Common Places, Part 2 · Chapter 18 · Section 8
I beleeue in the holie Ghoſt.
Touching the ſignification of the word Spirit.31 Séeing the word Spirit ſignifieth manie things, to the end we may the more eaſilie perceiue that which we beléeue, it ſhalbe verie good, firſt to ſeuer and diſtinguiſh into diuers parts, whatſoeuer is ſignified to vsus vnderunder that name. Out of which ſignifications we will chooſe that, which is agréeable vntounto our purpoſe; and will proſecute the ſame more at large. That word ſpirit in generall, dooth alwaies expreſſe a certeine ſecret ſtrength or power, which is able both to mooue and to driue forward. Wherefore the winds, togither with thoſe organs, whereby the life dooth gouerne, mooue, and ſtir the bodie, are called the ſpirit. And although this power be included and mixed with corporall nature, yet ſéeing the bodies, wherein it is conuerſant, be ſo ſubtile, that they cannot for the moſt part be ſéene; this word is alſo deriued to this point, that it ſignifieth natures and eſſences, which be ſimple and of diuers ſorts: ſuch as is God, the companie of angels, togither alſo with the ſouls of men now ſeparated from their bodies: and therefore the diuine nature is called a ſpirit. This dooth Chriſt manifeſtlie declare in Iohn; Iohn. 4, 24.Bicauſe God is a ſpirit, hee will be worſhipped in ſpirit. Neither is there in this reſpect anie difference betwéene the father, the ſonne, and the holie Ghoſt. To conclude, that word of the ſpirit, ſignifieth not onelie the nature diuine, inuiſible, and without bodie; but ſpeciallie alſo it betokeneth vntounto vsus the third perſon of the diuinitie, diſtinct from the father and the ſonne. And ſpeciallie is he thus called by the name of ſpirit, by reaſon of his propertie, bicauſe the propertie of him is to mooue, to ſet forward, to perſuade, to comfort and lighten the ſpirits and harts of men; and at length, to worke in them ſuch things as perteine to our ſanctification. And the ſaints hauehave ſuch triall of the maruellous effects thereof, as neither reaſon, neither mans wiſedome is able to comprehend thoſe things, neither yet can they be diſcerned by the eies of men.
Wherefore of good right doo we heare ſaie; I beleeue in the holie Ghoſt: as in a thing that far excéedeth the capacitie of our nature, and yet is diſtinctlie ſet foorth vntounto vsus in the holie ſcripture. And that the ſame ſpirit is the third perſon in diuine nature, Chriſt ſufficientlie expreſſeth in theſe words, in the which he ſaid vntounto his apoſtles; Mat. 28, 19.Go ye and baptiſe in the name of the father, of the ſonne, and of the holie Ghoſt. What ſignifieth to be baptiſed in the name of anie.Which ſignifieth no other thing, than that they, which be waſhed in baptiſme, are bound to this confeſſion; namelie, that the father, the ſonne, and alſo the holie Ghoſt, doo giuegive ſaluation vntounto them. Now ſée (I beſéech you) what it is to be baptiſed in the name of the thrée perſons of the deitie. The diſtinction of the three perſons.And the diſtinction of this third perſon is not onelie knowne here from the other two; but thereby alſo we gather it, when the eternall father ſpeaketh vntounto Iohn Baptiſt, concerning the holie Ghoſt, as of a thing diſtinct from himſelfe and from the ſonne; He it is (meaning by Chriſt) vponupon whome thou ſhalt ſee the ſpirit come downe, in the likeneſſe of a dooue. He ſpeaketh not as if he ment by himſelfe; Iohn. 1, 33.VponUpon whome I will deſcend: but, VponUpon whome hee ſhall deſcend, ſpeaking of an other. It is manifeſt alſo, that he was not the ſonne; bicauſe the ſpirit in ſhape of a dooue was to light on Chriſt, who properlie is called the ſonne. Yea doubtleſſe and Chriſt, in the Goſpell of Iohn, ſpeaketh of the ſame ſpirit; Hee ſhall take of mine, Iohn. 16, 15 Ioh. 14, 16.and ſhall come in my name. And there he addeth; The father ſhall giuegive you another comforter, that is to ſaie; an other beſide me, and diſtinct from my ſelfe. By which places it is moſt aſſuredlie prooued, that the holie Ghoſt is a diſtinct perſon in the moſt holie Trinitie, the which we conſtantlie beléeue and confeſſe.
32 This alſo is méet of vsus to be conſidered, that the ſpirit is not the ſame that be his gifts and works: ſéeing Paule, in the firſt to the Corinthians, the 12. chapter, reckoning vp ſundrie effects thereof, afterward addeth; 1. Co. 12, 11And all theſe things worke that one and the ſame ſpirit, diſtributing them to euerie man ſeuerallie as he will. So is it euident enough, that we here confeſſe the third perſon of diuinitie, by the power of whome we be renewed in Chriſt, and therefore may become like vntounto Chriſt. For euen as he was begotten without mans ſéed, ſo are we borne againe vntounto a new life by the power of Gods ſpirit: as teſtifieth Iohn, Ioh. 1.when he ſaith; that He which beleeueth, is made the ſonne of God; and is neither borne of bloud, neither of the will of the fleſh, neither of the will of man, but of God. Which thing is particularlie attributed to this third perſon, ſéeing Chriſt expreſſelie ſaith; Ioh. 3, 5.that He which is not borne of the water, and of the ſpirit, ſhall not enter into the kingdome of heauen. From the verie ſame alſo is the remiſſion of ſinnes ſaid to flowe. Wherefore Chriſt breathed vponupon the face of the apoſtles, Iohn. 20, 22.& ſaid; Receiue yee the holie Ghoſt, whoſe ſinnes ye ſhall forgiue, the ſame ſhall be forgiuen, and whoſe ſinnes yee reteine ſhall be reteined. Whoſoeuer then ſinneth againſt the holie Ghoſt, dooth not obteine remiſſion of his ſinnes; bicauſe that it is directlie doone againſt him, from whome the remiſſion of ſinnes procéedeth.
Neither for all that doo we attribute this vntounto him, but forſomuch as we be loden with ſuch weightineſſe, as we be ſcarſe able to riſe from the earth, being alwaies preſſed downe with the burthen of our fleſh, and with our corporall ſenſes, we ſhould lie ſtill in the earth; vnleſſe we were raiſed vp by that ſpirit, who ſtreighteneth and erecteth vp vntounto heauen our minds (which through naturall corruption are altogither ſoonken in the affections of the fleſh) euen as the ſoule ſuſteineth the fraile and mortall bodie, and ſetteth the ſame vpright: that in this life the elect may in a maner hauehave the ſame experience of themſelues, A ſimilitude.that is perceiued to be in bottles, the which being throwne emptie into the water, fall to the bottome; but if ſo be they be blowen and filled with wind, they float aboue the water. Euen ſo mens minds, being void of that ſpirit, are drowned through their owne affections and luſts: but when they be filled with that holie ſpirit, they be maſters ouer ſinne, and they ſuffer not themſelues at anie time to be ouercome by it. This alſo we obteine by the benefit of the ſame ſpirit, both to will aright, and to worke iuſtlie. For our nature, as it is corrupt and peruerſe, would neuer in verie déed be willing of it ſelfe, or would ſhew foorth anie actions, which either in reſpect of themſelues ſhould be acceptable vntounto God, or in that they procéed from vsus, being enimies vntounto him, but that he would refuſe and condemne them. But that ſpirit of God placing himſelfe here amongſt vsus, dooth ſo faſhion our minds, as whatſoeuer floweth from vsus by the helpe of him, is moſt gratefull and acceptable vntounto GOD: and that bicauſe he inwardlie reformeth vsus, that we may become moſt welcome friends, yea rather moſt déere beloued children.
33 Héere ye ſée, what ſingular benefit this article of our faith bringeth, when it is knowne and vnderſtood. And vndoubtedlie our affections, our mind, yea and the members of the verie bodie be inſtruments of the ſpirit it ſelfe. Wherefore Paule writeth vntounto the Romans, that Thoſe finallie be the children of God, Rom. 8, 14.which be lead by the ſpirit of God. And euen as he cannot be called a man, who is deſtitute of the mind of man; nor that, a dog, which beareth not the forme or liuing propertie of a dog: no more is he partaker of the diuine nature, which is void of the ſpirit of God. And therefore I cannot maruell enough at the follie of ſome, which if a man ſaie, that they be no chriſtians, cannot abide this reproch; and yet in the meane time will neither ſéeme to be indued with that ſpirit, neither will be perſuaded, or themſelues grant that none may be a chriſtian without the ſame. Neuertheleſſe, Paule in his epiſtle to the Romans dooth boldlie affirme, that He which hath not the ſpirit, Rom. 8, 9.the ſame is no ſonne. Wherefore let ſuch men go, and by the ſame infidelitie, whereby they miſtruſt of the hauing of Gods ſpirit; let them ſtand in doubt whether they be chriſtians. The holie Ghoſt in vsus, and how.And if ſo be anie man aſke, how we hauehave him? I anſwer, that the moſt excellent father, for Chriſt his ſake, ſendeth him vntounto vsus: according as Chriſt promiſed to vsus in the perſon of his apoſtles; Iohn. 14, 26.The comforter (ſaith he) which is the holie Ghoſt, whom my father will ſend in my name, &c.
Yea and this I may boldlie adde, that Chriſt himſelfe ſendeth him vntounto vsus from the father: euen as in an other place he ſaith; The ſpirit, Iohn. 16, 14 and 14, 16.which I will ſend from the father vntounto you. Neither is he giuen vntounto vsus, either from the father, or from the ſonne, for anie other end, but to inrich vsus abundantlie with thoſe gifts and verie excellent riches. But yet the ſcripture ſheweth, that his cheefeſt worke dooth ſpeciallie conſiſt in teaching. Chriſt promiſed to his diſciples, Ioh. 16, 13.that he would ſend the holie Ghoſt, which ſhould teach them, and lead them into all truth, which he had ſhewed vntounto them. He warned them alſo, Matt. 10, 19that when they ſhould be brought before princes, they ſhould take no care; bicauſe it ſhould not be they that ſhould ſpeake, but the ſpirit of their father that ſhould ſpeake in them. And certeinlie, the apoſtles were not diſperſed abroad in the world for preaching of the Goſpell, before they were indued from aboue with that heauenlie power: by the helpe whereof, they not onlie preached the Goſpell mightilie for bringing of men vntounto the obedience of Chriſt; but they alſo eſtabliſhed the truth of their doctrine with woonderfull ſignes and miracles. And that maner of teaching, by which that ſpirit is performed towards vsus, muſt be inwardlie conſidered in the mind: the which he not onelie repleniſheth with his light, but alſo dooth gentlie allure and perſuade the ſame, and maketh thoſe things acceptable, from which otherwiſe, by reaſon of our corrupt nature, we doo vtterlie flie. Thus dooth he worke a maruelous tranſforming in the minds of the elect, while he ſtirreth them vp vntounto the indeuour of good works and godlie actions, which by the guide of nature they might not be able to performe.
34 And yet dooth he not by force conſtraine them vntounto thoſe works, but rather with effect perſuade them inwardlie. And this is that happie libertie, wherewith the choſen of Chriſt be indued, who by the power and perſuaſion of the ſame ſpirit, doo imploie their whole indeuour vntounto ſuch actions, which by the onelie guide of nature could neither be doone by them, nor yet would be acceptable vntounto God. Further alſo, from that ſpirituall doctrine, which flouriſheth inwardlie, there ſpringeth afterward an aſſured mortification, as well in the mind as in the fleſh: as Paule teſtifieth in his epiſtle to the Romans, whom he warned, Rom. 8, 13.that If they would by the ſpirit mortifie the deeds of the fleſh, they ſhould liue. To theſe things adde, if you will, that the comfort, which ſpringeth by the aſſurance of our ſaluation, is ſo great; as euen in the middeſt of troubles, miſeries, calamities, and ſorrowes of this world, we may lead a chéerefull and merrie life. And that not without cauſe; ſéeing we féele in vsus that ſingular and noble gift, which Paule to the Epheſians calleth The pledge of our ſaluation. Epheſ. 1, 14.I ſée not now how anie man, vponupon iuſt cauſe, can doubt of his comming one daie into that ſtate of Chriſt, when he perceiueth alreadie, that his ſoule liueth by the ſame ſpirit of Chriſt.
But if a man will demand; how we knowe that our ſoule is quickened by the ſame ſpirit? Anſwer may be made by the words of Paule, I liue not anie longer (ſaith Paule to the Galathians) but Chriſt liueth in me. Gal. 2, 20.And vntounto the Philippians; Phil. 1, 21.Chriſt vntounto me is life. Which ſaiengs declare no other thing; but that the godlie doo liue in Chriſt, and Chriſt in them, and that by his ſpirit. It is alſo written in the epiſtle to the Romans, Rom. 8, 16.that The ſame ſpirit dooth teſtifie with our ſpirit, that we be the ſonnes of GOD. And it is not fit by anie meanes to refuſe ſo certeine a teſtimonie. But whoſoeuer hath not this teſtimonie inwardlie in himſelfe, is vnwoorthie to be called a chriſtian. But if any man obiect, Paules aſſurance of his faith.that although Paule were indued with this aſſured perſuaſion; and that he felt inwardlie this inward teſtimonie in himſelfe: it followeth not, that the ſelfe-ſame thing muſt be granted to be in others. I anſwer, that Paule wrote all theſe things vntounto the Romans, who as yet were farre off from perfection: neither had they profited ſo much as Paule. And that doo their own contentions, ſuſpicions, and raſh iudgments, and alſo their verie féeble & weake conſciences beare witneſſe: all which things the apoſtle dooth oftentimes reprehend in theſe his writings.
And yet neuertheleſſe, when the Romans were ſuch, he wrote vntounto them of that adoption, whereby God had determined to make them his children, when they ſhould imbrace chriſtian religion. Wherefore (beloued brethren) let vsus put off the ſpirit that miſerable doubteth of our ſaluation; ſéeing there is nothing that is more enimie to our faith, which is the liuelie and moſt ſure foundation of all our felicitie. Who dooth not ſufficientlie vnderſtand, how great contraries are beléeuing and doubting; and how much they are repugnant the one to the other? I certeinlie, for my part, doo not ſée how theſe things may agrée; To beléeue trulie in Chriſt my onlie and true ſauiour, and To ſtand likewiſe in doubt of him, whether he will ſaue me or no; ſéeing he hath receiued me into his faith, and ſo greatlie teſtifieth by his ſpirit vntounto my mind, that ſwéet and bountifull affection of his towards me. And if we admit the teſtimonies of men, who naturallie are liers, & proue to deceit, that we in like maner ſhould cleaue to them; how much rather ought we to repoſe our ſelues in all thoſe things, which that good & true ſpirit of God dooth confirme by his teſtimonie? Vnleſſe peraduenture we ſuffer our ſelues to be perſuaded, that there is more truth and fidelitie in men, than there is in God. Which if anie be ſo hardie to ſaie, he ſhall in this point alone moſt plainelie bewraie himſelfe to be ſuch a one as he is.
Wherefore let vsus yéeld vntounto the moſt benigne and mercifull God, as great and manie thanks as we can, who hath (not by the miniſterie of angels, or of anie other creature whatſoeuer; but by the power of his owne ſpirit) ingraffed vsus in Chriſt his true and naturall ſonne, and by him hath renewed and ſanctified vsus; and ſo inriched vsus with the knowledge of him, and with other heauenlie gifts, as now we are deſtitute neither of ſtrength, neither of force, neither of light, neither of anie facultie to let vsus, whereby we ſhould the leſſe either will or worke aright. And thus we ſhall reteine a chéerefull and quiet life, euen in the middeſt of perſecutions, which often the world and ſatan doo ſtir vp; ſo that we be moſt fullie perſuaded by that holie ſpirit, that we ſhall obteine eternall life: and that not of our owne merits, but by the grace of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, which liueth and reigneth for euer, Amen.