The Catechizing of Families, Chapter 17
CHAP. XVII. III. I Believe in the Holy Ghost.
Qu. 1. WHat is meant by believing in the Holy Ghost?
A. It meaneth our Believing what he is, and what he Doth: and our Trusting to Himself, and to his Works.
Q. 2. What must we believe of Himself?
A. That he is God, the Third Person in the Trinity, One in Essence with the Father and the Son.
Q. 3. What must we believe of his Works?
A. We must believe, 1. That the Holy Ghost is the great Agent and Advocate of Jesus Christ on Earth, by his works to be his Witness, and to plead his Cause and communicate his Grace.
2. That the Holy Ghost was the Author of those many uncontrolled Miracles by which the Gospel of Christ was Sealed to the World: And therefore that (a) Mat. 28. 19. 1 Io. 5. 7. Acts 5. 3. Mat. 12. 31, 32.those Miracles were the certain attestation of God:bIoh. 14. 15, 16, 17. 26. & 15. 26. & 16. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15. Mark 1. 8. Act. 1. 5. 8. & 2. 4, 33. 38. & 4. 31. & 6. 3. 5. & 8. 17. & 10. 44, 45. & 11. 15, 16. & 19. 2, 6. Rom. 15. 13, 16. 1 Cor. 12. & 6. 11, 19. 2 Cor. 13. 14. Tit. 3. 5, 6. Heb. 2. 3, 4. 2 Pet. 1. 21. Rom. 8. 9, 15, 16. Iud. 20. Luke 11. 13. Eph. 1. 13. & 4. 30. 1 Thes. 4. 8.
3. That the Holy Ghost was given by Christ to his Apostles, and Evangelists, to enable them to perform the extraordinary Office to which they were Commissioned, to teach the Nations to observe all things that Christ had commanded, and to lead them into all Truth, and bring all things to their remembrance.
4. That therefore the Doctrine of the said Apostles and Evangelists, first preached by them, and after Recorded in the Sacred Scriptures for the use of the Church to the end of the World, as the full Doctrine and Law of Christ, is to be received as the Word of God, indited by the Spirit.
5. That it is the work of the Holy Ghost to Sanctifie all Gods Elect; that is, to illuminate their understandings, to convert their Wills to God, and to strengthen and quicken them to do their duty, and conquer Sin, and save them from the Devil, the World and the Flesh: And to be in them a Spirit of Power and Love, and a sound mind: And so that the Holy Ghost is an Intercessor within us to communicate LIFE, LIGHT and LOVE, from the Father, and the Son, and excite in us those Holy Desires, Thanks and Praise, which are meet for Gods acceptance. All this is contained in our Believing in the Holy Ghost.
Q. 4. If all this be in it, it seemeth a most necessary part of Faith.
A. The Perfective works of God are used to be ascribed to the Holy Ghost: This is so weighty and necessary a part of Faith, that all the rest are insufficient without it: Millions perish that God created, and that Christ in a general sort (as aforesaid) dyed for; but those that are Sanctifyed by the Holy Ghost are saved. It is the work of the Holy Ghost to Communicate to us the Grace of Christ, that the work of Creation and Redemption may attain their Ends.
Q. 5. How is it proved that the Holy Ghost is God?
A. In that we are Baptized into the Belief of him as of the Father and the Son: And in that he doth the works proper to God, and hath the Attributes of God in Scripture: Which also expresly saith [There are Three which bear Record in Heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit, and these three are One, 1 Joh. 5. 7.
Q. 6. I have oft marvelled that the Creed left out, 1. The Authority of the Apostles: 2. And their Miracles, and Christs. 3. And the Authority of the Scriptures; and now I perceive that all these are contained in our believing in the Holy Ghost.
A. No doubt, but it is a Practical Article of Faith, cIoh. 16. 13.in which we profess to believe in the Holy Ghost▪ in his Relation and Works on Man; and therefore … Christ's Agent in gathering his Church, by the Apostolical Power, Preaching, Writings and Miracles; and in the Sanctifying, and helping all true Believers.
Q. 7. By this it seems there are many wayes of denying the Holy Ghost?
A. Yes: 1. They deny him, who deny his Godhead, as the Third Person in the Blessed Trinity.
2. They deny him who deny that the Miracles o… Christ and his Apostles were God's Testimony to Christ, (being convinced of the Trueth of the Facts.)
3. They deny him who deny the extraordinary qualifications of the Apostles, and suppose them to have had but the prudence of ordinary honest Men.
4. They deny the Holy Ghost, who deny the sacred Scriptures to be indited by him, and to be true.
5. They deny him, who deny him to be the Sanctifier of God's Elect, and feign Holiness to be b… conceit, deceit or common Virtue.
Q. 8. But are all these the unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost?
A. The unpardonable sin is called [The Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, Mat. 12. dMatth. 12.And it is when Men are convinced that those Miracles were done, and those gifts given, which are God's attestation to Christ and his Gospel, but they fixedly believe and say, That they were all done by the power of the Devil, by Conjuration, and not by God, and therfore notwithstanding them, Christ was but a Deceiver. And this sin is unpardonable, because it rejecteth the only remedy, The Spirits witness to the truth of Christ: He that will not believe this Witness, shall have no other.
Q. 9. But how may we know that we are Sanctifyed by the Spirit?
A. By that Holiness which he causeth: 1. When our Understandings so know and believe the Truth and Goodness of the Gospel and its Grace, as that we Practically esteem and prefer the Love of the Father, the Grace of the Son, and the Communion of the Holy Ghost, and the heavenly Glory, before all the Pleasures, Profits and Honours of this World, that stand against them, and before Life it self.
2. When Our Wills do with habitual Inclination and Resolution, Love and Choose the same, before all the said things that stand in competition.
3. When in the course of our Lives we seek them first, and hold them fastest in a time of Tryal, forsaking the Flesh, the World, and the Devil, so far as they are against them, and living in sincere (though not perfect) Obedience to God.eAct. 26. 18. Eph. 1. 18. Col. 1 9, 10. 2 Cor. 5. 17. Mat. 18. 3. Ioh. 3. 3, 5, 6. Heb. 12. 14. Mat. 6. 33. 2 Thes. 2. 13. 1 Pet. 1. 2. 2 Thes. 2. 2. 1 Io. 4. 1, 2, 3.
Q. 10. Is the Spirit or the Scripture higher, and the Rule of Faith and Life?
A. The Spirit as the Author of the Scripture is greater than the Scripture; and the Scripture as the Word of the Spirit is the Rule of our Faith and Lives; and greater than our Spiritual gifts: The Spirit in the Apostles, was given them, to write (when they had preached) that Doctrine which is our Rule: But the Spirit is not given to us to make a new Law or Rule, but to believe, Love and Obey that already made. As under the Law of Moses, God that made the Law, was greate… than the Law: But when God had made that Law their Rule, he did not after that teach good Men to make another Law, but to understand and obey that.
Q. 11. There are many that boast of the Spirit and Revelations; how shall we try such, whether their Spirits … of God?
A. 1. If they pretend to do that which is fully done by the Spirit already, that is, to preach or write another Gospel, or make a new Law for the Universal Church, seeing this was the Prophetical extraordinary Office of Christ and the Spirit in the Apostle… such imply an accusation of insufficiency on Christs a… the Spirits Law or Rule, and arrogate a power never given them; and so are false Prophets.
2. If they contradict the written Word of God which is certainly Sealed by God's Spirit already, … must needs be by an evil Spirit: For God's Spirit doth not contradict it self.fGal. 2. 7, 8.
Q. 12. But had not the Priests under the Law, t… Spirit of God, as well as Moses that gave them t… Law?
A. Moses only (and Aaron under him) had God Revelation to make the Law: And the Priests only to keep it, teach it and rule by it. And so it is as t… the Apostles of Christ, and the succeeding Ministry.
Q. 13. But might not Kings then make Religio… Laws?
A. Yes: to determine such circumstances as Go… had only given them a General Law for, and left to be determined by them; but not to make new Laws of the same kind with Gods; nor to add to or alter them.
Q. 14. But were there not Prophets after Moses that had the Spirit?
A. Yes: But they were not Legislators, but sent with particular Mandates, Reproofs, or Consolations; save only David and Solomon who had directions from God himself (not to make a new Law of God, but) to order things about the Temple and its Worship.
So if any Man now pretend to a Prophetical Revelation, it must not be Legislative to the Catholick Church, nor against Scripture, but about particular Persons, Acts and Events; and it must be proved by Miracle or by Success before another is bound to believe him.
Q. 15. Must I take every motion in me, to be by the Holy Ghost which is agreeable to the Word of God, or for doing what is there commanded?
A. Yes, if it be according to that Word, for the Matter, End, Manner, Time, and other circumstances. But Satan can transform himself into an Angel of Light, g2 Cor. 11. 14.and mind us of some Text or Truth to misapply it, and put us on Meditation, Prayer or other duty at an unseasonable Time, when it would do more hurt than good; or in an ill manner, or to ill Ends: He can move Men to be fervent Reprovers, or Preachers, or Rulers, that were never called to it, but are urged by him, and the Passion and Pride of their own Hearts: And good Men in some mistakes know not what manner of spirit they are of.