A Stock of Divine Knowledge, Chapter 27
OF GOD THE HOLY GHOST. CHAP. XXVII.
JOHN 15.26. The ſpirit of truth which proceeds from the faber, he ſhall &c
THE third perſon of the Trinity is the holy Ghoſt.
Queſt. What is the holy Ghoſt?
Anſw. He is the third perſon of the Diety proceeding from the Father, and the Sonne, ſanctifying the elect.
The thing that is deſcribed, is the ſpirit, which in the Scriptures ſignifies many things; it may be reduced to theſe heads; I will but name them: Firſt, it hath relation to the creature. Secondly, to the creator; as it hath relation to the creature, the word ſignifies many things, I will but name them: ſometimes it ſignifies power, ſometimes the ſoule of man, ſometimes the life of beaſts, ſometimes Angels, ſometimes naturall motions in the heart of man; and divers others, which I paſſe over.
In reſpect of the creator, it hath a double ſignification; and it is taken, Eſſentially, and perſonally: Eſſentially, and ſo all the three perſons of the Trinity, are ſaid to be a ſpirit; according to this, we have it, Iohn 4.24. God is a ſpirit; where the whole Diety is put under the name of ſpirit. Secondly, it is taken perſonally in the Diety, concerning whom: ſpirit may ſignifie two things, either the perſon, or the gifts; the perſon it ſelfe, it is manifeſt in this place; the ſpirit that proceeds from the Father; the gifts and graces of the ſpirit: 2 Kings 2.19. Let thy ſpirit be double upon me: So Numb. 7.11. 1 Theſ. 5.19. Quench not the ſpirit; underſtanding it, of the grace of the ſpirit: againe, I ſay the third perſon, I need not ſtand upon that, to ſhew that it is a perſon, common to him with the other; all perſons are diſtinct one from another, really, and truly; he is a perſon diſtinct three waies: in order, in property, and working; in order he is the third perſon; in property, he proceeds from the Father, and the Son, in working, ſanctifying, the elect: the Father is the firſt, not in time, not in dignity, but in order: ſo the Son the ſecond; and ſo the holy Ghoſt the third: we adde, the third perſon in the Diety, that we may have occaſion to manifeſt, that he is God as well as the other; that he is God, there may be many teſtimonies, Samuel 27.23. David the ſweet ſinger of Iſrael, the Lord God ſpake by me, the Lord ſaid; that, that is in the former the Lord, and God; in the next is ſaid to be the ſpirit: Acts 5.34. Peter ſaid to Ananias, why have you lied to the holy Ghoſt? and in the fourth verſe, You have not lied to men, but unto God: that in 1 Gor. 3.16. You brethren are the temples of God, and the holy Ghoſt dwelleth in you: temples of God, and temples of the holy Ghoſt, both one.
The next thing, I ſay, is the third perſon, proceeding from the Father and the Sonne: his property is proceeding: he is, as Athanaſius Creed hath it, not made, not begotten, but proceeding. That he doth proceed from the Father and the Sonne, appeares, firſt, by theſe places, that he is affirmed to be the Spirit of the Father and the Sonne: not becauſe he was ſent, but becauſe he proceeds both from the Father and the Sonne; and that is this which Saint Auguſtine obſerves, when he gave the Spirit, he breathed upon the Apoſtles, Iohn 20. to ſignifie, that when he gave the ſpirit, it was proceeding: and this is the ſame which the Pſalmiſt called the breath of God, Pſal. 33.6. by the word of God were the heavens made, and the hoſt of them by the breath of his mouth: and thereupon he is ſaid to be the breath of the Sonne: alſo in 1 Theſ. 2.8. he ſhall conſume Antichriſt with the breath of his mouth: further, that he did proceed from the Father, is manifeſt by the place which we have read, Iohn 15.26. and that he proceeds from the Son, Iohn 15 16. all that the Father hath is mine: ſo he ſaith he ſhall receive of mine; therefore the proceſſion is from them both: ſo that when our Saviour Chriſt ſaith, that it proceeds from the Father, he doth not exclude himſelfe, but after a ſpeciall manner of ſpeaking, he ſets his name, after the name of his Father: Why? becauſe he hath his perſon from the Father, and the holy Ghoſt received it from them both; therefore we may give it to the Father, as the beginning: and this ſhall ſuffiſe to manifeſt this; therefore we will conclude as Saint Nazianzen doth, How is it that the Sonne is of the Father, and the holy Ghoſt is of them both, comming from them both differently? the Sonne from the Father, as the light from the light; hee ſhines by the manner of begeting; the holy Ghoſt, he is from the lights, not by manner of generation, but by manner of proceſſion.
The third diſtinction, by which he is different from the other, is the worke of Sanctification, Rom. 1.4. therefore the name of life is given to him; it is he that mortifies the old man, and quickens the new man, Rom. 8.7 The law of the Spirit of life, hath freed us from the law of ſinne, and of death: therefore he is after compared to water, Iohn 3.5. Except a man be borne of water and the holy Ghoſt: now the nature of water is to cleanſe, and to make fruitfull, and to revive things that are ready to dye: ſo the Spirit is he that cleanſeth us from our filthineſſe: ſo in Ezek. 36.21. I will power cleane water upon you, and you ſhall be cleanſed from all your filthines. What is that? in the 27. verſe, I will powre my Spirit upon you: ſo that the Spirit, you ſee, is compared to water. In this reſpect alſo it is compared to fire, Mat. 3. He ſhall baptiſe you with the holy Ghoſt, and with fire: that doth quicken up the heart, and cheare it, and ſanctifie it: therefore hence it is in many places, that holineſſe is called the fruit of the Spirit, Gal. 5.22. the fruits of the ſpirit are joy, and peace, gentleneſſe, meekneſſe, long-ſuffering, &c. all theſe are fruits of the ſpirit; therefore it followes, that the holy Ghoſt is he that hath this worke of ſanctifying the elect.
Queſt. Why ſay we, that he is the third perſon in the deitie, and ſo God?
Anſw. Becauſe he hath the name of Jehovah. Secondly, Eſſentiall Attributes. Thirdly, workes proper to God. Fourthly, divine worſhip; and therefore he is God. Firſt, the name Jehovah is given unto him: that appeares by theſe texts of the old teſtament, Ier. 1.14. Ezek. 1.4. and ſo in the new teſtament, is given him the name of Jehovah. Act. 7.51. You ſtiffe necked that reſiſt the ſpirit of God, as did your fathers, ſo doe you, they reſiſted him in the Prophets, and you now do follow them, reſiſting him in the Apoſtles: one place more, Iſai 6.9. that which is ſaid, The Lord ſaith go and make the heart of this people fat: that ſame 28. Acts 20. the Apoſtle Paul ſaith, The holy Ghoſt ſpake by Eſai as the Prophet; and therefore the name Jehovah being a peculiar name, given to none but to him, that is naturally God; the ſpirit having this name, muſt needs be God.
Secondly, there are given unto him, Eſſentiall Attributes: now Eſſentiall Attributes, are foure principally; eternity, ubiquity, omniſcience, omnipotency, all theſe are given to the ſpirit: firſt, he is eternall; for before the beginning, he moved upon the waters, and Heb. 9.14. He is called the eternall ſpirit. Secondly, omnipreſence. Pſal. 139. Whither ſhall I goe from thy ſpirit? the holy Ghoſt is ſaid to dwell in the Saints; Rom. 8.9. 2 Cor. 1.16. 1 Iohn 2.27. arguing that it is proper to him to be every where. Thirdly, he is omniſcient, and knowes all things. Iohn 14.26. He ſhall teach you all things. Iohn 16.13. He ſhall lead you into all truth. 1 Cor. 2.10.11. He ſearches the hidden things of God, and no man knowes the hidden things of God, but the ſpirit. Fourthly, omnipotent; becauſe it is he that caſts out divells: Matth. 12. The ſpirit of God caſts &c. this cannot be done by any created power, but he muſt be God that doth it: 1 Cor. 12. It is God that worketh all in all: And in the 11. verſe, The ſpirit worketh all theſe things; and therefore he muſt be omnipotent: and ſo by theſe foure Attributes, we ſee he is God.
Againe, he muſt needs be God, for the proper works of God are given to him: Gen. 1.2. The ſpirit moved upon the waters, that is preſerving them; Iob 26.13. The ſpirit of God hath garniſhed the heavens; So in the 33. Iob 4 The ſpirit of the Almighty hath made me: Pſal. 33.6. By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, and all the hoſt of them by the breath of his mouth.
Fourthly, becauſe divine honour and worſhip, cannot be without ſacriledge given to any perſon that is not God, but is given to him: Mat. 28.19. Baptizing them in the name of the Father, Sonne, and holy Ghoſt; And ſo the Apoſtle praies, the grace of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and the love of God the father, and the Communion of the holy Ghoſt: Nazianzen hath ſufficient to this purpoſe; he, ſaith he, whom the Church doth profeſſe to believe in, is God; now the Church doth profeſſe to believe in the holy Ghoſt, ſo that by theſe it neceſſarily followes that hee is God.
Queſt. How comes he to proceed from the father and the Sonne?
Anſw. Becauſe he received from the father and the ſonne the whole Eſſence, communicated to him by way of proceſſion: that we manifeſt thus; the Sonnes begetting of the Father you heard, to be by receiving the whole Eſſence from him, by way of begetting: ſo the holy Ghoſt is ſayd to proceed from the Father, and the Sonne, becauſe he received the whole Eſſence from them by way of proceeding; the thing is manifeſt, that he proceeded from the Father, and the Sonne; and therefore is not ſaid to be begotten, but to proceed: and as the Scripture hath been ſtrict, and carefull, to reſerve theſe relations unconfounded, ſo the Church hath diligently imitated them, and alwaies ſaies, that the Sonne is begotten, and the holy Ghoſt proceeds: and therefore as it is ſaid of the Sonne, that he is the onelyonly begotten Son, of the Father: ſo it is ſaid in the ſame place of the ſpirit, that he proceeds from the Father, and the Sonne; but how may we underſtand this, he received the whole Eſſence? how? he received it without diviſion, he received it without multiplication; becauſe that which is infinite, cannot be multiplied; yet he received it without alienation, becauſe he received ſo the whole Eſſence, as it abides ſtill in the Father, and the Sonne.
Queſt. How is he ſaid to ſanctifie the elect?
Anſw. Becauſe he dwells in the elect, creating faith in them, incorporating them into Chriſt, applying Chriſt his death, and reſurrection to them. To explane this: Firſt, he dwells in them: firſt, he is ſaid to ſanctifie the elect, in that he dwells in them: in this we doe not exclude the Father, and the Sonne, any more then we did in the former; they are all workes ad extra, and therefore undivided; yet underſtand the manner of working: the holy Ghoſt is ſaid to dwell in the elect, & it is he, that creates faith in their hearts &c. they all ſanctifie; the Father, and the Son, mediatly by the ſpirit, the ſpirit immediatly by himſelfe: and why? firſt, he dwells in them, namely, not as by his gifts, but a perſon, therefore we may ſay this is his worke: the Father not by any phraſe of Scripture, is ſaid to dwell in them, though they are ſaid to be the temples of God; he dwells in them not by his gifts onelyonly, but by his perſon; becauſe he is called the ſpirit of his Sonne, when he dwells in them: and again, God hath ſent the ſpirit of his Son: Rom. 8. If the ſpirit that raiſed Chriſt from the dead dwells in you: therefore they goe together, Rom. 5. God hath ſhed his love in our hearts: there is love which was the gift, and the ſpirit which was the perſon: againe, he created faith, that (the Apoſtle ſaith, 1 Cor. 12.9.) By the ſame ſpirit he gave to one the gift of miracles, and to another the gift of faith: &c. 2 Cor. 4.13. He is called the ſpirit of faith: faith is that, that doth ſanctifie as an inſtrument: Acts 15. After that he had purified their hearts by faith.
Next, that he doth incorporate men into Chriſt: Rom. 8.9. He that hath not the ſpirit of Chriſt, he is none of his; intimating, he that hath the ſpirit of Chriſt, he is his: Iohn 4.13. Hereby we know that God dwells in us by his ſpirit: 1 Cor. 12.13. We are all baptiſed into one body by the ſpirit, then we are all united into one body, by one ſpirit: for as Rom. 8 10. If the ſpirit be in you, the body is dead by reaſon of ſin, but the ſpirit is alive for righteouſneſſe ſake: and by this he doth apply unto us the death of Chriſt, to the death of ſinne, and the reſurrection of Chriſt, to the life of grace: Rom 6.3.4.5. As many as are baptiſed into Chriſt, are baptiſed into the death of Chriſt: by baptiſme, we are alſo ingrafted into the ſimilitude of his reſurrection, therefore the ſpirit ſanctifies; & when he dwells in every one of the elect, &c. it is neceſſarily, and fitly ſaid, that it is he that ſanctifies the elect: and thus I have explaned this point, ſo much as I thought fit to communicate unto you.
Vſe 1. This teaches us, that we ought to labour for the knowledge of this, that we may keep our ſelves from error: it was a commendable diligence of the ancient Fathers that taught, when the ſpirit, was taken for the perſon, and when for the gifts, becauſe hereſies have ſprung from hence, becauſe they underſtood the words amiſſe; therefore, that we may hold the truth, we are to labour to know it; and in this caſe, although we finde not a proper name given to the third perſon, yet we muſt acknowledge him diſtinctly; becauſe we know there is a Father, a Son, and a Spirit.
Object. You tell us he is a Spirit.
Anſw. We anſwer, ſo is the Father, and ſo is the Sonne, but ſo the name of Father is common to all; and the Sonne is ſaid to be the Father, and the holy Ghoſt alſo: therefore there is no reaſon why we ſhould conceive them to be three names given to the ſame God, in divers reſpects; but rather conceive, that there was but a common name given to him; becauſe he was the common ſubſtantiall joy, and love, between the Father, and Son.
Vſe 2. This ſerves to confirme us in the faith, againſt all hereticks, that deny the holy Ghoſt; not to ſtand upon their arguments: the Macedonians ſtand up as it were to oppoſe the Diety of the holy Ghoſt, and ſay he is not God; and they thinke they have a colour for it, from the counſell of Nice; in which we ſay, we beleeve in the Father, God, and Lord, and in the Sonne, God, and Lord; but when they come to the holy Ghoſt, we beleeve in the holy Ghoſt; and therefore theſe hereticks ſay, that he was not God: Saint Baſil anſwering to this objection, from the Nicen counſell, ſaies; they had no reaſon to explane this concerning the ſpirit, (as they had done the Father, and Sonne,) for no man then, made any queſtion of the divinity of the holy Ghoſt; nay ſaies Nazianzen, this is a ſufficient confeſſion of his Deity; for they ſay a particular thing, aſſenting by it, that he is God, becauſe they beleeve in him; and whereas they obſerve, that the ſpirit is taken for the gifts of the ſpirit, true it is; it is ſo, but it is put for the perſon alſo; and therefore though it be taken ſometime for the gifts, yet it doth not overthrow that he is a perſon: as the Arians that could not deny of Chriſt, that he was a perſon, ſaid notwithſtanding, he was but a made God: ſo theſe ſay of the ſpirit, that he is not a God by nature; but it is manifeſt, that he muſt needs be a God by nature, when he hath the name Jehovah, and the proper workes of God attributed to him; yea but ſay they, if he were a God by office, yet he had a created nature, and ſo not God from eternity: the Fathers called theſe by that name foreign, which ſignifies fighters againſt the ſpirit of God; for they ſay, there was no ſpirit, till after Chriſts glorification; grounded upon Iohn 17.39. The ſpirit was not given, becauſe that Chriſt was not yet glorified: and hereupon they added, that blaſphemy, the Church in the beginning was content to beleeve in one God; afterwards the counſell of Nice, muſt have two perſons, and after this the counſell of Conſtantinople muſt have three; but to anſwer their cavill, that he was before all theſe, appears, Iohn 1.32. I ſaw the holy Ghoſt ſaith Iohn Baptiſt (at Chriſts baptiſme) Iohn 1.33. Thou ſeeſt the holy Ghoſt to diſcend, after he was riſen: Iohn 20.21. He breathed upon the Apoſtles, and ſaies, receive the holy Ghoſt.
Object. But they inſtance, when he aſcended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men, but then he gave the ſpirit, therefore it meanes the gifts; not the perſon of the ſpirit.
Anſw. True, he then gave gifts, but what gifts? not the gifts of ſanctification, but the gifts of tongues; which is ſpoken of, in Acts 2. and ſo notwithſtanding this, it is manifeſt, that he is God from eternity.
Vſe 3. This teaches how we ought, and how we may beleeve truly in the holy Ghoſt; namely, to beleeve in him as God, the third perſon, proceeding from the Father, and the Sonne, ſanctifying the elect: he that changes any thing of this deſcription, cannot beleeve in him aright, as he that beleeves in the holy Ghoſt as God; yet as begotten, but not proceeding, beleeves not aright.
Object. But ſome will ſay unto me, why may we not ſay, that the holy Ghoſt is begotten, as well as the Sonne, when as begetting is, receiving the whole Eſſence by communication? and what is proceeding, but receiving the whole Eſſence by communication? and why doe we ſay the Son is begotten, and the holy Ghoſt proceeds?
Anſw. To this I anſwer as Saint Chryſoſtome did, that which is not written, thou oughteſt not thinke, or ſpeake; if thou finde it any where written, then thou maieſt, if not thou maieſt not: amongſt many things, Saint Auguſtine, obſerves two in this miſery; why ſhould not we ſay, that the holy Ghoſt is begotten? he anſwers, becauſe the ſecond perſon is ſaid to be the Sonne, yea, the onelyonly begotten Sonne; therefore I dare not goe from that to aſcribe the begetting to any other; beſides it is ſaid, that the holy Ghoſt proceeds; he goes on to this purpoſe, if any aske:
Queſt. How doth begetting, and proceeding differ?
Anſw. I anſwer that they, doe differ I am ſure, but how? I know not: Againe, what is the difference to be begotten, and to proceed; I am inſufficient, to ſpeak, or expreſſe: Nazianzen, preſſes the point well; tell me, ſaith he, what is to be begotten, and I will tell thee what is proceeding? and yet if either ſhall undertake to doe this, by ſearching into it, we may be both mad, and loſe our wits; therefore we ſay the Father is of himſelf, not from another; the Son is of the Father alone, by way of begetting, the holy Ghoſt from them both, by way of proceeding: And if this ſeemes ſtrange, ſaith Nazianzen, take an Image of it: There is Adam, Seth, Evah; Adam not begotten, Seth begotten, Evah proceeding from Adam; there was one begotten, that was Seth, and there was one proceeding that was Evah, and one begetting, that was Adam; in a word, thus we are to believe of the perſonall Eſſence of the third perſon in trinity, the holy Ghoſt.
Vſe 4. It followes in the deſcription, he ſanctifies the elect; therefore this admoniſhes every prophane man, that ſcoffes at purity, to ſee and repent of this prophaneſſe, becauſe purity is the worke of the holy Ghoſt; what doe you then deride when you mock at purity? tell me whom thou mockeſt at? even at the holy Ghoſt. I ſay, thou ſcoffer at purity, and holines, whatſoever thou art, thou ſcoffeſt at the ſpirit of God: Pro. 17. He that mocks the poore, derides him that made him; So I ſay to thee, that mockeſt the pure, that are made holy, &c. thou mockeſt the holy Ghoſt that made him pure, and thou maieſt be ſaid in a ſort to commit a ſinne againſt the holy Ghoſt: I ſay, not that unpardonable ſin, but a ſinne againſt his perſonall worke of holineſſe; I am ſure, this one thing doth make manifeſt, that thou art not ſealed by the ſpirit of promiſe and redemption; even thy mocking at holineſſe, which is his worke; know then for certaine, the more baſe that holineſſe is in thy ſight, the more baſe thou art in the ſight of Gods ſpirit: better had it beene for thee, that thou hadſt been made the moſt venomous creature on the face of the earth, then that thou ſhouldeſt not be made holy by this ſanctifying ſpirit of God; pray then, if it be poſſible, the thoughts of thy heart, and the words of thy mouth might be forgiven thee; for thou haſt not ſpoken againſt holy men only, but the holy ſpirit of God, as often as thou haft ſpoken againſt holineſſe.
Vſe 5. Here is matter of comfort; Is holineſſe the worke of the ſpirit, (which is God?) is holineſſe begun? (as in truth here is but the beginning of it; here is but the earneſt, the firſt fruits?) is it ſo that thou wreſtleſt with thy corruptions, thou wouldeſt, and yet thou canſt not be perfect? comfort thy ſelfe, it is certaine that he will perfect it in his own time, Philip. 1.6. Certainely he that hath begun this good worke will perfect it; although we have many weakeneſſes, as the Apoſtle cries out, Oh! wretched man that I am, who ſhall deliver me from the body of this death? &c. when he fights with infidelity, and with luſt, and cannot overcome it, yet here is the comfort, I ſay it againe, here is the comfort, he hath given thee that grace by which thou reſiſteſt, and by which thou ſhalt overcome evill; onelyonly remember this, he will perfect it: as thou couldſt not teach him, how hee ſhould begin grace in thee; ſo thou muſt not teach him, how or when to perfect it in thee; howſoever in the meane time thou crieſt out, miſerable man that I am! who ſhall deliver me from the body of ſinne, if thou hunger and thirſt after righteouſneſſe, he will perfect it, but thou muſt continue wraſtling, till the change of the body come, and who would not wraſtle for ſo holy a priſe?
Vſe 6. Laſtly, we note the blaſphemy of the Pelagians and Papiſts, when they tell us of falling away from grace, here is manifeſtly the contrary: It is the ſpirits worke to make the elect holy, will he be wanting in his owne worke? away with ſuch blaſphemies from us, let us ſerve the providence of God for our perſeverance by attending upon the word and Sacraments here, and he will in part ſanctifie us here, and will not leave us untill he hath perfectly ſanctified us throughout, the whole ſoule and body and ſpirit, at the day of appearing of the Lord Jeſus. And thus much in ſpeciall of the third perſon in Trinity, the holy Ghoſt, as alſo in generall of the deſcription we gave of God in his owne nature.