place, succeeds a discourse concerning the necessity of holi- ness ; some regard I confess I had herein, though not much, to the ridicu- lous clamours of malevolent and ignorant persons, charging those who plead for the efficacy of the grace of God, and the imputation of the right- eousness of Christ, as though they thereby took away the necessity of a noly life. For who would trouble himself about an accusation which ia laden with so many convictions of its forgery, as there are persons who sincerely believe those doctrines ; and which common light gives testimony against in the conversation of those by whom they are received, and by whom they are despised 1 It was the importance of the thing itself, made peculiarly seasonable by the manifold temptations of the present day, which occasioned that addition to what was delivered about the nature of evangeli- cal holiness; seeing " if we know these things, happy are we if we do them."
The oppositions to what we believe and maintain herein, are of two sorts: First, such as consist in particular objections to each particular work of the Spirit. Secondly, such as consist in reflections cast upon his whole work. Those of the first kind will be noticed in their proper places- those of the latter sort, may be briefly considered here.
The chief pretence of this nature is, that those who plead for the ope- rations of the Spirit, are enemies to reason, and impugn the use of it in religion. Hence some affirm that they are reproached with the name of " rational divines ;" though, as far as I can discern, if it be so, it is as Jerome was beaten by an angel for being a Ciceronian (in the judgment of some) very undeservedly. But the grounds on which this charge should be made good, have not as yet been made to appear ; nor has it been evinced, that we ascribe any thing to the efficacy of God's grace, in the least derogatory to reason. I suppose we are agreed herein, that the reason of man in our present state, is insufficient of itself to frame a re- ligion whereby we may please God and be accepted with him. Or, if we are not agreed in this, yet I shall not admit it as a part of our present dis- pute, wherein we suppose a religion proceeding from revelation. Nor is it pleaded that reason is able, fully and perfectly to comprehend all that is revealed ; for we have not now to deal with those who reject the mysteries of the Gospel because they cannot comprehend them, under a pretence that what is above reason is against it. And perhaps it will also be granted, that natural reason cannot enable the mind savingly to perceive spiritual things as revealed, without the special aid of the Spirit in illumination. If this be denied by any, as we acknowledge our dissent from them, so we
PREFACE. 15
. know that we do no injury to reason thereby, and will rather suffer the imputation of so doing, than by renouncing the Scripture turn infidels, that we may be counted rational. But we cannot conceive how reason should be prejudiced by the advancement of our rational faculties, with re- spect to the exercise of them towards their proper objects ; which is all we ascribe to the work of the Spirit. And there are none in the world more ready than we are to grant, that our reason is the only judge of the sense of propositions drawn from Scripture or proposed therein ; and we heartily wish that all men might be left peaceable under that determination, where we know they must abide, whether they will or not.
The question is, what reasonableness appears in the mysteries of our religion, when revealed to our reason, and what ability we have to receive, believe, and obey them as such. The latter part of this inquiry is so fully considered in the following discourse, that I shall not insist upon it here ; the former may be briefly spoken to. It cannot be denied that the Christ- ian religion is highly reasonable ; for it is the effect of the infinite reason of God : and there is no doubt that it appears so to enlightened reason, or the mind of man affected with that work of grace in its renovation, which is so expressly ascribed to the Holy Spirit in the Scripture. For as there is a suitableness between an enlightened mind and spiritual mysteries as revealed ; so, seeing them in their proper hght, it finds by experience their necessity, goodness, and benefit, with respect to our chief good and supreme end. It only remains then, that we inquire, now reasonable the mysteries of the Christian religion are to the minds of men as corrupted ; for that they are so, by the entrance of sin, will be fully proved. Where- fore to speak plainly, as we acknowledge that reason in its corrupted state, is all that any man in that state possesses, whereby to judge of the doc- trines revealed in Scripture ; so as to spiritual things themselves, it is enmity against them, and they are foolishness unto it. If therefore it be a crime, if it be to the impeachment of reason to affirm, that our minds need the renovation of the Spirit, to enable them to understand spiritual things in a spiritual manner, we acknowledge ourselves guilty of it : But otherwise, that by asserting the efficacious operations of the Spirit of God, we deny the proper use and exercise of our own reason, is falsely charged upon us ; as will afterwards be fully maintained.
It is further pretended, that, by the operations we ascribe to the Holy Spirit, we expose men to be deceived by satanical delusions, open a door to enthusiasms, unaccountable impulses and revelations, and so make way for all folly and villany. By what means this charge can be fixed on those, who professedly avow that nothing is good, nothing duty to us, nothing acceptable to God, but what is warranted by the Scripture, has never yet been attempted to be proved. For we not only condemn nil
16 I'REFACK.
these things, but what we teach concerning the Spirit of God, is the onl^ way to secure us from the danger of them. It is true, there have been, and perhaps are among some, satanieal deh:isions, diabolical suggestions, and foul enthusiasms, which have been pretended to proceed from the Spirit of God ; for so it is plainly affirmed in the Scripture, wherein di- rections are also given for their discovery. But if we must therefore reject the real operations of the Spirit of God, we may as well reject the owning of God himself, because the devil has imposed himself on man- kind as the object of their worship. What some men mean by impulses, I know not. If it be special aids and inclinations to duties, peculiarly in- cumbent on persons so assisted and inclined, it requires no small caution that under an invidious name we reject not those supplies of grace which are promised to us, and which we are bound to pray for. But if they mean irrational impressions, or violent inclinations to things or actions which are not acknowledged duties in themselves, nor incumbent on the persons so affected in their present circumstances — as we utterly abandon them, so no pretence is given to them from any thing we believe con- cerning the Holy Spirit and his operations. For the whole work, which we assign to him, is that alone whereby we are enabled to perform that obedience to God which is required in the Scripture, in the way and manner wherein it is required. And it is probably more out of enmity to him than to us, where the contrariety is pretended. The same may be said concerning revelations. They are of two sorts, objective and subjective. Those of the former kind, whether they contain doctrines contrary to Scripture, or additional to it, or seemingly confirmatory of it — are all universally to be rejected. By subjective revelations, nothing is intended, but that work of spiritual illumination, whereby we are enabled to discern the mind of God in the Scripture, which the apostle prays for, Eph. i. 17 — 19, the nature of which we shall fully explain.
But it may be said, that our whole labour in declaring the work of the Spirit, as well as what we have briefly spoken in vindication of it, is alto- gether vain, seeing all we do or say herein is nothing but canting with unintelligible expressions. So some indeed affirm, before they have pro- duced their charter wherein they are constituted the sole judges of what expressions, what way of teaching are proper in things of this nature. But by any thing that yet appears, they seem to be as unqualified for that dictatorship which they assume, as any sort of men that ever under- took the declaration of sacred things. Wherefore, unless they come with better authority, and give a better example of their own manner of teach- ing, we shall continue to make scripture phraseology our rule and pattern m the declaration of Spiritual things, whether intelligible to them or not and that for reasons so obvious, that they need not here be pleaded.
BOOK I.
CHAPTER I.
GENERAL PRINCIPLES CONCERNING THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND HIS WORK.
The discourse introduced by an explanation of 1 Coh. xii. 1, concerning spiritual gifts — Jesus, how called Anathema, and acknowledged Lord — The Holy Spirit the author of all gifts — The distribution of them — Their proper end, and the abuse of them — General design of the work — The great importance of it on five accounts.
The Apostle Paul, in the xii. chapter of his first epistle to the Corinthians, directs their exercise of spiritual gifts ; of which they had received an abun- dant measure, and concerning which they had con- sulted him. For the Lord " having much people in the city of Corinth," Acts xviii. 9, 10, whom he intended to call, encouraged the apostle to go and preach there; gave great success to the Avord; and furnished the first converts with such eminent, extra- ordinary, and miraculous gifts, as might be happily instrumental in the conversion of others. In the exercise of these gifts, several persons had conducted themselves improperly ; and had abused them to the purposes of emulation and ambition. On the informa- tion of some, who, loving tru th, peace, and order, were troubled on this account; and in answer to a letter of the whole Church concerning these and other occur- rences, chap. vii. 1, he gives them his advice, for the rectifying such abuses. And to prepare their minds for instruction, by exciting humility and gratitude, becoming those who were intrusted with such excel- lent privileges, he reminds them of their state and condition before tney were converted to Christ, ver. 2
2 (17)
18 GENERAL PRINCIPLES CONCERNING
" You know that you were gentiles, carried away with dumb idols, ev^cn as you were led:" — hurried with violent impressions from the Devil into the service of idols. This he mentions, not to reproach them, but to let them know what frame of mind, and what fruit of life, might be expected from persons, who had received such an alteration in their con- dition.
This alteration, he further describes by the author, and effects of it, ver. 3 : " Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God, calleth Jesus accursed; and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost." The great dispute of the day, was about Jesus. Unbe- lievers, being led by the Devil, blasphemed; and said, "Jesus was anathema." They looked on him as a detestable person ; the common odium of gods and men. Hence on the mention of him, they used to say, " Jesus anathema;" he is, or let him be, accursed, detested, destroyed. And this was once the condition of the Corinthians themselves. On the other hand, believers called Jesus " Lord." They owned him to be Jehovah* the Lord; over all God blessed for ever, Rom. ix. 5. And they professed him to be theit Lord ; the Lord of their souls and consciences ; as Thomas did in his great confession, " My Lord, and my God." Now this great change in the religion and profession of the Corinthians, was effected by the Holy Ghost; for "no man can say that Jesus is the Lord," which is the sum and substance of our Christian profession, but by him. This expression includes both onx faith in him, and omx profession of that faith; which two, when sincere, always accom- pany each other, Rom. x. 10. For as the saying that Jesus was "anathema," comprised an open disclaimer of him ; so the calling him " Lord," expresses the pro- fession of our faith in him, and subjection to him. And that these are the works of the Holy Ghost, which
• The name Jehovah is every where in the New Testament expressed '■»y xvptoj here used.
1
TJIK HOLY SPIRIT AND HIS WORK. 19
none of themselves are sufficient for, shall hereafter be fully declared.
Having thus stated the original and foundation of the Church, in its faith and profession, he further acquaints tliem, that the same Spirit is also the author of those gifts, whereby it was to be built up and enlarged. " Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same spirit," ver. 4 ; whom he also calls, the Lord, ver. 5, and God, ver. 6 ; and to denote the unity of their author, notwithstanding the diversity of the things themselves, he calls him " the same Spirit;" "the same Lord;" "the same God." As he is called " the Spirit," to denote which of the Divine Persons is intended; so he is called "Lord" and " God," to signify his sovereign authority in all his operations; and to produce in our hearts a due reve- rence towards him.
With respect to their general nature, the apostle distributes them into "gifts, administrations, and operations," ver. 4,5,6; and then declares the general end and design of the Spirit, in his communication of them to the Church. " But the manifestation," or revelation, " of the Spirit, is given to every man to profit withal," ver. 7 ; that, is, the gifts whereby he manifests his care of the Church; and his own presence, power, and effectual operations, are granted to some, that they may be used for the profit and edification of others: not for the secular advantage or honour, nor merely for the spiritual benefit of those who possess them ; but for the furtherance of faith and profession in others, 1 Cor. vi. 12, and x. 23. 2 Cor. viii. 10. These gifts are further distinguished by nine different names. Wisdom : — Knowledge ; or the word of wisdom, and the word of knowledge: — Faith: — Healing: — Working of miracles: — Prophe- cy : — Discerning of spirits : — Tongues : — and Inter- pretation of tongues, verses 8, 9, 10. All these were extraordinary gifts, which related to the then present state of the Church. What is yet analogous to them shall hereafter be considered. But now if there be such a diversity of gifts ; if so much difference in
20 GENERAL PRINCIPLES CONCERNING
their administration ; how can differences and divi- sions be prevented, among those on whom they are bestowed, or exercised ? It is true, that such diffe- rences may happen ; and did actually exist in the Corinthian Church. One admired one gift; a second another; and so on. And among those who received them, one boasted of this or that particular gift, to the exclusion and contempt of others ; and those gifts which excited admiration, were preferred to others of a more useful tendency. By this means the Church was divided and distracted, chap, xiv., and chap. i. 11,12. So foolish are the minds of men, so liable to be imposed upon; so common is it for their lusts, seduced by Satan, to " turn judgment into wormwood ;" and to abuse the most useful effects of Divine Bounty ! To prevent these evils for the future, and to manifest the harmony of these various gifts, in their source and tendency, the apostle declares both their author, and the rule of their dispensation, ver. 12: "All these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will."
I shall not at present further insist upon these words. Frequent recourse must be had to them in our progress ; as the Person, the Will, and the Ope- rations of the Spirit, are all asserted in them. For I purpose, through Divine Assistance, to treat from hence of the name, nature, existejice, a.nd whole work of the Holy Spirit : — a work too great and difficult for me to undertake ; and beyond my ability to manage to the glory of God, or the good of men; for " who is sufficient for these things?" But yet I dare not utterly faint, while I look to Him, whose work it is ; " who giveth wisdom to them that lack it, and upbraideth them not." Our eyes therefore are to him, who both " supplieth seed to the sower," and blesseth it with increase. The present necessity, importance, and usefulness of the subject, have alone engaged me to undertake it. These, therefore, I shall briefly repre- sent m some general considerations.
First, then, we may observe, That the doctrine of the Spirit of God, is the second great article of those
TlIK IIOLV SriKir AND HIS WORK. 2l
gospel trutlis, ill which the glory of God and the good of souls, are most eminently concerned ; without the knowledge of which in hs truth, and the improve- ment of it in its power, the first will be altogether useless. For when God designed the great and glo- rious work of recovering fallen man, and of saving siimers to the praise of the glory of his grace, he appointed in his infinite wisdom two great means thereof: The one was, the giving of his Son for them ; and the other was, the giving of his Spirit to them. And hereby a way was opened for the manifestation of the glory of the whole blessed Trinity ; which is the utmost end of all the works of God. Hereby, were the love, grace and wisdom of the Father, in the design and projection of the whole; the love, grace and condescension of the Son, in the execution of the plan of Salvation ; with the love, grace and powerof the Spirit, in the application of all to the souls of men, made gloriously conspicuous. Hence, from the first entrance of sin, there were two general heads of the promises of God concerning salvation. The one respected the sending his Son to take our nature, and to suffer for us therein; the other, related to the giving his Spirit, to make the effects and fruits of the incar- nation, obedience, and suffering of his Son effectual to us. The great promise of the Old Testament, the principal object of the faith and hope of behevers, was that of the coming of the Son of God in the flesh ; but when that was accomplished, the principal remaming promise of the New Testament respects the coming of the Holy Spirit. Hence the doctrine of his person, work and grace, is the peculiar subject of the New Testament; and a most eminent object of the Christian's faith. And this must be insisted upon, as we have to do with some, who will scarcely allow him to be of any consideration in these matters.
1. It is of great moment, and sufficient of itself to maintain the cause as proposed, that when our Lord Jesus Christ was about to leave the world, he pro- mised to send his Holy Spirit to his disciples, to supply his absence Of what use the presence of Christ was
22 GENERAL PRINCIPLES CONCERNING
to them, we may in some measure conceive ; for thci hearts were filled with sorrow on the mention of his departure, John xvi. 5, 6. Designing to relieve them in this great distress, he makes them this promise ; assnring them thereby of greater advantage than the continuance of his bodily presence among them. Consider what he says to this purpose in his last dis- course. " I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever ; even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him ; but ye know him, for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless, I will come unto you ;" that is, by' his Spirit. "These things I have spoken unto you, being present with you ; but the Comforter, who is the Holv Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things. Now I go my way — and sorrow hath filled your hearts. Nevertheless — it is expedient for you that I go away ; for if 1 go not away, the Comforter will not come. When he is come, he will convince the world of sin, and of right- eousness, and of judgment. — He will guide you into all truth — and show you things to come. He shall glorify me ; for he shall receive of mine, and show it unto you," chap. xiv. 16, &c., xv. 26, xvi. 7, &c. This was the great legacy which Jesus bequeathed to his sorrowful disciples ; and because of its importance, he frequently repeats it, enlarging on the benefits they should thereby receive. After his resurrection, they would have been again embracing and rejoicing in his human nature, but as he said to Mary, " touch me not," to wean her from any carnal consideration of him; so he instructs them now to look for him only in the promise of the Holy Ghost. They were no longer to "know him after the flesh," 2 Cor. v. 16 ; for though it was a great privilege so to know him, yet it was a much greater to enjoy him in the dispen- sation of the Spirit. It is in vain pretended, that only the apostles or primitive Christians were concerned lii this promise ; for though it was made to them in a
THE HOLY SPIRIT AND ITS WORK. 2^1
peculiar manner, yet it belongs to believers univer- sally, and to the end of tinne. As far as it respects his gracious operations, what Christ prayed for, and so promised to, his apostles, he "prayed not for them alone, but for them also which should believe on him through their word," John xvii. 20. And his promise is, to be "with his, always, even to the end of the world." Matt, xxviii. 20. And also that " wherever two or three are gathered together in his name, there he would be in the midst of them," chap, xviii. 20 ; which he is no otherwise than by his Spirit. And this one consideration is sufficient to evince the importance of the doctrine. For is it possible that any Christian should be so supinely negligent, so careless about the things on which his present comfort and future happiness depend, as not to inquire, with the utmost diligence, into what Christ has left us to supply his absence, and at length to bring us to him- self? He who despises these things, has neither part nor lot in Christ himself; for "if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his," Rom. viii. 9. 2. The great work of the Holy Ghost, in the dis- pensation of the gospel, is another evidence to the same purpose. Hence the gospel itself is called, " the ministration of the Spirit," in opposition to that of the law, which is called " the ministration of the letter ; of condemnation ; and of death," 2 Cor. iii. 6 — 8. The " ministry of the Spirit," is either that ministry which the Spirit makes effectual, or that ministry whereby the Spirit in his gifts and graces is communicated to men. And this alone gives glory and efficacy to the gospel. Take away the Spirit from the gospel, and you render it " a dead letter ; " of no more use to Christians, than the Old Testament is of to the Jews. It is therefore a mischievous im- agination, proceeding from ignorance and unbelief, that there is no more in the gospel, than what is con- tained under any other doctrine or declaration of truth ; that it is nothing but a book for men to exer- cise their reason upon, and to improve the things of It by the same faculty. This is to separate the Spirit
24 GENERAL PRINCIPLES CONCERNING
from it, which is in truth to destroy it : and to reject the covenant of God, which is, that " his word and Spirit shall go together," Isa. hx. 21. We shall therefore prove, that the whole use and efficacy of the ministry of the gospel, depend on the promised ministry of the Spirit, with whicii it is accompanied. If therefore we have any concern in the gospel, we have signal duty before us in the present subject.
3. There is not one spiritual good from first to last communicated to us ; or that we by the grace of God partake of; but it is revealed to us, and bestowed on us, by the Holy Ghost. He who never experienced the special work of the Spirit upon him, never re- ceived any special mercy from God. How is it pos- sible ? For whatever God works in us, is by his Spi- rit ; he therefore who has no work of the Spirit on his heart, never received either mercy or grace from God. To renounce therefore the work of the Spirit, is to renounce all interest in the mercy and grace of God.
4. There is not any thing done by us, that is holj'^ and acceptable to God, but it is an effect of the Spi- rit's operation. " Without him we can do nothing ; " John XV. 5 ; for without Christ we cannot ; and by him alone, is the grace of Christ communicated. By him we are regenerated ; by him we are sanctified ; by him we are cleansed ; by him we are assisted in every good work. Surely then, we ought to inquire into the cause and spring of all that is good in us.
5. God assures us, that the only remediless sin, is the sin against the Holy Ghost. This alone may convince us how necessary it is, to be well instructed in what concerns him. Thus saith our Lord, "All sins shall be forgiven to the sons of men, and blas- phemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme ; but he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness," Mark iii. 28, 29, and Matt. xii. 32. There remains nothing for him who " doth de- spite to the Spirit of grace, but a certain fearful look- ing for of judgment and fiery indignation," Heb. x. 27, 29. This is that " sin unto death," whose remis-
THE HOLY SPIRIT AND HIS WORK. 20
sion is not to be prayed for, 1 John v. 16. For he, having undertaken to make effectual to us, the great remedy in the blood of Christ for the pardon of our sins; if he, in the prosecution of that work, be de- spitefuUy used and blasphemed, there can be no relief or pardon for that sin. For, whence should it arise? For as God has not another Son to offer another sa- crifice for sin ; so that he by whom his sacrifice is despised, can have none remaining for him ; neither has he another Spirit to make that sacrifice effectual to us, if the Holy Ghost in his work be despised and rejected. This therefore is a tender place. We can- not be too diligent in our inquiries after what God has revealed concerning his Spirit, and his work ; seeing there may be so fatal a miscarriage in an op- position to him, as human nature is incapable of in any other instance.
These considerations belong to the first head of arguments, proving the importance and necessity of this subject.
Secondly, The deceits and abuses which have abounded in all ages of the Church, under pretence of the name and work of the Holy Spirit, make the study of what we are taught concerning them exceed- ingly necessary. Had not these things been excellent in themselves, and so acknowledged by all Christians, they would not have been so often counterfeited. Men do not adorn themselves with rags, or boast of what is under general and just contempt. According to the value of things, so are they Uable to abus.e ; and the more excellent any thing is the more perni- cious is the abuse of it. In all thi world there is nothing so vile, as that which pretenc^-^th to be God, and is not ; nor is any thing else capabV. of so perni- cious an abuse. We shall illustrate t^is by a few instances out of the Old and New Teslan^ents.
The most signal gift of the Spirit und<:>r the Old Testament, was that of prophecy. This was de- servedly in great reputation, as having the impression of God's authority upon it, and of his nearness to man : besides, the prophets had the conduct of the
26 GENERAL PRINCIPLES CONCERNING
minds and consciences of others given up to them ; for they spake in the name of the Lord, and directed men by his authority. Hence many pretended to this gift, who were not inspired, by the Holy Spirit; but were really actuated by an unclean and lying spirit : f )r it is highly probable, that when men falsely pre- tended to Divine Inspiration, without any antecedent diabolical enthusiasm, the Devil employed them to effect his own designs. Being given up by the righteous judgment of God to delusions, for belying his Spirit, thev v/ere quickly possessed of a spirit of lying and unclean divination.* But these vain pre- tensions to the spirit of prophecy, cast no contempt on the real gift of the Holy Ghost, but rather increased its lustre ; for God never more honoured his true prophets, than when there were many false ones. Nor shall any false pretences to the Spirit of grace, render him less dear to believers, or lessen the use of his gifts in the Church.
It has been thus also under the New Testament The Gospel was at first declared from the immediate revelation of the Spirit ; preached by his assistance ; made effectual by his power ; and often, accompanied
* The false prophets were of two sorts, Deut. xviii. 20. 1. Such as professedly served other gods ; as those, 1 Kings xviii. 26, who cried aloud, " O Baal, hear us." These worshipped the sun, and invented many hellish mysteries. Being thus engaged in the service of the Devil, he actually possessed their minds, and enabled them to declare things unknown to other men. These, finding themselves actuated by a superior power, owned that to be the power of their god, and so became immediate worshippers of the Devil, 1 Cor, x. 20. What- 2ver those who left the true God aimed at, the Devil interposed himself between that and them, as the object of adoration. Hereby he became the god of this world, 2 Cor. iv. 4, he, whom in all their idols they worshipped. Some were mere counterfeits, who deceived the multitude with false predictions. 2. Others there were, who spake in the name, and, as they falsely professed, by the inspiration of God the Spirit. With such men, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and others, had great contests: for in that apostatizing age, they had such interest among the people, as not only to confront the true prophets, with con- trary predictions, but to traduce them as false prophets, and urge their punishment, .ler. xxviii. 2; chap. xxix. 25; 1 Kings xxii. 26; Ezek. xiii. 14. This sort of men generally appeared in times of public danger and approaching judgments; and were instigated by ihe Devil, to fill men with vain hopes and c» il security.
THE HOLY SPIRIT AND HIS WORK. 2/
by miracles. These things being owned and acknow- ledged oy all, those who had any false opinions to broach, could devise no better way to answer tlieir ends, than by pretending to immediate revelations of the Spirit. Hence Peter compares the false prophets under the Old Testament, to the false teachers under the New: "There were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you," 2 Pet. ii. 1.
Hence is that blessed caution and rule of the apostle John, who lived to see much mischief done in tlie Church by this pretence. " Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God ; because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know we the Spirit of God : Every Spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is of God ; and every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is not of God," 1 John iv. 1,2. Christians are here cautioned " not to believe every spirit ; not to give credit to every doctrine, pretended to be of immediate revelation ; but to " try the spirits" them- selves. False teachers are called false prophets ,tnd spirits, in allusion to the false prophets of old, who fathered their predictions on divine inspiration ; but who were really actuated by the Devil himself, and sometimes etfected " lying miracles," Matt, xxiv- 24, by his power. Hence we are not directed to try their pretensions, by putting them on extraordinary works, for their confirmation ; for these were not easily detected by the generality of Christians ; but he gives us a blessed fixed rule, which will never fail: and this is, to try them by the doctrine that they teach. Let their doctrine be examined by the Scriptures, and if it be agreeable thereto, it may be safely received ; but if It be contrary to Scripture, whatever authority is pretended, it must be instantly rejected. It is neces sary also, that we have a clear conviction of, and a constant adherence to, some fundamental principles. Thus, because strange imaginations about the Person and Mediation of Christ abounded in those days, the apostle directs believers to try the spirits, by this one
28 GENERAL PRINCIPLES CONCERNING
fundamental principle of truth, namely, "that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh ;" which contains a confes- sion hoth of his Person and Mediation. They were to demand of all new teachers, Do you confess thai Jesus Christ is come in the flesh ? and if they made not this confession, they never stood to consider their other pretences, but turned from them, not bidding them God speed.* And thus it is the duty of all believers still, to try the spirits ; and those who would deprive them of this liberty, would make brutes of them instead of Christians ; unless to believe a man knows not what, and to obey he knows not why, bo the properties of Christians. And this caution is more especially necessary at those seasons, in which there are real and eminent efl"usions of the Spirit, on the ministers of the Gospel, and on the disciples of Christ. For on such occasions, when the use and reputation of spiritual gifts are great, Satan seizes the opportunity of introducing his own deceitful suggestions. Thus it was about the time of the reformation from Popery ; and in this way of delusion he will still be more active and industrious, as God shall increase the gifts and graces of his Spirit in the churches.
Thirdly, There is in our days an Anti-spirit set up against the Spirit of God, in his being and all his operations: for this new spirit takes upon him what- ever is promised to be eff"ected by the good Spirit of God. This is called by some, " the light within them," though indeed it be nothing but a dark production of Satan on their own imaginations ; or at best, the natural Hght of conscience, which some of the heathens also call a spirit. This teaches them, instructs them, enlightens them ; lo this they attend, as the Samari- tans to Simon Magus ; and as they say, yield obedience to it : and from hence, with the fruits of it, they expect
• Socinus, Grotius, and others, interpreting this coming of Christ in the flesh, of his outward mean condilioii, and not in the pomp of an earthly king, do openly corrupt the text. His coming in the flesh, is the same as '• the Word being made flesh," John i. 14, or, " God being manifest in the flesh," 1 Tim. iii. 16, and was directly opposed to those heretics, vho contended that Jesus Christ was but a phantasm, a manifestation of Divine love and power, and not really the Son of liod incarnate.
THE HOLY SPIRIT AND HIS WORK. 29
acceptance with God, justification and blessedness hereafter. Now because this is a growing evil, our duty to Christ and compassion for the souls of men require, that we should endeavour to obviate it; not by railing and persecution, as some have done, but by giving a full, plain, and scriptural account of the nature and operations of the Holy Spirit. Hence it will bt indeniably manifest, what a stranger this pretended light is, to the true Spirit of Christ ; how far from being of any real use to the souls of men ; yea, how it is set up in opposition to him and his work.
Fourthly, There are many hurtful opinions con- cerning the Holy Ghost gone abroad in the world, and entertained by many, to the subversion of the faith which they once professed. Such are those, whereby his Deity and Personality are denied. About these there have been many contests; but they have been in general so managed, that though the truth has been vindicated, the minds of believers iiave been little edified ; for the greater part of serious per- sons are unacquainted with the terms of argument ; which are calculated rather to silence gainsayers, than to direct the faith of others. Besides, our knowledge of things in general, is more from their operations and effects, than from their own nature : it is so particularly with respect to God himself. In his own glorious being, he dwells in light inaccessi- ble ; but in the eflfects of his will, revealed in his word and works we are to seek him : and thus, we obtain a better acquaintance with him, than by the most dili- gent speculations about his nature immediately. Thus it is with the Holy Ghost and his personality. He is proposed to us in the Scripture by his properties, works, and operations ; by our duty to him, and of- fences against him. Therefore, though I shall briefly explain the Scripture testimonies of his deity and personality, I shall chiefly insist on his administra- tions and operations ; the due consideration of which, will lead us into that assured knowledge of his being and subsistence ; which is necessary to direct our faith
30 GENERAL PRINCIPLES CONCERNINO
and obedience; and which will also throw much ligh' on the wiiole economy of God in our salvation.
Fifthly, The principal occasion of our present un- dertaking is, the open and horrible opposition that is made to the Spirit of God and his work. Every thing of his, is derided, exploded and blasphemed. The very name of the Spirit is become a reproach. This indeed I have often wondered at. For in the gospel every thing that is good, holy, or praiseworthy, is expressly assigned to the Spirit ; and the state of men without him is described as Christless and reprobate ; yet many pretending to believe the gospel, are so far from desiring to partake of this Spirit themselves, that they deride and contemn those persons who dare avow any concern in him or his works. But such was his entertainment in the world on his first effu- sion; and we still find that "the world cannot receive him." Certain it is, that the promise of the Spirit was the grand support which Jesus Christ left to the church, to supply the want of his bodily presence, and to render the work of his mediation effectual. But it is now uncertain with some, whether the Spi- rit of God be of any use in the church at all ; and they have not trembled to say, that those very things which are plainly ascribed to him in the Scripture, are "the cause of all the troubles and confusions in the world." Let them but have the word or tradi- tion, outwardly revealing the will of God, (as the Jews have to this day)* and these, being used and improved by their own reason and natural abilities, make up the whole of man ; all that is necessary to render their persons or duties acceptable to God. Of what use then is the Spirit of God ? Of none at all it may be, but only to make a " noise in the world ;
• The Jews have the word of God, and plenty of tradition. They do not want for sense ; and their diligence as to the letter of Scrip- ture is well known: and yet they are Jews still. I scruple not to say, if we have the New Testament, only as they have the Old ; — have only the letter of it to philosophize upon, without the Spirit of God to give us a saving light into it ; that as they " call themselves Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan;" so we, who pretend to be Christians, are in no better state than they.
THE HOLY SPIRIT AND HIS WORK. 31
and to fill the minds of men with "unintelligible no- tions." Had not these things been said, I would not have repeated them ; for death lieth at the door in them. So then, men may pray without him, and preach without him, and turn to God without him, and perform every duty without him well enough ! and yet all this while they would be esteemed Chris- tians.
These errors are at present charged only on private persons ; when they are received by churches, they occasion a fatal apostasy. From the beginning of the world, the principal revelation that God made of him- self, was the unity of his nature, and his sovereignty over all ; and herein the person of the Father was immediately represented, with his power and autho- rity. In this state of things, the only apostasy of the church could be polytheism and idolatry. Accord- ingly, the people of Israel were continually prone to these abominations ; and were continually punished for them. At length God put an end to their idolatry, by their total desolation and captivity in Babylon, Ezek. xvi. 62, and xxiii. 27, 28. Again they were tried with a new dispensation. The Son of God was sent to them in the flesh. To receive and obey him was now to be the principal instance and trial of their faith. Here, also, the greater part of that church and people fell by their unbelief; apostatized from God ; and became thereby neither church nor people, John viii. 24. The Jews being rejected, the Son of God calls and gathers another church ; founding it on his own Person, with faith, and the profession of it therein. Matt. xvi. 18, 19. In this new church, this founda- tion is fixed ; " That Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is to be honoured even as we honour the Father;" and herein all who are duly called Christians agree. Bnt now Christ being ascended to his Father, has com- mitted all his affairs in the Church and world to the Holy Spirit, John xvi. 7, &c.; and with this design, that the person of the Spirit may be singularly ex- alted in the Church. Wherefore the duty of the church now, immediately respects the Spirit of God, who acts
32 GENERAL PRlNriPI.KS CONTERMNG
towards it in the name of the Father and of the Son And with respect to him it is, that the church in its present state is capable of apostasy from God ; and whatever is found of this nature among any, has its beginning here : for the sin of despising his person, and rejecting his work now, is of the same nature with the idolatry of old, and the Jews' rejection of the person of the Son.
Probably some will plead, that what is said of thf Holy Ghost, his gifts, graces, and operations, must be confined to the first times of the Gospel, when they were manifested by visible and wonderful eifects; and consequently that we have no other concern in them, but as in a recorded testimony given of old to the truth of the Gospel. This is so, indeed, as to his ex- traordinary and miraculous operations ; but thus to confine his whole work, is plainly to deny the truth of Christ's promises, and to overthrow his church : for we shall make it undeniably evident, that none can believe in Christ, or yield obedience to him, or worship God in him, but by the Holy Ghost ; and, therefore, if his communications cease, so must all faith in Christ, and Christianity too.
The doctrine of the Spirit, and his work on the souls of men, in conviction of sin ; in godly sorrow and humiliation : in regeneration and sanctification ; the supplies of his grace, and his assistance in prayer, have been preached in the world. Men have been taught that the great concerns of their peace, com- fort, and assurance, depend on his sacred influences. They have been urged to examine themselves as to their personal experience of these things ; and they have been solemnly assured, that if there be not an effectual work of the Spirit on their hearts, " they cannot enter into the kingdom of God." Multitudes in every age have received these as sacred truths ; and are well persuaded, that they have found them realized in their experience : but all these things are called in question by some ; they look upon them as "cunningly devised fables;" as incredible, irrational, ind unintelligible notions. Hence it becomes indis-
THE HOLV SPIRIT AND HIS WORK. 33.
peiisably necessary for us to " searcli the Scriptures whether these things be so or not." I know, indeed, that most believers are so well satisfied with their truth, that tliey will not be moved by opposition and scorn ; for " he who believes has the witness in him- self," 1 John V. 10; yet it is our duty to be so far afiected by clamorous opposition to the truth, as to be excited diligently to examine the Scriptures for further establishment. And upon mature considera- tion of the whole matter, I shall leave the reader to his option, as Elijah did of old ; " if Jehovah be God, serve him ; and if Baal be God, let him be worship- ped." If the things which the generality of profes- sors believe concerning the Spirit of God, are taught and revealed in the Scriptures, then let them abide in the holy profession of them, and rejoice in the conso- lations they afford : but if they are " cunningly de- vised fables;" if they are vain and useless imagina- tions ; then it is high time that the minds of men were disburdened of them.
CHAPTER II.
THE NAMES AND TITLES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
Signification of the name .Spirit — Why called the Holy Spirit — The Good Spirit — The Spirit of God — I'he Spirit of the Son — and the Spirit ol Christ.
It will be necessary, before we enter on the work itself, to speak something of the name, whereby the Third Person in the Trinity is peculiarly distinguished in the Scripture. This is the Spirit, or the Koly Spirit, or the Holy Ghost, as we usually speak.
It is generally admitted, that the Hebrew an ! Greek words translated Spirit, signify air in motion , ai breeze; breath; wind; that which moves and is not seen. These words are applied in the Old and New Testament to a great variety of purposes, because of
3
34
THE NAMES AND TITLES
some general ideas in which they agree ; but there is Mttle difficulty in discovering their true meaning ; their design and circumstances, as to tlie subject treated of, determine the signification.* Notwithstanding the ambiguous use of the words, it is sufficiently evident that there is in the Scripture, a full and complete reve- lation of the Spirit of God, as one singular, and every way distinct from every thing else denoted by that name ; and that whatever is affirmed of this Holy Spirit, relates either to his Person or operations. Sometimes he is called the Spirit absolutely; some- times the Holy Spirit ; sometimes the Spirit of God ; the Good Spirit; the Spirit of Truth; the Spirit of Holiness ; and sometimes the Spirit of Christ, or of the Son. The first, absolutely used, denotes his Person ; the additions respect his properties and relations to the other Persons.
His name Spirit, is intended to signify his Nature or Essence ;t as he is a pure, spiritual or immaterial substance. So it is said of God, John iv. 24, " God is a Spirit" — he is of a pure, spiritual, immaterial nature; not confined to place, nor regarding one more than another in his worship, which is the design of the text to evince. It will perhaps be said, that therefore this name is not peculiar to the Third Per- son, but contains a description of the Divine Nature
* Because air is a most powerful, though subtile and invisible agent, it is used for a variety of things which cannot be seen or touched, as the spirit, or animal soul of a brute, Eccles. iii. 21. Any incorporeal substance, as opposed to flesh, or a corporeal one, Isa. xxxi. 3 ; 1 Kings xxi. 21,22. Most frequently the spirit or soul of man, Psal. xxxi. 6; Isa. Ivii. 16; or a passion or motion of the soul, Gen. xiv. 27; Isa..xix. 14. Compai-e Mai. ii. 15, 16. With an adjective, an evil spirit, 1 Sam. xvi. 14, &c. ; xviii. 10. Our Lord gives us the principal idea of the word, in his discourse v/ith Nicodemus, John iii. 8. " 'I'he wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, nor whither it goeth ; so is every one that is born of the Spirit." His agency in the spiritual world, is represented to us by that of the air in the natural. See Parkhurst's Heb. Lex. [E.]
f This name is not given to him, in the first place, in allusion to the air or wind; for this has respect only to his Operations, which are resembled bv the wind; but his Substance or Being is chiefly •Btppded by it
OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 35
abstractedly. I grant, that the name Spirit is not in the first place characteristic of the Third Person; but as it is peculiarly and constantly ascribed to Him, it declares his special Manner and Order of existence ; so that wherever the Holy Spirit is mentioned, his relation to the Father and Son is included ; for he is tiie Spirit of God. And herein there is an allusion to the breath of man ; for as the vital breath of man has a continual emanation from him, and yet is never so utterly separated from his person, as to forsake him; so the Spirit of the Father and the Son proceedeth from them by a continual divine emanation, still abiding one with them. Hence our Saviour signified the communication of the Spirit to his disciples, by breathing on them, John xx. 22. These allusions indeed are weak and imperfect, wherein substantial things are compared with accidental ; infinite with finite; and eternal with temporary; their disagree- ment is greater than their agreement ; yet such allu- sions our weakness needs, and gains instruction by.
Again; He is called, byway of eminence, the Holy Spirit. This appellation is very frequent both in the Old and New Testament ; and he is so called from his sanctifying us, or making us holy. This is his peculiar work ; whether it consist in a separation of things, profane and common, to holy uses and services; or whether it be the real infusion and operation of holiness in men. This work proves hinn to be God ; for it is God alone, who sanctifies his people, Lev. xxi. 8. But this is not the whole reason of this appel- lation. He is called "the Spirit of God's Holiness," Psalm li. 11 ; Isa. Ixiii. 10, 11, and absolutely "the Spirit of Holiness," Rom. i. 4 ; and this respects his Nature in the first place, and not merely his opera- tions. As God then is described by this glorious property of his nature, as " Holy; the Holy One ; the Holy One of Israel ; Glorious in Holiness;" so is the Spirit called Holy, to denote the eternal glorious Holi- ness of his Nature. And on this account he is opposed to the unclean or unholy spirit, Mark iii. 29, 30. "He that shall blaspheme against the Holy Spirit, hath
36 THK NAMES AND TITLES
never forgiveness : — because they said, He hath ai unclean spirit," And herein his Personality is as serted ; for tlie unclean spirit is a person ; and if the Spirit of God were only a quality or accident, as some dream, there could be no comparative opposition made between him and the unclean spirit, that is, the Devil. They are also opposed with respect to their natures ; his nature is holy, whereas that of the unclean spirit is evil and perverse. The Holy Spirit is so styled also with respect to all his operations, as well as on account of his particular work of regeneration and sanctifica- tion : for he being the immediate operator of all divine works, and they being all holy, of whatever kind they are, he is called the Holy Spirit. Yea, he is so called, to attest and witness that all the works of God are holy ; though they may be great and terrible, and such, as to corrupt reason, may have another appear- ance. For it is the work of the Spirit to harden and blind obstinate sinners, as well as to sanctify the elect ; and his acting in the one, is no less holy than in the other ; though holiness be not the eflect of it in the objects. So when he came to declare his dreadful work of the final hardening and rejection of the Jews, one of the most tremendous effects of divine provi- dence, a work, which, for the strangeness of it, men " would in no wise believe, though it were declared unto them," Acts xiii. 41, he was signally proclaimed Holy, by the Seraphim attending the throne, Isa. vi. 3, 10, 11 ; John xii. 40 ; Acts xxviii. 26 : In all which, we are to acquiesce in this, that "the Holy One in the midst of us will do no iniquity," Zeph. iii. 5.*
* There are some actions on men, wrought bj' God's permission, and in his righteous judgment, by evil spirits ; whose persons and actings are opposed to the Spirit of God. So 1 Sam. xvi. 14, 15, " The Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the liord troubled him." — " The evil spirit from God was upon Saul,' ver. 23; chap, xviii. 10, and xix. 9, &c. That is, an evil spirit ap- pointed and commissioned by him, for the punishing and terrifying of Saul. The Spirit of the Lord withdrew those influences whereby he was fitted for the kingly office, and whereby he became for a time ■mother man, 1 Sam. x. 6, 9, and the evil spirit came upon him ; to sxcite, out of his own adust melancholy, out of his distempered mind and body, discontent, sense of guilt, and terrifying apprehen-
I
OV THE HOLY SPIKIT. 37
Further; He is called the Good Spirit of God "Thy Spirit is good, lead me into the land of upright- ness," Psalm cxliii. 10 ; Neh. ix. 10 ; or rather, " Thy good Spirit shall lead me." He is so called, because his nature is essentially good ; " there is none good but One, that is God ;" Matt. xix. 17 ; and also, be- cause his operations are all good ; and to believers, full of goodness in their effects.
Again; He is commonly called the Spirit of God; and the Spirit of the Lord; so where he is first men- tioned, Gen. i. 2, " The Spirit of God moved on the face of the waters." And I doubt not that the name Elohirn, which includes a plurality in the same na- ture, is used in the description of the creation, to in- timate the distinction of the Divine Persons ; the name Jehovah is also mentioned, chap. ii. 4 ; but Elo- him is joined with it ; for tlie former name is not used in the account of the creation, because it respects only the Unity of the Essence of God. Now the Spirit is called, " the Spirit of God," principally, as the Son is called, " the Son of God ;" for as he is so called on account of his eternal generation ; tfte Spirit is called " the Spirit of God," on account of his eternal pro- cession, or emanation. He bears his name also, to distinguish him from all other spirits whatever ; and because he is promised, given, and sent of God, for the accomplishment of his will and pleasure towards us.
On the same account, originally, he is called the Spirit of the Son; and the Spirit of Christ: " God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts," Gal. iv. 6. " Ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spi- rit ; if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his," Rom. viii. 9, 11 ; 1 Pet. i. 11. The " Spirit of God," then, and " the Spirit of Christ," are one and the same. In the same sense, therefore, that
sions, 1 Sam. xvi. 14. Anu yet this work in itself is of the same kind with what God sometimes employs his holy angels ahout, because it is the execution of his righteous judgments. So it was a Watcher and a Holy One who smote Nebuchadnezzar with a sudden madness and frenzy, Dan. iv. 13, 14
<J8 THE NAMES AND TITLES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
he is " the Spirit of God," that is of the Father, he is said to be " the Spirit of the Son ;" for he proceed - eth from the Son also. I confess he is also called, " the Spirit of Cln-ist," because promised and sent by him, to make the work of his mediation effectual to his people ; but this he could not be, unless he had antecedently been the Spirit of the Son, by his pro- ceeding from him also. The apostle Peter, speaking of the prophets, says, they searched diligently as to the promises of grace and salvation, afterwards to be fulfilled, " searching what, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify," 1 Pet. i. 10, 11. So then, the Spirit, who was in the prophets of old, before the incarnation of the Son of God, is called, "the Spirit of Christ." Now this could not be because he was anointed by that Spirit ; or because he gave it afterwards to his disciples ; for his human nature (which was afterwards so anointed) did not then exist. The chief and formal reason why the Holy Spirit is called " the Spirit of the Son," and " the Spirit of Christ," is because of his proces- sion or emanation from his Person also ; without respect to which, he could not be properly called the Spirit of Christ ; but on that supposition, he may be, he IS, so denominated. Thus is the Spirit called in the Scripture ; these are the names whereby the es- sence and subsistence of the Third Person in the Holy Trinity are declared. What he is called on ac- count of his offices and operations, will be manifested ■n our progress.
DIVINITY AND PERSONALITY ETC 39
CHAPTER III.
THE DIVINE NATURE, AND PERSONALITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT PROVED AND VINDICATED
The Nature of God, the foundation of all rehgion — Revelation of the rule of religious worship — God has revealed himself as Three in One — distinct operations ascribed to these Three Persons- — there- fore the Holy Spirit a Divine Person— the Personality and Divi- nity of the Spirit denied by some — both proved by the form of Baptism — Appearances of the Spirit under the form of a Dove — and as Fire — Personal properties of the Spirit; Understanding; Will; Power ; — Diviae Works — and Divine Attributes ascribed to him.
We shall now proceed to the matter principally de- signed, namely, the dispensation of the Spirit of God to the church. And I shall endeavour to fix what I have to offer, on its proper principles ; and from them to educe the whole doctrine concerning it. And this in such a manner as to show, how much our faith, obedience and worship, are concerned in every part of it. For these are the immediate ends of all divine revelations; according to that holy maxim of our bless- ed Saviour ; " If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them." For this purpose let the following principles be observed.
1. The nature and being of God, is the founda- tion of all true religion and religious worship in the world. The great end for which we were made, is to worship and glorify God, Prov. xvi. 4 ; and that which renders this worship our indispensable duty is, the nature and being of God himself. There are, indeed some acts of religious worship which chiefly respect what God is to us, or has done for us ; but the principal and adequate reason of all divine worship, and that wliich makes it such, is what God is, in himself. Because he is ; that is, because he is an infinitely glorious, good, wise, holy, powerful, right- eous, self-subsisting, self-sufficient, and all-sufficient Being; the fountain and author of all being and good ; the first cause, last end, and sovereign Lord
40 DIVINITY AND TERSONALITV
of all ; therefore, he is to be worshipped : therefore, art! we to admire, adore, and love him ; to praise, to trust and to fear him. This is to glorify him as God; for as "all things are of him, and through him, and to him;" to him must be glory for ever, Rom. xi. 36.
2. The revelation that God has made of himself, is the rule of all religious worship and obedience. His Being, absolutely considered, is the formal reason of our worship ; but this worship is to be directed, by the revelation he makes of that Being to us. And the principal end of divine revelation is, to direct us in paying the homage we owe to the Divine Nature.
3. God has revealed himself to us, as Three in One ; that is, as three distinct Persons, subsisting in the same undivided essence ; and, therefore, as such, he is to be worshipped and glorified. This principle might be here enlarged upon and confirmed; (but that I have done it elsewhere) for the whole ensuing discourse supposes and depends upon it. And, indeed, I fear, that the failing of some men's profession, be- gins with their relinquishment of this foundation. This has been the fatal miscarriage of the people called Quakers ; and I wish it were so with them only. For there are many others, who reject the doctrine of the Trinity as false, or despise it as unin- telligible, or neglect it as useless. I know this ulcer lies hid in the minds of many, and expect it will break out and cover the whole body, of which they are members, with its defilements. But these things are left to the care of Jesus Christ. For the present I shall only say, that on this supposition, that God has reveal- .-d himself as Three in One, he is to be considered in all our worship. And, therefore, in our initiation into the profession and practice of the worship of God ac- cording to the Gospel, we are in our baptism engaged to it, " in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost," Matt, xxviii. 19,20. This is the foundation of our "doing all the things that Christ commands us :" to this service of God, as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we are solemnly dedicated ; each being equally participant of the same Divine Nature
OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 41
4. These Divine Persons are so distinct in their peculiar subsistence, that distinct actings and ope- rations are ascribed to them. Some of these actings are internal and mutual. So the Father " knoweth the Son, and loveth him ;" and the Son " seeth," "knoweth," and "loveth the Father," John iii. 15; V. 20; vi. 46; Malt. xi. 27; Prov. viii. 22. So the Spirit is the mutual love of the Father and the Son ; knowing them as xie is known, and "searching the deep things of G^d." So the Father is said to " give," "send," and "command" the Son, as he condescend- ed to become man and Mediator; and the Father and Son are said to " send the Spirit," as he condescends to become the sanctifier and comforter of the church. There are also special and distinct actings of each of the divine persons towards the creatures. This is so evident from the whole Scripture, that particular in- stances are needless. All who have learned the " first principles of the doctrine of Christ," can tell you, what works are ascribed peculiarly to the Father, to the Son, or to the Holy Ghost. Besides, this Avill suffi- ciently appear, when we consider the distinct actings of the Spirit.
5. Hence it follows unavoidably, That the Spirit is in himself, a distinct, living, powerful, intelli- gent, divine person ; for none other can be the author of those internal and external divine operations which are ascribed to him. This is the foundation on which we build. It is, therefore, necessary that we inquire who, and what that "one and the self-same Spirit" is, on whose will all these things depend. For if men prevail in their opposition to his person, it will be useless to concern ourselves about his work ; for if the foundation of any fabric be removed, the super- structure will fall of course.
The doctrinal opposition that is made against the Spirit of God, may be reduced to two heads. Some ^rant his personality, but deny his Deity. They say he is a created finite spirit, the chief of all created spirits, and head of all the angels ; and that he is called the Holy Ghost, on account of the work in
^ # m
40
DIVINITY AND PERSONALITY
of all ; therefore, he is to be worshipped : therefore, art', we to adrnire, adore, and love him ; to praise, to trust and to fear him. This is to glorify him as God; for as "all things are of him, and through him, and to him;" to him must be glory for ever, Rom. xi. 36.
2. The revelation that God has made of himself, is the rule of all religious worship and obedience. His Being, absolutely considered, is the formal reason of our worship ; but this worship is to be directed, by the revelation he makes of that Being to us. And the principal end of divine revelation is, to direct us in paying the homage we owe to the Divine Nature.
3. God has revealed himself to us, as Three in One ; that is, as three distinct Persons, subsisting in the same undivided essence ; and, therefore, as such, he is to be worshipped and glorified. This principle might be here enlarged upon and confirmed ; (but thai I have done it elsewhere) for the whole ensuing discourse supposes and depends upon it. And, indeed, I fear, that the failing of some men's profession, be- gins with their relinquishment of this foundation. This has been the fatal miscarriage of the people called Quakers ; and I wish it were so with them only. For there are many others, who reject the doctrine of the Trinity as false, or despise it as unin- telligible, or neglect it as useless. I know this ulcer lies hid in the minds of many, and expect it will break out and cover the whole body, of which they are members, with its defilements. But these things are left to the care of Jesus Christ. For the present I shall only say, that on this supposition, that God has reveal- ed himself as Three in One, he is to be considered in all our worship. And, therefore, in our initiation into the profession and practice of the worship of God ac- cording to the Gospel, we are in our baptism engaged to it, " in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost," Matt, xxviii. 19, 20. This is the foundation of our "doing all the things that Christ commands us:" to this service of God, as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we are solemnly dedicated ; each being equally participant of the same Divine Nature
J ¥« 1'
OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
41
4. These Divine Persons are so distinct in their peculiar subsistence, that distinct actings and ope- rations are ascribed to them. Some of these actings are internal and mutual. So the Father '-knoweth the Son, and loveth him ;" and the Son " seeth," "knoweth," and "loveth the Father," John iii. 15; V. 20; vi. 46; Matt. xi. 27; Prov. viii. 22. So the Spirit is the mufual love of the Father and the Son ; knowing them as .le is known, and "searching the deep things of G-od." So the Father is said to " give," " send," and " command" the Son, as he condescend- ed to become man and Mediator; and the Father and Son are said to " send the Spirit," as he condescends to become the sanctifier and comforter of the church. There are also special and distinct actings of each of the divine persons towards the creatures. This is so evident from the whole Scripture, that particular in- stances are needless. All who have learned the " first principles of the doctrine of Christ," can tell you, what works are ascribed peculiarly to the Father, to tlie Son, or to the Holy Ghost. Besides, this will suffi- ciently appear, when we consider the distinct actings of the Spirit.
5. Hence it follows unavoidably, That the Spirit is in himself, a distinct, living, powerful, intelli- gent, divine person ; for none other can be the author of those internal and external divine operations which are ascribed to him. Thisis the foundation on which we build. It is, therefore, necessary that we inquire who, and what that "one and the self-same Spirit" is, on whose will all these things depend. For if men prevail in their opposition to his person, it will be useless to concern ourselves about his work ; for if the foundation of any fabric be removed, the super- structure will fall of course.
The doctrinal opposition that is made against the Spirit of God, may be reduced to two heads. Some grant his personality, but deny his Deity. They say he is a created finite spirit, the chief of all created spirits, and head of all the angels ; and that he is called the Holy Ghost, on account of the work in
42 DIVINITY AND PERSONALITY
which he is employed. This was the opinion of the Macedonian heretics ; followed since by the Maho metans ; and by some of late among ourselves. But the folly of this notion is such, that it is generally de- serted ; for such things are affirmed of the Holy Ghost in the Scripture, that to admit his personality and deny his Deity, is the utmost madness. There- fore the Socinians, the present great enemies of the doctrine of the Trinity, and who would be thought to go soberly about the destruction of the Church, utterly reject this pretence. But the notion they advance in its room, is no less pernicious. For granting the things assigned to him, to be the effects of divine power, they deny his Personality ; and assert, that, what is called the Spirit of God, is nothing but a quality in the divine nature ; or the power that God exerts for particular purposes. I do not design here professedly to contend with them about the whole of this matter, for every thing important in the dispute will occur in our progress : I shall at present confirm the Divine Personality of the Spirit with only one argument ; which I will not say is such, that no man can offer the show of an answer to it, (for what will not the serpentine wits of men attempt?) but I will boldly say, it is such as the gates of hell shall never prevail affainst, in the hearts of true believers ; whose esta- bhshment in the faith I chiefly design. And if it does not evince the Personality of the Spirit, to all unpre- judiced readers, it must certainly convince all men, that nothing which is taught in the Scripture can pos- sibly be understood.
One thing must be premised, to free the subject of our argument from ambiguity ; and this is, that the word Spiril is used sometimes to denote the Spirit of God himself, and sometimes his gifts and graces be- stowed upon men. This being allowed, I say, it is impossible to prove the Father to be a Person, or the Son to be a Person, any other way than we may prove the Holy Ghost to "be so. For he to whom all personal properties, attributes, adjuncts, and opera- tions are ascribed ; and to whom nothing is ascribed
OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 43
but what properly belongs to a Person, he is a Person; an-d so are we taught to beHeve him to be. Thus we know the Father to be a Person, and the Son also; for our knowledge of things is more by their proper- ties, than by their essential forms. Now I shall con- firm the assumption of this argument, not so much by any particular testimony, nor by the ascription of any single personal property to him, as by the constant uniform tenor of Scripture, in ascribing all these pro- perties to him ; and there is no personal property be- longing to the Divine Nature, that is not in one place or other ascribed to him.
If a wise and honest man should come and tell you, that in a certain country where he has been, there is an excellent governor, who wisely discharges the duties of his office ; who hears causes, discerns right, distributes justice, relieves the poor, and comforts the distressed ; would you not believe that he intended by this description, a righteous, wise, diligent, intelli- gent person ? What else could any man living ima- gine ? But now suppose that a stranger, or person of suspicious character and credit, should come and say that the former information which you had received was indeed true, but that no man or person was intended, but the sun, or the wind, which by their benign influences, rendered the country fruitful and temperate, and disposed the inhabitants to mutual kindness and benignity ; and therefore that the whole description of a governor and his actions was merely figurative, though no such intimation had been given you. Must you not conclude, either that the first person was a notorious trifler, and designed your ruin, if your aflairs depended on his report, or that your latter informer, whose veracity you had reason to suspect, had endeavoured to abuse both him and you? It is exactly thus in the case before us. The Scripture tells us, that the Holy Ghost governs the Church ; ap- points overseers of it ; discerns and judges all things ; comforts the faint; strengthens the weak ; is grieved and provoked by sin : and that in these, and many other afl'airs, he works, orders, and disposes all things.
Vk DIVINITY AND PERSONALITY
according to the counsel of his own will. Can any man credit this testimony, and conceive otherwise of the Spirit, than as a holy, wise, intelligent person? Now while we are under the power of these appre- nensions, there come to us some men, Socinians or Quakers, whom we have just cause to suspect of de- ceit and falsehood ; and they tell us that what the Scripture says of the Holy Ghost is indeed true, but that no such person is intended by these expressions, hut only an accident, a quality, an effect, or influence of the power of God, which doth all these things figu- ratively ; that he has a will figuratively, and under- standing figuratively, is sinned against figuratively, and so of all that is said of him.* Now what can any man, not bereft of natural reason as well as spiritual light, conclude, but either that the Scripture designed to draw him into fatal errors, or that those who im- pose such a sense upon it, are corrupt seducers, whc would rob him of his faith and comforts? Such wil' they at last appear to be. I now proceed to confirm the argument proposed.
1. All that is necessary to this purpose, is comprised in the form of Christian baptism. Our Lord com- mands his apostles to " disciple all nations ; baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." Now all will allow that the Father and the Son are distinct persons. Some deny that the Son is God, but no one denies that he is a Person, distinct from the Father. But what confu- sion must it introduce, to add to them and to join equally with them, as to all the concerns of faith and
• It is true, that some things, peculiar to persons, are sometimes ascribed to those who are not so ; as CLarity is said to hope, to be- lieve, to bear, &c. 1. Cor. xiii. And the Scripture is said to see, to foresee, to speak, and to judge. So the Heavens and the Earth are said to bear ; and the Fields to sing and clap tlieir hands. In all these expressions, which every one knows are tigurative, there is no danger of mistake. Besides, these ascriptions are only occasional; and a plain description of the things themselves, is given us in other places: but as to the Spirit of God, the constant uniform expressions concerning him, are such as declare him to be a Person, endowed with all personal properties. So that our argument is not impeached ay the figurative language of Scripture.
OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 45
obedience, tlie Holy Ghost, if he be not a Divine Person ? And it' he be a person, bur not divine, then this is to assign the same honour to a creature as to God, which is detestable idolatry. And if he be not a Person, bat a virtue or quality in God, what sense can any man make of the words ?
Besides, whatever is ascribed to the other Persons, is equally ascribed to him : whatever is intended by the name of the Father and the Son, he is equally concerned in it. It is not the name Father, and the name Son, but the name of God, that is, of them both, that is intended. And by the name of God, either his being, or his authority is signified. If it be used in the first way, then the being of the Spirit must be the same with that of the Father; if in the "atter, he has the same authority with him : and lie who has the name and authority of God, is God ; is a Divine Person.*
Again, we are said to be baptized into his name, («j to ovo^a,) and no sense can be affixed to these words, that does not include his Personality. For they signify, our religious owning the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost ; in all our divine worship, faith, and obedience. As we own the one, so we own the other; and if we own the Father as a distinct Person, so we do the Holy Ghost ; for we are alike baptized into their name : equally submitting to their autho- rity ; equally taking the profession of their (lame upon us; equally initiated into their service. Now to con- ceive that any one, who is not God, should be joined with the Father and the Son for these ends and pur- poses, without the least note of diiference as to Deity or Personality, is to entertain a notion destructive of all religion, and tending to Polytheism.
2. His appearance under a visible sign, argues his
• Our argument is not merely from his being joined with the Fa- ther and the Son, for so, as to some purposes, any creatures may be ; as our opponents prove, from Acts x.\. 32 ; Eph. vi. 10, &c. ; but it is from the manner and end of his being joined with tlieni ; w herein their name, their divine nature and autliority, are ascribed to him •hat we argue.
46 DIVINITY AND PERSONALITY
personal existence. He took the form or shape of a dove, to make a visible representation of himself by.* For a visible pledge was to be given of the descent of the Spirit on the Messiah, according to the promise: and thereby God directed his great forerunner to the knowledge of him. As at the beginning of the old creation, the Spirit of God moved on the waters, Gen. i. 2, cherishing and communicating a prolific, vivifying quality to the whole, as a dove gently moves upon its eggs, communicating vital heat ; so at the new creation, he comes as a dove upon him, who was the immediate author of it. And in the assumption of this form, there might be an allusion to the dove that brought peaceful tidings to Noah, on the cessation of the waters ; in which there was a significant repre- sentation of him, who visited poor lost mankind in their cursed condition ; and proclaimed peace to all who return to God by him, the great peace-maker-, and this work he immediately engaged in, on the resting of this dove upon him. Besides, there is a peculiar aptness in that creature, to represent the Spirit that rested on the Lord Jesus ; for the well- known nature of a dove is such, as is proper to remind us of purity and harmless innocence.
It was not a real dove that appeared, but some ethereal substance, something of a fiery nature, I conceive, in the form of a dove: and this rendered the appearance more visible, heavenly, and glorious. And the Holy Ghost is often compared to fire, because he was of old typified thereby. For on various occa- sions, when sacrifices were off'ered, fire came down from heaven and consumed them ; by which it was signified, that no sacrifices were accepted of God, where faith was not kindled in the heart of the otlerer ^>v the Holy Ghost. In the next bodily shape which lie assumed, it is expressly said that it was fiery ;
• Matt. iii. 16; Luke iii. 22 ; John i. 32. The words are ambigu- ous, and may respect the mannc-r of his descending, as a dove de- scends; or ttie manner of liis appearance; he appeared hke a dove descending. But this sense is determined in the other Evangehsta to the bodily shape in whicli he descended.
OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
" There appeared unto them cloven tongues, Uke as of fire," Acts ii. 3 ; which was the visible token of the coming of the Holy Ghost upon them. And thus also the Lord Christ is said to " baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire," Matt. iii. 11; that is, with the Holy Ghost, whose cleansing, purifying grace may be compared to fire.
Now this appearance of the Holy Ghost, in which he was represented by that which is a substance, and has a subsistence of its own, manifests that lie him- self is a substance, and has a subsistence of his own. For if he be no such thing, but a mere influential ettect of the power of God, we are not taught right appreliensions of him, but mere mistakes by this appearance. These, with the like testimonies in general, are given to the divine personality of the Holy Spirit. I shall next consider those Personal Properties which are distinctly ascribed to him.
First; Understanding, or JVisdom, which is the first inseparable property of an intelligent subsistence, is ascribed to him, in the acts and effects of it, •' The Spirit searcheth all things, even the deep things of God," 1 Cor. ii. 10. Now to search, is an aet of the understanding; and the Spirit is said to search, because he knoweth; "no man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man," which is intimate to all its own thoughts; so the "things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God." These things cannot be spoken of any but a person endued with understand- ing ; and he who thus searches " the deep things of God," the mysteries of his will, counsel, and grace, is therefore a divine Person, whose understanding is infinite. Observe also, that the Spirit is the autl:or of wisdom and understanding in others: and therefc.re he must have them in himself, 1 Cor. xii. 8. And hence he is called, " a Spirit of wisdom and -under- standing, of counsel and knowledge," Isa. xi. 3 1 Tim.lv. 1; 1 Pet. i. 11; 2 Pet. i. 2I.
Secondly/: A fVill is ascribed to him ; and this is the most eminent and distinguishing character of a person. Whatever is endued with an intelligent will.
48 DIVINITY AND PERSONALITV
is a person ; and it cannot with any tolerable congruity be ascribed to any thing else, unless the reason of the metaphor be plain and obvious.* Now this property is ascribed to the Holy Ghost, 1 Cor. xii. 11. " All these things worketh that one and self-same Spirit, dividing to every man as he will." What can be spoken more fully to describe an intelhgent person, acting voluntarily with freedom and choice, I know not. And I may add, that he who has the sovereign disposal of all spiritual gifts, having only his own will for his rule, is, and must be " over all God blessed for ever."
Thirdly; Another property of a living person is Power. A power whereby any one is able to act according to the guidance of his understanding, and the determinations of his will, declares him to be a Person.f Thus Job speaks, chap, xxxii. 4, " The Spirit of God hath made me, and the Breath of the Almighty hath given me life." Creation is an act of divine power ; the highest we can conceive of. As he is called a Spirit of wisdom and understanding, so he is also of " might or power," Isa. xi. 2 ; and if we suppose these to mean the effects of his operations, rather than the properties of his nature, yet he who effects wisdom and power in others, must first have them in himself. To this purpose also is that demand, Micah ii. 7, " Is the Spirit of the Lord straitened ?" that is, in his power, that he cannot work in the prophets and in his Church as in former days.-* And the same prophet affirms, chap. iii. 8, that he is " full
* As in John iii. 8 ; " The wind bloweth where it listeth," no man is foolish enough to suppose, that a will is ascribed to the wind : the meaning is, that the wind is not under our direction, or at our dis- posal.
f Some object, that power is often ascribed to instruments, and denotes only their efficacy for their intended uses ; as the word of God is able to "save our souls," and "to build us up." But where divine power is ascribed to any one, and declared to be exercised by the jnderstanding and will, it undeniably proves him to be a divine oerson. Tlie adversaries of this truth, lay out all their strength and skill in exceptions, or rather cavils, against particular testimonies and expressions; but as to the whole argument, taken from the design and icope of the Scripture in them all, they have nothing to expect.
OF THE HOLY SFIKIT. 49
of po\ver,andof judgment, and of might, by the Spirit of the Lord," or, as the apostle speaks, Eph. iii. 16, " strengthened with might, by his Spirit, in the inner man."*
To complete this argument,! shall add the consid- eration of those works and operations which are ascribed to him ; and which could not, with any pro- priety, be so ascribed, unless he be a person, endued with divine power and understanding. And here I repeat, that it is not from any single instance of his works, that we shall confirm our argument ; for some of them, singly considered, may perhaps sometimes be metaphorically ascribed to other causes ; which do not therefore prove that they are persons also ; which is the sum of our adversaries' objections. But as some of them, at least, never are, nor can be, assigned to any but a divine person ; so we take our argument from their joint consideration, or the uniform constant assignation of them all to him in the Scriptures, which renders it irrefragable. The nature of the works tliemselves shall be explained hereafter.
Fi7\st ; He is said to teach us: "The Holy Ghost shall teach you what you ought to say," Luke xii. 12. "The Comforter — shall leach you all things," John xiv. 26. He is the "• Unction which teaches us all things," 1 John ii. 27 : He is the great teacher of the Church, to whom the accomplishment of that great promise is committed, " they shall be all taught of God," John vi. 45. It is sad with the Church of God, when her "teachers are removed into a corner," and jier eyes see them not ; but better lose all other teach- ers than lose this one great teacher. For though he is pleased to make use of them, he can teach etfec-
• The Holy Ghost is called, Luke i. 35, "The power of the High- est," to denote his efficaiy, as the immediate divine agent, in tl^- incarnation of Christ : and so he exerted the power of the highest, as his own power ; who, together with the Father and the Son, is the most High God, in distinction from all other gods. 'I'he divine power is called the power of the Holy Ghost, Rom. xv. 13. "That ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost;" and ver. 19, •• Mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God." I .om Guyse in loc. [E].
4
50 DIVINITY AND PERSONALITY
tually without them, where they are removed ; but they cannot teach without him, to the least spiritual advantage. And those who pretend to be teachers of others, and yet despise his teaching assistance, will Dne day find that they undertook a work which was none of theirs.
Let any man, not absolutely prepossessed with pre- judice, read over that discourse of our Saviour to his disciples, in which he purposely instructs them in the nature and work of the Spirit of God, and he will need no further confirmation in this matter. He is there called the Comforter, the name of a person, of one vested with office; and another comforter; to distinguish him from Christ, who was a comforter and a person, as all allow. He declares that the Father would send him; and that he would accord- ingly come ; and that to teach, to lead, to guide them, and to bring things to their remembrance: that he should testify, or bear witness ; that he should re- prove the world; that he should hear, speak, re- ceive of Christ, and show it to them. All these things are spoken, not occasionally, {in transitu,) but in a direct continued discourse, purposely designed to in- form the disciples who he was, and what he would do for them. And if nothing more was spoken of him in the whole Scripture, this alone would con- vince all unprejudiced men, that he is a Divine Per- son.*
There are two other remarkable texts to the same purpose. The first, Acts xiii. 2, 4. "As they min- istered unto the Lord and fasted, the Holy Ghost said. Separate me (in the Greek, Separate unto me, a<j)rpcaars ,xoi,) Bamabas and Saul for the work where- unto I have called them." Here observe the Holy Ghost's designation of himself, as the person to whom and to whose work, Barnabas and Saul were dedica-
» See further proofs of this in 1 Cor. ii. 11, and Rom viii. 15, 16, 28. And it is a confidence beyond all bounds of modesty, to suppose, because one or other of these things may be ascribed metaphorically to that which is not a person, (when such expressions are plainly Sgurative) that, therefore, they are all so ascribed to the Spirit, in a discxjurse purposely intended for the instruction of the disciples.
I
OF THK HOLY SPIRIT. 51
ted. Some person is certainly" intended by tlie pronoun me ; and the Holy Ghost, is, no doubt, the person intended ; the author of tlie command, and the object of the duty required. Now to call men to the work of the ministry, is a free act of authority, choice, and wisdom, apohcable only to a person ; nor is either the Father or tne Son more directly clothed with personal properties, than the Holy Gliost is, in this passage. The whole is confirmed, verse 4: and "they, being sent forth oy the Holy Ghost, departed." He called them to the work, by furnishing them with ability and authority for it: he commanded them to be set apart by the church, that they might be owned in it ; and he sent them forth, by an impression of his au- thority on their minds.
The other text referred to, Acts xx. 28, is to the same efiect. "Take heed to yourselves, and to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers." What was reported in the former text, in an extraordinary case, as matter of fact, is here doctrinally applied to an ordinary case. The same act of wisdom and authority is assigned to him; for he makes the overseers of the church. If he did so then, he does so now ; for these were persons not ex- traordinarily inspired, but the ordinary officers of the church. And it is the concern of ministers now to inquire, what there is in their whole undertaking, that they can ascribe to the Holy Ghost. Persons fur- nished with no spiritual gifts or abilities, engaging in this work for secular advantages, will not easily sat- isfy themselves in this inquiry, when they shall be forced to make it at last.
Another kind of testimony to the same purpose, yet remains to be considered. The Holy Spirit is ofte i spoken of, as the object of such actions of men, as can only be applied to a person. Thus he is said to be tempted : " Ye have agreed together to tempt the Spi- rit of the Lord," Acts v. 9.. How can a quality, an accident, an emanation be templed ? None can be tempted but he who has understanding to consider the proposals made to him, and a icill to determine on them. So Satan tempted our first parents ; so men are
52 DIVINITY AND PERSONALITY
tempted by their own lusts ; so are we said to " temp God," wlieti we provoke him by our unbelief, or iiiake unwarrantable (experiments of his power. Thus Ananias and Sappliira tempted the Holy Ghost, wheii they sinfully ventured on his omniscience, as if he could not or would not discover their sin; or on his holiness, that he would patronize their deceit. Thus Ananias lied to the Holy Ghost, ver. 3, which sup- poses a person capable of hearing and receiving a tes- timony ; for a lie is a false testimony. In like manner he is said to be resisted. Acts vii. 59; which is the moral re-action, or opposition of one person to ano- ther. We are also commanded not to grieve him, Eph. iv. 30. And they of old are said to have re- belled, and vexed the Holy Spirit, Isa. Ixiii. 10. These things are so plain and positive, that the faith of believers will not be concerned in the sophistical evasions of our adversaries.
This truth is still more evident in the discourse of our Saviour, Matt. xii. 24 ; concerning the sin against the Holy Ghost; in which the Spirit is expressly dis- tinguished from the Son : they are both spoken of, with respect to the same things, in the same manner. Now, if the Spirit were only the power of God pre- sent with Christ, Christ and that power could not be distinctly spoken against. The pharisees blasphemed saying, "that he cast out devils by Beelzebub, the prince of the devils." A person they intended, and described him by his name, nature, and office. To which our Lord replies : " that he cast out devils by the Spirit of God :" — a divine person opposed to a diabolical one : and then cautions them against blas- pheming that Holy Spirit, by ascribing his operations to the devil. And blasphemy against him, especially a blasphemy that is unpardonable, directly manifests who he is. It is supposed that blasphemy may be against the person of the Father, Lev. xxiv. 11. The Son, as to his distinct person, is, in this passage, said to be blasphemed : and it is added, that the Holy Ghost also may be distinctly blasphemed ; or be the nnmediate object of that sin, which is inexpiable. To suppose therefore, that this Holy Ghost is not a
OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 53
Divine Person, is for men to dream while they seem to be awake.
I trust, that by all these tesiimonies, we have fully proved, that the Spirit is a holy, intelligent subsist- ence, or person : and in proving this, many instances have been given, from which it is also undeniably evi- dent, that he is a Divine, self-subsisting, self-sufficient person, together with the Father and the Son, equally participant of the divine nature. Tliis will appear still more plainly from the following testimonies.
1. He is expressly called God; and having the name of God properly and directly given to him, with respect to spiritual things, or things peculiar to God, he must have the nature of God also. Ananias is said " to lie to the Holy Ghost,'' Acts v. 3. This is repeated and interpreted, ver. 4, " Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto Got/." The same person, the same object of the sin of Ananias, is expressed in both places ; and therefore the Holy Ghost is God. So also he is called Lord, in a sense appropriate to God alone, 2 Cor. iii. 17, 18. "Now the Lord is that Spirit;" and we are changed from glory to glory, " by the Lord the Spirit;" where also divine operations are ascribed to him. The same is drawn by just conse- quence from the comparing rf Scriptures together; wherein, what is spoken of God absolutely in one place, is applied directly to the Holy Ghost in ano- ther. For instance. Lev. xxvi. 11, 12. " I will (saith God.) set my tabernacle amongst you ; and I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people." The accomplishment of this promise is declared by the apostle, 2 Cor. vi. 16. " Ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk among them," &c. How, and by whom is this done r 1 Cor. iii. 16, 17. " Know ye not, that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you ? — for the temple of God are ye." If it was God then, who of old was promised to dwell in his people, and to make them his temple thereby; then is the Holy Sfiirit God; for he it is, who, according to that promise, tbus dwelleth in them. Thus it is said of the people in the wilderness,
54 WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Dent, xxxii. 12. "The Lord alone did lead him;' and of the sanrie fact, in another text, that the " Spirit of tlie Lord did lead them," Isa. Ixiii, 14. The Spirit of the Lord therefore is Jehovah; or, Jehovah alone did not lead them. That also, which is called in the same people, their " sinning agamst God," and "pro- voking the most High," Psal. Ixxviii. 17, IS, is termec their " rebelling against and vexing the Holy Spirit," Isa. Ixiii. 10, 11. And many other instances of a similar nature might be added.
Observe, in the last place, that divine properties are assigned to him ; as Eternity ; he is the " Eternal Spirit," Heb. ix. 14: Immensity ; "whither shall I flee from thy Spirit ?" Psal. cxxxix. 7; Omnipotence ; " the Spirit of the Lord is not straitened," Mic. ii, 8 ; Conip. Isa. xl.28; Prescience; "this Scripture must be fulfilled, which tlie Holy Ghost, by the mouth of Da- vid, spake before concerning Judas," Acts i. 16 ; Om- niscience; " the Spirit searcheth all things, even the deep things of God," 1 Cor.ii. 10, 11. The divine works assigned to him, are usually pleaded to the same pur- pose ; but as we shall have occasion distinctly to con sider them, we shall not insist upon them here. What has been proposed, may be sufficient to show, who he is, of whose works and grace we design to treat.
CHAPTER IV.
PECULIAR WORKS OP THE HOLY SPIRIT, IN THE FIRST OR OLD CREATION.
Divine operations sometimes ascribed to God absolutely, and some- limes to eacii Person distinctly; and why — Peculiar works of the Spirit in the old creation ; particularly in the formation of man — His work in the preservation of all things when created, both natu- ral and moral.
Intending to treat of those operations, which are peculiar to the Holy Ghost, it may be useful, first, to speak of the operations of the Godhead in general. All divine operations, whether in nature or in grace,
IN THE FIRST CREATION. 55
ara usually ascribed to God absolutely; because the several persons are undivided in their operations; acting by tlie same will, the same wisdom, the same power. Each person, therefore, is the author of every work of God, because each person is God ; and the divine nature is the same undivided principle of all divine operations. The divine persons are one in essence ; brt in their manner of subsistence, there is distinction, relation, and order among them. Hence every divine work is distinctly assigned to each per- son, and eminently to one ; as the work, of creation is distinctly ascribed to the Father, Acts iv. 24 ; to the Son, John i. 3 ; and to the Spirit, Job xxxiii. 4 ; but by way of eminence to the Father, and absolutely to God, who is Father, Son and Spirit.
Divine works are eminently ascribed to one person particularly, when a special impression of the distin- guishing property of that divine person is made on the work itself; as there is of the power and authority of the Father, on the old creation; and of the grace and wisdom of the Son, in the new : or, where there is a peculiar condescension of one person to a work, whereii. the other persons concur only by approba- tion and consent. Such was the susception of the human nature by the Son ; and such was the conde- scension of the Holy Ghost to his office, which enti- tles him eminently to his own immediate works.
Whereas the order of operation among the distinct persons, depends on the order of their subsistence ; the concluding, completing and perfecting acts are as- cribed to the Holy Ghost : hence they are also the most hidden and mysterious. The beginning of di- vine operations, is assigned to the Father ; " for of him, and through him, and to him, are all things," Rom. xi. 36. TJie subsisting, establishing, and up- holding of all things, is ascribed to the Son : " for he is before all things, and by him all things consist," Col. i. 17; Heb. i. 3: and the finishing of all these works, is ascribed to the Holy Ghost ; as we shall find in our progress.
These things being premised, to assist us in the right
56 WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
understanding of the proposals made to oui faith, ooii cerning God in his works and word, we proceed t<. consider the pecuUar operations of the Holy Spirit, u nature, and in grace; or, in the old and new creation
The general parts of the creation, are " the heavens the earth, and all their host;"* the forming and per- fecting of Avhich is assigned peculiarly to the Spirit of God. As to the heavens, " by his Spirit he hath garnished the heavens, his hand hath formed the crooked serpent."! By him they were " curiously wrought" and disposed ; adorned with the moon and stars ; and rendered comely, beautiful, and glorious, to show forth the praise of his power and wisdom.
It was thus also with the earth. God at first cre- ated out of nothing this whole inferior globe ; the ma- terial mass of earth and water blended. This mass being thus framed and mixed, " the Spirit of God moved on the face of the waters," Gen. i. 2. The word moved (//zer«cAe/?/'?eM) signifies a gentle motiori, like that of a dove over its nest, to communicate vital heat to its eggs, or to cherish its young. Without him, all was a dead sea; a rude inform chaos ; a confused heap covered with darkness : but by the moving of the Spirit of God upon it, he communicated a quick- ening prolific virtue. The principles of all those kinds and forms of things, which in an inconceivable vari- ety compose its host and ornament, were communi- cated to it. And this is a belter account of the original of all things, than is given us by any of the philoso- phers, ancient or modern. And as at the first crea- tion, so in the course of providence, this work of cherishing the creatures is ascribed to the Holy Ghost, Psalm civ. 29, 30 ; "Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled; thou takest away their breath, they die anc'
* The host of Heaven is the sun, moon and stars, Deut. iv. 19 ; and the angels themselves, 1 Kings xxii. 19. The host of the earth is mon, beasts, and all the creatures that live upon it. Isa. xxxvii. 36 ; Joel ii. 11. And tliey are thus called because of their order and beautiful disposition ; and because all creatures in heaven and earth are God's armies, to ac- complish his irresistible will and pleasure.
f By the crooked serpent, the Hebrews understand the Galaxy, oi Milky Way, which to the eye represents the writhing of a serpent.
IN THE FIRST CREATION. t57
return to the dust." All creatures decay and die; the earth itself, their common nurse, seems every year to decline its use and end ; having death brought on the face of all ; but " thou sendest forth thy Spirit, they are created; and tliou reiiewest the face of the earth." The Spirit of God, whose office it is to preserve the creation, produces a new supply of creatures, in the room of those that fall off hke leaves from the trees, and return every day to the dust. By his influential concurrence, all things spring afresh, and the face of nature is renewed and adorned. But we must con- sider the work of the Holy Ghost with respect to the creation of man.
Man may be considered either naturally, as to the essential constituent parts of his being ; or morally, with regard to his principles of obedience, the law given him, and the reward promised. The first is ex- pressed. Gen. ii. 7; "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nos- trils tlie breath of life, and man became a living soul." As to the matter of which he was formed, it was dust; and this is mentioned, to display the excellency, power and wisdom of the great Artificer, who out of such contemptible materials, could form the admirable fa- bric of the human body ; and to humble man by the remembrance of his mean original.*
Into this formed dust, "• God breathed the breath of life;" {divinae aurae particulam) o. vital immort;il spirit; something of himself; somewhat immediately of his own; not of any pre-created matter. Thus man became a middle creature, between the angels above, and the sensitive animals below. His body was formed as the beasts from matter ; his soul was an immediate production of divine power, as the angels were. Thus man became " a living soul."
This was the work of the Holy Ghost. The Spirit of God, and the Breath of God, are the same ; only one expression is proper, the other mataphorical.
• Thus Abraham abases himself before Jehovah, Gen. xviii. 27; " Behold now, I have taken upon me to spealt unto the Lord, which
Am but (Just and ashes."'
58 WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE FIRST CREATION.
The creation of body and soul are both ascribed tCf him, Job xxxiii. 4 ; " Tlie Spirit of God hatli made me, and the Breath of the Almighty hath given me hfe." And thus was man, the perfection of the in- ferior creation, formed by him, to whom the perfect- ing all divine works is pecuUarly committed.
Bat we must consider man with respect to his moral condition also ; and this is expressed, Gen. i. 26, 27 ; " And God said, Let ns make man in our own image, after our likeness : — So God created man in his own image:" — a universal rectitude of nature : — an abil- ity to discern the mind and will of God, with respect to the duty required of him ; a free, uncontrolled, un- entangled disposition to that duty: and abihty of mind and will, with a ready compliance in his affections, for the due performance of the whole. Now all these were effects of the immediate operations of the Holy Ghost; for in the restoration of these abilities to our souls by regeneration, it is plainly asserted that he is the author of them, Eph. iv. 24; Col. iii. 10. Thereby he restores his own work ; and thus Adam may be said to have had the Spirit of God in his innocency. And indeed, in all men, from first to last, all good- ness, righteousness and truth, are the fruits of the Spirit, Eph. v. 9.
The works of God thus finished, are not deserted by the Holy Ghost. For as the preservation of the universe depends on the powerful inflaence of divine providence, so there are particular operations of the Spirit in ail things, natural and animal, rational and moral. As to the first, we have seen, that the succes- sion of creatures, and annual renovation of the face of the earth, are from him. For as we would own the just operation of second causes ; so we abhor that athe- ism which ascribes to them an independent causality. As to rational and moral actions, such as the great affairs of the world are disposed of by, he has also a peculiar efficiency. Wisdom, courage, and fortitude, which have produced such great effects, are of his special operation. Thus " the Spirit of God came •ipon Othniel ;" with wisdom for government and
MANNER OF THE DISPENSATION, ETC. 59
nourage for war, Judges iii. 10. Thus God "sent his Spirit on Cyrus, his anointed," to quaUfy him for the mighty work he was to effect, Isa. xiv. 1, &c. Thus also Zeruhhabel was enabled to build the temple, not- withstanding the strongest opposition, that it might be evident to all, that the work was effected, "not by might, nor by power, but by the Spirit of the Lord," Zech. iv, 6.
CHAPTER V.
THE MANNER OP THE DISPENSATION OP THE HOLT SPIRIT.
The administration of the Spirit by God the Father; and the Spirit's application of himself to his work — With respect to the former, God is said to give him ; to send him ; to minister him ; to pour him out, and to put him upon us — With respect to the latter, he is said to proceed ; to come ; to fall on men ; to rest and to depart.
Before we treat of the Spirit's work in the new crea- tion, the order of things requires, that we should first consider the general nature of God's dispensation of him; and of his own application of himself for that purpose. In the whole of this subject, we have no rule nor guide, — nothing to afford us any assistance, but the Scriptures ; to which therefore we shall dili- gently attend ; so that what I have to offer concern- ing these things, consists solely in the explication of those texts wherein, they are revealed. We must therefore consider (1.) What we are taught on the part of God the Father, with respect to the Spirit and iiis work; and (2.) What relates immediately to him- self
1. God's disposal of the Spirit to his work is ex- pressed in five different ways. He is said to give him ; to send him ; to miniftter him ; to pour him out; and to put him on us. (1.) He is said to be given of God: "your heavenly Father will give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him," Luke xi. 13 ; " he
60 MANNER OF THE DISPENSATION
hath given his Spirit to us," 1 John iii. 24 ; John xiv 16, 26, &c. ; and in many other places. Now this giving of the Spirit denotes authority, freedom and bounty, on the part of God. It denotes authority ; for he that gives any thing, must have authority to dis- pose of it ; none can give, but of his own. It denotes freedom. What is given might be withheld. This is the gift of God ; not the purchase of our endeav- ours, nor the reward of our desert. Some men talk of purchasing grace and glory ; but both are to be bougiit " without money, and without price." The Scripture knows of no earnings that men can make of themselves, but death ; " eternal life is the gift of God."
Answerably to this idea, believers are said to re- ceive him. " This spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive," John vii. 39: and again, "We have received the Spirit which is of God," 1 Cor. ii. 12 ; see also John xiv. 17 ; xx. 22 ; Acts viii. 15, 19; 2 Cor. xi. 4; Gal. iii. 2. Giving and receiving are relative terms, the one supposing the other. And as this also implies freedom on the part of the giver ; so it implies privilege and advan- tage on our part ; for what a man receives, he re- ceives for his own good.
This expression (given) also denotes bounty; it is such a gift as proceeds from divine bounty : for God is said to give him to us " richly," Titus iii. 6. The greatness of the gift, the free mind of the giver, and want of desert in the receiver, all declare bounty to be the spring and fountain of it. And all these con- cur to the height, in God's giving of the Holy Ghost.
And on the part of those who receive this gift, how great is the privilege and advantage ! Some, indeed, receive him, as to some particular end, without any final advantage to their souls. They receive his gifts only, without his grace to sanctify their persons and their gifts; like those of old, "who prophesied, and '^ast out devils," and yet continued " workers of ini- quity," and are rejected at the last, Matt. vii. 22, 23.
But there is no gift of the Holy Ghost, that is not
OK THE HOLY SPIRIT. (>1
good in its own nature, tending to a good end, and adapted to the good of the receiver. For though the direct end of some gifts be not the spiritual good of the receiver, but tlie edification of otliers, yet there is that excellency in them, and that use may be made of them, which may turn to great advantage. Though they are not grace, yet they excite, exercise, and give an edge to grace, whereby it is strengthened and in- creased. And they have an influence into glory ; for it is by them that some are made wise and effectual instruments of " turning many to righteousness ; who shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and as the stars for ever and ever," Dan. xii. 3. But the unbelief, ingratitude, and lusts of men, can spoil these, and all good things whatever. In general, to be made a partaker of the Holy Ghost, is an inesti- mable privilege and advantage.
(2.) God is said to send him. " The Father will send the Holy Ghost in my name," John xiv. 26, and Christ says, " I will send unto you the Comforter from the Father," John xv.26, and the same expression is used in other places, Psal. civ. 30 ; John xvi. 7 ; Gal. iv. 6. Now this, like the former word giving, argues tne same authority, freedom and bounty. Only the word naturally implies a local motion ; as a person, who is sent, removes from one place to another ; but as local mutation is inconsistent with the omnipre- sence of the Spirit, Psal. cxxxix. 7, 8 ; we must admit of a metaphor in the expression; but such a one as is frequently used in Scripture. Thus God is said to "arise out of his place;" to "bow the heavens and come down ;" to "come and see" what is done in the earth. Now no local motion is intended in these expressions; only there is an allusion to it among mortals ; for a creature cannot produce any effects where it is not. Thus the sending of the Holy Ghost supposes, that he does not produce the blessed effects of his power and grace, but in and towards them, to wliom he is given and sent. He was not before in ^r v/ith that person, or those persons, for that special work and end, which he is sent for by the Father
63 MANNER OF THE DISPENSATION
And this proves, by the way, that in his gifts and graces, he is not common to all ; or a light, which is always in all men, and which all men may be in, if they please ; for this would leave no place for this special act of sending him, which is done by choice and distinction of the object to whom he is sent.
(3.) God is said to minister the Spirit, Gal. iii. 5. "He that ministereth the Spirit unto you ;" he that gives you continual or abundant supplies of the Spi- rit. So in Phil. i. 19. "I know that this shall turn to my salvation, through your prayers and the sup- ply;" the "additional supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ." The Avord {inixofriyia) is constantly used for the adding of one thing to another, as "add to your faith virtue ;" or the adding of one degree of the same thing to another. Those who have received the Spirit, need a daily further supply ; and this is given by God's ministering of his Spirit to believers. This is the principal subject matter of our prayers in this world.
(4.) God is said to put his Spirit in, or upon men, Isaiah xHi. 1. "I have put my Holy Spirit upon him." It is the effectual acting of God that is intend- ed. He not only gives and sends his Spirit to his people, but he actually bestows him upon them ; so that they are really partakers of him. He effica- ciously endows their hearts and minds with him, for the work and end which he is designed to.
(5.) God is frequently said io pour him out, Prov. i. 23. " Behold, I will pour out my Spirit unto you." See also Psal. Ixxii. 2 ; cxlv. 7 ; Isaiah xxxii. 15. We may observe, in general, concerning this important expression, that wherever it is used, it has a direct respect to Gospel-times ; for though God gave his Spirit in some measure before, yet he was not poured out, till the dispensation of the Gospel.
Three things are comprised in this expression ; (1.) A.n eminent act of divine bounty. Pouring forth is the way whereby an all-sufficing fulness is express- sd : as the "clouds ponr down rain, watering the ridges of the earth abundantly." Hence the " renew
OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 63
mg of the Holy Ghosl," is said to be "poured on us richly," Titus iii. 6. Men were converted of old by a rich participation of the Spirit : and so they must be still, whatever some pretend ; or die in their sins. (2.) Tliis pouring out has respect to the gilts and graces of tht; Spirit, and not to his person. For where he is given, he is given absolutely, and not more or less; but his gifts and graces may be more plentifully given to one person than to another, and to the same person, at one time more than at another. (3.) The expression relates to his purifying or sanctifying; and his comibrting or refreshing influences. On these ac- counts, he is often compared to water. " I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean," Ezek. xxxvi. 35. So our Lord calls him, " rivers of water," Isaiah xxxii. 2. And as it respects his com- forting and refreshing those on whom he is poured, he is compared to rain ; " I will pour water on him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground :" that is, " I will pour my Spirit on thy seed ; and my bless- ing on thy oiFspring," Isaiah xliv. 3, 4. He comes on the dry, barren, parched ground of men's hearts, causing them to spring, and produce fruits of holiness and righteousness, Heb. vi. 7. And thus Christ, by his Spirit, "comes down like rain upon the mown grass ; as showers that water the earth," Psal. Ixxii. 6. The good Lord give us always of these waters and refreshing showers !
2. We proceed to consider, what is ascribed to the Spirit himself, in his own application of himself to his work ; from which also it will plainly appear, that he acts as a voluntary agent.
First; He /^/-ocee^e^A from the Father; and being the Spirit of the Son also, he proceedeth from him in like manner; John xv. 26. "The Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me." There is, (1.) a procession of the Holy Ghost, which is natural or personal. This expresses his eternal relation to the persons of the Father and the Son. He is of them by an eternal emanation or pro- cession; the manner of which, is incomprehensible to
64 MANNF.R OF THE DISPENSATION
US in this life. There is, (2.) a procession of the Spirit, which is dispensatory ; the egress of the Spirit in his application of himself to his work ; a voluntary act of his will, and not a necessary property of his person. He thus proceeds from the Father, of his own accord, in compliance with his sending him, to accomplish and make effectual the purposes of his will, and the counsels of his grace.
Secondly; To the same purpose, he is said to come ; 1 Chron. xii. 18; Acts xix. 6; John xvi. 7; "If I go not away, the Comforter will not come :" It is an allusion to local motion among us ; such condescen- sions does God use in the declaration of divine act- ings, to accommodate them to our apprehensions. The meaning is, that the Holy Ghost, by his own will and consent, works, in the pursuit of the Father's will, where, or what, he did not work before. And thus is our faith regulated with regard to the Spirit. For we may both pray the Father, that he would give and send him to us, according to his promise; and we may pray to him to come to us, to sanctify and comfort us. according to the work and office which he has undertaken.
Thirdly ; He is said to fall on men. Acts x. 44. " While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word." So also Acts xi. 15. A greatness and suddenness is intended ; as when the fire (the type of the Spirit) fell down on the altar and sacrifice of Elijah, the spectators were amazed and cried out, "The Lord, he is God!'' 1 Kings xviii. 38, 39. Wherever the word is used, some extraordinary effects, evidencing his presence and power, are spoken of; and particularly, when such a blessing was not expected. Acts ii. 4, and viii. 16.
Fourthly ; Being come, he is said to rest on the pen-sons to whom he was given and sent ; as Isa. xi. 3. " And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him ;" ttiat is, abide and remain, John i. 32, 33. Thus the Spirit of the Lord rested on the elders. Num. xi. 25 So " the Spirit of Elijah rested on Elisha, 2 Kings ii. 9. And "the Spirit of God and of glory resteth on us,''
OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 65
1 Pet. iv. 14. The word includes complacence and permanence. He is " well pleased " in his work ; he "rests in his love with joy and singing," Zeph. iii. 17. And he abides where he rests. "He shall abide with you for ever," said our Saviour, John xiv. 16. He came only, on some men, to actuate them for some peculiar work, and transiently to affect their minds by his power ; but where he rests, as in the work of sanctification and consolation, there he abides with complacence and delight.
Fifthly; He is said to depart from some persons Thus the " Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul,' 1 Sam. xvi. 14; and David prays, that God wonld not "take his Holy Spirit from him," Psal. li. 11. His departure from men, is his ceasing to work in them and on them as formerly ; and as far as this is penal he is said to be taken away. Thus he departed and was taken away from Saul, when he no longer helped him with ability for kingly government. The de- parture of the Spirit is either total or partial. Some who have been made partakers of many of his gifts, have been much enlightened; and under the power of convictions, have professed the Gospel, and performed many duties; yet having been entangled with tempta- tions, and conquered by their lusts, have relinquished their beginnings, and turned again to folly : — from such persons, the Holy Ghost utterly departs; gives them up to themselves, and their own hearts' lusts: all their gifts dry up and wither; their light goes out, and they have darkness instead of vision. The case of such is truly deplorable ; and if they add despite to the Spirit of grace, and contempt of his whole work, their case is in general, irrecoverable. Heb. vi. 4, 6, and X. 26, &c.
From believers themselves he may also depart; but it is only partially, and for a season. For being given to them in the covenant of grace, the promise is ex- press, that he shall never depart from them utterly and totally, Isa. lix. 21; Jer. xxxi. 33, and xxxii. 39, 40; Ezek. xi. 19. Our blessed Saviour assures us, that " whosoever drinketh of the water that he would
5
66 MANNER OF THE DISPENSATION".
give him," meaning his sanctifying Spirit, "should never thirst ;" never suffer a total want any more. This is " 3, well of water springing up into everlasting life," John iv. 14, and vii. 37, 38. But as to the degrees and sensible effects of divine grace, light, and consola- tion, he may withdraw for a time. Believers may be left to spiritual decays, and much weakness : " the things that remain may be ready to die." He may " hide himself;" or forsake his people for a moment : and hence they may apprehend themselves utterly de- serted and forsaken, Isa. xl. 27, and liv. 7. But from such persons he never utterly nor wholly departs.*
There is one general property of the dispensation of the Spirit mentioned, Heb. ii. 4, which requires our attention. " God also bearing them witness with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts (say we) of the Holy Ghost ;" but the word (fttpiouot) means distributions of the Holy Ghost ; whence some have contended, that the Spirit is to be taken passively, and that he may be divided into parts ; so that one may have one part, and another may have another part. But this interpretation is perverse and foolish; for the context requires, that the Holy Ghost be here taken actively, as the author of the distributions men- tioned. These " distributions " are from him, as the signs and wonders were ; that is, effects of his power : only an intimation is added, how they were all wrought by him; which is by giving them a power for their operation, variously dividing them ; and that
* To such a daring height of profaneness are some arrived, that they treat with contempt and scorn all that is said concerning these spiritual desertions, as well as the whole work of the Spirit on the hearts of men. Their trouble of mind under a sense of the guilt of sin; their darkness and discomposure when God withdraws his wont- ed influences of grace and favoui ; and their peace, comfort and joy, when he sheds abroad his love in their hearts, are all represented as "the idle imaginations of distempered brains, or the mechanical ef- fect of bodily disorder." The design of these reproaches, is to decry all real intercourse between God and the souls of men, leaving only an outside form and shape of religion, not one jot belter than atheism. But what can such persons make of those numerous texts, in which '.his experience is graphically exemplified, as in Job, David, Heman, and others; or of that abundant provision made in the Scriptures, for the direction, recovery, and consolation of aflticled souls !
OF THE HOLV SiMIUT. 67
" according to his own will." And this place is so directly and fully expounded, 1 Cor. xii. 7, &c., (open- ed at the entrance ot" this discourse,) that no room is left for the exception of the most obstinate. To the same purpose are his operations described, Isa. xi. 2, 3, '' The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowladge, and of the fear of the Lord." That variety of gifts and graces, with which believers are adorned, are these "distributions" of the Spirit. So John, saluting the Churches of Asia, prays for grace for them, " from God the Father, and the seven Spirits that are before the throne," Rev. i. 4 : that is, the Holy Spirit, con- sidered in his care of the Churcli, as the author of that perfection of gifts and graces, which are bestowed upon it. And therefore, as our Lord Jesus Christ, the foundation of his Church, was anointed with all the gifts an'j graces of the Spirit in their perfection, it is said, that "upon that one stone should be seven eyes," Zech. iii. 9, all the gifts of the seven Spirits of God, or of that Holy Spirit, who is the author of them all.
BOOK II.
CHAPTER I.
PECULIAR OPERATIONS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT UNDER THl OLD TESTAMENT, PREPARATORY TO THE NEW.
I. The operations of the Spirit, which were properly and absolutely extraordinary : (1.) Prophecy ; the nature, use, and end of it — 'J'lie nature and effects of inspiration — The distinct ways of God's com municating his mind to the prophets, by articulate voices, dreams visions — The use of symbolical actions, and local mutations — (2.) Writing the Scriptures; three things requisite for that pur- pose— (3.) Miracles — 2. The exaltation and improvement of men natural faculties, in political, moral, intellectual, and artificial mat ters.
There is nothing excellent among men, but it is ascribed to the Holy Spirit, as the efficient cause of it; whether it be absolutely extraordinary, and above the production of natural principles, or whether it con- sist in an eminent improvement of those principles and abilities. And whatever he wrought in an emi- nent manner under the Old Testament, had generally, if not always, a respect to Christ and the gospel, and so was preparatory to his completion of the great work of the new creation,
Tnose works of the Spirit, which were properly extraordinary, were prophecy — inditing the Scrip- tures, and miracles. Those which consisted in the exaltation of natural abilities, to answer the occasions of life, and service of the Church, we shall find in things political, as skill for government; in things mo- ral, as fortitude and courage; in things natural, as in- crease of bodily strength ; or in intellectual gifts, either in sacred matters, as preaching the word of (68)
I
OPERATIONS OF THE SPIRIT, ETC. 69
God ; or in artificial affairs, as in Bezaleel and Aho- liab.
The first eminent gift and work of the Spirit, under tlie Old Testament, and which had the most direct respect to Jesus Christ, was that of prophecy ; the chief end of which was to pre-signify him, his suffer- ings and glory ; or to appoint such things in divine worship, as might be types and representations of him. For the highest privilege of the church of old, was but to hear tidings of what we now enjoy. As Moses, on the top of Pisgah, saw the land of Canaan, and in spirit beheld the beauties of holiness to be there erected (which was his highest attainment,) so the chief joy of these saints was to contemplate the King of saints, in the land that was yet very far from them, Isa. xxxiii. 17; John viii. 36. " Of which sal- vation the prophets have inquired, and searched dili- gently, who prophesied of the grace that should come in)to you ; searching whnt, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ whicli was in them, did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto tht^mselves, but unto us they did minister the things which are now reported unto you," 1 Pet. i. 10, 11, 12. The sum and substance of the prophetical work, with the light, design, and ministry of the prophets themselves, are declared in these words. God himself gave the first promise of Christ, which was the foundation of the Chnrch. Then by revelation to the prophets he confirmed that promise, giving them, from time to time, fresh disco- veries of his person, snfferings and glory. While they were thus employed, they diligently^ endeavour- ed to become acquainted with the things themselves, in their nature and efficacy ; yet considering, tliat not themselves, bnt future generations should enjoy the actual exhibition of them. They also searched, as far as intimation was given to them, after the time of their accomplishment ; both when it should be, and what manner of time it should be ; or what would be the slate and condition of the Church in those days
70
OPERATIONS OF THE SPIRIT
The communication of this gift began betimes ir the world, and continued, without any known inter ruption, during the whole preparatory state of the Church.* God "spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began,' Luke i. 70. God revealed many things to Adam him self, without which he could not have worshipped him aright. For though his natural light might be sufficient to direct him in the religious service re- quired by the law of creation, yet not in the duties of that state into which he was brought by the giv- ing of the promise, after the entrance of sin. Hence he was directed to such ordinances of worship as were needful for him, and accepted with God ; such were sacrifices. The prophecy of Enoch is recorded by the apostle Jude. And it is a matter neither cu- rious nor difficult to. demonstrate, that all the patri- archs before the flood, were guided by a prophetical Spirit, in the imposition of names on those children who were to succeed them in the sacred line. Abra- ham is expressly called a prophet by God himself, Gen. XX. 7.
Now this gift of prophecy was always the imme- diate effect of the operation of the Holy Spirit. This is a fixed principle among believers, allowed in the first place, as that into which they resolve their faith. Thus Peter testifies, 2 Peter i. 20, " knowing this first that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation ;" (or rather conception) "for the pro- phecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost;" — it was not the fruit of men's private conceptions, nor subject to the wills of men, so as to attain or exercise it by their own ability ; but it was given by " inspiration of God," 2 Tim. iii. 16; the Floly Ghost moving, actuating, guiding their minds
* After the finisliing of the Canon of the Oiil Testament, it ceased <n the Jewish Chureh, till it revived in John the Baptist, who was therefore greater than any former prophet, because he made the near- est approach to, and the clearest discovery of Christ, the end of all pro- •)hecy.
PREPARATORY TO THK NEW CREATION, 71
Wherever it is said, that God spake bv tlie prophets, or that the word of God came to them, the immediate work of the Spirit is intended. Thus Mieah says, " truly I am ful' of power by the Spirit of the Lord," Mic. lii. 8. Thus David speaks, "The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my tongue," 2 Sam. xxiii. 2. He spake to them, or in them, by his holy inspirations ; and he spake by them in his effectual, infallible guidance of them, to utter, declare, and write what they received from him, without mis- take or variation.
Prophecy, as to its exercise, is considered two ways: precisely, for the prediction, or foretelling things to come; but in general, it signifies to speak out, inter- pret, and declare the mind or words of another. Thus God tells Moses, that he would "make him a God to Pharaoh ;" — to deal with him in the name, powei and stead of God ; and that " Aaron his brother should be his prophet ;" — interpret his meaning, and declare his words to Pharaoh, Moses having complained of the defect of his own utterance. Hence, in the New Testament, those who expounded the Scriptures to the Church, are called prophets, and their work pro- phecy, Rom. xii. 6 ; 1 Cor. xiv. 31, 32 ; because they in- terpreted, or declared, the mind, will, or word of God to otherSi Prophecy, then, is not to be confined to the strict notion of prediction ; nor to be extended to every true declaration of the mind of God ; but only to that, which is obtained by immediate revelation.
This peculiar gift of the Spirit, as to its nature in general, consisted in inspiration, or in-breathing ; and it is so called, from the nature and name of the Holy Ghost. The name by which lie is revealed to us, sig- nifies Breath ; and therefore when our Saviour gave him to his disciples, he "breathed upon them," John XX. 22. This expression also denotes the gentleness and facility of his operations on their minds, whereby be gently and softly breathed into them, as it were, ilie knowledge of holy things.*
* It is true, that when persons were thus inspired with ttie mind of God, they had no rest till they had published it. When Jereiniali
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72 OPERATIONS OF THE SPIRIT
The immediate effects of this inspiration were, that those inspired were " moved," or " acted, by the Holy Ghost;" 2 Pet. i. 21 : That is, (1.) He prepared and elevated their inlellectnal faculties, to receive and re- tain his divine impressions. So a man tunes tlie strings of an instrument, that it may properly receive the im- pressions of his finger, and give out the sound he intends. He did not speak in them, or by them, and leave it to their natural faculties, their minds and memories, to understand, remember, and report what he had spoken. But he himself acted their faculties, making use of them as his organs to express his words, and not their own conceptions. And tl)is he did, (2,) with that light and evidence of himself, of his power, truth and holiness, as left them under no suspicion, whether their minds were under his influence or not. Men are liable so to fall under the power of their own imaginations ; and Satan often has so imposed on the minds of some, that they have mistaken them for su- pernatural revelations ; but in the inspirations of the Holy Spirit, he gave them infallible assurance that it was himself alone, by whom they were acted, Jer. xxiii. 28. If any shall ask — What were these infalli- ble tokens ? I must plainly say, I cannot tell ; for these are things of which we have no experience. Nor is any thing of this nature pretended to, by those who profess to experience the ordinary, gracious influences of the Spirit; though some have falsely and foolishly imputed it to them. But this I say, it was the design of the Holy Ghost to give those who were extraordi- narily inspired, an assurance, sufficient to bear them out in the discharge of their duty, that they were acted by himself alone. They were often called to
5rtid (chap. XX. 9,) that he would no more speak in his name, the word was as a hurtling fire shut up in his bones; this disturbance was from a moral sense of duty, and not from any violent agitation jf the Spirit on his nature. And the consternation of some of the prophets was occasioned eitlier by the dreadful representations of Jiings made to their imaginations in visions, or from the greatness o{ the things themselves revealed, which were often terrible and de- structive; Dan. vii. 1.5, 28 ; Isa. xxi. 2, 3, 4. But his inspirations were gentle and placid.
PREPARATORY TO THE NEW CREATION. 73
encounter various dangers, and some of them to lay down their Uves in the work ; which they would not have done, without as full evidence of their inspira- tion, as the nature of man is capable of, and such as secured them from all fear of delusion. On the word they delivered to others, there were such characters of divine truth, holiness, and power, as rendered it Worthy of belief, and not to be rejected without the greatest guilt; much more then was there such an evidence in it to the persons inspired. The case of Abraham fully confirms it. (2.) The Holy Ghost acted and guided the very organs of their bodies, whereby they expressed his revelations. He guided their tongues, as the mind of a man guides his hand in writing. Hence David says, " My tongue is the pen ofa ready writer," Ps. xlv. 1. And so witii res- pect to the pattern of the temple, and the whole wor- ship of it, he says, " All this the Lord made me to understand in writing by his hand upon me, even all the work of this pattern," 1 Chr. xxviii. 19. The Spirit guided him in writing it down, or gave it him as plainly as if every particular had been expressed in writing by the finger of God. Thus the Holy Ghost is said to speak " by the mouth of the holy prophets ;" they had but one mouth ; a universal consent and agreement in the same predictions. They were but the pipes through which the water of revelation was conveyed, without the least mixture from their frail- ties and infirmities.
It remains that we consider those ways and means, which the Spirit used in communicating his mind to the prophets ; and these were chiefly voices, dreams, and visions ; accompanied at times with symbc'ical actions, and local changes.
1. God sometimes made use of an articulate voice. So he revealed himself to Moses, when he "spake to nim face to face, as a man speaketh to his friend," Exod. xxxiii. 11; Num. xii. 8. And perhaps the whole revelation made to Moses was in this maimer So God spake to Elijali, 1 Kings xix. 12, to Samuel, to eremiah, and probably to all the prophets, at their
7^ OPERATIONS OF THE SPIRIT
first calling and entrance into their ministry. Fo words miraculously formed, and sensibly conveyeo to the ear, carry much majesty and authority with them. This was not the usual way of God's reveal- ing his mind ; nor is it intended by that phrase, " the word of the Lord came to me," which only intimates that it was by immediate revelation, in whatever way it was granted. Generally it was by a secret, effec- tual impression on the mind. These voices were either immediately created by God himself (as in the case of Moses, which gave peculiar eminence to his mission,) or by the ministry of angels : but the divine certainty of their minds, was from an immediate in- ternal work of the Spirit ; without which they might have been imposed upon by external, audible sounds.
2. Dreams were made use of under the Old Testa- ment for the same purpose ; and to them also I refer those visions which they had in their sleep, though not called dreams. Hence that promise, "1 will pour out my Spirit — your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams," Acts ii. 17. Not that God intended to make much use of these under the New Testament ; but the promise intends a plen- tiful effusion of that Spirit who acted by those various means under the Old. Yet they were sometimes used ; for instance, Paul had a vision in the night, Acts xvi. 10 ; but of old they were more frequent. God made a signal revelation to Abraham, when " a deep sleep fell upon him — and a horror of great dark- ness," Gen. XV. 12. Daniel also heard " a voice and words in a deep sleep," Dan. x. 9. So a deep sleep fell on Adam, Gen. ii. 21. But this sleep of theirs, I conceive, was not natural ; but caused of God in a peculiar manner, that therein he might represent the image of things to their imaginations. And this way of revelation was so common, that one who pretended to prophecy would cry out, " I have dreamed, I have dreamed!" Jer. xxiii. 25.
3. God revealed himself by visions to the prophets: and this was so frequent, that they were called Seers. Isaiah terms his whole glorious prophecy, " the visio.n
PRErAKATORY TO IHE NEW CREATION. 75
which he saw," Isa. i. 1 ; partly from the representa- tion made to him (chap. vi. 1,) and partly irom the evidence of the things revealed to him, wliich were as clear to his mind, as if he had had an ocular in- spection of them. Now these visions were either — Outward representations of things to their bodily eyes, or inward representations to tlieir minds. (1.) There were sometimes appearances of persons, or things, made to their outward senses, in which God employed the ministry of angels. Thus three men appeared to Abraham, Gen. xviii. 2, one of whom was the Son of God himself, the other two ministering angels. ' Of the same kind were the burning bush which Moses saw ; the man that Joshua saw at the siege of Jeri- cho ; the seething-pot, the almond-tree, and basket of figs, seen by Jeremiah, &c. (2.) They were some- times made only to their minds. When Peter saw the vision of a sheet let down from Heaven, it is said, Acts X. 10, 11, he was in a trance or ecstacy, where- by for a season he was deprived of the use of his bodily senses. And to this head I refer Daniel's and the apocalyptical visions; and especially all those vi- sions, wherein any representation was made of God himself, and his glorious throne ; as, 1 Kings xxii. 19; isa. vi. 1 ; Ezek. i. 3, &.c. In all these there was no use of the bodily senses of the prophets ; but their minds were impressed with ideas and representations of things: but this was so effectual, that they under- stood not but that they had also made use of their visive faculty. Hence Peter, when he was actually delivered out of prison, thought, for a time, that he had only seen a vision, Acts xii. 9 ; for he knew how powerfully tlie mind was wont to be affected by them. Now these visions were granted to the prophets, to confirm their minds, and affect their hearts, with a cliar and forcible apprehension of those things which tliey were to communicate to others. But it was ne- cessary, in order to render these visions direct and complete parts of divine revelation, that the minds of the prophets should be elevated in a due manner by the Holy Spirit, for th<^ ecepi-'^n of them; and that
76 OPERATIONS OF THE SPIRIT
they should be enabled faithfully to retain, and infal. Ubly to declare, what was so rei)resented to them.*
4. SyrnboHcal actions were sometimes enjoined or. the prophets. Isaiah was commanded to walk naked and barefoot; Jeremiah to dispose of a linen girdle; Ezekiel to lie on his side in the siege ; Hosea to take a wife of whoredoms. Now some of these things be- ing against the light of nature, and the law of God, cannot be supposed to have been actually done, but represented to them in visions, to make the deeper impression on them ; as to most other instances, they might be really performed, and not in vision only.t
5. Their revelations were accompanied with local mutations, or being transported from one place to an- other, as' Ezekiel was, Ezek. viii. 3, and xi. 24 ; and it is expressly said, that it was in the visions of God. Falling into a trance, or ecstacy, wherein the exercise of their outward senses was suspended, their minds were carried in a holy rapture from one place to an- other : which was effected only by a divine represen- tation of things to them, which Avere done in places from whence they were really absent. Now ail these belong to the manifold variety of divine revelations, mentioned Heb. i. 10. J
• Thus Ezekiel had a vision of a glorious temple, to instruct the Church in the spiritual glory and beauty of gospel worship, chap, xliv. Now it seems utterly impossible for the mind of man to con- ceive and retain at once all the harmonious structure, dimensions, and laws of the fabric represented. It was the work of the Spirit tc implant and preserve the idea, and enable him accurately to declare it.
f Ezekiel, for instance, was to do some things in the sight of the peo pie for their conviction, chap. xii. 4 ; xxiv. 19.
i A considerable difficulty here presents itself. We are told, by thu apostle Peter, that " holy men — were moved by the Holy Ghost." And yet we find that true prophecies and great predictions have been given by wicked men : as Balaam, a sorcerer, who " heard the words of God, and saw the visions of the Almighty ;" Saul, Caiaphas, and others. Did God ever grant his holy inspirations to wicked men ? Shall we think that the Holy Spirit would mix his inspirations with the suggestions of the Devil in a soothsayer 7 Or shall we suppose that the Devil was the author of those true and important predic- tions 1
To reniove this difficulty, observe, that the apostle's expression is not to be taken universally, as if all who prophesied were personally
PREPARATORY TO THE NEW CRKATION. 77
The writing of the Scripture was another effect of the Holy Ghost. Tiie apostle tells us, that "the Scrip- ture, or writing itself (j? ypu^r;) was by inspiration from God,'' 2 Tina. iii. 16. This ministry was first committed to Moses, who, besides the five books of the law, probably also wrote the book of Job. There were many prophets before him, but he was the first who committed the will of God to writing, after God himself who wrote the law in tables of stone, which was the beginning and pattern of the Scripture. The writers of the historical books of the Old Testament are unknown; but it is certain they were of the num- ber of "lioly men, who spake and wrote as they were
holy ; but that they were so for the most part ; and he particularly refe-s to the penmen of the Scripture, who, I doubt not, were really sarictilicd. Or he may design an official hohness ; a separation to God, by office, and not inherent holiness ; for the gift of prophecy is not a sanctifying grace in itself; a transient irradiation of light in hidden things, could not produce faith, love, or holiness of heart, 'therefore there is no inconsistency in supposing that God should grant immediate inspiration to some wicked men.
As to those who were estabhshed to be prophets during the whole course of their lives, after their I'irst call: as Samuel, Elijah, Elisha, Jeremiah, &c., I doubt not tliey were all truly sanctified by the Spirit of God. But as lo some who had only occasional discoveries, or rap- tures, as Saul, Caiajilias, &c., they were doubtless wicked men, and yet were actuated by the Spirit of God, John xi. 51. The difficulty about Balaim is greater. But several things may be oH'ercd for its remo\ al. Some contend that he was a prophet of God only ; that in- deed he gave himself to judicial astrology, and the conjectures of fu- ture events from natural causes ; but that his pro])hecics were divine ; yet, atfecting only the speculative part of his mind, had no influence on his heart, which was still corrupt. But as it is expressly said, " he sought for enchantments," so his whole course and end prove him to be a cursed sorcerer. Num. xxiv. 1; Josh. xiii. 22. As to what is said of his hearing the voice of God, &c., it might be only his own boast- ing, to procure veneration to his diabolical incantations. But God made use of his reputation, to jjublish to the nations a glorious testi- mony concerning the Messiah, the report of which was then almost lost among men. Thus the good Spirit of God over-ruled the power of the Devil, cast his suggestions from Balaam's mind, and gave such an impression of sacred truths, as he could not help declaring. He snatched, as it were, the instrument from Satan's hand ; made it give a sound according to his own mind; and then left it again in his possession. Probably he did so with the Heathen Oracles; the Sibyls; the damsel possessed with a spirit of divination, &c. Acts xvi. 16. F^or no conspiracy of men or devils shall cause liiin to forego hie sovereignly over them, and the employing thcin to his own glory.
78 OPERATIONS OF THE SPIRIT
moved by the Holy Ghost." Hence they are called prophets. For though they wrote historically, yet it was not from their own memory, nor from tradition, nor from records (though they might be furnished with these;) but by the guidance and direction of the Holy Ghost ; hence they are called prophets, in such a latitude as the word may be used in, to signify any that are divinely inspired, or receive immediate reve- lations from God.
Three things concurred in this work. (1.) The in- spiration of the minds of the prophets, with the know- ledge and apprehension of the things communicated to them: (2.) The suggestion of words to express the conceptions of their minds : (3.) The guidance of their hands in setting down the words suggested. If either of these were wanting, the Scripture could not be absolutely divine and infaUible. Some indeed think, from the variety of style observable in the Scriptures, that the substance only was given them, and that the words were left to their own abilities. I shall only say, that this variety arises chiefly from the variety of the subjects treated of, and can give no countenance to the profaneness of this opinion. For the Holy Ghost does not put a force on the minds of men ; but acts on them agreeably to their nature, en- dowments, and qualifications. The words therefore which he suggests, and causes them to vse, are such as are familiar to themselves. We grant, that they used their own abilities in the choice of words ; but the Holy Spirit, who is more intimate to the minds and skill ot men than they are themselves, so guided them, that the words they fixed on were as directly and certainly from him, as if they had been spoken to them by an audible voice. Otherwise they could not be said to speak as they were moved by the Holy Ghost ; nor could their writing be of divine inspira- tion. Hence in the original, great senses and signifi- cations often depend on a single letter, as in the change of Abram's name to Abraham ; and our Sa- viour affirms, that every apex and iota of the law is under the care of God, Matt. v.
PREPARATORY TO THE NEW CREATION, 7S
The third sort of the immediate extraordinary .>])erations of the Holy Ghost are miracles ; such as were frequently wrought under the Old Testament, by Moses, Joshua, Elijah, Elisha, and others; those by Moses exceeding, if the Jews mistake not, all the rest. Now these were all the immediate eftects of the Divine power of the Holy Ghost; for by mira- cles we mean such effects as are really beyond and above the power of natural causes, however applied. It is expressly said of Christ himself, that he wrought miracles (casting out devils, for instance) by the Holy Ghost: and if their immediate production was by his power in the human nature of the Son of God, how much more must it be granted, that it was by him alone that they were wrought in those who had no such relation to the divine nature. And therefore, when they are said to be wrought by the hand oi finger of God, it is the person of the Spirit which is pTecisely intended, as we proved before. And the persons by whom they were wrought, were never the real subjects of the power whereby they were wrought, as though it should reside or be inherent in them. Acts iii. 12, 16; only they were infallibly di- rected by the Holy Ghost, by word or action, to pro- signify their operation. Thus, when Joshua com- manded the sun and the moon to stand still, Josh. x. 12, &c., there was no power in him, nor extraordina- rily communicated to him, to influence the whole frame of nature, and to effect so great an aheration ; only he had a divine warrant to speak that which God himself would effect ; whence it is said, " God hearkened to the voice of a man."* So in all other
* Some of the Jewish writers interpret this passa<re to signify merely the speed of Joshua in subduing his enemies before the close of the day ; and this they do, lest Joshua should be thought to have wrought a greater miracle than Moses. Our author also observes that some Christian writers countenance this fiction. To remove a variety of difficulties which have been started from this remarkable story, the editor begs leave to transcribe the following elucidation of the matter, from Pike's Philosophia Sacra, p. 47. " The place now quoted, has been constantly brought as an objection against the Scri{>- ture's allowing the motion of the earth, and is insisted on as a proof
^ m
.Mk^
PREPARATORY TO 1^ ^^^^
The third sort of the nmci .>l)erations of the Holy Glnt arb were frequently wrought m r t^g Moses, Joshua, EHjah, Eli i. and Moses exceeding, if the . \^ misi rest. Now these were all he im the Divine power of the bly Gh"o8t cles we mean such effects s are really « above the power of naturalanses, howevei ll is expressly said of Chris|irnself, that he miracles (casting out devils. Ghost: and if their immedi
power in the human natur ^
much more must it be grj ted, that it was by . alone that they were wrou t in those who h;,,! such relation to the diviu when thev are said to be
•r instance) liy the
production \vas b] f the Son ol God,
1 —J --■*- ■■l«BIM^|
finger of God, it is the pers of the Spirit which is
precisely intended, as we
ature. And tiuiefo« rought by the hand o\
ved before. And the
persons by whom they w5 wrouijht, were never the real subjects of the poter whereby they were wrought, as though it shoulteside or be inherent in
them, Acts iii. 12, 16; onljjhey were infallibly di rected by the Holy Ghost, Wword or action, to pn - signify their operation. Ths, when Joslma com- manded the sun and the nion to stand still. Josh. x. 12, &c., there was no powem him, nor extraordina- rily communicated to him,o intluence the whole frame of nature, and to effecso great an alteration ; only he had a divine warra: to speak that which God himself would effect; h.-nce it is said, "God hearkened to the voice o( a ian."» .So in all other
* Some of the Jewish writera : merely the gpeed of Jo*hua in tnW of the day ; and this iht-y do, le*« J wrou?ht a greater miracje than M that some Christian writ.ra coanl. i variety of difficultiea which ha** h. . story, the editor bei?a leave to tran^ the matter, from Fike'a Hhil<w>phi, quoted, has been cinrtaritlv Lr. (urc's allowing the motion ..f •
>«te to ncntfr
roul
so OPERATIONS OF THE SPIRIT
miraculous operations, even Avhere the members o* the body were instrumental of the miracle, as in the gift of tongues ; they who had that gift, did not so speak from any skill or ability residing in them, but they were merely organs of the Holy Ghost, which he moved at his pleasure. The design of all these operations was to give reputation to their persons, and to confirm their ministry. Thus when God sent Moses to declare his will to Israel, he commands him to work miracles, that they might believe he was sent of God, Exod. iv. 8 ; and these were called signs, be- cause they were tokens of the presence of God, and were made subordinate to the great work of reveal- ing his will. And these are the general heads of the extraordinary operations of the Spirit, exceeding all human or natural abilities.
But besides these, there were other operations of the Holy Ghost, whereby he improved and exalted the natural faculties and abilities of men for special pur- poses : and these, as was intimated, have respect to things political, moral, natural, and intellectual; with some of a mixed nature.
1. Political gifts were bestowed on persons, where by they were formed for rule and civil government Government among men, is of great concernment to the glory of God, and the welfare of society ; without it the whole world would be a scene of violence, wicked- ness, and confnsion. Now all will allow that pecu- liar gifts and abilities of mind are requisite for this
that the Scriptures assert the motion of the sun round the earth. But I conceive that this mistake arises from quoting the place imperfect- ly. It is usually said — Does not Joshua say, " Sun, stand thou stillT" and the next words are generally dropped : whereas it runs thur, " Sun, stand thou still in Giheon ,- and thou, Moon, in the valley ol AJalon." Now, I ask — Was the body of the sun in Giheon, or the body of the moon in the valley of Ajalon ? Surely no: but the light proceeding from the sun, and the light reflected from the moon were l)oth there. Joshua means, not the bodies, but the lights of the sun and moon, which were made to remain for a time in the same situa- tion in Gibeon and Ajalon. And this was effected by a miraculous power, without making any alteration in the bodies of the sun, moon, or earth. The Hebrew words Shemesh and Yarah, mean the ligh trf the sun and moon," &,c.
}
PREPARATORY TO THK NEW CREATION. 81
purpose. Those who are m authority should dili- gently cultivate them; or the world aud themselves will soon feel the et!ectsof their negligence. But be- cause the utmost of what men may attain by ordinary- means, is not sufficient for some special ends, which God designed by their government, the Holy Ghost sometimes gave a special improvement to their mental abilities by his own immediate operation ; and which was sometimes manifested by external, visible signs. Thus when the Sanhedrim was first appointed for the assistance of Moses under the burden of government, " the Lord said to Moses, gather unto me seventy men of the Elders of Israel, and 1 will take of the Spirit that is upon thee, and put it upon them, and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee. And the Lord took of the Spirit that was on Moses, and gave it to the seventy Elders, and the Spirit rest- ed on them," Numb. xi. 16, 17, 25. They had been inferior officers before ; but when they were called to a share in the supreme power, tjie same Spirit that rested on Moses was given to them ; that is, lie wrought in them the same abilities fi)r government ; the same wisdom, righteousness, diligence, and cour- age, that they might execute the laws, wisely and im- partially. So when God would erect a new kind of government or kingdom among them, and designed Saul to be their king, he gave him "another heart;" being called from a low condition to royal dignity, the Spirit of God endowed him with wisdom and magnanimity fit for his high otfice. And this was accompanied with a visible token, an extraordinary afflatus, 1 Sam. x. 9, &c., that the people might ac- quiesce in his appointment. For the same reason he instituted the anointing of kings at their inauguration, for it was a token of the communication of the gifts of the Holy Ghost. And indeed, so great is the burden with which a just and useful government is attended ; so great are the temptations arising from power and riches ; that without special assistance, men will either sink under its weight, or miscarry in Its management. This made Solomon prefer wisdom
6
83 OPERATIONS OF THK SPIRIT
(for rule,) before every other biessing, 2 Chron. '. 10; and if the rulers of the earth would follow his exam pie, and earnestly pray for the supplies of the Spirit, it would be better with them and the world than it commonly is. God sometimes carried this dispensa- tion beyond the pale of the Church: and I doubt not he continues so to do. Thus he anointed Cyrus, Isa. xlv. 1, who had a great work to do for God ; for he was to execute his judgments on Babylon, and to deliver his people; for both these purposes he needed and received special aid from the Spirit of God; though in himself he was but a " ravenous bird of prey," Isaiah xlvi. 11. How many on whom these gifts are bestowed, never consider their author ; but sacrifice to their own nets and drags, and look on themselves as the springs of all their wisdom and ability! But it is no wonder that all regard to the gifts of the Spirit in the government of the world is despised, when his whole work as to the Church it- self is openly derided.
2. We may add those moral virtues which were granted to some persons for the accomplishment of particular designs. So he came upon Gideon and Jephthah, to qualify them for delivering his people from their enemies in battle, Judges vi. 34; xi. 29. I. is said before of them both, that they were '' men of valour," vi. 12 ; xi. 1. This coming of the Spirit upon them, was his special excitation of their courage, and fortifying their minds against danger ; and this he did by such an efficacious impression of his power, that themselves received a full confirmation of their call, and others might discern the presence of God with them. Hence it is said, " the Spirit of God clothed them;" they being warmed themselves and known to others by his gifts, and the actings of them.
3. There are several instances of his adding to the gifts of the mind, whereby he qualified persons for their duties, even bodily strength, when that also was needful for tlie work assigned them. Such was his gift to San.son. His bodily strength was superna- tural, a mere effect of the power of the Spirit ; and
PREPARATORV TO THK NEW CRKATION. 83
therefore when he put it forth, it is said, " the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him," Judges xiv. 6, XV. 14; or wrought powerfully in him. And he gave him this strength in the way of an ordinance, appointing the growing of his hair to be the sign and pledge of it ; the care of which being violated, he lost for a season the gift itself.
4. Intellectual gifts were also communicated to some persons, to he exercised in natural or artificial affairs. So he endowed Bezaleel and Aholiab with wisdom and skill in all manner of curious workman- ship, for the building and beautifying the tabernacle. Kxod. xxxi. 2, 3. Whether Bezaleel had before given himself to the acquisition of those arts and sciences is uncertain; but his present endowments were certainly extraordinary. The Spirit of God heightened, im- proved, and strengthened his natural faculties, to a perception and understanding of those curious works, with skill to contrive and dispose of thein according to the order appointed by God himself.
5. We might here consider the assistance given to holy men of old for the preaching the word of God; as to Noah, who was "a preacher of righteousness," 2 Pet. ii. 5 ; for the conviction of the world, and con- version of the elect, wherein "the Spirit of God strove with men," Gen. vi. 3; and "preached to them that were disobedient," 1 Pet. iii. 19, 20. But the ex- planation of his whole work in this particular, will occur to us in a more proper place.
And thus I have briefly passed through the dispen- sation of the Spirit under the Old Testament, nor have I aimed ihe-ein to gather up his whole work ; for then every thing that is praiseworthy in the Church must have been inquired into; for without him, all is death, and darkness, and sin. All light, life, and power are from him alone. But the instances insisted on are sufficient to prove, that the whole being and welfare of the Church depended solely on his will and opera- tions. From him was the word of promise, and the gift of prophecy : from him was the revelation and institution of all the ordinances of religious worship :
84 DISPENSATION OF THE SPIRIT
from him was that communication of gifts and gra cious abilities which any received for the edification, rule, protection, and deliverance of the Church, And if this was the state of things under the Old Testa- ment, a judgment may thence be formed, how it is under the New; the principal advantage of which, next to the coming of Christ, is the pouring out of the Spirit in a larger measure than before. And yet it is come to pass, that some men think, that neither he nor his work is of any great use to us. And thongh we find every thing that is good even under the Old Testament, assigned to him as the immediate author of it ; it is hard to persuade some persons that he con tinues now to do any good at all : so diverse, yea so adverse are the thoughts of God and men in these things, where our thoughts are not captivated to the obedience of faith.
CHAPTER II
GBNERAL DISPENSATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, WITH RESPECT TO THE NEW CREATION.
The importance of the doctrine concerning the dispensation of the Spirit, argued from, (1.) The promise of the plentiful effusion of the Spirit. (2.) Ministry of the Gospel founded on the promise of the Spirit. (3.) How this promise is made to all believers. (4.) Injunction to pray for the Spirit. (5.) The solemn promise of Christ, to send him, and the ends for which he promised him. (6.) The work of the new creation, the principal means of displaying the glory of God.
We are now arrived at that part of our work, which was principally intended, the dispensation of the Spi- rit, with respect to the gospel, or the new creation of all things in and by Jesus Christ. And this demands our most diligent inquiry and meditation ; nor is there any more important principle in the Christian reli- gion. The doctrine of the being and unity of God is common to us, with the rest of mankind: the doc- trine of the Trinity, was known to all who enjoyed
I
IN THE NKW CRIiATlON. S5
divine revelation, even under the Old Testament: the incarnation of the Son of God was promised and expected from the first entrance of sin : but this dis- pensation of the Spirit is so peculiar to the New Tes- tament, that the evangelist, speaking of it, says, "the Holy Ghost was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified," John vii. 39; and the disciples of John the Baptist knew not " whether there were any Holy Ghost," Acts xix, 2 : both which sayings re- spect this his dispensation ; for he did not then begin to be, nor were they ignorant of his eternal exist- ence. To stir us up therefore to diligence in this in- quiry, I shall add a few considerations to those before mentioned.
1. The plentiful effusion of the Spirit, is the great privilege and pre-eminence of the Gospel-Church state. This is that " good wine, which was kept to the last ;" as all the prophets witness, Isa. xxxv. 7, xliv. 3; Joel ii. 28; Ezek. xi. 19, xxxvi. 27. The coming of Christ in the flesh was the great promise of the Old Testament ; but he was so to come, as to put an end to that whole church-state, wherein his coming was expected. But this promise of the Spirit was to be the foundation of another church-state, and the means of its continuance. If, therefore, we have any interest in the gospel itself, let us attend to these things. " Let no man deceive us with vain words," as though " the things of the Spirit" are fanatical, and unintelligible by rational men. If " the world, in wisdom," and their reason, "knew him not," yet be- lievers know him, for " he dwelleth with them and shall be in them," John xiv. 17. The present practice of the world, in despising the Spirit of God and his work, gives light and evidence to uur Saviour's words; "that the world cannot receive him: "and the reason is, " because it knoweth him not;" — has no experience of his power and grace. But not to avow the Spirit of God in his work, is to be ashamed of the gospel and of the promise of Christ, as if it were not to be owned in the world.
2. The ministry of the gospel; whereby wt aie
86 DISPENSATION OF THE SPIRll
begotten again, is, from his promised presence with it, and work in it, called the ministry of the Spirit, 2 Cor. iii. 6 ; in opposition to " the ministration of the law," in which, however, there was a multitude of ordinances of worship and glorious ceremonies. And he who knows no more of the ministry of the gos- pel than what consists in an attention to the letter of institutions, and the manner of their performance, knows nothing of it. Not that there is any extraor- dinary inspiration now pretended to by us, as some slanderously report, but there is that presence of the Spirit of God with the ministry of the gospel, in his authority, assistance, communication of gifts and abilities, guidance and direction, without which it is useless and unprofitable.
3. The promise and gift of the Spirit, under the gos- pel, is not made or granted to any peculiar sort of persons only, but to all believers, as their conditions and occasions require. The Papists would confine this promise to their Pope and councils; (things no where mentioned in Scripture;) but it is the common concern of all believers ni their places and stations ; of all churches in their order ; and of all ministers in their office. It is true, that those extraordinary eftects of his power, which were necessary for laying the foundation of the Church, have ceased : but the whole work of his grace, is no less carried on at this day, in the elect of God, than it was on the day of Pentecost ; and so is his communication of gifts for the edification of the Church, Eph. iv. 10, &c. The owning therefore of the work of the Spirit, is the principal part of that profession which at this day all behevers are called to.
4. We are taught to pray that God would give his Holy Spirit to us, that through his assistance we may live to God, in that holy obedience which he requires at our hands. Our Saviour enjoins an importunity in our supplications for him, and gives us encourage- ment that we shall succeed ; " Your heavenly Father shall give his Holy Spirit to them that ask him," Luke xi. 9, &c. He, therefore, is the great subject
IN THE NEW CREATION 87
matter of all our prayers ; and that signal promise of our Lord, that he would send him as a Comforter to abide with us for ever, is a directory for the prayers of the Church in all ages. Nor is there any church in the world fallen under such a total degeneracy, but that in their public offices there are testimonies of their ancient faith and practice, in praying for the Spirit. The apostle Paul, in all his most solemn prayers for the churches in his days, makes this his chief petition for them, that God would give to them and increase in them the gifts and graces of the Spirit. Eph. i. 17, iii. 16 ; Col. ii. 2. And this affords a full conviction of what importance the consideration of the Spirit and his work is unto us.
5. What was before mentioned must be repeated here, namely, the solemn promise of Jesus Christ just before he left this world by death ; and as he therein made and confirmed his testament, Heb. ix. 15, &c. he bequeathed his Spirit as his great legacy to his dis- ciples. And this was the great pledge of their future inheritance, which they were to live on in this world, 2 Cor. i. 22, How would some rejoice if they could possess the relic of any thing that belonged to our Saviour, in the days of his flesh, though of no real use or benefit to them ! How many called Christians boast of some pretended pieces of his cross ! Love, abused by superstition, lies at the bottom of this vanity ; they would embrace any thing left them by their dying Saviour ; but he has left no such things, nor did he ever bless and sanctify them to sacred pur- poses. But this is openly testified in the gospel, that when his heart was overflowing with love and care for his disciples, when he took a prospect of their con- dition, duty, and temptation in the world, and thence provided all they could possibly need ; he promises to give them his Holy Spirit to abide with them for ever, directing us to look to him for all our comforts and supplies. According therefore to our valuation of him, and our satisfaction in him, is our regard to the love, care and wisdom of our blessed Saviour to be measured. Indeed, it is only in his word and Spirit that
^8 DlSPENbATION OF THE SPIRIT
we can either honour or despise hinn here ; in his owi. person he is infinitely exalted, so that nothing of ours can affect him ; but it is in our regard to these, that he tries our faith, love, and obedience. And it is truly lamentable to consider the contempt that is cast on this Holy Spirit and his work, which includes a con- tempt of the Father and the Son also, by whom he is sent. Nor will a pretence of " honouring God in their own way," secure such men from the guilt of this abomination ; for it is an idol, and not the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who works effectu- ally in the elect by the Holy Ghost.
And if we consider this promise of the Spirit as to the ends of it, we shall find that he is promised and given as the sole cause and author of all the good that we can enjoy in this world. For there is no good communicated to us, no gift, grace, mercy, privilege, or consolation bestowed upon us, but through the Holy Ghost; nor is there any good in us towards God, any faith, love, duty, or obedience, but what is effectually wrought in us by him, and by him alone.
The great work whereby God designed to glorify himself ultimately in this world, was that of the new creation ; which must therefore contain the most perfect and absolute revelation of himself, his nature and excellencies ; for from their discovery and mani- festation, with the duties they require from rational creatures, doth the glory of God arise. Hence is tlie Lord Christ, in his work of mediation, "the image of the invisible God ;" " the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person ; because in and by him all the glorious properties of the divine nature are displayed, incomparably above what they were in the first creation. Particularly God has herein revealed himself as Three in One. The glorious mys- tery of the Holy Trinity is peculiarly displayed in the new creation ; not so much by express propositions or verbal testimonies, as by a declaration of the mutual acts of the divine persons towards each other, and of their distinct external actings towards us, for us, and in us. And this, not to fill our minds with notions of
IN THE NEW CREATION. 89
God, but to teach us how to place our trust in him, how to obey and live to him, how to obtain and ex- ercise communion with him, till we come to the en- joyment of him.
In this new creation, three things are proposed to our faith. 1. The supreme design of it, which is absolutely and uniformly assigned to the will, coun- sel, love, and grace of the Father, Isa. xlii. 1, &c. ; Psal. xl. 6 ; Isa. liii. 10, &c. ; Eph. i. 4, &c. And because the Son undertook to effect what the Father so designed, there were many acts of the Father to- wards the Son, in sending, giving, appointing him ; in preparing him a body, in supporting him, in re- warding, and giving a people to him ; which, on ac- count of the authority, love, and wisdom exercised in them, belong to the Father ; their actual operation belonging principally to another person. In these things is the person of the Father proposed to us to be known and adored. 2. The purchasing and pro- curing cause, and means of efiecting that design, are ascribed to the Son, who condescends and engages to accomplish in his own person, the whole '.vork ap pointed for him by the wisdom and counsel of the Father, Phil. ii. 5, &c. And in these divine opera- tions is the person of the Son revealed to us, to be " honoured, even as we honour the Father." 3. The application of the supreme design, and actual accom- plishment of it to make it effectual, is assigned to the Holy Spirit. He works and effects whatever was to be done in reference to the person of the Son, or to the sons of men, for the accomplishment of the Fa- ther's counsel, and the Son's work, in the special ap- plication of both, to their proper ends. Hereby he is made known to us, and hereby our faith is directed. And thus in this great work, God causes all his glory to pass before us, that we may know and worship him aright. And what is the peculiar work of the Holy Ghost herein, we shall now declare.
90 WORK OF THE SPIRIT ON
CHAPTER III.
WOUK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WITH RESPECT TO THE HUMAN NATURE OP CHRIST, THE HEAD OF THE NEW CREATION.
The work of the Spirit on the human nature of Christ — The body of Christ formed in the womb by the Holy Ghost, of the substance of tiie blessed Virgin— Reasons of her espousal to Joseph — The actual purity and holiness of the soul and body of Christ, from his miraculous con- ception— Sanctification in Christ, how carried on by the Holy Ghost — How anointed with power and gifts at his baptism — How he offered himself as a sacritice through the eternal Spirit — His resurrection and glorification by the Spirit — -His bearing witness to Christ — The way and means of knowing and loving Christ as we ought.
The dispensation and work of the Spirit in the new creation, respect, First, The Head of the Church, the Lord Jesus Christ ; and Secondly, The Members of his mystical body. We are therefore in the first place to inquire what are those operations, of which the Person of Christ in his human nature was the im- mediate object.*
• It is objected, that if the human nature of Christ was united to the person of the Son of God, there seems to be no need, nor indeed room, for these operations of the Spirit. Could not the Son of God perform ever^ thing necessary for the forming, supporting, sanctifying, and pre- serving of his own nature, without the assistance of the Holy Ghost ? — I answer, 1. The only immediate act of the Son on the human nature, Was the assumption of it. 2. The only necessary consequent of this as- sumption, is the personal union of Christ ; or the inseparable substance of the assumed nature in the person of the Son. This was indissoluble, and not shaken in the least, by the temporary dissolution of that nature by the separation of the soul and body. For the union of the soul and body did not constitute him a person, so that their separation should de- stroy his personality : for he was a person by the union of both to the Son of God. 3. All other actings of God in the person of the Son to- wards the human nature, were voluntary, and did not necessarily ensue on this union. For there was no transfusion of the properties of one na- ture into the other; nor real physical communication of Divine essential excellencies to the humanity. Hence were those temporary dispensa- tions, when under his great trial the human nature com[)lained of deser- tion and dereliction by the Divine, Matt, xxvii. 46. For this forsaking was not as to personal union, but as to voluntary communications of light and consolation. Hence himself declares, that the human n&--
THE HUMAN NATURE OF CHRIST. 91
First ; The formation and miraculous conception of the body of Christ in the womb of the blessed Vir- gin, was the peculiar work of the Holy Ghost. With respect indeed to the designation of it, it is ascribed to the Father by Christ himself; "a body hast thou pre- pared me ;" that is, in the eternal counsel and love of the Father. And as to the voluntary assumption of it, it is ascribed to the Son himself, who, because " the children were partakers of flesh and blood, him- self also took part of tlie same." But the divine eificiency in this matter, was the peculiar work of the Holy Ghost, Matt. i. 18. "When his mother Mary