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The Mystery of the Gospel Vindicated and Socinianism Examined · John Owen

The Mystery of the Gospel Vindicated and Socinianism Examined, Commentary on text · Chapter 15

CHAP. XV.

Of the Holy Ghost, his Deity, Graces, and Operations.

Mr BIDDLE'S 5th Chapter examined.

Q. HOW many Holy Spirits of Christians are there?

A. Eph. 4. 4.

Q. Wherein consists the prerogative of the Holy Spirit above other Spirits?

A. 1 Cor 2. 10, 11.

Q. Whence is the Holy Ghost sent?

A. 1 Pet. 1. 12.

Q. By whom?

A. Gal. 4. 6.

Q. Doth not Christ affirme that he also sends him? How speaketh he?

A. Joh. 16. 7.

Q. Had Jesus Christ always the power to send the Holy Ghost, or did he obtaine it at a certaine time?

A. Act. 2. 32, 33. Joh. 7. 39.

Q. What were the generall benefits accruing to Christians by the Holy Ghost?

A. 1 Cor. 12. 13. Rom. 8. 16, 26, 27. Rom. 5. 5. Col. 1. 8. Eph. 1. 17. Rom. 15. 13. Rom. 14. 17. Act. 9. 31. Eph. 3. 16.

Q. What are the special benefits accruing to the Apostles by the Holy Ghost? What saith Christ to them hereof?

A. Joh. 15. 26. Joh. 16. 13.

Q. Should the Holy Ghost lead them into all truth, as speaking of Himselfe, and imparting of his own fulnesse? What saith Christ concerning him?

A. Joh. 16. 13, 14.

Q.. Do men receive the Holy Ghost while they are of the world, and in their naturall condition, to the end that they may become the Children of God, may receive the word, may believe, may repent, may obey Christ? or, after they are become the Children of God, have received the word, do believe, do repent, do obey Christ?

A. Joh. 14. 16, 17. 1 Cor. 2. 14. Gal. 4. 6. Act. 8. 14, 15, 16. Joh. 7. 38, 39. Act. 19. 1, 2. Eph. 1. 13. Gal. 3. 14. Act. 15. 7, 8. Act. 2. 38. Act. 5. 32.

EXAMINATION.

Of the Deity of the Holy Ghost: and his Worke, &c.

THE Fifth Chapter of our Catechist, is, concerning the Holy §. 1.Ghost, for reducing of whom into the Order and ranke ofSee his confe…sion in his Epistle to his Book against the Deity of Christ. Creatures, Mr B. hath formerly taken great paines; following therein the Macedonians of Old, and leaving his new Masters, the Socinians, who deny him his Personality, and leave him to be only the efficacy, or Energy of the power of God. The designe is the same in both, the meanes used to bring it about differ. The Socinians not able to answer the Testimonies proving him to beClopenburgius vindiciae pro Deitate S. S. adversus Pneumatomach. Bedellum Anglum. God, to be no creature, do therefore deny his Personality; Mr B. being not able to stand before the cleare evidence of his Personality, denyes his Deity. What he hath done in this Chapter I shall consider; what he hath elsewhere done, hath already met with a detection from another hand.

Q. How many Holy Spirits of Christians are there? Ans. One spirit. §. 2.Eph. 4. 4.

I must take leave to put one Question to M. B. that we may the better know the mind and meaning of his: and that is; What he means by the Holy Spirits of Christians: If he intend that Spirit which they worship, invocate, believe, and are Baptized into his name, who quickens, and sanctifies them, and from whom they have their supplies of Grace; it is true, there is but one only Spirit of Christians, as is evident, Eph. 4, 4. and this Spirit is God blessed for ever: nor can any be called that one Spirit of Christians, but he that is so. But if by the Holy Spirits of Christians, He intends created Spirituall beings, sent out of God for the good of Christians, of those that believe, there are then an innumerable company of Holy Spirits of Believers; for all the Angells are ministring Spirits, sent forth to minister for them, who shall be heirs of Salvation, Heb. 1. 13, 14 So that by this one Testimony, that there is but one Holy Spirit of Christians, that Holy Spirit is exempted from the number of all created Spirits, and reckoned as the object of their worship, with the one God, and one Lord; Ephes. 4. 4, 5, 6. When yet they worship the Lord their God alone, and him only do they serve, Mat. 4. 10.

His second Q. is, Wherein consists the Prerogative of that Holy Spirit §. 3.above other Spirits. Ans. 1. Cor. 2. 10, 11.

The Prerogative of that Holy Spirit, of whom we speake, is, that of God above his Creature: the Prerogative of an Infinite, Eternall, Selfe-subsisting Being. Yea and that this is indeed his Prerogative, we need not seek for proofe beyond that Testimony here produced by Mr B. (though to another purpose) in Answer to his Question. He that searcheth all things, yea the deep things of God, is God. To search all things is the same with knowing all things; so the Apostle interprets it in the next verse: None knoweth the things of God, save the Spirit of God. To know all things, is to be omniscient. But he that is Omniscient, is God. His Angels heeDe Adoratione Jesu Christi disputatio: p. 18, 19. charged with folly. Omniscience is an essentiall Attribute of God▪ And therefore Socinus in his disputation with * Franken, durst not allow Christ to be omniscient, least he should also grant him to be Infinite in Essence. Againe; He that searches, or§. 4. knowes foreign, the deep things of God, is God; None can know the deep things of an Infinite Wisdome and Understanding, but He that is Infinite. All creatures are excluded from an acquaintance with the deep things of God, but only as he voluntarily revealeth them, Rom. 11. 34. Who hath known the mind of God, or who hath been his Counsellor? That is; no Creature hath so been; foreign, Ioh. 1. 18. Now the Spirit doth not know the deep things of God, by his voluntary Revelation of them. For as the Spirit of a man knows the things of a Man, so doth the Spirit of God know the things of God. This is not because they are revealed to the Spirit of a man, but because that is the Principle of Operation in a man, and is conscious to all its own Actions and A…aires. And so it is with the Spirit of God; being God, and having the same Understanding, and Will, and Power with God the Father, and Sonne; as the Spirit of a man knowes the things of a man, so doth He the things of God. Thus in the beginning of this, as in the close of the last Chapter, Mr B. hath provided sufficiently for his own conviction, and the scattering of all his Paralogismes, and Sophisticall insinuations, running through them both.

The designe of this present Chapter, being to pursue what§. 5. Mr B. hath some years since publickly undertaken, viz. to disprove the Deity of the Holy Ghost; his aime here being to divert the thoughts of his Catechumens from an apprehension thereof, by his Proposall and Answers of such Questions, as serve to his designe, pretending to deliver the doctrine concerning the Holy Ghost from the Scripture, and not once producing any of those Texts, which are most usually insisted on, for the confirmation of his Deity, (with what Christian Candor and Ingenuity, is easily discovered) I shall briefly from the Scripture, in the first place, establish the Truth concerning the eternall Deity of the Person of the Holy Ghost; and then consider his Questions in their order, so farre as shall be judged meet or necessary.

I shall not go forth unto any long discourse on this subject:§. 6. Some plaine Testimonies of Scripture will evince the Truth we contend for; being the Heads of as many Arguments, if any one shall be pleased to make use of them in that way.

I. Then, The spirit created, formed, and adorned this World;§. 7. and is therefore God. He that made all things, is God. Heb. 3. 4. By the word of the Lord were the Heavens made, and all the Host of them by the SPIRIT of his mouth: Psal. 33. 6. By his SPIRIT hath he garnished the Heavens. Job. 26. 13. The SPIRIT of God hath made mee, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life. Chap. 33. 4. Psal. 104. 30. He that makes the Heavens, and garnisheth them; He that maketh man, and giveth him life, is God. So in the beginning foreign motabat se, moved himselfe, as a Dove warming its young, as he afterward appeared in the forme of a Dove. And hence that which is ascribed unto God absolutely in one place, is in another ascribed to the spirit absolutely, as Exod. 4. 15. Numb. 12. 8. what it is affirmed that God doth, will do, or did, is affirmed of the Spirit, Act. 1. 16. cap. 28. 25. so Numbers. 14. 22. Deut. 6. 16. What is said of God, is affirmed of the Spirit, Isa. 63. 10. Acts 7. 51. so also Deut. 32. 12. compared with Isa. 63▪ 14. innumerable other instances of the same kind might be added.

II. He Regenerates us; Unlesse we are borne againe of Water and §. 8.the Spirit, we cannot enter into the Kingdome of God, Ioh. 3. 5. 2 Thessalon. 2. 13. 1 Pet. 1. 2. He also searcheth all things, even the deep things of God, as was before observed, 1 Cor. 2. 10, 11. From him is our Illumination, Ephes. 1. 17, 18. 2 Cor. 3. 18. Ioh. 14. 26. The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, he shall teach you all things, Chap. 16. 13. The spirit of Truth shall guide you into all Truth; The Holy Ghost shall teach you, Luk. 12. 12. And he foretelleth things to come. Joh 16. 13. 1 Tim. 4. 1. which is a property of God, whereby he will be known from all false Gods, Isa. 41. 22, 23. &c. and he is in some of these places expresly called God: as also, 1 Cor. 12. v. 6. …ompared with v. 11. and he is immense, who dwells in all▪ Believers.

III. He dwelleth in us as God in a Temple, Rom. 8 9. 1 Cor. §. 9.3. 16. thereby sanctifying us 1 Cor. 6. 11. comforting us Joh. 16. 8. and helping our infirmities. Rom. 8. 26. Mortifying our sins, Rom. 8. 13. Creating in us Christian Graces, Gal. 6. yea he is the Author of all Grace; as is evident in that promise made of his presence with the Messiah, Isa. 11. 2. I say with the Messiah, for of him only are those words to be understood; to which purpose, I cannot but adde the words of an old Frier to the shame of some amongst us, who should know more, or be more Christian in their expositions of Scripture; saith he (speaking of this place) Note that in innumerable places of the Talmud, this is expounded Nota quod in locis innumeris in Talmud hoc exponitur de Messiah, & nunquam de alio, ab aliquo qui …licujus apud Haebraeos authoritatis sit; quare patet quod errant, nimium Judaizantes nostri, qui hoc de▪ Iosia ad literam non verentur exponere: de solo quippe Messia hoc intelligendum fore, ostenditur per R. Solomoh, qui hoc de ipso non de Iosiah exponit; quod juxta morem suum nunquam egisset, si abs{que} injuria sui Talmud & Targum, & sine praedecessorum suorum omnium praejudicio, aliter exponere potuisset. Reymund. Marti: pug: fid: p. 3 D. 1. c. 11.of the Messiah, and never of any other, by any one, who is of any Authority among the Hebrews: Wherefore it is evident, that some amongst, us, too much Judaizing, do erre, whilest▪ they feare not to expound this literally of Josiah: but that this is to be understood of the Messiah only is shewed by Rabbi Solomon, who expounds it of him, and not of Josiah; which according to his way, he would never have done, if without the injury of his Talmud and Targum, and the prejudice of all his predecessors, he could have expounded it otherwise. So farre he.

It is not a little strange▪ that some▪ Christians should venture farther in perverting the Testimonies of Scripture concerning the Messiah, then the Jewes dare to do.

IV. He makes, and appoints to himselfe, and his service, Ministers §. 10.of the Church, Act. 13. 2. giving unto them Powers, and working various and Wonderfull workes, as he pleaseth, 1 Cor. 12. 8.

V. He is sinned against; and so offended with sinne, that the§. 11. sinne against him shall never be forgiven, Math. 12. 31. Though it be not against his Person, but some especiall Grace and Dispensation of his.

VI. He is the Object of Divine Worship; We being Baptized into§. 12. his Name, as that of the Father and Sonne, Mat. 28. 19. Andforeign. Epiphan. Anrat. c. 73, foreign. Symbol. Conc: Constantinop: Grace is prayd for from him, as from Father and Sonne, 2 Cor. 13. 13. Revel. 1. 4. Rom. 10. 14. He is to be Head of Churches, Revel. 2. 3. But God will not give this glory to another, Isa. 42. 8. Also he hath the Name of God given him, Esa. 6. 9. compared with Acts 28. 25, 26. and Isa. the 63. ch. v. 13, 14. with Ps. 18. 41, 52. 2 Sam. 23. 2, 3. Act. 5. 3. & the Attributes of God are ascribed to him, as (1.) Ubiquity, or Omnipresence, Psal: 139. 7. 1 Cor. 3. 16. (2.) Omniscience, 1 Cor. 2. 10. Ioh. 16. 13. His Omnipotency and Eternity are both manifest from the Creation.

To all this, in a word, it may be added, that he is a Person: the denyall whereof is the only foreign of the Socinians. They acknowledge, that if He be a Person, he is God. But 1. He is a Person, who hath a Name, and in whose name something is done, as we are said to be Baptized in the name of the Holy Ghost, Mat. 28. 19. And (2) He is conjoyned with the other Divine Persons, as one of them, 2 Cor. 13. 13, Revel. 1. 4, 5. Math. 28. 19. (3.) He hath an Understanding, 1 Cor. 2. 11. and a Will, 1 Cor. 12. 11. (4.) To him are Speaking, and Words ascribed, and such actions, as are peculiar to Persons, Acts 13. 2. Acts 20. 28. &c.

What remaines of this Chapter will be of a briefe and easy§. 13. dispatch: The next question is.

Whence is the Holy Ghost sent? Answ. 1 Pet. 1. 12. Down from Heaven.

1. This advantageth not at all M. Biddles designe against the Holy Ghost, to prove him not to be God, that he is sent down from Heaven, whereby he supposeth, that his coming from one place to another is intimated: Seeing he supposes God to be so in Heaven; yea in some certaine place of Heaven, as at the same time not to be elsewhere; so that if ever he be in the Earth, He must come down from Heaven.

2. Nor is there any thing in his being sent, prejudiciall to§. 14. the prerogative of his divine Being. For he, who is God, equall in nature to the Father, and the Son, yet in respect of the order of that dispensation, that these three who are in Heaven, who are also one, have engaged in for the Salvation of men, may be sent 1 Ioh: 5. 7.of the Father and the Son, having the Execution of that worke which they respectively concurre in, in an eminent manner to him committed.

3. Where ever the Spirit is said to descend from Heaven, it is§. 15. to be understood according to the Analogy of what we have already spoken, concerning the presence of God in Heaven, with his Looking, and going down from thence, which I shall not repeat againe. Essentially he is every where Psal. 139▪ 1, 2, 3, &c.

4. In that place of Peter alleadged by M. Biddle, not the Person of the Spirit, but his gifts on the Apostles, and his Operations in them, whose great and visible foundations were laid▪ Act. 2. on the day of Pentecost, are intended.

The two next Question, leading only to an Expression of the§. 16. sending of the Holy Ghost by the Father and the Son, though M. Biddles Christians differ about the interpretation of the places produced for the proofe thereof, and there ly no small Argument and Evidence of the Deity of Christ, in his sending of the Holy Ghost, as the Father sends him, yet there being an Agreement in the Expressions themselves, I shall not insist upon them. He proceeds.

Q. Had Jesus Christ alwaies the power to send the Holy Ghost, §. 17.or did he obtaine it at a certaine time. Ans. Act. 2. 32, 33. Joh. 7. 39.

The intendment of this Querie is, to conclude from some certaine respect and manner of sending the Holy Ghost to the thing it selfe: from the sending him in a visible, glorious, foreignplentifull, eminent manner, as to the Effusion of his gifts and Graces, to the sending of him absolutely, which me thinkes a Master of Arts should know to be a Sophisticall way of arguing. 2. It endeavours also, from the Exercise of Power to conclude to the receiving of the Power it selfe; and that not the absolute Exercise of it neither, but in some certaine respect, as was spoken. This then is that, which M. Biddle concludes. Because Christ when he was exalted, or when he ascended into Heaven, had the acomplishment of the Promise actually in the sending forth of the spirit, in that abundant and plentifull manner which was Prophesyed of by Joel Cap. 2. 28. therefore he then first received Power to send the Spirit. Which 4. by the Testimony of Christ himselfe is false, and not the sence of the HolyIoh. 20. 22. Ghost in the places mentioned; seeing that before his Ascension he breathed on his Disciples, and bad them receive the Holy Ghost. Nay 5. that he had power of sending the Holy Ghost, and did actually send him, not only before his Ascension and Exaltation, but also before his Incarnation, is expressly affirmed 1 Pet. 1. 11. The Spirit that was in the Prophets of old, was the Spirit of Christ, and sent by him; as was that Spirit, by which he preached in the dayes of the old disobedient world; which places have been formerly vindicated at large. So that 6. as that place Act. 2. 32, 33. is there expounded to be concerning the plentifull effusion of the gifts of the Holy spirit in the times of the Gospell, according to the prophesy of Joel: so also is that of Joh. 7. 39. it being positively affirmed, as to the thing it selfe, that he gave the Holy Ghost before his exaltation, though not in that abundant manner as afterwards. And so neither of them conclude any thing, as to the time of Christs receiving power to send the spirit; which upon the supposition of such a worke, as for the accomplishment whereof it was necessary the Holy Ghost should be sent, he had from Eternity.

About the next Question we shall not contend. It is,§. 18.

Q. What were the generall benefits accruing to Christians by the Holy Ghost? whereunto sundry texts of Scripture, that make mention of the Holy Ghost, his graces, and gifts, are subjoyned. Upon the whole I have only some few things to animadvert.

1. If by the word generall benefits, he limits the receiving of§. 19. those benefits of the Holy Ghost to any certain time, (as suppose the time of his first plentifull effusion upon the Ascension of Jesus Christ, and the preaching of the Gospell to all Nations thereupon;) as it is a sacrilegious conception, robbing Believers of after ages, to the end of the world, of all the fruits of the efficacy of the Spirit, without which they can neither enjoy Communion with God in this Life, nor ever be brought to an eternall fruition of him: So it is most false, and contrary to the expresse prayer of our Saviour▪ desiring the same things for them, who should believe on his name to the end of the world, as he did for those who conversed with him in the dayes of his flesh. But I willSoci…us. Epist. 3. ad Math. Rad. Rom. 8. 9. suppose this is not his intention: because it would plainely deny that there are any Christians in the world, (* which yet was the opinion of some of his friends heretofore,) for if we have not the Spirit of Christ we are none of his.

2. The things annumerated, may be called generall benefits, §. 20.because they are common to all Believers, as to the substance, Essence, or Being of them; though in respect of their degrees they are communicated variously to the severall Individuals; the same1 Cor. 12. 11. spirit dividing to every one as he will; they are so generall to them all, that every particular Believer enjoyes them all.

3. The Annumeration here given us, is very farre and remote§. 21. from being complete; there being only some few fruits of the Spirit, and priviledges, which we receive by our receiving of him, recounted: and that in a very confused manner, one thing being added after another, without any order or coherence at all. Yea of the Benefits we receive by the spirit, of the Graces he workes in us, of the Helpes he affords us, of that Joy, and Consolation he imparts unto us, of the dayly Assistances we receive from him, of the Might of his power put forth in us, of the Efficacy of his Operations, the Constancy of his presence, the priviledges by him imparted, there is not by any in this life a full account to be given. To insist on particulars is not my present taske: I havePerseverance of Saints c. 8. also in part done it elsewhere.

4. I desire M. Biddle seriously to consider, whether even the things which he thinkes good to mention, may possibly be ascribed to a meer Creature, or that all believers are by such an one baptized into one body; that we are all made to drinke into one Spirit, &c. But of these things before. Unto this he adds,

Q. What are the speciall benefits accruing to the Apostles by the §. 22.Holy Ghost: and what saith Christ to them thereof? Answ. Joh. 15. 26. Act. 16. 13.

Besides the Graces of the Spirit, which the Apostles as Believers, received in a plentifull manner: they had also his Presence by his extraordinary gifts to fit them for that whole extraordinary Work, whereunto of him they were called. For as by his Authority they were seperated to the worke, and were to performe it unto him Act. 13. 2. So whatever worke they were to performe either as Apostles, or as penmen of the Scripture of the New Testament; they had suitable Gifts bestowed on them, by him 1 Cor. 12. inspiration from him suitable to their worke: 2 Pet. 1. 21. and 2 Tim. 3 17. the Scripture being of inspiration from God, because the Holy men, that wrote it, were inspired or moved by the Holy Ghost. And as this Holy Ghost, who isforeign. God, working all in all, that divideth of his gifts, as he will 1 Cor. 12. 6, 12. and giveth all Gifts whatever to the Church, that it doth enjoy; so did he in an especiall manner with the Apostles.

Now our Saviour Christ being to leave the World, giving gracious§. 23. promises to his Disciples, he considered them under a twofold capacity or condition: 1. Of Believers, of such as followed him, and Believed in him, wherein their estate was common with that of all them, who were to Believe on him to the end of the World 2 Of Apostles & of such, as he intended to imployIoh. 17. 20. in that great worke of planting his Church in the world, & propagating his Gospell to the ends of it. Under both these considerations doth he promise the Spirit to his Disciples. Joh. 13, 14, 15, 16. praying his Father for the Accomplishment of those promises: Chap. 17. that, as Believers they might be kept in the Course of their ob…dience to the end: in which regard he made those promises no lesse to us, then to them. And

2. That as Apostles they might be furnished for their worke, preserved, and made prosperous therein. Of this latter sort, some passages in the verses here mentioned seeme to be, & may have a peculiar regard thereunto, & yet in their substance are of the first kind, & are made good to all believers. Neither is there any more said concerning the teaching and guidance of the Spirit into the Truth, in Joh. 15. 26. & 16▪ 13. then is said 1 Joh. 2. 20, 27. where it is expressly assigned to all Believers. Of that Ʋnction and teaching of the Spirit, of his preserving us in all Truth needfull for our Communion with God; of his bringing to mind what Christ had spoken for our Consolation and Establishment with efficacy and power, things I feare despised by M. Biddle, this is not a season to treat.

That which followes concernes the Order and way of procedure,§. 24. insisted on by the Sonne, and Holy Ghost, in carrying on the Worke of our Salvation, and propagation of the Gospell, whose soveraigne fountaine is in the bosome of the Father. His Querie is.

Q. Should the Holy Ghost lead them into all truth, as speaking of himselfe, and imparting of his own fulnesse? What saith Christ concerning him? Ans. Joh. 16. 13, 14.

1. The Scripture proposeth the Holy Ghost in the Communication§. 25. of his Gifts and Graces under a double consideration. 1. Absolutely: as he is God himselfe: and so he speaketh of himselfe, and the Churches are commanded to attend to what he so saith, Revel. 2. 29. and he imparts of his own fullnesse: the self s…me spirit dividing to every one, as he will, 1 Cor. 12. 11. And in this sence what the Prophets say in the Old Testament, The word of the Lord, and thus saith the Lord; in the New, they are said to speake by the Spirit: Mat. 22. 43. Acts 1. 16. 2 Pet. 1. 21.

2. Relatively: and that both in respect of Subsistence and Operation, as to the great worke of saving sinners by Jesus Christ. And as in the first of these senses, he is not of himselfe, being the Spirit of the Father and the Sonne, proceeding from them both. So neither doth he speake of himselfe, but according to what he receiveth of the Father, and the Sonne. 2. Our Saviour Christ saies here, he shall not speake of himselfe: but he no where saies, He shall not impart of his own fulnesse, which is M. Biddles Addition. To speake himselfe shewes the originall Authority of him that speakes, whereby he speakes to be in himselfe: which as to the words and workes pointed to, is not in the Holy Ghost Personally considered, and as in this dispensation. But, to impart of his own fullnesse, is to give out of that, which is eminently in himself: which the Holy Ghost doth, as hath been shewen▪ 3. Christ in the words insisted on, comforting his Disciples with the promise of the presence of his Spirit, when he should be bodily absent from them, acquaints them also with the Workes that he should do, when he came to thē, & upon them in that cleer, eminent, & abundant manner, which he had promised; which is not any new worke, or any other, then what he had already acquainted them with, nor the Accomplishment of any thing, but what he had laid the foundation of: yea that all the Mercy, Grace, Light, Guidance, Direction, Consolation, Peace, Joy, Gifts, that he should communicate to them, and blesse them withall, should be no other, but what were procured and purchased for them by himselfe. These things is the Spirit said to heare and speake, to receive and communicate, as being the proper purchase, and Inheritance of another: and in so doing to glorify him, whose they are, in that peculiar sence, and manner. All that discourse which we have of the Mission, and sending of the Holy Ghost, and his proceeding or coming forth from the Father and Sonne, for the ends specifyed, Joh. 14. 26. & 15. 26. & 16. 7, 13. concernes not at all the eternall Procession of the Holy Ghost from the Father and Sonne, as to his distinct personality and subsistence, but belongs to that O…con…my or dispensation of ministry, that the whole Trinity proceedeth in, for the accomplishment of the worke of our Salvation.

The last Querie, by the heap of Scriptures, that are gathered in§. 26. answer to it, seems to have most weight laid upon it: but is indeed of all the rest most weakely S…phisticall: The words of it are.

Q. Do men receive the Holy Ghost, while they are of the World, and §. 27.in their naturall condition, to the end that they may become the Children of God, may receive the Word, may Believe, may Repent, may obey Christ▪ or after they are become the Children of God, have received the Word, do Believe, do Repent, do obey Christ?

Ans. The Answer is as above. To the same purpose is that of the Racovian Catechisme.

Is there not need of the internall Gift of the Spirit, that Nonne ad credendum Evangelio S. S. interiore dono opus est? Nullo modo, non enim in Scripturis legimus, cuiquam id conferri donum, nisi credenti Evangelio Cap. 6. de Promiss. S. S.we may believe the Gospell.

Ans. By no means; for we do not read in the Scripture, that that gift is conferred on any, but him that believes the Gospell.

Remove the ambiguity of that Expression, Believe the Gospell, and those two Questions perfectly fall in together. It may then be taken either for, Believing the Doctrine of the Gospell, in opposition to the Law, and in this sence it is not here enquired after; or for the power of Believing in the subject, and in that sence it is here denyed.

Now the designe of this Question is, to deny the effectuall§. 28. Operation of the Holy Ghost, for, & in the Conversion, Regeneration, and Sanctification of the Elect, and to vindicate the whole work of Faith, Holinesse, Quickning, &c. to our selves. The way designed for the proofe and establishment of this Insinuation consists, in producing sundry Testimonies, wherein it is affirmed, that those who do believe, and are the Children of God, do receive the Spirit for other ends and purposes, then those here enumerated. The summe of his Argument is this: If they who do believe, and are the Children of God, do receive the Spirit of God, for their Adoption, and the carrying on of the work of their sanctification, with the supply of new Grace, the Confirmation and enlargement of what they have received, with Joy, Consolation, and Peace, with other Gifts, that are necessary for any work or employment, that they are called unto; then the Holy Spirit doth not quicken, nor regenera…e them, nor work Faith in them, nor make them the Children of God, nor implant them into Christ. Now when M. B. proves this consequence, I will confesse him to be Master of one Art, which he never learned at Oxford; unlesse it were his busines to learne what he was taught to avoyd.

2. But Mr B. hath one fetch of his skill more in this Question.§. 29. He askes, whether men do receive the Holy Ghost, when they are of the World; And for a confutation of any such Apprehension, produceth Testimonies of Scripture, that the world cannot receive the Holy Ghost, nor the naturall Man the things of God. But who told this Gentleman that we say, men whilest they are in, and of the World, do receive the Spirit of God, or the things of the Spirit, in the Scripture sence of the use of that word, receiving? The expression is metaphoricall, yet alwaies in the case of the things of the Gospell denoting the Actings of Faith in them, who are said to receive any thing from God. Now if this Gentleman could perswade us that we say, that we receive the Spirit by Faith, to the end that we may have Faith, he might as easily lead us about whether he pleased, as the Philistims did Sampson, when they had put out his eyes. A little then to instruct this Catechist; I desire him to take notice, that properly the spirit is received by Faith, to the Ends and purposes by him mentioned, with many such others, as might be added; but yet before mens being enabled to receive it, that Spirit by his power and the efficacy of his Grace, quickneth, regenerateth, and worketh Faith in their hearts. In briefe, the Spirit is considered, and promised, either as a Spirit of Regeneration, with all the concomitants, and essentiall consequents thereof; or as a Spirit of Adoption, and the consequents thereof. In the first sence he works in men in order of nature, antecedent to their believing; Faith being a fruit of the Spirit: In the latter, and for the ends and purposes thereof, he is received by Faith, and given in order of nature upon believing.

3. That the World cannot receive the Spirit, nor the naturall Man §. 30.the things of God, is from hence; that the Spirit hath not wrought in them, that which is necessary to enable them thereunto; which is evident from what is affirmed of the Impotency of the naturall Man, as to his receiving the things of God; for if the Reason, why he cannot receive the things of God, is, because he is a naturall Man, then, unlesse there be some other Power, then what is in himselfe, to translate him from that condition, it is impossible, that he, who is a Naturall Man, should ever be otherwise; for he can only alter that condition, by that, which he cannot do. But,

4. That the Spirit is given for, and doth work Regeneration,§. 31. and Faith in men, I shall not now insist on the many Testimonies, whereby it is usually, and invincibly confirmed. There is no one Testimony given to our utter impotency, to convert, or regenerate our selves, to believe, repent, and turne to God; no promise of the Covenant, to give a new Heart, new Obedience through Christ; no assertion of the Grace of God, and the efficacy of his power, which is exalted in the vocation and conversion of Sinners, but sufficiently evinces the Truth thereof. That one eminent instance shall close our Consideration of this Chapter, which we have Titus 3. 5, 6. Not by workes of Righteousnesse, which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of Regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost, which he shed on us abundantly by Jesus Christ our Saviour.

Of the First head made by men, professing the Religion of§. 3…. Jesus Christ, unto the Deity of the Spirit, attempting to ranke him among the workes of his own hand, of the peculiar espousing of an enmity against him by Macedonius Bishop of Constantinople, from whom the ensuing foreign took their name, of the Novell inventions of Faustus Socinus and his followers, denying the Personality of the Spirit, making him to be nothing, but the efficacy of the Power of God, or the Power of God, this is no place to treat. Besides, the Truth is, untill they will speak clearly what they meane by the Spirit of God, and so assert something, as well as deny, they may justly be neglected. They tell us it is virtus Dei: but whether that virtus be substantia or accidens, they will not tell us; it is they say potentia Dei: this we confesse; but say, he is not potentia foreign, but foreign; and that because we prove him to be God. What then hath been spoken of Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghost, I shall shut up with that Distich of Gregor. Naz. Sent. Spir. lib. 3.

foreign.