LIBRARY OF PRINCETON 
 
 FEB - I 2005 
 
 THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY 
 
IN 
 
 THREE VOLUMES. 
 
 VOLUME THIRD. 
 
THE y 
 
 WHOLE WORKS 
 
 OF 
 
 THE REV. JOHX 'HURRION, 
 
 LATE MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL IN LONDON ; 
 
 XOW FI&ST COLLECTED; 
 
 TO WHICH IS PREFIXED, 
 
 TEE LIFE OF THE AUTHOR. 
 
 IN THREE VOLUMES. 
 
 Vol. III. 
 
 CONTAIXIVG 
 
 The SCRIPTURE DOCTRINE of the REAL PERSONALITY and the 
 INTERNAL and EXl RAORDINARY WORK of theHOLY SPIRIT, 
 STATED and DEFENDED, in Sixteen Sermons. 
 
 LONDON : 
 
 PRINTED FOR RICHARD BAYNES, 25, IVY LANE. 
 PATERNOSTER ROW, 
 By J. Heumao, Charles Street, City Road 
 
 1823. 
 
CONTENTS OF VOL. IIr/^^^ 
 
 I. Page 
 
 JL HE H<»ly Spirit's Divinity proved from Scripture, in Six 
 
 Sermons. 
 A preliminary Discourse concerning the Divinity of the Holy 
 
 Spirit, ...... 3 
 
 Sermon II. — The Holy Spirit's Divinity proved from his 
 
 Titles, . ... . . 19 
 
 Sermon III. — The Holy Spirit's Divinity proved from his 
 
 Attributes, . . . . .41 
 
 Sermon IV. — The Holy Spirit's Divinity proved from his 
 
 Works, . ... . . G3 
 
 Sermons V, VI. — The Holy Spirit's Divinity proved from his 
 
 being the Object of Worship, . . . 81, 101 
 
 II. 
 
 The real Personality, Pi'ocession, and Mission of the Holy Spi- 
 rit, proved from Scripture, in Four Sermons. 
 
 Sermons I, II, IIL-^-The real Personality of the Holy Spirit 
 proved from Scripture, . . . 125, I'lG, 165 
 
 Sermon IV. — Of the Procession and Mission of the Holy 
 Spirit, . . . . . . 187 
 
 III. 
 Of the External and Extraordinary Works of the Holy Spirit, 
 in Six Sermons. 
 
 1. In the fir.st or old creation, . . . 227 
 
 2. In Providence, . . . .231 
 
 3. In the gifts, wisdom, skill, courage, and strength, in things 
 
 natural, civil, or moral, . . • 238 
 
 4i. In Prophecy and Revelation, . . . 240 
 
 6. In working Miracles, .... 272 
 
 a 2 
 
VI CONTENTS. 
 
 6. In regard to Clirist himself, . . . 288 
 
 7. Ill liis wonderful descent and appearance at Pentecost, 29i 
 
 8. In the institution and success of the gospel ministry, 203 
 0. In witnessing to Christ and the truth of Christianity, 307 
 
 10. In glorifying Christ, .... 313 
 
^ S^^ f i'- '' -'"■ ■ ' Or '^^^ 
 
 ^Mm 
 
 ■ji^k 
 
 
 W HEN any man of a thoughtful, serious temper con- 
 siders the great decay of practical religion in this na- 
 tion, and, at the same time, calls to mind the contempt 
 which has been, for many years, cast on the Holy Spi- 
 rit and his operations, he must readily conclude that 
 this is the grand cause of the corruptions and abomim - 
 tions which abound among us. The Spirit has been 
 grieved and offended, and he, in a great measure, is 
 withdrawn and gone ; it is therefore no wonder that the 
 religion of the closet and the family is so much neg- 
 lected, and that public ordinances are of so little benefit 
 to such as in a formal way engage in them. 
 
 There is scarce any method which could be taken to 
 affront the Holy Spirit, but has been fallen into, by j 
 some or other, in our present day of darkness. The 
 errors formerly held and propagated by the Arians and 
 Macedonians, have been revived, and eager attempts 
 have been made to rob him of his true divinity, and to 
 make him pass for one of the creatures; and some, who 
 would not be reckoned among his enemies, have gone 
 so far, as to recommend it to Christians, to worship him 
 directly, only occasionally, as prudence and expedience 
 may require, and not to bind it on their own consciences, 
 or upon others, as a necessary thing. The detestable, 
 heresy of Sabellius has been raked out of the ashes;) 
 for some have denied the Spirit's real Personality, and 
 have pleaded, that he is only a divine power, the active, 
 or the intelligent effective power of God, personalized 
 by some idioms of speech. These oppositions made to 
 the scripture-doctrine of the Holy Spirit's supreme 
 Deity and real Personality, are as outrageous insults 
 as can well be offered him : and the treatment v*hich he 
 
VIH TREFACE. 
 
 meets witli, from the before-mentioned enemies of the 
 trutli, must be hiohly provokinir to him. 
 
 It must be Hkewise owned, that the Holy Ghost has 
 high affronts put upon him, by many wlio do not pro- 
 fess to run the dreadful Icn^tli of denyin<T liis real Per- 
 sonality and divine glory : His work, as a regenerating, 
 converting, sanctifying Spirit, is too commonly denied ; 
 and what can only be brought about in a soul dead in 
 trespasses and sins, by his efficacious grace, or by his 
 illuminating the dark mind, bending the stubborn will, 
 and purifying the corrupt affections, is, by many, ascrib- 
 ed to the will and power of the fallen creature, in the 
 whole or in part. It must be acknowledged, that a 
 great wound has been inflicted on practical religion, by 
 the weak and profane ridicule, used by one sort of those 
 wlio call themselves Christians, as to praying by the 
 Spirit ; and the effect of this is such, that he may just- 
 ly make a considerate man afraid of bantering such a 
 sacred thing ; for fervent prayer is almost lost among 
 those who have run the aforesaid length. It would be 
 w^ell, if, when we look nearer home, we could say, that 
 undue contempt has not been cast on the Spirit's opera- 
 tions. His motions, as a quickener, a convincer, an 
 instructor, and a comforter, are frequently bantered, by 
 such as would not be thouffht to throw off all regard to 
 the Christian institution ; his sealing up believers to 
 the day of redemption, or his witnessing with their spi- 
 rits, that they are the children of God, is treated with 
 grimace, by some who pretend the Bible is their reli- 
 gion ; all that profess to depend on his aid and conduct, 
 are ridiculed as enthusiasts, by such as do not in words 
 deny the authority of scripture. It must with sorrow 
 be said, for though it is a sad truth, it is a real fact, 
 that it has been too common for the Holy Spirit to be 
 left out m preaching upon duty ; and it has been too 
 general a thing, to neglect putting such as are pressed 
 to regard their salvation, on keeping up in their minds, 
 a continual sense of their beincr able to do nothing 
 
 o 
 
 aright, without his aid and assistance. 
 
 Since matters arc come to such a sad pass, it certain- 
 
PREFACE. IX 
 
 ly is the duty of those who have the honour of the Spi- 
 rit at heart, as the consequence of their having heard 
 liis voice, and felt his power, to stand up in vindication 
 of the glory of that almighty agent, who sanctifies, and 
 conducts to the land of uprightness, all the elect of God : 
 Accordingly that late learned judicious divine, the ex- 
 cellent Mr. Hurrion, undertook to discourse of the 
 Holy Spirit's Divinity, Personality, Procession, Office, 
 external and extraordinary Works, and his inward 
 Work on the souls of men. He chose to deliver his 
 thoughts on these great subjects, in that ancient lec- 
 ture which is carried on at Pinners-hall; which Ser- 
 mons he proposed to publish, in case he should be 
 spared to finish this work ; which he was so desirous of 
 doing, that he said, as I have been told, that if once he 
 could complete his design, he could say. Lord, now 
 lettest thou thy servant depart in peace. He w^as fre- 
 quently interrupted in his course of preaching by illness, 
 and he had the greatest difficulties to encounter in the 
 composing his discourses, arising from his bad habit of 
 body; however, his delight in the important subject of 
 them was such, that he surmounted obstacles that were 
 seemingly insuperable, and continued labouring the 
 great points he had undertaken to state and defend, 
 when he was scarce able to move about. The last Ser- 
 mon was preached, not three months before he was dis- 
 missed from labour to rest. 
 
 Some months before he was taken from us, he told 
 me, that in case of death, which he soon expected, his 
 Sermons on the Deity and Personality of the Spirit 
 should be left to my care, to be published if I saw fit ; 
 he hoped to get them transcribed, but in case he should 
 not, he directed me to make two or three alterations in 
 the method, and to add, if I could conveniently, the 
 passages of the ancients, to which he had only referred. 
 He had not then finished his Sermons on the Spirit's 
 external and extraordinary Works, and there was no 
 prospect that he would ever do it ; but it pleased God 
 to revive him a little, and he went through that part of 
 his design. He did not get any of them transcribed, 
 
X PREFACE. 
 
 only he new composed some j)arts of the five first dis- 
 courses, and made them much larger than they were at 
 first. 
 
 It pleased God that his desires and our wishes were 
 not answered, as to his going through with his whole 
 design : He purposed to discourse on the Work of the 
 Spirit in reproving and convincing sinners, and infus- 
 ing common grace and gifts into some of them ; on his 
 work in and upon the redeemed of the Lord, in their 
 union with Christ, justification and adoption, in their 
 regeneration, conversion, and sanctification, in their 
 consolation, perseverance, and growth in grace ; on his 
 witnessing to, sealing, leading, and guiding them ; oa 
 his enabling them to mortify sin, to vanquish tempta- 
 tion, and to bring forth the peaceable fruits of righ- 
 teousness ; on his assisting them in prayer, and making 
 intercession for them ; and on his raising them from 
 the dead, and giving them eternal life. This would 
 have been a work of labour and time, and it was ear- 
 nestly wished by several, that it might have been per- 
 formed by so able and judicious a divine ; but it pleased 
 him, in whose hand our times are, not to give life and 
 opportunity for this service. He had made some en- 
 trance upon it ; he had preached one excellent Sermon 
 on the Spirit's convincing sinners, but as he did not 
 finish that part of his main subject, it cannot be pub- 
 lished. 
 
 When after his decease the Sermons were put into 
 my hands, though they were not revised by the author, 
 yet I found they were every way worthy to be pub- 
 lished. I knew that he was very desirous to print 
 them, and especially those in which some notice is 
 taken of Dr. Watts's Dissertations, whose tenets he 
 looked upon to be of a dangerous tendency, and there- 
 fore opposed them with an uncommon zeal : However, 
 being sensible how little agreeable discourses of this 
 nature are to the gust of the present age, I was uncer- 
 tain what reception they might meet with, and so I v/as 
 not forward to publish them ; but I was so earnestly 
 solicited, by many of those who had a value for my 
 
PREFACE. XI 
 
 deceased friend, that at last I set about sending them 
 abroad into the world. I found the manuscript to need 
 no more than a bare revisal for the press, except alter- 
 ing the method in two or three places, as the author 
 directed me. 
 
 I am not afraid of recommending the following dis- 
 courses to the candid and pious reader. We have had 
 a great deal wrote of late years on the Deity of Christ ; 
 but some have thought there was room to be more 
 large and distinct on the divinity of the Holy Spirit. 
 I hope it will be found that some farther light may be 
 thrown on this necessary point of divinity, from our 
 autlior's nervous and masculine performance. The 
 proof of the real Personality of the Spirit, he has very 
 much laboured ; but as I have been engaged in con- 
 troversy with the Gentleman whom he has opposed, I 
 shall say no more of this part of the work, leaving it to 
 the reader's judgment. In the other Sermons many 
 things are very judiciously handled, which are not 
 commonly treated of. 
 
 It has cost me a great deal of labour to fit this work 
 for the press ; but I shall think my pains well spent, 
 if it is made useful, to establish the faith of Christians 
 in those prime articles of our religion about which it 
 treats ; that it may be so, I recommend it, and those 
 who read it, to the blessing of that good Spirit, whose 
 glory is pleaded for in it, and v/ho, with the Father 
 and the Son, is the one supreme blessed God ; to 
 whom be all glory and praise, now, henceforth, and for 
 evermore. Amen. 
 
 ABRAHAM TAYLOR. 
 
 August 12th, 1734. 
 
r ./^>XN/\r^ y\r'./s^iA^VN/'*/»^*/N/vs^ ^ 
 
 THE TRUE 
 
 DIVINITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 PROVED FROM 
 
 SCRIPTURE: 
 
 IN SIX SERMONS. 
 
 r./^#^/^#^ '^•■^V^^./N^^^i,*'^ 
 
 VOL. ITI. 
 
^ 
 
 
 PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE 
 
 CONCERNING THE 
 
 DIVINITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, 
 SERMON I. 
 
 PREACHED JULY 1st, 1729. 
 
 1 Cor. iii. 16. — Krww you not that you are the temple of 
 Gody and that the Spirit of God diuells in you ? 
 
 Intending, if the Lord pleases, to discourse upon tlie 
 Deity, Personality, Office, and Works of the Holy Spirit, I 
 have chose the words now read, as a foundation of what I 
 sliall offer concernmg the first of these, the Deity of the Holy 
 Ghost. As the suhject is very necessaiy, important, sublime, 
 and dilficult, I do not only desire the prayers of my hearers, 
 but also humbly invoke the assistance of him, concerning 
 whom I am to speak, that he may lead me into the truth, , 
 and enable me to speak of him the things that are right, and 
 tliat may be to his glory, and our edification and comfort. 
 As he is the fountain of all wisdom, from whom Ave receive 
 the holy scriptures, and a right understanding of them, we 
 cannot see but by his light, nor know or acknowledge him 
 but by his assistance. As therefore the apostle prayed for 
 the Ephesians, that they might be endowed with the spirit of 
 wisdom and revelation ; and prayed to the Holy Spirit, on 
 the behalf of the Corinthians, that he would communicate, 
 t)f himself to them, in thoSe vvords, ' The commuuiou of the 
 
4 A PRELIMIXAKY DISCOURSE 
 
 Holy Ghofst be with you a ;' it is very proper to apply to 
 him, for his gracious aid and assistance : An example of this 
 we have in Cyprian, that eminent servant of Clnist, and mar- 
 tyr for him : When he composed his discours*' concerniji<? the 
 Holy Spirit, lie begun it with a soienni address to him ; which 
 being so agreeable to my present text and subject, it may 
 not be improper to rehearse some part of it : " O holy 
 y " Spirit, be thou present ; and from heaven shod down thy 
 ** consolations on those that expect thee ; sanctify the tem- 
 *' pie of our body, and consecrate it a habitation f(»r thyself: 
 *' Make those souls joyful with thy ])resence, avIio desire 
 *' thee : Make the house fit for thee, the inhabitant ; adorn 
 *' thy chamber, and surround the j)lace of thy rest with a 
 *' variety of virtues; strow the pavement with ornaments ; let 
 " thy mansion shine with the brightness of carbuncles and 
 *' precious stones ; and let the odours of all thy gifts inwai'dly 
 *' discover themselves ; let thy fragrant balsam jierfume thy 
 *' residence, and expel whatever is noisome, and the spring 
 " of corruption ; do thou make this our joy, 8tal>le and last- 
 *^ ing ; and this renovation of thy creature, do thou continue 
 '• for ever, in unfading beauty h" 
 
 The apostle, in this chapter, used many arguments against 
 the carnal dividing spirit, which was predominant among the 
 Corinthians: And particularly, he puts them in mind c, that 
 they were God's building, and therefore ought to be compact, 
 and closely united together : And having amplified his 
 allusion, in a discourse concerning the builders, the foim- 
 dation, and the materials of the superstructure, he, in the 
 16th verse, which is my text, returns agaiii to the whole 
 church ; and represents them not only as Gods building, but 
 under a higher consideration, as the temple of God ; A\'hich 
 therefore ought not to be defiled Avitli envy, strife, and va- 
 riance ; but should be kejjt pure and holy, on the account off 
 ^hat lioly, glorious One who dwells in it, even God, the Holy 
 
 a 2 Cor. xiii. 13. b Cyprian dc Spir. S. p. -181. 
 
 c 2 Cor. xiii. 3. 
 
CONCERNING THE SPIRITS DIVINITY. 5 
 
 Spirit ; who is the pei-son who is said to dwell in this temple. 
 For the apostle having said that they were the temple of 
 God, as an explication and evidence of it, he added, in the 
 very next sentence, ' The Spirit of God dwells in you,' as 
 in his temple, as it is explained in a following part of this 
 epistle : ' Know you not that youi* body is the temple of 
 the Holy Ghost « ?' 
 
 A temple is God's holy place, where he dwells, and re- 
 ceives holy adoration. The Holy Spirit dwells in every par- 
 ticular believer, and in holy assemblies of such; and there- 
 fore, whether taken collectively, as in my text, or individually, 
 as in the last cited scripture, they are properly his temple. 
 As embodied, or united in one Christian society, they are a* 
 luibitation of God ^, thi-ough the Spirit : Tliey are his house, 
 his dwelling-place, his rest. The Spirit of God, and of glory, 
 rests upon them, in allusion to the Shechinah, or glory, that 
 dwelt formerly over the ark, and in the temple. And every 
 particular believer may be said to be the temple of the Holy 
 Spirit ; because he dwells in him, and receives homage and 
 adoration from him ; because the believer was consecrated 
 and devoted to his service and glory in baptism, being bap- 
 tized in the name of tlie Holy Spirit, as well as in the name 
 of the Father and of the Son ; and because the Holy Spirit 
 sanctifies, adorns, and for ever preserves this temple, and 
 there imparts his gifts, and manifests himself to the Christian. 
 
 If these thiugs are considered, the allusion appeai-s very 
 beautiful ; and the similitude between God's dwelling in the 
 temple of old, and the Holy Spirit's dwelling in believers, as 
 in liis temple, is v^ery. apt and instructive, and canies in it a 
 strilcing conviction of the Deity, Personality, and Glory of the 
 Holy Ghost ; for, as has been well observed, temples were 
 never erected or designed for any inferior to God. If then 
 the Holy Spirit dwells in the saints, he is that God whose 
 temple they are said to be. Both ancient and modem in- 
 terpreters have viewed my text in this light. 
 
 a I Cor. vi. 19. b Eph. ii. 22. 
 
6 A TRELIMIXARY DISCOURSE 
 
 Notwitlistanding the evidence of the Deity of the Holy 
 Spirit is so clear and strong, his adversaries have had the con- 
 fidence to afHrni, that lie is no where, in scripture, called 
 (jod ; hy 'which they must mean, that this proposition, 
 ** The Holy Spirit is God," is no where in express terms 
 found in scripture : To which it may be re})lied, that we no 
 where read these express words in scripture, " the Father is 
 God ;" and yet enough is said in other words, to prove him 
 so to be. In like manner, enough is said in my text, and in 
 many other places, to prove the Holy Spirit to be God, as I 
 hope will evidently appear hereafter. 
 
 The adversaries to this truth ask, if the Holy Spirit is God, 
 why is it inferred from his dwelling in us, that God dwells in 
 us, or that we are the temple of God ? Now, if he that dwells 
 in us as his temple is God, what other conclusion can be 
 drawn from thence but this, that we are the temple of God ? 
 But, on the other hand, if he that dwells in the saints were 
 not God, his dwelling in them could not pi-ove believers to 
 be the temple of God. " That person whose inhabitation 
 " makes a temple, is God ; for if the notion of a temple he 
 '' nothing else but to be the house of God ; and if to be the 
 " house of any creature is not to be a temple, as it is not, 
 " then no iniiabitation of any created person can make a tem- 
 " pie ; but the inhabitation of the Holy Ghost makes a tem- 
 " pie, as we are informed by the apostle : What, know you 
 *' not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which 
 *' is in you? Therefore the Holy Ghost is God a." 
 
 Having thus endeavoured to explain and vindicate tlie 
 sense of the text, we may next take notice of several impor- 
 tant truths contained in it : As for instance ; Tliat there is 
 an intimate unioil and communion between God and his 
 people; they are his temple : That this union and communion 
 is by the inhabitation of tiie Spirit of God : That the Spirit 
 of God is that God, whose temple believers are : That the 
 
 a Pearson on tb« Creed, j). 319. 
 
CONCERNING THE SPlKIx's DIVINITY. 7 
 
 Spirit of God, dwelling in his people as God, is known to 
 them, and worshipped by them as God : ' Know you not 
 that you are the temple of God ?' That he who dwells in the 
 saints is a real person, and distinct from him whose Spirit he 
 is said to be ; and. That this person is not created, or cir- 
 cumscribed, but is immense and infinite, dwelling, at once, in 
 a multitude of different persons, in distant places : All be- 
 lievers, all the world over, are his temple. 
 
 Among these several important truths contained in my 
 text, I shall single out the following, to be insisted on, that 
 the Spirit of God, is that God, whose temple believers are. 
 
 Before I come to prove the Holy Spirit's true and proper 
 Deity, I shall do the following things by way of preliminary : 
 
 1. 1 shall enquire, who, or what is meant by the Spirit of 
 God. 
 
 II. I shall hint some things included in his dwelling in 
 believers. 
 
 III. I sliall shew the weight and importance of the scrip- 
 tiire-doctrine of the Spirit's divinity, or how necessary it is to 
 be known, believed, and improved. 
 
 lY. I shall give some short account of the opposition that 
 has been, and is made to this doctrine. 
 
 I. I shall enquire who, or what is meant by the Spirit of 
 God. 
 
 The word spirit, has many significations in scripture, of 
 wliich I shall now take no notice ; because it is not a spiiit, 
 or the spirit in general, but the Spirit of God in particular, of 
 which my text speaks ; which words often denote the Holy 
 Ghost himself, personally considered, and not bai'ely his gifts 
 and operations ; which are often signified by the word Spirit ; 
 But here something is ascribed to him, which imports both 
 deity and personality, as has, in part, been declared already, 
 and may more fully afterwards. He is properly styled, the 
 Spirit of God ; because he proceeds from God, and is of the 
 same nature and essence with the Father and Son, who aie 
 
8 A PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE 
 
 God. He is tliat Spirit wliicli a is of God by procession ; 
 he is that Spirit which dwells in the saints, wlio are liis tem- 
 ple ; and tlierefore he is himself God, as has been already 
 hinted. 
 
 I may add, that as the Holy Ghost is intended by the 
 Spirit of God, in scriptm'e, so mostly, if not always, when he 
 is so called, there is something said of him, which shews him 
 to be that Spirit ; which is also God : As when it is said, 
 ' the Spirit of God moved upon the waters />,' in the creation 
 of the world. And elsewhere it is said, ' the Spirit of God 
 liath made me c :' And when he is said to search all things, 
 even the deep tilings of God (though God's AN-ays are, to all 
 creatures, unsearchable). These works of God being ascribed 
 to the Spirit of God, it appears, that God the Spirit is meant 
 by the Spirit of God. What has been said upon this head, 
 I hope may be sufficient to shew wliat is meant by the Spirit 
 of God. 
 
 II. I shall hint some few tilings which are implied and in- 
 cluded in the Spirit's dwelling in believers. 
 
 1. It signifies, that the Spirit himself is in belie vei-s. Christ 
 lias d promised to the person that loves him, that both he and 
 the Father will come to him, and make tlieir abode with him. 
 This is done by the mission and iniiabitation of the Holy 
 Spirit. Believers are an habitation of God, by or through the 
 Spirit : For, as by the Spirit we have access to the Father, 
 through the Son e ; so it is by the Spirit, that both Father 
 and Son come to, and dwell in the saints ; for he comes and 
 takes his throne in the soul, as sent by the Father and Son. 
 This informs us how the Father and Son are both said to 
 dwell in the saints; 'and yet they are peculiarly the temples 
 of the Holy Spirit, and he personally dwells in them ; for so 
 I think the following scriptures teach us : ' Know you^ not 
 that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in 
 
 a 1 Cor. ii. 12— Jolin xv. 2G. V Gen. i. 2. 
 
 c Job xxxiii. 4. — 1 Cor. ii. 1 1. c/ Johu xiv. 26. 
 
 e Ver. iiG. chap. xvi. 7. 
 
CONCERNING THE SPIRIt's CJVINITY. 9 
 
 you, which you have of God a ?' as much as to say ; You 
 are the temple of the Holy Spirit ; not only by his gifts and 
 graces, disposing- you to worship him, but by his immediate, 
 presence, and personal inhabitation, he is in you, whom you 
 have of God. It is likewise said, ' That good thing that 
 was connnitted to thee, keep by the Holy Ghost, which dwells 
 ill us b.' Here is an evident distinction between the gifts 
 and gi-aces of the Spirit, and that Spirit who dwells in the 
 k sa^ints. If he dwelt in the saints only by his gifts and gi'aces, 
 then Paul's exhortation to Timothy, to keep the good thing, 
 by the Holy Ghost which dwelt in him, had only signified 
 tliis, that he must keep those gifts and gi-aces, by those gifts 
 and graces which dwelt in him : But if we take the latter 
 c'ause of the personal indwelling of the Holy Spiiit, the ex- 
 hortation is plain and forcible ; as the Holy Spirit bestowed 
 tliese good things upon thee, and personally dwells in thee ; 
 so do thou look to him, to protect and preserve his own work. 
 Besides, it appears, that tlie apostle speaks of the indwelling 
 of the Spirit himself ; because he applies it not only to Timo- 
 thy, as had been proper, if his gifts and gi*aces had been all 
 that was meant by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit : But he 
 says, which dwells in us ; whereas Timothy's gifts and graces 
 did not dwell in Paul ; but the Spirit, who is the fountain and 
 author of them, dwelt in Paul and Timothy both, and in all 
 the saints ; of him therefore it might be said, wliich dwelletli 
 in us. An instance of the Spirit's thus dwelling in believers 
 in common, and another of his dwelling in the extraordinaiy 
 officers of the primitive church, have been hinted ; I will only 
 aid here, that the personal indwelling of the Holy Spirit, is 
 not so to he understood, as if tliere was a personal union be- 
 tween him and the believer : The habitation and inhabitant 
 remain personally distinct. It may not be said of the Spirit, 
 tb.at he was made flesh, and dwelt amongst us, as it is said of 
 the Son ; for the Son assumed our nature, and took upon him 
 the form of a servant : But the Holy S| irit dwells in the be- 
 
 - i Cor. vi. 19. i 2 Tim. i. U. 
 
 A 2 
 
10 A /"IILLI.MIN'AKV DlSCoLIlSR 
 
 liever's person, as in liis temple. There is, as lias been oU- 
 served rt, an union of persons, as in niaiTi^ige ; but not a per- 
 sonal union, as that between soul and body. The scrijiturc 
 has declared thus ; ' Because you are sons, Ciod liath sent the 
 Spirit of his Son into your hearts h.' ' This is my co><'naiit, 
 that my Spirit shall not depart out of the mouth of thy seed, 
 and thy seed's seed r.' Tlie Spirit himself is sent into the 
 covenant seed, and his graces attend him, not go before him : 
 Om* persons, as one speaks d, are the temples of his Person 
 immediately ; his graces are the hangings, the furniture, that 
 he may dwell like himself: He is a Holy Spirit, and holiness 
 becomes his house for ever. 
 
 2. The Spirit's dwelling in believers signifies his constant 
 residence in the saints. The Greek word oi^ei, dwelletli, 
 used in my text, signifies to dwell, as m a person's house, or 
 place of settled abode. God has promised e, that his Spiiit 
 shall not depart from Christ's seed, from liencefortli, even for 
 ever. Christ says, that the Comforter sliall alnde with his dis- 
 ciples for every. He is in them, not as a s()journer, or tra- 
 Teller, for a night, but as one who never fully or finally de- 
 parts from them. ' Of Sion, lie saith, This is my rest, here 
 will I dwell ; for I have desired it g.' Tliough he forsook the 
 Jewish temple, and departs from such as partake only of his 
 ordinary or extraordinary gifts ; yet such as partake of his 
 special gi'ace, shall never lose him, or his residence in them, 
 as in his temple. ' He shall abide with you for ever,' snid 
 our Lord, or to eternity ; for h some observe, this ^vord Is 
 constantly used so by John : We are not then to limit the 
 expression to the apostles and primitive Christians ; but to im- 
 derstand it as including all Christians, at all times, e^•en for 
 ever ; which is a most usefid and comfortable^ truth. What 
 Christ said, ' That he might abide ^^'ith you for ever,' he 
 
 « Goodwin on the Spirit, p. 58. h Gal. iv. 6. 
 
 c Isa. lix. 21. d Goodwin Spr, p. 55. 
 
 c LsH. lix. 21. /"John xiv. IG. 
 
 g" Psal. cxxxii. 2. h Vo^X^ Annot. continued on the place. 
 
CONCERNING THE SPIRIt's DIVINITY. 11 
 
 spoke it to comfort them : His abode with you, said lie, shall 
 not be temporary, as mine is, but it shall continue to eternity. 
 The Spirit is always with all the saints. David indeed said, 
 * Take not thy Holy Spirit from me a \ This may be meant 
 of the gifts of the Spirit : He might fear lest these should be 
 taken away from him, as they were from Saul, upon his 
 lieinous sin : The Chaldee paraphrase, as the learned Ains- 
 worth observes, favours this sense, in rendering the words 
 thus ; ' Take not the Holy Spirit of prophecy from me.' 
 David's sin was now ever before him ; he wanted the voice 
 of joy and gladness ; he might therefore question the truth of 
 his grace, and so put up such a petition, without supposing 
 tb.at any true saint could be utterly forsaken by the Holy Spu-it. 
 This he might do, as well as he could pray, that God would 
 blot out his transgressions ; when but just before God had 
 sent the prophet to assure him 6, that he had put a^vay his 
 sin. It is one thing really to have pardon, and another thing 
 to have the sense of it. It is one thing to hold it as a prin- 
 ciple, that the Holy Spirit shall never utterly forsake the saint, 
 and another thing to have a fresh assurance of it from God, 
 spoke home to a distressed soul ; but perhaps David might 
 deprecate the temporary departure of the Holy Spirit, or the 
 suspension of his gi-acious influences ; having known by ex- 
 perience, liow evil and bitter a thing even that is to a godly 
 man. David had been guilty of the dreadful sins of mui'der 
 and adultery ; and yet God had not taken the Holy Spirit 
 from him, as is strongly implied in his petition ; for if it had 
 been already done, there had been no room for him to pray 
 that God would not do it ; besides, he looked upon the Holy 
 Spirit as a free Spirit, and his lieart was breathing after his 
 pealing impressions ; that he might again hear the voice of joy 
 and gladness, and have that spoke to his heart by the Holy 
 Spirit, which God had spoke to his ear by the prophet, God 
 hath put away thy sin. 
 
 3. The Holy Spirit's dwelHng in believers, bespeaks their 
 
 a Fsal. li. h 2 Sam. xii. 26. 
 
12 A ; KELf.MlNAKi DlSCOLJlbE 
 
 rxcellence and dignity. As tliere was a visible glory iji Solo- 
 mon's temple, so llieie is an invisible glory and magnificence 
 in tlie spiritual tem|)le. ' The king's daughter is all glorious 
 Avilhiii a ; both with respect to the graces which adorn this 
 teniple, and the person who dwells in it : Faith, love, joy, 
 peace, meekness, goodness, are the ornaments of this temple, 
 and the presei>ce and residence of so great a person in it as 
 the Spirit of God, makes it honourable and glorious. The 
 % irgin Mary was reckoned blessed, for cariying in her womb 
 that body in which the Son of God dwelt; and it is the ho- 
 nour and glory of every true believer, to be the temple of tlie 
 Jloly Spirit. From the digiiity of the saints, on these ac- 
 counts, the apostle, in my text, argnes against strifes and di- 
 visions, which ill become the temple of peace, and the resi- 
 dence of the Spirit of peace. 
 
 In another j)lace he exposes the b vile sin of uncleanness, 
 as utterly unbecoming the dignity of those bodies which have 
 the honour to be tlie temples of the Holy Ghost. The righ- 
 teous is more excellent than his neighbour, as he is adorned 
 xvhh such graces, and is honoured with such a presence of G oil 
 the Spirit, residing in him ks his temple. A heathen could 
 say, I am greatei', and born to greater things, than to be a slave 
 to my body. Every Christian should say, I am greater, and 
 <lesigiied to greater things, by being made the temple of the 
 Holy Ghost, than to be a slave to sin, or to be taken up 
 ^vith the honoiu-s or pleasiu'es of this world. 
 
 4. The dignity and greatness of the Holy Spirit is implied 
 in Ins dwelling in believers. He, as God, sits in the temple 
 of God, shewing himself that he is God ; for there he receives 
 the adoration and worship of the saints. The Holy Spirit 
 dwells in his temple, not as a priest, or servant, but as God ; 
 as it is written, ' I will dwell in them, and walk in them ; 
 and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a peo- 
 ple ;' and David saith, ' The Lord is in his holy temple <?.' 
 His infinite grace and condescension appear in his dwelling 
 
 a Psal. xlv. 13. I 1 Cor. vi. 18, 19. c I'sal. xi. 4. 
 
CONXEHNiNG THE SPIRIT S DIVINITY. 13^ 
 
 in the saints ; he is the high and lofty One, who inJiahits 
 eternity ; yet he dwells in those who are of a hroken and 
 conti-ite spirit, and shews forth his infinite perfections in his 
 operations in them and for them. The Spirit's dwelling in the 
 saints as his temple, sliews his dignity and greatness, that he 
 is indeed Lord and God, and as such he is to be honoured 
 and adored. 
 
 III. I shall show the weight and importance of the scrip- 
 ture-dortrine of the Holy Spirit's Divinity ; or how necessaiy 
 it is to l)e known, believed, and improved. 
 
 The doctrine of the Spirit of God, is one of those great 
 heads of gospel-truth, wherein the glory of God, and the 
 gcod of souls are most eminently concerned. The sending 
 Christ to redeem us, and the sending the Spirit io dwell in 
 us, and to apply that redemption to us are the two grand 
 promises of God in tlie Bible, and the principal objects of our 
 faith and hope. Hence the doctrine of the Deity, Personality, 
 office, operations, and grace of the Holy Spirit, is so much in- 
 sisted on in the New Testament : This is the great a promise 
 of Christ, that upon his going away he would send the Spirit, 
 to supply his absence, to glorify him, and to conduct the re- 
 deemed to glory. " Take away the work and powerful effi- 
 " cacy of the Holy Spirit from the administration of the go&» 
 '• pel, and it will prove but a dead letter, of no saving advan- 
 " tage to the souls of men ; and take away the doctrine con- 
 " cerning him, the Holy Spirit, fi'om the writing of it, and the 
 "whole will be unintelligible and useless ^." Christ promis- 
 ed to be u'ith his ministers and people c, to the end of the 
 world ; he is so by his Spirit, who was to supply his place 
 upon his going away : It is therefore of gieat importance to 
 all Christians, to know, believe, and improve the scriptm'e- 
 doctrine concerning the Holy Spirit. It liighly concerns us 
 to learn, from the scriptures, Avho he is, and what he does, 
 how wa, are to carry it towards him, and what Ave may ex- 
 
 a John xvi. 5 — !j. ft Dr. 0>v^i: of the Spirit, p. 33. 
 
 c Mat. xxviii. 19. 
 
14 A PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE 
 
 jK'ct from liim, to wliom is committed the manifestation of 
 Christ's pflory in t!iis Avoild, and tlie perfecting of our sal- 
 vation. And how sliall we be sure the work is in safe hands, 
 if he is any tiling less than tlie true and living God ? The 
 devil is a subtle and powerful spirit : Adam, in innocency, 
 could not stand against him : Many since have been over- 
 come by him : he is the god of this world ; a restless, active, 
 malicious spuit, who had the boldness to tempt Christ him- 
 self: And how shall the poor Christian be safe or comfortable 
 if he does not know that he who is in him, is greater than 
 that spirit that is in the world ? How shall he be able to say, 
 I know Avhom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is 
 able to keep that which I have committed to his tiiist ? or, 
 what confidence can lie have, that lie will carry on the good 
 work in him, to the day of Christ, if he does not know Iiim 
 to be infinite in power, grace, and tiTith? Who could raise a 
 dead soul but he who is almighty ? Were not his gmce and 
 patience infinite, how could he dwell in such vile and pro- 
 voking creatures as Ave are ? How could he seal us to the 
 day of redemption ? or how could we depend, either upon 
 his written word or inward witness, if Ave did not knoAV him 
 to be tiiith itself, the God of truth, and Avithout iniquity? 
 How should believers either pray to him, or praise him, and 
 otherAvise treat him Avitli due honour, if his Deity and Per- 
 sonality, Office and Work, be not knoAvn and belicA^ed ? To 
 give him diA'ine worship, if he be not God, is idolatry ; and to 
 Avithhold it if he is God, is a heinous sin. To be well in- 
 formed in this point then, is of the last importance. Hoav 
 dangerous and desperate a risk do they run, Avho treat him 
 Avith contempt and disgrace, Avho deny his Deity and Per- 
 sonality, defraud him of his Avorship and glory, if he be our 
 God? 
 
 The gospel is a ministration of the Spirit : There is no 
 good revealed, or communicated to us, or Avrought in us, or 
 by us, but it proceeds from the Holy Spirit ; the knoAA'ledge 
 of him, of his Avill, work, and glory, cannot therefore be need- 
 
CONCERNING THE SPIKIt's DIVINITY. 15 
 
 less, and of no importance ; and especially seeing the un- 
 pardonalile sin is peculiarly against him ; and our access to 
 the Father, through tlie Son, is only by him ; and if any man 
 has not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 
 
 The malignant opposition made to him by some, and the 
 vile contempt cast upon him by others, are things which have 
 quenched and grieved him, and caused him to depart, to that 
 dpgTee, as thereby almost all vital religion is lost out of the 
 ^vorld. Hence it is that the glory of God and Christ, the 
 faitli, joy, and zeal of Christians, are under such a cloud at 
 tliis day. Is it not then high time to speak ? Are not the 
 groat doctrines relating to the Spirit to be reviewed, believed, 
 and improved. 
 
 IV. I shall give some account of the opposition that lias 
 heen, and is made, to the scripture-doctrine concerning the 
 Holy Ghost. Satan, the god of tliis world, has raised up 
 many adversaries to this truth, both in ancient and latter 
 times. Some have denied the Deity of the Holy Spirit ; 
 others, avIio owned him to be God, yet have denied his Per- 
 sonality : A third sort have denied his Procession fi-om the 
 Son, which occasioned a long contest between the Greek and 
 the Latin church ; though some have endeavoured to shew 
 tliat the difference was rather nominal than real ; the latter 
 Greeks allowing, that the Spirit proceeds from the Father by 
 the Son a. Of a fourth sort, some have denied, and others 
 slighted the work of the Holy Spirit. Simon Magus, the fa- 
 ther of heretics, according to some, affirmed his Helena to be 
 the Holy Spirit. Some of the Jews b, with whom the So- 
 cinians agree, make the Spu-it to be only the influential power 
 <;f God : And some, in our days, have advanced much the 
 same erroneous opinion ; of which, more may be said here- 
 after. The Mahometans, as the Macedonians did of old, 
 take the Holy Spirit to be an eminent angel ; some say Ga- 
 briel ; however, but a creature. The Macedonian heresy was 
 
 a Pearson on the Creo.l, p. 321, 325. 
 
 * Vid. Dr. Owen of the Spirit, p. 33, PA. 
 
lt> A PKELI-MINARY DISCOURSE 
 
 condemned in a synod of one Iiimdred and fifty bisliops at 
 Constantinople «, as it liad been by several less councils be- 
 fore, '^riie Arians of old, and of late, reject the Deity, and 
 some of them the Personality of the Holy Ghost, as might 
 b(^ made appear by nunii rous lestimonies. The Sabellians 
 pretend, that the !Sj>irit of God is oidy a ditl'erent name, or 
 dispensation of God the Father, Pi-axeas, and Noetus, be- 
 fore Sabellius, were of the same opinion. Paul of Samosata 
 said, that the Holy Spirit was only an action, or power of 
 God ; ^\'ith whom agreed Servetus and others. Some have 
 affirmed the Holy Spirit to be God, and a distinct person 
 from the Fath.er and the Son, but not of the same nature with 
 the Father, as they also affirm of the Son ; so making th& 
 Father, Son, and Spirit, not only three distinct persons, but 
 also three Gods, contrary to the plain and constant doctrine 
 of the scriptures ; which declare God to be but one in nature 
 and essence. Othei-s h have denied the eternity of the Holy 
 Spirit, and taught that lie first began to be after Christ was 
 glorified. 
 
 Our modern Arians, or Eusebians, as some would be call- 
 ed, and some wlio li]<e not either of the names, yet agree 
 with the ancient heresies ; some in denying the Deity, some 
 the Personality of the Holy Ghost, of which it Avere easy,^ 
 were it needful, to give numerous instances. 
 
 One sect more ought not to be forgot ; who tliough tliey 
 seem to have the Iiighest respect for the Spirit, yet, by the 
 Spirit, do not mean that Spirit which inspired the prophets 
 and apostles, who is the true Spirit of God ; for they reject 
 seveial doctrines which he taught, and several ordinances 
 which he, from Christ, enjoined, and several duties Avhicli lie 
 commanded : But the Spirit of God is not so divided against 
 himself. These poor deluded people are therefore to^be mnn- 
 bered with the adversaries of the tnie Spirit of God. Nor 
 can we justly reckon^ our modern Deists any other than his 
 adversaries : And all those \vho deny, or ridicule the office 
 
 « A, D. 381. b Vide Gerli. dc Spr. p. 309. 
 
CONCERNING THE SPIRIT's DIVINITY. 17 
 
 and work of the Spirit, revealed in scripture, and are for 
 going to heaven upon their own legs alone, and by the light 
 of nature cliiefly, if not only, cannot be numbered among his 
 friends, but are rather of their number who do not know him, 
 and cannot receive him. I mention these short and general 
 hints only to shew what need Me have to be confirmed and 
 established in the great doctrines of the Deity, Personality, 
 Office, and Works of the Holy Spirit, 
 
 APPLICATION. 
 
 1. From hence we may learn the infinite gi'ace and love of 
 God to his people, in shedding the Holy Spirit abmidantly 
 upon them a. The first great gift of God was his Son ; the 
 next gi'eatest is his Spirit ; the latter, indeed, is in some sense, 
 comprehensive of the former, seeing all our saving benefit, by 
 the giving Christ to redeem us, depends upon the giving the 
 Spirit, effectually to apply that redemption : They who have 
 the Spirit of Christ are his ; they who have him not are none 
 of his. As God gives a great gift, in giving his Spirit ; so 
 he shews his abundant grace, in the abundant or rich commu- 
 nication of him. Hence it is said by the prophet, ' I will 
 not hide my face from them any more ; for I have poured 
 forth my Spirit upon them b.' _ This effusion of the Spirit is 
 a bright evidence of God's favour. As after a long war, 
 pledges and tokens of peace are mutally given and received ; 
 so Christ took our nature up to heaven, and sent down his 
 Spirit upon earth ; a royal gift, in both instances, the Sou of 
 God, and the Holy Ghost, who is God, sent by the Father 
 and the Son. Let us labour to affect our hearts more with 
 this infinite grace of God the Father. 
 
 2. We may learn the dignity and duty of believers. How 
 great is their honour, to be the temples of God the Holy 
 Spirit ? That the high and lofty One, who has his glorious 
 throne in heaven, with the Father and the Son, should also 
 dwell, not only with, but iii us vile sinners, and make us his 
 
 a Titus iii. 4-, b, 6. b Ezek, xxxiv. 29. 
 
18 A PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE, &C. 
 
 tcmj)lo, is conferring a liigh honour upon us. This honour 
 liave all the saints ; which rises much the higher, as thereby 
 we have union with Christ, and communion both with him 
 and tlie Father. Will God indeed thus dwell with men, yea, 
 (hvell in them, in whom sin and Satan had long before dwelt 
 and reigned ? How high has he raised us, from the most ab- 
 ject, mean, and miserable condition? As tliis sliould fill us 
 with admiration and thankfulness, so it should excite us a to 
 glorify God the S})irit, in and with those souls and bodies 
 which are his temple : How aA^^ul ai'e those words following 
 my text, ' If any man defiles the temple of God, him will 
 Cjod destroy.' 
 
 3. We may leaiu tlie infinite condescension and love of the 
 Spirit. " Next to the love of Christ, in taking our nature, 
 '• and dwelling in it, we may wonder at the love of the Spirit, 
 " in taking up his residence in such defiled souls, and turning 
 " a dungeon into a temple, a prison into a paradise, yea, an 
 *• hell into an heaven Z>." What reason have we to love and 
 adoj'c the Holy Spirit? He is God, and therefore worthy of 
 our love and highest regard ; worthy to be sought of him, 
 who giveth him to them that ask him ; and worthy to be 
 adorod as God, dwelling in his people as in a temple. Know 
 you not that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit 
 of God dwells in you ? 
 
 a i Cor. vi. 10, '^0. b Sibs's fount. scaltJ, p. 12. 
 
THE HOLY spirit'^ DIVINITY, &C. IS 
 
 TFIE HOLY SPIRIT'S DIVINITY PROVED FROM 
 HIS TITLES. 
 
 SERMON II. 
 
 PREACHED SEPTEMBER 9th, 1729. 
 
 1 Cor. iii. 16. — Know you iiot that you are the temple of 
 God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you ? 
 
 J.X a former discourse upon these words, I endeavoured to 
 explain what is meant by the Spirit, and by his dwelling in 
 the saints, and to prove that he does so as God : The neces- 
 sity of knowing and believing the Deity of the Holy Spirit 
 Avas evinced, and the opposition made thereto was likewise 
 represented. I shall now proceed to produce some evidence 
 of the true and proper Divinity of the Holy Spirit, the third 
 Person of the blessed and adorable Trinity in unity ; and as 
 I go along, I shall answer some of the principal objections 
 which are raised against it. The topics I shall insist on to 
 prove the Spirit's true Deity are four, which I shall speak to 
 under so many distinct propositions. 
 
 I. The Holy Spirit is truly God, because, in scriptm-e, he 
 lias divine titles. 
 
 II. The Holy Spirit is truly God, because, according to 
 the oracles of truth, he is invested with divine perfections. 
 
 III. The Holy Spirit is truly God, because lie is repre- 
 sented in scripture as performing those works which only 
 the great God can do. 
 
 IV. The Holy Spirit is truly God, because divine worsiiip 
 is given him in scripture. 
 
 I pui-pose to speak to all these, if the Lord shall permit ; 
 and shall now begin with the first. 
 
 Prop. I. The Holy Spirit is truly God, because, in scrip- 
 ture, he has divine titles ; such as Jehovah, God, and Lord. 
 
20 THE HOLY spirit's divinity 
 
 It was confidently atlii ined of old, and has been of late, 
 that tlie word Clod, in scripture, no where signifies the person 
 of the Holy Sj)irit ; hut the contrary to this, I hope to make 
 a])])onr in several instances. 
 
 Before I enter upon this, I would observe, that, though 
 the Father is said to be the God of Christ, with respect to 
 his liunian nature ; yet lie is never said, in scripture, that I 
 remember, to be the God of the Holy Spirit ; because he has 
 not another nature inferior to the Father, as Christ has. 
 
 Let it also be observed, that when the word God is ap- 
 plied to suc)» as, by nature, are not God", something is always 
 added, by which ^ve may know it; as when it is said, ' I 
 liave made thee a god to Pharaoh a;' it appears that Mose» 
 was not god by nature, because he was a made god ; which 
 the true God is not ; and he is said to be a god only to Pha- 
 raoh ; whereas the true God is God over all, blessed for ever. 
 And in that passage, ' I have said, you are gods ; but you 
 shall die like men b ;' it is plain the true God is not intend- 
 ed ; for he is but one : Wh(;reas the text speaks of more 
 than one, and calls tliem gods, and says, they shall die like 
 men ; but tlie true God is immortal and eternal. Once, in 
 scripture, it is said, that 'God is a Spirit <?;' and from thence 
 we conclude, that God is a spiritual immaterial Being ; es- 
 pecially seeing there are so many things said in scripture, 
 ^vhich pi'ove him so to be. In like manner, if we could pro- 
 duce but one text in which the Holy Spirit is called God, 
 we ought to believe him so to be, especially seeing, in other 
 places, such things ai^ ascribed to liim, which can belong to 
 none but the tme God. It is indeed gi'anted, that if he were 
 never so expressly, and never so often called God, yet if in 
 those places, as in the cases above, any thing was affirmed of 
 liim inconsistent with his being the true God, we ought not 
 to believe, him so to be ; but otlierwise, one such assertion is 
 sufficient. 
 
 I ivill oi'.ly add, bi'fore I come to the instances themselves, 
 
 o Exo.l. vii. 1. h P.Mil. Ixxxii. Qi. c John iv. 2k 
 
PROVED FROM HIS TITLES. 21 
 
 tliat when any name is applied in scripture to any person or 
 tiling-, we are to consider, whether the scripture only reports • 
 it as done by fallible sinful men, or as done by the faithful, 
 infallible God ; if it be the latter, we may conclude it is 
 rightly applied ; for God cannot eiT, nor deceive us. 
 
 Having premised these tilings, I come to tlie scripture- 
 proofs, that the names of God, Lord, Jehovah, God himself, 
 are applied to the Holy Spirit, without any thing added in- 
 consistent with his being the true God. 
 
 1. I shall consider the several passages of the Old Testa- 
 ment in which the Holy Spirit has divine titles. In the 
 Psalms a we read, that the Israelites provoked the Most 
 High in the wilderness, and tempted God in their hearts : 
 This the prophet Isaiah applied to the Holy Spirit, when he 
 said, ' They rebelled and vexed his Holy Spirit h :' The 
 consequence of this is,, the Holy Spirit is the Most High 
 God. The apostle Paul, speaking of the same thing, intro- 
 duced the Holy Ghost, saying, ' Harden not yom- hearts, as 
 in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness, 
 when your fathers tempted me c ;' so that the Spirit is God, 
 of whom the Psalmist speaks in the passage cited. 
 
 It was said of Israel, by Moses, ' The Lord, viz. Jelio%^ah, 
 alone, did lead them, and there was no strange god with 
 iiim cV Who this Jehovah is, that did thus lead them, we 
 are informed by the prophet Isaiah e, in whom we read, that 
 the Holy Spirit led them by the right hand of Moses, with 
 liis glorious arm : He therefore is tlie Lord Jehovah, the true 
 and eteiinal God. The Psalmist says, ' I will hear what the 
 Lord will speak; for he will speak peace to his people/;' 
 which is interpreted of the Holy Spirit, ^^liOse work it is to 
 speak peace to the saints. Peace is one of his fruits g. Like- 
 wise the Lord of Hosts, in Isaiah's h vision, said, ' Go and 
 tell this people, Hear you indeed, but understand not :' This 
 
 a Psal. Ixxviii. 17, 18. b Isa. Ixiii. 10. c Heb. iii. 7, 8. 
 
 d Dent, xxxiil. 12. e I.^a. Ixiii. 11, 11. fVw.X. Ixxxv. 8. 
 
 g Gal. V. 'i-l. h Isa. vi. 3, i. 
 
52 THE HOLY spirit's divinity 
 
 is, by tlip apostle c, applied to the Holy (ihost ; * \V<'11 spoke 
 the Holy Ghost, sayin^:, Iloariiiir ye shall hear, and shall not 
 understand.' The Holy (iliost then is the Lord of Hosts, the 
 true and real God. One of the ancients h, compaiing the fore- 
 mentioned texts in Isaiah, and in tlie Acts, thus argues : " It 
 " was the Spirit ihat s<»nt Isaiah : if it was tlie Spirit that sent 
 *' him, then it was the same Spirit that lie saw sittinir upon a 
 " throne, hii^l), and lifted up, with whose glory the house was 
 *' filled ; the seraphs saying to one another, Holy, Holy, Holy, 
 *' Lord God of Hosts, the Avholc earth is filled with thy glory : 
 *' Therefore the Holy Spirit is the Lord of Hosts." It has 
 been objected, that Isaiahs vision Avas of Christ's glory, and is 
 80 interpreted in the New Testament c : To which it may be 
 replied. That there does not appear to be any inconsistency be- 
 tween these two, tlie manifestation of the glory of Christ, and 
 of the Spirit ; seeing it is the Spirit's Avork to glorify Christ, 
 by shewing his things to men. And why might not the Spirit 
 iiOAv a})pear in the glory of Christ, and in his own glory at 
 once ; as Christ hereafter shall appear in his OAvn glory, and 
 also in the glory of his Father ? And it niay be, those words, 
 ' Whom shall I send ?' and, ' Who will go for us ?' may 
 favour this answer to the objection ; but I submit the whole 
 to consideration ; only I would beg leave to add, that I am 
 not singular in this o]>inion ; botli ancient and modem in- 
 terpreters have thus explained it d. 
 
 a Acts XXV iii. 25, 2G. 
 
 b Anibr. de Spir. Sanct. p. 273, 274. c John xii. 41. 
 
 d Cln'ysostoni upon those words, * These things said Isaiah, when 
 he saw his glory,' says, Whose glory? The Father's? How then 
 doth John apply it to the Si/n, and Paul to the Spirit? not as con- 
 founding the Persons, but declaring the glory to be but one. 
 
 Jerome says on the place in Isaiah, Who that Lord was, that wa« 
 seen, may be fully learnt from John the Evangelist, and the Acts of 
 the Apostles; John evidently means Christ; Paul, in the Acts, nays, 
 Well spake the Holy Ghost by Isaias : But the Son wa.s seen in ( h<» 
 drcKs of a king, and the Holy Ghost spake as being a partner la tli** 
 glory, and one >vith liim in substance. 
 
PROVED FROxM HIS TITLES. 23 
 
 Thus we see, that in the Old Testament, the names and 
 titles which belong to the great God, and have nothing join- 
 ed with them that is inconsistent with true and proper Deity, 
 are attributed to the Spirit ; which being explained by other 
 scriptures that apply to the Holy Ghost what, elsewhere, had 
 been spoke of Jehovah, the Most High God, afford a plain 
 scripture-evidence that the Holy Spirit is God Most Higli. 
 
 And thus he is represented by one of the ancients, descant- 
 ing upon those words, ' All these worketli that one and the 
 felf-same Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will «.' 
 " As he will, it is said, not, as he is commanded ; dividing, 
 • not as divided ; he being the Author, not subject to au- 
 -' thority. Do you not see the perfect power ? for they who 
 " have the same nature, no doubt, have the same authority ; 
 " and they that have the same dignity, have one and the 
 " same virtue and power 6." 
 
 2. I now proceed to the more distinct consideration of 
 several passages in the New Testament, which declare the 
 Deity of the Holy Spirit. The first is that in Luke's gospel : 
 ^ The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of 
 the Highest shall overshadow thee <?.' We have here the 
 act and work of a voluntary and free agent, and not barely an 
 emanation, or efflux of power, sent forth ft-om God. The 
 power of God is said to be given to men, or they are said to 
 
 The glory that appeared to Isaiah, is the glory of the Father, Rev. 
 iv. 8. and of the Son, John xii. 41. and of the Holy Ghost, Acts 
 .axviii. 26. Now, since three Persons are manifested in one glory, and 
 ~ the manifestations are designed to bring us into the knowledge of the 
 things manifested : it is a great probability, that the one giovy teaches 
 us the unity or identity of nature, of the Pei'sons manifested in it. — 
 -Script. Doctrine on the Trin. by Mr. Nelson's friend, p. 1 la. 
 
 a 1 Cor. xii. 11. 
 
 fiiuf 07\Xov on K, V ecvBsv'jix (/.to,' x, uv l(TOTifJi,ot h ^^'x, riruv x, h ovva/xt;, 5 
 fi s^»cr/« ytt/«.— Chrysost. Ser. xi. vol. v. p. 502. 
 
 c Luke i. 35. 
 
*24< THE HOLY spirit's DIVINITY 
 
 be endued witli it ; but it is not said to come upon a person ; 
 for tliat and oversbadowin*; are vohnitary personal actions, 
 tind cannot Avell 1)e applied to a divine power or attribute, or 
 tlie efficacy of tliat powers To suppose the Holy Ghost to 
 be only the power of God, and not a real pei-son, is to make 
 lyuke guilty of a gi'oss tautoloery, in saying, ' The Holy 
 (jhost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest 
 shall overshadow thee :' For, according to this supposition, 
 he had said, the power of the Highest shall come upon thee, 
 and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee. When 
 it is said, Christ a retumed in the power of tlie Spirit, is tlie 
 meaning that he retiu'ned in the poAver of the power of God, 
 as it must be, if the Spirit of God does not denote a person, 
 but only God's efficient power. The Spirit and power are 
 often joined together in scripture ; but that as one b has ol)- 
 served, does not so much denote the Spirit to be power, as it 
 distinguishes him from that power with whicli he is conjoined. 
 
 By the Holy Ghost we are then to understand a Person; 
 and by tlie Highest, the same Person is denoted. He miglit 
 well be called the Highest, as performing a work peculiar to 
 tlie Most High God ; the forming or creating Clu'ist's human 
 nature in the w^omb of the Virgin, by overshadowing her. 
 The word, overshadowing, is thought to allude to the work 
 of the Holy Spirit in the first creation, wlien he moved r, 
 or, as the word signifies, brooded upon the waters, or gave a 
 prolific virtue to them, as fowls do to their e^^^, by sitting 
 upon them. The Holy Spirit, by a secret almighty power> 
 formed Christ's body out of the substance of the Virgin, and 
 animated it with a living soul. 
 
 The Holy Ghost then is the Highest, and liis power is tlie 
 power of the Highest, exerted in this work, in a voluntary 
 "way ; for it cannot be reasonably thought, that the Spirit who 
 does all his othor works according to his own will, should be 
 only a passive instrument in forming Christ's human nature 
 
 a Luke iv. 14. h Bisterf. coritra Crel. p. 4^13. 
 
 t Ge». i. 2. — Sec ratritk in h^c. 
 
PROVED FROM HIS TI I'LES. \ 2.!> 
 
 ill tlie womb of the Virgin. The same person, and the same 
 almiglity power, are here to be understood, as are meant in 
 those a other places, where it is said, that ' God breathed 
 into Adam the breath of Hfe, and he became a hving soul.' 
 And again, * The Spirit of God has made me ; and the breath 
 of tlie Almighty (the same Almighty Spiiit) has given me 
 life.' Thus we see that the Holy Ghost is the Highest, the 
 Creator and INIaker of man, and particulai'ly of Christ's hu- 
 man nature, and therefore true and real God. 
 
 Again, believers are said to be bom of God & ; Avhich is 
 explained by Christ, of being born of the Spirit : The Spirit 
 therefore, by whom men are regenerated and new born, is 
 God ; and is so styled in scripture. 
 
 Another celebrated passage, is that in the Acts c\ * why 
 lias Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost? thou 
 hast not lied to men, but to God.' Lying to the Holy Ghost 
 is lying to God, because the Holy Ghost is God. The 
 offence Avas a tempting, or ah endeavour to deceive the Holy 
 Ghost ; a trial of skill, whether he knew and would punish 
 their fraud. 
 
 It is the work of the Holy Spirit d to make manifest the 
 secrets of the heart when he pleases ; the gift of discerning 
 spirits is from him : ' To one is given, by the Spirit, the word 
 of wisdom ; to another the discerning of spirits.' What is it 
 to discern spirits ? says Chrysostom e, to know A\'ho is spiri- 
 tual and who is not spiritual, and who is a deceiver. The 
 Spii-it enabled the New Testament prophets jf, to make ma- 
 nifest the secrets of the heart, to tell men their thoughts, 
 which made the convicted fall doTvn and confess the Spirit to 
 be God, and to worship him as such ; for as Solomon said to 
 the God of Israel, ' Thou, even thou only Imowest the hearts 
 of all the children of men g^ Peter then might well charge 
 Ananias with lying to God, when he Ued to the Holy Ghost ; 
 
 a Gen. ii. 7. — Job xxxiii. 4. h John i. 13. iii. 5, 8. 
 
 c Acts V. 7. d\ Cor. xii. 8. e Chiysost. in loc. 
 
 / 1 Cor. xiv. S-i, 2b. g I Kings viii. 39. 
 VOL. III. B 
 
2€» THE HOLY SPlini'.b DIVINITY 
 
 as if lie had said, It is not barely an attempt to deceive us 
 apostles, who ai'e hut men, though God's messengers ; hut it 
 is an affront to God, the Holy Spirit, a contempt of liis om- 
 niscience, holiness, or power, as if lie did not know, or either 
 would not, or could not punish yoiu- fraud and covetousness. 
 
 It is alleged, that Ananias lied to God, dwelling in the 
 apostles by his Spirit ; hut we may observe, tliat God the 
 Father is not mentioned in the whole story ; what reason 
 then is there to expound it of him ? especially when it is said, 
 that he lied to and tempted the Holy Ghost. If it is sup- 
 posed, that lying to the Holy Ghost was lying to God, be- 
 cause the Holy Ghost was God's messenger and minister, 
 then lying to tlie apostles might, for the same reason, have 
 been called a lying to God : for they were God's messengers 
 and ministers ; yet it is said, ' You have not lied to men, but 
 to God ;' wlience we may infer, that l)'ing to the Holy Spirit 
 was lying to God ; not because the S[)irit acted in the name 
 of God, but because lie is God by nature, the searcher of 
 hearts, and the avenger of sin. If the Holy Ghost himself 
 had not been that God to whom Ananias lied, how necessary 
 had it been to have placed a guard here, as well as with re- 
 spect to the apostles ; and, to prevent mistakes, to have said, 
 * You have not lied to men, nor to the Holy Ghost, but to 
 God ;' or if it had been expressed affirmatively, ' You have 
 indeed lied to men, and to the Holy Ghost ; and, which is 
 still worse, you have lied to the great God.' But, as it is ex- 
 pressed in scripture, the most natural and obvious sense is, tjiat 
 the Holy Ghost is himself that God, to whom Ananias lied. 
 
 But it is urged by Dr. Clarke, that Athanasius himself 
 understood the text in his sense ; his (Athanasius's) words 
 are, " He that lied to the Holy Ghost, lied to God, who 
 *' dwells in men by his Spirit; for where the Spirit of God is, 
 " there is God ; for hereby, says the apostle, Ave know that 
 " God dwells in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit a." 
 
 a Vlti « •^ivffo.fjt.ivo? Toil ky'iui 'Wvtvf/.oCii, rZ OtZ l-\J/itiffKio, rw KetlotKVvli tv 
 
PROVED FROM HIS TITLES. 27 
 
 To which it may be rephed, That it is very unfair to bring 
 ill l]iat person as evading an eminent testimony to the Deity 
 of tlie Holy Ghost, who was so zealous an assertor of tlie di- 
 ^ iiiity of Father, Son, and Holy Spuit. If Athanasius did 
 allow, that the Holy Spirit acted by dispensation, and so was 
 sent by the Father, it is no more than what the scriptures 
 teach, and the catholic cluuch has ever held. But it does 
 not from hence follow, that lie thought the Spirit to be only 
 the messenger and minister of God, and not himself the true 
 (lod. In the same discourse, where the words cited by Dr. 
 Clarke are, Atlianasius had but a little before said ; '• It is 
 " impious to affirm, that the Spirit of God is created or made, 
 " seeing all tlie scriptures, both the Old Testament and tlie 
 " New, join and glorify him with the Father and the Son, be- 
 " cause he is of the same Deity, Power, and Essence." And 
 again, '' They are his (Christ's) adversaries, who do not con- 
 *' fess him and his Holy Spirit to be of the same substance 
 " with the Father «." 
 
 Chrysostom, in answer to the Arian explication of the text, 
 says bf '• O fooUsh and inconsiderate man — Peter says not as 
 " you take it ; for if the contumely against the Spirit re- 
 " dounds to God, as one that sent him, it should have been 
 " said, Thou liast not lied to the Spirit, but to God." 
 
 I shall conclude the explication and vindication of tlie text 
 under consideration, with the words of the great Dr. Owen c 
 upon it ; " The Holy Ghost is expressly called God ; and 
 
 0£Of £v r^TM y^i.o^ (P'Affi, ytvuKrKOfj.i'i, oti o @zO$ sv 'if/,Tv juivsi o'li Ix t5 cti-jJ- 
 ^o/a? «Ji5 Ti'^MK-v 7;u7v. — Athanas. de Incarnat. Vol. i. p. 605. 
 
 a AiT'ioi; Ifi ksyetv k]i?ov yi zsroiniov rozffvivy.x t5 OiS oTOTt, zraifct yoa^pn 
 'Sfctkot.ta. Ti X, KuiMy; y.fla, Zfaloos k, w;5 (rvva,pt^f/,ei avre, jj oo'^a.l^ei. Aio-rt 
 
 TYIS U.V\>i B-:C7>flo; \?l, K. T'Ai UlTiij; UtTtCC;. —\jhi Slip. p. GOO. 
 
 Av//xflv/a/ oi f/yr, ofAoXoyiviis avlov, ^ to zirvsvfici uvfi, t'/i; avin? ru UulA 
 iffia,;. — Ibid. p. G09. 
 
 b A<p^ov ^ a\oyt?i tsa itTiv, eu; ffu iiio'/iffa,i' h ya^h tZ iST)i'iVfJt,oc ic; iitoi; li; 
 ©iflv htr^i^iv cos u^o^-ciAafjct, lp(,^nv ii-Telv, 5» i'4'iV(rai tm ■sSv%v(Jt,({\t, aXka 
 <ri eii-.—Yol. vi. p. 206, 207. 
 
 c Of the Spirit, p. 6 1. 
 
28 THE HOLY SI'IKIt's DIVINITY 
 
 *' having tlie name of God proporly and directly given to 
 " him, with respect to spirituul things, or tliinii^s peculiar to 
 ••' God, he must liave the nature of God. Ananias is said to 
 " lie to the Holy Ghost ; this is repeated and interpreted, 
 ^' Thou hast not lied to men, but unto God ; tlie dedarp.tiou 
 " of the person intended by the Holy Gho?>t, is added for the 
 " aggravation of the sin ; for he is God ; tlie same person, the 
 " same object of the sin of Ananias, is expressed in both 
 '' places ; and therefore the Holy Ghost is God." 
 
 I have been the longer upon this, because it is so full a 
 testimony to the Deity of the Holy Ghost, and because our 
 adversaries are so zealous to wrest it out of our hands. 
 
 In my text, and the following verses, the Holy Ghost is 
 called God three times; ' Know you not that you are tlie 
 
 temple of God? — If any man defiles the temple of God 
 
 The temple of God is holy.' The God intended in all these 
 expressions, is the Holy Ghost, Avho dwells in the saints, as 
 in his temple, as has been largely proved iji the ex})lication 
 of my text. He who dwells in the saints, as in liis temple, 
 is the living God : ' You are the temple of the living God ; 
 as God has said, I will dwell in them «.' The Holy Ghost 
 dwells in the saints as in his temple : ' Your body is the tem- 
 ple of the Holy Ghost.' Therefore the Holy Ghost is the 
 living God: and they are properly said to be the temple of 
 God, in whom the Holy Spirit dwells. 
 
 Another text in which the Holy Ghost is called God, is 
 tbis ; ' Faith, which is of the operation of God b.' It is the 
 Holy Spirit, who worketh faith in the heart ; it is one of his 
 fruits c. The Holy Spirit therefore is God. 
 
 In anotlier place, the apostle, speaking of his own preach- 
 ing, says, That it was in the demonstration of tlie Spirit, that 
 the people's faith might not stand in the wisdom of man, but 
 in the power of God, even of God the Spirit, in whose de- 
 monstration the apostle spake d. 
 
 a 2 Cor. vi. 16, 10, b Col. ii. 12. c Gul. v. 22. 
 
 d I Cor. ii. 4, 5, 
 
PROVED FROM HIS TITLES. 29 
 
 It is likewise said, tliat ' all scripture is given by inspira- 
 tion of God ;' or of the Spirit ; for, ' holy men spake as they 
 A\'ere moved by the Holy Ghost «.' 
 
 We read, ' that God has set in the church, first apostles, 
 secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers b :' Now it was the 
 Holy Ghost who made them overseers, called them to their 
 A\'ork, and made it successful ; they were ministers of the 
 Spirit, and their spiritual weapons were mighty through God, 
 to the pulling down strong holds ; The Holy Ghost then is 
 tliat God, wlio set the officers in the chm'ch, and gave them 
 assistance and success in their work. 
 
 With respect to the internal work of grace and consolation, 
 lie is often, in scripture, spoke of as God. ' It is God that 
 works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasm*e c' 
 But it is the Holy Spirit, Avhose immediate work it is, to make 
 men willing to work out their salvation, and to enable them 
 to do it ; and this he does of his own good pleasure ; for he 
 distributes to every man severally as he will. 
 
 All our good works are wrought in God, even God the 
 Spirit d, who renews, sanctifies, and quickens us, and enables 
 
 us to obev the truth e. 
 
 •I 
 
 Tlie apostle Pauiy says, That it is the same Spirit, Lord, 
 nnd God, that v\"orks all in all. The same Spirit that gives 
 iliversities of gifts, is that Lord who acts with sovereignty, 
 and that God who works all in all. Hence it folloAvs, that 
 the Holy Spirit is God ; and he is, I think, so expressly called 
 in the scripture referred to. 
 
 I know that many, by the same Spirit, understand the 
 Holy Ghost, by the same Lord, Jesus Christ, and by the same 
 God, God the Father ; because, as they think, the Spirit, 
 Lord, and God, are distinguislied from one another : But this 
 is begging the question ; for all these titles may be applied to 
 the Holy Ghost, who really is both Spirit, Lord, and God. 
 
 a 2 Tim. iii. 16— 2 Pet. i. 21. ^1 Cor. xii. 28. 
 
 c V.:.]. ii. 13. d John iii. 22. 
 
 t 1 Fet. i. 22. / 1 Cov. xii. 4, 5, 6. 
 
30 THE HOLY spirit's DIVINITY 
 
 He may be called Sj)irit, as to the gifts of grace, which, as a 
 Spirit, he bestows : He may be called Lord, with respect to 
 those services and administrations which he, by his authority, 
 appoints ; for he makes ministers, calls and sends them as he 
 pleases : And he may be called God, with respect to those 
 miraculous works which required an almighty ])ower. 
 
 And seeing it is said, that ' it is the same Ciod that works 
 all in all,' and that one and th.e self-same Spirit works all 
 these, why may we not, by the same God, and tlie one and 
 the self-same Spirit, understand one and the self-same Per- 
 son, even the Holy Ghost ? And especially, seeing the apos- 
 tle's express design, in this chapter, and the two which fol- 
 low, is to treat of the gifts and work of the Holy Spirit, and 
 not of those of God the Father, as distinguished from him. 
 
 If we understand the * same God' who works all in all, of 
 the Father only, then we exclude the Spirit, who is expressly 
 said to work all these things. And though the ivorks of the 
 Trinity, as to creatures, are undivided, yet it seems not so 
 agreeable to the divine oeconomy, to ascribe that work to God 
 the Father, which, in the same discourse, is so largely and 
 expressly applied to the Holy Spirit. 
 
 Farther, when the apostle had said, ' It is the same God 
 who works all in all ;' he immediately adds, to shew who he 
 meant, that the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every 
 man to profit with ; in what way soever God the Spirit works 
 in, or by those to whom he imparts his gifts ; it is all de- 
 signed for the good of those to whom they minister, and not 
 to nourish pride, or tear the church with contention. 
 
 I may add, that the personal pronoun, ^uih, being joined 
 with o 0ifif, it cannot so well be applied to the Godhead, as 
 including Father, Son, and Spirit, as it may be applied to the 
 S{)irit alone. The words, ' that same,' and, * that self-same,' 
 so often used by the apostle, seem to denote one and the self- 
 same Person spoke of in all the several places in which they 
 are used. 
 
 Nor, to me, d)e.s it seem improper to call the Holy Spirit, 
 
PROVED FROM HIS TITLES. 31 
 
 the same Lord, seeing the government of the chiu'ch is put 
 into his hands by Christ, and he manages it with authoiity 
 and sovereignty, dividing to every man severally as he will ; 
 all liis gifts are favom's : Those that have the gi'eatest have 
 no reason to boast ; nor those who have the least, to murmur. 
 
 Dr. Owen has thus explained this place: " Treating of 
 " these spiritual things, or gifts, in the church, he (the apos- 
 " tie) first declares theii- author, from whom they come, and 
 " by whom they are ^\Tought and bestowed ; him he calls 
 " the Spirit, the Lord God : And to denote the oneness^ 
 " of their author, notwithstanding the diversity of the things 
 '* themselves, he calls him the same Spirit, the same Lord, 
 " the same God «." And having mentioned their opinion, 
 who apply the words. Spirit, Lord, and God, to the Spirit, 
 Christ, and the Father, he adds ; " But rather the Spirit alone 
 " is intended, and hath this threefold denomination given 
 *' unto him ; for as he is particularly denoted by the name of 
 " the Spirit, that we may know whom it is that he eminently 
 " intends ; so he calls him both Lord and God, as to manifest 
 " his sovereign authority in all his works and administrations, 
 " so to ingenerate a due reverence in their hearts towards 
 " him, with whom they had to do in this matter ; and no 
 " more is intended in these three verses, but what is thus 
 " summed up : ' But all these worketh that one and the self- 
 " same Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.' " 
 
 The apostle Paul prayed thus ; ' The God of patience and 
 consolation grant you tabe like minded to one another, accord- 
 ing to Christ Jesus; that you may, with one mind, and one 
 mouth, glorify God, even the Father of Cliiist Jesus h.' The 
 God of patience and consolation is here spoken of, as a per- 
 son distinct from the Father, and from Christ Jesus ; and so 
 it is best imderstood to be God the Holy Ghost, who is tlie 
 author of the Christian's patience and comfort. 
 
 When the apostle speaks thus ; ' According as God has 
 dealt to every man the measure of faith c ;' I take it to be 
 
 a O'.vcn of the Spirit, p. 5. b Rom. xv. o, 6. c Chap. xii. 3.. 
 
32 THE HOLY spirit's divinity 
 
 meant of God the Holy Spirit, wlio is the autlmr of faitli, as 
 
 well as of all those p;ifts mentioned in the following verses. 
 
 It is also said, ' I will put my laws into their minds, and 
 write them in their hearts ; and I will he to them a God, and 
 they shall he to me a people a.' He who writes the law in 
 the heart, is the Holy Spirit ; as we read, ' You are mani- 
 festly the epistle of Christ, written not with ink, hut with the 
 Spirit of the living God ; not in tahles of stone, but in the 
 fleslily tables of your liearts b' He who writes the laAV in 
 the heart, is God ; I will write it. I will be to you a God. 
 The Spirit therefore who writes the law in the lieart, is God. 
 
 The apostle Paul said, with respect to himself and his fel- 
 loAV-labourers, * All our sujQficiency is of God, who has made 
 us able ministers of the New Testament c' This is God the 
 Spirit : It is liis work to qualify men for the work of the 
 ministry, to call them to it, to assist them in it, and to make 
 the weapons of their spiritual warfai'e mighty and successful j 
 they are ministers of the Spirit, of that Spirit who gives life, 
 of that Spirit which makes men overseers over the church, 
 and which said, ' Sepaiate me Barnabas and Saul, to the 
 work to which I have called them d.' This is that God who 
 made them able ministers, of whom is all their sufficiency. 
 
 The apostles also said, * We ourselves are comforted of 
 God e ;' or, the Holy Spirit, who is the Comforter : The 
 churches walked in the comforts of the Holy Ghost. The 
 Holy Ghost therefore is that God who comforted the apostles. 
 
 The Holy Ghost is styled Lord, and the Lord with the 
 article : A name which, as has been often observed, answer.s 
 to the name Jehovah, in the Old Testament, and is, by the 
 Seventy, often used for Jehovah in the Greek version of it. 
 
 The adversaries are not willing to allow that the Holy 
 Spirit is called Lordy in scripture. But that he is so, is, I 
 
 a Ilcb. viii. 10. h 2 Cor. iii. 13. c CJiap. v. 6. 
 
 d Acts xiii. 2. e 2 Cor. i. 4. 
 
 y For neither in the Old or in the New Testament is there any one 
 place where tlie II )ly Ghost is ever spoken of under the title of LoihK 
 — Dr. Clarke's answer to Mr. Nelson's frionil, p. 203. 
 
PIIOVED FROM Ills TITLES. 33 
 
 lliiak, very plain, in the a following place; 'The Lord is 
 that Spirit, changed into the same linage, even as by the Spi- 
 rit of the Lord, or, more properly, according to the Greek b, 
 by the Lord the Spirit.' His lordship had been before de- 
 clared, in his making and employing ministers, and now in re- 
 newing souls, and bringing them out of bondage into liberty. 
 
 It is said, ' The Lord direct your hearts into the love of 
 God, and into the patient waiting for Christ c' Where the 
 Lord prayed to, is the Spirit, in express distinction from God 
 the Father, and from Christ ; for the apostle prays to this 
 Lord to direct their hearts into the love of God, that is, the 
 work of the Lord the Spirit ; and also to cause them pa- 
 tiently to wait for Christ ; and this also is the work of the 
 Spirit : The Spirit therefore is that Lord to whom he prayed. 
 And to interpret the word Lord of any other, would make 
 the apostle to express himself very improperly ; For, if by 
 Lord we understand God the Father, then he prays thus ; 
 God direct your hearts into the love of God : It would rather 
 have been, into the love of himself, if the Father had been 
 meant : Or, if by Lord, Christ be meant, then the latter part 
 of the petition runs thus ; The Lord Christ direct your hearts 
 into the patient waiting for Christ ; and why not into the pa- 
 tient waiting for himself, if by Lord he had been intended ? 
 But if by Lord we understand the Holy Spirit, the expres- 
 sions are clear and f(dl to his purpose. Ambrose makes use 
 of this scripture to prove, that the Spirit is Lord, as well as 
 the Father and the Son d. *' Let it be shewed what Lord it 
 " Is, that directs into the love of God, and patient waiting for 
 " Christ, if Ave deny the direction of the Holy Spirit." By 
 Lord here, understand the Spirit, says Theophylact e, adding, 
 that the great Basil had so explained It. 
 
 In another place the apostle says, ' The Lord mnke you 
 to increase and abound in love one towards another, to tlie 
 end he may establish your hearts unblaineable in holiness bc- 
 
 o 2 Cor. iii, 17, 18. h K-jpoi 'Vvivi/.aioi. c 2 Thess. iii. 5. 
 
 d Am'jr. de Spin Sane. 1. 3. e. 15. p. 'ZoQ. e Vide Theop. in loe. 
 
34 Tilt; HOLY spiiin's divintty 
 
 fore God, even our Father, at the coniiiig of our Lord Jtviiis 
 Clirist a.' Here a£?aiii, the Lord spoke of, is distinguished 
 from the Father and the Son ; for he is to estahlisli the heart 
 before the Fatlier, and at the coming of Cln-ist ; and tliere- 
 foje is a third pei"son, even the Lord tlie Spirit, whose \\'()rk 
 it is to sanctify and estahlisli the saints. 
 
 Thus we see that the Holy Ghost is called Jehovah in the 
 Old Testament, and often God and Lord in the New Testa- 
 ment. The Most Hi«rh God, whom the Israelites provoked 
 in the wilderness, is, by Isaiali and Paul, declaied to be the 
 Holy Ghost. The Lord Jehovah, who alone led the people, 
 was the Holy Ghost, as Isaiah explains it. The King, Je- 
 liovah of Hosts, who sent the prophet Isaiah to the people, 
 was tlie Holy Ghost. It was Jehovah Avho promised to write 
 his laws in the people's hearts : But, according to the apostle, 
 it was the Holy Ghost ^vho said, I will write my laws in their 
 hearts. The Lloly Ghost is also that person, who is tlie 
 Highest, and manifested an almighty creating power, in forai- 
 ing Christ's human nature. The Holy Ghost is that God of 
 whom ])eliever» are horn ; that God to whom Aiianias lied ; 
 that God Avhose temple believers are ; that God who works 
 faith in the heart ; that God, by whose inspiration the scrip:? 
 tures Avere given : he is that God in whose power the be- 
 liever's faith stands ; that God who sets officers in the clnuTh ; 
 that God AvliO works in Christians to \\\\\ and to do ; that 
 God who works all in all, in the diversity of gifts bestowed 
 on men : he is the God of patience and consolation ; that 
 God who deals to every man the measure of faith ; that God 
 who writes his laws in tlie heart : he is that God of whom is 
 all our sufficiency, and who made the apostles able minittere 
 of the New Testament ; that God who comforted the apos- 
 tles, and enabled them to comfort otiiers. The Holy Ghost 
 is that Lord who gives liberty, and changes men into the 
 image of Christ ; he is that Lord who directs our hearts into 
 the love of God, and the j)atient waiting for Christ ; ho is that 
 
 a ] Thess. lil. I?. M 
 
PROVED FROM HIS TITLES. 35 
 
 Lord who makes us to increase and abound in love one to- 
 wards another. If this is the sciipture doctrine concerning 
 the Holy Spirit, we may therb safely conclude, that he, as 
 well as the Father and the Son, is the true and real God ; 
 those high titles before mentioned, being applied to him in as- 
 full and unlimited a sense as to either of the other persons ia 
 the Godhead ; for it cannot be shewed, that any one of thesa 
 names or titles of God was ever given, in such a manner, and 
 with such circumstances, to any being below the tiue and 
 living God. We may then justly wonder, how any, who re- 
 tain any serious regard to the holy scriptufes, should deny 
 the Deity of the Holy Ghost ; which is so abundantly de- 
 clared in the scriptures alleged, and may also be otherwise 
 proved, as I hope to make appear in our progi'ess upon this 
 subject. 
 
 But the adversaries have not been afraid to contradict and 
 blaspheme ; they have employed all their diligence, art, and 
 subtility, in opposmg his Deity, Personality, and Glory : 
 What indefatigable pains have they taken to wrest the scrip- 
 tures, and pervert them into any sense*, and sometimes into 
 nonsense, rather than they should proclaim the Godhead of 
 the Holy Spirit? 
 
 1. It is objected. That the name Jehovah is applied to- 
 what is not God, and therefore the application of that name 
 to the Holy Ghost, does not prove him to be God i We find 
 one altar a called Jehovah Nissi, another Jehovah Jireth, a 
 third Jehovah Shalom, and a city Jehovali Sharamah : To 
 which I answer, Tliat the instances alleged do not come up 
 to the point in hand, because the name Jehovali is not there 
 applied to an intelligent being, but to an altar, or a city, and 
 so must be understood in a metaphorical sense ; Neither is 
 it alone, and by itself, appUed to the things spoke of, but is 
 joined with other words, which signify the occasions or rea- 
 sons of that metapJiorical application, as Jeho'> ah Nissi, the 
 Lord is my banner ; Jehovah Jiieth, the Lord Avill see, or 
 
 a Exod. xvii. 1 j.— Gen. xxii. LI. — Judges \i. 24%— Ezek. :dviiL 3i>. 
 
35 THE HOLY spirit's DIVINITY 
 
 provide ; Jeliovali Slialom, the Lord send peace ; and Jelio- 
 vah IShammal), the Lord is there. But where is the Avord 
 Jeliovah, ah)ne, and hy itself, applied to any intelligent being 
 but God? He plainly appropriates it to himself: ' His name 
 alone is Jehovah «.' I am Jehovah, and there is none else : 
 The word Jehovah sio^nifying the eternal immutable God, can- 
 not properly be applied to any other but that God who is 
 eternal and immutable ; and, being applied to the Holy Spirit, 
 shews him to be the eternal and immutable God, one in na- 
 ture with the Father and the Son; for it is God alone, and 
 none else, whose name is Jehovah ; that is his memorial, and 
 his glory will he not give to another. 
 
 2. It is said, That the word Jehovah cannot be applied to 
 more persons than one, and consequently cannot be the name 
 of tlie Holy Ghost : To which I reply, That this is so far 
 from being true, that it is applied to three several persons in 
 scripture, the Father, Son, and Spmt, and to two at once. 
 I, viz. Jehovah, will save them by Jehovah, their God h. 
 Jeliovah tlie Father, promises to save them by Jehovah the 
 Son; which, I think, is a sufficient answer to this objection. 
 
 3. It may be said, That the Holy Spirit is, in scripture, 
 called God and Lord ; yet that may be meant only mini- 
 sterially c, as they were called gods, to whom the word of 
 God came, Avho yet were not the true God ; so he who 
 speaks not of himself, but what he hears, as the Spirit does, 
 may be called god, and yet not be the true God. To which 
 it may be replied. That the gods that have not made the hea- 
 vens and the earth, shall perisli from tlie earth, and from 
 under the heavens : But the Holy Spirit made the heavens 
 and the earth, as will be shewed hereafter, and is the eternal 
 Spirit ; and therefore no made god, or god only by office. 
 He has taken upon him an office in tlie work of our salvation, 
 as the Son aV;o did ; but this does neither exclude nor destroy 
 the Deity of either of them. As the Son remained in the 
 form of God, notwithstanding he took upon him the form of 
 
 a Psal. Ivxxlil. 18. b IIos. i. 7. c John x. 35. 36. xvi. 13. 
 
PROVED FROM HIS TITLES. 37 
 
 a servant, so the Holy Spirit is the true and real God, tliough 
 he has taken upon him an office and work in the church : 
 Nay, tlie very works he does, prove him to he tlie true and 
 real God, as will appear more fully hereafter. 
 
 4. It may he ohjected. That the Holy Spirit hemg, as 
 some say, only a po\ver in the divine natm*e, he cannot he 
 God, in the complete and full sense of the Avord. I answer. 
 That tlie Holy Spirit is not only spoke of in scripture as God, 
 but in as full a sense of that word as the Father. The same 
 evidences Avhich we have of the Deity and Personality of the 
 Father, we have likewise of the Deity and Personality of the 
 Holy Spirit, as will be shewed more fully in its proper place. 
 That the Holy Ghost is represented as the power of God, 
 mtli respect to his influence and effects, is very true ; hut 
 that he is only the power of God, or God the Father, exert- 
 ing that power, can never be proved from scripture. This is 
 not the highest or fullest idea of him as God ; seeing under- 
 standing, v.'ill, and all the essential powers of God, and the 
 highest works of God, are ascribed to the Holy Spirit in 
 scripture, as to a real and proper person in the Godhead, as 
 I hope to make evident : And therefore in the strict and 
 highest sense of the word, he is, both in scripture and in an- 
 cient Aviiters, called God, as one in nature with God the Fa- 
 ther and the Son, and equal to them in all the essential per- 
 fections of the divine nature. 
 
 The Jewish church, and tlie most eminent lights in the pri- 
 mitive Christian church, did thus believe and teach, as might 
 be made very evident from their ^mtings. 
 
 Dr. Allix a has proved, from the Jewish A\Titei-s, That they 
 give the name Jehovah to the Holy Spirit, and thought him 
 to be a real Person, imcreated, proceeding from the first, by 
 the second. 
 
 Clement of Rome h^ speaking of the Spirit of the Lord, and 
 
 a Judgment of the Jewish church. See p. \Q2, 16G — 169, 173. 
 
 6 Aiyet ■ZT^v XlviZiix xu^iti Xv^v^, ioivvmv tu rafji,! eioc t'/is yoc^pos- iS- 
 uy-iv zse>.'; lyyv; Wtv, x, on uTiv /.jP-^jS^jv atTlcv rats hv^tuv vipcuv itti rat; 
 
38 THE HOLY spirit's DIVINITY 
 
 liis soairhiiii; tlie lieart, says, " It is better to offend foolish 
 " and proud men, than God." Polycaip « concluded his last 
 prayer at the stake in tlie^e words : " I praise tiiee foi* all 
 " thinii^s ; I bless thee, I glorify thee with the eternal and 
 " heavenly Jesus Christ thy beloved Son, with whom, to thee, 
 " and the Holy Spirit, be §:lory for ever and ever. Amen." 
 This ascription of glory to the Holy Spirit, is an evidence 
 that he believed him to be the tnie and real God. Justin 
 Martyr Z», in his first apology for the Christians, in vindication 
 of them from the char<re of atheism, declares that they Avor- 
 ehipped aud adored the^ Fatlier, the Son, and the prophetic 
 Spirit : He therefore owned the Holy Spirit to be God ; be- 
 cause lie says c, God only is worthy of religious worship. 
 Athenagoras d speaks of God the Father, God the Son, and 
 the Holy Spirit, so as to declare their pwver in unity, and 
 their distinction in order, Irenseus has spoke of the Holy 
 Spirit as included in the one God) as being of the same na- 
 ture witli him, and as being Creator of the world, together 
 with the Son : The passages are too numerous and large to 
 be now cited, I will mention but one. " There is one God 
 '' the Father, who is over all, and through all, and in all; 
 " The F'ather is over all; the Word is tluough all ; the Spuit 
 
 ^iuXoyio'ju.uv civ wot^fuB^ef ^ixcciov av Wtv fjcYi XiTolcocieiy yi/^cii aTo ri BiX- 
 Vii^()C\^ KtfjS' fJbo.'K'kov civ3-^u<Tot; a,<p^to(Ti, {^ cx.vorf]oi;, x, i'Tut^ofji.iveit, 5 lyxccvf 
 ^<oju,ivoi; IV uXceZ^uviA uvjuv zr^offKo^uf^civ, ri tm 0£4/.— Clem. Epist. i. C. 
 
 21. p. 104. 15. 
 
 a Ata tUto j^ Tifu vccvluv uivm ffi, rnXoyu tn, oo^a,Z,u a, ffvv too anuviiv, ^ 
 l-jraociviM iTitrS "K^i^a/ a.ya, -zJiiM ffH zrocio), ju.iB' i troi x, ■arviu/xajt ctyiut h 
 2le|a X, vvv X, us f^iKKovla,? atuva;. A^/jv.— Vid. Episl. Eccl. Sniyrn. p. 
 
 75. 
 
 b Exeivov r\ x, tov srci^ KifJH IxB-ofla viov, • ■ zrvivfAoi <rt T^o^fflixov cs- 
 &r/u,iB^u, X, 'T^txrKuvifji.iv Xoyoo x, aXn^elx T/jtt&JvJsj.— Justin. Apol. 1. c. 6. 
 Ed. Oxon. p. 11. Ed. Thiilby. 
 
 c &10V fAovov^iet <?r^o(rKuveiv.—ld. Ibid. c. 2t. p.- 25. 
 
 d Tt; civ. isx, azoo'/)(Tei, Xiyov'ja.s &iov wo/s^a, ^ vlov Qtov, x, •aviZfJt.a. elyiov 
 %etKvvil«s a.v]uv x, mv iv t>j ivuffet'hvva.y.iVy k, t>J¥ i*Trira,\et iiat^ifiv, axiiras 
 et'^svi xxXafilvair — Apol. c. 10. p. 40. 
 
PROVED FROM HIS TITLES. 39 
 
 f '• is in us all."' We may li<^ie observe, that lie speaks of tlie 
 Spirit as incliRled in that one God, who is over all, through 
 all, and in all ; and therefore he must take liim to be God. 
 Clement of Alexandria, says, " That God descended in the 
 " shape of a dove, because tlie Spirit would, by a certain new 
 " appearance, in the likeness of a dove, shew forth simplicity 
 " and meekness." Tertullian expressly says, " The Father 
 '' is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Ghost is God ; and 
 " each of tliem is God ; yet," as he declares, " there is but 
 " one God." Cyprian, treating of tlie invalidity of baptism 
 among tlie heretics, speaks thus : " If any one can be baptized 
 " among heretics, {viz. effectually) he must 'become the tem- 
 <' pie of God. — I ask of what God ? It cannot be of the Fa- 
 " ther, because he believes not in him, nor can he be th.e 
 *' temple of Christ, who denies Christ to be God : If of the 
 " Holy Spirit, since these three are one, How can the Holy 
 '• Spirit be pleased with him, who is an enemy to the Father 
 '• or the Son?" In thc.^e v/ords Cjqjrian has asserted, not 
 only the Personality of tlie Holy Spirit, but also his unity 
 with the Father and the Son, in the one undivided Trinity 
 or Godhead ; and consequently he did believe the Holy Spi- 
 rit to be God. 
 
 Thus ^vas the Holy Ghost owned and honoured as God in 
 the first ages of the Christian church, even before the Mace- 
 donian heresy gave occasion to defend his Deity and Person- 
 ality, as was done abundantly after tliat arose, by Athanasiu^, 
 Basil, Gregory Nazianzen, Clu-ysostom, Augustine, Am- 
 brose, and many others. 
 
 I wull only add here, that the Creed commonly called the 
 apostles', though not composed by them, is very ancient : One 
 article of it is, " I believe in the Holy Spirit ;" which words, 
 as a learned writer a observes, denote the Deity of the Holy 
 Ghost, and shews, that our faith terminates on the Holy 
 (jrhost, as God ; as well as, for the same reason, we are said 
 to believe in the Father, and in the Son. When our fsith in 
 
 n See the Lord KInjj's critical history of the Creed, p. 320. 
 
40 THE HOLY spirit's divinity 
 
 the Deity is declared, it is said to l)e in God tlie Fatlior, and 
 in liis Son Jesus Christ, and tlie Holy Ghost. By this pre- 
 position hi, the Creator is distini^uished from the creatures, 
 and things divine separated from things Imnian. And thus 
 Ave see the ancients understood the holy scriptures as we do, 
 as revealing the Deity of the Holy Ghost. 
 
 APPLICATION. 
 
 It is God the Spirit who strengthens the saints with all 
 might in the inward man, and fills them with all the fulness 
 of God cf. He is, in believers, a Avell of water, springing up 
 to eternal lifci : He then is the ground of the believer's hope, 
 the spring of his comfort, the security and strength of his 
 salvation. 
 
 The union and communion between Cluist and the be- 
 liever can never be broke or iiTecoverably lost, seeing he that 
 makes it and maintains it is God, immense and immutable in 
 liis natm'e and goodness : Well then might the apostle say, 
 * He that dwells in love, dwells in God, and God in liim b* 
 
 Seeing the Holy Spirit is God, who created the Jieavens, 
 and laid the foundations of the earth, and forms the spirit of 
 man within him, quickens the dead, and turns the devil out 
 of the strongest holds, surely he is able to revive us when we 
 faint, to raise us up when we fall, to comfort us when ^ve 
 mourn, to help our infirmities Avhen we faint, or eiT in pray- 
 er ; in a word, he is able to save us to the uttermost ; and 
 therefore we may encourage ourselves in this Lord our God. 
 Wliat reverential regards then are due to the Holy Spirit ? 
 He dwells in the saints as in liis temple, and therefore is to 
 be worshipped with godly fear : His presence and pleasure 
 are to be attended with a deep veneration ; and the lionour 
 due to God is due to him, he being one in nature with the 
 Father and the Son. He that resists him, resists God : he 
 tliat despises him, despises God ; he that defiles his temple, 
 
 a Eph. iii. IG, 19. b 1 John iv. 16.. 
 
PROVED FROM HIS ATTRIBUTES. 41 
 
 lilm will God destroy : Words very awful, and whicli ought 
 to be well considered by such as ridicule his works, oppose 
 bis Deity, or turn bis grace into wantonness : Whatever 
 others do, let us then honour and adore him, as the living 
 and true God, who, with the Father and the Son, is the Lord 
 Jehovali, as lias been proved. 
 
 THE HOLY SPIRIT'S DIVINITY PROVED FROM 
 HIS ATTRIBUTES. 
 
 SERMON III. 
 
 PREACHED SEPTEMBER 23d, 1729. 
 
 I Cor. iii. 16. — Know you not that you are the temple of 
 Godf and that the Spirit of God dwells in you f 
 
 aIaving, in the preceding discourse, proved the Deity of 
 the Holy Ghost from his Names and Titles ; I shall now pro- 
 ceed to some fai'ther evidence of it, drawn fi*om his Attributes. 
 
 Prop. II. The Holy Spirit is truly God ; because, accord- 
 ing to the oracles of truth, he is invested wath all divine per- 
 fections. 
 
 Before I come to speak to this proposition, I would lay 
 down this preliminary consideration. That he must be God, 
 to whom God's essential attributes and perfections belong; 
 for such attributes cannot be separated from the essence, nor 
 belong to any inferior being. For example ; to be absolutely 
 eternal, omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, uncreated, are 
 attributes of God ; which belong to his nature and being, and 
 cannot belong to any creature ; for how then would the dis- 
 tinction and difference between God and the creature be 
 preserved ? 
 
 For the same being to be created and imcroated, to have a 
 beginning and to have no beginning, to be in all places and 
 
42 THE HOLY spirit's DIVINITY 
 
 yet limited to a certain place, carries in it an inconsistency 
 and contradiction ; the athruiinfr of the one is the denial of 
 the contrary : The.se opposite attrihutions cannot then belong 
 to one and the same nature ; for that must suppose it to be 
 and not to be at the same time, and to be what it really is 
 not. 
 
 To he a creature, is to be made in time ; and therefore 
 cannot he affirmed of that being which is not made, and 
 never had a beginning : To be a creature, is to be limited iii 
 power, place, and knowledge ; for a finite natui*e cannot re- 
 ceive infinite perfections : That being therefore which is un- 
 limited in power, place, and knowledge, cannot be a creature ; 
 and consequently must be God, to whom it is peculiar, to be 
 without beginning ; to be infinite in power and knowledge ; 
 and to be immense, filling heaven and eai'th ; but not to be 
 limited or circumscribed by them. 
 
 A created and uncreated nature may be united in the same 
 person, as in Christ ; but to be infinite and finite, eternal and 
 temporary ; to know all things, and to knoAv only some things ; 
 to be eveiy where, and yet confined to one certain place, 
 cannot belong to the same nature ; for then that nature \vouki 
 be a contradiction to itself. 
 
 If God's essentia properties could be communicated to a 
 creature, then the essence of God nnist be communicated to 
 the creature ; for the essence and essential properties cannot 
 be separated ; for then God must be separated from himself, 
 and botli be and not be at the same time. And farther, if 
 Ciod's essence could be connnunicated to a creature, then the 
 creature would, tliat moment, become God ; but God cannot 
 be a creature ; nor can a creature become God : Therefore 
 God's essential attributes cannot be communicated to a 
 creature. 
 
 Such perfections as require an infinite, independent, un- 
 changeable being for their subject, are what may be called 
 God's essential attributes, that is, they are such as belong to 
 God, and can belong to no other being; such are, immen- 
 
PROVED FROM HIS ATTRIBUTES. 4S 
 
 sity, omnii>otence, omniscience, eternity, and immutability. 
 A creature may bear some resemblance to God, in a lower 
 degree, as to wisdom, goodness, boliuess ; yet even these, in 
 creatures, are limited both as to measure and duration ; 
 whereas in God they are eternal and infinite, as liis essence 
 is ; in ^vhich sense none is good save one «, even God : But 
 no creature can be every wliere present, be without begin- 
 ning and without end, know all things, and be able to do all 
 tilings. 
 
 If then we can prove from scripture, that God's esseiitial 
 perfections belong to the Holy Spirit : Hence it will certainly 
 follow, that the Holy Ghost is God, of the same nature and 
 perfections with the Father and the Son. 
 
 This being premised, let us now proceed to some of God*s 
 essential attributes and perfections, which, in scripture, are 
 applied to the Holy Spirit. 
 
 1. Immensity, or omnipresence, is an essential attribute of 
 God, and can belong to no creature : God appropriated it to 
 liimself when he said, ' Am I a God at hand, and not a God 
 afar off? Do not I fill heaven and earth, saith the Lord? 
 The heaven is my throne, the earth is my footstool b.' In 
 God we live, and move, and have our being ; he is in all, and 
 tlirough all, and above all, unlimited, uncircumscribed, and 
 incomprehensible ; this is one of the properties or perfections 
 of the great God : And this immensity, or omnipresence, is 
 ascribed, in as full, and, indeed, the same language, to the 
 Holy Spirit, as it is to God the Father, as in these words of 
 tlie Psalmist ; ' Whither shall I go from thy Spirit ? or whi- 
 ther shall I fly ft'om thy presence ? If I ascend up into the 
 heavens, thou art there : If I make my bed in hell, behold, 
 thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell 
 in the uttermost parts of the sea : even there shall thy hand 
 lead me, and thy right hand shall liold me c' There is no 
 tioing from that Spirit who is every where present, and fills 
 all in all : He is in Christ, the Head, in heaven ; and in his 
 
 '. /.lat. xi\-. 17. ^' Jer. xxili. 23. — Isa. Ixvl. 1. c Psid. cxxxix. 7, &c-. 
 
44 THE HOLY spirit's divinity 
 
 inenibcrs, smttorod wide abroad upon tlie face of tlie earth : 
 Hp made all things ; and thorofore is present with all things : 
 He works all in all ; and therefore is not limited and con- 
 fined to a certain place. 
 
 It is true, we liave no adequate idea of the divine im- 
 mensity, or omnipresence ;iu)r is it possible that we should; 
 but this is surticient to our present purpose, that we liave 
 the same evidence and conception of the omnipresence of the 
 Spirit, as \vt have of tlie Father's omnipresence. Cannot we 
 fly from God's presence, or go where lie is not? no more can 
 we JTO from the Holy Spirit, or where he is not ; for he fills 
 all things by the immensity of his divine nature. It is alike 
 impossible to go from God's Spirit, &nd to fly from his pre- 
 sence. The Father and Spirit then are both omnipresent, in 
 the same sense, and consequently God; two persons in one 
 Godhead. 
 
 The Holy Spirit is indeed, sometimes said to descend, and 
 sometimes to depart ; but this is no more than is aflirmed of 
 the Father, whose omnipresence is not disputed ; and if it is 
 no valid objection ag-ainst the omnipresence of the Father, 
 neither is it against the omnipresence of the Holy Spirit : 
 According to his operation, or the manifestation, or suspension 
 thereof, he is said to descend, or dej)art ; though, as to his 
 essence, he is always every Avhere present. 
 
 The apostles were sca.ttered and dispersed through the 
 world; yet none of them were separated from the Holy Spirit, 
 who could not be deceived, and from whom nothing could be 
 liid ; lie therefore is the unlimited infinite Spirit, and there- 
 fore God: for, as Athanasius has expressed it, "' There is one 
 Father of the universe, one Word of the universe, and one 
 Holy Spirit, which is every where present." Wherever 
 the Christian's lot is cast, in the darkest dimgeon, or in a 
 cave, in the utmost ends of the earth, far distant from all fel- 
 low Christians; yet the Holy Spirit, who is every Avhere pre- 
 sent, is with him, to lead and teach, to support and comfort 
 him, and to bring him, through Christ, into the presence of 
 
PROVED FROM HIS ATTRIBUTES. 45 
 
 God the Father ; for by this immense, omnipresent Spirit, 
 botli those that are Jiig-li, and those that are afar off, have ac- 
 cess to the Father a. How evident then is it, that the Holy 
 Spirit is God ? and bow comfortable may it be to the be- 
 liever, that he can never be cast out from his presence, grace, 
 or protection. 
 
 2. The Holy Spirit is omnipotent, or almiglity : as he is 
 in all places, so he can do all things. What room can there 
 be to doubt of this, when creation, regeneration, and tlie re- 
 siuTection, with the other Avorks of omnipotence, are, in 
 scripture, ascribed to liim ? 
 
 Tlie eternal power b and Godhead are clearly seen, by the 
 visible things of the creation, or the things that are made : 
 Whoever then created, or made the world, the heavens, the 
 earth, and the other visible parts of the creation, is possessed 
 of eternal power, and is the true and real God, according to 
 these scriptures : ' In the beginning God created the heavens 
 and the eai'th. Thou, even thou, ait Lord alone ; thou hast 
 made heaven, the heaven of heavens, the earth, and all things 
 that are therein. He hangs the earth upon nothing. By his 
 Spirit he lias garnished the heavens ; his hand hath formed 
 the crooked serpent : But the thunder of his power who can 
 understand ? He hath made the earth by his power c' Cre- 
 ation is a work of infinite power, and can belong to none but 
 the omni})otent God : It is never, in scripture, applied to the 
 highest of angels, or the most glorious created spirit ; the 
 Creator, and the creatures d, are expressly contradistinguish- 
 ed. A finite nature is not capable of receiving or exerting 
 infinite power. How should a created power, v.hich can 
 neither produce the least atom out of notliing, or tura it into 
 nothing, make the world ? No instance can be produced of 
 any such effect of the gi'eatest created power ; how foolish 
 
 a Eph. ii. 16. b Rom. i. 20. 
 
 c G^n. i. 1. — Nell. ix. 6. — Job xxvi. 6, 7, 13, 14. — Jer. x. 11, 12, 
 d They worshipped find served the creature more than (or beside) 
 the Creator, who is blessed for ever, Iloui. i. 2d. 
 
4G THE HOLY SriRlT's DIVINITY 
 
 aiul Avicked then is it to pretend to it? How was Jol) cou- 
 ioiiiuled, when God set before Iiim the works of creation, ar.d 
 put tliose awful questions to him ; ' Wliere wert thou when 
 1 laid the f«Mn)dations of the earth ? Who lias laid tlw^ niea- 
 s>ures thereof? I last thou commanded the morning- since thy 
 days? Hast thou perceived the hreadth of the earth ? Hast 
 tliou an arm like God ? or, ca!ist thou thunder with a Aoice 
 like him a ?' To any other, the highest and Ijest c-i-eatures, 
 (lod may say; ' Hast thou not known, hast thou not heard, 
 tliat tlie everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends 
 of the earth, faints not, neither is weary ? I am the Lord that 
 makes all things, that stretched forth the heavens alone, that 
 sj)read abroad the earth by myself />.' Tlius we see, that the 
 Avork of creation is a woi'k of almighty power, and that it is 
 the work of God, exclusive of all creatures. How then could 
 any creature be God's minister, or instrument, in the gi'eat 
 work of creation ? For God could not be said to do that 
 alone, and by himself, Avherein he makes use of the ministry 
 and assistance of another. 
 
 But supposing, not granting, that some glorious created 
 spirit might be some way employed in the works of creation 
 and providence, I demand, whether this sublime sjf^irit has an 
 itifiiiite, or only a finite power communicated to it, for this 
 end ? if an infinite power, this is to deify a creature ; if only 
 a finite power, that can never go beyond itself, act where it 
 is not, or produce something out of notliing : The Creator of 
 the Avorld is therefore God, endowed witli infinite almighty 
 poAver. 
 
 Having settled this point, I noAV proceed to sheAA', that tlie 
 Holy Spirit is the Creator of the Avorld. The scripture 
 speaks thus : ' By the Word of the I^ord Avere the heavens 
 made, and all the hosts of them by the Breath, or S})irit of 
 liis mouth. The S[)irit of the Lord has made me, and the 
 Breath of the Almighty lias given me life. Thou sendest 
 forth thy Spirit, and they are created ; thou reneAvest the 
 
 a Job xxxviii. 4, 5, 12, 18. xl. 9. h Isa. xl. 28. xliv. 24. 
 
PROVED FROM III3 -ATTRIBUTE^. 47 
 
 face of the eaith. By Ins Spirit he lias garnished the hea- 
 vens «.' All the glorious Imninaries that adorn the heavens, 
 are the product of the Spirit's almighty creating power ; and 
 l>y the same power, all the decays of nature are repaired, and 
 the fece of the earth is renewed, as it were, hy a continual 
 new creation, perfxH'med hy that Spirit, who, at first 5, moved 
 upon the waters, and gave heing, order, and beauty, to the 
 several creatures formed out of the first confused chaos. 
 
 The forming Christ's human nature in the womb of the 
 Virgin c, was a glorious effect and evidence of his infinite 
 almighty poAver. The miracles d Avrought by Christ and the 
 apostles, Avere done by tlie ahniglity poAver of the Holy 
 Ghost : The raising the dead, Avhich is a Avork of omnipotent 
 poAver, is ascribed to the Holy Spirit : He raised Christ, and 
 lie shall raise tlie bodies of the saints e. Christ Avas quick- 
 ened by the Spirit ; and the same /" Spirit shall quicken the 
 mortal bodies of the saints : The Spirit therefore is omnipo- 
 tent, the true and real God ; for it is the work of God to 
 I'aise the dead, and a Avork that required an exceeding great- 
 ness of power, a poAver above that of any finite created being. 
 Why sliould it be thought an incredible thing that God should 
 raise the dead g ? God Almighty can do e\'ery thing ; lie 
 can change the vile body ; he has a poAver suflScient to sub- 
 due all things to himself; such infinite poAA'er has the Holy 
 Spirit ; for he raised the dead, and therefore he is Almighty 
 God. 
 
 If it should be objected, that the Spirit is not, in scripture, 
 styled omnipotent or almighty, in express terms ; I ansAver, 
 Facts speak as loud and plain as Avords. If the Holy Spirit 
 does not the works of the Almighty, we must not believe him 
 so to be ; but if he does, we must belieA'e it foi* the Avorks' 
 sake. He that does the works AA'hich are peculiar to Al- 
 mighty God, must liimself be Almighty God : But, in the 
 
 a Psal. xxxiii. 6. — Job xxxiii. 4. xxvi. 13. h Gen. i. 2. 
 
 c LiUie i. 35. d Mat. xii. 28. Rom. xv, 19. e \ Pet. iii. J 8. 
 /Rom. viii, 11. g Acts xxvi. 8. — Job. xlii. 2. — FbiL iii. 21, 
 
48 THE HOLY .sri kit's DIVINITY 
 
 sr-ripturo, wo arc told, tliat Balaam saw the vision of the Al- 
 mighty, even of the Spirit of God, who ranie upon him ; and 
 Job said, ' The ins})iration of the Almighty giveth under- 
 standing.' And again, ' The Spirit of God lias made me ; 
 and the Breath of the Almighty has given me life «.' In 
 which places, it is most probable that the Holy Spirit is styled 
 Almighty. But be it otherwdse, yet we liave sufficient proof 
 from liis works that he is Almiglity, whether he is expressly 
 called so or not, as has been declared ; and I think more need 
 not to be added upon this head. 
 
 3. Eternity, in the full sense of the word, belongs to the 
 Holy Spirit ; and therefore he is God, one with the Father 
 and the Son. 
 
 Eternity is an incommunicable attribute of God ; he, an<l 
 lie only is without beginning, and without end ; and there- 
 fore is said to inhabit eternity b. Many persons and things 
 are eternal, a parte post, they shall never cease to be ; but 
 God only is eternal, a parte ante, he never began to be : 
 This is fully expressed in those scripture words, ' from ever- 
 lasting to everlasting, thou art God. Before me there was 
 no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I am the 
 first, and I am the last ; and besides me there is no God r.' 
 So that eternity, in the strict and full sense of the word, is 
 peculiar to God, and a certain indication that he is so. 
 
 The next thing to be done, is to prove that the Holy Spi- 
 rit is eternal, fi'om everlasting to everlasting, and therefore 
 the true and real God : And this will appear, if we consider 
 him as Creator and Maker of all things : In the first creation, 
 he is said to move upon the face of the waters d; he there- 
 fore was before all things ; and by him all things consist. 
 The cause must be before the effect ; the maker before the 
 thing made : He, who in the beginning created the heavens 
 and the earth, must himself have been without beginning, or 
 before time and created things were, and therefore eternal ; 
 
 a Num. xxiv. 2, 4. — Jol) xxxii. 8. xxxili. 4. h Isa. Ivii. 15. 
 
 c Psal. xc. 2. — Isa. xliii. 10. xliv. G. d Gen. i. 2. 
 
PROVED FROM HIS ATTRIBUTES. 49 
 
 for wliat could there be before time, but eternity, or that God 
 who inhabits eternity. 
 
 But it has been said, that the Holy Spirit is not eternal, 
 because the scriptiu'e says, that the Spirit was not yet f/, be- 
 cause Christ was not yet glorified. I answer, Though the 
 Avord* given' is not indeed in the original, it is necessarily im- 
 plied : ' This spoke he of the Spirit, which they that believe 
 on him should receive ; for the Holy Ghost was not yet ;' 
 that is, was not given, or poured out, in those extraordinary 
 gifts which were received after Christ's ascension on tiie day 
 of Pentecost, mentioned in the second chapter of Acts : Christ 
 i'aid, ' If I go not away, the Comforter will not come ; but 
 if I go, I will send him b.' But it does not hence follow, that 
 the Holy Spirit had no existence before Christ was received 
 up into glory ; for we read, that by the Spirit Christ cast out 
 devils ; that he was led up by him into the wilderness, to be 
 tempted of the devil ; that lie descended upon Christ at his 
 baptism, in the form of a dove ; that he overshadowed the 
 Virgin, and formed Christ's human nature in her womb ; tliat 
 he was in the ancient prophets, and testified beforehand the 
 sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow c. Ste- 
 plien told the Jews, that they always resisted the Holy Ghost, 
 as their fathers had done before them d: And very early, 
 God said, ^ My Spirit shall not always strive with man e.' 
 So that the Holy Spirit had an existence before Christ 
 was glorified ; yea, before he was incarnate. 
 
 We are told, in scriptin-e, that Christ, through the eternal 
 Spirit, offered himself to God, without spot/": Where, by the 
 eternal Spirit, the Holy Ghost is intended, as many think. 
 He assisted the human nature, in the exercise of all that faith, 
 love, and holy zeal for the glory of God, and the salvation of 
 men, which appeared in Christ, when lie gave himself for us, 
 
 a John vii, 39. b John xvi. 7. 
 
 c Mat. xii. 28. iv. 1. iii. 16— Luke i. 35.— 1 Pet. i. 10, 11. 
 d Acts vii. 31. e Gen. vi. 3. /Heb. ix. U. 
 
 VOL. III. C 
 
.50 THE HOLY spirit's DIVINITY 
 
 as Dr. Owon a ohsorves. Others tliiiilc, tljat Clirist's elema) 
 Deity is intended by the eternal Spirit ; l)Ut thi«, as tlie same 
 autlior h says, will not absolutely follow to be the sense of 
 the place, upon the common reading : For the Holy Spirit is 
 no less an eternal Spirit, tlian is the Deity of Chri^st himself. 
 Christ's divine person is signified in those words, in the al- 
 lecfed scriptm'e, ' Christ,' ' who ;' for it was as God and Me- 
 diator that Christ offered up himself to God : So that by tlie 
 eteiTial Spirit, the Holy Ghost may be intended, without ex- 
 cluding- Christ's person as God, from its part in this great work. 
 Another scripture whicli seems to teach us that the Iloly 
 Spirit is etenial, is this : * When the Comforter is come, 
 wliom I will send to you from tlie Father, even the Spirit of 
 truth, which proceeds from the Father c' Here is an evi- 
 dent difference between the mission and procession of the 
 Holy Spirit ; the former is spoke of as then to come ; ' I will 
 send ;' the latter is spoke of in the present tense ; ' which 
 proceeds ;' even by an eternal emanation, in which there is 
 no succession, nothing past or to come ; and tlierefore it is 
 thus expressed : ' proceeds,' not ' did proceed,' or ' shall 
 proceed ;' he is ever proceeding, without beginning, and with- 
 out end ; and therefore is strictly eternal, as the Father is, 
 from whom he is here said to proceed. Parallel to this, is 
 Christ's expression of his eternity in those words: 'Before 
 Abraham was, I am c?,' not I was : So that when we hear that 
 the Spirit proceeds, we are not, by procession, to understand 
 his mission, as the ministering spirits are sent forth : but the 
 natural subsistence of the Spirit, is his procession, even his 
 natural subsistence from or with the Father. Now if the 
 Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father, as being of the same 
 nature and essence with him ; and if there never was, or can 
 be, any beginning or end of that procession ; then lie is, and 
 must be, eternal : For in God there are no changes, no com- 
 position, abscission, or augmentation. God is one infinite, 
 
 n Of the Spirit, p. 143. and Expos, in loc. p. 387. b Idem, ibid, 
 c John XV. 2G. d John viii. 58. 
 
PROVED FROM HIS ATTRIBUTES. 5 J 
 
 imrompounded, undivided, eternal Being. Hence, though we 
 read of the Spirit's proceeding, yet never of his heginning to 
 he ; nor have we the least intimation that it could ever be 
 said that he was not. 
 
 The first time God is spoke of in scripture, that is, in tlie first 
 sentence of tlie Bible, it is veiy probable that the Spirit is 
 included. ' In the beginning God (or Gods, the noun being 
 of the plural number) created the heavens and the earth cu 
 And, in the very next verse, the Holy Spirit is expressly 
 mentioned ; ' The Spirit of the Lord moved upon the face of 
 the waters.' This could not be meant of the air or wind, that 
 element being not yet sepai'ated from the rest, or brought in- 
 to form and regular motion ; it is then meant of the Holy 
 Ghost, who existed in the beginning, and before all creatures, 
 even from eternity. 
 
 Of this truth the ancient Christian writers were wiell appris- 
 ed. TertuUian has these words : " Who knows the things of 
 God but the Spirit of God, who is in him, not out of him h.' 
 And again, " These three are one, in unity of substance, 
 not singularity of number c." Irenseus thus spoke : " The 
 Father has ever with him his Word and Wisdom, his Son and 
 Spirit ; by whom and in whom he made all things freely d. ' 
 The same person citing that text in Isaiah, according to the 
 Seventy, " The Spirit shall proceed from me, and I have 
 made the breath of all ^," — has these remai'kable words : 
 " Speaking of the Spirit, as peculiarly belonging to God, and 
 ranking it \\\\\\ him, who, in the last days, poured it out l)y 
 the adoption, but reckoning the breath in common to the crea- 
 tion, and declaring it to be a made being. Now, what was 
 made must be different from the jMaker ; therefore the breath 
 is temporaiy, but the Spirit is eternal yi" 
 
 a Gen. i. I. h TertuUian adv. Praxeatn, c. 19. p. 650. 
 
 c Idem. ibid. c. 25. p. C27. 
 
 d Adest ei semper Verbuiu et Saplentia, Filius et Spiritus, per quoa 
 ^t in quibus umnialibere et spoute fecit, — Irenceus, lib. iv. c. 20. § 1. 
 e Isa. Ivii. \Q. 
 
52 THE HOLY SPIRITS DIVINITY 
 
 I will conclude this head in the words of Gregoiy Nazian- 
 zon, which shew the sense of theclnnrh in his time, as to the 
 eternity and divinity of the Holy Spirit. " The Holy Sj)irit 
 always was, and is, and will be : He liad no beginning, nor 
 shall have any end, but is always joined with the Father 
 and the Son, and numbered with them ; for it was not fit 
 that the Father should ever be without the Son, or the Son 
 without the Spirit ; for that would be the gi-eatest disgi-ace to 
 the Deity, that any thing once wanting, should be added to 
 it : — He was therefore always with himself, and with those 
 with Avhom lie is joined, the same and equally invisible, of no 
 limited duration, included in no place, and unchangeable o." 
 
 4. Immutability or imchangeableness, is another essential 
 attribute of God ; and this is predicated of the Spirit. 
 
 The God of Israel is brought in speaking thus ; ' I am the 
 Lord, I change not:' he is ' the Father of lights, without any 
 variableness, or shadow of turning Z».' And of the Son it is 
 said, ' Thou art the same ;' And, ' Jesus Christ is the same 
 yesterday, to-day, and for ever c' Now the Spirit of the 
 Father and. the Son, being one in nature with them, must, 
 consequently, be unchangeable in his nature, as they are. It 
 would be absurd to imagine, that a changeable Spirit should 
 proceed from the unchangeable Father and the unchangeable 
 Son ; nor can there be any variableness or shadow of turaing 
 with that Spirit, who, as has been proved, is strictly and pro- 
 perly eternal, or from everlasting to everlasting. Hence the 
 
 ia; i'Pi't T^v u,)i^pa)Tor^a' t>?v oU isrvoyiv xoivug iTi ryis xjlffsas ^ "sroiYifix ava« 
 yopiCffocc aujov trsoov 21 ktti to zs-ui^^iv r5 z!rotyi(ra.v/^' h vv •arvoh zr^oxaiooit 
 TO lit -srviofix uivvaov. — Idem. lib. v. c. 5. § 2. 
 
 a To ■zTvivf/.a to eiyiov vi f/.\v clei, x, i^t k, ssxi, vti u^^u/utvov, Sn ■zsruv'jfx.Z'j'jV^ 
 aXX' «.« TM Uaipi, K, via (T'j'fif,o!.yuivov :J, ffwa^t^fiiiMvov aoi yuo sT^iTTiv 
 l^.XeiTrctv •jsro/s « viov Ilo/^i >] z!rvivju,cc viu- tm fnyi^^u yu^ civ viv eloo^^ ^ 
 tiiOT'/ii, cuffTsp IX, fiila.f/,i\e^Ki iX^vffct. in cvfi^rXii^uffiv TiXetonfi^' v,v w 
 aujo Tuulov uei x, m; (rvj^li]ux\>xr aeoa'lev, u^^ovov, u^cuci^o, a,va.\Xeiu]oii, 
 &0. — Gregor. Naz. Orat. xliv. Vol. i. p. 711. 
 
 b Mai. iii. C— 'James i. 17. c Ileb. ii. \2. xiii. 8. 
 
PROVED FROM HIS ATTRIBUTES. 53 
 
 Holy Spirit is represented as uncliangeably the same, under 
 the variety and diversity of gifts, administrations, and opera- 
 tions : Whatever changes he makes, ad exti'ci^ in the church, 
 or in the world ; yet, ad intra, in himself, he is ever that one 
 and self-same Spirit ; and therefore lie is so often called the 
 same Spirit ; and that one and self-same Spirit, in the com- 
 pass of a few verses. I may add, that the Holy Spirit being 
 Jehovah, as has been proved, is therefore immutable, or un- 
 changeable ; for the word Jehovah signifies one who is eter- 
 nal, unchangeable, and necessarily existing. And there is no 
 reason to suppose, that the only wise God would put the ap- 
 j)lication and perfecting our salvation, in which his glory is so 
 much concerned, into the hand of one precarious and change- 
 able in his nature ; the effect of that had been seen, in intrusting 
 our happiness at first Avith a mutable head : even Adam, who 
 soon lost it, and ruined both himself and us : But herein lies 
 our present safety and security, the gi'eat God can say, ' I 
 am Jehovah, I change not ; therefore ye sons of Jacob are 
 not consumed.' The Father, who elects, is unchangeable ? 
 so is the Son, who redeems us ; and so is the Holy Spirit, 
 who applies the redemption ; for his gifts and calling are with- 
 out repentance ; and the Holy Spirit, being thus unchangeable, 
 is consequently the true and real God. 
 
 3. Infinite and sovereign grace and goodness belong to tlie 
 Holy Spirit ; and therefore he is God. 
 
 Wben God proclaimed his name to Moses, this was part of 
 it, ' The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gTacious, abun- 
 dant in goodness and loving kindness a ;' and these attributes 
 are very often appropriated and applied to God in scripture, 
 as we cannot but observe in reading it. I shall therefore shew 
 that this infinite sovereign gi-ace and goodness, belongs equally 
 to the Spirit, with the Father ; and thence the conclusion will 
 be certain, that he is God, one in nature with the Father and 
 the Son. 
 
 To clear this, I would observe, that the Holy Spirit could 
 
 a Exod. xxxiv. G, 7. 
 
i)^ THE HOLY spirit's DIVINITY 
 
 no more be ronipellpd to iindLMtake to sanctify and comfort 
 lis, than tlio Soil could bo compollod to und(M-t;iko to redeem 
 us. Tbouj^li t]ip Son and Spirit are said to l)e sent by the 
 leather, as the first in order, and in the divine oeconomy ; yet 
 tlu'v were not sont asjainst, or without tlieir will ; but did as 
 fnu'ly, and with the same sovereign ^Tace, take their paits in 
 t!i(» ^vork of salvation, as the Father did. When tlierefore it 
 is said, that the Spirit shall not speak of himself, but what he 
 shall hear, that sliall he speak, that he shall glorify Christ, by 
 taking of his things, and shewing them to men; and that ho 
 shall shed the love of God abroad in our hearjs : All this re- 
 fers to the dispensation and office vvliich he had undertaken, 
 by mutual consent and agreement among the Persons in the 
 ever-blessed Trinity ; and docs not exclude his sovereign 
 grace and goodness in his first undertaking, or in his future 
 accomplishment of that work. Those words, * He shall not 
 speak of himself, but what he shall hear, that he shall speak «,' 
 <k) not contradict the last assertion, but ratlier confirm it ; 
 ' That what he shall hear, that shall he speak ; he shall not 
 s])eak of himself :' He shall bring no new, different, or con- 
 trary doctrine, but shall confirm mine ; he shall take of mine, 
 and shew it to you ; and as my things are the things of the 
 Father, so he shall declare my mind, and the mind of the 
 Father, as being my Spirit, and the Spirit of the Father. ' He 
 shall bring all things to your remembrance \vhatever I have 
 said to you b.' But this is so far from excluding him from 
 having the same sovereign infinite grace, as the Father and 
 the Son, that it necessarily implies and supposes it ; for 
 if he were not God, of the same nature and sovereign grace 
 as the Father and the Son, he could neither hear nor receive, 
 nor shew this grace to man ; ' As no man knows the things 
 of a man but the spirit of a man that is in him ; so none 
 knows the things of God, but the Spirit of God that is in 
 him, and proceeds from him : We have received the Spirit, 
 
 n Johti xvi. 13. /' Jcthn *.lv. 26. 
 
PROVED FROM HIS ATTRIBUTES. 55 
 
 which is of God, that we might know the things that are 
 freely given us of God «.' 
 
 The Holy Spirit is a free Spirit ; he is the Spirit of gi'ace, 
 not only as to office, but with respect to his nature ; he acts 
 according to his own sovereign and gracious will ; ' He works 
 in us to will and to do of his own good pleasure b ; not 
 merely according to the good pleasure of the Father and the 
 Son : ' As the wind blows where it lists, so is every one that 
 is bom of the Spirit c' He divides to every man severally 
 as he will. Herein the Holy Spirit shews himself to be a 
 Person of infinite and sovereign grace. According to his own 
 proper will he inspires, or works, where he will, in whom he 
 Avill, and as many as he will, and as much as he will ; he fills 
 whom he will with his gi'ace, and to what degiee he pleases ; 
 he is not filled himself; lie works perfection, does not receive 
 it ; he sanctifies, is not sanctified : He divides as he will, not 
 as he is commanded, according to his own good pleasure, not 
 according to a necessity of obsequiousness, or pleasing another. 
 
 It may be said. If the Spirit is the fountain of grace, why 
 is not he, as well as the Father and Son, applied to, by 
 the inspired writers, when they wish grace and peace to those 
 to whom they wrote ? To this it may be answered ; That 
 the word Father, which is joined with God, in the salutation, 
 or apprecation, ' Grace be from God our Father,' may de- 
 note the relation of God to his people, and not the distinction 
 of persons in the Godhead. In Paul's epistles, it is ten times 
 ' (jod om* Father,' and but three times ' God the Father.' 
 Now God our Father, and indeed, God the Father, may de- 
 note the Deity, and not that person only called the Father, 
 If this sense be admitted, then the Holy Spirit is included in 
 the words, ' God our Father,' he being a Person in the God- 
 lioad. But it will be said, Why then is Jesus Christ expressly 
 mentioned ; for he, as God, is included in the words, ' God 
 our Father,' according to this explication of them ? To which 
 I reply, That Jesus Christ may be here considered as Medi- 
 
 « I Cor. ii. 11, 12. b Phil. ii. 13. c John iii. 8— 1 Cor. xii. 11. 
 
5G THE HOLY spirit's DIVINITY 
 
 ator, of whose fulness we all receive ; and this makes the 
 sense plain and easy. 
 
 But farther, the Holy Spirit is joined with the Father and 
 the Son in that jilaco ; ' Grace be to you, and peace, from 
 him which is, and which was, and is to como, and from the 
 seven spirits, &c. and from Jesus Christ a ;' where, by seven 
 spirits, I hope, hereafter, to make it appear, that the Holy 
 Spirit is intended. And, in that solemn benediction, ' The 
 grace of our Lord Jesus, and the love of God, and the com- 
 munion of the Holy Ghost, be with you h ;' the Holy Spirit 
 is expressly applied to for spiritual blessings. And, in other 
 places, he is directly prayed to, as may be made appear here- 
 after. " How can grace be without the Spirit, seeing all 
 grace is in the Spirit," says Ambrose c. The Spirit came in 
 Christ's name, and his work was to glorify Christ, which may 
 be a sufficient reason why he is not so often mentioned and 
 applied to, as the fountain of infinite and sovereign giace, al- 
 though he really is so, together with the Father and the Son : 
 But, in praying for gi*ace and peace, believers pray for the 
 Spirit, from whom all grace and peace are derived and com- 
 municated : He therefore is necessarily implied, though not 
 expressly named in such supplications. 
 
 The sense of such addresses, viz. ' Grace and peace be to 
 you, from God the Father, or our Father, and the Lord Je- 
 sus Christ,' is this, as one represents it ; " We pray God the 
 Father, and his Son, that the Holy Spirit may dwell in you, 
 and that he would fill you with his gifts d ;" for so Paul ex- 
 plains it, when he wishes the communion of the Holy Ghost : 
 And, if this be true, it was not so fit, much less necessary, 
 that the Spirit should be expressly joined with the Father and 
 Son, as the immediate object of the prayer, when he, the 
 Spirit, and his gifts and grace are prayed for. 
 
 The objection being, I hope, sufficiently answered, we 
 
 a Rev. i. 4, 5. h 2 Cor. xiii. ll-. 
 
 c Do Spiritu Sane. p. 227. d liiMtt'rl". coiiti-a. Crel. p. '.199. 
 
PROVED FROM HIS ATTRIBUTES. 57. 
 
 may still hold it fast as a certain tnitb, that the Holy Spirit is 
 infinite and sovereign in his gi-ace, and that therefore he is God. 
 
 As a farther confirmation of this, I shall add, tliat the 
 apostle Paul a expressly mentions the love of the Spirit, the 
 love wherewith the Spirit loves us ; for as the Father and the 
 Son, so also the Spirit loved the world. And again, it is 
 said, ' There is none good but one, that is God b ;' none hut 
 he is absolutely eternally good : But yet the Holy Spirit is 
 spoke of as good, without any restriction or limitation, in a 
 positive and absolute sense ; ' Thy Spirit is good : Thou 
 gavest them thy good Spirit <?.' The conclusicm which fol- 
 lows hence is, that the Holy Spirit is true and real God, in- 
 finite and sovereign in his grace. 
 
 6. The Holy Spirit is omniscient, or knows all things, and 
 therefore he is God. 
 
 The scriptures speak of it as peculiar to God, to know 
 the hearts of all the children of men ; ' Thou, even thou only, 
 knowest the hearts of all the children of men d.' And when 
 it is said, ' The heart is deceitful above all things ; who can 
 know it?' it immediately follows; ' I the Lord search the 
 heart, I try the reins e ;' and those words, ' God which knows 
 the hearts y,' are used as God's appropriate character: ' He 
 understands the thoughts afar off g ;' and has declai-ed of him- 
 self, ' I am God, and there is none else ; I am God, and 
 there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, 
 and from ancient times, the things that are not yet done /«.' 
 And thus he confounded the gods of the heathens, and con- 
 firmed his own Deity ; ' Shew the things that are to come 
 hereafter, that we may know that you are gods. Tell you 
 and bring them (the idol gods) near ; let them take counsel 
 together, who has declared this from ancient time, who has 
 told it from that time ; have not I the Lord ? and there is no 
 God else beside me u But all the parts of this kiiov»'ledge, 
 
 a Rom. x^^ 30. b Mat. xix. 17. c Psal. cxliii. 10.— Nth. ix. 20. 
 d 1 Kings viii. 39. e Jer. xvii. 9, 10. /Actsxv. S. 
 
 i; I'sal. cxxxix. 2. h Isa. xlvi. 9, 10. i Isa^ xli. 26. xlv, ?]. 
 
 c2 
 
58 TIIF. HOLY spirit's DIVINITY 
 
 and sometlilug- still greater, belong to tlje Holy Spirit, by na- 
 tural perception, not by instruction and revelation from an- 
 other ; for, ' who has directed the Spirit of Jehovah, or being 
 his counsellor, lias taught him ? Who has tauglit him know- 
 ledge, and shewed him the way of understanding a ?' He is 
 infinitely knowing himself, and needs not to be taught by any. 
 How he speaks not of liimself, but what he hears, was ex- 
 j)lained before ; and, rightly understood, contradicts not the 
 present assertion. 
 
 It was the Spirit &, in tlie New Testament prophets, that 
 made manifest the secrets, of the heart, ta the conviction cf 
 unbelievers, who occasionally came into the Christian assem- 
 blies : It was he that enabled Peter to convict Ananias and 
 Sapphira c of falsehood, and to declare to Simon Magus, that 
 his heart was not right in the sight of God : From him pro- 
 ceeded the gift of discerning spirits d. The amazing gift of 
 prophecy, declaring the end from the beginning, and foretell- 
 ing particular events long beforehand, as exactly as they came 
 to pass, with the particular' circumstances of them, Avas from 
 the Holy Spirit : And in this he plainly shewed his infinite 
 knowledge ; thus, for instance, Cluist's birth, the manner and 
 place of it, and the circumstances of his sufferings and death, 
 and the following glory, were signified to the prophets, by 
 the Spirit of Christ tliat was in them e : He enabled Moses 
 to write the history of the creation ; and who could know it 
 better than he who had such a hand in it? He shewed the 
 apostles things past, and things to come : He reveals the AvhoiC 
 will of God contained in scripture, wliich is given by his in- 
 spiration. All the secrets of natm-e, of grace, and of gloiy, 
 are knoAvn to him ; and, sa much as are discovered, ai*e re- 
 vealed by him, who, with the Father and the Son, is the 
 Author of nature, grace, and glory. He is immense, and 
 eternal, every where present, and the former of all things ; 
 and he that formed the eye, shall not he see ? He that teaches 
 
 a Isa. xl. 13, 14-. b 1 Cor. xiv. 23. c Acts v. 1—10. viii. 21. 
 
 <Z2 Cor. xii. € 1 Pet. i. 11. 
 
PROVED FROM II IS ATTRIBUTES. 59 
 
 man knowledge, shall not he know a ? Of all kinds of know- 
 ledge, prescience, or the knowing things to come, seems to be 
 the hai'dest ; and of all the acts of prescience, the forekno\v- 
 ledge of things which depend upon the wills of free agents, 
 seems to be most difficult. But is any thing too liard for the 
 Spirit to do, too difficult for him to know? A remarkable in- 
 stance of the prescience, or foreknowledge of the Holy Spirit, 
 we have recorded in that history, where we find a prophet 
 uttering these words ; * O altar, altar, thus says the Lord, 
 Behold a child sliall be born to the house of David, Josiah by 
 name, and upon thee shall he offer the priests of the high 
 places, that bum incense upon thee, and men^s bones shall he 
 Ijurn upon thee h» This prophecy was delivered some hun- 
 dreds of years before the accomplishment ; the certain birth, 
 and name of the prince, of what family he should be, and 
 some remarkable things he should do, are foretold as exactly 
 as if they had been then done ; and yet these events seemed 
 very contingent and uncertain ; there were ten or eleven kings 
 in David's line, after the prophets, and before Josiah : And 
 what might happen among them ; tlH3 birth of this prince, and 
 his name, liis destroying the altar, and bmiiing the priests' 
 bones thereupon, seemed to depend on the voluntary acts of 
 men : But God the Spirit, as well as the Father, miderstands 
 the thoughts afar off, and foresees the end from the begin- 
 ning ; a kno^vledge too great for any creature, and peculiar 
 to the only true God. 
 
 But there is yet a higher knowledge than that last men- 
 tioned, ascribed to the Holy Sph-it, in scripture, in the follow- 
 ing words ; ' The Spirit searches all thing-s, yea, the deep 
 things of God : For what man knows the things of a man> 
 save the spirit of man, which is in him ; even so the things of 
 God knows no man but the Spirit of God cl The things 
 here said to be known by the Spirit, are such as no man 
 knows ; for no man can find out God to perfection d : They 
 
 a Psal. xciv. 9, 10. h 1 Kings xiii. 2. 
 
 c 1 Cor. ii. 10^ lU rf Jobxi. 7. 
 
(i'> Tiii; ifoLV spinrr'to dim xrrv 
 
 arc the deep tliing^s of (lod ; thing'^ rolating- to liis iititiin', sub- 
 sistencies, perfections, coiiiu'ils, and operations, both intenial 
 and external : Tliese depths of Ood ai'e infinite, and can he 
 fathomed and com])reliendcd hy none hut hitn, whose under- 
 standing is infinite, and is as intimate with the deepest tilings 
 of God, as a man is with his own thoughts, Avhich he is most 
 privy to, and often recollects and reviews. The 8j)irit of God 
 is inwardly conscious of the things of God, as the spirit of a 
 man is of the things of a man. What we know of God is 
 said to be revealed to us by the Spirit ; but there is not the 
 least intimation that they w^ere revealed to the Spirit hy an- 
 other : But he is said, of himself, to search all things, even 
 the depths of God. 
 
 The adversaries of the Holy Spirit lay hold on the Avord 
 
 * searches,' as containing an argument against his Omniscience 
 and Deity. " None," says Crelius, " is said to search those 
 things of which he has the clearest and most perfect know- 
 ledge in himself a :" But did not God search David by 
 thou2;h he knew his thoughts afar off, and had all his mem- 
 bei*s written in his book, before ever David existed ? and 
 therefore he knew him primarily in himself. The wortl 
 
 * searching,* is used to signify the perfection of knowledge, 
 not the ignorance of him who is said to search ; or to denote 
 that he gains his knowledge by study or inquiry. Hence the 
 Spirit is said to laiow the things of God by self-conscious- 
 ness, as a man knows the thoughts and workings of his own 
 mind. " The heretic," said Chrysostom, " Aviien lie hears 
 the word ' search,' says. If the Spirit knew what things are 
 in God, he would not search them ; for this search is a sign 
 of ignorance :" To which he replies, " It is plain that God 
 searches the heart : Shall we then condemn God as ignorant ? 
 Hear Paul's saying concerning the Spirit ; He searches all 
 things, the deep things of God : And, speaking of God, he 
 says. He that searches the heai't, knows the mind of the Spi- 
 rit: If, therefore, God, being ignorant, searches, then the 
 
 o Apud Bistcrfieltl, p. 481. 6 Psal. cxxxix. 1, &c. 
 
PROVED FROM IIIS ATTRIBUTES. Gl 
 
 Spirit, being ig-norant, searches. But, that you ma}'' see that 
 to search is not tlie part of one that is ignorant, but of one 
 ^vho thoroughly understands, he adds, Even so the tliing-s of 
 (j0(1 none know but the Spirit of God ; and so he ascribes 
 knowledge to the Spirit «.' 
 
 But it is said, no man, or none, knows the things of God, 
 but the Spirit of God ; do not the Father and the Son kno^v 
 their own things? I answer, the exclusive terms must be 
 rightly applied to the persons or things intended, and not ab- 
 solutely ; it is said, ' None knows the Fathei* bitt the Son :' 
 Does not the Father know himself? And again, ' None 
 knows the Son but the Father b :' Does not the Son then 
 know himself ? What is spoke of one of the persons in the 
 Godhead, is not to be taken as excluding any other person in 
 the Trinity, except what relates to the Personality ; but as 
 excluding all who, by nature, are not gods : We are therefore, 
 as Ambrose c well observes, no more to exclude the Fatlier 
 and the Son, wlien it is said, ' None knows the things of God, 
 but the Spirit of God ;' than we are to exclude the Spirit, 
 when it is said, ' None knows the Father but the Son, and 
 none knoAvs the Son but tlie Father :' And, as he added, 
 " The Spirit knows the deep things of God, not by study, but 
 by nature ;" it is premised, that " he reveals them ;" and then 
 it is added, ' He searches all things, the deep things of God. 
 But no inferior can search the inward things of one that is 
 
 a 'O octailiKO? f/.\y TO l^ivvx, ux-tiet rviv ^t 'ivvoixv xockus IxXdfi^avei, li yk^ 
 videt, (P'/iff), rozsTMiZfca ra iv tm €)iM ix kv l^ivva,, f/.a^v^ei ya,^ avfi T'n a.yvota 
 y, spivvci' h retvvv rol^ivvav Toz!rvsv//,si to osytov tcc (laBr) t5 0«a, ciyvoia; xa- 
 Tiyoetav ocvtu iToiyei, otccv sio'/is tov Qiov l^iuvavjei txs xbc^Ik; tuv ecv^^u-ruv 
 u.yvoia,s ccutS xarx'^i^lZ^'/i; uKUi y^v tSUocvXh, kiyovT^ u; ^ipt <r5 zsrviZ- 
 
 fJI.Ot.T'^ fWs, TO ZffVlVfMH 'rcCVTX I^IUVIA ^ T« (iuB-yi t5 QiS. VTCO X, STf^i TV ©•? 
 
 <Pt\offo^uv TlaZX^, <pniriv, o ^i l^tuvuv to,; xaodias ol^i Tt to (p^ovt^fun t5 
 wiivfji.oLT^' h vv &io; i^i'jva, uyvouv, ^ to wvJfJi,a ayvouv l^ivvcc' dkk' Vva 
 fjid^rii oTi TO i^ivvav isx otyvovvTo; iffTt, l-znyotyiv vtoj k, to, tS &i5 X; ii%\ts 
 tyvu it fA'/i TO TviufAX t5 0=5, ^ yvuffiy i'^iypufn tm iTvei/jt^ar/.— Chrysos- 
 toni. Vol. vi. p. 199, 202. 
 
 h Mat. xi. 27. c De Spir. 1. 2. p. 249. 
 
62 TriE HOLY spirit's divinity 
 
 abovo liim." IVoin nil wliicb, I liopc, it is very clear, that 
 
 tin; Spirit of God is infinite in knowledge. 
 
 The sum of the argument this day insisted on is tliis ; he 
 who is omnipresent, omnipotent, etei'nal, uncliangeable, in- 
 finitely and sovereignly uracioiis, and omniscient, is, and must 
 he true and real Ciod : But the Spirit of God is omnipresent, 
 omnipotent, eternal, unchangeable, infinitely and sovereignly 
 gracious and omniscient ; therefore he is no creature, but is 
 true and real God, of the same nature and perfections with 
 the Father ajad the Son. 
 
 APPLICATION. 
 
 What comfort and encouragement may this doctrine afford 
 to truo. believers? In liow full a sense may they say, Behol<l 
 God is become our sahation ? as lie is God who purchased 
 the church with his own blood ; so he is God, wlio applies 
 the salvation by his o\vn power. The Christian therefore 
 may Avell tnist, and not be afraid, seeing that Jehovah is IiLs 
 strength and liis song : He may well conclude, that he that 
 has begun tlie good work in liim, will perform it to the day 
 of Christ ; for he is God, and will do all his pkiasure : He is 
 mighty in power, and his understandiiig is infinite ; he brings 
 the blind by a way wliich he did not know ; lie makes the 
 lame to lea]) like a hart, and the tongue of the dumb to sing 
 for joy. What courage and comfort may the believer receive 
 when the Spirit says to him, ' Fear not, for I am with tliee ; 
 be not dismayed, for I am thy God ; I will strengthen thee, 
 I will help thee, yea, I will uphold thee by the right hand of 
 my righteousness.' The work is in a good hand, in the hand 
 of him who is Lord God Almighty, who is able to do infi- 
 nitely more than we can ask or think. Had the application: 
 and perfecting our salvation been left in the hands of the most 
 excellent creature, liow dangerous, if not desperate, had oui* 
 case been ? Adam, who Avas made upright, the angels, that 
 excelled in strength, could not preserve themselves : How 
 then should the most excellent creature recover and secure 
 
PROVED FROM HIS WORKS. (>3 
 
 US from perishing? but seeing he is God, that renews the 
 redeemed, and conducts tlieni tJirough tliis Avorld, th.ey can- 
 not peri-<h ; for gi'eater is he that is in the saints than he tliat 
 is in tije world. 
 
 To the sons and slaughters of Zion, therefore, it may be 
 said, ' Fear not, and let not your hands be slack ; for the 
 Lord your God is in the midst of you, whose temple you 
 are ; he is mighty, he will save you.' The best of Christians 
 are weak and offending creatures ; but the Holy Spirit will 
 not destroy tliem ; for he is God and not man, unchangeable 
 and infinite in his power, patience, faithfulness and grace. 
 
 THE HOLY SPIRIT'S DIVINITY PROVED FROM 
 HIS WORKS. 
 
 SERMON IV. 
 
 PREACHED DECEMBER 2d, 1729. 
 
 1 CoR. iii. 16. — Know you not that you are the temple of 
 God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you f 
 
 Ax some former discoui*ses upon these words, I have endea- 
 voured to prove tlie Deity of the Holy Spirit ; or to shew, 
 that lie who dwells in the saints, as in his temple, is true and 
 proper God. Several evidences of tliis ti-utli were drawn 
 from his scripture names and titles, and from such attributes 
 as belong to the true God, and to him only ; as immensity, 
 or omnipresence, omnipotency, eternity, immutability, infinite 
 and sovereign grace, omniscience, or knowing all things. 
 
 It is God's appropriate and peculiar character, to know 
 the thoughts afar off, and to declare the end from the begin- 
 ning a : Tliis he himself declared, when he said, ' I am God, 
 
 a PsaJ. cxxxix. 
 
G4 THE HOLY spirit's divinity 
 
 and tlifiie is none elso ; I am God, and tliere is none like me, 
 (ledarint!^ the end from tlie beginning-, and from ancient times, 
 tlie things that are not yet done «.' But this the Spirit of 
 God does ; lie it was that enabled the prophet to declare, 
 * That a child should be born to the liouse of David, Josiah 
 by name, who should burn the bones of the priests of the 
 high places, upon the altar of Bethel h x And this he foretold 
 t'u'ee hundred, or thre^ hundred and fifty years beforehand ; 
 and ^vhen there were ten or eleven kings in David's line to 
 precede him, and from wliom Josiah was lineally to descend ; 
 which seemed to be very contingent and uncertain, and to 
 depend on the wills of free agents, and the sovereign and se- 
 cret disposal of the gi'eat God : This is a knowledge too 
 great for any creature, and peculiar to the only true God. 
 
 But there is yet a higher instance of knowledge ascribed 
 to the Holy Spirit : He is said to ' search all things, yea, the 
 deep things of God : for what man knows the things of a 
 man, save the spirit of man, which is in him ? Even so the 
 things of God knows no maii, but the Spirit of God <?.' The 
 word searches, does not imply ignorance, or imperfection, in 
 the Holy Spirit, but the depth and perfection of his know- 
 ledge : He knows the depths of God, as intimately as a man. 
 knows his own thoughts and designs : He knows them, not 
 by revelation, but by self-consciousness, or intuition ; being 
 the Spirit Avhich is of God, or proceeds from him, of the 
 same nature with the Father ; the same, even infinite in 
 knowledge, and therefore tme and proper God. 
 
 The sum of this argument is, that he to whom the incom- 
 municable attributes and perfections of God belong, is true 
 and real God ; but the incommunicable attributes and per- 
 fections of God do belong to the Holy Spirit ; therefore he 
 is true and real God. 
 
 I now proceed to a farther evidence of the Deity of the 
 Holy Spirit, which may be collected from his works. 
 
 Prop. HI. The Holy Spirit is truly God, because he is 
 
 a Isa. xlvJ. 10. b 1 Kings xili. 2. c 1 Cor. ii. 10, 11. 
 
PROVED FROM HIS WORKS. (l5 
 
 represented, in scripture, as performing those works which 
 only the great God can do. 
 
 He that does the ^rorks proper and peculiar to God, is 
 tine and real God ; But the Holy Spirit does the woiks 
 ^^'l^ich are proper and peculiar to God ; therefore the Holy 
 Spirit is true and real God. 
 
 1. The work of creation is a work peculiar to God ; and 
 yet this is attributed to the Holy Spirit. 
 
 The gi'eat Creator has thus declared : ' I am the Lord 
 that makes all things, that stretches forth the heavens alone, 
 that spreads abroad the earth by myself «.' This is the work 
 of the Lord Jehovah, of the true and living God, and of none 
 else, as this scripture and many othei-s teach us ; from the 
 things that are created and made, the eternal power and 
 Godiiead are clearly seen and understood b. The scriptures 
 speak of nothing, that I can find, of the creation-work of a 
 creature, or of the instrumentality of a creature, in the mak- 
 ing all things ; this is peculiar to the eternal Power and 
 Godhead ; not peculiar to the Father, nor confined to the 
 Father and the Son, but is also ascribed to the Holy Spirit ; 
 yet it belongs to such only as are possessed of eternal Power 
 and Godhead; and therefore the ascription of this work to 
 the Holy Spirit, proves him to be a Person in the Godhead, 
 or th.at he is true and real God. Eiihu declared tlnis ; < The 
 Spirit of God has made me, and the Breath of the Almighty 
 lias given me life c' Moses said, ' The Lord God formed 
 man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils 
 the breath of life d.' Moses and Elihu agTee in sense, and 
 very near in words, in their account of the creation of man ; 
 and what the one ascribes to God, the other affirms of the 
 Holy Spirit ; and that very justly, seeing the Spirit is God, 
 and was a joint efficient cause with the Father and Son iu 
 that work, according to those words, * Let us make man eJ 
 The word made, used by Elihu, is the same used by Moses, 
 
 a Isa. xliv. 2\. b Rom. i. 20. c Job xxxiii. 4-. 
 
 (/ Gen. ij. 7. € Chap. i. 26. 
 
G6 THE HOLY spirit's DIVINITY 
 
 to express God's act of divine power in creating- man, as one a 
 lias well observed. The same Spirit which created one, cre- 
 ated all : ' The Spirit moved upon the face of the waters, and 
 formed the several kinds of creatures, out of tlie first confus- 
 ed mass 0. And this is as much the work of Ciod as the 
 producing that first mass out of nothing. Hence God speaks 
 of tlie stretching forth the heavens, and laying the foundations 
 of the earth, and forming the spirit of man within him, as his 
 proper works, and tlie evidence of liis eternal power and 
 Godhead c : ' By his Spirit he has garnished the heavens d,' 
 or adorned them with the glorious lights of sun, moon, and 
 stars. This is the w^ork of God, and not of a creature; 
 ' God said. Let there be liglit in the firmament of the hea- 
 vens ; and God made two great lights, the greater light to 
 rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night ; he made 
 the stars also : And God set them in the firmament of the 
 Ijeaven, to give light upon the eai'th e.' We are likewise 
 told, that ' by the ^\'ord of the Lord the heavens were made, 
 and all the hosts of them by the breath of his mouth,' or by 
 the Holy Spirit y. Some by breath would have us under- 
 stand the wind, which they think, may be said to garnish the 
 heavens, as it disperses those mists and clouds which obscure 
 and hide its beautiful lights ; how remote and low a sense 
 this is, I think, every one may see. But supposing, though 
 not granting it, yet with Avhat propriety and truth could it be 
 said of the wind, that all tlie hosts of the heavens were made 
 by it ; this is the work of God. ' He that built all things is 
 (jod ^ ;' and as it is the work of the Spirit, it proves liim to 
 be God. 
 
 It is objected, that when God is said to do tliese things by 
 the Spirit, it denotes his instrumentality, distinction from, and 
 inferiority to God, and therefore that lie is not God. But 
 when it is said, ' That all things are by God,' does that sig- 
 
 n See Dr. Knight's 8th sermon, p. 2G8. 
 
 b Gen. i. 2. c Zech. xii. 1, d Joh xxvi. 13. 
 
 c Gen. i. H. yPsal. xxxiii. 0. g Ileb. iii. 4'. 
 
PROVED FROM HIS WORKS. G7 
 
 nlfy liis distinction from, and inferiority to himself, or tliat he 
 was his own instrument in the producing and forming of all 
 tilings ? The order of working is according to the order of 
 suhsisting ; the Father is first, as the fountain a of all, and 
 first in conception, whenever we think of the Deity ; hut this 
 does not exclude the Holy Spirit from heing the same in na- 
 ture, power, and efficiency with the Father, hut only from 
 heing the same as to personality and order of working; the 
 Father does all, hy and through the Son and Spirit; so, hy 
 the Word of the Lord, the Logos, or Son, were the heavens 
 made, and all the hosts of them, by the Breath, or Spirit of 
 his mouth, even hy the Holy Spirit : Thus the text was un- 
 derstood very early hy Iren£eus, Tertullian, and many others. 
 Irenseus having before refeiTed to this text, says, " The God 
 of all stands in need of nothing, but by his own Word and 
 Sfjii'it, makes, ordere, governs, and gives being to all things hy 
 And in another place ; " God needed not the angels for the 
 production of those things which he had determined to make, 
 since he had his own hands ; for his Word and Wisdom, his 
 Son and Spirit, are ever with him c." In like manner, Ter- 
 tullian, quoting the Psalmist's words, thus explains them ; 
 " This is the right hand of God, and both his hands, by which 
 he wrought all things, v/hich he has made ; for the scripture 
 says. The heavens are the works of thine hands <i." 
 
 The Holy Spirit being one in nature with the Father and 
 the Son, is also one with them in power and operation ; and 
 as creation is the work of the Father and of the Son, so it is 
 equally the work of the Holy Spirit. This accounts for the 
 plural form of expression made use of in respect of the works 
 of creation ; ' In the beginning, God,' according to the He- 
 brew, Gods, ' created the heavens and the earth : Let us make 
 
 a The author, by this expression, can, with propriety, intend no- 
 thing more, than that the Father is the first iji the order of working 
 as M'ell as subsistence. Ed. 
 
 h Irenseus, lib. i. c. 22. § 1. c Idem. lib. iv. c. 20. § I, 
 
 d TertuUiau c. Ileruiogeueui, c. 45. p. 288. 
 
(38 THE HOLY spirit's divinity 
 
 man. Romcniber thy Croators in tlie days of thy youtli. 
 Let Israel rejoice in his Makers. Where is God my Makers «.' 
 The propliet Isaiah declai'es the infinite power and exalted 
 Majesty of tlie Holy Spirit, as Creator, in the foll<)\vin<^ pas- 
 sage : ' Who lias measured the waters in the hollow of his 
 hand ? and meted out heaven with a span, and compreliended 
 the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains 
 in scales, and the hills in a balance ? Who has directed the 
 Spirit of the I^ord, or being- his counsellor, has taught him ?' 
 In making and beautifying the world : ' Behold, the nations 
 are as the drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust 
 of the balance : Behold, he takes up the isles as a very little 
 thinff. And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts 
 thereof for a bin-ut-offering. All nations are before him as 
 nothing, less than nothing, and vanity Z>.' What a magnifi- 
 cent description have we here of God the Spirit ? He is the 
 Creator of the heavens and the earth, and in himself infinitely 
 greater than they ; insomuch as that all things are before him 
 as nothing, less than nothing, and vanity. He is not spoke 
 of by the prophet as an inferior agent, but as the Most High 
 God, whose wisdom, as well as his power, is infinite : This 
 is not a communicated or given wisdom, but that which is 
 essentially inherent in himself. This is signified in a variety of 
 expressions, to mal^e the deeper impression upon us : ' Who 
 lias directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being his counsellor, 
 has taught him ? W^ith whom took he counsel, and who in- 
 sti-ucted him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and 
 taught him kno^^^ledge, and shewed to him the way of under- 
 standing c ?' This perfect Spirit was directed by none inferior 
 to himself; he Avas his own counsellor, his own director, in 
 creating the world, and giving it all its beauty and lustre. In- 
 finite wisdom could not be wanting in him, who has infinite 
 power and majesty in himself, and is exalted far above all 
 creatures. This is spoke of the Spirit, not in exclusion of the 
 
 a Gen. i. 1, 2G.— Eccl. xii. 1.— rsal. cxlix. 2.— Job xxxv. 10. 
 h Isa. X. 12, 15—17. c Isa. xl. 13, U. 
 
PROVED TKOM HIS WORKS. 69 
 
 Father and the Son, but in conjunction with them ; for the 
 tliree in heaven are one, one in essence, and one in operation «. 
 There is a joint concuiTence of all the three Persons in the 
 Godhead, in the works of nature, providence, and grace ; as 
 Cluist says, ' My Father worketh hitherto, and I work b ;' 
 and whatsoever the Father does, the Son does likewise. Tlie 
 same may be said of the Spirit, who, with the Father and ihe 
 Son, is the Creator and Maker of all things. No man that 
 considers the magnitude of the earth, the compass and depths 
 of the seas, the height and extent of the heavens, the stupend- 
 ous bulk and size of tlie heavenly luminaries, those moving 
 worlds of light, the nice proportion of their distances, the re- 
 gularity and harmony of their courses and motions, but must 
 confess the mal\er and director of them, to be a divine person, 
 endowed with infinite power, wisdom, and gi-eatness, and 
 therefore tnie and real God. It is clear from the sacred writ, 
 that the Holy Spirit created all these things ; these proclaim 
 him to be the omnipotent and eternal God. David said, 
 ' When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the 
 moon and the stars which thou hast ordained ; Wlmt is man 
 that thou art mindful of him c ?' What a poor creature is he 
 for such a Creator to regard ? How high and lofty an one 
 then must that Spirit be, who jointly with the Father and the 
 Son is the maker of them all. 
 
 When we consider tlie Holy Spirit as the Creator, not only 
 of inanimate bodies, but of men and angels, those intel- 
 lectual beings, the former kind of which is fearfully and won- 
 derfully made ; with liow much stronger conviction must we 
 be forced to confess, that the Spirit, who gave them their 
 being, and all their powers and capacities, is the great God, 
 infinitely exalted above the highest of creatures. 
 
 ' The gods that have not made the heavens and the earti?, 
 even they shall perisli fi-om the earth, and from under tliese 
 heavens : He has made the earth by his power, lie has esta- 
 
 a 1 John V. To b Joliu v. 17. c Psal. viii. 3. 
 
70 THE HOLY spirit's divinity 
 
 Mislu'd llio world by liis wisdom, find lias stretcliod out tlie 
 lu'avens l>y liis discretion «,' says the prophet Jereniiali. 
 This is the work of the p-eat God, and of none else ; and 
 heing the work of the Holy Sj>irit, as has been proved, it fal- 
 lows, that he is the <j^reat (iod, otherwise he nmst he of th.e 
 nuniJ)cr of tliose gods who shall j)erish from the earth, and 
 from under these heavens, wliieh were blasphemy once to 
 imagine. 
 
 The texture and frame of the human body is wonderful, 
 and a stupendous work of (iod, as the Psalmist declares at 
 large : ' Thou hast possessed my reins : Thou hast covered 
 me in my mother's womb. I will j)raise thee, for 1 am feai*- 
 fuUy and wonderfully made — when I was made in secret, and 
 curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. In thy 
 book all my members ^>'ere written h.' The structure of the 
 body shews the infinite wisdom and power of the Architect 
 or ]Maker, who, in a secret place, and, in a way unkno^^^l and 
 incomprehensible to us, so curiously framed it, that the finest 
 embroidery may not be compared with it ; this filled the 
 Psalmist with wonder ; and even a Pagan, Galen the eminent 
 physician, in contemplation of it, composed a hymn of praise 
 to the Creator : But who can declare the far more noble an(i 
 excellent nature, powers, and faculties of the human soul ? 
 whatever they be, they are all the work and product of the 
 Holy Spirit. ' The Spirit of God has made me,' said Elihu : 
 The same Spirit formed Cluist's human nature in the womb 
 of the Virgin ; he is then an almighty Creator, true and living 
 God; for tlie forming the spirit of man within him, is as 
 much the work of tlie Lord Jehovah c, as the laying the 
 foundations of the earth. We cannot doubt of the Spirits 
 being Creator, when Ave know the author of our Lord's incar- 
 nation, said Ambrose ^/, long ago; and one of late thus speaks: 
 Can any reasonable man conceive, that so rare a piece (the 
 Imman body), consisting of such parts, inexpressibly various, 
 
 a Jer. x. 11, 12. b Psal. oxxxix. 13— IG. 
 
 c Zcch. xii. 1. c/ De Spiritu, p. 230. 
 
PROVED FROM HIS WORKS. 71 
 
 inconceivably cui'ious, incomparably sui'passing all the works 
 of the most exquisite art, should be effected without exceed- 
 ing groat wisdom, without the most deep counsel and def^ign a ? 
 And, as he farther observes, ' The heavens declare the glory 
 of God, and the firmament sheweth forth his handy work.' 
 We cannot, without stopping our eyes, exclude that light of 
 divine glory which fills and illustrates the world : Eveiy star 
 in heaven, every beast upon earth, every })lant, every mineral, 
 yea, every stone, speak those most glorious properties of God : 
 ' There is no speech, nor language, where their voice is not 
 heard ; their line is gone out through all the earth, and their 
 words to the end of the world.' The eternal power and di- 
 vinity are perceived by observing the makes or constitutions 
 of the creatures in the world. Thus the works of creation 
 do declare the eternal power and Godhead of the Holy Spirit, 
 who, with the Father and the Son, is the Maker of them all. 
 But I have been large on this ; I proceed, 
 
 2. The works of preservation and providence, are the 
 works of the Holy Spirit, and proclaim him to be God, seeing 
 none else can perform them. Providence is Gods work ; he 
 works all things, with respect to all creatures, according to 
 the counsel of his own Avill, and for his own glory. He 
 works all in all ; his kingdom rules over all ; of him, through 
 him, and to him, are all things b. It is consonant to reason, 
 that he that made all things should preserve, direct, and over- 
 rule all things, to the ends for which he made them ; and this 
 is wliat we call Providence, and apparently can belong to no 
 othei' but the Creator of all things ; ' For who hath directed 
 the Spirit of the Lord, or being his counsellor, has taught 
 liim c ?' The Holy Spirit, proceeding from the Father, and 
 being one in essence with lum, is also one in operation; as 
 in creating, so in preserving and goveraing all things to their 
 designed ends ; for which he is perfectly qualified, being in- 
 finite in wisdom, power, and all perfections, searching all 
 
 a Barrow on the Creed, Vol. I. p. 455, 457. 
 
 b 1 Cor. xii. 6. — Fsal. ciii. 19. — Roui. xi. oG. c fsa.xl. 13. 
 
7'1 THE HOLY SPIRITS DIVINITY 
 
 thing's, even tlio deep things of God a. The sciiptiires aHuid 
 us numerous instances of liis providential power and inihience. 
 The conservation of the order and course of nature is ascribed 
 to him in those words : * Thou sendest forth tliy Spirit, they 
 an; created ; thou renewest the face of the earth Ik The 
 Holy Spirit is the immediate agent; it is he tliat fmstrates 
 men's designs, aud cuts off their lives with his blast : ' The 
 grass withers, the flower fades, because the Spirit of the Lord 
 blows upon it c' The surprising deaths of Ananias and Sap- 
 phira are memorable instances of this. When the enemy 
 comes in as a flood, it is he that lifts up a standard against 
 him; he made his people rest in the wilderness; when sur- 
 roimded with enemies, he led them, and made to himself a 
 glorious name. He gives wisdom, skill, and courage to mm 
 to do his will: When Israel had no might or power, he 
 brought about their building of the temple. He presides and 
 governs in all the affairs of the church, as well as of the world : 
 He calls ministers to the work ; directs and over-rules their 
 course, endows them with gifts, and succeeds their endeavours, 
 according to his own sovereign will and pleasure : He glori- 
 fies Chiist, regenerates men, carries on the good work in them, 
 comforts, or makes them sad, as he sees occasion : and directs 
 the events of providence to serve his designs. Now certainly 
 such an universal influence and government in and over all 
 the works of natiu'e and grace, not only over the bodies, but 
 souls and circumstances of men, over enemies as well as saints, 
 over Satan and all the powers of darkness, is too high and 
 too great for any mere creature, and can belong to none but 
 the true and the living God. Seeing therefore it a])pears, 
 from the instances given, and from many otliers which might 
 be collected from scri|)ture, that such a providence is exercis- 
 ed by the Holy Spirit, it hence necessarily follows, that he is 
 the true and living God. For, ' The Lord looks down from 
 heaven, he beholds all the sons of men :' From the place of 
 
 o 1 Cor. il. 10, 11. b Psal. civ. 30. c Isa. xl. 7. lix. 
 
 19. Ixiii. It. — Judg. iii. 10.— Zech. iv. C, 7.— Actsxiii. j x^i 7. 
 
PROVED FROM IIIS WORKS. 73 
 
 his habitation, lie looks upon all the inhabitants of the earth ; 
 he fashions their hearts alike ; he considers all their works. 
 Our Soul waits for the Lord ; he is our help and our shield a. 
 These are the ^rorks of the Spirit, as well as of the Father 
 and of the Son ; and he being one with them in such opera- 
 tions, must consequently be one with them in nature, even 
 tnie and real God. 
 
 3. The resui'rection is another work of the Spirit which 
 proves his Deity. 
 
 To raise the dead requires the same power as that which 
 at first created man ; hence it is ascribed to God in scrip- 
 ture : ' Why should it be thought an incredible thing with you, 
 that God should raise the dead b.' It might indeed be thought 
 incredible that any creature should do it : But cannot the 
 same almighty power that formed the body out of the dust at 
 first, and breathed into it the breath of life, raise it out of the 
 dust a second time, and reinfuse the same vital spmt ? Christ's 
 resurrection was a kind of second creation : therefore it is 
 spoke of as a begetting or new making of him : ' Thou art 
 my Son, this day have I begotten thee c ;' which was &])oke 
 when he was raised fiom the dead. The same almighty power 
 was put forth upon the body of Christ in his resmrection, as 
 was exerted in his conception, and formation in the womb 
 of the Virgin : But the resun-ection of Christ, as well as of 
 Christians, is expressly ascribed to the Holy Spirit, in these 
 A^'ords of the apostle Paul ; ' If the Spirit of him that raised 
 up Jesus from the dead, dwell in you ; he that raised up Chti^t 
 from the dead, shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his 
 Spirit that dwelieth in you d,' There had been no room for the 
 ^^"ord * also,' in speaking of Christians being raised from the 
 dead by the Spiiit, if Christ had not been raised fiom the 
 dead by the same Spint. Christ was ' put to death in the flesh, 
 but quickened by the Spirit e ; by that Spirit, Avho, by Noah, 
 
 a Psal. xxxiii. 12, 13, &c. b Acts xxvi. 8. 
 
 c Psal. ii. 9. explained of Christ's resurrection, Acts xiii. 33. 
 d Rom. viii. 11. el Pet. iii. 18. 
 
 VOL. III. D 
 
1^ THE HOLY spirit's DIVINITY 
 
 in his (lay, preaclied to those who arc now in prison; and 
 this Spirit was the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, which 
 Avas in the prophets and prearhers of old ; who testified he- 
 forehand, the suireriiigs of Ciirist, and the glory that should 
 follow a ; Christ's resunection is ascrihed to the Father, and 
 to Christ liiniself ; hut this does not exclude the agency and 
 concurrence of the Holy Si)irit therein: And from this work 
 of his we may well conclude, that he is true and real God. 
 The apostles, indeed, healed the sick, and raised the dead b : 
 But tlien they did it not by their own power or holiness, but 
 liy the power of the Holy Spirit, which was poured out abun- 
 dantly upon them. A mighty power, or an exceeduig- great- 
 ness of power c, was exerted upon Christ, in raising him from 
 the dead, even the almighty power of God; the Holy Spirit 
 raised him from the dead, as we have seen ; therefore he is 
 God Almighty. 
 
 4. Regeneration, daily renovation, and consolation, are tlie 
 works of the Spiiit, whicli proclaim his Deity. 
 
 Believers are born of the Spirit, quickened and renewed by 
 the Holy Ghost d : This is a new creation, and requires the 
 same almighty power to effect, as the first creation did. We 
 are God's \A'orkmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good 
 works e: It is God that works in us to will and to do. The 
 same almighty power is put forth in working faith, as was 
 exerted upon Christ in raising him from the dead. The Holy 
 (jhost therefore has manifested his eternal power and God- 
 ^liead, in working of faith and holiness in the hearts of sinners. 
 If the Spiiit is not God by nature, but is a creature, how are 
 they said to be born of Ciod who are regenerated by the 
 Spirit ? 
 
 The new creation seems to be a work of greater difl&culty 
 and power than tlic old. As in the old creation there was 
 nothing to work upon, so there was nothing to oppose : But 
 in the new creation there are strong holds to be pulled doAvn, 
 
 n 1 IVt. i. 12. b Acts iii. 12. c Eph. i. 20. 
 
 (/ John ill. G.— Titus iii. 5. c Eph. ii. 10. i. 19, 20. 
 
PROVED FROM HIS WORKS. 75 
 
 hio-h thoughts to be brought low, blindness, enmity, and ob- 
 stinacy to be subdued, as well as divine powers and piinciples 
 to be infused ! Hence the regenerate are said to be born, not 
 of flesh, nor of blood, nor of the will of man, but of God a. 
 It requires the efficiency and power of God, to make a man 
 a new creatm-e, to cause old things to pass away, and all things 
 to become new h. The plu*ase of a new creature, or a new 
 creation, argues the greatest change imaginable, such an one 
 as can be uTought by no other power than that of God, as 
 the apostle had hinted a little before : He that hath wrouglit 
 us for the self same thing, is God. And besides, faith is said 
 to be of the operation of God c. The Holy Spirit then, who 
 is the worker of faith, is God ; and by this work proves him- 
 self so to be. 
 
 The progressive work of sanctification, or the renewing the 
 soul day by day, is the work of God ; hence the apostle Paul 
 said, '■ The very God of peace sanctify you wholly </.' But 
 as it is well known, sanctification is an eminent work of the 
 Holy Spirit e, God chose men to salvation, through sanctifi- 
 cation of the Spirit ; and he actually doth this work ; for the 
 scriptm-e says, ' You are sanctified by the Spirit of om- God, 
 and transformed into the same image, fi-om glory, to glory, by 
 the Spirit of the Lord, or by the Lord the Spirit /".' 
 
 It is God's work to comfort those that are cast down ; there- 
 fore he is called the God of all comfort. It is God who said, 
 * I, even I am he that comfoiteth you. I create the fiidt of the 
 lips ; peace g' The word affords no comfort without tlie 
 Spirit, who is come in quality of the Comforter h. He was 
 upon Christ, enabling him as man, to preach glad tidings to 
 the meek, to bind up the broken hearted, and comfort all that 
 mom-n. The primitive churches walked in the comforts of 
 the Holy Ghost. It is no easy thing to quiet a troubled mind, 
 
 a John i. 13. h 2 Cov. v. 17. ver. 5. c Col. ii. 12. 
 
 d 1 Tliess. V. 23. e 2 Thess. il. 13. / 1 Cor. vi. 11.— 2 Cor. iii. 18. 
 g 2 Cor. i. 3, 4, 7, 8.— Isa. li. 12. Ivii. 10. 
 ft John xiv. 26.~l6a. Ixi. 1, 2.— Acts ix. 31. 
 
76 THE HOLY spirit's DIVINITY 
 
 to comfort a wounded spiiit, or to renew the joys of a soul 
 made sorrowful by sin and temptation ; a man may as well 
 still tlie I'aging ocean, as, by his own power, give peace and 
 comfort to a soul swallowed up with over much soitow : But 
 in the multitude of distressing thoughts, God's comforts can 
 delight the soul a ; his peace passes all understanding h : But 
 now this joy and peace are fruits of the Spirit c ; he therefore 
 is the God of all comfort. None but God could be such a 
 Comforter as he is. 
 
 5. The glorifying Christ in the world, is a work which 
 proves the Holy Spirit to be God. 
 
 If we consider the insurmountable difficulties that lay in the 
 way, which none but almighty power and infinite wisdom 
 could remove, we may, in this work, see the Deity of the 
 Holy Ghost in a clear light. Who but God could remove 
 the strong prejudices, the stupid ignorance, and conquer the 
 Ticious appetites of men, and cause them to quit their worldly 
 interest, pleasures, and honours, for the sake of an unseen 
 Jesus, who, when in the world, was despised and rejected, 
 and who died out of it, under the gi'eatest ignominy and dis- 
 giace ; who was recommended to the world by the plain nar- 
 rative of a few poor fishermen, persons of no acquh'ed learn- 
 ing, extraordinaiy parts, power, cx)urage, or interest; and 
 whose account of him had so many things in it to raise a dis- 
 like, rather than to create an esteem of him, and to make men 
 willing to prefer him and his cross before all the world. Yet 
 so it was, that Christ crucified, who was to the Greeks foolish- 
 ness, and to the Jews a stumbling-block, was made the power 
 and wisdom of God to the salvation of multitudes ; all the 
 world over, where the gospel came, Christ became precious 
 to those that believed d. Men forsook all to follow him, 
 chose to die the most tormenting deaths, rather than blaspheme 
 or forsake him. Time would fail to give an account of that 
 glory that has been given him in this world : According to 
 prophecy, he has been exalted and extolled very highly, and 
 
 a Psal. xciv. 19. b T\u\. iv. 7. c Gal. v. 22. d 1 Pet. 2. 7. 
 
PROVED FROM HIS WORKS. 77 
 
 as much esteemed as formerly he had been despised a ; his 
 kingdom has prevailed, his cro\vn has flomished, and liis name 
 shall be continued as long as the sun ; and all nations shall 
 call him blessed h. But whence is all this ? by what power 
 and wisdom is it brought about ? according to Christ's pre- 
 diction and promise, this is effected by the Holy Spirit: 
 ' He,' saith Christ, ' shall glorify me ; for he shall receive of 
 mine, and shew it unto you c' And can he that does this, 
 be any thing less than God ? Did any creature ever raise his 
 own or another's honour so high, continue it so long, or spread 
 it so far and wide abroad in the worjd, as the Holy Spirit 
 has done ? The glory of Christ continues, notwithstanding the 
 combined subtilty, malice, and rage of men and devils against 
 him : Is not he then who is in the saints, gi-eater than he that 
 is in the world c?? Is not the Holy Spirit infinitely above the 
 apostate spirit, who is the god of this world, but is made to 
 submit, by that Holy Spirit, who is Christ's glorifier, and the 
 true and living God ? 
 
 6. Another work of the Holy Spirit, which declares him 
 to be God, is the gift of eternal life. 
 
 Such as sow to the Spirit, shall, of the Spirit, reap life ever- 
 lasting e : He not only prepares the soul for it, and fits the 
 body in the resurrection to enjoy it ; but he is said to bestow 
 it as a reward of grace upon the saints. Now eteraal life is 
 tlie gift of God/"; none below him has a power or right to 
 confer it. Seeing then the Spirit does it as well as the Father 
 and the Son, he is God, one in natm^e and essence with 
 them. 
 
 There are a great many other works of the Spirit, which 
 might be insisted on, and from which his Deity might be prov- 
 ed ; which may be considered under another subject, the 
 Works and Offices of the Holy Spirit ; but from these men- 
 tioned, I hope the truth of his Godhead clearly appears : I 
 shall therefore only add a more general account of him and 
 
 a Isa. lii. 13 — 15. h Psal. Ixxii. 17. c John xvi. 14. 
 
 d 1 John iv. 4, e Gal. y'\. 8. f Rom. vi. 2, &c. 
 
^S THE HOLY spirit's divinity 
 
 his divine works, as I find tliem represented by one of tlie 
 ancients «, and so conclude tlie doctrinal part of this brancli 
 of my subject. " Christ," says he, " is bom, the Spirit is his 
 tbrerunner ; Christ is baptized, he bears his testimony ; Christ 
 is tempted, he leads liim away ; Cln-ist works miracles, he is 
 with him ; Christ ascends, he succeeds : What is so gieat 
 and divine that lie cannot do ? What is so divine a name, 
 except that of unbet^otten and begotten, that he may not be 
 railed by it ? He is the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ, 
 tlie Mind of Christ, the Spirit of the Lord, and himself Lord, 
 the Spirit of adoption, the Spirit of truth, the Spirit of li- 
 berty, the Spirit of wisdom and prudence, of counsel and 
 strength, of knowledge, piety, and the feai' of the Lord : A» 
 the efficient cause of all these, he fills all things with his es- 
 sence ; contains all things, fills the world, and is greater than 
 the Avorld, greater in power and energy than the M'orld can. 
 comprehend : He is good, righteous, and truth by nature, 
 not by gift ; he sanctifies, is not saiictified ; he measures, but 
 is not measured ; he gives, but does not receive ; he fills, but 
 is not filled ; he contains, but is not contained ; he knowa 
 and teaches all things ; blows where he will ; is angered, 
 
 Tuv f/,tya,Xuv, 5 «iv 0;of ; t) ou) v "rrpoirecycpiviTcn div Qios zsrXriv ctyivvyiffio,; 
 ^ yivv/iffiu; ; TvivfAU ©£» Xiyirai, crvsi/^aa X^/g-S, v5j X^/j-S, TviZfAa 
 
 xv^ia, avT0xvot<^' -rvivf^ec, vtoB-itrtccs aX'/jS-s/aj, iXivB-s^ia;' Tviv/x-ot ffofiug, 
 ffwiffiu;, j8»X^?, tff^u^, yvuffiws' luffi^eixg, (pSSv @iS- k, yu,^ Tot*jrtxov tu- 
 7UV uTavreaVf Tuvrct tTi vff'tcc <tX'/i^Sv, Tavra iruvi^ov, •zr?..ri^eoTtxov xofffAit 
 xuTU T7>v ifflttv d^eip'/iTov KosfiM xeiTx Ttiv ovva,f/,iv dyci^ov IvS-lg, 'hyifJt,ovtxoVf 
 (puffei i B-icef a,yiDe,Z,ov ix ayix^o/u,ivov //.sr^iv a /u,iT^i/u.svov fiiri;\^oju,ivov i 
 ftiri^ov 9rXi^p5v it TXyipofx-ivov. — ^-^ Uvivfiu to ytveoo'xov uTavTX, to oiodaxov, 
 TO Tv'iov O'^'H B^iXei,——— TCi/}o'^vvo/uivov, '7rei^ot,Z,ofji,ivav,——-(pojTistxov, ^oj^ixov, 
 fjtJxXXov 1i X, Xuvi, vaoTotSv, BiOToiiv — — Ivs^yvv offot, Qiog, //.s^t^o/nivov tv 
 yXcoffffcci; rrvo'iva.1;, otxio'nv ^ctp)a'f/.urK, rroivv ecTo^oXs;, T^otp^Tcce, IvayysX- 
 i<3us, Toifiivx; X, ^i^cc<yxtiiXiis,'-^— 9rccvT0 cCvafcov, TavTiTiirxo-rsv dioc sr«y- 
 Ttjv ^eopSv TvivfJtoiTuv xocrot txutov X, ix sv to7; xvroT; totoi;, xXXcov 
 
 oi aXX«ij» v£V£|ier^£v&/i', u "^fiX^rxi ro clrioiy^x.7rirov.—^Cvcgor. NaziailZ. 
 
 Oiat. 3. p. 610, 611, 
 
PROVED FROM HIS WORKS. 79 
 
 tempted ; is the Spirit of light and life, who builds temples, 
 and dwells in them as God ; he does all things that God him- 
 self does ; he appeared as cloven tong-ues of fire ; he distributes 
 his gifts, made apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and 
 teachers ; he is almighty, all-seeing, penetrating into all spirits 
 at the same moment of time, though far dispersed from each 
 other ; which plainly shews that he is limited to no place." 
 
 APPLICATION'. 
 
 1 . How well secured is the honour and gloiy of our Lord 
 Jesus Christ ? We are apt to be discouraged when we see 
 him despised and rejected of men : But when the enemy comes 
 in as a flood, is not the Spirit of the Lord able to lift up a 
 standard against him ? He is in all places ; he knows and can 
 do all things ; is sovereign in his grace ; yea, fi'om everlasting 
 to everlasting he is God. Is lie not then fully qualified to 
 make good Christ's promise or declaration ? ' He shall glorify 
 me ; for he shall take of mine and shew it unto you «.' He 
 searches all things, even the deep things of God, and there- 
 fore is able to shew the things of Christ to men. Christ said, 
 that all things that the Father has are his. A mere creature 
 could neither comprehend them, nor declare them ; for Clirist 
 is the biiglitness of the Father's glory, and the express imag(3 
 of his person ; and he that has seen Christ, has seen the Father 
 also. Christ's glory is enough to dazzle and overwhelm tlie 
 strongest eye : The glorious angels, unequal to the sight, witli 
 the profoundest reverence, desire to look into these things b ; 
 but how far are they from a comprehensive kuowledge of them, 
 or from searching them out to perfection. What is God's 
 name, or his Son's name, who can tell ? But yet the Holy 
 Spu'it, the infinite all-comprehending Mind, of the same na- 
 ture, perfection, and glory with the Father and the Son, he 
 intimately and fully knows all the things of the Father and the 
 Son, and is able to set them in such a light before us as shall 
 
 a John xvi. H. b i Fet. i. 12. 
 
80 THE HOLY spirit's DIVINITY 
 
 glorify our blossod Saviour. This glory was not to precede, 
 but to follow Christ's sufferings, as to the displays of it in 
 this world. And the Holy Spirit was the most fit and proper 
 person to make it manifest, and dispel all tlie mists and dark 
 clouds, wherewith the prince of darkness had been endeavour- 
 ing to obscure it ; for greater is he that is in the saints, than 
 he that is in the world : The Spirit of glory is infinitely su- 
 perior to all the powers of darkness, and therefore is able to 
 glorify Christ in the Avorld. And as he is able, so he is faith- 
 ful to his engagements to do it ; for this end he had a glorious 
 coming at the day of Pentecost, and has pursued this end 
 ever since ; for he is truth itself a, and cannot deal falsely. 
 This opens to us the reason why the devil and his agents are 
 always degi'ading the Spirit, denying his Deity, Personality, 
 and Works ; because they are enemies to Cln-ist's gloiy, which 
 lie came to promote. And this likewise informs us, why be- 
 lievers love to see the Spirit vindicated and exalted ; because 
 he is not only himself the glorious God, but also glorifies their 
 dear Saviour, infinitely more than all saints and angels on 
 earth, or in heaven can do. 
 
 2. How fit is the Holy Spirit to be a Comforter ? He is 
 omnipresent, almighty, infinitely gracious, knows all our weak- 
 nesses and wants, and is ever ready to help and supply us. 
 With great comfort may it then be said to believers, ' God 
 in the midst of you is mighty ; he will save you b.' He hath 
 loved them, and given them everlasting consolation, and good 
 hope, through gi-ace. His enemies, indeed, may justly be 
 filled with terror and distress, when it appears that he, whom 
 they have denied, degraded, and opposed, is God; for, if so, 
 they can never fly from his presence, nor withstand his power, 
 nor change his mind, nor bear the weight of his vengeance, 
 nor outlive his eternity, nor conceal themselves from his all- 
 seeing eye : It is hard for them to be found fighters against 
 this God ; for none ever hardened themselves against him and 
 
 a 1 Jolin V. 6. b Zeph. ii. 17. 
 
PROVED FROM THE WORSHIP GIVEN HIM. 81 
 
 prospered. But happy are they who are the favourites and 
 temples of the blessed Spu'it, who is God theh- Maker, their 
 Preserver, their Sanctifier, their Comforter, and the Giver of 
 eternal life : To whom, with the Father and the Son, be glory 
 and honour everlasting. Amen. 
 
 THE HOLY SPIRIT'S DmNITY PROVED FROM 
 HIS BEING THE OBJECT OF WORSHIP. 
 
 SERMON V. 
 
 PREACHED DECEMBER 16th, 1729. 
 
 1 Cor. iii. 16. — Knoto you not that ymi are the temple of 
 Gody and that the Spirit of God dwells in you ? 
 
 XN my last discourse here I endeavoured to prove the Deity 
 of the Holy Spirit from his Works ; I now proceed to prove 
 him to be God from the Religious Worship due to him, ac- 
 cording to the scriptures. 
 
 Prop. IV. The Holy Spirit is tmly God ; because divine 
 worship is given him in scripture. 
 
 In proceeding upon this ai'gument, it may be proper, by 
 way of preliminary, to state the object of religious worship, 
 and explain the nature of it ; and after that, to prove that 
 such worship is due, and has been given to the Holy Spirit. 
 
 1. I shall state the object of religious worship. 
 
 Those who deny the Godhead of the Holy Ghost, deny di- 
 vine worship to be due to him. We have been told, by an 
 Arian writer a, that the invocation of the Holy Ghost is not 
 only not supported by scripture, but a direct breach of the 
 first commandment. Another tells us by that for putting up 
 
 « Whiston's Primitive Christianity revived, Vol. v. App. 2. p. 26. 
 b Clark's Scripture Doctrine, Part ii. § 54. 
 
 D 2 
 
82 Tilt: iroLY spirit's divinity 
 
 prayors and supplications to the Person of the Holy Spirit,, 
 it must be acknowledged, there is no clear precept or example. 
 And a third a observes, that tliere is not any one plain and ex- 
 press instance, in all the scripture, of a doxolopy directly and 
 distinctly addressed to the Holy Spirit. And yet, but just 
 before, lie says, that it may be very propei-, upon some occa- 
 fsions, to join the Holy Spirit in a doxology, and to offer 
 glory and praise to him, together A\'itli the Father and the 
 Son : And, in the very next page, in contradiction to this, 
 he affirms, " That it is the scripture which alone could reveal 
 the Father, Son, and Spirit to us ; and it is this that must be 
 the rule and ground of tiie particular worship 'vve pay to each 
 of the sacred Three." If tliis last assertion be true, as un- 
 doubtedly it is, how can it be proper, upon some occasions, to 
 join tlie Holy Spirit in a doxology, and offer glory and praise 
 to him, together witli the Father and the Son, if it is true, 
 " That there is not any one plain and express instance, in all 
 the scripture, of a doxology directly and distinctly addressed 
 to the Holy Spirit," as he affirms ? But he having thus con- 
 futed himself, there is the less occasion for others to do it. 
 I will therefore only add here, that I hope it will never be ad- 
 mitted as a principle among Protestant Dissenters, that we 
 may yield that divine Avorship to any object, for which we 
 have no grounds, and of which we have no instance in scrip- 
 ture, whilst the first commandment stands in force ; ' Thou 
 fehalt have no other gods before me ;' and a due regard is paid 
 to the words of Christ, ' Thou shalt worship the Lord thy 
 God, and him only shalt thou serve h.' Another uTiter, to 
 make sure work, and to prevent any argument for the divi- 
 nity of the Son and Spirit being drawn from the divine wor- 
 ship due to them, has had the confidence to assert, " That 
 the first commandment is so far repealed, as it appropriates 
 all worship to God c." We may observe here, how much- 
 the argument pinches them, when it makes them wind and* 
 
 n Watts's Dissert, v. p. 151. b Mat. iv. 10. 
 
 c An Appeal to a Turk or Indian, p. 125, 
 
PROVED FROM THE WORSHIP GIVEN HIM. 83 
 
 turn so much against themselves, against one another, and 
 even against the scriptures ; whicli tell us, that Christ did 
 not come to destroy the law, but to fulfil it ; and that not 
 one tittle of it shall pass away, till all be accomplished. 
 
 In consideration of the before-mentioned opinions, advan- 
 ced so confidently and openly at this day, it seems necessaiy 
 to stand up in the defence of the truth, that, according to the 
 scriptures, divine worship is due, as to the Son, so also to 
 tlie Holy Sphit, and that therefore he is true and real God. 
 
 To what desperate shifts are the adversaries driven, that 
 they must either deny and disannul the command of the Fa- 
 ther, and ex|)lication of the Son, or else own the divmity of 
 the Spirit ? and to wliat a degi'ee of hardness and impiety are 
 such arrived, who will rather reject the word of God, than 
 own the Deity of the Holy Ghost ? But all do not rim these 
 lengths ; some hope to bring themselves off", by distinguishing 
 between supreme and inferior worship ; the former, tliey say, 
 belongs only to God, the latter may be given to creatures ; 
 this is not only destitute of scripture-proof, but dii'ectly con- 
 trary to scripture. 
 
 When Satan tempted Christ to worship him, he did not 
 pretend to be God ; for he confessed that the glory of the 
 world, which, he said, was at his disposal, was given a him, 
 consequently he owned one above him, who had a power and 
 right to give it. Hence, I think it appears, that the worship 
 which Satan demanded of Christ, could not be that called su- 
 preme, but that thought to be of the inferior sort ; yet Christ 
 refused even that, Avith detestation, upon this im.mutable and 
 evident reason, that religious worship is to be given to none 
 but God; ' Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him 
 only bhalt thou serve h^ Hence it follows, tliat every such 
 person, to whom the scriptures diiect us to give religious 
 worship, is God. This blows away the vain distinction of 
 supreme and inferior Avorship, and shews us, that all religious. 
 
 a See Luke iv. 5 — 9.. 6 ?ilut. iv. 10. 
 
St THE HOLY spirit's DIVINITY 
 
 Avorsliip is founded in the nature and perfections of God, and 
 confined to liim ; and that therefore relig'ious worsliip given 
 to creatures, is idolatry ; of which more may he said here- 
 after. This last thouglit shews us, how needful it is to es- 
 tablish and defend the truth, and do what we can to keep men 
 from the guilt of idolatry. If the Holy Ghost he not God, 
 the glory of Christ, the safety and comfort of Christians, are 
 left unprovided for. Ministers must have a hard task, if they 
 have only a created Spirit to send, assist, and succeed them : 
 It therefore is of very gi-eat moment to vindicate the Deity of 
 the Holy Spirit ; and, if it he the will of God, to convince, or 
 put to silence, his enemies, who are so busy in writing and 
 speaking against it. A late writer, in opposition to the or- 
 tliodox faith, that there is but one object of religious worship, 
 the divine nature, asks this silly question, " Whether St. John 
 l»ad this notion of the only meaning of worship, when he fell 
 down to worship tlie angel ; can it be thought that he should, 
 twice be guilty of an attem})t to deify a creature «?" To 
 wliich it may be replied, that worsliipping h of angels is ex- 
 pressly prohibited in scripture, and forbid by the angel him- 
 self, saying, * See thou do it not : I am thy fellow-servant : 
 worship God c ;' implying, that God only is to be worship- 
 ped. Did not the angel laiow of a supreme and inferior re- 
 ligious worship, if such were allowable ? Was he more igno- 
 rant than John ? And v/hy did Peter refuse the worship wliich 
 Cornelius gave him, giving this reason, That he himself also 
 was a man <7, if creatures may be worshipped, or the notion 
 of inferior religious worship had any foundation in scripture, 
 and Christian practice ? So far is this from being the case, 
 that both scripture and reason exclude and condemn it. 
 
 The dinne perfections are the sole foundation of religious 
 worship, and therefore every being destitute of those perfec- 
 tions is, and in the nature of the thing must be shut out from, 
 it. Hence the scripture e condemns those who did service 
 
 a Appeal, &c. p. 125. h Col. ii. 18. c Rev. xix.. 10. 
 
 d Acts X. 26. f Gal. iv. 8. ' 
 
PROVED FROM THE WORSHIP GIVEN HIM. 85 
 
 to them which by nature were no gods : And the Gentiles a 
 ai-e censured for serving the creature, besides the Creator. 
 Their idolatiy did not lie in paying equal worship to creatures, 
 and to their supreme God ; but in giving religious worship to 
 any other besides the true and Uving God : And even mira- 
 cles could not be sufficient to inti'oduce another object of re- 
 ligious worship, besides the true and hving God : For God 
 spake thus by Moses ; ' If there arise among you a prophet, 
 or a dreamer of di'eams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder ; 
 and the sign or wonder come to pass, whereof he spake to 
 thee, saying. Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not 
 known, and let us serve them : Thou shalt not heaiken to 
 him, but thou shalt surely kill him &/ 
 
 I would beg leave to add here, that when it is said, < Thou 
 shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou 
 serve ;' the words, ' Tlie Lord thy God,' must be understood 
 of the Godhead, and rot of the person of the Father only ; 
 for then the Son must be excluded, to Avhom religious wor- 
 ship is due, according to command given both in the Old and 
 New Testament ; and if the Son is included in the Lord God 
 who is to be worshipped, and who only is to be served, so 
 also may the Holy Spirit be, and doubtless is ; for he is of 
 the number of the sacred Three c in heaven, who are ex- 
 pressly declared to be One. 
 
 Having thus stated the object of religious worship, I pro- 
 ceed to the next preliminary. 
 
 2. I shall explain the nature of rehgious worship, that so 
 we may the better judge, whether such worship is ascribed to 
 the Holy Ghost in scripture. 
 
 Divine or religious worship may be described, as an ac- 
 knowledgment of the divine excellencies and perfections, ac- 
 cording to the divine will. 
 
 The object of religious worship being fixed by God, and 
 declared to be himself alone, on the account of his infinite 
 
 o Rom. i. 25. h Deut. xiii. 1, &c. c 1 John v. 7. 
 
86 THE HOLY spirit's DIVINITY 
 
 perfections, men are not left at liberty to vary or multiply tlie 
 objects of it as they i)leasc. Nor is it consistent with the 
 formal reason and ground of it, the infinite perfections of 
 God, that he himself should allow, much less command it to 
 be given to any other ; because no other being but himself, is 
 possessed of those perfections which are the gi'ouiid and reason 
 of homage and adoration. 
 
 When therefore the Father commands all men to honour 
 the Son, even as himself a, the giound of it is not baiely the 
 Father's command, but also the Son's infinite perfections ; for 
 the Son has life in himself, and quickens whom he will ; and 
 it is not to be supposed that the Father would command di- 
 vine worship to be given to a being not possessed of those 
 infinite perfections ; for he will not give his glory to another b. 
 And seeing God claims, and is worthy to be loved, \\\x\\ all 
 our heai'ts, souls, and strength, there is no room for higher 
 and lower worship, or for men to offer supreme or inferior 
 worship in the exercises of religion. 
 
 The worship itself may be either internal in the soul, such 
 as esteem, reverence, love, trust, subjection, self-dedication ; 
 or internal and external both, in some outward acts of wor- 
 ship, as prayer, praise, prostration, oaths, and vows ; but still, 
 it is, and must be, an acknowledgment and veneration of the 
 divine perfections, regulated by tlie will of God, and not by 
 the intention and fancy of the worshipper. 
 
 The Psalmist thus called upon believers : ' O come, let us 
 worship and bow down : let us kneel before Jehovah our 
 Maker : for the Lord is a great Go<l, and a great King above 
 all gods c' His supremacy and creating power are here as- 
 signed as the reason of giving him religious worship ; the ex- 
 ternal part of which is expressed by bov/ing down and kneel- 
 ing before him, singing to him, and giving of thanks. Plencc 
 it appears, that religious Avorship is an acloiowledgnient of the 
 divine perfections, with suitable reverence, subjection, love, 
 
 a John v. 23. conap. with ver. 21, 26. b Isa. xlii. 8. c Psal. xcv. C^ 
 
PROVEI> FROM THE WORSHIP GIVEN HIM. 87 
 
 tliaiikfiilness, and obedience. God's command to Israel was, 
 ' You shall fear Jehovah, and him shall you worship, and to 
 him shall you do sacrifice. And the statutes, and the ordi- 
 nances, and the law, and the commandment which he wrought 
 for you, you shall observe to do for evermore, and you shall 
 not fear other gods al Not only the internal, but also all 
 external acts of religious worship are forbid to be given to any 
 but the Most High God ; for he has thus spoke ; ' I am Je- 
 liovah thy God : Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 
 Thou shalt not bow do^^^l thyself to them, to any beings be- 
 side Jehovah, either in heaven, earth, or the waters, nor sei^e 
 them K Hence Job said, ' If 1 beheld the sun when it 
 shined, and the moon walking in brightness, and my heart 
 liath been secretly enticed, and my mouth hath kissed my 
 hand ; — I should have denied the God that is above c' We 
 have here the internal part of worship, the engagement of tlie 
 heart in that delight and reverence due to God : And the ex- 
 ternal part of worship is signified by his mouth's kissing his 
 hand, in token of submission and subjection ; as Samuel kiss- 
 ed Saul when he anointed him king ; and as the Jews kissed 
 the calves : And princes are required to kiss the Son in token 
 of their adoration and worship of him d. TertulJian speaks 
 of the heathens kissing the sun at its rising e ; that is, asy* 
 one explains it, they used to lift up theu* hands to the sun, 
 and then kiss them wdth their mouths, in token of adoration. 
 Bodily, as well as spiritual adoration, is reserved to God only, 
 whom we are to glorify, and whose our bodies and spirits are. 
 
 I now proceed to shew, that religious Vv'orship is due, and 
 has been given to the Holy Spirit. 
 
 In the ninety-fifth psalm g we have a solemn exhortation, 
 to worship the Lord our Maker, and to bow down and kneel 
 before him : But this Lord appears to be the Holy Ghost, by 
 the apostle Paul's application of the psalm to him ; ' Where- 
 
 o 2 Kings xvii. 36, 37. h Exod. xx. 2—5. c Job xxxi. 26—28. 
 d 1 Sam. X. 1. — Hos. xiii. 2.— -Psal. ii. 12. e Apol. cap. 16. 
 
 f Caryl, in Job xxxi. 27. g Vcr. 6. 
 
88 THE HOLY spirit's divinity 
 
 fore, as tlip Holy Ghost says, Harden not your hearts; I was 
 grieved witli that g-eneration ; your fatliers tempted me, proved 
 me, and saw my worl;s r/.' \\'hich expressions the Psalmist 
 mentions as tlie words of that God wliom we are to worship ; 
 and it appearing from the ajiostle, that they are the words of 
 the Holy Gliost, speaking in his own name, it follows, that 
 lie is that God whom we are to worship, together with the 
 Fatlier and Son ; for as all Three concuiTed in creation, so 
 it is fit that all Three should be worshipped and adored by 
 all their reasonable creatures. All the charactei*s of the ob- 
 ject of worship, mentioned by the Psalmist, as the Rock of 
 salvation, a gi'eat God, and a great King, the Maker of the 
 seas, diy land, and of men, belong to the Holy Spirit, as well 
 as to the Father and the Son ; The Spirit therefore, together 
 with the Father and the Son, is to be worshipped and adored. 
 
 The same truth is not obscurely hinted, in those words of 
 the prophet, concerning the Holy Spirit ; * Lebanon is not 
 sufficient to bum, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burat- 
 offering b' Hereby, as I conceive, is signified his right to 
 the highest expressions of divine Avorship, and also liow much 
 lie is exalted above them ; for all the nations before him aie 
 as nothing, less than nothing, and vanity. 
 
 The apostle Paul having told the Corinthians, that they 
 were the temple of the Holy Ghost, he adds, ' Glorify God 
 in your bodies and spirits, which are God's c' To what end 
 does the Holy Spirit d^vell in the saints, as in the temple, if 
 not to be worshipped and glorified by them ? Tlie Jewish 
 temple, to which there seems here to be an allusion, was a 
 place of the most solemn religious worship of that God to 
 which the temple was built and dedicated. Believers being 
 the temple of the Holy Ghost, are bound to worship him, 
 whose temple they are. None went into the temple with their 
 shoes on, or used any irreverent posture there ; they always- 
 stood at their prayers : When they departed, they bowed low 
 before the Lord, even falling on the ground ; and when they 
 
 a Ileb. iii. 7. h Isa. xl. 16. c 1 Cov. vi. 19. 
 
TROVED FROxM THE WORSHIP GIVEN HIM. 89 
 
 went out, they went backwards, because they might not turn 
 theu* backs upon the altar, as Dr. Lightfoot a tells us. These 
 tokens of veneration and adoration were due to him who 
 dwelt, and was worshipped in the temple. In like manner all 
 the acts and tokens of a religious veneration, are due to God 
 the Spirit, who dwells in his saints as in his temple. 
 
 We may be the more confirmed in this sentiment, when we 
 find so great and so good a man, and one who lived so near 
 the time of Christ, as Justin ^Martyr b, declaring, that with 
 reason they worshipped and adored the prophetic Spirit : 
 This he spoke as the sense and practice of the church, in the 
 first and purest ages of Christianity, long before the Arian or 
 Macedonian heresies appeared in the world. But a greater 
 testimony than his, is that of the apostle, if the following 
 reading of the text be right ; ' For we are the circumcision 
 which worship God the Spirit c ;' as it may and has been ren- 
 dered, agreeable to the original, ol z^nvf^art QiM xar^iovTu. 
 Thus Ambrose d renders the words ; " We are the circum- 
 cumcision, who serve God the Spirit : if (says he) any one 
 contends about the vai'iety of the Latin copies, let him in- 
 spect the Greek copies, where it is thus ^\Titten, oIq-m T-AvKan 
 kxTOiuovT-; ; which is interpreted, who serve God the Spirit : 
 Tiierefore, when he says, the Spirit is to be served, the same 
 apostle who affirms, that not the creature, but the Creator is 
 to he served, evidently shews the Spirit to be the Creator ; 
 and that he is to be worshipped with the honours of the eter- 
 nal divinity, because it is wiitten. Thou shalt worsljip the 
 Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve e." Augus- 
 tine / followed this readijig, we worship God the Spmt : 
 And Beza says. That he found it so in five manuscript copies, 
 
 a Vol. i. p. 948, 949. 
 
 Sc//,i9-ee. X, ?r^a<r;iyv5^£V.— Justin. Apol. i. p. 11. 
 
 c Phil. iii. 3. d De Spir. c. ii. p. 240. 
 
 e Serve and worship mean the same thing, according to him. — Vide 
 p. 263, 264. / In loc. 
 
90 THE HOLY spihit's divinity 
 
 and lliat almost all the Greek copies, and most of the Latin 
 ones, 80 read the text ; thouu,h he prefers the other reading ; 
 which, as he thinks, better suits the scoi)e and design of the 
 context, to recommend the spiritual worship of God, in op- 
 position to that which is canial and ceremonial. But if this 
 sj)lritual worship he meant by the circumcision, I see not but 
 that, as this is the work of God the Spirit, it as naturally led 
 the apostle to worship God the Spirit, as to rejoice in Christ 
 Jesus, and to have no confidence in the flesh. However «, I 
 submit it to consideration. The apostle Paul, speaking of 
 the convincing work of the Spirit upon unbelievers, under the 
 ministry of the New Testament prophets, says, ' That such 
 convinced person ^\'ill fall do^^^l on his face, and worship God, 
 and report that God was in these prophets of a truth h ; that 
 is, God the Spirit, by whom he was convinced and judged, 
 and who made manifest the secrets of his heart ; him there- 
 fore he worships ant\ adores, as God dwelling in his servants 
 tlie prophets. This scripture appears to me, not only to teach 
 us the Deity of the Holy Spirit, but also that religious wor- 
 Rhip is due to him as God ; which even infidels will give to 
 him, when convinced by his divine influence and power upon 
 their hearts and consciences. Such, indeed, as have felt his 
 divine power, and tasted that he is gracious, must surely own 
 his Deity, and adore and worship him as God. One of the 
 ancients descanting on those words of Christ, or the divine 
 Logos, The Lord God, and his Spirit, has sent me, after lie 
 liad expressed his admiration, that the iNlaker of the heavens 
 and earth should be sent by the Spirit : He adds c, " Adore 
 
 o Robert Stephons, in his edition of tlie Greek Testament, 1549, 
 reads the text thus; Hieii Tvivju,ccTi Xctr^ivivrE; ; and Bleau in his, 1C33, 
 and Jausenius in his, 1G39, and Westein in his, 1711. And there 
 being no proposition governing an ablative case, we may well under- 
 stand ^^-wy^ar/, to be tlie dative case, answering Siu, by apposition ; 
 >vliicb, if allowed, is an evident proof of direct worship paid to the 
 Holy Spirit. — ]Mr. Mather on the Divinity of the Holy Ghost, p. 83. 
 
 b 1 Cor. xiv. 24, 25. 
 
PROVED FROM THE WORSHIP GIVEN III.M. 91 
 
 tlio Holy Spirit, whom yoii have received ; say often tliat you 
 are well rewarded ; Christ has taken thy flesh, and given tliee 
 his Spirit. This the wholesome law suggests, the prophets 
 speak, the apostles in their divine oracles declare, the martyi-s 
 confess, the godly believe, the church consents to ; ignorance 
 opposes it ; the faithful are persuaded of it, by many argu- 
 ments ; and thus Christ is glorified ; for his is the gloiy and 
 lionour, and adoration, together with the Father and the most 
 Holy, and good and quickening Spirit, now, and for ever and 
 ever. Amen." 
 
 But not to proceed farther in generals, the religious wor- 
 ship of the Holy Spirit, proving his Godhead, may be yet 
 more clearly seen in the following particulars. 
 
 1. We find prayer, which is an eminent part of religious 
 worship, directed to the Holy Spirit. 
 
 The adversaries of his Deity have confidently affirmed, 
 that no instances of it can be found in the holy scriptures, but 
 liow falsely, I hope to make appeal'. Those words, ' Awake, 
 O North wind, and come thou South, and blow upon my 
 garden d are thought to be a prayer to the Holy Spirit, for 
 his salutiferous and fructifying influences upon the graces of 
 the faithful. The Holy Spirit is often in scripture, compared 
 to the wind, and particularly by Christ himself ; ' As the 
 Avind bloweth where it listeth, so is every one who is bom of 
 tlie Spirit K He imparts his gifts and influences as he will c. 
 He seems to be addressed, as the North ^ind, to blow upon 
 the church, to blast her corruptions, and purify her members ; 
 for he is a Spirit of judgment, and of burning d ; and, as the 
 
 'iy.a.x.1 X^i?o; vrcx.^a, tra to "srXdo'fia to <tbv i^eoyA ffoi uvto; to TViiJ/aoi to 
 ixvtS tccvto ffUT'/i^i^ v'ou,©^ i/TTocyo^ivei, T^o^yiTai (p^iyyovTcc/, 
 
 uTog-ekoi ^iff'jriZ,n<rif f/.cc^TV^Es o/^oXoySffdv, iufftSets rrtftvUffiv, h ivK%r,iia jwv- 
 TiB^iTCit 7> u,yvoofJt.oivrA fj(-a,^iToi.i, o ziTi'?-os •sri'PrX'/i^o^o^riTOCt, o X^i^-o; oo^d^iTccr 
 it-VTV ya.^ itTTivv h ^a|a» {^ TiyJ/i, x, Tpo;xvv>}ffiSf af/,ci too HuT^t, x, too t«.v'i- 
 
 yiu) ^ Z,OJ0'r0ICU ^TViVfAOCTt VUV ^ «« ^ hs T»S aiUVCCi rUV KtOil)>i)V» AfiYIV,— 
 
 Clirysost. Horn, dc Splr. Sanct. Vol. vi. p. 191. 
 a Cant. iv. IG. b John iii. 8. c \ Cor. xii. II. d Isa. iv. 4-. 
 
\)2 THE HOLY spirit's DIVINITY 
 
 Soutli wiiul, to refiesli, cliPiisli, and invigorate lier graces, that 
 those graces whicli are tlie fruits of the Spirit a, might flow 
 out in tlieir pleasing and lively operations and exercises. If 
 this be the sense of the cited scripture, it is a remarkable in- 
 stance of prayer made to tlie Holy Spirit, by the whole body 
 of the churcli. She invokes the Holy Spirit, saying, Come, 
 O Holy Spirit, and blow upon our hearts, that by the love of 
 God, and our neighbour, a sweet odour may be sent forth b. 
 Tliose words, * Create in me a clean heart, renew a right 
 spirit within me <?,' are tliought to be prayer directed to the 
 Holy Spirit, whose work this is d. And those words, ' Pray 
 you therefore the Lord of the haiTest, that he will send forth 
 labourers into his harvest e,' are undei*stood as a command of 
 Christ, to pray to the Holy Spirit, to send forth ministers to 
 labour in the word and doctrine. It is certain, that he makes 
 men overseers over the churchy; he called Saul and Barna- 
 bas to preach to the Gentiles g ; and they were separated to 
 him, as Lord of the harvest ; who, by his authority and in- 
 fluence, assisted and directed them in tlieir work ; and 
 qualifies and sends forth all other ministers for their work, 
 and assists and suceeds them in it. He therefore may be pro- 
 
 o Gal. V. 22. b See Ainsworth, Piscator, and Durham 
 
 on the place. c Psal. li. 10. 
 
 d That passage, Psal. cxliii. 10. ' Thy Spirit is good; lead me into 
 the land of uprightness,' is thus rendered by the learned Dr. Leusden : 
 Spiritus tuus bonus deduoat me in terra recta : Let thy good Spirit 
 lead me in a right land. Which is as truly an adoration of the Spirit, 
 as that, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ he A\-ith you, is an adora- 
 tion of Christ ; as one observes, IMather of the Holy Ghost, p. 86. 
 Avhose, viz. the Spirit's, guidance, I beseech, as well as defence, that I 
 may do nothing, no, not for my preservation, but Avhat is perfectly 
 agreeable to thy laws. — Patrick on the place. 
 
 Thy good Spirit shall lead me in the land of uprightness, as Ains- 
 worth renders the words : We may read in prayer-M'ise, saith he. 
 Let thy good Spirit lead me, and so understand it, as a prayer to, as 
 well as for the Holy Spirit. 
 
 e Mat. ix. o8. /Acts xx. 28. g Ibid. xui. 2. 
 
PROVED FROM THE WORSHIP GIVEN HIM. 93 
 
 perly called the Lord of the harvest, and is to be prayed to, 
 to send forth those labourers, who are made able ministers of 
 the New Testament ; ministers of the Spirit, as they are ex- 
 pressly called a. 
 
 The Holy Spirit gave answer to the prayers of the prophets 
 and teachers ; but for what reason, unless it was because they 
 Iiad invoked or prayed to liim, according to Chiist's direction, 
 before mentioned. And this Spirit, as Lord, declares, upon 
 his own authority, what he would have Saul and Barnabas do, 
 and declai'es, that it was he himself who called them to their 
 ministry ; and it follows, that after prayer and fasting, and 
 laying hands on them, they were sent forth by the Holy Ghost. 
 And when he had declared, that he had called them to their 
 work, and commanded that they should be separated to him, 
 by prayer, fasting, and imposition of hands, as their pi-actice 
 declared, can it be reasonably thought that their prayers were 
 not du-ected to that Spirit, who called them, appointed them 
 to be sepai'ated to him, and sent them forth ? and if they 
 were, this instance is to be looked upon as a fail" and clear 
 example of obedience to Clii'ist's before-mentioned command, 
 to pray to the Lord of the hai'vest, to send forth more labour- 
 ■ere into it. 
 
 \\'hen the chm'ch at Jerusalem lifted up their voice with 
 one accord, and said. Lord, thou art God h ; who, by the 
 mouth of thy servant David, hast said ; it is thought, by some, 
 that the prayer is directed to the Holy Spuit, who spoke by 
 the mouth of David. But whether this interpretation be con- 
 sistent with the following words, part of that prayer, ' Thy 
 holy child Jesus c,' twice mentioned, I leave othei-s to judge. 
 But if this example be not clear, yet I think those that follow 
 are so, and this is particular ; ' The Lord direct yoiu- hearts 
 into the love of God, and the patient waiting for the Lord 
 Jesus Christ d ;' where the Lord prayed to is expressly dis- 
 tinguished fi-om God the Father, and also fiom Christ ; and 
 
 a 2 Cor. iii. 6. h Acts iv. 24, 25. 
 
 c Ibid. 27, 30. d 2 Thess. iii. 5, 
 
94- THE HOLY spirit's divinity 
 
 therefore surely must mean the Lord the Spiiit. And this 
 likewise ; ' The Lord make you to increase and abound in 
 love, to the end he may establish your hearts iniblamcable in 
 holiness, before God, even our Father, at the coming of our 
 Lord Jesus Christ a ;' where a work belonging to the Holy 
 Spirit is ascribed to the Lord prayed to, and he is again dis- 
 tinguished from God the Father, and from Christ, and there- 
 fore the Holy Spirit must be the person intended, as the Lord 
 to whom this petition is as plainly directed as the former &, 
 that the apostle's way might be directed to them, is presented 
 to the Father and the Son. 
 
 Paul addresses the Father and the Son, and the Holy 
 Spirit, by way of prayer, in that solemn benediction ; ' The 
 love of God, and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the 
 communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you c' Prkyer and 
 benediction, or blessing in the name of the Lord, are so far 
 from being inconsistent with each other, that one creature has 
 no other way of blessing another, but by praying to God to 
 bless liim : Accordingly, when the priests and Levites are 
 said to bless the people, it is said, ' That their voice was 
 lieard, and their prayer came up to his holy dwelling place, 
 even to heaven d^ they blessed the people by praying for 
 them, according to that direction, ' On this wise shall you 
 bless the children of Israel, saying. The Lord bless thee, and 
 keep tliee, the Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be 
 gracious to thee ; the Lord lift up upon thee the light of his 
 countenance, and give thee peace e.' Accordingly the apos- 
 tle's benediction is to be looked upon as a prayer to the Fa- 
 ther, for his love, and to the Son, for his grace, and to the 
 Holy Spirit, for his communion, fellowsliip, or communication 
 of his blessings to the Corinthians, and the Spirit as equally, 
 and as plainly addressed, or prayed to, as the Father and the 
 Son. So evidently false are the blind and bold assertions of 
 the adversaries of the Holy Spirit, \\ ho have told us, in print, 
 
 a 1 Thpss. iii. 12, 13. />-Ver. 11. c 2 Cor. xiii. W. 
 
 d 2 C hn»n. xxx. 7. c Num. vi. 23, 21. 
 
PROVED FROM THE WORSHIP GIVEN HIM. 95 
 
 tliat for putting up prayers directly and expressly to the Holy 
 Spirit, there is no clear precept or example : And that the 
 invocation of the Holy Ghost, is not only not supported by 
 scriptui'e, but a direct breach of the first commandment. 
 
 The last instance which I shall insist on, of prayer directed 
 to the Holy Spirit cr, is that in the Revelations, where St. 
 John prays for grace and peace from him, which is, and 
 which was, and which is to come ; and from the seven spirits 
 which are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ. Some 
 by the seven spirits, would have us understand angels ; but, 
 when before the throne, they are not capable of knowing the 
 prayers made on eaiih, and as unable to give the giace and 
 mercy prayed foi' ; and also, they are expressly h precluded 
 from religious worship, of which prayer is an eminent part : 
 Nor are there any other creatures who have eithei' authority 
 or ability to communicate grace and peace to us. Now see- 
 ing this is too gi'eat a thing to be done by, or desired of any 
 creature, and seeing the object of this prayer is expressly dis- 
 tinguished from God the Father, and fi-om Chnst, it remaiiis 
 that it can be no other than the Holy Spirit, to whom the in- 
 spired writer prays for this grace and peace. 
 
 Those words, ' The seven spirits which are before the 
 throne,' have occasioned many cavils of adversaries, and many 
 conjectures among the advocates c of the Deity of the Holy 
 Spirit. Some have thought the Holy Spirit is represented as 
 seven spiiits, with respect to the plenitude and perfection of 
 his gifts and graces ; others suppose him to be so represented, 
 with relation to the seven churches, to whom he spoke : but 
 in that respect he is constantly spoke of as one spirit, not as 
 seven. ' Let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.' 
 But the Holy Spirit may be represented as seven spirits, in 
 allusion to the seven lamps in the golden candlestick men- 
 tioned in the law d : Accordingly the seven spirits of God 
 are represented as seven lamps of fire burning before the 
 
 a Rev. i. 4. h Col. ii. 18. 
 
 c Vide Burnet's Exposition of the Art. p. 30. d Exod. xxv. 37. 
 
96 THE HOLY spirit's DIVINITY 
 
 throne of God a. In the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit 
 descended in tlie form of cloven tongues of fire, and ahode 
 upon the faitliful h. As the tahernacle was a type of Christ, 
 and the golden candlestick, with its seven lamps, was in the 
 tahernacle ; so the Holy Spirit was given to Christ without 
 measm'e, and sinned with a glorious light, when he shed him 
 down upon the church : And, in conformity to the things 
 hefore mentioned, Christ is said c to have these seven spirits 
 of God ; and they are said to he the horns and the eyes of 
 Christ, denoting, it may be, the knowledge and power of the 
 Holy Spirit, who, by the prophet, is described as a Spirit of 
 wisdom and understanding, of counsel and might, of know- 
 ledge, and of the fear of the Lord, resting upon Christ d. 
 By comparing all these things together, it appears, that by the 
 seven spirits, the Holy Spirit is intended. 
 
 It is objected, that these seven spirits are said to be before 
 the throne ; which seems not to agree to the Holy Spirit, if 
 he be God, of the same natm'e with the Father. But the 
 Spirit of God may be thus represented, with respect to the 
 (economy and office wherein he is engaged, as sent from the 
 Father to supply Christ's absence and cany on his work : He 
 is j)laced between the Father and the Son in St. John's saluta- 
 tion, denoting, as some think, his intimate union with them 
 in nature, dignity, and glory ; for it is but reasonable to con- 
 clude, that he is the same in nature with them who is invo- 
 cated in the same manner as the Father and the Son, and for 
 the same gi'ace and peace for which they are addressed. And 
 if this be the true sense of the text 'uider consideration, it 
 contains a pregnant proof of tlie religious worship of the Holy 
 Spirit in solemn prayer, and of his Deity, as being so worsliip- 
 ped and applied to as the author and fountain of grace and 
 peace, as well as the Father and tlie Son. It is monstrous, 
 and most absurd, to imagine, tliat an inspired person should 
 apply to any creature, or creatures, for such divine blessing-s ; 
 
 a Rev. iv. 5. b Acts ii. 3, 4. c Rev. iii. 1. ; v. G. 
 
 d Isa. xi. 2. See Dr. Omcu ou Heb. ix. 10. p. 310. 
 
PROVED FROM THE WORSHIP filVEN HIM. 97 
 
 find especially tliat he sliould place iliem in conjunction and 
 equality with God, in such an invocation or prayer. The 
 learned Dr. Lightfoot a upon the place, says, " That John 
 terms the Holy Gliost the seven spirits, according to the Jews' 
 coiumon speech, who speak much of the seven spirits of the 
 Messiah." It is also ohserved, hy the judicious and accurate 
 Witsius 6, that the seven spirits are never said to worship 
 God, as the elders and living creatures do ; but, on tlie con- 
 trary, are invocated by John ; which honour Ijelongs not to 
 created spirits : and that John invokes them, in the same 
 manner, and with the same worship as he gives to the Father 
 and the Son, as the author, with the Father and Son, of gi-ace 
 and peace, without any note of discrimination. 
 
 It has been objected, that the Spirit is never represented 
 as upon a throne, but as before it : To which I answer ; That 
 liis Vv'ork in the world was, to glorify Christ, not to speak of 
 himself, to shew us Christ's glory, and not so mucli liis own ; 
 and therefore it is no wonder, if the tokens of his Godlike 
 Majesty be less frequently nientioned in scripture. But far- 
 ther; though he is not often spoke of as iqjon a throne, yet 
 he is represented as in the midst of it, in the following scrip- 
 ture ; ' And I beheld, and lo, in the midst of the throne, stood 
 a Lamb, as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven 
 eyes, which are the seven spirits of God c ;' where the Holy 
 Spirit, meant by the seven spirits, is represented as being in 
 the midst of the throne, togetlier with Christ. And in Isaiah's 
 vision, he is represented as sitting upon a throne, high and 
 lifted up J; as I shall have occasion to shew more at large, 
 ^\ hen I come to treat of doxologies. But this may be a suf- 
 ficient answer to this objection. 
 
 From \vhat has l>een said, it may appear with how little 
 truth or modesty our adversaries amrm, that in scripture, we 
 have no precepts or examples of invocation or prayer address- 
 ed to the Holy Spirit. 
 
 a Vol. i. of his works, p. S-il, h Exercit. de Spirit. Sane. p. 428. 
 c Uev. V. 6. d \-i?i. vi. 1, 2. 
 
 vol.. III. E 
 
9B THE HOLY spirit's DIVINITY 
 
 2. As tlie Holy Spirit is the object of prayer, so is lie the 
 ol)j<'ft of tljaiiksjiiviiiG: and })raise : This indeed would follow 
 from the former, liad we no express examples of it. For he 
 who is omnipotent, omniscient, all-sufficient, and infinitely 
 gi-acious, as the object of prayer must be, is, on the account 
 of tliese perfections, worthy to be praised ; there is a glory 
 due to his name, resulting from his essential excellencies : 
 Hence the heathens a were inexcusable, because, after they 
 had known God, or learned, from tlie works of the creation, his 
 eternal power and Ciodhead, they glorified him not as God. 
 By a parity of reason, ^ve might learn, from the infinite power, 
 knowledge, and grace of the Holy Spirit, that he is to be 
 worshipped, praised, and glorified, if the scriptures liad been 
 ^vholly silent as to his worship and praise ; but they are not 
 80. As we Iiave seen many instances of prayer to him, so 
 we have a di\dne exhortation to make him the object of our 
 tlianksgiving and praise. In the ninety-fifth Psalm, which 
 relates to tlie Holy Spirit, as has been proved, it is said ; ' O 
 come, let us sing to the Lord, let us make a joyful noise to 
 the God of our salvation ; let us come before his presence 
 Avith thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise before him with 
 Psalms b.' This is spoke of the Spirit, though not exclusive 
 of the Father and the Son, but as lie, together with them, is 
 the one Jehovah, Maker of heaven and earth. 
 
 It was the Spirit that conducted Israel out of Egyj)t, througli 
 the Red Sea, that led them througli the deep, as a horse in 
 the wilderness, that they should not stumble ; the Spirit of 
 the Lord caused them to rest c ; If we compare this with the 
 «ong of Moses d, we may see how the Holy Spirit was then 
 adored and praised. ' I will sing to the Lord, for he has tri- 
 umphed gloriously : The Lord is my strength and my song. 
 Who is like to thee, O Lord, amongst the gods ? who is like 
 thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, domg wonders ? 
 Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the peo{)le.' As this was 
 
 <i Rom. XX, 21. b Ver. 1,2. c Isa. Ixiii. 10—14. d Exod. xv. 1, 11 . 
 
PROVED FROM THE WORSHIP GIVEN HIM. 1)9 
 
 tlie work of the Holy Spirit, as Isaiah tells us, he certainly 
 must be tlie object of this adoration and praise, as well as the 
 Father and the Son, being one in nature and operation \vith 
 them. 
 
 APPLICATION. 
 
 1. Let us take heed of seducing spirits, wlio lie in wait to 
 deceive. ' Believe not every spirit ; but try the spirits, whe- 
 ther th.ey be of God r/.' Surely no man by the Spirit can 
 deny the Deity and Glory of the Holy Spirit : We have, in 
 pai't, tried tiiem who have done it, and have found them liars, 
 and therefore are not to be canied away with eveiy wind of 
 doctrine, or believe every bold and confident assertion of those 
 \\ ho are adversaries to the Godhead of the Holy Ghost, and 
 deny him the worship and glory due unto his name. 
 
 Rig/it apprehensions of the object of divine Worship are of 
 the highest importance with relation to practical reliijion. 
 But these must be received from tl;e holy scriptures, com- 
 })aring spiritual things with spiritual, ami not from the fallible 
 dictates of men, who are sensual, and have not the Spirit, and 
 have such low thoughts of him, because they have too high 
 thoughts of themselves. However, from what has this day 
 and formerly been said, Ave may see more reason to fear, that 
 we shall be guilty of the highest sacrilege, in refusing to give 
 divine worship to the Spirit, than others have of being guilty 
 of idolatry in giving it to liim ; For whatever they pretend, I 
 think it is clear, from the scripture, that divine worship is due, 
 and has been paid to him, in many prayers and praises directed 
 to him as the object of them. 
 
 2. How gi-eat and glorious is the salvation of believers ; 
 not only tliat whic:i is yet to come, but also that which they 
 have at present ? As it was their misery, by nature, to be 
 alienated h from the life of God, afar off, and without God in 
 the world : so it is their unspeakeable happiness, by grace, 
 to be brought back to God, to have God dwelling in them, 
 
 a 1 John iv. 1, h Eph. iv. 18. 
 
100 - THE HOLY SPIPiIt's DIVINITY 
 
 and tliey in God ; ' For lierol)y we know tljat we dwell In 
 liim, and he in us, because lie lia? given us of Ins Spirit «.' 
 Believers are an habitation of God thiou<rh the Spirit h : They 
 are tlie temple of God, in whom the Spirit of God dwells ; 
 for he is God, and they are his temple. 
 
 There is no room, by way of doubt, but g^reat reason, witli 
 jissui'ance and admiration, to say, Will God indeed dwell on 
 the eai'th ? Believers liave not only the Father's ])romise to 
 dwell with them, and the Son'y purchase of it, but the Spirit's 
 actual possession of them c\ they dwell in love, the fruit of 
 the Spirit ; and so it appears, that they d\vell in God, and 
 God in them. What a wonderful recovery, how early a re- 
 storation is this ! Not only in heaven will he dwell w ith tliem, 
 but even on earth he dwells in them ; heaven m(>ets believers 
 in their way thither. God is not satisfied with admitting 
 them into his temple above, but he dwells in them as his 
 temple here below. Know you not, that you are the temple 
 of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you, says the 
 apostle in my text. What a glorious salvation is this, for such 
 who had been cast away so early, and so far from God's pre- 
 sence, to be thus restored to it, and become his habitation and 
 temple, where he is enjoyed, worshipped, and adored, in the 
 communion and fellowship of God the Holy Spirit? We may 
 say, Lord, what is man, what are the best of men, that God 
 should be thus mindful of them, thus condescending, and gra- 
 cious to them ? He helps them to pray, and he hears their 
 prayers ; according to that passage of the Psalmist, ' Thou 
 wilt prepare their lieart ; thou wiit cause thine ear to hear dJ 
 One great glory of our salvation is, God with us, God d\\ell- 
 ing in our nature, in the person of the Son ; and another glory 
 of it is, God dwelling in oiu' persons, by the inhabitation of 
 the Holy Spirit in believers, as in his temple. Tliis teaches 
 us pm'ity, prayer, and praise ; his temple is holy, and must 
 not be defiled ; his presence is glorious, and ought to be ceie- 
 
 a 1 John iv. 13. b Eph. ii. 22. c Rev. xxi. 3.-1 Fet. iii. 18. 
 —1 John iv. 16. d Psal. x. 17. 
 
PROVED FROM THE WORSHIP GIVEN HIM. 101 
 
 In ated with pi-aise ; his sovereign power and gi'ace render him 
 a proper object of prayer ; this is part of the temple service 
 here below, preparatory to that above, and shews the glory of 
 tliat salvation, which at present makes believers the temple of 
 God, having his Spirit dwelling- in them. 
 
 THE HOLY SPIRIT'S DIVINITY PROVED FROM 
 HIS BEING THE OBJECT OF WORSHIP. . 
 
 SERMON VI. 
 
 PREACHED FEBRUARY 24th, 1729-30. 
 
 1 Cor. iii. 16. — Know you not that you are the temple of 
 God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you ? 
 
 X HE important article of the Christian faith, the Deity of 
 the Holy Ghost, being under our consideration ; in my last 
 discourse, I made an entrance on the confirmation of it, 
 drawni from the Religious Worship due to him, according to 
 tlie scriptures. 
 
 I thought it necessary, and accordingly endeavoured, by 
 v\-[iY of preliminary, to prove, that God only is the object of 
 all religious worship ; and then to explain the nature of re- 
 ligious worship ; which is an acknowledgment of the divine ex- 
 cellencies and perfections, according to the divine will of God, 
 with relation to himself; ' Him shall you feai*, and him shall 
 you worship, and to him shall you do sacrifice ; and the sta- 
 tutes, and the law, and the ordinances, and the commandment, 
 which he wrote for you, you shall observe to do for evermore a.' 
 We have here a description of religious worship, as including 
 the internal part, faith, fear, love, reverence, and subjection ; 
 and the external part, the observation of God's ordinances and 
 
 a 2 Kings xvii. oQ, 37. 
 
102 THE HOLY spirit's divinity 
 
 ••omniandments. .lob a sums it up in two things, his heart's 
 beinfj enticed, and his nioutli's kissing- liis Imnd ; or in tlie in- 
 ternal veneration, and tlie external expressions of it, witli re- 
 gard to the object of worship. 
 
 This being the nature of religious worship, I proceeded to 
 prove in ijjeneral, that religious worship, according to the scrip- 
 tures, is due, and has been given, to the Holy Sj)irit : After 
 Avhich, I proceeded to particular instances, as prayer and praise, 
 both which were largely insisted on. I now proceed to other 
 instances. 
 
 3. Baptism, in the name of the Holy Ghost, is an illustrious 
 instance of divine worship given to him. Tlie account which 
 Ave have, in scripture, of this institution, is as follows : * Jesus 
 came and spake to them, saying. All power is given to me in 
 heaven and earth. Go you tlierefore and teach all nations, 
 baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son,^ 
 and of the Holy Ghost ; teaching them to observe whatsoever 
 I have commanded you ; and lo, I am witli you always, even, 
 to the end of the world 6.' There are several acts of religious 
 v.'orship included ; 
 
 (1.) When any are baptized in the name of the Holy Ghost, 
 there is an acknowledgment of his divine authority and so- 
 vereignty. To be baptized in his name, is to be baptized by 
 liis will and appointment. Baptism, indeed, was instituted 
 by Christ ; but by him appointed to be, not in his own name 
 only, but also in the name of the Father, and of the Holy 
 Ghost, denoting the joint authority and concuirence of all the 
 three Divine Persons in the appointment of this ordinance. 
 Thus when Christ said, that he came in the Father's name r, 
 he intended, that he came by his appointment, and acted by 
 liis authority. So to receive baptism in the name of the Holy 
 Ghost, is, among other things, to own and submit to his au- 
 thority, in the institution of it ; Avhich ackno\Aie(lgm(>nt is no 
 small part of religious worship ; for if the authority of tlie 
 
 fl Job xxxi. 2G— 28. h :Mat. xxviil. 18—20. c John v. 13. 
 
PROVED FROM THE WORSHIP GIVEN HIM. 103 
 
 Father and of the Son be recognized in this ordinance, so also 
 is the authority of the Holy Ghost; for it is jointly in the 
 name of all the Three, equally appointing, approving, and 
 blessing it. It is absurd to imagine, that Christ should ap- 
 point baptism to be in the name of the Fatlier and of the Holy 
 Ghost, without their concunence and joint authority ; for he 
 tells us, that he did it by virtue of a power given liim, and 
 therefore according to the \^'ill and design of the Giver, God 
 the Father, Son, and Spirit, who invested Christ as IVlediator, 
 Avith a power to institute this ordinance, as a religious homage 
 paid to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. To baptize in any 
 one's name, is, according to the scripture style, to baptize ])y 
 liis authority and command, and according to his will ; for he, 
 in whose name any thing is done, is the prime efficient cause 
 of the action. The religious submission to this authority, in 
 baptism, might be considered on the part of the administrator, 
 called and separated to his work, and made an overseer by 
 the Holy Ghost, and celebrating this ordinance in his name, 
 and the reception and restipulation of the baptized, and of 
 such as present them, are acts of religious worship and obe- 
 dience to the Holy Ghost, as well as to the Father and the 
 Son. 
 
 (2.) Invocation or prayer belongs to the ordinance of bap- 
 tism. Hence Ananias said to Saul, ' Be baptized, calling on 
 the name of the Lord «.' As prayer is to be used in the ad- 
 ministration of this ordinance ; so it is reasonable to direct 
 that prayer to the person, or persons, in whose name tlie or* 
 dinance is administered. As therefore baptism is in the name 
 of the Holy Ghost, as well as of the Father and the Son, so 
 supplications are to be made to him, as well as to them, in 
 the celebration of it : As they are all comprehended in one 
 name, so are they all comprehended in one address or sup- 
 plication, as being jointly concerned in this ordinance : And 
 the Holy Spirit being thus the object of invocation or prayer, . 
 
 a Acts xxii. 16. 
 
104 THE HOLY SPIRITS DIVINITY 
 
 is the object of reliL^ious worsliip, as has been before declared 
 at large. 
 
 (3.) Dedication, or being devoted to the faith, worsliip, and 
 service of the Holy Spirit, is another thing included in Chris- 
 tian baptism, and may be called, not a part, but llie wliole, 
 llie sum and substance of religious worship. We are to re- 
 member that baptism is a federal rite, a seal of the new cove- 
 nant, a ratification of God's covenant with the baptized, where- 
 in there is an explicit acknowledgment of the mutual engage- 
 ments between God and his covenant-people. As God en- 
 gages to be their God, and that he will not turn away from 
 them, to do them good ; so the baptized are solemnly devoted 
 to him, as his people, to believe what he reveals, to do what 
 lie commands, and to love and glorify him with all their souls 
 and strength : This is called the answer or restipulation of a 
 good conscience towards God, in scripture ; ' The like 
 figure whereto baptism, does now save us, not the putting 
 away the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good con- 
 science towards God «.' E^rs^wrj^^a, the answer, or stipula- 
 tion, signifies a promise ; whereby he that is baptized, cove- 
 nants to believe and do as he in baptism is required, as a 
 learned critic b observes upon the word. Tertullian calls it, 
 Sponsionem salutis c, the promise of salvation. " If,'' saith 
 lie, " by three witnesses, every word is established, how 
 much rather shall the number of the divine names. Father, 
 Son, and Holy Ghost, be sufficient to confirm our hope ; 
 when we have, by the divine blessing, the same witnesses of 
 our faith, and sureties of our salvation ; when, under three, 
 we have the testimony of our belief, and promise of salvation 
 pledged or assured ?" And as there is, in baptism, a stipula- 
 tion and recognizing the covenant, on God's part ; so there is 
 a restipulation, or sealing to it, on the part of the baptized, 
 wherein they are dedicated to tlie one God, Fatlier, Son, and 
 Holy Ghost, in opposition to all other gods and lords, to Sa- 
 
 a 1 ret. iii. 21. 6 Sep L."i-h's Crit. Sacr. p. 97. 
 
 <f TertuUidii ile baptismo, c. G. p. 2.38. 
 
PROVED FROM THE \\ORSinP GIVEN HIM. 105 
 
 tan, and all his servants and works ; and the baptized are de- 
 voted to confess, love, ^vorshij), and serve that (iod, in, or 
 into whose name they are baptizod. 
 
 Now, if beinj^ baptized in tlie name of the Father, signifies 
 our solemn dedication to the faith, worship, and service of the 
 Father, as the Christian church has, in all ages, understood 
 it ; then tlie being- baptized in the name of the Holy Ghost, 
 must signify our solemn dedication to the faith, worship, and 
 service of the Holy Ghost, as well as of the Father and the 
 Son ; for lie is joined in the same form, and in the same 
 name with the Fathc'r and the Son ; there is no distinction of 
 nature, or authority, or glory, made between him and them ; 
 and, as a learned writer says, " Why should not the same 
 outward act, respecting all the three, cany with it the same 
 import and significancy ?" If baptizing in the name of the 
 Father recognizes him as tlie object of religious Avorship, it 
 likewise recognizes the Holy Ghost as the object of the same 
 religious worship ; for there is no difference in the form of 
 administration, no indication of a different kind or degree of 
 respect or veneration, to be given to one, from that to be 
 given to the other two : They are all joined in the same 
 name, authority, dignity, and glory, as one God ; though 
 tliere is a distinction of personality and order, yet not of ho- 
 nour, Avorship, or perfections ; the Father is first, the Son 
 second, the Holy Ghost placed third; yet their nature, name, 
 and glory are all one ; for we are to be baptized in tlie name, 
 not names, of the Father, the Son, and tlie Holy Spirit. If 
 their natures, or the glory due to them, had been different, it 
 is strange they should be joined in the same name, and be 
 honoured with the same rehgious worship ; that we should be 
 alike dedicated to God and a creature, or have no guard 
 against giving that gloiy to a creature, which God })as said, 
 he will not give to another. In beujg dedicated and devoted 
 to the Holy Ghost, as well as to the Father and the Son, is 
 there not a confession of his Deity, Sovereignty, and other 
 divine Perfections, and a confidence placed in him, Avhich can 
 
 E 2 
 
lOG 'jiii: HOLY spirit's divinity 
 
 l>e (liif to 110 neiituro for tlie perfectine: our salvation ? For, 
 as baptism is a seal ot" the covenant of grace, it is reasonable 
 to understand the use and application of it to be agreeable to 
 the method and order of that covenant ; wherein the Holy 
 Spirit is particularly re])reseiited, as applying redemption, and 
 perfecting the salvation of the redeemed ; Avorks fit only for a 
 pereon of infinite Avisdom, power, and grace to perform, a per- 
 son to wliom divine adoration and worship is due. 
 
 Thus the form of baptism Avas understood from the earliest 
 ages of Christianity. Origen says, speaking of baptism, 
 " That it is by virtue of the invocations there made, that the 
 spring and fountain of graces is to every one tliat dedicates 
 himself to the divinity or Godhead of the adorable Trinity u^ 
 He supposes baptism to be a dedicating ourselves to the ser- 
 vice and worship of the aaIioIc Trinity, as a learned writer ob- 
 serves ; and also, tliat the spiritual graces, or influences, de- 
 scend from all the Three Persons, by virtue of our invocation 
 of them. Basil the great says, " We ought to be baptized^ 
 as we have received the form delivered to us, and to l>elieve 
 as we ru'c baptized, and to glorify as we believe, the Fatlier, 
 Son, and Holy Ghost h :" And he proves an equality of ho- 
 nour to be due to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, fiom the^ 
 form of baptism : v/herein the Son and Holy Ghost are joined 
 AN'iih the Father, without any note of distinction c. What is 
 of another and different nature, could not partake of the same 
 lionour and worship. And speaking of the glory ascribed to 
 the F^athrv, Son, and Holy Spirit, he says, the eastern and 
 western churches agreed in the use of it : And that this Avas 
 by an immemorial d custom of all churches, and of the great- 
 
 Tuv I'TTiH.y.i.aieat ^aotc/tiuruv u^^yjv £;^« x, w>j^>5v. —Origen, ap. IJasil dc 
 Spir. Sanct. cap. 2f). 0pp. Tom. ii. p. 359. 
 
 78. Tom. iii. p. 139. 
 
 c Basil contra Eunoni. lib. iii. Tom. i. p. 7j3. 
 <l Basil contra de Spir. c. 29. 
 
PROVED FROM THE WORSHIP GIVEX HI^^. 107 
 
 est men in them ; and that it Iiad been continued from the 
 time the gospel had been received among them : many in- 
 vStances of which a he produces from Irenaeus, Clement of 
 Rome, Dionysius of Rome, and others. 
 
 This being the state of the case, and the sense of the pri- 
 mitive chm-ch, Basil had reason enough to expostulate with 
 the adversaries, in the following manner b : " What apology 
 shall we allege for ourselves before the gi'eat tribunal ? namely 
 this, that we have been led to glorify the Spirit, first by that 
 honour which is paid him by our Lord, who, in the form of 
 baptism, has joined him A\dth the Father and himself; next, 
 that by that solemn right of initiation we have all been let 
 into the Ivnowledge of God : But, above all, the teiTor of those 
 threatenings against the blasphemy of the Spirit, which keeps 
 back all thoughts of indignity, or mean conception. But 
 what can our adversaries have to say, or what excuse will they 
 allege for their blasphemy, who have neither regarded the ho- 
 nours paid him by our Lord, nor dreaded the threatenings he 
 denounced ? Who can mention these things without concern ? 
 Js> it not so plain, that even a child may perceive it, that these 
 things are the preludes to that falling away from the faith 
 which has been threatened ? The things which are most mi- 
 deniable, are called into dispute. We believe in the Spirit, 
 and we quarrel even with oui* own profession ; we are bap- 
 tized, and again Ave fight ; we call upon him as the author of 
 life, and yet Ave contemn him as a fellow-servant; we receiAe 
 him Avith the Father and Son, and yet dishonour him as part 
 of the creation." 
 
 (4.) In baptism there is religious dependence and subjec- 
 tion ; a dependence upon the Spirit, in Avhose name Ave are 
 baptized, for all the blessings promised in that covenant, 
 Avhereof baptism is a seal ; and an engagement to perform alL 
 tlie duties incumbent on the covenant-people : These are no 
 *mall parts of religious Avorship. As he that Avas circmncised 
 
 (( Sse a second review of Doxologies, p. 69. 
 b \h\ft Basil de Spiritu Sanct. c. 29. p. 361. 
 
1H8 Tin: HOLY spirit's divixity 
 
 \vas hound to keep the whole law ; so lie that is haptized is 
 bound to observe all tlie laws of the Christian institution ; 
 being baptized in the name of the Holy Ghost, he is bound 
 to worship hun, in placinp: a religious trust in him for the 
 promised bh^ssintrs of the new covenant, and also to yield the 
 obedience of faith to him, as his I..ord, Guide, and Leader. 
 When Paul a would check the party-zeal of the Corinthians, 
 or such of them as set him up above or against other mini- 
 sters, he said, ' Were you baptized into the name of Paul ?' 
 implying, that persons are to follow, and have chief regard to 
 liim in whose name they arc ])aptized. 
 
 Being baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy 
 Ghost, is a being baptized into the profession of that gospel- 
 faith which was revealed and sent by the Father, brought and 
 publiflied by the Son, and confirmed by the Holy Spirit ; as 
 the Arians tell us : But we know that baptism is not bai'ely 
 a recogniizhig of benefits received from the Father, Son, and 
 Spirit, but a fe<h'ral rite, a seal of the covenant of gi'ace, and 
 so must include mutual engagements between God the Fa- 
 ther, Son, and Spirit, and the covenant-people, as has been 
 before explained. Besides, if baptism be into the profession 
 of faith, revealed and sent by tlie Father, then it is into the 
 faith of the Deity, and divine perfections of the Son and Sj>i- 
 rit, as well as of the Father ; and of the homage and woi'ship 
 due to them, as well as to him, which the scriptures revefd 
 and teach. I may add, that neither scripture, nor primitive 
 antiquity, waiTant or encourage men to limit and restrain the 
 meaning of baptism, as these new expositors do ; but speak 
 of it in much higlier terms ; as, the washing of regeneration ; 
 the washing away of sins ; a being buried with Christ into the 
 likeness of his death, and an obligation to Avalk in ncAvness of 
 life ; as the answer of a good conscience towards God ; and 
 as a putting on Christ, and being made lieirs according to the 
 promise h. Nor does the institution of baptism, or any other 
 
 a I Cor. i. b3. b Tit. iii. 5.— Acts xxiii. IG. — Rom. 
 
 vi. 1.— 1 Pet. iii. 21.— Gal. iii. 27. 
 
PROVED FROM THE WORSHIP GIVEN HIM. I(j9 
 
 sciiptui-e, make the Holy Ghost's confirming- tlie faith, a rea- 
 son, much less the sole reason, of persons being baptized in 
 his name ; an:l, as baptism is in one name common to Fa- 
 ther, Son, and Hol}^ Spirit, it is evident that it is fcmided 
 upon something that is common to all the three, even tlie di- 
 vine nature and perfections ; for there is no reason to think 
 that persons of so different natures, as God and creatures, 
 sliould be joined in the same name, homage, and worship. 
 Besides, if the reason or ground of baptism were oidy tlie 
 Father's revealing the gospel-faith ; then it should have been 
 only in the Father's name, as a learned person a o])8erves. 
 
 It has been alleged ^, that if we be baptized into the Me- 
 diator's name, and the Mediator be both God and man ; then 
 we are baptized jointly into the name of God and a creature : 
 By Avhich this writer would, as I suppose, insinuate, that it is 
 lawful so to do ; and that baptism in the name of the Son and 
 Spirit, is no proof that they are God. But where do v\^e read 
 of being baptized in the name of the ?Tlediator? Christ, in the 
 institution, says, in the name of the Fatlier, Son, and Holy 
 Ghost : Nor is there the least intimation that the Son is here 
 regarded as man, but as that Son, who is the only begotten, 
 the same in name and nature with the Fath.er : For the Son, 
 as Son, is of the same nature with the Father, in the strictest 
 sense of the v.ord. 
 
 Rejecting therefore the unscriptural conceits of men of cor- 
 rupt minds, let us hold fast the truth delivered to us in the in- 
 stituted form of baptism, as admiiiistered by the joint and 
 equal authority of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, as connected 
 with prayer to them all, and including a dedication to the 
 Holy Spirit, as well as to the Father and the Son, and also a 
 religious dependence upon him, and submission to him ; which 
 are parts and acts of that religious worship which is due only 
 to God ; and being paid to him, proves him to be true and 
 
 a Stlllingfleet on tlie Trinity, p. 222. 
 
 h See Euilyn's answer \q Mr. Boysp, p. 6. 
 
110 TlIK IIOLV spirit's DIVINITY 
 
 real God, and one (jo<1, tog-otlier with the Father and the Son. 
 one in nature, and equal in power and glory. 
 
 I will here add a passaii<' of tlie learned and pious Dr. 
 Owen a'. "By being baptized into the name of the Father, 
 and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, we are sacredly ini- 
 tiated and consecrated, or dedic-ated, to the service and wor- 
 ship of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost : This we take upon 
 us in our baptism ; herein lies the foundation of all our faith 
 and profession, with that engagement of oureelves to God 
 which constitutes our Christianity : This is the pledge of our 
 entrance into covenant with (jod, and of our giving up our- 
 selves to him in the solemn bond of religion." The sum of 
 the argument is well represented in the following words of a 
 late leaiTied and accurate writer b. " Here then (in baptism) 
 i« our first profession of our faith, and our first act of worship, 
 no less directed to the Holy Ghost than to the Father and the 
 Son. Here is a full acknowledgment of his divinity, a solemn 
 dedication to his service, a supplication of his gracious aid, 
 aiid a vow of future obedience ; whilst all this is clearly in- 
 cluded in the form of baptism ; and we are alike baptized 
 ut ovofjLa, in the name of every person c." 
 
 To conclude this particular ; the scripture says, ' There is 
 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, 
 who is above all, and through all, and in you all d' Though 
 baptism is in the name of Tliree Persons, yet but of one 
 God ; which one God is above all, as manifested in the Fatlier, 
 through all, as acting in the Son, and in all c, as the Holy 
 Spirit, who dwells in the saints, as my text speaks. 
 
 The heretics of old, and of late, have been so pinched with 
 
 a Of the Spirit, p. 51. h Dr. Berriraan's second RevieAv, p. SQ. 
 
 c The baptizing in tlie name, or into the name of Father, Sou, and 
 Holy Ghost, are used as terms equivalent; as tlic same learned man 
 observes. Ibid, in the margin, and gives there several scripture in- 
 stances. (/ Eph. iv. 5, G. 
 
 e Irenaeus, lib. v. c. 18, p. 315. — Sec Dr. Berrimau's second Ue- 
 view of" primitive Doxologies, p. 33. 
 
PROVED FROM THE WORSHIP GIVEN IIIM. Hi 
 
 the aipiiTients for the Deity of the Son and Holy Gliost, 
 drawn from tlie form of baptism, that some of them have added 
 explanatory v/ords to it, and others have been for laying it 
 aside. Eunomus baptized his followers in the name of tlie 
 uncreated Father, and of the created Son, and of the sanctify- 
 ing Spirit, created by that created Son a : So inconsistent 
 did Cinist's form of baptism appear to him to be \\itli their 
 denial of the Deity of the Son and Holy Ghost: For the 
 same reason, as we may Avell suppose, our modern Arians b 
 toll us, that baptism is unnecessary for the descendants of 
 baptized Clnistians : though Christ signifies the peipetuity 
 of this ordinance, by promising his presence with his ministers, 
 in the use of it, to the end of the world. 
 
 4. Religious service and submission to the Holy Ghost, is 
 another part or act of religious worship, which proves him to 
 be God. 
 
 Tlie command is, ' Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, 
 and him only shalt thou serve c' Yet the Holy Ghost said 
 to the prophets and teachers in the church at Antioch, ' Se- 
 parate to me Barnabas and Saul, for the A^'ork whereto I have 
 called them dJ And they immediately obeyed ; they fasted 
 and prayed, and laid their hands upon them, and sent them 
 Rway : And Paul and Bai-nal^as being sent fortJi by the Holy 
 Ghost, departed; they yielded religious obedience to the Holy 
 Gliost, in going about the work to which he called them, as 
 the prophets and teachers did in separating them to it, at his 
 ' command, by prayer and fasting, and laying on of hands. 
 This is a very clear and memorable instance of religious wor- 
 ship and service paid to the Holy Ghost, by as great men in 
 
 Or See Dr. WaterlancVs Sermons, p. 319, 320. — Dr. Ben-iman's 
 historical account of the Trinitarian controversy, p. 234. — Mr. Tay- 
 lor's true Scripture Doctrine of the Trinity, p. ib2, 15.3. 
 
 h See Dr. Calamy's Sermons ; where notice is taken of Mr. Em- 
 lyn's paper about this matter ; printed towards the end of his posthu- 
 Hious tracts. 
 
 c Mat. iv. 10. (/ Acts xiii. 2. 
 
112 Tin: HOLY spirit's divinity 
 
 tlie churi'li of Clirist as ever were in it. The like obedience 
 we find pnid to liiin, by the apostles, elders, and bretlu'cn, met 
 at Jerusab'ni, as appears by the form of the decree ; ' It seem- 
 ed e^ood to tlie Holy Gliost a ; where they own his sove- 
 reign and divine autliority, and recommend obedience to it ; 
 for the decree wliich run in liis name, was delivered to the 
 clnirches to keep. Paul h and liis companions obeyed tlie 
 Holy Ghost in his prohil)ition, not to go into Asia, and after- 
 wards into Bithynia, to })reacli ; and Paul went boimd in the 
 Spirit, or in obedieru'e to liim, to Jerusalem. All which in- 
 stances include an acknoAvledgment of his sovereign divine 
 wisdom, authority, and power; and are to be looked upon as 
 a part of tliat liomage and service, rendered to him as Ciod : 
 for he, the Holy Ghost, speaks in Iiis own name, ' Separate 
 to me, — to the work Avhereto I have called them ;' as he dis- 
 tributed his gifts, so he did his commands, to every man se- 
 verally as lie would ; and an obedience to this will, thus con- 
 vsidered, is such a part of divine worsliip .is shews him to be 
 God. 
 
 5. A solemn appeal is made to him in the nature of an 
 oath ; which is a part of religious worship, limited and re- 
 strained to God. The law speaks thus, ' Thou shalt fear the 
 Lord thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name. 
 You shall not go after other gods c' There is a recognition 
 of tlie omniscience, omnipresence, veracity, justice, and righ- 
 teousness of God in such an oath, or an a})peal is made to 
 him, as to tlie truth and certninty of a thing done, or to be 
 <lone, suffered, or to be suffered, designed, or not designed ; 
 ^vitli a petition that he, as the searcher of hearts, and the re- 
 warder of truth and falsehood, would deal with a man as lie 
 speaks truth, or not. Now the Holy Ghost has tliis part of 
 worship given him by the apostle Paul, who thus spoke ; ' I 
 say the truth, I lie not ; my conscience al:so beaiing me wit- 
 ness in the Holy Ghost d.' Here is an appeal to Christ, and 
 
 u Acts XV. 28. 6 Chap. xvi. i. c Dout. vi. 13, Ik d Rom. ix. 1. 
 
 i 
 
PROVED FRO.M THE WORSHIP GIVEN HIM. 113 
 
 to the Holy Ghost, as to the truth of what he said. Here is 
 a solemn appeal to the Holy Spirit, as knowing his heart, and 
 a witness of his sincerity and veracity in what he declares, 
 concerning his solicitude and zeal for the salvation of the Is- 
 raelites. He to Avhom he thus addresses himself, as a wit- 
 ness of the secrets of his heart, must surely be a real person, 
 and is, by him, herein worshipped as the true and living God. 
 ! An oath being an act of religious Avorship, in which God is 
 I called upon as a witness to the truth, or an avenger of the 
 falsehood of what we testify or promise, by swearing by the 
 Holy Ghost, the apostle must perform an act of religious wor- 
 ship to him, and thereby acknowledge his divinity ; ami by 
 calling upon him to bear witness to the secrets of his heart 
 and conscience, he must ascribe to him the knowledge of the 
 • secrets of the heart and conscience ; wliicli is the property of 
 I God alone, as the scriptures teach us : Hence Solomon said, 
 ! * Thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children 
 ' of men a.' Thus we have a further evidence, that the Holy 
 i Ghost has religious worship given him, and that he is true 
 ! and real God. 
 
 6, The Holy Ghost is the object of doxologies ; or they 
 are ascribed to him as well as to the Father and the Son : 
 Therefore he is the object of religious worsliip, and true and 
 real God. 
 
 Because this is doubted by some, and confidently denied by 
 others, I shall proceed with caution, in advancing, explaining, 
 and confirming the following propositions relating thereto. 
 
 (1.) It being the grand design of the mission of the Spirit, 
 that he should glorify Christ, we ai*e not to expect that ascrip- 
 tions of glory should so frequently and fully be made to the 
 Spirit, as to the Son, in or under the dispensation of the Spirit, 
 As Christ came not to glorify himself, but tlie Father, so 
 , the Spirit came not to glonfy himself, but Christ ; as our Sa- 
 I viour teaches us, in these words ; ' He (the Spirit) shall not 
 
 a I KhiffS viii. 39. 
 
114- THE HOLY spirit's DIVINITY 
 
 speak of lilnisolf ; but wliatsoever lie sliall hear, tliat shall he 
 speak : lie shall glorify me ; for he shall take of mine, and 
 shew it to you a.' When Christ came in the flesh, he veiled 
 his own '.dory, and proclaimed the Father's : So the Holy 
 Npirit, as it were, conceals his own glory to promote the glory 
 of Christ, in whose name he hotli speaks and acts. But y-et 
 as Christ sometimes turned aside the veil, and manifested his 
 own glory, so the Holy Spirit sometimes, in the scriptures, 
 discovers his own glory, though not so frequently, so clearly, 
 and so fully, as that of the Son. This duly considered, might 
 r«»]iress the triumphs and insidts of the adversaries, "who con- 
 fidently conclude, that the Holy Ghost is not God, because 
 the same ascriptions of gloiy are not, as they pi*etend, made to 
 liim as to the Father and the Son. But they forget that the^ 
 design of his mission Avas to glorify the Son, not himself; and 
 as Christ was no less God, and no less worthy of glory, when 
 lie humbled himself, than when he was exalted ; so the Holy 
 Ghost is no less worthy of glory, when he comes to reveal 
 the glory of Christ, than if he had come more fully to display 
 Ijis own. But I proceed, 
 
 (2.) The Holy Ghost is included in tliose doxologies made 
 to (jod, without naming any difference of persons. 
 
 The word God, wlien used without any note of personal 
 distinction, is to be taken as including all three, and is often 
 so used in scripture: For example; it is said, ' I am God, 
 and there is none else ; there is no God besides me h.' If 
 the word God here means oidy that person called the Father, 
 then the Son and Spirit cannot be God ; but if it means more 
 than the Father, then it may, ajid undoubtedly does, take in 
 the Son and Spirit, who, with the Father, are one in nature, 
 and one God. It is also said, ' There is one God and Father 
 of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all c ;' 
 v;hich text, if it does not include the Three Divine Persons, 
 destroys the Trinity, and excludes the Son and Spiiit from 
 
 a John xvi. 13, 14-. h Tsa. xlv. 5. c Eph. iv. 6. 
 
PROVED FROM THE WORSHIP GIVEN IIIM. 115 
 
 being God. But the text has been generally imdeistood by 
 the ancients, as a learned man a observes, of tlie wiiole Trini- 
 ty ; above all, as Father ; through all, by the Word ; and in 
 all, by the Holy Ghost. Once more, we read, that, ' In the 
 bogiiming the Word was with God, and the Word \\'as God &,' 
 where the word God must include both Father and Son. 
 And if in one place it includes two persons, in others it may 
 include three, the Father, the Word, and the Spiiit, wh.o are 
 said to be one c. 
 
 Upon tht>j foundation I proceed to consider some doxolo- 
 gies to God, wliere there is no mention of one particular per- 
 son, in distinction from the other two ; and may therefore be 
 reasonably supposed to be directed to the Son, and Holy 
 Gliost, as ^^'ell as to the Father. We read that the Creator 
 is blessed for ever d. The Spirit is Creator as well as the 
 Father and Son, and therefore the doxology belongs to him 
 as well as to them : For it is but reasonable to suppose, that 
 where there is an unity of essence and operation, there should 
 be an unity of glory. According to what Clirist teaches ; 
 ' He that honours not the Son, honours not the Father ; for, 
 said he, I and ray Father are one e.' So, with respect to 
 the Holy Ghost, he has the same nature Avith the Father ; for 
 he proceeds from him, and he has the same essential attributes, 
 and does the same works which belong only to God ; and 
 therefore be must be allowed to have a comnmnion with the 
 Father, in honour and glory, as he has in essence and opera- 
 tion. It is, in another place, said, ' Of God, and through 
 him, and to him, are all things : To whom be glory for ever. 
 Amen /!' God, as including Father, Son, and Holy Spiiit, 
 seems here to be the object of the doxology. And when it is 
 said, ' Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only 
 wise God, be honour and gloiy, for ever and ever. Amen //.' 
 As the Holy Ghost is eternal, immortal, invisible, and the 
 
 a Dr. Waterland's first Defence, p. 10. h John i. 1. 
 
 (• I Jolin V. 7. d Rojn. i. 25. e John v, 23. x. oO. 
 
 /Horn. xi. 30. g 1 Tim. i. 17. 
 
lUi THK HOLY spirit's DIVINITY 
 
 only wise God, as well as tlio Father and the Son ; so to him 
 we may well suppose the honour and glory to be ascribed, 
 together M'ith tin* Father and the Son. 
 
 A gjeat many other instances of this sort miglit be pro- 
 duced ; but I sliall only add here, that when we see other parts 
 of roliiiious worship given to the Holy Ghost, as in prayer, 
 praise, baptism, and swearing by his name, no reason can be 
 given whv he should be excluded in the doxologies wliich are 
 offered to God, without any thing in the text or context, to 
 confine them to the Father, or to the Father and the Son 
 only. 
 
 If the scriptures prove a Trinity in Unity, and the word 
 God often means the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, as has 
 been proved, then it is very just to understand tliose doxologies 
 to be ascribed to the Holy Ghost, as well as to the other per- 
 sons, which are directed indefinitely to God, without naming 
 any one paiticular person. 
 
 There is a gloiy due to God's name ; and no person who 
 has the name of God in him, or his divine perfections, as the 
 Holy Ghost has, is to be excluded from that glory which is 
 due to his name. Let it be fartlier observed, that the scrip- 
 tural doxologies are but occasionally mentioned ; and though 
 they shew the lawfulness and need of such addresses to God : 
 yet they were never designed as standing forms to be conti- 
 nued in the church ; nor would the total want of such forms 
 in scripture, prove that no such addresses are to be made to 
 God, seeing we are commanded to give to him glory and 
 strength, the glory due to his name. I will close this propo- 
 sition Avith one instance to the purpose before mentioned, 
 which is this ; ' Glory to God in the liighest, on earth peace, 
 and good will towards men «.' What reason can be given, 
 why the Holy Ghost should not be included in this doxology, 
 when he is so much interested in the things mentioned in it, 
 and that wonderful event wliich was the occasion of it ? 
 
 a Luke ii. Ik 
 
PROVED FROM THE WORSHIP GIVEN IIIM. 117 
 
 It was the Holy Ghost Avho formed Cluist's human nature 
 in the womb of the Vh-gin ; it was he who assisted that na- 
 tiu'e, in temptations, preaching-, working miiacles, sufTering 
 deatli, and in Christ's resurrection from the dead ; it is tire 
 Holy Ghost that sends and assists the messengers of peare, 
 tilays the enmity, and brings the peace of God into the heart, 
 and sheds abroad the love and good will of the Father there : 
 And, after all, must he be excluded from that glory ^vhich is 
 due, and given to God on these accounts ? 
 
 (3.) In scripture we have those commands relating to the 
 Holy Ghost, as shew him to be a proper object of doxology, 
 and some examples of it. 
 
 This is included in tjie form of baptism, which is in the 
 name of the Holy Ghost, as well as of the Father and Son, 
 and includes not only invocatings, but thanksgivings, as was 
 hinted before. Hence St. Basil «, Avho well understood this 
 matter, says, " We are to be baptized, as we have received 
 tlie form delivered to us, and to believe as we are baptized, 
 and to gloi-ify as we believe the Father, Son, and Holy 
 Ghost. And again, we make the confession of faith, as it 
 were the beginning and mother of the doxology." There is 
 a doxology to the Holy Ghost in Isaiah's vision ; where we 
 find the seraphs cning, ' Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of 
 liosts ; the whole earth is full of his glory b.' The Lord of 
 liosts, here signifies God, including Father, Son, and Spirit : 
 None will exclude the Father ; St. John applies the passage 
 to the Son c ; and Paul interprets it of the Holy Ghost ; for 
 the Lord of hosts, who is said to utter his voice, and say, 
 * Whom shall I send? and who will gofoi>.us?' and wlio 
 said, ' Go and tell this people d: This Lord, according to 
 Paul, is the Holy Ghost. 
 
 Z,eiv OS &>; •uJi'Tritivy.oi.uA'j UxTipa k, viov ^ clytov ■ZoViuf.'-u.. — I?a«il. Ep. 
 Ixxviii. Tom. iii. p. 139. 
 
 Ou,oXoyUi.v T'/i; ■zr'tTiMi uo^'r.v nvu. :i fi7;~ii^ci rsj; do^oXoyix; lToi>}ireifAiB-x. 
 —Id. d«' vSp. Sane. Tom. ii. p. 354^. 
 
 b Isa. vi. 3. c John xii. 41. d Acts xxviii. 25, &c. 
 
118 THE HOLY SPIRITS DIVINITY 
 
 As Fatlier, Son, ami Si)int, liuvo one undividpd essence, 
 so they liave one undivided j^lory ; it is tlieiefore no contra- 
 diction for the irlorv to helont? to all Three, and to be ascribed 
 
 ^" , .11 
 
 to the Three Persons in the Godhead : Those words, ' ^Vho 
 
 Avill \ro for us,' signify that the Lord of hosts, \vliose glory 
 Isaiah saw, includes more than one person : and it has been 
 an ancient opinion, that the threefold repetition of tlie word 
 Jioly, refers to a trinity of persons in the divine essence. 
 There are others, indeed, who make light of this notion ; but 
 the famous Turretine a, I find, a}>proves it, because tlie se- 
 ra})lis* sons: is to Jehovah, who is Three in One ; and because 
 it is said, ' Who will go for us?' and the connnand given tlie 
 prophet, not only respects the Father, but also the Son, and 
 Holy (iiiost, according to the Nevv-^ Testament application of 
 it ; and therefore the Holy (jhost is the object of this dox- 
 ology. Another learned writer b sets this in a clear light, 
 and in a few words ; " The Holy Spirit," says he, " is ador- 
 ed by the seraphs ; for he Avho said to the prophet ' (jo make 
 tlie ears of this people heavy,' is honoured by the angels with 
 this celestial doxology : But this was the Holy Spirit, as the 
 apostle testifies, he therefore is adored by the seraphs." 
 
 The apostle Paul having told the Corinthians that their bo- 
 dies were the temples of the Holy Ghost, he enjoins them to 
 glorify God, or God the Spirit, in their bodies, and spirits r, 
 which were l)is ; he having taken possession of them, and 
 dwelling in them as his temple. What could be a more na- 
 tural and strong inference from tlience than this, that they 
 should give him honour and glory ? The apostle says, ' To 
 him that is able to do exceedingly above all that we ask or 
 think, according to the power that works in us, (the power of 
 the Spirit mentioned,) to him be glory in the church, now 
 and for evermore d.' The Holy Ghost being tlie nearest an- 
 tecedent, it looks as if he particularly were the object of the 
 
 a Instil. Part I. p. 301. b Gevh. m loc. Theol. Fart I. p. 291. 
 c 1 Cor. vi. 19, 9.0. ci Eph. iii. 20, 21. 
 
PROVED FROM THE WORSHIP GIVEN Iinr. 119 
 
 doxology ; but I submit it to the judgment of others, and will 
 not be too dogmatical. 
 
 I ^vill add one scripture more, which was taken notice of 
 before ; ' Of him, and through him, and to him, are all things : 
 to whom be glory for ever. Amen a ;' that is, says a learn- 
 ed and accurate writer 6, to the One supreme God, subsist- 
 ing in 'a Trinity of Persons, be gloiy. Of him, referrmg to 
 the Father, through him, referring to the Son, and to him, or 
 in him, pointing out the Holy Ghost. 
 
 Thus I have given some instances of doxologies to the 
 Holy Ghost in scripture, and injunctions to give him glory ; 
 which may justify the making him the distinct object of dox- 
 ology. That tlie scripture does not more abound in exam- 
 ples of this kind, may be accounted for by this, that the glo- 
 rifying of Christ being the gi-and design of the mission of the 
 Holy Spirit, it is no wonder that he does not more abound in 
 tlie ascriptions of glory to himself. 
 
 To close this, if the Holy Ghost be not true and real God, 
 he has not a right to any acts of religious worship ; but if he 
 be true God, he has a right to all acts of religious worship, 
 and therefore to doxology, or the ascriptions of gloiy to him, 
 as well as the rest. 
 
 (4.) The practice of the primitive church, in its first and 
 best ages, may confii-m us in the use of doxologies to the Holy 
 Spirit. 
 
 I would here declare openly, and once for all, that I am 
 far from setting any of the primitive writers up as standards 
 of our faith or worship, or placing their authority upon a level 
 with the scripture ; they were fallible men, and we are to 
 follow no man any farther than he follows Christ ; no, not an 
 apostle himself; but yet we are to go forth by the footsteps 
 of the flock ; and it may be some confirmation to us, to find 
 those holy men, who had the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, 
 who conversed with the apostles, or their immediate succes- 
 
 a Rom. xi. 36. b Dr. Berrinian's second Review, p. 31. 
 
1:20 THE fioLY spirit's divinity 
 
 Rors, and who siiftered martynloin for the truth, iinderstaiid- 
 incf tlic scrii)turo.s as we do, niul ^^'-ivinj? the same glory to tho 
 Holy Spirit as wo plead for and practise. 
 
 A late writer a, with his usual jiesitation, meanly insinu- 
 ates, that there may he two or three examples of a doxoloury 
 addressed to the Spirit in the three first centuries : Wluneas 
 a ^^reatcr nunihir are yet extant, as he could not hut know, 
 if conversant with the primitive writers ; but if not, he did ill 
 to impose such a paitial account upon his readers b. 
 
 Polvciirp, who lived in the first century, and suffered mar- 
 tyrdom for Christ, when he came to suffer, made an address 
 to (iod, which he thus concluded, " To thee with him, 
 (Christ) and thy Holy Spirit, be glory, now, and through ever- 
 lasting ages r." This testimony is the more to he regarded, 
 because Polycaip had been a hearer of St. John, if not of other 
 apostles. His church at Smyrna, the same to Avhich St John, 
 in the Revelations, directed his epistle, closed their letter, 
 which gave an account of his sufferings, with these words ; 
 " with ^A'honi (Christ) be glory to God, even the Father, and 
 to tJie Holy Spirit r/." Justin Maityr, Avho lived in the se- 
 cond century, tells us, " That the Christians of his time, wor- 
 shipped and adored the Father, Son, and prophetic Spirit e." 
 In the same age, Clement of Alexandria said, " Let us give 
 praise to the only Father and Son, with the Holy Spirit ; to 
 whom be glory now and forever. Amenjf." Flippolytus, in 
 
 a Wutts's Dissert. Fart II. p. 151. 
 
 b See ?»Ir. Taylor's TreatisB against Mr. Watts, p. lOl, 103. 
 
 See tliis matter relating to Doxologies more fully discussed in Dr. 
 Berriman's two Reviews of primitive Doxologies, and in Mr. Tay- 
 lor's Scripture Doctrine of the Trinity vindicated against the Arian 
 scheme. Part I. c. 3. , 
 
 C MjS-' i tro\ X, zffvivfAKTt uyteu 'h o'o'^c. x, vvv il It; /u,\XXovras aiUJvx;. 
 Afjt,nv- — Polycarp. in I'pist. Ecclcs. Sniyni. p. 71. 
 
 d MjS-' y oo'^ci Tea QiZj, k, llwrp), k, tm u.yi&) ■^!^v£^^aT/.— Ibid. p. io. 
 
 e ILkHvov Ti K, Tov -z^ap «fr5 vtov sX3-ovr« ■ ■z^rvivu.a, ti ■za'po'/irty^ov ffi- 
 Qr.fiiS-ec X, zsr^oirxvvayAv. — Justin Martyr, Apol. i. c. 6. p. II. 
 J lluni^ct '■' ' iv^coi^eiv, ru y.cvM ITarg) fl, vta ■ crvv x. ru Kyty 
 
PROVED FROM THE WORSHIP GIVEN HIM. 121 
 
 the third century, has this doxology ; " To him (Christ) be 
 glory and strength, together with the Father and the Holy 
 Spirit, in the holy chui'ch, now and for ever, and for evermore. 
 Amen «." Dionysius, bishop of Alexandria, a writer of the 
 third centm'y, and the gi'eatest man in his age, concluded a 
 letter, ^^TOte to Dionysius bishop of Rome, with this dox- 
 ology : " To God the Father, and his Son, our Lord Jesus 
 Christ, with the Holy Ghost, be glory and power, for ever and 
 ever. Amen h." Herein, as. he says, he followed the ancient 
 custom and rule of the church, and joined with it, praising 
 God vvath the same voice with those that had gone before him ; 
 which shews how early these doxologies, to Father, Son, and 
 Snirit, had been used in the Christian chm'ch. Basil tells us, 
 " They had been continued in the churches, ftom the first 
 preacliing of the gospel to that present time, which was in the 
 fourth centuiy c." A council of a hundred and fifty bishops d^ 
 met at Constantinople ; and in their creed, or confession of 
 faith, in opposition to the Macedonian heresy, they declared 
 their faith in the Holy Spiiit, the Lord and giver of life, who 
 spoke by the prophets, and proceeds from the Father, and, 
 together with the Father and the Son, is worshipped and glo- 
 rified. 
 
 Thus Ave have seen, that divine worship is due, and has 
 been paid to the Holy Ghost, in prayer and praise, in baptism, 
 in religious service and submission, in swearing by his name, 
 and in doxologies ; and that, seeing he is thus the object of 
 religious worship, due only to God, he is true and real God. 
 
 Clemens Al. Paedag. lib. iii. p. 211. 
 
 a Aurui « ^a^a, x, to T^a,T<^, aucc Har^) x, ocylu zyvsj/^ar/, iv r-zj uy'ia 
 ivzXviiria x, vvv x, ««, x, «j t«5 ciiuyx$ tuv chuvuv. h.fjt.vf^. — Hil)polytUS, c. 
 Noetum, p. 20. 
 
 h Tm di Sia/, X, Tlar^i, x, vim tm kvp'iu Yif^uv I'/i<r5 'X.pl^oi, trvv tu uytco 
 ZffvivpiMTi %o\oe X, x.^u.t'^ h; Til; aiuvas tu kiuvcat. Af^viv. — Dionys. Alex. 
 
 ap. Basil de Sp. Sanct. c. 29. Tom. iii. p. 358. 
 
 c De Spir. Sanct. c. 29. d In tbe yeai* 381. 
 
 VOL. III. P 
 
I2:i TH£ HOLY SPlIin 3 DIVINITY, ^iC. 
 
 APPLICATION. 
 
 Let us liold fast tlie })rofe8sion of our faith in, and love and 
 liigli regai'ds to the Holy Spirit. What industiy and arts so- 
 ♦^vtT others use, to lesson and degrade him, to conceal and 
 hide his glory, let us say, lie is our God, and we will exalt 
 him. The evidences for his Deity drawn from his names and 
 titles, attributes, works and worship, are so clear and strong', 
 that we may be well satisfied in giving him that honour and 
 glory which is due to God. How they will justify or excuse 
 themselves, who deny his Deity, Personality, or Glory, it 
 concerns them to consider. However, let us take lieed not 
 to grieve him, or do despite to him, for his sake and our own. 
 His divine nature and works deserve our highest love and 
 tleepest veneration. Shall we not own and honour him, who 
 proceeds from the Father, glorifies the Son, converts us from 
 sin to grace, from death to life, an.l conducts us through the 
 life of grace to glory ? Has not every true Christian reason to 
 say, " He that is mighty has done to me great things, and holy 
 is his name : My soul magnifies the Lord, and my Spirit re- 
 joices in God my Sanctifier and Comforter. I am his temple, 
 and will give him glory ; I will adore him for his infinite wis- 
 dom, grace, and love ; for his holiness, power, and omni- 
 presence, and for his wonderful w^orks, both in the old and 
 the new creation. As he is superior to all created spirits, I 
 ^vill depend upon him to give me the victory over Satan and 
 all the powers of darkness ; and as he is good and faithful, I 
 will trust to him, to carry on in me his good work, and to 
 lead me into the land of uprightness." 
 
 Finally, Let every believer look upon himself as the temple 
 of God, seeing the Spirit of God, who is God, one in natuie 
 with the Father and the Son, dwells in him. 
 
 Now to the Holy Spirit, whose work it is to renew, con- 
 vert, sanctify, strengthen, and conduct to glory, the elect of 
 God, and the redeeme<l of tiie Lord, be ascribed, with the 
 Father and the Son, all honour, glory, and poAver, now, hence- 
 forth, and for everinore. Amen. 
 
tf^r'^f-rf^^^fj^Tf-fse^^ff^ 
 
 THE REAL 
 
 PERSONALITY, THE PROCESSION, AND 
 THE MISSION 
 
 OF THE 
 
 HOLY SPIRIT, 
 
 PROVED FROM 
 
 SCRIPTURE: 
 
 IN FOUR SERMONS. 
 
THE spirit's real PERSONALITY, &C. 125 
 
 THE REAL PERSONALITY OF THE HOLY 
 SPIRIT PROVED FROM SCRIPTURE. 
 
 SERMON I. 
 
 PREACHED MARCH 10th, 1729-30. 
 
 John xv. 26. — When the Comforter is come, whom I will 
 send imto you from the Father^ even the Spirit of truth, 
 which proceedeth from the Father , HE shall testify of me. 
 
 An discoursing of the Holy Spii'it, I, at first, proposed to 
 speak of his Deity, Personality, Procession, Mission, Office, 
 and Work. The first of these, the Deity of the Holy Ghost, 
 I have endeavoured to prove in six discourses, from another 
 text : I now proceed to another part of my design, to evince 
 and confirm, from scripture, the PersonaUty of the Holy Spi- 
 rit, which, in my text, is expressed in very strong terms. 
 
 The personal pronoun < He,' is here made use of; the 
 Spirit is called the Comforter ; which denotes a person, as 
 well as his work ; he is said to come, and to be sent by the 
 Son, from the Father ; therefore he is a person really distinct 
 from the Father and the Son ; whereas, were he only a divine 
 power, such language would be very improper and unjust ; 
 for the divine virtue and power is common both to the Father 
 and the Son, and is never said, that I Imow of, to be sent 
 from the Father by the Son r Besides, the word * whom,' in 
 the sentence, * whom I will send,' denotes a person, ov being 
 a personal pronoun, and never used, that I remember, for any 
 thing but a person. We do not say, it is a good present 
 whom I will send, but which I will send : farther, testifying 
 is a personal work, the Spirit spoke of in my text is said to 
 testify of Christ ; he shall testify of me ; therefore the Spirit 
 is a person. But, for the more particular management of this 
 point, I shall, by way of preliminaiy, inq.uire what is meant 
 
126 THE spirit's real personality 
 
 I)y the nord person, or personality, and what distinction is 
 included in it. Then I shall shew, that the Holy Spirit is a 
 real divine Person in the Godhead ; and, after this, I sliall 
 vindicate this truth from the ohjections and oppositions which 
 Loth of old and of late have heen raised against it. 
 
 In inijniring what is meant hy the word person, or per- 
 sonality, and the distinction included in it, I shall not trouhle 
 you with the nice critical disputes upon the onginal use, and 
 various senses of the word person. The most common notion 
 of it is, an intelligent voluntary agent, as applied to creatures ; 
 but as applied to God, a person is one single subsistent in the 
 Godhead, endowed Avith understanding and will, and with a 
 power of distinct operation. A created person always means 
 an individual separate being ; as Peter, James, and John, are 
 so many separate individual beings, as well as persons : But 
 an uncreated person is a subsistent in the one infinite divine 
 nature, to whom belong understanding, will, and distinct 
 operations. Three such persons do not make three gods, be- 
 cause they ai'e not divided separate beings or substances, as 
 three men are ; but they aH subsist in tlie same individual, 
 though infinite nature or Godhead ; they aie the same in sub- 
 stance, and equal in power and glory. 
 
 We have been told, that " the essence of all the Three 
 being numerically the same, therefore their personality can be 
 but metaphorical or figurative a." But how does this inference 
 follow from the premises ? if the three divine persons be not 
 three separate beings, as three human persons are, then they 
 are no persons at all : Must man be the measure of his God ? 
 and what is finite, the rule by which we must judge of things 
 infinite ? Is it for us to say precisely what can, and what can- 
 not be in an infinite natm'e ? Is it safe or la^^'ful to form ouf 
 conceptions of God by those which we have of ourselves ? 
 * All nations are bcifore him as nothing, less than nothing, and 
 vanity. To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness 
 
 n Walts's sixth Dissert, vol. ii. p. 19:?, 193. 
 
PROVED FROM SCRIPTURE. 127 
 
 will you compare imto him « ?' If the scriptures represent 
 God as one Essence, Being, or Godhead, and yet, at the same 
 time, speak of three in this Godhead, to whom belong under- 
 standing, will, and distinct operation ; then the unity of nature 
 does not hinder the real Personality of Father, Son, and Holy 
 Spirit ; does it become us to say, that cannot be, which God 
 says is so ? 
 
 The personal distinction, by which the Holy Spirit is de- 
 scribed by Christ in my text, is his proceeding from the Fa- 
 tlier, the Spint of truth which proceeds from the Father : 
 This proceeding is appropriated to the Holy Spirit, and is 
 never applied to any other in scripture. The Father is ne^er 
 said to proceed from the Son or Spirit; nor does the Son 
 proceed fi-om the Father or Spirit : But the Holy Spirit, as 
 the third person in the Godhead, proceeds from the Father. 
 There is such a subsistent in the Godhead as proceeds from 
 the Father, and is thereby known to be a distinct subsistent, 
 and lias, in scripture, personal powers and characters distinctly 
 ap])lied to him, as will more fully appear hereafter. 
 
 The word person may well be applied to each of the sacred 
 Three ; notwithstanding they are not b three separate persons, 
 as three men are, who subsist independent upon one another, 
 and might, in the nature of things, one of them exist, at tlie 
 same time the others were annihilated, or ceased to be : But 
 though this cannot be supposed of a divine uncreated person, 
 who is God by nature, and necessarily existent ; yet it does 
 not hence follow, that he is not a real person, because he is 
 not another Being, divided and separate from the other two 
 pert-ons in the Godhead. 
 
 Doctor Clark, and some others after him, confound being 
 and person, and contend that one being and one person are 
 ever the same. Whereas the form of baptism speaks of three, 
 Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, who have one name, con- 
 sequently one nature, essence, or being : And there are three 
 
 a Isa. xl. 17, 18. b 1 John v. 7. 
 
128 THE spirit's real personality 
 
 tliat bear rocord in lieavcn, three persons, to wliom personal 
 acts are a^^cribed, who yet are one ; Vv, one being or tiling, not 
 one person. 
 
 1 must heg leave to take notice here of an important ob- 
 servation of a learned and diliorent enquirer a into these things, 
 relating to divine personality, that " Intelligent agent is not 
 equivalent to person, neither are the phi-ases reciprocal ; but, 
 to intelligent agent, add its not being divided, nor distinguished 
 into more intelligent agents, having the same distinctive 
 characters, then we complete the notion of person ; — I sup- 
 pose not, says he, any of the divine persons, a person, in a 
 different sense of the word person ; they are persons in the 
 same common sense of the word person, but persons of a 
 different kind, and differently circumstantiated from \>'hat 
 human or angelical, or any other kinds of persons are." The 
 same learned person b makes the distinctive cliaracters of I, 
 Thou, He, and Him, to denote a person. But yet, as he else- 
 where c observes, " He, or him, are no more properly ap- 
 plicable to a divine person, than she or her ; but we have no 
 third way of denoting a person, and so of the two we choose 
 the best, and custom familiarizes it to us." 
 
 The word person, as applied to a divine person, always 
 carries distinction, tliough not separation in it. Therefore the 
 Holy Spirit's proceeding from the Father, signifies his distinct 
 personality ; and all along in the scripture, when the divine 
 persons are spoke of, a sufficient distinction between them is 
 kept up. So at Christ's baptism, the first person speaks from 
 heaven ; the second person is said to be liis beloved Son ; and 
 the third person descends in the form of a dove, and rests 
 upon Christ d. And in another place e, the first person is 
 spoken of as the Father, to whom we have access ; the second 
 person is described as the Son, through whom we have that 
 access ; and the third person is called that one Spirit, by whom 
 we have access ; where all the three divine persons ai-e clearly 
 
 a Dr. Waterlanil's second Def. p. 368. b Ibid. p. 3fi6. 
 
 c Soiuioiis, p. 112. 4 Mat. iii. 16, 17. e Eph. ii. 18. 
 
PROVED FROM- SCRIPTURE. 129 
 
 distinguished from each other : The Spirit, by wliom, is not 
 the Father, to whom, nor the Son, through whom, we have 
 access ; and therefore is a distinct person from tlie Fatlier and 
 the Son. 
 
 What or how gi-eat the distinction is between the person of 
 tlie Spirit, and the other divine persons, I shall not pretend to 
 say, but shall leave that matter in silence, as the scripture 
 does; yet, no more doubting, whether there is such 'a real 
 distinction, because I cannot explain it, than that I doubt that 
 God is omnipresent and eternal, though I have no adequate 
 ideas of those divine perfections. 
 
 It is observed by a learned writer a, that " an individual, 
 intelligent substance, is rather supposed to the making of a 
 person, tlian the praper definition of it ; for a person relates 
 to something which distinguishes it from another intelligent 
 substance in the same nature ; and therefore the foundation 
 of it lies in the peculiar manner of its subsistence, which 
 agrees to one, and to none else of the kind ; and this it is 
 which is called personality." 
 
 I will take leave to add, that though the divine persons are 
 so closely united in one numerical divine essence, or being, as 
 that they ai'e said to be One, one being, one God ; yet such 
 is the personal distinction, that the Father never is, or can be, 
 or be said to be, the Son, or Spirit ; or the Son or Spirit to 
 be the Father ; or the Father or Spirit to be the Son ; but 
 each person ever had, and ever will have, his personal dis- 
 tinctive character, proper and entire to himself. 
 
 Thus I have endeavom*ed to give the sense of the word 
 person, as applied to creatiu-es, and as applied to God, or to 
 a subsistent in the divine nature ; and have shewed, that there 
 is no reason to deny the divine personality of the Spirit, be- 
 cause it is not exactly the same with human personality ; for, 
 by a parity of reason, God the Father could not be a divine 
 person. 
 
 a Dr. Stillin^eet's Vindication of the doctrine of the Ti'inity, p. 2Qi^. 
 
 F 2 
 
130 THE spirit's real personality 
 
 Upon tlie wliolf, a divine person is one single subsistcnt iu 
 the Godhead, endoweil witli understanding, and will, and 
 power, of distinct operation, yet never divided into more such 
 subsistents, or existing separately from the other divine jwr- 
 sons ; but being one with them in natural and essential pro- 
 perties, is, together with tliem, the one only living and true 
 God. 
 
 Taking the word person in this sense, I proceed to prove, 
 that tlie Holy Ghost is not a figurative, but real person in the 
 Godhead. 
 
 The divine pei*sonality of the Holy Ghost, is by some 
 deemed to be a matter of small importance ; accordingly it 
 lias been insinuated «, that the Holy Spirit has not made our 
 participation of his divine and salutary influences to depend 
 upon any clear, explicit, and certain knowledge of his nature, 
 and his unity with, and disttnction from the Father and the 
 Son. Now if this be true, that author might well have sj^ared 
 his pains, in attempting to gain and give clear ideas of that 
 which he says is a mystery, not revealed to us in the word in 
 evident and express language, and upon the clear, explicit, and 
 certain knowledge of which, he is confident, the divine and 
 salutary influences of the Spirit do not depend. To what 
 purpose then has he troubled the world witlr a discourse of 
 about one hundred and twenty pages, to puzzle himself and 
 his readers, with his ideas and representations of the Holy 
 Spirit, with objections against his real personality, and with 
 misinterpreting many texts of scripture, to draAv them in to tlio 
 support of his dark and confused hypothesis ? But however, 
 in the opinion of some of superior penetmtion and judgment^ 
 tlie knowledge and belief of the personality of the Holy Spi- 
 rit is no such indiflferent matter as he thinks. The learned 
 Dr. Jonathan Edwards b has observed, that on disowning the 
 personality of the Holy Ghost, the necessity of his gi-ace, and 
 the eflicacy of his operations upon the minds of men, must 
 
 a Watts's fifth Diss.rt. p. 178. . ;, 
 
 t Pretservative against Socinianisin, Vt. I, p. 6. 
 
PROVED FROM SCRIPTURE. 131 
 
 fall to the ground. And elsewhere a he has these words ; 
 " Whether they can be led by that Spirit, who blaspheme his 
 person, and not only refuse his assistance, but scoiF at, lidi- 
 cule, and deride it, it Avill become them seriously and timely 
 to consider." Dr. Owen h says, that " if men prevail in the 
 opposition they make to the Spirit's person, it is to no great 
 purpose to concern oui'selves in his operations ; for the foun- 
 dation of any fabric being taken away, the superstructui'e will 
 be of no use, nor abide." 
 
 We have been told, by a late known writer, that " the 
 proper, distinct, and real chai*acter of the Spirit, is that of a 
 divine power, or principle of action ; and it is only personalized 
 by idioms of speech." But the falsehood of this assertion I 
 hope to make evident before I finish this head ; and in the 
 mean time, I am not afraid to challenge this author, and all 
 his abettors, to give any stronger proofs of the real Personality 
 of God the Father, than we haA-e of the real Personality of 
 the Holy Ghost. I am well persuaded that they will stand 
 and fall together; and that if the- Personality of the Holy 
 ^host, as represented in the scnpture, is only figurative, and 
 estabUshed by idioms of speech, so is the Personality of the 
 Father : The reason is clear and full ; we have the same evi- 
 <lences of personality, both internal and external, and the 
 same personal characters and works ascribed to the Spirit as 
 to the Father, and not the least intimation m the scripture, 
 that these things ai-e applied to the Spirit only in a figurative 
 and metaphorical sense, any more than to the Father. 
 
 One of the most remarkable and important texts, wherein 
 the Holy Spint is represented as a person distinct from the 
 Father and the Son, is this, as the last cited author observes, 
 * When the Spirit of tnith is come, he will guide you into all 
 truth; for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he 
 shall heaiv that shall he speak ; and he will shew you things 
 to come. He shall glorify me ; for he shall receive of mine, 
 
 a Ibid. rt. III. p. 162. 6 Of the Spirit, p. 46. 
 
I:V2 THE spirit's real personality 
 
 jjiid slieAV it to you (t.' Upon whidi glorious testimony of 
 tiie Pei'sonality of tlie Holy Spirit, our author gives us a most 
 forced, false, and unscriptural comment, invented by tlie So- 
 cinians, and new dressed up by himself, to recommend it to 
 this enlightened age ; it is as follows ; " This blessed Spirit, 
 or the divine efficient power, was to reside in the church, as 
 the deputy, or resident, and prime minister, both of the Fa- 
 ther and the Son : Upon these accounts it seemed proper to 
 our Saviour (who is the divine ^visdom incarnate) to describe 
 this divine power, by a strong prosopopoeia, and a noble al- 
 legory, as a messenger sent forth from God, for this gloriouj*^ 
 design." I shall not stay here to refute this unscriptural, fan- 
 ciful gloss upon the words, wherein the Holy Spirit is so often 
 spoke of in the strongest terms of personality, without the 
 least intimation in the text or context, or any other scripture^ 
 that our Saviour intended them in a figurative or metaphorical 
 sense. But this bold and desperate shift, to evade so gi'eat a 
 testimony against an error he had espoused, is no new inven- 
 tion of his own : The Socinians by as Socinus himself, Vol- 
 kelius, and Crellius, had given this turn to the text before 
 him ; and long before them, in the fourth century, Gregory 
 Nazianzen c speaks of some who thought the Holy Spirit to 
 be a power and faculty in God ; but, as he observes, if he be 
 only a power and faculty, he is only acted, but does not act ; 
 and when he is acted, he ceases to be, for such is the nature 
 of an act ; how then does he himself act, and say this and 
 lliat thing, gathers together, is grieved and provoked to anger ? 
 
 a John xvi. 13, 14. 
 
 h Socinus contra Wiekuni, c. 10.— Bisterf. contra Crell. p. 479.— 
 Vide Mures. Hyd. Vol. iii. p. 436. 
 
 C To TlviTjfjt.it TO ayiov, n rZv xaS^' lxv]u> vipitnxorut zru.v]us {/•7ro^i]icv, >} 
 ruv £v iTi^M B^io^u/u,ivuv, eov TO fjLiv vff'iav xxXatriv o Tsp) tuutoc oetvo), to Jj 
 ffuju,€iGrjKOi' it /t*£v vv trvju,S<:S*iKiv, Dii^yeio, T^To CIV ttY) ©£». T/' yoc^ ITICO* 
 ri t'iv^ ; THTO ya^ Txrus [auXXov, x, <p'ivyetffuv^itriv, x, u iv't^yeio, iv't^y*i^ri(ri- 
 TCii ^akovoTi, tfx tvt^y^ffSif X, ofjLV Tu ivi^yn^Tivoii '^a.vffila.i- toih tov ya^ h 
 ivi^yeiK, vru; Sv Ivi^yei, x, Ttzhi Xiyet, x, u(po^'iZ.et, x, XuvrHTCCx, zrx^o^vvfjut. 
 — Gregor. Nazianz. Orat. xxxvii. p. 595, 5V'o. 
 
PROVED FROM SCRIPTURE, 133 
 
 But a more full vindication of the cited text, and a confuta- 
 tion of the before-mentioned interpretation of it, will occur 
 bhortly. The chief design I had in hinting these things here, 
 was to shew the need there is to confirm and establish this 
 truth, on the account of the importance of it, and the opposi- 
 tion that even, at this day, is made to it. I shall now proceed 
 more directly, and distinctly, to prove, that the scripture has 
 set forth the Holy Spiiit as a real and proper person ; and 
 this I shall endeavour to do under twelve propositions. I 
 shall now begin with the first. 
 
 Prop. I. The acts and operations of the Spuit, ad intra^ 
 with respect to the other persons in the Godhead, shew him 
 to be a real divine person. 
 
 The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God ; 
 and knows the thmgs of God, by an act of intuition and self- 
 consciousness ; as the spirit of a man knows the things of a 
 man. This is plainly declared in scripture, which says thus, 
 * The Spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things of God. 
 The things of God knows no man, but the Spiiit of God a.' 
 His searching, as Theophylact notes 6, is not an argument 
 of his ignorance, but of his exact comprehension, as God is 
 said to seai'ch the heart, or to know it perfectly : Such 
 knowledge is the work of a real pereon, and, being applied to 
 the deep things of God, shews the Spirit to be a distinct per- 
 son from him whose deep things he so seai'ches and loiows. 
 He is the Spu-it of wisdom and revelation ; he taught the pro- 
 phets, inspired the scriptures, makes known the glory and 
 will of God, shews us the things of Christ ; he therefore is a 
 person in the Godhead distinct from the Father and the Son, 
 who intimately knows the deep things of God, and reveals 
 them so far as they are made knoT\Ti to men. Christ said 
 thus conceraing the Holy Spirit, ' He shall not speak of him- 
 self; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak. He 
 shall glorify me ; for he shall receive of mine, and shew it to 
 
 a 1 Cor. ii. 10, II. * In loc. 
 
l.'^^ THE spirit's real PERSONALITY 
 
 you. All tlnni^s tliat the Fatlier has are mine ; therefore 
 said 1, that he shall take of mine, and shew it to you «.' The 
 things of Christ are the things of the Father : These things 
 the Spirit receives, he takes, he sliews them to men; h« 
 herrhy glorifies Christ. Is not all this evidently the work of 
 a divine intelligent agent, or person, and of a person evidently 
 <listinct from the Father and the Son, whose things he takes 
 and shews ; and does not speak of himself, when he declares 
 tlie things of the Father and the Son, as he must do if lie were 
 tlie same person, called the Father or the Son ? To apply 
 this text to the divine efficient Power, which is not a person, 
 as has lately been done b, is to gire us such a sense of the 
 words, as I think was never heard of before in the church of 
 God; it is this: When the efficient power of God, Avhich is 
 to reside in the church, as the deputy, resident, and prime 
 minister of the Father and the Son, is come, he, the efficient 
 power of God, shall not speak of himself ; but Avhat he, the 
 efficient power of God, shall hear, that shall he speak ; and 
 he, the efficient power of God, will shew you things to come : 
 He, the efficient power of God, shall glorify me ; for he, the 
 efficient power of God, shall receive of mine, and shew it to 
 you. Is it not veiy instructive and comfortable to be told of 
 God's efficient power, being a prime minister and deputy of 
 the Father and Son, of this power's coming, speaking, hear- 
 ing, receiving, shewing Christ's thing-s to the disciples ? Would 
 any man of common sense have applied these things to a di- 
 vine power, and not rather to a divine person, endowed with 
 understanding, will, design, and veracity, if such a meaning 
 had not been put upon the words, by a warm unscriptural 
 fancy. 
 
 It is pretended, that those pei-sonal acts which are ascribed 
 to the Holy Spirit, as in the case forementioned, are properly 
 the acts of God the Father, acting by the Spirit; and aie 
 therefore represented as the personal acts of the Spirit, not 
 
 n John xvi, 14. b By Mr. Watts, Dissert, v. p. 167. 
 
PROVED FROM SCRIPTURE. 135 
 
 because the Spirit is a real person, but because the Father, 
 who does those things by his Spirit, or efficient power, is a 
 rt*al person. And by this distinction, the adversaries of the 
 Holy Ghost hope to evade the strongest proofs brought fioni 
 scripture for his personality ; for when all the characters of 
 personality are so plain in the testimony, that there is no de- 
 nying them, it is but saying, this is meant of God the Father, 
 acting by his power or Spirit, and the evidence is baffled and 
 confounded : But, in answer to this, I desire it may be ob- 
 served, 
 
 " 1. There ought to be good evidence that what is said to be 
 done by the Holy Spirit, is the act of God the Father, other- 
 \A'ise it is a violence put upon scripture, and upon the Holy 
 Spirit, so to affirm : Such fanciful explications may, and 
 ought to be rejected with more confidence than they are ad- 
 vanced. If God's word tells me, that such or such a personal 
 Avork is done by the Spirit, and that in distinction from the 
 Father, it is a giving the lie to scripture, to say that it is not 
 the personal act of the Spirit, but of the Father ; and espe- 
 cially when in no other scripture the same personal act is as- 
 cribed to the Father. And this I take to be the real case in 
 the instance under consideration, as will appear upon a care- 
 ful review of it : For the Holy Spiiit is expressly distinguished 
 from the Father, by being called the Spirit of truth, which is 
 his peculiar character in scripture ; by his coming, which the 
 Father is never said to do ; by his guiding the apostles into 
 all truth, which was the known work and office, not of the 
 Father, but of the Holy Spiiit ; by his not speaking of liim- 
 self, as the Father always does, being the fountain and Fa- 
 ther of light ; by his being sent by the Son «, which the Fa- 
 ther is never said to be ; and by his coming after Christ's de- 
 parture, which evidently refers, not to the Father, but to the 
 Spirit, and his effusion on the day of Pentecost. The strong- 
 est characters of personality are ascribed to this Spirit ; a^ 
 
 a John xvi. 7. 
 
13fl THE spirit's real personality 
 
 Ills being* called the Comforter, ajul tlie Spirit of truth ; his 
 having the personal cliaracters HE and HIM, twelve times 
 applied to liim in that discomse of our Saviour concerning 
 liini : his coming, reproving, guiding, speaking, hearing, 
 Hhewing things to come, receiving Christ's things, and glori- 
 fying liim ; all which are personal acts and works, and many 
 of them referring to the other persons in the sacre<l Trinity. 
 Now, after all, is it not very extraordinary, that that must be 
 
 ascribed to the Father, vvhicli is said to be done by another, 
 so expressly distinguished from the Father ; and when many 
 of the things never are, ia scripture, said to be done by the 
 Father ; and that we must believe the Spirit here spoke of,^ 
 not to be a real person, when so many and plain personal cha- 
 racters are ascribed to him, and neitiier here, nor elsewhere, 
 is any thing said of him, which is inconsistent with a real di- 
 vine personality; nay, many things which could belong to, 
 and be done by none but a real divine person ; as, guiding 
 into all truth, shewing things to come, convincing the world 
 of sin, righteousness, and judgment, receiving Christ's tilings, 
 shewing them to the apostles, and glorifying Christ in the 
 world ? Is it not an unaccountable freedom taken with scrip- 
 ture, and with the Holy Spirit, not to say with the church of 
 God, after all, to explain away the personality and glory of 
 the Holy Spirit, to obscure the scriptures, and to confound 
 the reader with imaginary allegories and prosopopceias, figures, 
 and metaphors, of which there appears not the least trace or 
 footstep, in a plain discourse of Christ, concerning tlie im- 
 portant work of the Spirit, after his departm-e from them ? 
 Would Christ deliver so important a doctrine to his disciples 
 in his last hours, in mystical figurative terms, and never ex- 
 plain them, either to the apostles or to us, to this very day, 
 by any infallible teacher ? Is this the way to lead us into 
 all truth, or into all error ? But let God be true, though every 
 man be found to be a liar. 
 
 2. There are personal acts ascribed to tlie Holy Spirit, in 
 scripture, wliich cannot possibly belong to God the Father, 
 
PROVED FROM SCRIPTURE. 137 
 
 acting by his Spirit ; and therefore the Holy Spirit is a real 
 divine person. This argument I take to be unanswerable ; 
 and that all the craft and sophistry of the adversaiy will never 
 be able to evade it. The proof of the assertion now laid down, 
 will consist in some clear and plain scripture instances of 
 personal acts ascribed to the Spirit, which cannot be applied 
 to the Father acting by the Spirit. As for instance, the Spirit 
 is said to proceed fi'om the Father a ; which cannot be meant 
 of the Father's proceeding from himself; the Spirit is said to 
 be another Comforter sent from the Father h ; which cannot 
 be the Father sent from himself: It is also said, that the 
 Father will send him in the name of Christ c ; can this be 
 meant of the Father's sending himself in the name of the Son? 
 So God is said to have sent forth the Spirit of his Son into 
 the hearts of his people, crying, Abba, Father d ; can this be 
 the Father's sending forth himself, the Father, into the hearts 
 of believers, crying, Abba, Father ? To the same purpose we 
 read, that the Spirit makes e intercession for the saints, ac- 
 cording to tlie will of God ; but this intercession cannot be 
 the act of the Father, intew^dlng' Tritli hinise'lf. The Father 
 is often represented as the person to whom intercession is 
 made, but never as making intercession ; nor can it be said, 
 that he does it according to the power which is in him : Tliis 
 therefore can be no noble allegory, prosopopceia, or either figure 
 of speech, but a plain account of the acting of that divine 
 person, the Holy Spirit, who is promised and given as the 
 Spirit of adoption, the Spirit of grace, and of supplication. 
 Christ says of the Holy Spirit, ' He shall receive of mine, 
 and shew it to youy.' Did the Father, by his efficient power, 
 receive of the things of Christ, and shew them to the apostles ? 
 It is likewise said of the Spirit, ' He shall speak, but not of 
 liimself g^ Does God, by his efficient power, speak, but not 
 of himself? A speaking power is strange language : But to 
 bring in God the Father, as speakmg by his power, and yet 
 
 o John XV. 2G. h Chap. xiv. 16. c Ver. 26. d Gal. iv. 6. 
 
 e Rom. viii. 27. y John xvi. 14'. g Ver. 13. 
 
138 THE spirit's real personality 
 
 not spoaking of himself, is still more wonderful ; for the Fa- 
 ther never speaks, hut it is of himself, as Avas noted hefore. 
 No^v, from all the pi'eceding instances, it appears, that there 
 are pereonal acts ascrihed to the Holy Si)irit, in scriptm-e, 
 whicli cannot possihly belong to God the Father acting by 
 his Spirit ; and that therefore the Spirit is a real divine per- 
 son. 
 
 3. I shall add, with respect to figures and allegories, that 
 they are never to be brought in, where the literal sense is good 
 and sufficient without them, and where there is nothing in 
 the text, or context, or in the subject matter treated of, that 
 requires them. And if our adversaiies can shew, that in 
 those texts, where the Holy Spirit is described in the strong- 
 est personal characters, there is any thing that requires our 
 admitting such figures and allegories ; or that, in any other 
 scriptures, the Spirit himself has any thing ascribed to him 
 that is inconsistent with real personality, we will give up the 
 cause to them ; but, till then, we shall not yield up this im- 
 portant article of our faith. 
 
 Ic is readily ailoTTGu, that, in scripture, some things are, by 
 a figure, rei)resented as persons Avhich yet really are not so ; 
 as charity, and the like ; and, at other times, real persons are 
 represented in a figurative manner. But then there ai'e otlier 
 places which shew the things personalized are not real per- 
 sons, and that the persons spoke of in a figurative manner are 
 real persons ; which may preserve us from mistakes in this 
 matter : But this is not the case with respect to the Holy 
 Spirit, Avho is never represented in such a figinativo manner 
 as is inconsistent with liis being a real person ; but, in many 
 places, is represented in such clear and strong terms of \^er- 
 sonality as are inconsistent with his being a person only in a 
 figurative sense. 
 
 Our adversaries have one evasion more, and if that fails 
 tliem, their cause is lost, and truth shall yet keep the field. 
 It is pretended, that such strong personal characters may be 
 given the Spirit, though he be not a real person, on the ac- 
 
PROVED FROM SCRIPTURE. 139 
 
 count of the persons in and by whom he acts ; if they cannot 
 be ascribed to God the Fatlier acting by his Spirit, yet they 
 may belong to those inferior agents by whom the Spirit acts ; 
 as for example ; the Spirit is represented as sa^dng, ' Sepaiate 
 me Barnabas and Saul a ;' because the prophets, acted by the 
 Spirit, gave forth such a command. But what evidence can 
 be given that the characters of personality are ever applied to 
 the Spirit, on the account of his messengers ; this would be 
 for a superior to derive an honour from his inferior : Besides, 
 it is foolish, and indeed blasphemous, to suppose those pro- 
 phets to ascribe personality to the Spirit, on their own ac- 
 count, and to represent him speaking in the strongest terms 
 of Personality and Deity too, on the account of their ministry 
 and service. Tlie Holy Ghost is said to come to the apos- 
 tles, as sent by the Father and the Son ; this coming, as so 
 sent, must be the act of a person, distinct from the Father 
 and the Son ; nor can it be the action of the apostles, to 
 wdiom he was sent ; for then the apostles must come to the 
 apostles. 
 
 The Holy Spirit is said to glorify Christ by receiving of 
 his things ; therefore he is neither the Father nor the Son ; 
 and these things he is said to shew to the apostles ; therefore 
 he is a person distinct from the apostles, otherwise they must 
 shew these things to themselves. So that, upon the whole, 
 tlie Holy Spirit appears to be a real person, distinct from 
 tliose for whom he acts, and by whom he acts ; and the eva- 
 sions of the enemy may Be thus detected, and the truth pro- 
 posed under this first argument be confirmed, that the acts and 
 operations of the Holy Spirit, relating to the other persons in 
 the Godhead, shew him to be a real divine person ; which 
 Avas the thing I undertook to prove. 
 
 Prop. H. He to whom the definition of a real divine per- 
 son belongs, is a real divine person ; but to the Holy Spirit 
 the definition of a real divine person belongs ; therefore he is 
 a real divme person. A real divnie person is a subsistent in 
 
 n Arts xiil. 1 — •>. 
 
140 THE spirit's real PERSONALITY 
 
 tlie divine nature, to wlioni belong understanding, will, and 
 distinct operations. That tlie Holy Spirit is a subsistent, or 
 one wlio exists, appears from the whole current of scnpture, 
 and, I think, is denied by few or none, and therefore needs 
 no laborious proof. lie is the eternal Spirit, therefore he 
 ever subsists : In his name persons are to be baptized to the 
 end of time ; therefore he has a real existence, otherwise they 
 would be baptized into the name of a non-entity, an idol, 
 which is nothing in the world. In the first creation, he gave 
 being to all things, and still upholds all things, and therefore 
 really subsists : That he subsists in the divine nature, appears 
 by his being that Spiiit, which is of, or out of God, and by 
 his being God ; which has been proved at large : That he has 
 understanding, appears by his knowing the deep things of 
 God, by his being a Spirit of wisdom and revelation, the au- 
 thor of all arts and sciences, the inspirer of the prophets and 
 apostles, and the fountain of all those wonderful gifts which 
 have been in the chiu-ch : That he has a will, appeal's abun- 
 dantly from his vaiious commands and injunctions, and very 
 fully from that text, ' All these works that one and self-same 
 Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will a :' That 
 he has a power of distinct operation, appears from his numer- 
 ous and wonderful works, both in the old and new creation,, 
 as to come, to hear, to speak, to teach, to testify, to inspire 
 the scriptuie, to lead into all ti-uth, to reprove, to comfort, to 
 sanctify, to lead, to guide and witness, to change into the glo- 
 rious image of God, to preserve to the end, and in the end to 
 give eternal life ; all wliich aie personal acts, and taken to- 
 gether, can be the acts of no other than an infinite person. 
 
 When Ave consider tliese things as they are laid down in 
 scripture, and ascribed to the Spirit of God in so many places, 
 and with such remarkable circumstances, and matters of fact, 
 what conclusion can we naturally draw from the whole, but 
 this, that there is such a divine, infinite, glorious person as 
 the Holy Ghost, Avho is the author and doer of all these glo- 
 
 a 1 Cor. xii. 11. 
 
PROVED FROM SCRIPTURE. 141 
 
 rious works ; and that to suppose the contrary, and to ex- 
 plain them by figures and allegories, is to turn the Holy Spi- 
 rit into a cypher and deceiver, the gospel into a fable, and 
 the Christian religion into a mere shadow and fancy ? This 
 sliould make us tenaciously hold fast the form of sound words, 
 and contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints. 
 
 Prop. III. The Holy Spirit is a real person, because the 
 distinctive personal characters, as I, Thou, He, are ascribed 
 to him in scripture. 
 
 We have been told, by a late wTiter a upon this subject, 
 that " the distinctive character of a person is the application 
 of the personal pronomis, I, Thou, He, to any thing." And 
 he has now confessed, that the pronouns I, and He, are ap- 
 plied to the Holy Spirit in scripture ; and yet he has not been 
 so ingenuous as to own the real personality of the Holy Spi- 
 rit, But if I and He be the distinctive characters of a person, 
 why is not the Holy Ghost, to whom these are applied in 
 mripture, o^\Tied to be a real person ? 
 
 It has been alleged by the same person, that the personal 
 characters of the blessed Spirit, are not expressed, in so fre- 
 quent, or in so strong terms, in scripture, as those of Christ. 
 But, I hope to make it appear, that they are expressed in 
 terms frequent and strong enough to oveitlirow the fond con- 
 celt, that the Holy Spirit is only a faculty, power, or property 
 of the divine nature, and to establish his real personality. If 
 the personal terms are not so often applied to the Spirit as to 
 Cluist, yet they are as plainly, and as strongly ; and tnith 
 does not depend upon a gi-eat number of testimonies : how- 
 ever the number of such applications is gi-eater than some 
 seem willing to allow, as will appeal* before I close this evi- 
 dence. 
 
 We are assured, in the New Testament, tliat it was the 
 Holy Ghost b who said, * Your fathers tempted me, proved 
 me, and saw my worlvs ; wherefore I was giieved v\ ith this 
 
 a Watts's fifth Dissert, p. IS I. h Heb. iii. 7. 
 
142 THE SPIRIT tJ REAL PERSONALITY 
 
 generation, and said, It is a peoj)le that en- in their heart, 
 tlioy have not known my ways ; to wliom I swave in my 
 wrath, that tliey (should not enter into my i-est a.' Here the 
 ])ersonal terms, I, Me, My, are applie<l to the Holy Gliost, 
 and prove him to be a real pei-son. Paul has told us, that it 
 A\ as the Holy Ghost b who spoke the following words hy 
 Isaiah, ' Whom sJiall I send, and who will go for us c ? 
 And the Spirit said to Peter, ' Behold three men seek tliee ; 
 go with them, nothing doubting, for I have sent them d :' Is 
 not liere a person distinct from Peter who was spoke to ? 
 Tlie Holy Spirit said, ' Separate to me Barnabas and Saul, 
 for the work whereto I have called them e.' In these places 
 tlie personal pronouns, I, Me, Us, are applied to the Holy 
 Si)irit, in histories of plain matters of fact, wherein there a])- 
 pears not to be the least sliado^.v of any figurative or allegorical 
 manner of speaking. 
 
 Now to apply what is said in the cited texts, to a faculty, 
 power, or property of God, would, I think, be darkening 
 counsel by words without knowledge : When the Holy Ghost 
 spoke by Isaiah ; ' Whom shall I send, and who will go for 
 us ?' Was it God's facidty or efficient power that said this, or 
 a real divine person ? A\'as it God's efficient power that said 
 to Peter, ' Go Avith them, nothing doubting, for I have sent 
 them ?' Or was it a faculty in God, who said, ' Separate me 
 l^arnabas and Saul to the work whereto I have called them ?' 
 To be separated to a divine property, power, or faculty, is as 
 strange a thing in fact as in terms, and as foreign to the scrip- 
 tures ; a sending faculty, and a calling power, are phrases far 
 from containing scriptural or clear ideas in them. But if we 
 allow the plain literal sense of the history, and understand it 
 of a real divine person, an intelligent agent, we may well ac- 
 count for the use of the personal terms before mentioned, and 
 those others applied to the Holy Spirit in scripture. 
 
 The word ivhom, is, by Christ, applied to the Holy Spirit, 
 
 a Psal. xcv. 9 — U. /> Acts xxviji. 25, 2G. c Isa. vi. 8, 9. 
 
 d Arts X. 19, 20. e Acts xiii. 1, 2. 
 
PROVED FROM SCRIPTURE. 143 
 
 in my text ; ' When the Comforter is come, whom I will 
 send to yoii fi"om the Father.' The word whom^ is never 
 appHed to any but a pei'son. If Christ had mtended to de- 
 scribe a faculty, power, or property of the divine nature, it 
 had been better to Imve said, the Comforter, which I will 
 send : But to say, the faculty, power, or property, whom I 
 will send, is what no language will bear ; and especially, it 
 is very strange to hear of a faculty, power, or property of the 
 Father, sent by Christ from the Father to the apostles : But 
 if the words are understood of the Holy Ghost as a real per- 
 son, the sense is easy and clear, and that they ai'e so intended, 
 whatfolloAvs makes evident ; ' Even the Spirit of tnith, which 
 proceeds from the Father, he shall testify of me.' To call 
 God's efficient power the Spirit of truth ; and for Christ to 
 say. He, the efficient power of God, shall testify of me, is, I 
 think, very unintelligible language, not likely to be used by 
 him, who is the ^visdom of God, and who spoke as never 
 man did. 
 
 The personal pronoun, a^rov. Him, is applied to the Holy 
 Ghost by Christ, in these words ; ' If I go not away, the 
 Comforter will not come to you ; but if I depait, I will send 
 him to you a ;' what, send him a faculty, property, or effi- 
 cient power of God, or him the Comforter, a real divine per- 
 son? 
 
 The distinctive characters of a person are plainly applied 
 to the Holy Ghost, in these words ; ' The Comforter, the 
 Holy Ghost by for the words ifhich is are not in the original, 
 * whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you 
 all things.' Here the personal terms He, and Whom, are 
 applied to the Holy Spirit ; and the masculine pronoun He, 
 being joined with the word Spirit, which is a noun of tlie 
 neuter gender, is a strong expression of the personality of the 
 Spirit, as the critics have obsei-ved: That Spirit, that Holy 
 Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall c 
 
 ' a John v\i. 7. h John xlv. 26. 
 
 c When iKuvec^ that person, the Spirit of truth, is come. — Dr. 
 i Clark's Scripture Doctrine, p. 202. 
 
H-t THE spirit's real personality 
 
 teach yoTi all things ; if tiiose expressions do not signify a real 
 person, what words can do it a ? What sense would it be to 
 say, the Comforter, God's efficient power, that Spirit, that 
 Holy One, whom the Father will send in my name, he, that 
 eflicient power of God, shall teach you all things ? Did God 
 «end his efficient power, in the name of Christ, and as a 
 teacher of all things? and must we not understand these 
 words of an intelligent, subsistent, or real person in the God- 
 head, called the Holy Ghost, to whom such distinctive per- 
 sonal characters do belong? 
 
 Another place, in which the Holy Spirit is spoke of in tlie 
 strongest terms of personality, is this ; ' Wlien he is come, 
 he shall reprove the world of sin ; and he will guide you into 
 all truth ; for he shall not speak of himself ; but what lie shall 
 hear, that shall he speak ; and he shall shew you things to 
 come : he shall glorify me ; for he shall receive of mine, and 
 shall shew it unto you 6.' Where the personal pronoun, He, 
 is applied no less than seven times to the Spuit ; and besides, 
 the word himself, plainly denotes a person, as also do his re- 
 proving, his guiding, his speaking, his hearing, his shewing, 
 his glorifying Christ, and his receiving of his things. 
 
 APPLICATION. 
 
 Is the Holy Spirit a real infinite person ? What reason 
 have we to seek, desire, and rejoice in the communion of the 
 Holy Ghost ? What satisfaction others may take in denying 
 or opposing the personality of the Holy Ghost, I know not ; 
 but surely it must be a great pleasure and comfort to every 
 serious Christian, that he has not a divine power only, but 
 an infinitely knowing, gracious, and faithful person to apply 
 to, and converse with, in all his circumstances of sin, sorrow, 
 and danger, or of joy, delight, and comfort in this world. He 
 that dwells in the saints, and is their Guide and Comforter, 
 
 o ^'Ey.tivo; vfX'xs o/Sa^w, priTcessil; to Tvivu.v. to ayi^v. Consfructio 
 jgitur ivtortur ad sensiiin, et pronoitiine uiajoulino notatur maniiVste 
 persona. — Piscat. Schol. in loc. b John xvi. 8, 13. 
 
PROVED FROM SCRIPTURE. 145 
 
 is not a mere divine power, that has some perfections, hut an 
 infinite, intelligent, gTacious person, who has all the divine 
 perfections inherent in himself, and is capable of exertino- 
 them for our good, as he pleases : When Ave seek his aid, we 
 apply to one who knows our case, and is full of grace and 
 truth, and can hold communion with us, in acts of powo)*, 
 faithfulness, pity, grace, and love. As it is a greater comfort 
 to converse with a living friend, who is wise and good, and 
 can accommodate himself to the present occasion, than barely 
 .to converse with liis dead writings ; so I should think it must 
 be a matter of exceeding joy and encom-agement, to have all 
 om- spiritual concerns in the hands of so gi-eat and glorious a 
 person as the Holy Spirit, who knows our hearts and circum- 
 stances, and is able and ready to help us under all our infir- 
 mities, to shew us the things of Christ, and to shed the love 
 of God abroad iA our hearts, and carry on his good work to 
 the day of Christ. What greater blessing could the apostle 
 desire for the Corinthians, than the comnmnion of the Holy 
 Ghost a ? Let us then love and adore his person, value his 
 operations, and cherish his good motions. As the Spirit is 
 an intelligent, free agent, he is capable of knowing and re- 
 senting our disrespect and disobedience to him ; and there- 
 fore we should carefully avoid offending him, by indulging 
 sin, or lessening the glory of his person, or of his work. 
 
 Let me therefore say to you as Paul said to his beloved 
 Philippians, ' If there be any fellowship of the Spirit, fulfil you 
 my joy; be you like-mmded. Work out your own salvation 
 with fear and trembling. For it is God (the Spirit, that holy 
 and gracious person) who works in you, to will and to do of 
 his own good pleasure ^.' May he establish your hearts un- 
 blameable in holiness : May the gi'eat Comforter comfort your 
 hearts and establish you in every good word and \A'ork. Let 
 us, I beseech you, strive together in prayer for the cotnmunion 
 of the Holy Ghost, that he may glorify Christ in om* hearts,* 
 
 n 2 Cor. xiil. 14. h Phil. ii. 1, 2, 12, 13. 
 
 VOL. III. G 
 
14G THE spirit's real personality 
 
 and cliange us into his image, from glory to glory ; aiul may 
 be in us a well of water springing u{> to eternal life ; that we 
 may live in the Spirit, and walk in the Spirit, he filled with the 
 Spirit, sow to the Spirit, and of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 
 Finally, let us keep in view the dignity of his person, and 
 the excellency of his work, that we may own and honour him, 
 according to the divine characters given hini in scripture, and 
 particularly in my text ; wherein his Personality, Procession 
 from the Father, Mission, and Work, are representetl so 
 clearly by Clirist ; ' When the Comforter is come, whom I 
 will send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, who 
 proceeds from the Father, he shall testify of me.' 
 
 THE REAL PERSONALFrY OF THE HOLY 
 SPIRIT PROVED FROM SCRIPTURE. 
 
 SERMON II. 
 
 PREACHED MAY 19th, 1730. 
 
 John xv. 26. — When the Comforter is come, ichom I will 
 send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, 
 ivhich proceedeth from the Father, HE shall testify of me. 
 
 In these words the Personality, Procession, Mission, Woik, 
 and Office of the Holy Spirit are declared ; an entrance has 
 been made on the first of these, the proof of the Pereonality 
 of the Holy Spirit. 
 
 I here, by way of preliminary, shewed, what is meant by 
 the word Person, and then I proceeded to prove, that the 
 Holy Spirit is not a figurative, but real person ; and one aigu- 
 ment for it was drawn from the acts and operations of the 
 HoU' Spirit, relating to the other persons in the Godhead, as 
 his searching all the deep things of God, and making known 
 
PROVED FROM SCRIPTURE. 14/ 
 
 his will, taking of the tilings of Christ, and his proceeding 
 from the Father ; his coining, as sent by the Father ; his 
 making intercession to the Father ; the same thing appears to 
 be true ; because the definition, as a real divine person, be- 
 longs to the Spirit. This was explained and applied in the 
 several parts of the definition, as being a subsistent in the di- 
 vine essence, having understanding, will, and distinctive ope- 
 rations ascribed to him : A farther evidence was the application 
 of the distinctive personal characters, I, Thou, He, to the 
 Spirit in scripture. The sum and force of the argument is 
 this ; he to whom the distinctive personal characters belong, 
 is a real pei'son : But the distinctive personal characters belong 
 to the Holy Ghost, and are often applied to him in scripture : 
 Therefore the Holy Ghost is a real person, distinct from the 
 Father and the Son. 
 
 Prop. IV. That the Holy Spirit is a real person, appears 
 from the instituted form of baptism, which is in the name of 
 the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. 
 
 All allow the Father, in the form of baptism, to denote a 
 real person ; and there is the same evidence that the Son and 
 Spirit are also real persons ; for there is not the least difference 
 bet\veen them in that respect signified. And, in the nature 
 of the thing, it is necessarily implied, or supposed, v.'hether 
 we regard the authority of the sacred Three, which is signified 
 I tliereby, or the covenant, which therein is equally and jointly 
 sealed with them. It would be very strange to enter into 
 covenant with one or two divine persons, and a third that is 
 I only a divine power, and no real person ; or to be subject 
 I to the authority of one or two divine persons, and to a thiid, 
 I which is only a divine po\\'er or faculty in God ; and that we 
 should stipulate obedience and subjection to tlie person of 
 the Father, who must be supposed to include all divine es- 
 sential poAvers and perfections, and then over ngain to one 
 divine essential power, faculty, or perfection ; Avhat a confused 
 and absurd representation of the Christian institution w ould 
 this be ? 
 
148 THE spirit's real personality 
 
 It is worthy of notice, that the article t» is thrice repeated ; 
 t5 ^■ctl^is, ri ut5, xai ri cly!n TnCf^aii;, m tlie form of baptism, to 
 denote the distinct personality of the Fatlier, the Son, and 
 the Holy Ghost. And if the Father is, in baptism, worship- 
 ped as a person, so is the Son, and so is the Holy Ghost. 
 To haveoiir religious worship, in baptism, directed to one di- 
 vine person, the Father, to one human person, the Son, and to 
 one divine power or faculty, the Holy Ghost, under the same 
 name and form, is to introduce a strange confusion into this 
 eminent part of religious worship ; and must greatly distract 
 the minds of the worshippers, as well as puzzle their under- 
 standing's, if they seriously consider what they ai'C doing. 
 But allowing the Holy Ghost to be a divine person, and wor- 
 shipping him as such, the difficulty and confusion are avoided, 
 and we know what and why we worship ; even one God, in- 
 cluding Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, as the scripture reveals 
 him. " We are," as Dr. Owen observes a, " baptized 
 «j TO ovofiec, into his name ; and no sense can be affixed to these 
 words but what includes his personality." " And," as anothe 
 learned Awiter b says, " why, with as good reason, should we 
 not be consecrated into the name of the divine goodness, of 
 the divine justice, of the divine wisdom, or of any other divine 
 attribute, as into the name of the divine power ? Yea, as he 
 observes, supei-fluously, and to no purpose, does the Holy 
 Ghost seem to be adjoined, if by it nothing besides the divine 
 efficacy is designed ? for acknowledging the Father, we with- 
 al acknowledge his power and efficacy, congruous to the di- 
 vine nature ; worshipping the Father, we together adore his 
 power; devoting ourselves in obedience to the Father, we 
 likewise subject ourselves to his power ; as if one has promised 
 faith and loyalty to the king, he herein has abundantly satisfied 
 his duty ; so that there is no farther need to profess himself 
 devoted to the king's power or efficacy; who sees not that: 
 in such a case it is superfluous and idle to sever the king from 
 his royal power ?" But the Holy Ghost being a real person 
 
 a Dr. Owen of the Spirit, j). 51. b Dr. Barrow's second Vol. p. 453. 
 
PROVED FROM SCRIPTURE. 149 
 
 in the Godhead, sufficient reason appears for our being de- 
 voted to him, or consecrated and baptized into his name. 
 
 Prop. V. Another proof of the personality of the Holy 
 Ghost we have in these words ; ' The Spirit himself beareth 
 witness with our spirit, that we are the childi'en of God «.' 
 
 We have here the witness of the Spirit, distinguished 
 from the testimony of om* own spirits ; our own spirits can 
 witness our adoption only by the sanctifying work of the 
 Holy Spirit upon them ; that other testimony whereby the 
 Spirit is said to witness with our spirits, must be something- 
 distinct from this, and consequently what is called the im- 
 mediate testimony of the Spirit ; which is the work, not of a 
 divine power, but of a divine person, who sees, and judges, 
 and speaks in his own name, and shews a believer the true 
 state of his soul. To apply this to God's efficient power, must 
 be veiy absm'd ; for though that may make a change in us, 
 which is the matter of our own testimony, that we are the 
 children of God ; yet this power cannot be said to witness 
 with our spirits, with regard to this work ; for that would be 
 for this power to witness with itself, and so the testimony 
 would be but one ; whereas in the cited text, it is spoke of 
 as twofold, that of the Holy Spuit, and that of our own spirits. 
 It is hard, if not impossible, to conceive how a divine power 
 should, in a way distinct from its work upon us, witness 
 our adoption ; but it is easy to conceive, that a divine person 
 may do it by his own immediate testimony, added to that of 
 om* own spu'its ; which therefore is called a witnessing with 
 our spirits. 
 
 A parallel text, which may illustrate and confirm our in- 
 terpretation, and shew it to be agi'eeable to the analogy of 
 faith, is this ; ' In whom also, after that you believed, you 
 were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise b.' By sealing 
 here, we must understand the assuring our hearts, concerning 
 our right to the inheritance ; this is said to be done after be- 
 lieving : So it is not the work of faith, but something distinct 
 
 a Rom. viii. 16^ b Eph, i. 13. 
 
150 THE spirit's real PERSONALITY 
 
 from it, wliicli is this seal, tlie immediate witness and testi- 
 mony of the Spirit, as Dr. Cioodwin explains it a ; and he con- 
 firms it hy tliat text, ' There are tlnee tliat bear recoixl on 
 earth; the S|)irit, the water, and the blood b; wliere, by the 
 \vitnoss of the Spirit, he understands the immediate witness 
 of the Sj)irit, distinct from the other two, the water and the 
 blooil. The testimony of the Spirit, is an ovei'powering 
 light from the Holy Ghost, assuring the person that he is the 
 Lord's. The seal of great persons is set without hand or wit- 
 nesses, as the broad seal among us is. Tims the Holy Spirit, 
 in his own light and authority, assures the Christian of his 
 interest in the heavenly inheritance. Now this sealing and 
 witnessing must be the work of an intelligent agent, a real 
 person ; and, being the work of the Holy Ghost, proves him 
 to be an intelligent agent, a I'eal person. 
 
 When the Spirit is said to witness with our spirits, that we 
 are the children of God, it is not, as has been obsei'ved, the 
 testimony of the graces and operations of the Spirit, but of 
 the Spirit itself. A Christian's own spirit Avitnesses to him 
 his own adoption ; he finds in himself, upon diligent search 
 and examination, the manifest signs and tokens thereof ; but 
 this testimony of itself is weak, and Satan has many ways 
 and v^dles to invalidate it : Therefore, for more assurance, it 
 is confirmed by another, and gi'eater testimony, and that is of 
 the Spirit himself; he witnesses with our spirits, and seals 
 it up to us : He witnesses to om* spirits, by an immediate testi- 
 mony ; and he witnesses with our spirits, by a conjunctive and 
 concurrent testimony : This must be the work of a real person. 
 
 Prop. VI. A farther proof of the Personality of the Holy 
 S[jirit may be taken from his appearance at the time of Christ's 
 baptism in a visible shape and form c. 
 
 In that history we have an account of thi'ee who appeared 
 in their distinct personalities ; the Father, who spoke from 
 heaven ; the Son, who ascended up out of Jordan ; and the 
 
 a Dr. Goodwill's exposition on the Ephcsians, Sermon xvi. 206, 207. 
 b 1 JuUu V. 8. c Mat. iii. 16. 
 
PROVED FROM SCRIPTURE. 151 
 
 Spirit, who descended from lieaven, and rested upon him. 
 Here it is weakly objected, that a dove, in whose form the 
 Spirit descended, is not a person, and therefore the Spirit that 
 descended is not a person. For it is not said, that a dove de- 
 scended, but that some person, or thing, descended in the like- 
 ness or form of a dove : And the actions of descending, and 
 abiding, or resting upon Christ, are personal actions never as- 
 cribed to powers or properties. Where do we read of a divine 
 power or property assuming a visible shape, or making a vi- 
 sible descent and appearance ? and therefore, as the learned 
 Turretine a notes, the Spirits descending and resting upon 
 Christ, sufficientl}?^ prove him that descended to be a person, 
 and not a quality only b. This was so much the sense of the 
 ancients, that it was a usual saying among them. Go, Arian, 
 to Jordan, and behold a Trinity, that is, of persons. 
 
 The scripture speaks of being baptized with the Holy 
 Ghost ; but this no more hinders the Holy Spirit's being a 
 person, than our putting on Christ denies his being a person : 
 It is evident, that in both the alleged cases, the expressions 
 are figurative and metaphorical : But what has been alleged 
 concerning the descent cf the Holy Ghost, at Christ's bap- 
 tism, is a plain history of matter of fact, in which there is no 
 figure or metaphor. 
 
 Prop. VII. Personal affections and dispositions are, in 
 scripture, ascribed to the Holy Spirit ; therefore he is a 
 person. 
 
 The Holy Spirit is said to be vexed c : This is proper to 
 be said of a person that has understanding, will, and resent- 
 ment ; but to speak of a vexed power or property, is contrary 
 to the common use of language, and the sense of mankind ; 
 nor do I find the word vexed once in all the scripture, applied 
 to any thing but a person, except in tlaat one passage, where- 
 in the Psalmist says, ' Heal me, for my bones are vexed d ;' 
 
 a Instltut. par. I. p. 29 k 
 
 /' Giits are said to come from above, but not in a visible shape. 
 James i. 17. c Isa. Ixiii. 10. d PsaL ri. 2. 
 
152 THE spirit's real personality 
 
 where the instrunieiit is cm ideiitly put for the subject of the 
 
 vexation, liis soul, or iiitt'llci-tual part. 
 
 The Spirit of Ciod is said to be grieved a ; but who ever 
 heard of a grieved power or property? nor can it be so taken 
 in tlie cited text ; which evidently speaks of a person, and 
 ascribes to him a glorious personal work, the sealing us to 
 the day of redemption, whicli the apostle liints as a reason why 
 we sliould not be ungrateful to him, who does such great 
 things for us, or from wliom such a benefit is derived. 
 
 We likewise read of the love h of the Spirit ; as elsewhere 
 of his gi-ace and goodness ; all which are personal dispositions 
 and affections; and being applied to the Holy Ghost in such 
 places, and in such a manner, as gives us not the least reason 
 to suspect a trope or figm-e is used, we have reason to take 
 them as indications of the real personality of the Holy Ghost ; 
 for to talk of a loving power, that has neither understanding 
 nor will belonging to it, is mere trifling, not to say absurd : 
 And every thing that has understanding and will, and power 
 of operation, is a real person. 
 
 Prop. VIIL Personal powers and properties are, in scrip- 
 ture, ascrii)ed to the Holy Spirit ; therefore ho is a real person. 
 
 We read c of the mind of the Spirit, even of tliat S])irit 
 who helps our infirmities, which is the Holy Spirit. By mindy 
 a power of a rational agent is intended, and, I think, not one 
 instance can be produced from scripture, of its being applied 
 to any other kind of things. If then the Holy Spirit has a 
 mind, he is a real person. The apostle Paul says, ' And he 
 that searcheth the hearts, knoweth what is the mind d of the 
 Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints, accord- 
 ing to the will of God.' He that has a design to carry on, 
 an intention to accomplish, must be an intelligent voluntary 
 
 a Eph. iv. 20. h Rom. xv. 30. c Rom. viii. 27. 
 
 d It is not indeed v5;, bat <ppb)vyifjt,u, whicli comrirehrnds under it the 
 act and exercise, both of the mind and will : in Rom. viii. 7. it seems to 
 be taken for the faculty, or po^ver, called the mind, the carnal mind is 
 enmity. — Leig'i's Critic. Sacraj in verb. 
 
PROVED FROM SCRIPTURE. I5S 
 
 agent, and consequently a real person : It would sound very 
 harsh and absurd, to all men of sense, to talk of the design 
 and intention of an efficient power, which is ah^'ays acted 
 and directed according to the design and intention of an- 
 other. 
 
 Perhaps it may be said, does not the mind of the Spirit here 
 mean the design and intention of God the Father, acting by 
 his. Spirit, or efficient power? But this evasion will not do in 
 this place, nor does it carry any probability in it, because the 
 mind of the Spirit is distinguished from him that seai'ches the 
 heart, or God the Father, who knows the mind of the Spirit ; 
 for otherwise the sense would be this, God the Father knows 
 what designs and intentions he will accomplish by his efficient 
 power ; and so there would be a distinction without a differ- 
 ence ; for the Searcher of hearts, and the mind of the Spirit, 
 would be all one ; and also the intercessor, and he to whom 
 the intercession is made. The sum of the apostle's argument 
 seems to be this, that the Holy Spirit, with a design agi'eeable 
 to the will of God, forms and excites holy desires and breath- 
 ing's in the souls of believers, and God the Father attendino; 
 to the meaning and design of the Holy Spirit, m those prayers, 
 hears and answers them, knowing them to be agreeable to his 
 own will. 
 
 The Spirit is, in the scripture I am considering, not only tlis- 
 tinguished from him that searches the hearts, but also from the 
 saints or believers. He, that person, the Holy Spirit, rfiakes in- 
 tercession for the saints, according to the will of God, or more 
 strictly, according to the original «, according to God ; as some 
 think, according to his divine nature, which causes liim to sug- 
 gest to the saints such things as are agi'eeable to the Father's 
 will ; for the Father and Spirit being one in nature, are conse- 
 quently one in design ; and as the Spirit searches all the deep 
 things of God, so God knows what the Holy Spirit intends in 
 those unutterable desires, which he raises in the hearts of Chris- 
 
 « Kara &:ov. These words, the %i'iU of, are not in the Greek text ; 
 l>at may he undei*stood as now exi)lained. 
 
 G 2 
 
l.)4 THE spirit's real PERSONALITY 
 
 tians ; for they cannot but be agreeable to bis own nature and 
 will. 
 
 An understanding: is predicated of bini, or ascribed to liim, 
 in the prophetic account of the gift of the Spirit to Clirist, 
 which, in the New Testament, is said to be without measure 
 or limitation a. The ])rophet Isaiah h first describes the Spi- 
 rit that should rest upon Christ as a Spirit of wisdom and un- 
 derstanding, to shew Avhat he is in himself; and then what 
 should be the effect of his resting on Christ's human nature ; 
 he should make him of quick undei^standing in the fear of the 
 Lord ; and he that teaches man knowledge, shall not he know ? 
 And if he is an intelligent agent, certainly he is a person : 
 To talk of an understanding, efficient po\ver, is, I think, if 
 not to lie down in darkness, yet to talk in the dark, and to 
 give us very cloudy and confused, instead of clear ideas, in a 
 matter of such great importance : But if by Spirit we under- 
 stand not an efficient power, but a real person, the sense is 
 clear and plain, and the reason appeal's why he is styled a 
 Spirit of wisdom, and understanding, and knowledge. 
 
 The apostle Paul lias spoke thus ; ' The things of God 
 knows no one but the Spirit of God. He searches all things, 
 even the deep things of God c :' Therefore he must be an 
 intelligent agent, a real person. To evade the force of this ar^ 
 gument, we have been told, that the Spirit of God here sig- 
 nifies God himself d. That the Spirit is God, and in that 
 sense signifies God himself, we not only allow, but eaniestly 
 contend for ; but that the Spirit here spoke of, is not God tlie 
 Father, is evident, by his being distinguished from him ; when 
 it is said, ' God has revealed them to us by his Spirit,' is it 
 by himself? ' the Spirit searches all things, even the deep 
 things of God :' God the Father searches all things, even liis 
 own deep things ; for so the sense must be, if the Spirit is 
 not a distinct person from him, whose things lie is said to 
 search and reveal. Farther, when it is said in the context, 
 
 a John iii. S-i. h Isa. il. 2. 
 
 c 1 Cor. ii. 10, IT. d Watts's fifth Dissert, p. 130. 
 
PROVED FROM SCRIPTURE. * 155 
 
 • We have received the Spirit, wliich is of God, that we miglit 
 know the things that are freely given us of God ;' is the mean- 
 iugr^ we have received God the Father, which is of God, that 
 we might know the tilings Avhich ai'e freely given us of God 
 the Father? Or can the meaning be, that we have received 
 the efficient power, which is of God, and searches all the deep 
 things of God, that we might know the things that aie freely 
 given us of God ? 
 
 In short, as acts of understanding and knowledge are as- 
 cribed to the Spirit here spoke of, such as can be the acts 
 only of a divine infinite person ; and seeing this divine infinite 
 person is distinguished from God the Father, we may justly 
 conclude that the Holy Spirit is that divme infinite person, to 
 whom this knowledge and this understanding are ascribed. 
 
 The scriptures represent the Spirit as having a will ; and 
 whatever is endowed with an intelligent will, is a person. 
 This is implied in these words, ' As the wind bloweth where 
 it listeth, so is every one that is bom of the Spirit a.' The 
 Holy Spirit acts with freedom of will in regenerating men ; 
 
 * Of his own will begat he us, with the word of truth b.' The 
 apostle Paul having given us a large enumeration of the Spi- 
 rit's gifts, which flow from the Holy Spirit, he adds these re- 
 markable words, full to our purpose ; ' All these worketh that 
 one and the self-same Spirit, dividing to every man severahy 
 as lie will c' These last words, he tvill, are veiyst mg per- 
 sonal terms, wherein not only the personal pronoun /i«, but 
 also the personal power of a will, is ascribed to the Holy 
 Ghost, and without a figure must belong to him ; otherwise 
 the Avhole histoiy to which these passages relate, must be a 
 mere fancy and fable : For to talk of the will of an efficierkt 
 power, that is no person, is to me unintelligible language, and 
 as mere a sound of words without ideas, as some other sen- 
 tences have been to others. Besides, if we ascribe a distinct 
 will to one power of God, as suppose his efiiicient power, 
 
 a John ill. 8. b James i. 18. c J Cor. xii. 11, 
 
156 THE spirit's real personality 
 
 which we are told, is the Holy Spirit, why may we not- to an- 
 other power, and indeed, to eveiy power and perfection of 
 tin* divine nature ? and then we shall not have one will in 
 Ciod, hut many ; which, 1 fear, will he as uuintelli|xible as 
 the doctrine of three proper persons in the Godiiead. 
 
 The text last cited, * dividing to every man severally as he 
 Avill,' ascrihed to the one and self-same Spirit, carries in it so 
 clear a distinction of the one Spirit, from his various jj:;ifts, and 
 such strong expressions of his free choice and communications, 
 which are acts of will asM-ell as of power, that tlie adversaries 
 of the personality of the Holy Ghost, are here driven to tlieir 
 miserable shift of prosopopoiias and ligures, heaped one upon 
 another ; wliich is the last support of a desperate cause. Of 
 tliis some notice shall be taken, when I come to answer the 
 objections raised against this truth ; and therefore I shall not 
 interrupt the series of this discourse by considering it here. 
 There are likewise many texts Avhich speak of the works of 
 the Holy Ghost, which necessarily include in them acts of 
 understanding and will, which might be brought in here ; but, 
 to avoid repetition, I reserve them for that branch of the sub- 
 ject. We read a of divers gifts of the Holy Ghost, according 
 to iiis own will ; if we refer the words, ' according to his own 
 will,' to the nearest antecedent, ^vhich is the most natural 
 construction, then they plainly declare the Holy Ghost to be 
 endowed with a will, which, iis proper to a person : and th.is 
 sense of the words agrees with tlie text last before mentioned ; 
 and indeed, with tlie immediate subject-matter of the context, 
 signs and wonders, and divers miracles and gifts, of which the 
 Holy Ghost was the efficient cause, and that in a voluntary 
 and sovereign way and manner. Theophylact upon the place 
 thus understands it; "The distributions of the Spirit," says 
 the apostle, " are made according to his own will ; he knows 
 what is proper for every one, and accordingly distributes his 
 gift and gi*ace b" By liis will Oecumenius c also understands 
 
 a Heb. ii. \. b Thcophyl. in lor. c Vide Occuiuen. in loc. 
 
PROVED FROM SCRIPTURE. 157 
 
 the will of tlie Holy Ghost ; and so it is taken by many mo- 
 dern ir.terpreters. 
 
 Crellius, in contradiction to the apparent sense of the text, 
 hy the gifts of the Holy Ghost «, would have us understand 
 the distribution of the Holy Ghost itself, by God the Fatlier, 
 to believers, in various measures as he pleases, which could 
 not be said of a person : But this is not to intei'pret the text 
 according to the analogy of faith. We elsewhere b find the 
 Holy Ghost to be the distributer of the gifts, and not to be 
 the things distributed, but the efficient cause of them ; ' All 
 these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit, dividing, or 
 distributing to every man as he, that self-same Spirit, will.' 
 If the Spirit is the same thing with the gifts, why ai'e the 
 gifts so many, and the Spirit but one and the self-same ? And 
 Avhy does the author of the epistle to the Hebrews speak of 
 the gifts in the plural number, and of the Holy Ghost c in 
 the singidar number ? Therefore adheiing to our intei'pretation 
 of the text, we may still retain it, as an evidence that the Holy 
 Ghost has a will, or acts in a voluntary way, and therefore is 
 not a figurative, but real proper person. 
 
 A will is ascribed to the Holy Ghost in those places where 
 he is said to command, call, send forth, forbid, or not to suf- 
 fer or permit : ' The Holy Ghost said. Separate me Barnabas 
 and Saul, to the work whereto I have called them d.' Sepa- 
 rate me, are words of command, and eveiy command is a 
 signification of the will and pleasure of him that gives it. 
 Calling to a work some persons in distinction from others, is 
 the work of will and choice. The same may be said of send- 
 ing foith ; which is also ascribed to the Holy Spirit ; ' So 
 they, BaiTiabas and Saul, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, 
 departed eJ 
 
 If it should be said, that the command to sepamte the 
 apostles, and the senduig them forth, are ascribed to thie 
 
 a Crell. de uno Deo, cap. ix. b 1 Cor. xii. II. 
 
 c \i:ivuK7o$ ccyiH ft,-fifffictr' Heb. 11. "i. (I Acts xiii. 2y l. 
 
 If Vi;r. i. 
 
i.')8 TiiE spirit's real personality 
 
 JSpirit, because tlipso tliiiig-s were done l>y the prophets, under 
 the power and infinence of the Spirit, and not by the Spirit, 
 as a distinct, intelligent, voluntary agent or person, I reply, 
 that there is not in the text, or context, tlie least intinjation 
 of tlie prophets givin"^ out such a command, or of their sending 
 forth Barnabas and Saul, but only of their subjection and 
 obedience to that S[)int that spol<e, declared by their fasting 
 and praying. Besides, those words, ' Separate me,' or, ' to 
 nie,' will not bear such an inteipretation ; for if they Avere the 
 words of the prophets, it should liave been, separate us, or to 
 us : But, were Barnabas and Saul separated to the service 
 of the prophets? or if by ' me,' one eminent prophet were 
 intended, wliich of them was it ? and how could it be said, 
 Avhereto I haA'e called them, seeing there Avere more than one 
 under this influence or poAA^er of the Holy Ghost? But if aa'c 
 take the Avords as the command and order of the Holy Sjiii'it, 
 as a divine person, signifying his Avill and pleasure in his"oAvn 
 name, though by several prophets, as instniments in his hand) 
 then the language is proper, and the sense is easy and plain. 
 
 " To call men to the ministry is a free act of authority, 
 rlioice, and Avisdom, which are properties of a person, and 
 none other ; nor is either tlie Father, or the Son, in scripture, 
 introduced more directly clothed Avith personal properties than 
 the Holy Ghost is in these places," as the excellent Dr. Owen a 
 Jias Avell observed. 
 
 Those Avords, ' Tliey AA'^ere forbidden of the Holy Ghost to 
 ])reach the Avord in Asia ; — they assayed to go into Bithynia ; 
 but the Spirit suffered them not h^ sheAA"^, tliat as the Holy 
 Ghost sent them forth, so he ordered their course, as a vo- 
 limtary, intelligent agent, or as a real person. 
 
 The same might be proved from that observable text, ' It 
 seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us c ; Avhere there 
 is an evident distinction betAveen the judgment of the Holy 
 Ghost, and of the apostles, and an account of the submission 
 
 a Of the Spirit, p. 62. b Acts xvl. C, 7. r Arts xv. '28. 
 
PROVED FROM SCRIPTURE. 159 
 
 of tr.e latter to the former : the word "Eh^i, ' it seemed good,' 
 imports not only an act of knowledge, but also of judgment 
 and f hoice, as well as of authority and power, and being thus 
 applied to the Holy Spirit, in distinction from others, must 
 fsignify his own immediate power, of knowing, willing, and 
 determining in the matter proposed ; and so taken, it is a clear 
 proof of his real personality ; for, I think, it was never heard, 
 nor can be conceived, that an efficient power should thus see, 
 judge, choose, and determine, and especially in distinction 
 from them upon whom it was exerted. The act of the Holy 
 Ghost cannot be understood barely of an influence of divine 
 power upon their understandings and wills ; for then there 
 A\'ould be no distinction between its seeming good to him, and 
 seeming good to them ; but the ob^ ious sense is, that the 
 Holy Ghost, as an intelligent agent, or person, judged what 
 is spoke of to be necessary ; and the apostles, in subordination 
 to, and compliance with his deteniiination, and as instruments 
 of its discovery, did also so judge and determine. If it seem- 
 ed good to the Holy Ghost, in distinction from the apostles, 
 then the Holy Ghost is a person distinct from the apostles ; 
 for both understanding and will ai'e necessary to make a thing 
 seem good to another ; but it did seem good to the Holy 
 Ghost, in distinction fi-om the apostles, to enjoin the necessaiy 
 things mentioned, and therefore the Holy Ghost is a person 
 distinct from tlie apostles, endowed with understanding and 
 will. 
 
 APPLICATION. 
 
 1. Let us believe and hold fast this important article of our 
 faith, the Personality of the Holy Spirit. Notwithstanding 
 all the arts that have been used to pervert or obscure it, yet 
 still it appears, with sufficient evidence, to be a doctrine of 
 revelation, clearly and abundantly taught in scriptm*e ; and, 
 as has been observed by a good judge a, the universal Catho- 
 
 a BiUl. Def. Fid. p. 104-. 
 
1(30 THE SPIRITS REAL PERSONALITV 
 
 lie church always believed and taught, that the Holy Spirit is 
 a distinct person from the Father. 
 
 It has been insinuated «, that the knowledge and beUef of 
 it are of no great importance in religion, that salutiferous in- 
 fluences do not depend upon it. But I take it to he a doc- 
 tiine of greater importance tlian such apprehend. How 
 should the Spirit su})ply Christ's place, and protect, guide, 
 and conduct the church to glory ? How shall he apply the 
 redemption which Christ has procured, if he is not a person, 
 a divine, voluntary, intelligent agent ? How should Christians 
 be afraid of giieving him, and desirous of being led and com- 
 forted by him, if he were no person ? What foundation could 
 there be to pray to him, or praise him, to expect or desire hi* i 
 grace or love, his testiaiony to our adoption, or his teaching 
 us the truth as it is in Jesus, and declaring to us the mind 1 
 and will of God, if he were only an efhcient power, that has 
 no mind or will of its own ? How incomplete and imperfect 
 must the object of our religious worship be, if the Holy Spi- 
 rit be not received as a real person in the Godhead, who, to- 
 gether with the Father and the Son, is to be worshipped and 
 adored ? How is the consolation of the faithful lessened, ifi 
 not lost, if the pergonal communion of the Spirit, as well as 
 tlie personal love of the Father, and grace of the Son, be not 
 believed, sought, and enjoyed h? 
 
 If the children of God are bound to believe God's sending; 
 the Spirit of his Son into their hearts, crying, Abba, Father, 
 and that he is another Comforter, distinct from the Son, wlioi 
 testifies with our spirits, that we are the children of God, 
 then we must hold the personality of the Holy Ghost ; other- 
 wise we cannot take in this salutary doctrine : the kno^vledge 
 r.nd belief of it, is therefore the foundation of that faith, with- 
 out Avhich it is impossible to please God, and consequently it 
 is a doctrine of gi'eat importance. 
 
 The personal agency of the Holy Spirit being absolutely 
 
 a Watts's Dissert, p. 178. b 2 Cor. xiii. 11. 
 
 
PROVED FROM SCRIPTURE. 161 
 
 necessary in forming and building the church, whicli is a ha- 
 bitation of God through tlie Spirit «, and the efficacy of its 
 ordinances depending on his voluntary gifts, influences, and 
 blessing, his personal subsistence and operations are absolutely 
 necessary to its being and well being, to its continuance, com- 
 fort, and edification. 
 
 Now, if the supplying Christ's place, and fulfilling his work; 
 if the being, edification, and comfort of the church, and the 
 regards of Christians to the Holy Spirit, their care not to 
 grieve him, and to worship and adore him, if the witnessing 
 to our adoption, and our gi-acious communion with the Holy 
 Ghost, and our meetness for glory, depend on the personal 
 agency and work of the Holy Spirit, then his personality is 
 an important article of our faith, which we ought to hold fast, 
 
 ; and contend earnestly for, hoAv eager soever some are to de- 
 stroy it, or how easy soever others are to give it up, as unevi- 
 dent, and not necessary to be explicitly, clearly, and certainly 
 known, in order to salvation. Such a notion received may 
 induce some more freely to part with it, and others more 
 fiercely to oppose it. But it becomes us to be upon our 
 guard, that none may seduce us, or lead us into any strange 
 doctrines, ^vhereby the personal glory of the Spirit is so much 
 obscured, the duty and comfort of Christians is so much ob- 
 structed, and such perplexity and confusion is introduced into 
 
 1 the oeconomy and method of our salvation. 
 
 2. Let us take heed not to grieve the Holy Spirit. Were 
 he only an efficient power, there would be no room for such 
 
 ; an exhortation ; but seeing he is a voluntaiy, intelligent agent, 
 or divine person, who knows and resents the disrespect tliat 
 is shewed him, we ought to take gi'eat care not to offend him. 
 
 jHe is not to be treated as a mere instrument, or servant, but 
 
 iJrs God, and sovereign Lord ; who, in applying salvation, 
 ^\ oiks all tilings according to his own will. Must it not then 
 ull'oiid hi)n, to disown his personality, and thereby rob him of 
 
 a Eph. ii. 22.— Acts ix. 31. XV. 28.— 1 Cor. xli. II, 13. 
 
162 THE SPIRITS REAL PERSONALITY 
 
 liis glory in tlie work of salvation ? For if he is no person, lie 
 <'an exercise no wisdoMi, trrace, love, patience, or faithfulness 
 therein. W'iiat idea can any man have of the wisdom, love, 
 truth, or ])atie!ice of a mere efficient power, that has in it 
 neither imderstandini? nor will? Whatever great things he 
 done hy it, the honour or glory thereof must he ascribed to 
 the person who employs the power, and not to the unintelli- 
 gent po^ver itself. 
 
 If it would grieve a wise and good man, who had employed 
 Ills wisdom or kindness in a high degree for the good of 
 others, to have his wisdom and kindness concealed or denied 
 hy those very persons for whom he had employed tliem ; may 
 \\e not much rather conclude, that it must highly offend God 
 the Holy Spirit, to deny him the gloiy of his wisdom, gi'ace, 
 and love, in that part which he bears in the work of our salva- 
 tion ; and to deny, if not contemn his Deity or personality, 
 instead of praying to him, praising him, taking care to please 
 liim, and being afraid to vex and grieve him. 
 
 How hardened and secure soever such persons, as are thus 
 guilty, may now be, yet the scripture will come as a swift 
 Avitness against them, for repeating the same sin, and exposing 
 themselves to the same punishment, of which they had such 
 plain notice and warning, when it was said a of the Israelites, 
 ' They rebelled and vexed his Holy Spirit ; and therefore he 
 was turned to be their enemy, and fought against them.. 
 1 he Spmt knows how to withdraw from, or come against a 
 p.MKon in anger, if be be maltreated. Such as read the scrip- 
 tures cannot be i-norant of the prohibition, ' Grieve not the 
 Holy Spirit h ;' nor that it nmst giieve him, to deny him the 
 honour of his <livine subsistences, of his love and sovereion 
 grace in our salvation, uJjen tJie scripture had put him uno • 
 a leyeUy-nh the latber and the Son, both in baptism and t]= • 
 npostohc benediction, and the prayer for grace mercy a' 
 I-ce; why then should ho be defrauded of hi p^L' re ' 
 .nous worship and honour? Can this be, and he not L grlled ' 
 
 « Isa. Ixiii. 10. 
 
 b Ej.h. iv. 30. 
 
PROVED FROM SCRIPTURE. 163 
 
 There are indeed many other ways of grievhig thp Holy 
 Spirit, as the denying or overlooking his internal work npoii 
 tlie soul, the resisting his good motions, the indulging any sin, 
 an opposition to any pai'ts of the gospel, or rejecting the di- 
 vine revelation dictated by him as the Spirit of tnith ; but 
 these and vanous others may be taken notice of when I come 
 to speak of the Mission, Office and Work of tJie Holy Spirit ; 
 what I have now liinted, I thought most proper to add to 
 what lias been offered in proof of the real Personality of the 
 Holy Spirit. 
 
 As then we would not gi-ieve and offend the Spirit, let us 
 own and admire his infinite vidsdom, sovereign grace, patience, 
 and faithfulness in the applying and perfecting our salvation. 
 Let us worship, adore, fear, love, and praise Iiim, seek his 
 presence, value his favour, exalt his glory, as those Avho be- 
 lieve him to be an infinite, real, glorious person in the God- 
 Jiead, and ai'e afraid of slighting and grieving him. 
 
 3. Let us seek to Avalk in the Spirit, and be led by the Spi- 
 rit. The infinitely wise and gracious Spirit is the fittest and 
 best guide to lead us into the land of uprightness ; he is no 
 blind guide ; he is wisdom and truth itself, and well knows 
 how to lead us into all truth. His external and internal teach- 
 ings and instiTictions exactly agi'ee with each other ; all in- 
 ward motions and influences, contrary to the direction of the 
 scriptures, proceed not fi'om the good, but the evil Spirit ; 
 every doctrine and iuwai'd impression therefore, which does 
 not harmonize with the word, is to be rejected ; but we may 
 safely commit ourselves to the guidance of that intelligent, 
 gracious. Holy Spirit, who speaks not of himself but what he 
 hears and receives, who glorifies Christ, by taking of his 
 
 >iings, and shewing them to us. 
 
 : If the doctrine be true, TN'hich has been this day delivered, 
 1 the Holy Spirit is a real, not a figurative person, then we 
 
 sr^y apply to him in the words of the Psalmist ; ' Shew me 
 
 ^jy ways, O God, teach me thy paths, lead me in thy tmth, 
 and teach me : For thou art the God of my salvation : on 
 
164 THE SPIRITS REAL PERSONALITY 
 
 tboo (1(» T wait all tlio day loii«? a.' Tliis is the cruide sent by 
 the Fath.M- and tlie Son, and therefore every way fit to con- 
 diirt us to heav(Mi. It is not in us to direct our own steps ; 
 hnt tlu' Holy Spirit is a safe, a faitlifnl, an unerring guide! 
 lie conducted the liuniaii nature of Christ, in that difficull 
 nnd initroddcn path in which it was to go, and he has con-^ 
 ductr'd nniltitudes of saints to glory; we need not therefore 
 suspect his ability to bring us safe thither, if we give up our- 
 selves to his gracious conduct, in the ways of truth and holi- 
 ness, marked out in the holy scriptures ; for I am far from 
 pleading for enthusiastic raptui-es, above or against the word : 
 We are not to believe every spirit, but try the spirits, whether 
 they b<? of God ; to the law and to the testimony, whoever 
 speaks not according to them, it is because there is no light 
 in him. 
 
 4. What encoui-agement have poor weak dejected Chris*] 
 tians to seek to the Spirit, and commit themselves to him ; hel 
 kno\vs their ca£r«« and desires better than they do themselves; 
 lie is infinitely gracious and kind, and ready to help them 
 against their infirmities ; he can instruct, and strengthen, and 
 comfort them, and will hear and regard them, when, it may 
 be, the best of men will not hear them, or cannot help them : 
 We must not then think the doctrine of the Spirit's Person- 
 ality useless, but we must improve it, and reap the comfort 
 of it in our gi-eatest necessities and distress ; for he is the 
 Comforter, sent from the Father, to testify of Christ, and to 
 change all believers into his image, from gloiy to glory. 
 
 a Ff>al. XXV. 4, 5. 
 
PROVED FROM SCRIPTURE. \Q,j 
 
 THE REAL PERSONALITY OF THE HOLY 
 SPIRIT PROVED FROM SCRIPTURE. 
 
 SERMON III. 
 
 PREACHED JUNE 2cl, 1730. 
 
 John xv. 26. — When the Comforter is come, whom I will 
 send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, 
 which proceedeth from the Father, HE shall testify of me. 
 
 X HE Holy Ghost having met with the same unkind treat- 
 ment as Christ, who sent him, some endeavoming to rob him 
 of his Deity, others of his Personality, and a third sort, of 
 his internal Work on the souls of men, it has been thought 
 proper to appear in defence of his glory, in all these articles ; 
 and, indeed, this is but a just tribute of duty and gratitude to 
 him, who so highly glorifies both the Father and the Son, 
 and fits all the chosen seed for, and conducts them safe to 
 glory. With these regards I have judged it incumbent upon 
 nie, in the best and most public manner I could, to vindicate 
 his Deity, Personality, Mission, and Work, in a day when 
 they are all struck at, with so much industry and deceit, bold- 
 ness and bitterness. 
 
 In the earliest ages of Chi'istianity, whilst the extraordi- 
 nary gifts of the Spirit were common in the church, and 
 whilst his gTacious influences were powerful upon the souls 
 of believers, the Devil thought it not proper to raise any ge- 
 neral opposition against him ; but the rather employed his 
 forces asrainst the Son of God, who was crucified in weak- 
 ness, and was taken from among men : But when the extra- 
 oi-dinary gifts of the Spirit in a great measure ceased, and 
 the inward power of religion declined, and the world was 
 brought into the church, the adversary thought it a fit time to 
 
166 THE spirit's real personality 
 
 turn his force against tlie Holy S])iiit ; which, at suixhy 
 times, and in divers manners, has hecn continued down to • 
 this present day. 
 
 Having finished vvliat I apprehended needful to offer in de- 
 fence of the Deity of the Holy Ghost, I proceeded to prove 
 and defend his distinct Personality : And having gone through 
 several evidences of it, I shall now proceed. 
 
 Prop. IX. The real Personality of the Holy Spirit may be 
 proved from those pei'sonal works whicli he performs. 
 
 Some of these only I shall take notice of, and these I shall 
 now consider only so far as they serve our present purpose, 
 and tend to establish the real personahty of the Holy Ghost ; 
 having proposed to treat more fully hereafter, concerning his 
 Work and Office, under a distinct head, which Avill require 
 both time and labour. 
 
 It is, I think, an allowed maxim, that actions proceed from 
 some agent, and rational acts from an intelligent agent ; ^vheu 
 tlierefore we see works performed by the Holy Spirit, which 
 could not be done without intellectual, reasonable powers, we 
 may conclude him to be an intelligent agent. 
 
 Such work was that of the conception and formation of 
 Christ's human nature in the womb of the Virgin. The 
 Psalmist speaking of his own production, which was in the 
 ordinary way of generation, yet ascribed it to the infinite 
 j)ower and knowledge of God : ' Thou hast possessed my 
 reins; thou hast covered me in my mothers Avomb. I will 
 praise thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made ; mar- 
 vellous are thy works, and that my soul knows riglit well. 
 My substance was not hid from tliee, when I was made in 
 secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 
 Thine eyes did see my su1)stance, being yet imperfect, and 
 in thy book all n)y members were written, which in continu- 
 ance were fashioned, when as yet there were none of them «.' 
 Now if such admirable foresight, wisdom, ^nd knowledge, 
 
 a Psal. cxxxix. 13 — IG. 
 
PROVED FROM SCRIPTURE. 167 
 
 Wi^-e evident in forming the body of the Psahnist, in the or- 
 , dinra y course of nature, what wisdom, knowledge, and jiower, 
 I must be exercised, in forming the body of Christ, in tlie 
 twomb of the Virgin, out of the ordinaiy way of generation; 
 And as this was the Avork of the Holy Ghost, it must prove 
 ihim to be an omnipotent, inteUigent agent, or a true and real 
 ; person. 
 
 It may be said, this might be the work of God the Father, 
 acting by the Holy Spirit, as his efficient power. To which 
 I answer, that it is constantly ascribed to the Holy Ghost, 
 and never once to the Father, so far as I know ; and there- 
 fore it seems to be a great presumption to say, that was done 
 by the Father, which, in scripture, is so expressly applied to 
 the Holy Ghost, and not once to the Father a. We can 
 never be sure wlio is the efficient cause of a thing, if what is 
 «o ascribed to tlie Holy Spirit, may be the work, not of the 
 Holy Spirit, but of God the Father. If this was, ind*eed, the 
 work of the Holy Ghost, he must be an intelligent, volun- 
 tary acent, or a real person, and not a mere poAver or pro- 
 perty of God. 
 
 It is the work of the Holy Spirit to institute the ministry, 
 to fit men for it, call them to it, direct and succeed them in 
 it. The prophets of old spoke not according to the will of 
 man, but as they were moved by the Holy Ghost ; or, they 
 ncted, not according to their own wills, but according to the 
 w^ill ami direction of the Holy Ghost 6. He makes men 
 overseers over the church ; it c was by his authority, choice, 
 direction, and influence, that the elders were made overseers 
 of the church at Ephesus : Now this must be the work of an 
 
 a It may be objected, tliat Christ saj's to the Father, ' A body hast 
 thou prepared me,' P:sal. xl. but this is spoke of as done lonj,^ belorc 
 Christ's incarnation, and therefore is to be understood of the desij'na- 
 tion and appointment of it from eternity, not of its formation in time, 
 M'hich was the work of the Spirit. See Dr. 0\\en of tlie Spirit, 
 p. 131. 
 
 6 2ret. i. 21. c Acts XX. 28. 
 
1G8 THE snurr's real personality 
 
 intelligent, voluntary ap:ont, and not of a mere efficient pow- 
 er, and consequently the Holy Ghost is a real person. This 
 appears very jdaiidy in those* words a; 'The Holy Ghost 
 s:iid. Separate to h me IJarnahas and Saul, to the work 
 whereto I have called them.' The whole action must be the 
 work of a person, and the Holy Ghost discovers himself so 
 to he, by making liimself the object of the duty required, as 
 well as the author of the command and work here mentioned. 
 Was it ever known, that an attribute, faculty, or efficient 
 power of God should require men to be separated to it ? Is 
 this the sense of the place ? ' The Holy Ghost said ;' God's 
 efficient power, which is no person, said. Separate to me, set 
 apart to me, the efficient power of God, Barnabas and Saul, 
 to the work to which I, the efficient power of God, have 
 called them : For a speaking, commanding, efficient power, 
 which is no person, which is not endowed witli understand- 
 ing- or will, so to require persons to be set apart to its ser- 
 vice, is a thing very new and very strange : But to ascribe 
 this work to an intelligent, voluntary agent, is a thing easy to 
 oin- perception, and agi'eeable to the rules of reason and good 
 sense ; whereas the making the mentioned work, the work of 
 a power of God only, and not of a real person, is to cast 
 darkness and confusion upon the whole history, instead of 
 giving us clear ideas of tlie Holy Spirit. 
 
 The creation of the world, and particularly of man, is as- 
 cribed to the Holy Spirit, as was formerly declared at large. 
 Now creation is an effect of the will and wisdom, as well as 
 of the power of him that creates, and undeniably proves him 
 to be a divine person. For the Spirit it was that garnished 
 the heavens c ; it must be an intelligent agent that could so 
 beautify the visible heavens, and place all the luminaries there, 
 in their proper order and delightful aspects. As all the hosts 
 of heaven had been formed by him d ; and as he liad made 
 man the chief of the works of God, so thereby he declared not 
 
 a Acts xiii. 2. /> ' A:popiffcc'i- fj!,ot. 
 
 c Job xxvi. I'i. d i'sal. xxxiii. 6. 
 
PROVED FROM SCRIPTURE. ](59 
 
 only his own eternal power and Godhead, but also his own 
 infinite loiowledge and wise contrivance, doing all accordino 
 to the counsel of his own will. 
 
 The work of the Holy Spirit in, and relating to tlie new cre- 
 ation, proves him to be a real person ; He was the author a of 
 all the extraordinary gifts and works by which \}i\q Christian 
 religion was confirmed and propagated in its earliest limes ; 
 such as wisdom, knowledge, faith, the gifts of healing, the work- 
 ing miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, diverse kinds of 
 tongues, and the interpretation of tongues. All these were 
 wrought by that one and self-same Spirit, the Holy Ghost, he 
 dividing to every man severally, as he will. These are the 
 works, not of a divine power, but of a divine person, of an in- 
 telligent, free, and sovereign agent, which laid a sufficient 
 foundation for the apostle Paul to ascribe personality, in the 
 strongest terms, to the Avorker and giver of them. 
 
 The washing h of regeneration, and inward renovation of 
 the soul, is also the work of the Holy Ghost, in A\hich he acts 
 voluntarily ; for, ' Of Tiis own will begat he us, by the word of 
 truth c' It is the Spirit who reproves the world of sin, of 
 righteousness, and judgment; which must be a work of an in- 
 telligent voluntary agent ; and consequently proves the Holy 
 Ghost to be such, even a real person ; for an intelligent, vo- 
 luntary, efficient power, which is no person, is what neither 
 I, nor, I believe, any body else can understand. 
 
 There are many other things which ai-e predicated, or af- 
 firined of him, which are also the works of an intelligent agent ; 
 as to come, to hear, to speak, to teach, to testify, to com- 
 fort, to bring to remembrance, to make intercessioti, to sanctify, 
 to search the deep things of God, to glorify Christ, by taking • 
 of his things and shewing them to men, &c. whicli are personal 
 actions, or the acts of a real person ; for, as a learned and ac- 
 cmate writer d observes, " These are so many descriptions 
 of a jierson, a person hearing, a person receiving, a person 
 
 a ] Cor. xii. 8, Ir?. h Tit. iii. G. c James i. 18, 
 
 d Bishop Pearson on the Creed, p. 310, 
 VOL. 111. H 
 
? 70 THE spirit's real PERSONALITY 
 
 testifying, a person speaking, a person reproving, a person in- 
 structing. 
 
 If it should be said, that these are indeed the works of a 
 person, of God, called the Father, and are ascribed to the 
 Holy Spirit, not because lie is a person, but because God 
 performs them by tlie Holy Spirit, as his efficient i)o\ver : I 
 answer, that this evasion may be prevented or confuted by 
 those passages of scripture wliich evidently distinguish tlie 
 Holy Spirit from the Father and the Son, in these works, and, 
 consequently, not only prove him to be a person, but also an- 
 other person, distinct from the Fattier and the Son, and there- 
 fore not the Father, exerting his efficient power in the ac- 
 complishment of these things ; ' I,' said Christ, ' will pray 
 the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he 
 may abide with you for ever a :' And again, ' The Comforter, 
 which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in mv 
 name h' Here the other Comforter is distinguished from the 
 Son, who prays for h^m, and from the Father, who gives him. 
 And farther, the Comforter is expressly said to be the Holy 
 Ghost, and is distinguished from the Father, who sends him, 
 and from the Son, in whose name he comes. When the 
 Father sends the Comforter in Christ's name, does he send 
 himself in the Son's name? if not, then indeed, the Comforter 
 is another person distinct from the Father, to whom the works 
 specified do belong. 
 
 My text also canies in ft very evident distinctions between 
 the Father and the Spirit, and shews that the works there 
 spoke of were to be performed by the Spirit, as a person dis- 
 tinct from the Feather. ' When the Comforter is come, whom 
 I will send to you from the Father ; he is even the Spirit of 
 truth, who proceeds from tlie Father, he sliall testify of me.' 
 If he is sent from the Father, he is not the Father himself, 
 not the same person, though of the same nature or essence. 
 And farther, he is described as the S[)irit of truth, which pro- 
 
 n Jolin xiv. H). h Ver. ^G. 
 
PROVED FROM SCniPTURE. 1 7\ 
 
 ceeds from the Father ; now Chnst could not mean the Falljor 
 proceeding from himself, hut must mean another person, the 
 Holy Ghost, who was to perform that great personal work of 
 testifying of Christ, he it is that proceeds from the Father : 
 And, as one argues, " He that proceeds from the Father is 
 not the Father ; he which is sent by the Father, and from the 
 Father, is n.ot the Father, by whom, and from \vhom he is 
 sent; for no person can be sent by himself, and from himseit ; 
 but the Holy Ghost is sent by God the Fi^ther, and by the 
 Son, from the Father ; and therefore he is not the Father r/." 
 
 Prop. X. The Holy Spirit is spoke of in scripture as a 
 personal object, or an object of sucli acts as are proper to a 
 person. t 
 
 Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, is a sin distinct in it- 
 self, and in its punishment, from all the sins committed against 
 the Father and the Son ; otherwise, how could it be said, 
 ' All manner of sin and blasphemy sliall be forgiven to men ; 
 but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be for- 
 given to men b ?' Was not the Holy Ghost a personal object 
 distinct from the Father, the sin committed against him could 
 not be distinct from those committed against the Father ; for 
 as the Father cannot be distinguished from himself, so the sin 
 against the Holy Ghost could not be distinguished from the 
 sin against God the Father, if the Holy Ghost and the Father 
 were one and tlic? same personal object. Blasphemy against 
 ithe Holy Gliost being against another personal object distinct 
 from the Father, even the Holy Ghost, it follows, that tlie 
 Holy Gliost is a real person, distinct from God the Father. 
 \ I should think, that any person who seriously consi(!ers the 
 cited text, should, at first sight, conclude the Holy Spirit to 
 1)6 a distinct personal object, or a person distinct from the 
 father and the Son, as he is the object of tlmt blasphemy 
 'Lvhich is said to be against him: But if this blasphemy was 
 tnly against a faculty and p;>wer of the Father, it would ha 
 iS directly against the Father as against the Holy Ghoct; 
 
 I a Bishop Pearson on the Creed, p. 321. b Mat. xii. 31. 
 
172 THE spirit's real personality j 
 
 hence it appears tliat the Holy Gliost is not a power of tlie 
 F atlier, but a person distinct from the Father. 
 
 Tlie Spirit is said to he grieved r/, or capable of being so, 
 or of being oifended, of acting as persons do when they are 
 no. And this must necessarily suppose the Holy Spirit to be 
 endowed with both understanding and will. To talk of a 
 gi'ieved efficient power, which is not a person, is unintelligible 
 language. 
 
 The Holy Spirit is said to be tempted, rebelled against, lied 
 to, and resisted ; these are acts against a person, not against a 
 mere unintelligent power, a faculty, or property. Whether 
 we take tempting for trying, or for provoking to evil, who ever 
 heard of the word, in eitlier sense, applied to what is not a 
 person ? None can be tempted but one who lias an under- 
 standing to know what is proposed to him, and a will to de- 
 termine concerning the thing proposed ; and he that has these 
 is a person. 
 
 The Holy Spirit is the object of prayer, as has been proved 
 at large, and therefore is a real person : For, to pray to a power, 
 property, and faculty, that is unintelligent and involuntary, 
 and wholly at the direction of another in its operations, is 
 altogether unaccountable and absurd, and can no more be 
 justified than the praying to departed saints, who cannot know 
 the minds of the supplicant. If we take away omniscience 
 and volition from the object of prayer, it can no longer be a 
 reasonable service : And if the Holy Spii it has both under-: 
 standing and will, if he knows all things, and can bestow his 
 gifts as he will, then is he a person, and the proper object ol 
 prayer. As therefore the apostle applies to God the Fatheri 
 for his love, and to Christ for his grace ; so he applies to tbfe 
 Holy Spirit for his communion ; he addresses each person ac-i 
 cording to the oeconomy or order of working in man's sal- 
 vation : He prays for the love of the Father, as choosing and 
 tippointing ; for the grace of the Son, as procuring ; and for 
 the communion of the Holy Spirit, as applying salvation b : 
 
 « Eph. iv. 30. b 2 Cor. xiii. U. 
 
PROVED FROM SCRIPTURE. 173 
 
 And the Holy Spii-it being the object of this prayer must be 
 a real person. 
 
 Prop. XI. A farther evidence of the Personality of the 
 Holy Spirit may be taken from those gifts and rewards which 
 lie bestows. 
 
 In one place a we read of divers gifts of the Holy Ghost ; 
 and elsewhere b, of a diversity of gifts, distributed by tlie 
 Holy Spirit. And the apostle speaks of reaping or of re- 
 ceiving from the Spirit life everlasting c : This is a reward of 
 t:race bestowed by the Spirit of grace. Now these gifts and 
 rewards are bestowed by an intelligent voluntary agent, who 
 is therefore not a figui-ative but real person. What idea can 
 we have of gifts and rewai'ds given by an efficient power ? 
 Personal acts must proceed from a personal agent. Seeing 
 therefore such gifts and rewards are communicated by the 
 Holy Spirit, not figuratively, but really, he must be, and is, 
 not -a figurative but real person ; this is so plain, that I think 
 nothing more need be said concerning it. 
 
 Prop. XII. The personal honours given to the Holy Spirit 
 prove liim to be a real person. 
 
 In baptism tlie Holy Spirit is worehipped and adored ; he 
 
 is the object of prayer and praise, as was formerly proved at 
 
 large ; doxologies are applied to him ; consequently he is the 
 
 ■ object of religious honour, and therefore is a true and real 
 
 H person. 
 
 It has, indeed, been said c?, " That there is no impropriety 
 I'm ascribing praise and glory to the v/isdom and grace of God, 
 !< or to his Almighty power." Though but a little before e, the 
 ^ same author had told us, that '• there is not any one plain 
 I and express instance, in all scripture, of a doxology directly 
 j and distinctly adth-essed to the Holy Spirit ; and that one 
 I reason of it might be, because the Father and the Son (con- 
 t ^idGred as God-man) are proper distinct persons, whilst the 
 proper, distinct, and real chaiacter of the Spirit, is that of a 
 
 a H«b. ii. 4. b 1 Cor. xii. c Gal. vi. 8. 
 
 d See Wutts's fiftli Dissertation, jt. Ia3. e lb. p. lol. 
 
171 'jiiE spikit's real personality 
 
 «!iviue power or principle of action; and is only personalized 
 liy itli(Mns of speech.' 80 then, accordiiitr to liini, tiie scrip- 
 tures have not ap])lied doxologies to the Holy Spirit, because, 
 as he thinks, ]ie is not a real person ; and yet in contradiction 
 to this, he says, that we may ascribe glory and praise to the 
 wisdom, grace, or power of God ; which are not persons, but 
 only powers, or attributes of the dinne nature. We might 
 th«Mi leave liim to adjust this difference with himself. 
 
 But I shall take leave to observe farther, that though acts of 
 di\iiie adoration and worship suppose the infinite excellencies 
 and perfections of God, as the foundation and motives of the 
 worsliip; yet the worship itself terminates upon a person pos- 
 sessing those perfections, and not upon those powers or per- 
 fections only ; for as the worship and glory proceed from an 
 intellectual reasonable being, so it is directed to an intellectual 
 reasonable object or person, otherwise it neither is or can be 
 a reasonable service ; if then such glory be given to the Holy 
 Spirit, he is, and must be, the intellectual, reasonable object 
 of it, or ^ true and real person. When the Psalmist says, 
 ' Be thou exalted. Lord, in thy own strength ; so will we sing 
 and praise thy power a ;' it is evident, that not the power, but 
 the Lord, is the object of tlie worship, and that the power is 
 praised as it is God's, and as the honour terminates upon him. 
 Nor do I think that any one instance can be produced from 
 scripture, of giving glory by the saints to any but to God, or 
 his name, which is expressive of Iiimself, an intelligent being ; 
 or, that any perfection or power of God, to which intelligence 
 and volition do not belong, is ever made the object of tlie 
 glory given, in distinction from an intelligent voluntary sub- 
 sistent, or person, in the Godhead. The argument, therefore, 
 I thiid<, holds good, that seeing the Holy Spirit is the ])roper 
 object of religious honour, worship, and glory, he t.b.erefore is 
 not a figurative, but a true and real person. 
 
 I liave the more enlarged on this point, of the Holy Spirit's 
 Personality, because I take it to be of great inijxntance in 
 
 a Rsal. xxi. 13, 
 
PROVED FROM SCRIPTURE. 175 
 
 our practical religion, and because it has lately met with so 
 much opposition from some among ourselves, who have arose, 
 speaking perverse things. However, I hope we shall see suf- 
 ficient reason to believe and hold fast the real Personality of 
 the Holy Spirit, when we recollect the acts and operations of 
 the Spirit, with respect to the other persons in the Godhead ; 
 and consider, that the true definition of a person belongs to 
 tlie Holy Spirit ; that the distinctive personal characters, /, 
 Thou, He, are applied to him ; that he is introduced in the 
 form of baptism, as a real person ; that his bearing Avitness 
 with om* spirits, proves him so to be ; that the same is evi- 
 dent from his appearance in a visible shape at the time of 
 Christ's baptism ; th.'^t personal affections and dispositions be- 
 long to him ; that personal powers and properties, as a mind, 
 understanding, and will, are ascribed to him ; that personal 
 works, or such works as none but a person can perform, are 
 applied to him ; that lie is the object of such acts as none but 
 a real person can be the object of ; that he bestows such gifts 
 and rewards, as none but a real |>erson can give ; and, that 
 such honour and glory are ascribed to him, as belong to none 
 but a true and real person. These evidences of the real Per- 
 sonality of tiie Holy Spirit, Avill, I hope, through a divine 
 blessing, be sufficient to establish us in the belief of this truth, 
 against all attempts used to pervert us, and to bring us to 
 have slight thoughts about it. 
 
 I shall now proceed to another part of my design, which is 
 to vindicate this truth from the objections raised against it. 
 
 1. It has been urged, that the Holy Spirit is only figura- 
 tively represented as a person, as wisdom and charity are, 
 though they are no real persons. To this I answer, all 
 figurative personality is founded upon a leal personality ; as 
 when wisdom and charity are represented as persons, it is be- 
 cause there are some persons who do perform those personal 
 acts asciibed to wisdom and charity. But there are such 
 personal acts ascribed to the Holy Spirit, as can proceed from 
 no person at all, if the Holy Spuit is not himself a real per- 
 
]7fi Tiin spirit's real personality 
 
 son ; for instance, To conrip as a Comforters, sent by Clirist, 
 from the Father, and to receive of. Christ's thinfys, and to shew 
 them to his disciples, is a personal work, which can be as- 
 ciii)ed to no otiier person but the Holy S{)irit, and to no 
 one at all, if he is not a person. This work cannot belong 
 to any mere creature, angel or man ; for no such person was 
 ever said to be sent from the Father by Christ, nor was ca- 
 pable of receiving the things of Christ, and shewing them to 
 men, as the Spirit does. Nor can this work belong to God 
 the Father; for God the Father is not sent by Christ from 
 God the Father ; nor does God the Father receive of the 
 things of Christ ; therefore this personal w^ork cannot be 
 ligmatively ascribed to the Spirit, becai*se it is the personal 
 work of God the Father, acting by his Spirit. Nor can this 
 pei*sonal v/ork be figuratively ascribed to the Spirit, because 
 it is the personal Avork of Christ acting by the Spirit : For, 
 Avhen Cluist sent the Comforter from tlie Fatlier, he did not 
 send himself from the Father; nor wlien the Spirit received 
 of the things of Christ, did Christ receive of his o\vn things. 
 Now seeing this personal work of coming as a Comforter sent 
 by Christ from the Father, and receiving of Clu-ist's things 
 and shewing them to others, cannot be the work of any mere 
 creatures, such as angels or men ; nor of God the Fatlier, nor 
 of Clu'ist ; hence it follows, that it is the work of the Holy 
 Spirit, not as a figurative, but real person ; or else we must 
 say, that a work, which can be done oidy by a real person, 
 was performed by that which is no real person ; which would 
 he absui'd, and indeed a contradiction in terms. 
 
 In the form of baptism there is no figure ; yet in that the 
 Holy Spirit is joined with two other real persons in the same 
 act of worship, and in the same personal honours which are 
 given to the Father and tlio Son ; and it is very strange and 
 absurd to suppose that the same name into which we aie bap- 
 tized, should mean two real persons, and another, who is only 
 a figurative person, without the least liint of such a distinction 
 
 (t John XV. 3C. ; xvi. II. 
 
PROVED FRO]\r SCTRIPTURE. 177 
 
 and vast (Hstance between tliem. If we take the liberty to 
 ascribe a figurative personality to the Holy Spirit in tliis ordi- 
 nance, we may as well make the ordinance itself only a 
 figurative seal of a figurative covenant, made with the Father 
 and Son, as only figurative persons, and so we shall, at 
 last, have only a figurative salvation : But it is not enough 
 to suppose a figure, when and where Ave please ; but it ought 
 to be clearly proved, that where the Holy Ghost is spoke of 
 in the strongest terms of personality, it is, and it must be, 
 figuratively. Tliis Avculd be done effectually, if our adver- 
 saries could produce any scripture, wherein things, inconsist- 
 ent with real personality, were plainly, and without a figure, 
 ascribed to the Holy Spirit, which they A\dll never be able to 
 do ; and till tlien, we may reject their prosopopoeias, and other 
 figures, with far greater reason than they can advance them. 
 
 We do not deny that the Holy Ghost is spoke of figura- 
 tively in scripture ; but we Avill never grant that, because he 
 is so spoke of sometimes, he must be so always ; for, by the 
 same rule, the personality of the Father may be denied : He 
 is often spoke of figuratively ; is he therefore no person ? If 
 men are at liberty to put a figurative sense upon scripture, at 
 ])leasure, without any sig-ns of it in the text, or any necessity 
 of it from the matter treated of, any fundamental article of 
 religion, nay, the very being of God, may be left without any 
 scripture-jH'Oof. 
 
 When the Holy Ghost is described as a Comforter, and 
 another comforter distinct from Christ, and is promised to be 
 sent, and the promise afterwards is historically declared to be 
 fulfilled, and that in the plainest language, what room is there, 
 in such places, to dream of figures, metaphors, allegories, and 
 prosopopoeias ? To suppose it, would be to cast the utmost 
 contempt upon the scri])tures, as if they were framed only to 
 mislead us, and as if Cliiist imposed upon his disciples, and 
 tleceived them instead of comforting them, when in his last 
 discourses, he promised to send his Spirit to perform the acts 
 ef tlje greatest wisdom, love, and grace towards them aiid the 
 
 H 2 
 
178 Tiir ^rinii's real persona i-ity 
 
 wliolt* Christian clmn-h : But let siicli blaspl'.eniy be for ever 
 
 nl»lion<'(l by all C liristians. 
 
 2. It may be pivteiuled, Tlmt the Holy Ghost is said to be 
 civen, and the gifr of God is not a person ; but this admits of 
 a short and an easy answer. Christ is the gift of (lod, and 
 yet is a real jhtsou ; tlie Spirit then may be the gift of God, 
 and yet a real person. Tlie stiipture has told us, that ' God 
 KO loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son </, 
 Avlio is allowed to be a real person : The objection therefore 
 %"ontains in it an evident falsehood, that a gift of God cannot 
 be, or is not a person ; and therefore needs no farther reply. 
 
 8. It may be alleged. That the Spirit is said to be poured 
 out, given in a double measure, parted asunder ; as when God 
 said, ' He would take of the S})irit that was upon Moses, and 
 l)ut it upon the seventy elders of Israel h ;' therefore the Holy 
 Spirit is not a person, who cannot be so divided. Now these 
 expressions no more belong to any essential power or property 
 of God, than to a real person : The Spirit, in these places, is- 
 to be taken for the gifts of the Spirit ; and whereas they are 
 elsewhere evidently distinguished from the Spirit himself, such 
 gifts may be poured out, parted, or divided among many, and 
 yet the Spirit himself be a true and real person. Scripture 
 must be interpreted by scripture. The apostle, speaking of 
 sjtiritual gifts, says, ' All these woiketh that one and the self- 
 same Spirit, dividing to every one as he will c' Tlie Spirit 
 is one, though the gifts are many ; the gifts are divided, but 
 the Spirit is one and the self-same undivided person, giving 
 to every one severally as he \\\\\ : So then, the dividing, or 
 pouiing out the gifts of the Holy Spirit, is no ai'gumentj 
 against his real personality, any more than when Christ is 
 8aid to be received, put on, to be eaten, to dwell in the hecrt, 
 it is any prejudice to his real personality. When therefore 
 the word Spirit is used for such things as ai'e not pr(»per to a 
 person, they do not jirejudice our assertion, seeing we own 
 
 a Joliii iii. IG. b Num. xi. 17. c 1 Cor. xii. I J.. 
 
PROVED FROM SCRIPTURE. 179 
 
 that tliL' eiTects and fruits of the Sph-it, sometimes, are put 
 for the Spirit : But we find, in otlier places, such attributes 
 ascribed to him, as can belong to none but a real person. 
 
 4. It has been often insinuated, That the Spirit is said to 
 be sent, therefore he is not a real person : But, on the con- 
 trary, because he is sent, and sent "to do the work of an in- 
 telligent voluntaiy agent, therefore lie is a real person, as has 
 been largely proved before ; and this, I think, is a sufficient 
 answer to so weak an objection. 
 
 5. Our adversaries tell us. That the Holy Spiiit is not the 
 object of invocation or prayer, nor can any instance of it he 
 produced from scripture, or primitive antiquity ; therefore he 
 is not a real person. This objection is founded on an untruth ; 
 for many instances have been produced from scripture, of 
 prayer directed to the Holy Spirit ; and also examples of it 
 are not wanting in primitive antiquity ; St. Cyprian's prayer 
 to the Holy Spirit a formerly mentioned, is a proof of this. 
 So that the objection rests upon a falsehood in both the parts 
 of it, and consequently the Holy Spirit being an object of 
 prayer, according to scriptm*e and primitive antiquity, is also a 
 true and real person : But if no examples of prayers directed 
 to the Holy Spirit could be p'oduced, yet seeing it has plain- 
 ly been proved that he is true God, it follows that he is to 
 be prayed to ; unless any will deny that God is to be prayed 
 to. He who is omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, eternal, 
 and infinitely gi'acious, who has heavenly gifts to bestow, and 
 a will to dii'ect in tlie disposal of them, is a proper object of 
 prayer, or else no proper object of it can be found ; but the 
 Holy Spirit is omnipotent, omniscient, eternal, and infinitely 
 giacious, and has heavenly gifts to bestow, and a will to di- 
 rect in the disposal of them ; and therefore he is a proper ob- 
 ject of prayer, and consequently not a figurative, but a real 
 person : And this, I hope, will appear to be a sufl[icient an- 
 swer to the last-mentioned objection. 
 
 a In the beginning of the first Sermon of the Holy Si>Iiit's Divinity. 
 
ISO THK spirit's real Pi:ilSON.\ lity 
 
 6. It may be said, That Clirist was anointed with the Holy- 
 Ghost, and it was given to him without measure : the disciples 
 were bapti;c('d witli the Holy Ghost ; but it is absurd to say- 
 one person is anointed, or baptized, with another : tlierefore 
 the Holy S[)irit is not, cannot be a tioie and real person. 
 When Christ is said to be anointed with the Holy Ghost, it 
 is a<lded, and with power, healing all that were oppressed of 
 the devil ; which shews that the gifts and operations of the 
 Holy Spirit are intended, as the cause is often put for the 
 effect. The Holy Spirit descended upon Christ, dAvelt in 
 him, and comnmnicated all those powers and gifts to his hu- 
 man nature, which are called a being anointed with, or, as it 
 mig-lit be rendered, by the Holy Ghost, according to that 
 word of prophecy, ' The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, 
 beiause the Lord has anointed me a ;' which word, Clnist 
 says, was fulfilled b when the Spirit descended and rested 
 upon Iiini, and enabled him to utter such gracious words as 
 raised wonder in the hearers. 
 
 In like manner, Avhen the disciples were baptized with the 
 Holy Ghost, the gifts of the Holy Ghost are signified by the 
 Holy Ghost, as the event declares, ' He has shed forth this 
 uhich you now see and hear c ;' or, the before-mentioned 
 <iifts and powers of the Holy Ghost : but this is not incon- 
 t^istent with the personality of the Holy Spirit, but rather 
 sup])oses it ; fur lie divides his gifts to every man severally as 
 he will, as the scriptures declare d. 
 
 7. It is a common objectitm. That one person is one separate 
 being; and therefore, either God is not one being, or the 
 Spirit cannot be a real person. But to this I reply. Though 
 one person is one sepai'ate being among intelligent creatures^ 
 as Peter is one intelligent being separate from John ; yet it 
 does not follow, that, with respect to God, one person is one 
 separate being. God, indeed, is one infinite being, but in- 
 cludes three distinct subsistents, to each of wliich, personal 
 
 a Isa. Ixi. 1. b Luke iv. 18. c Acts ii. 33. d 1 Cor. xii. il. 
 
PROVED FROM SCRIPTURE. ]8I 
 
 powers, properties, and works are ascribed; and yet tliese 
 three are one being, each of them God, and all three persons 
 but one God. If it be said, this is unintelligible ; I answer. 
 It is easy to understand that the scriptures declare God to be 
 one, and yet that there are three to whom both Deity and 
 Personality belong : But if the modus of tlie unity and dis- 
 tinction is demanded, and clear and adequate ideas of it are 
 required, all I shall say to it is, that * As none knows the 
 things of a man but the spirit of a man that is in him ; so tJie 
 things of God knows no man, but the Spirit of God, who 
 searches all things, even the deep things of God «.' God's 
 judgments are unsearchable, much more his nature. * What 
 is his name, or his Son's name, if thou canst tell b ?' Seeing 
 the Holy Spirit has not been pleased to reveal to us the unity 
 and personal distinctions in the Godhead, or how God is one, 
 being yet three persons, we ought to be content not to com- 
 prehend it ; and it is not hard to conceive, that there may be 
 many thmgs in such a sublime, infinite nature, which we finite 
 and short-sighted creatures cannot comprehend, when we 
 find, among creatures, and even in ourselves, many things 
 which we are sure to be real, the manner of which, or how 
 they are, we are not able to understand ; and must man com- 
 prehend his God, who cannot comprehend other creatures, 
 or himself? But God c is great, and we know him not. 
 
 8. It may be pleaded, That though there is one scripture 
 in the Bible wheae the word hypostasis d, or person, is attri- 
 buted to the Father, and one text e where the word prosopon, 
 or person, is applied to the Son of God incarnate, yet no*^ 
 verse in the Bible can be found, where any word which di- 
 rectly signifies person, is attiibuted to the Holy Spirit, and 
 therefore the pei-sonal characters attributed to hfm, may be 
 supposed to be only figurative. But here we may observe, 
 that the word hypostasis, which is rendered person, and once 
 applied to the Father, does rather signify substance, and is so 
 
 a 1 Cor. ii. 11. b Prov. xxx. 4. c Job xxxvi. 2,6. d Hcb. i. 3. 
 e 2 Cor. iv. 6. 
 
Ih'i THE spinn'."5 REAL rr.RsoN.ALnv 
 
 taken by many Icanud interpreters, bolli ancient and modern ; 
 tlie word is used l)ut five times in tlie New Testament; and 
 in all the otlier four, it signifies sometliing tliat is not a per- 
 son : In one plac^ a it is rendered confidence ; and in another 
 place b it is i-endered the same way ; and it is also rendered 
 confidence in this place r, < If we liold fast the beginning of 
 our confidence :' And where it is said, faith is the substance, 
 the word is i^zr«f«(r/j cl ; in none of these places can it signify 
 person ; and the only remaining place where it is used, being 
 that under consideration, if there it does not signify person, 
 but substance, or real being and existence, then confessedly 
 there is no place Avhere the Avord person is applied to the Fa- 
 ther ; and may we therefore suppose the personal chai'acters 
 attributed to him are only figurative, or that the Father is no 
 real person, because we can find no verse in the Bible, where 
 any word that directly signifies person is attributed to him ? 
 or, may we not rather suppose that the Spirit is a real persoiij 
 though no verse in the Bible applies that word to him ; as 
 well as we allow the Father to be a real person, though avc 
 find no text wherein the word person, or any word that di- 
 rectly so signifies, is applied to him. 
 
 But the vanity and weakness of the objection may farther 
 appear, if Ave consider, that he who has real personal proper- 
 ties, powers, attributes, and works, properly predicated or af- 
 firmed of him, and nothing properly ascribed to him inconsist- 
 ent with real pei*sonality, is to be owned to be a reaV person, 
 though the word person be never applied to him in scripture ; 
 but such personal properties, attributes, powers, and works 
 are ascribed to the Spirit in scripture, and nothing is affirmed 
 that is inconsistent therewith : and therefore he is to be oa\ti- 
 ed as a real person, though the word person be not used con- 
 cerning him, or applied to him. It is not for us to teach God 
 how to express things in scripture ; but it becomes us, with a 
 humble reverence, to receive them, and believe them as he is 
 
 a 2 Cor. ix. 4. b C}»ap. xi. L7. 
 
 c rieb. xj. l^. Thv up^riv i/rorccriu;, d lb, xi. 9. 
 
PROVED rHOM SCRIPTURE. 183 
 
 pleased to reveal and represent them there : And I think more 
 need not be added in answer to this objection. 
 
 APPLICATION. 
 
 1. Wliat personal regards are due to the Holy Spirit? He 
 is a real infinite person, and therefore is to be treated as such 
 by all Christians. The Father and Son are considered as dis- 
 tinct persons in the behaviour of believers towards them, and 
 regards due to real persons are paid to them ; and why should 
 not the same be paid to the third person in the Godhead, as 
 to the first and second ? If we believe that the Spirit is a real 
 person, let us treat him, and treat with him as a real person. 
 Let us own and honom' him, and apply to him as a real per- 
 son, a divine person, who has an infinite knoAvledge, Avill, and 
 sovereignty, and is therefore the proper object of faith and 
 obedience, prayer and praise, and as one capable of holding- 
 distinct personal communion with us. 
 
 If the Spii'it is a real divine person, he is the proper object 
 of faith ; Hence the common, or the Roman creed, directs us 
 to believe in the Holy Ghost as a person ; the foundations of 
 believing in him, are his infinite knowledge, and his infinite 
 veracity. He cannot be deceived himself; and such is the 
 rectitude of his will, that he cannot deceive us ; yea, such are 
 Jiis power and gi'ace, that they render him a proper object of 
 tnist and dependence, in the gi-eat v»'ork of our salvation : 
 hence the apostle Paul spoke with assurance ; ' Being confi- 
 dent of this very thing, that he which has begun a good work 
 in you, will perform it till the day of Christ a ; or, we firmly 
 triLst, that the Holy Spirit, who has begun to sanctify you, 
 will cany on that woi-k, and perfect it in the day of Christ, 
 Christians have as much reason to depend upon him for this, 
 as they have to confide in the electing giace of the Father, or 
 the meiits of the Son our Redeemer. That gloiious divine 
 person who leads into all truth, and fulfils in the saints all the 
 good pleasure of the divine goodness, is worthy of our reli- 
 
 a Phil. i. 6. 
 
I'S-l THE spirit'^ real PERSONALITY 
 
 gious trust, a meet olyect of a divine faith, having in himself 
 every power and perfection ^vhich may waiTant our belief in 
 liim. 
 
 Obedience is due to the Holy Spirit, as h.iving an infinite 
 understanding to direct, and a sovereign autlioiity and will ta i 
 command those who are led by him ; his voice is to be heard 1 
 and obeyed ; for he is a person who makes laws for the church, 
 appoints officei-s to execute them, and rewards obedience, and 
 punishes disobedience. As Clnist came in the Father's name, 
 not only possessing his perfections, but also vested with his 
 authority ; so the Holy Spirit comes in the name of Christ, 
 possessed of the same perfections, and having the same au- 
 thority, as sent by the Father and the Son ; and tlierefore he 
 is to be owned and obeyed as an infinite person, able to fulfil, 
 his commission, because he is possessed of the same nature, 
 powers, and perfections, with the Father and the Son. 
 
 If the Holy Spirit is a real person, who bestows his gifts 
 and graces as he will, as appears from scripture, then surely he 
 is not only to be prayed for, but also to be prayed to ; as 
 Paul prayed to the Holy Ghost for his fellowship or commu- 
 nion ; and John desii'ed his grace, as well as that of the Fa^ 
 ther and the Son. And if God's benefits are not to be fcr- 
 got ; if what is freely, designedly, and voluntarily done in 
 our favour, ought to be acknowledged, and the goodness and 
 kindness of such a benefactor is worthy of piaise ; tlien Ave 
 undoubtedly lie under strong obligations to the Holy Spirit, 
 to render praises and thanksgiving to him, wlio, not ignorantly, 
 or involuntarily, but with so much understanding, grace, and* 
 goodness, confers his blessings on the saints. The scriptiu*e 
 Riys, ' Where there is first a willing mind, it is accepted with 
 all thankfulness cu We should then accept the gifts and 
 blessings of the Holy Spirit, seeing he is tlio Spirit of grace, 
 and communicates to eveiy man severally as he will. 
 
 The scripture speaks of the fellowship of the Spirit h : As 
 
 a 2 Cor. viii. 12. b Thil. ii. 1.. 
 
PROVED FROM SCRIPTURE. 185 
 
 fellowship among men consists in mutual acts of favour and 
 friendship ; so fellowship of, or with the Spirit, consists in acts 
 of mutual kindness and goodness, between him as an intelli- 
 gent voluntary agent, and the believers Avho know him, love 
 him, and give him glory. There is a certain inexpressible joy 
 in the comnmnion between voluntary intelligent agents, who 
 give and receive acts of kindness and goodness in such com- 
 munion : With good reason then did the apostle a desire, 
 that the communion of the Holy Ghost might be with the be- 
 lieving Corinthians. 
 
 On what foundations sucli build these vital acts of practical 
 religion, faith in, obedience and prayer to the Holy Spirit, 
 and praises ascribed to him, as deny his real Personality, they 
 ought to consider ; but to us who own him as a real infinite 
 person in the Godhead, they appear to be necessary and rea- 
 sonable, and delightful parts of cur communion, obedience, 
 and services. 
 
 2. Let us, with purpose of heart, glorify him who, not ac- 
 cidentally, or of necessity, but freely, and with infinite know- 
 ledge, undertook to prepare the saints for, and bring them to 
 glory : Whose work could this be but his, wliose understand- 
 ing is infinite, and Avhose good will towards men pas«;es know- 
 ledg'e? Wliilst others deprive him of the gloi;y due to his 
 grace and love, by denying his personal agency in our salva- 
 tion, let us own it, and give him the glory due to an intelli- 
 gent voluntary agent therein : This is a practical and impor- 
 tant use which Ave ought to make of the real Personality of 
 the Holy Spirit. If others tliink it a mere point of specula- 
 tion, which has no influence on our practical religion, I must 
 beg leave to dissent from them, and to conclude, that then- 
 practical regards to the Holy Spirit are not what the scrip- 
 ture requires, and the faithful, in all ages, have paid to him. 
 
 3. Let us improve the love and faithfulness of the Holy* 
 Spirit. My text represents him as the Comforter, and the 
 
 a 2 Cor. xlii. I k 
 
186 THE spirit's real personality, &c. 
 
 Spirit of truth. Being a real person, infinite in love and ve- 
 racity, he is perfectly qualified to do us all kind and good 
 offices, to lead us into the truth, and to slied abroad the di- 
 vine love in our hearts ; not only the Father's and the Son's, 
 hut his o^vn. The primitive saints were so sensible of the 
 love which the Holy Spirit bears to the saints, that the apos- ^ 
 tie puts the love of the Spirit upoii a level with the grace of 
 Christ, in making them motives to excite the believing Ro- 
 mans to pray for him ; his words are, ' Now, I beseecli you, 
 for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and the love of the Spirit, 
 tliat you strive together with me in your prayers to God for 
 me qJ Christians often seek a sense of the love of the Fa- 
 ther and of Christ, but are too apt to neglect the love of the 
 Spirit, or to pray for it, prize it, and be thankful for it, and 
 yet there is nothing more nearly concerned in our commu- 
 nion with God, and the inexpressible sweetness of it. God 
 is love, the Spirit is God ; therefore he is love, infinite love ; 
 such as dwell in his love, dwell in God, and God in them. 
 God, in the person of tlie Holy Spirit, dwells in the saints as 
 in a temple of love : Let us then improve the love of the 
 Spirit, as a real and glorious person in the Godhead, to ex- 
 cite and inflame our love to him, and enlarge our communion 
 with him : If we review his gracious work in our souls, Avhat 
 affectmg discoveries of his love and ^ truth may we have 
 tjierein; and I am confident, that one hour's communion with 
 him this ivay, Avill baffle a thousand cavils against his Deity 
 and Personality. His gifts, and gt-aces, and tokens of love, 
 flow from him in a free and voluntary way, and therefore are 
 to be received and improved, not as the necessary emanations 
 of a divine power, but as the intelligent voluntary acts of an 
 infinitely gracious person, who does all in love and faithful- 
 ness towards us. 
 
 4. Let us apply to the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of life, as 
 the author of the first spiritual life, and of all vital influences 
 
 a Rom. XV. 30. 
 
OF THE MISSION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 187 
 
 afterwanl. The general council at Constantinople very pro- 
 perly inserted this clause in their creed ; " The Lord and 
 giver of life." With him is the fountain of life, and in his 
 light we shall see light : we may, and should, when we find 
 oui'selves dead, apply to him to quicken us. He is ahle to 
 hear, pity, and help us : He is the Spirit that quickens, that 
 gives life, maintains, increases, and perfects it, not merely as 
 a passive power, but as that glorious person, the Comforter, 
 isent from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, who proceeds 
 from the Father, and testifies of Christ. 
 
 Tiuis I have finished Avhat I designed, concerning the Deity 
 and Personality of the Holy Spirit: His Procession, Mission, 
 Office and Work, yet remain to be considered, if he shall af- 
 ford ability and opportunity for it, in whose hand all our 
 times ai"e. 
 
 OF THE PROCESSION AND MISSION OF THE 
 HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 SERMON IV. 
 
 PREACHED AUGUST 11th, 1730. 
 
 John xv. 26. — When the Comforter is come, whom I irill 
 send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, 
 tvhich proceedeth from the Father, HE shall testify of me. 
 
 In discoursing on the Holy Spuit, I, at fiist, proposed to 
 speak of his Deity, Personality, Procession, Mission, and 
 Work. The Deity of the Holy Spirit I have endeavoured to 
 prove, in six discourses on another text : His real Personality 
 I have laboured to evince, in three discourses from this text : 
 I now shall proceed to speak of his Mission, premising a few 
 things concerning his Procession from the Father and the 
 Son. 
 
188 OF THE MISSION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 The Procession of the Holy Ghost is expressly taught by 
 Clirist, in very strong terms, in my text : The Spirit of truth, 
 lie tells us «, proceeds from the Father. The Procession 
 here spolve of is evidently distinguished from his Mission ; 
 for it is said, ' Whom I will send to you from the Father, 
 even the Spirit of truth, which proceeds from the Father.' 
 If his mission and procession were the same thing, there 
 would be a tautology in the words, his mission, according to 
 that interpretation, being mentioned twice over in the same 
 verse. Christ here describes the person of the Spirit, and 
 shews him to be consubstantial with the Father, and there- 
 fore worthy of credit in his testimony concerning himself. 
 
 Some would h have us believe, that the procession of the 
 Jloly Ghost, even from the Father, respects not liis nature or 
 substance, but his mission only, and that no more is meant in 
 my text ; which sense has been disproved already : And be- 
 pulos, if the Holy Spirit does not, as to his substance or na- 
 ture, proceed from the Father, how is be true and real God ? 
 In opposition to this truth, it is pretended, that no distinct 
 and clear ideas can be formed of this procession ; so it is 
 given up as Popish, scholastic, inconceivable, and indefensible c. 
 But what clear idea can be given us of the unoriginate, self- 
 existing, eternal being of the Father? Shall ^ve therefore 
 deny him to be without beginning or end, and to be self-ex- 
 istent, l)ecause we know not how he is so ? If not, why must 
 we give up the procession of tlie Spirit, because we know 
 not the modes of it ? For my part, I shall no more undertake 
 to explain the manner how the Spirit proceeds from the Fa- 
 ther, than to explain the eternal generation, and hypostatical 
 union of the two natures of the Son ; and yet I think myself 
 bound to believe all three, because the things themselves are 
 revealed in scripture, though the manner how they are, is not 
 declared. I may say to the objector, as Gregory Nazianzen 
 formerly did to his adversary ; " Do you tell me how the 
 
 a "O vxpx rw Tlurpo! i/jivopivfjai. 
 
 b Watts's fifth Diss. p. lod. c Watts's fifth Diss. p. 157. 
 
OF THE MISSION OF THE HOL\' SPIRIT. IS'J 
 
 Fatlior is unbegotten, and I will attempt to tell you how the 
 Son is begotten, and the Spirit proceeds «." 
 
 The clearest and fullest account of this procession, next to 
 that in my text, which we have in scriptuie, is that in the 
 apostle Paul's first epistle to the Corinthians ; * The Spirit 
 which is of God b :' That Spirit which is the same in nature 
 and essence with the Father, and so is said to be of him, or 
 out of him, not as to local separation, but with respect to 
 identity of nature. 
 
 In my text there is an observable difference in the form of 
 expression, relating to the dispensatory mission of the Spirit, 
 which Clirist expresses in the future tense, ' Whom I will 
 send ;' and his natural procession from God, which is spoke 
 of in the present tense, ' which proceeds' (not shall or will 
 proceed) ' from the Father.' The difference of time shews 
 the difference of the things, and that the Spirit's proceeding 
 from the Father is not the same thing with his future tem- 
 porary mission, as an Advocate or Comforter. 
 
 As the Holy Ghost is expressly said to proceed from the 
 Father, so he is often said to be the Spirit of the Son, or to 
 be of the same nature with him : For when God is said to 
 send forth the Spirit of his Son, it is evident that the Spirit 
 is called the Spirit of the Son, not on the account of his 
 mission; for that is ascribed to the Father, but on some 
 other account ; and what can that be but his proceeding from 
 him, as one in natme with him, and in order of nature, though 
 not of time, being after the Son ; the Father being the fiist, 
 the Son the second, and the Holy Ghost the third person, or 
 subsistent in the Godhead. On this account the Latin church 
 has c not scrupled to say, that the Spirit proceeds from the 
 
 > a T/'s fe'v h iKcropivtri;, eiTS. ffv ry.v ccyivr/KTiocv t5 Tlccri^o;, xuyu t'/iv yiv- 
 vntrtv TS y/a ^vtrioyoyricrcu, >^ <r>jy iKTo^ivtriv rv ■xvsUf^xrii.—\jTef^or. JNuz. 
 Orat. xxxvii. p. 597. 
 
 b To Tviufji.a. TO Ifz. Qi5, I Cor. ii. 12. 
 
 c See Bishop Pearson on the Creed, p. 324..— See Bcninian's Senn. 
 p. 371. 
 
190 OF THE MISSION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 Father and the Son ; tlioiigh the Greek church clioosos to 
 ox])ress it tlius ; the Spirit proceeds from the Fat Inn-, by, or 
 llirough tlie Son, or he receives of the Son ; all ownin*^ both 
 Son and Spirit to have one and the same divine nature. Dr. 
 I.ightfoot observes, that wherever the Holy Ghost, in the 
 Old Testament, is styled the Spirit of God, it is, in tlie He- 
 In-GAV, the Spirit of Elohini, in the plural number, donotiiip: 
 his proceeding from more persons than one, even from tlje 
 Father and the Son a. 
 
 I noAv proceed to consider the Mission of the Holy Spirit, 
 or his being sent to perform his glorious part in the work of 
 man's salvation. 
 
 The Father found a ransom, tlie Son purchased salvation ; 
 }M)th Father and Son send the Spirit to apply and finish that 
 jireat work : This is signified in that clause of the text ; 
 •- Whom I \\ ill send to you from the Father ;' which I am 
 now to consider. 
 
 The mission and coming of the Spirit, to complete our re- 
 demption, is a great trust, beyond and above all thought and 
 admiration ; for, as the glory of all works results from the 
 finishing- part, so the Father and Son put their glory into tlie 
 liands of the Spirit, in sending him to perfect that gi-eat de- 
 sign. No inferior agent was equal to the undertaking, and 
 no undertaking could be more glorious to all the persons con- 
 cerned in it ; infinite wisdom, power, and grace, were as 
 much required in the applier, as in the contriver and pur- 
 cliaser of salvation ; and as each of the divine pereons has a 
 distinct part, so each of them has a peculiar glory in the 
 work. 
 
 Tlie nature, circumstances, use, and ends of the mission of 
 the Holy Spirit, I shall endeavour to ex})lain and confirm, 
 under divers distinct propositions, after I have paved the way 
 by some previous considerations. 
 
 1. This mission of the Holy Spirit docs not include b.is 
 
 a Di-. T,?g1it foot's Works, Vol. I. p. 482. 
 
OF THE MISSION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. L91 
 
 many and great works performed by him before Christ's ii> 
 carnntion. He moved upon the waters, in the first creatior, 
 strove with the old world, inspired the prophets, instructed 
 the people, and did many other glorious things in the Jewish 
 church, which yet come not within the compass of this niiK- 
 sion ; for Christ, a little before he suifered, spealis of it as a 
 thing yet to come, and that after his depai'ture, ' If I depart, 
 I will send him «.' 
 
 2. We may also obsei-ve, that for a long time before this 
 mission, the Holy Spiiit had been withdrawn from the Jews. 
 For more than three hundred years, sonre say four hundred, 
 after Malachi, their last prophet, the Spirit of prophecy ceas- 
 ed from among the children of Israel. This was a time of 
 thick darkness, of gi'eat wickedness and calamity ; as appears 
 by the prophecy of Malachi, and the history of those time?^. 
 When Christ came b, the light shined in darkness, and the 
 darkness comprehended it not. And with relation to this 
 dismal circumstance of the Jev/s, the withdrawing of the Holy 
 Spirit c, the people are said to sit in darkness, and in the 
 shadow of death. But, 
 
 3. As the greatest darkness of the night precedes the da'.Mi 
 of day ; so when Christ came, there were some first fruits 
 and prelibations of the Spirit, previous to his solemn mission. 
 Zachalias and Elizabeth were filled with the Holy Ghost d ; 
 as the song of the virgin Mary shewed her to have been ; so 
 
 . Avere also Simeon, Anna, and John the Baptist : And the 
 i greatest instance of all was Christ himself, who e had the Spirit 
 given to him without measure : But though these, and especi- 
 ally the last instance, had a surprising greatness and glory in 
 them, yet tliey were all antecedent to that solemn mission of 
 the Spirit, of which my text speaks : for it was long after 
 the instances before mentioned, that Christ promised to send 
 the Comforter ; and he said expressly, that after his departure, 
 he would send him. The sending of the Spirit was after 
 
 a John xvi. 7. b Juhn i. o. c luke i. 70. 
 
 d Luke i. 41, 67. ; ii. 25. 26, oO. c John iii. Sk 
 
192 OF THE MISSION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 Christ's ascension ; but the work of tlie Spirit was not delayed, 
 nor confined to that period and the times that followed. 
 
 Had we lived in the day of Christ, considered his conception 
 hy the power of the Holy Ghost, the glorious apponraiice 
 of the Spirit resting on him at his baptism, his presence with 
 him in his temptations, in his preaching, in his miracles, in 
 the whole course of his life ; liow he went about doing good, 
 and how the zeal of God's house did eat him up ; how he en- 
 dared the contradiction of sinners against himself; and how, 
 through the eternal Spirit, he offered himself up to God at 
 death : I say, if we had considered how he was anointed with 
 the Holy Ghost, that oil of gladness, above his fellows, what 
 could Ave have looked for more ? what other or giTater mission 
 of the Spirit could we have expected ? And yet these things, 
 great as they were, must be owned to be but a prelude to 
 that glorious mission of the Spirit, whereof I am to speak ; 
 * The works that I do,' says Christ, * shall he do, and greater 
 works than these shall he do : because I go to the Father. 
 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another 
 Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever «.' 
 
 Having hinted these preliminaiy considerations, I now pro 
 ceed to give you my thoughts of the Mission of the Holy 
 Spirit in several distinct propositions. 
 
 Prop. I. The Mission of the Holy Spirit is exclusive of 
 every thing inconsistent with his Deity and divine Person- 
 ality. 
 
 That the Holy Spirit is true God, and that he is a real 
 ])erson, has been before proved at large ; that yet the Holy 
 Spirit is sent, is also plain from scripture : Hence it follows, 
 that his mission must exclude every thing that is inconsistent 
 with his Deity and Personality. He that is true and real 
 God, and a true and real person, must be so necessarily and 
 eternally ; for God is from everlasting to everlasting ; and the 
 Holy S])!rit being true and real God, necessarily existing 
 
 a John xiv. l:i, l(i. 
 
OF THE MISSION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 193 
 
 fj'om everlasting to everlasting-, can never tlo, or submit to 
 that which is inconsistent witli his nature and perfections as 
 God ; for if he could, he must then be God, and yet not be 
 God, at the same time, and in the same sense, which is a 
 plain contradiction ; and both parts of a contradiction cannot 
 be true ; therefore, 
 
 1. The mission of the Holy Spirit does not imply or in- 
 clude local mutation, or change of place ; for he who is in all 
 places at all times, cannot properly be said to change place, or 
 be sent out of one place into another ; ' Whither shall I go 
 from thy Spirit a ?' said the Psalmist. Among men, the 
 person sent goes from one place to another, because he is a 
 finite and circumscribeil being, who can be and act but in 
 one place at once : But this does not hold good with re- 
 spect to him who is immense, omnipresent, or in all places at 
 one and the same time, as the Holy Spirit is. He, indeed, 
 is said to be sent, to descend, to come ; but these phrases 
 do not denote his change of place, or his passing out of one 
 '< place into another, any more tJljan God's bowing the heavens 
 and coming down, and his departing and returning to his 
 place, signify any change of place, or removal of God's essen- 
 tial presence. God is said to come, to be in that place where 
 he works, and to depart from that place where he suspends 
 or withdraws his operations, and the tokens of his presence. 
 In like manner, when we hear of the Spirit's being sent, and 
 of his coming, we are not presently to conceive of him as a 
 circumscribed being, who changes place in order to fulfil the 
 iWork he is sent to do ; but that he is engaged to exert his 
 power in that place, and in that way before appointed and 
 agi'eed upon. 
 
 2. This mission of the Holy Spirit does not imply Jiis in- 
 feriority in nature, or original power, to the Father or Son. 
 A master, indeed, among men, sends his servant, as the Cen- 
 turion did his soldiers, saying to one. Go, and he goes, and 
 
 a Psal, cxxxix. 7. 
 VOL. in. I 
 
lot OF THE MISSION OF THE IIOL\ SPIRIT. 
 
 to another, Come, and he comes. It cannot be denied, that 
 to send among men, is many times an act of authority and 
 supreme power in him that sends, over him tliat is sent ; but 
 yet it is not always so among men, or ever so among the 
 glorious persons in the Trinity. Among men, we see com- 
 panies, or bodies-corporate, where all are originally equal, but, 
 by common consent, one member is sent by the rest to trans- 
 act some affair, and yet is not inferior to the rest of the so- 
 ciety. The Son of God thought it no robbery to be equal 
 with God; yet the Father sanctified him, and sent him into > 
 the world, by mutual concert and agreement, before the ^vorld 
 was ; and therefore, before he took upon him the form of a 
 servant. There was a peculiar reason, indeed, AAhy the Son, 
 when sent, should, and did come in that form ; because lie 
 was to be made under the law «, to redeem us who are under 
 the law ; i)ut there was not the same reason for the Spirit to 
 come in a state of subjection ; for lie comes not to purchase, 
 but to apply and perfect om* salvation ; nor was there tlie same 
 possibility for the Spirit to come as a subject, in a servile con- 
 dition : because lie had not a finite inferior nature, as Christ 
 had, wherein he became obedient to him that sent him ; and 
 the Spirit being God, equal in nature to the Father, he could 
 not be inferior in nature and original power to the Father or 
 the Son ; but yet, by mutual agi'eement, he might be and was 
 sent by the Father and the Son, to fulfil his glorious part in 
 man's salvation, without any inequality of nature, or original 
 power, as among men, one equal may, by consent, send an- ^ 
 other. This prevents or confutes one argument which is 
 brought against the Deity of the Holy Ghost ; that seeing he 
 is sent, he is inferior to God, and consequently not God ; for 
 God cannot be superior and hiferior to himself: For seeing 
 one equal may, by nmtual consent, send another, tlie Father 
 and Son may, by nmtual consent, send the Si)irit, without 
 any inequality of nature between them, and consequently, 
 
 a Gal. iv. I. 
 
[ OF THE MISSION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 195 
 
 without any evidence from this mission, that the Holy Spirit 
 is not God by natme, equal in power and glory to the Father 
 and the Son. 
 
 3. This mission cannot include in it any constraint or 
 «eiTile compliance. The Holy Spirit is a free Spirit ; being 
 ■one in nature with the Father, he must be also one in power 
 
 and will ; and therefore it was impossible that he should be 
 !"ompelled, because there is none above him to do it, and no 
 jMTson in the Trinity contraiy to hira in will and design : If 
 tlion he is sent, it is not by constraint, but willingly. Of liis 
 !MN'n will he begets men by the word of truth ; and of his own 
 :<(){[ pleasure he works in them to will and to do ; and dis- 
 tributes his various gifts according to his own will a. There 
 is the same reason for his acting with the most unconstrained 
 freedom in his mission, as in all the consequent operations. 
 
 Among men, a servant may be obliged to go when sent on 
 ?.n eiTand he does not like ; but if Father and Son send the 
 Spirit, it is with his own free consent, and not otherwise. 
 The gospel is indeed said to be a ministration of the Spirit b ; 
 but, in the context, the Spirit is spoke of as Lord ; and the 
 irospel, as ministered by the preachers of it, may be styled a 
 ministration of the Spirit ; as the Spirit both institutes the 
 iiiiiistry, makes it effectual, and displays the glory of the 
 uo^pel thereby. The Holy Spirit therefore does not act a 
 ■^t'l vile, but a lordly part in this dispensation ; for it is said, 
 ' We are changed from glory to glory c, by the Lord the 
 Spirit ;' by the same Lord, who, by the ministry of the gos- 
 pel, produces such wonderful effects, and performs such glo- 
 rious works. 
 
 4. This mission does not signify an inability of the Spirit 
 to act of himself. Among men, the messenger is only an in- 
 strument of deliverinjr the message, or doings the work of an- 
 other, according to his master's direction, without being able 
 to have contrived or formed the design or Avork : But this is 
 
 a James i. 18.—Phil. ii. 12.— 1 Cor. xii. 11. 6 2 Cor. iii. 8. 
 
 c 2 Cor. iii. 18. 
 
196 OF THE MISSION OF Tllfi HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 not the case as to the Holy Spirit ; for he created and up- ■ 
 holds all things ; seai'ches all things, even the deep things of 
 God ; and therefore is not sent barely to execute the design i 
 of another, without entering into the springs and grounds of I 
 it himself; but he that is sent, equally knows and approves 
 the design he conies upon, as much or as well as they do who 
 send him. 
 
 The prophets, indeed, delivered messages which they them- 
 selves understood not, but became searcliers into the meaning 
 of what they themselves had delivered ; as the scriptures in- 
 form us : ' Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit 
 of Christ, which was in them signified, when it testified be- 
 forehand, the sufferings of Christ, and the gloiy tliat should 
 follow aJ 
 
 That Spirit who could and did know and declare the de- 
 sign beforehand, could not be ignorant of it, or be when hei 
 was sent, a mere instrument, unable to act in it of himself. 
 This is a thought too low for Deit)^, and inconsistent with his i 
 precious works. It is said, indeed, that, ' He shall not speak 
 of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak ; 
 and he will shew you things to come. He shall receive of 
 mine, and shall shew it to you b.' Christ had told the dis- 
 ciples that he had many things to say to them, but they couldi 
 not bear them at that time ; but, said he, ' When the Spirit 
 is come, he shall lead you into all truth c ;' according to our 
 translation; or, more properly, according to the Greek, into 
 all that truth which Christ had to tell them, and wliich they; 
 could not then bear. He, the Spirit, shall not speak of liim 
 self, or bring any new or contrary doctrine, but cany on my 
 work, and discover to you what I have to reveal, but you can- 
 not now receive it. And this, as an ancient commentator 
 observes, does not suppose tliat the Spirit had any need of a 
 teacher d, but rather that he is tnie God ; for who else could 
 
 n 1 Pet. i. 11. h John xvi. 13, 14. c'E/j crafrav T»jy aXjjSj/av,. 
 
 d O^Ki ocv]ooloccK7ov TO clyiov Zfvivfji.a.—'K in Tuv l^r,s OS fZ.ecB-r,a"/i o tvyyu- 
 
 fiMv Tfcf zrvm/^cfj^ TJjy QioTrfla- tu. yu^ i^^f>fjt,i)/a, (P'/ifft etvccyyiXti i//u,7v, TV- 
 
OF THE MISSION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 197 
 
 liMraiid receive, and so exactly commumcate the deep things 
 )t' God, and, in order thereto, fit and enable the apostles to 
 LL'ceive them, which these were not able to do till the Holy 
 Ghost came upon them ? Hence it plainly appears, that the 
 Holy Spirit was sufficient and able of himself to know and 
 carry on his work, though by dispensation he is sent by the 
 Father and the Son. He shall not speak of himself; or, as 
 Chrysostom a observed, nothing contraiy to, no other thing 
 than he himself, even Christ, would have said, ' for my kncAV- 
 ledge,' said Christ, ' and that of the Spirit, is one and the 
 same.' " When Christ says, the Spirit shall not speak of 
 himself, the meaning is, that he shall not come with any abso- 
 lute new dispensation of tmth or grace ; he was only to build 
 on the foundation, Christ's person and doctrine, or the tmth 
 which he had revealed from the bosom of the Father ; he was 
 to reveal no other truth, communicate no other gi*ace, but 
 what is in, from, and by Christ ;" as a learned man b well ex- 
 plains the text under consideration. The Spirit is said to 
 speak that which he heai's, or that which he knows to be the 
 mind of the Father and Son. Heai'ing is a means of our 
 knowledge, a sign of his ; as when God is said to hear, it is 
 not meant that he acquirer any more knowledge ; but it is 
 only an accommodation of speech to one way of our knowing 
 I the mind of another by hearing : So to express the Spirit's 
 knowledge of the things of God, he is said to hear them, al- 
 though he knew them from eternity; for he searches all 
 things, even the deep things of God. 
 
 It has been said. He that is a messenger cannot be the 
 author of the message, but only delivers the mind or sentiments 
 of him or them that send him c. But this is not universally 
 
 n-ri, TO, (jtiXXovletf o'-ars^ (Ji.ii,y,i<;ot, 6s5 i'^/av, h Tut ftiXXov'iuv ^v&rfl-/y.— Theo- 
 phyl. in loc. p. 789. 
 
 a"Ovo\v a.^ lxJ]5 XuXnirei, iihlv ivccfliov, iidlv 'i^iov •rxooe, tcc lfjt,k—ro oi 
 
 ix. ra ifAH , l^uv iyu o't^u, i» rrt? If^^ni yvcoffiu;' (Aim yu^ -U.V, x, ri zsrviv- 
 fjLiT]^ ytuKfii. — Chrysost. in loc. Vol. 8. p. iO?. 
 
 b Dr. Owen on the Spirit, p. 160. 
 
 c Vide Crell, de uiio Deo, cap. xji. ' 
 
19S OF THE MISSION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 true among men ; a ])iivy counsellor may fii-st give liis advice 
 to his prince, and then go in liis prince's name, to propose 
 the same thing to anotlier : Much more the Holy Spirit being 
 of the same nature and essence with the Father and the Son, 
 must have a joint interest in all their counsels and designs, 
 and in the appointed time, is sent by the Father and Son to 
 fultil and accomplish them, and that without supposing any 
 inability in the Spirit, of himself to have known and taught J 
 the same things; which, I think, is a sufficient answer to the I 
 objection, and enough to clear and confirm the proposition. 
 
 Prop. II. The Mission of the Holy Spirit, by Christ, 
 from the Father, proves him to be a Person distinct from the 
 F^ither and the Son. 
 
 The Spirit, as lie is sent, is said to be another Comforter a ; 
 Christ speaks of him as another Comforter different from the 
 Father, who sends him, and from Christ himself, who prays 
 for him: And as a Comforter, he is a person; for none but 
 a real person could do the works which he does ; therefor* ; 
 he is a person distinct from the Father and the Son; bein*. 
 sent by the Father and the Son, he cannot be the person of 
 the Father or the Son ; for they do not send themselves. If 
 the Holy Spirit were the person of the Father, he could not 
 be sent from the Father ; for then the Father must be sent 
 from himself; and if he were the person of the Son, he could 
 not be sent by the Son, or come when the Son departed ; for 
 then he must be sent by himself, and both depart and come 
 at the same time, which would be absurd to imagine : And \ 
 if the Holy Spirit were not a real divine person, he Avould 
 not be sent to do the works of a real divine person ; nor be 
 paid to act with understanding, aWII, and sovereign power ; 
 and therefore from his mission we learn his real divine perso- 
 nality. When Christ said, ' I will send him,' he shews the 
 distinction of persons, seeing he spoke of two. Rut I need 
 not enlarge on this point, which has been so fully handled be- 
 fore. 
 
 a John xiv. 16. 
 
OF THE MISSION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 199 
 
 Prop. III. It was needful and expedient tliat the Holy- 
 Spirit should be sent. 
 
 1. This might be proved from the dark and dismal state 
 of the church before this time, of which some notice was 
 taken in a former part of tliis discourse. The need of this 
 mission Christ himself taught us when he said, ' It is ex- 
 pedient for you that I go away ; for if I go not away, the 
 Comforter will not come ; but if I depart, I will send him to 
 vou a ; as if he had said. It is expedient that the Spirit should 
 be sent and come ; therefore it is expedient that I should de- 
 part and send him. 
 
 2. Christ's bodily presence was a gi'eat comfort and blessing, 
 in its time and place ; but as the disciples were to be dispersed 
 abroad in the world, they could not all, or many of them, 
 have had his bodily presence with them at once ; whereas, 
 the Spirit that was to be sent in his room, could be, and was 
 with them in all places, and at all times, and was capable of 
 'giving them the greatest assistance and consolation. The 
 Holy Spirit was for this end desired of the Father, and sent 
 by Christ, that he might be the teacher of truth, and the vice- 
 gerent of Christ. 
 
 A few minutes before Christ was taken up out of the sight 
 of his disciples- he told them, that they should receive power, 
 after that the Holy Ghost was come upon them, and that they 
 should be Avitnesses to him, both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea ; 
 and that in Samaria, and to the uttermost part of the eaith 6, 
 by his presence ami assistance they should be enabled to carry 
 their testimony : Unlimited and infinite then is the Holy Spi- 
 rit, who was in and with the apostles, when scattered abroad, 
 at a great distance from eacli other ; but he that fills all things 
 filled them in all places : And this he does according to liis 
 procession, which is two-fold ; the one is natural and jicrson- 
 al, the other is ceconomical or dispensatory. In tlie holy 
 ceconomy, there are external acts of one person towards an- 
 other : So the Father and the Son send the Spirit, as he con- 
 descends, in an especial manner, to the office of being a 
 
 » John xvi. 7. b Acts i. 8.. 
 
200 OF THE MISSION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 Sanctifier and Comforter of tlie clmrcli a. As lie is of the 
 same nature, and equally omnipresent, Avith the Father and 
 the Son, so he lias the same power and will, and distributes 
 to every man, in any place, as he will, according to his own 
 sovereign grace, good pleasure, and omnipresence. 
 
 " The Lord going to heaven, rt was necessary (says one of 
 the ancients h) that lie should send the Comforter to his dis- 
 ciples, that they might not be loft destitute, and without an 
 advocate and tutor ; for it is he that confirmed their minds, 
 and enlightened them in things divine ; so that being strength- 
 ened by him, they feared neither prisons nor chains for the 
 name of the Lord ; but trampled upon all the torments and 
 powers of the world, being armed and confirmed by him ; and 
 liaving in themselves those gifts which he, the same Spirit, 
 distributed to the church, the spouse of Christ, as certain or- 
 naments." 
 
 " All is by the guidance of the Holy Spirit (said Cyprian c), 
 that those who wandered are directed, the Avicked are con- 
 verted, the weak are strengthened : He, the right Spirit, the 
 Holy Spirit, the princely Spirit, rules, perfects, dwells in our 
 souls, and suffers not those in whom he dwells, to err, to be 
 con-upted, or to be overcome : He perfects those whom he 
 lias taught, those Avhom he jx>ssesses, and whom he has gird- 
 ed with the sword of most powerful truth. He washes away 
 sins, justifies the ungodly, heals discord, binds strongly with 
 the bond of love, raises u« up to heaven, and freeing us from 
 the vanities of this world, makes us heirs of the heavenly 
 kingdom ; of which this is the chief hapiiiness, that this body, 
 by spiritual influences, converses with angels ; nor shall there 
 be any more the appetites of flesh and blood, but the fulness 
 of God is known, and the Spirit dwells in them." 
 
 3. The necessity of sending the Spirit may fartlier appear, 
 if we consider the state and condition of the apostles, and their 
 company, upon Christ's departure ; some (hnibted whetlier 
 
 a See Dr. Owen of tlie S].irif, p. 4^, 8f>. 
 b Novatian de Trinit. c. xxix. p. 11 1. 
 
 c Cyi>rian. do Sj)irlt. Sauct. p. 180, 188. 
 
OF THE MISSION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 201 
 
 lie was the true Messiali ; one denied hiiu, another betrayed 
 him, and they all forsook him and fled ; and when the first 
 fright was a little over, yet, upon good testimony, they could 
 hardly be brought to believe that he was nsen from the dead : 
 And after he had convinced them by occular demonstration, 
 and suffered one of them, more incredulous than the rest, to 
 handle his body, still then* fears were so gi'eat, that they hid 
 themselves in an upper room : Now were these men, in this 
 condition, fit to be Christ's witnesses before kings and rulers, 
 and to carry liis name and gospel, in the face of death, to the 
 ends of the world ? No, no ; Christ very wisely and merci- 
 fully ordered them to stay at Jerusalem, till they should be 
 endued with power from on high a. How needful was it 
 that the Holy Spirit should be sent to expel their fears ; and, 
 I may add, their ignorance ; for they had strong imaginations 
 of Christ's temporal kingdom 5, and dreamed of thrones and 
 sceptres, rather than of bonds, impiisonment, and death, which 
 they were ill prepared to expose themselves to in the cause 
 of Christ, till the Spirit was poured out upon them. Be- 
 sides, being illiterate men, how should they be able to cany 
 their message into all the world, if they could not speak the 
 several languages ? But when Chi-ist sent the Spirit, he re- 
 moved that difficulty also ; every nation heard the truth in its 
 own language c. Then also d the apostles waxed bold ; 
 great gi'ace was upon them all, and with gieat power did they 
 bear witness to Christ. 
 
 4. By this mission, there was a more clear and full mani- 
 festation of the blessed Trinity, not in words only, but in 
 facts, which were seen and taken notice of all over the world : 
 The e person of God the Father had been discovered more 
 eminently in the work of creation and of providence, for 
 many ages before the coming of Christ: The Deity of the 
 Son and Spirit were more clearly revealed after the mission 
 and effusion of the Holy Ghost. God manifested in the 
 flesh, was justified in the Spirit; Christ was declared to be 
 
 a Luke xxiv. S9; b Acts i. 6. c Acts ii. 8. 
 
 a Acts iv. ^3, c See Dr. Ov\*en on the Spirit, p. 8. 
 
 I 2 
 
202 OF THE MISSION Ol' THE IlOlA .SPIRIT. 
 
 the Son of God, in tlie preaching and writings of the aj)ostles. 
 who \v ere inspired by tlie Holy Gliost : And the gifts and 
 iiraces which he bestowed, and the mii-aculous works wliich 
 lie effected, discovered tlie Deity of the Holy Spirit himself : 
 And therefore it was very proper and fit that the Holy Spi- 
 rit should be sent for this end, as well as for many others. 
 
 5. In this mission the Father and Son manifest the light 
 and lustre of their grace and love to men. The Holy Spirit 
 is a Spirit of giace ; he comes to do all the offices of grace- 
 and love to men ; and as he is sent by the Father and Son, 
 and in the name of the Son, in his mission there is a glorious 
 discovery of the gi-ace and love, both of the Father and the 
 Son. Christ speaking of the time when he should be gone 
 to the Father, said, ' My Father will love him, (him that 
 loves me and keeps my words,) and we (I and my Father) 
 will come to him, and make our abode with him,' (by the 
 Spirit;) therefore he adds, ^ The Comforter, the Holy Ghost, 
 \\'hom my Father will send in my name, he shall teach you 
 all thint^s <?.' When Christ was to be no longer bodily pre- 
 sent with them, yet the Comforter, the Spirit, sent by the 
 Father in his name, was to manifest and magnify the giace 
 and love of the Father and Son towards them, as well as Iiis 
 o^vn. The last ages were designed to shew the exceeding 
 riches b of God's gi*ace in his kindness towards us in Christ 
 Jesus : Accordingly, when the Spirit was sent, great grace 
 was upon all those on whom lie was pourgd out ; the Fatheu 
 and Son came to them, and shed abroad their love in their 
 hearts by the Holy Gliost. It Avas then seen, and felt, and 
 known, that the Father himself loved them, and that the Son 
 loved them to the end, and without end ; for in and by tlie 
 Spirit sent, both Father and Son made their abode Avith them, 
 according to Christ's promise. By the mission of the Spirit 
 then, the gi-ace of the Father and of the Son, as well as of 
 the Spirit, shincd in its full lustre and brightest glory ; for 
 this end therefore it was necessary that the Holy Spirit should 
 be sent. 
 
 u John xlv. 2.^ 26. b Eph. ii. 7. 
 
OF THE MTSSTOK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 20:? 
 
 6. By this mission salvation is well secured. If it Imd been 
 left to our own spiiits, or to any other spirit inferior to the 
 Holy Spirit, how certainly had it miscarried ? But it is safe 
 in his hand, isho is sent to complete it. 
 
 Prop. IV. The INIission of the Holy Spirit consists in his 
 signal manifestations and operations in our salvation, in com- 
 pliance with the Avill and appointment of the Fatlier and Son, 
 according to the div^ine oeconomy. 
 
 I. There is a certain method and order of proceeding in the 
 v/ork of our salvation r/, mutually and freely agreed uj)on by 
 tlie Father, tlie Son, and Spirit, whereby each person takes 
 and performs his proper part. This is what is called the 
 oDConomy and dispensation, and is much spoke of by the an- 
 cients. The sum of this oeconomy or dispensation is hinted 
 by the apostle Peter in those Avords ; ' Elect according to the 
 foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of 
 the Spirit, and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ &.' Tlie 
 Father chooses, the Son redeems by his blood, the Spirit 
 sanctifies, or applies and perfects the redemption c. The 
 order of dispensation is according to the order of subsistence ; 
 the Father is first in ord^er, and therefore first in office ; tlie 
 Son is from the Father, therefore lie is sent by the Father ; 
 tho Spirit is from the Father and Son, and therefore he is sent 
 both by the Father and the Son ; and yet this rais&ion is bv 
 mutual consent and agreement. The Spirit could no moie 
 be compelled to ceme to sanctify, than the Son could be con- 
 strained to come to redeem. All is done by Father, Son, 
 and Spirit, according to their order of subsistence, and ac- 
 cording to mutual agreement among themselves : The begin- 
 ning of the work is ascribed to the Fatlier, the carrying it on to 
 the Son, the perfecting it to the Holy Spirit, not because 
 one is before the other in jK)lnt of duration, but because one 
 is of or from anot'ier ; and as tlie Spirit is last in order of 
 ^subsistence, so he is last in order of mission and operation, 
 but not last in point of duration, nor inferior in nature to the 
 
 TsaL cxliv. 7. b 1 Pet. i. 2. c Eph. i. 4, 7, 13. 
 
204 OF THE MISSION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 Tather or the Son ; tho Father, Son, and Spirit being, in ua- 
 rure, all one, even one God. 
 
 2. According to this oeconomy we may conceive the Fa- 
 ther and Son sending tlie Spirit, or willing and appointing 
 him to appear and perform the work allotted to hirn, at tlie 
 proper time, and in the agreed method and order ; and yet we 
 may believe him to be, in natm-e, one with the Father and 
 Son, and essentially equal in power and glory. 
 
 3. Tlie sending the Spirit, respects his appearance and ope- 
 rations in a place. Tiie Spirit is said to be sent by the Father 
 and the Son, when he discovered his power and glory in those 
 works which he performed after Christ's ascension, by the ap- 
 probation and will of Father and Son. The Spirit is said to 
 be sent by the Father, to denote the Father's concmTing 
 authority and appointment in the divine oeconomy; and the 
 Spirit is said to be sent in the name of Christ for the same 
 reasons, or as denoting the Son's authority and appointment of 
 tlie Spirit, to accomplish and perfect this great work. 
 
 4. We are not by this mission to understand any servile 
 ministration, office, or Avork of the Spirit, as was hinted before. 
 The Holy Spirit being God, could not be sent by way of 
 superior authority and command ; for, as God, he acknow- 
 ledges none above him ; but he might be, and was sent by 
 consent, as one equal may be sent by another, and sustain a 
 diversity of office ^vithout an inferiority of nature, or original 
 ]>ower and authority. Thus by dispensation the Spirit is sent 
 l>y the Father, in the name of the Son : but yet it is not by 
 way of natural superiority in tlie Father and Son, and natural 
 subjection on the part of the Holy Spirit, but by consent and' 
 a<n-eement, and gracious condescension to us on the part of 
 the Spirit ; he is in himself a free Spirit, a sovereign Spirit, 
 and acts according to his own will, and in oiu* salvation, wth 
 the same sovereign grace as the Father and Son do. Though 
 Christ said, that the Fathei' will send him, and that He will 
 send him, vet lie never said that the Father will command 
 him to come, or that He a will command him, or that the 
 
 a ITf is not a riv.'rr' iiistrnm»-i:t or sf'r'.»:!t, disposing of the things 
 
OF THE MISSION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 205 
 
 Spirit shall be obedient. Clirist, indeed, said, ' He sliall be 
 in you ; lie shall glorify me, and he shall testify of me ;* but 
 the words might as well have been rendered, ' He will be in 
 you, he will glorify me, and testify of me ;' as elsewhere it is 
 said, ' He will guide you into all truth ; he will reprove the 
 world of sin.' His coming at the appointment of the Father, 
 and in the name of the Son, is an act of choice, not of ser- 
 vitude or subjection. 
 
 5. In the explication and confirmation of this fourth pro- 
 position, let it be observed, that this mission is to be refeiTed 
 to the signal or eminent manifestation and operations of the 
 Holy Spirit ; for this will distinguish his solemn mission from 
 all his previous works. He had done great things in the 
 church, upon the human nature of Christ, and in the world ; 
 but yet his mission, or that which is eminently such, was not 
 till Pentecost, as will be noted hereafter. 
 
 6. This mission is the joint act of the Father and the Son : 
 The scripture thus represents it ; ' Whom the Father will 
 send in my name. Whom I will send to you from the Fatlier. 
 If I depart I will send him to you«.' Here we see that this 
 mission is ascribed both to the Father and the Son, they both 
 iigreed in it ; and sometimes it is ascribed to one, sometimes 
 to the other of them ; it was what they both concuiTed in ; 
 ' For hitherto my Father works and I work Z>,' said Christ ; 
 and what things soever the Father does, these also does the 
 Son likewise : The Son has not a different power from the 
 -Father, either inferior or superior to his ; but there is one 
 substance, one power, and one operation of the Father and 
 tfie Son. When Christ said, ' IVIy Father worketh and I 
 work,' he shewed the equality between them. Being in the 
 form of God, he thought it no robbery to be equal to God ; 
 but being also Mediator, he prays the Father to send the Spi- 
 
 Uvherein he has no concern, or over which he has no power ; but in 
 ill things works towards us, according to his own vv'iLJ.— Dr. Owen 
 ttf the Spirit, p. 165. 
 
 a John xiv. 26. ; xv. 26. ; xvi. 7. b John v. 17, 19, 
 
'206 OF THE MISSION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 lit, ; lie receives tlie ])ionii«e of the Father, and sends the Spi- 
 rit as his representativi? and vicegerent, accordhig to the 
 ceconomy or dispensation agreed upon by the Father, Son, and 
 Spirit, from eternity. 
 
 Prop. V. The Holy Spirit is sent, and comes by virtue of 
 the new covenant, and is given by Christ as Head of the 
 cliurch. 
 
 This mission is called tlie promise of the Fatlier, and Clirist 
 Jtaving received the promise of tlie Holy Ghost a, he sent 
 him, or shed him forth. But all promises of gi-ace and mercy, 
 especially the grand promise of the Spirit of gi'ace, belong to 
 the new covenant, not to the old ; hence the apostle said, 
 ' Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Sj)irit of his 
 Son b ; which (Floly Ghost) he slied on us abundantly through 
 Jesus Cliiist.' It is by and from him as Mediator and Head 
 of the church, tliat we receive c the promise of the Spirit 
 through faith, and not by the law ; ' Tliis only Avould I learn 
 of you,' said the apostle, ' received you the Spirit by the 
 works of the law, or by the hearing of faith ?' The sanctifying 
 grace of the Spirit is the concomitant of evangelical mercy. 
 * I will put my S})irit a\ ithin tliem d,' is a grand promise of 
 the new covenant. The mission of the Spirit then is no mean 
 or common thing, not the product of nature, or of common 
 providence, but of new covenant grace, communicated by and 
 from Christ, our new covenant head. Believers are built an 
 Jmbitation of God through the Spirit e ; but then it is by 
 God, through Christ our head, from whom the whole body 
 grows and increases to the fulness of Christ, and all is by the 
 Spirit, and his gifts, which Christ communicated when he 
 ascended up on high. 
 
 Prop. VI. There is a difference between the Mission of 
 the Holy Spirit, and of other spirits, and between other mis- 
 sions of him and the grand Mission spoke of in my text ; and 
 also between the Mission and Gift of the Spirit. 
 
 fl T,ii]<o xxiv. 19. — Acts i. 1-, 11, 33. // Gal. iv. 6. — Tit. iii. G» 
 c- Gal. iii. '> — 14. d Ezck. xxxvi 27. 
 
 e Ki.Ji, iv. 10, 12, 1.3, 16. 
 
OF THE MISSION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 20? 
 
 Not oiiiy the Holy Spirit, but also other spirits are said to 
 he sent ; the angels are sent forth to minister a for them tliat 
 sliall be heirs of salvation. The angels are sent to particular 
 jjlaces and persons, the Holy Spirit to all ; angels pass fi-om 
 place to place, the Holy Spirit fills all places. Angels, being 
 servants, obey ; the Holy Spirit, being sovereign, acts accord- 
 ing to his own will : Angels, when sent, depart from the pre- 
 sence of the Lord, from that place where his blissful, glorious 
 ])resence is enjoyed : But the Spirit, when sent, remains still 
 in and with the Father ; for he fills all things, and is every 
 where present. 
 
 There is a difference between other missions of the Holy 
 Spirit, and the grand mission spoke of in my text. Long be- 
 fore Christ's incarnation h, the Spirit of Christ was in the 
 prophets; therefore he was sent to them. And before Christ's 
 ascension, Christ breathed on the apostles, and said, ' Receive 
 you the Holy Ghost c ;' And yet it is truly said elscAvhere, 
 that * the Holy Ghost was not given, because Clnrist was not 
 yet glorified cK He was not given in that visible, abundant, 
 and glorious manner as he was after Christ's ascension. The 
 previous mission and gift of the Spirit is looked upon as none 
 at all, compared with that at and after Pentecost. 
 
 V/e may also note some difference between the mission and 
 gift of the Holy Spirit, though they are commonly spoke of 
 as the same thing ; but there is some difference between them ; 
 the mission is more extensive than the gift ; the Spirit was 
 sent to reprove the world, but was not given to the world, 
 Imt to them that obey him ; so the gift and the mission seem 
 to differ as a part differs from the whole. 
 
 Prop. VIL The signal and eminent Mission of the Holy 
 Spirit was on the day of Pentecost, when Christ having re- 
 ceived of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, sent him 
 down e upon the disciples, and he appeared and sat upon 
 them, as cleft tongues like as of fii'e, and they were filled with 
 the Holy Ghost. 
 
 « Hcb. !. W. h 1 Pet. i. 11. c John sx. 22. 
 
 d John vii. 39, e A^h^ \L o, 4'. 
 
i.^08' OF THE MISSION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 The appoaiance of tontrues fitly represented the gift of 
 tonirues, wliicli the Holy Spirit then endowed thein with; 
 ;\iid their hrini^ cleft, a[»tly represented the spreading of the 
 gospel among all nations, Gentiles as well as Jews ; and the 
 fieiy api>earaiu'e, signified the energy and power of then- mes- 
 sage, inllaming the hearts of the hearers, Avith faith and love, J 
 and the other graces whith are the fruits and effects of the ' 
 Spirit. The sitting of tliese tongues upon them might denote 
 the contijuied and lasting energy and power of that Spirit, 
 Avho Avas to ahide in and with the church for ever. Thus i 
 CInist haptized a them with the Holy Ghost, and with fire, 
 as it had heen foi-etold. This was an a^ful and wonderful 
 event, which filled the h heholders v»'ith amazement, agreeable 
 to the proplietic account of it, which is given us in very mag- 
 nificent language ; ' I Avill pour out my Spirit upon all flesh c ;. 
 and I will shew wonders in the heavens, and in tlie earth, 
 hlood, and fire, and pillars of smoke ; the sun shall be turned 
 into darkness, and the moon into blood.' Peter explaining 
 this wonderful event, said, ' This is that which was spoken 
 by the prophet Joel d^ reciting liis prophecy now mentioned; 
 and added, ' Therefore Christ being, by the right hand of 
 God, exalted, and having received of the Father the promise 
 of the Holy Ghost, he lias shed forth this which you now see 
 and hear.' He sent the Spirit in that visible and glorious 
 way and manner, at Pentecost, before related. From whence 
 it is very plain, that this was the signal and eminent mission 
 ef the Holy Spirit, of which my text and other scriptures 
 speak. 
 
 Prop. VIII. The Mission of the Holy Spirit was not con- 
 fined to that first and eminent eff"usion at Pentecost, but ex- 
 tends to the whole church of Christ in all ages. 
 
 The Spirit e was to abide for ever ; but the apostles and 
 primitive Christians did not live for ever in this world. It 
 holds true in all ages, that, ' if any man has not the Spirit of 
 Chri.-^t, he is none of hisyl' Christians (j are built an habita- 
 
 fl Mat. ill. 1 1. h Acts ii. 7. c Joel ii. S8, SO, 31. 
 
 tt AttM ii. 17,33. fjolinxiv. IG. y* Rom. viii. 9. i' Eph. ii. 22,. 
 
OF THE MISSION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 209 
 
 tion of God through tlie Sph-it. " In this promise of the Spi- 
 rit, Christ founded his church, and by it he builded it up ; 
 and this is the hinge on which the ^vhole weight of it turns 
 and depends to this day ; take it away, suppose it to cease as 
 to a continual accomplisliment, and there will be an end of 
 the church, of Christianity in the world ; no dispensation of 
 the Spirit, no church. He that would utterly separate the 
 Spirit from the Word, had as good burn his Bible «." 
 
 It belongs to all God's children, and to the very state of 
 adoption, to have part in the mission of the Holy Spirit ; 
 ' because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of his 
 Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father b,' There were 
 extraordinary mii'aculous works attended the mission of the 
 Spirit at Pentecost, and some time after ; these are ceased ; 
 but he is still sent to sanctify and comfort the redeemed. 
 
 " This gift of the Spirit is with us to the end of time : This 
 is the joy of our expectation, the deai" pledge of our hope in 
 the exercise of our gifts : This is the light of our minds, and 
 the splendour of our souls : This Holy Spirit therefore is to 
 be desire'd and sought c." 
 
 Prop. IX. Infinite Wisdom directed a fit time and place 
 for the grand Mission of the Spirit. 
 
 Jerusalem was the place where Christ had been put to pub- 
 lic shame ; here the Spirit glorified him in converting and con- 
 founding his enemies, and putting a glory upon his friends. 
 Jerusalem was a place full of persons of all nations, as we are 
 informed ; and it was at the time c? of a public feast, of the 
 first-fruits, which made it more public and remarkable : It is 
 observed also, that it was on our Lord's day, which put an 
 honour upon it. As the law was given fifty days after the 
 Passover, so the Spirit was given fifty days after Christ was 
 sacrificed for us, to write the law in our hearts, and make us 
 free from the law of sin and death. Jerusalem being the 
 place of the pouring out of the Spirit, the disciples were kept 
 
 a Dr. Owen on the Spirit, p. 57. Vide p. '^'G. b Gal. iv. 0. 
 
 c Hillary de Triii. Lib. II. ad fin. 
 
 d Acts xi. 5. — Exod. xxiii. 16. : xxxiv. 22. 
 
•?10 OF THE MISSION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 totrotlipr there, in expectation of it, and mutually comforted 
 and confirmed l)y their conmion jiarticipation of thi« gloiious 
 irift. This was done ahout ten days after Christ's ascension, 
 a« a proof of the truth of it, as an evidence of Christ's love, 
 faithfulness, and care, of the pre valency of his merit and inter- 
 cession, and of the p:l<»ry of his exalted state. Thus, accord- 
 ing to proj)liecy r/, the word of the Lord went forth from 
 Jerusalem, and all nations flowed into the church. This glo- 
 rious mission of the Spirit was deferred till Christ was ascend- 
 ed, hecause the Spirit was to he Christ's vicegerent, and was 
 to glorify Christ in the world, a work which did not suit his 
 hiunhled state and bodily presence on earth. Hence it is said, 
 ' Tlie Spirit was not yet given, because that Jesus was not 
 yet glorified h.' 
 
 Prop. X. This ^Mission of the Holy Spirit was veiy glori- 
 ous ; it caiTiecl grandeur and glory in all the parts and circum- 
 stances of it. 
 
 The extraordinary appearances, the miraculous gifts, and 
 the next to miraculous conversion of three thousand the first 
 day, and some of them Christ's crucifiers, gave such a glory 
 to Christ and the Holy Gliost, as fully answered all the pre- 
 dictions of it. The Lord Jesus Christ being ascended to his 
 Father, has committed his whole affairs in the church, and in 
 the world, to the Holy Spirit ; that the person of the Holy 
 Spirit may be singularly exalted in the church ; Avherefore the 
 (hity of the church now immediately respects the Spirit of 
 (jod, who acts towards it in the name of the Father and the 
 Son. Not only on the day of Pentecost, but afterward, the 
 joy and glory of this mission continued ; for the Christians, 
 on Avhom the Spirit fell, ' continued daily in the temple, and 
 breaking bread fi'om house to house, did eat their meat with 
 gladness and singleness of heart, praising (or giving glory to) 
 God, and having favour with all the people c' 
 
 The Holy Spirit had a visible and glorious mission at Pen- 
 tecost ; not that his essence was or could be seen ; but there 
 
 a Isa. ii. % 3. b John vil. 39. c Acts ii. 46, 47. 
 
OF THE MISSION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 211 
 
 was a g-lorious symbol of it in the cleft fiery tongues ; and the 
 glorious works performed by him, were much to the honour 
 of Christ and his own honour ; the miracles, the signs, the ex- 
 traordinary gifts, the power of di^^ne grace, which one a justly 
 calls his coming in state, and the conversion of the Gentile 
 world to the faith of Christ, at, or upon this mission of the 
 Spirit, were the glory of Christ and of the Spirit. The riches 
 of glory wexe made known on the vessels of mercy, in the 
 calling, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles, as the 
 scripture speaks h ; ' The wilderness became a fruitful field, 
 when the Spirit was poured out from on high c ; then the de- 
 sert rejoiced, the glory of Lebanon was given to it, and the 
 glory of the Lord was seen, and the excellency of our God,' 
 according to ancient prophecy d, 
 
 APPLICATION. 
 
 How desirable and delightful is salvation, recommended 
 and applied by the Holy Spirit, acting in the name of the 
 Father and Son ? Here we have the concurrence of the wis- 
 dom, grace, and love of all the persons in the Trinity, approv- 
 ing and magnifying the gospel-salvation. All the persons in 
 the Godhead take pleasure in it ; and shall not the saved peo- 
 ple love it, and delight in it ? The gospel e which the Holy 
 Ghost sent down from heaven, is the matter of the delightful 
 search and wonder of the holy angels : and therefore deserves 
 our best thoughts and affections. ' The things reported by 
 tliem that have preached the gospel, Avith the Holy Ghost 
 sent down from heaven ; which things the angels desire to 
 look into.' A doctrine thus recommended by the Spirit of 
 God sent down in such a glorious manner, to reveal and ap- 
 ply it, to sanctify and comfort men by it, must be worthy of 
 all acceptation. How should every Christian love it, and 
 make it his pleasing meditation all the day ? Did the holy 
 prophets desire to know the time of this glorious mission of 
 
 Q Dr. Goodwin of the Spirit, p. 5. h Rom. ix. 23, 2I-. 
 
 e I^a. xxxii. 15. d Isa. xxxv. 1, 2. e 1 Tet. i. 12. 
 
2r2 OF THE MISSION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 tlio Spirit, and <lo tlie angfols so inquisitively look into these 
 tilings ; and sliall not we gird up tlie loins of our minds, and 
 fix our contemplations on this salvation, attended with such 
 a glorious effusion of the Holy Spirit ; and especially, seeing 
 the gospel was given and the Spirit sent down for our sakes ? 
 These are things \\'hich nearly concern us. 
 
 2. How dangerous a sin is it to degrade or resist the Holy 
 Spirit ? It is not a single, but a complicated evil ; for as the 
 Spirit comes in the name of the Father and the Son ; so he 
 that despises the Spirit, despises the Father and Son, who 
 sent him a : The offence i-uns up as high as Iieaven ; it is not 
 only against the Spirit, hut against the exalted Son, yea, 
 against the Father himself; for as Father and Son are jointly 
 concerned in sending the Spirit, so the authority, wisdom, 
 grace, and love of the Father and Son, as well as of the Spi- 
 rit, are abused and maltreated in every affront put upon the 
 Holy Spirit. Such would do well to consider this, who treat 
 the person or work of the Spirit with coldness, if not con- 
 tem})t : There are dreadful scriptures which lie charged with 
 vengeance and Avrath against such. 
 
 3. What love and honour are due to the Father, Son, and 
 Spirit ? To the Father and Son for sending the Spirit on such 
 a blessed design, and to the Spirit for consenting to come 
 upon it, and for appearing accordingly and accomplishing it ? 
 How would some rejoice if they could possess any relic of 
 any thing that belonged to our Saviour in the days of his 
 flesh, though of no use or benefit to them ? And shall we not 
 be filled with love, joy, and praise, Avhen we consider what a 
 rich and glorious gift is sent by Christ to the church, even 
 the Holy Spirit, wlio comprehends all the blessings of grace 
 and glory in himself? He is the Spirit of grace, and the Spi- 
 rit of glory : Let us then love and adore Father, Son, and 
 Spirit, for this unspeakable gift, the Comforter, whom Christ, 
 according to his promise, did, and still does send to his peo- 
 ple from the Father. 
 
 a Luke x. IG. 
 
rf■yy^./\/■>v>a^^v^y\^^>/v.*^^^^Jfvr^^r^^^Ar> 
 
 OF THE 
 
 EXTERNAL AND EXTRAORDINARY 
 
 WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT : 
 
 IN 
 
 SIX SERMONS. 
 
©F THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 21, 
 
 OF THE OFFICE AND WORKS OF THE HOLY 
 
 SPIRIT. 
 
 SERMON 1. 
 
 PREACHED AUGUST 25th, 1730. 
 
 2 Cor. iii. 8. — How shall not tlie ministration of the Spirit 
 be rather glorious ? 
 
 ItIaving considered the Procession, Personality, and Mis- 
 sion of the Holy Spirit, in several discourses on another text ; 
 I come now to the last part of my design upon tliis subject, 
 to discourse on the Office and Work of the Holy Spirit ; 
 which I think is represented in the words now read, in as full 
 and comprehensive terms as any where in the Bible. 
 
 In this chapter the apostle vindicates his ministiy from the 
 cavils of false teachers, or vain talkers, by shewing that it 
 had been blessed for the conversion of the Corinthians ; and 
 that the gospel doctiine which lie preached, Avas far more 
 excellent than the law : Tliis he makes appear many ways, 
 and particulai'ly by comparing the glory that attended the 
 giving the law, and that ^'hich attends the gospel dispensation : 
 The former was a visible, but terrible glory, in the face of 
 Moses, by whom the law" was given ; and the latter is the 
 glory of the Lord, the Spirit, by whom the gospel is dispensed 
 and administered in its whole extent ; and all the works 
 that att-end this dispensation are the works and the ministiatiou 
 of the Spii'it ; and therefore it is more glorious than the mini- 
 stration of the law by Moses. 
 
 Let us view the comparison in the apostle's words, * If the 
 ministration of death, AAiitten and engraven in stones, Avas 
 glorious, so that the children of Israel coukl not stedfastly be- 
 liold the face of Moses (when he gave the law), for the glory 
 of his countenance, which glory was to be done away: ll^jW 
 
216 OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 shall not the Tninistration of the Spirit be rather glorious?" 
 The comparison here appears to me to be between Moses, 
 the administrator of the law, and the Holy Spirit, the ad- 
 ministrator of the g^ospel. As the Holy Spirit is infinitely su- 
 pcM-ior to Aloses ; so the dispensation of the gospel, by the 
 8})irit, must have infinitely more glory in it than the dispen- 
 sation pf the law by Moses. What was the fading glory in 
 the face of IMoses, to the eternal glory of the Holy Spirit in 
 the gospel salvation ? 
 
 Some, indeed, by the ministration of the Spirit, in my text, 
 understand the gospei, making that a means of conveying the 
 Spirit. The new covenant not only supplies us with life, but, 
 which is greater, with the Spirit himself, which gives that 
 life, says Theophylact a. This is agreeable to other scrip- 
 tures, as in particular to this, ' Received you the Spirit by 
 the worlis of the law, or by the hearing of faith h7 But the 
 question is, whether it be the meaning of my text. The op- 
 position in the comparison, seems to be between two living 
 persons ; and not between the person of Moses and the gospel 
 of Christ, but between the person of Moses and the glory 
 which was upon him in the admmistration of the law, and its 
 condemnation, and the person of the Spirit, and his glory in 
 the administration, or application of the gospel and its sal- 
 vation : So that the Spirit is not here considered as the thing 
 ministered, or given, but as the glorious person, who gives 
 and applies the gospel, and who has the whole gospel salvation 
 in his hands, and performs every work necessary to complete 
 and perfect it. This sense of the words agrees well with the 
 context, and the sentiments of several celebrated interpreters, 
 both ancient and modem. 
 
 In the third verse, the apostle speaks of the Spirit as the 
 efficient cause of the Corinthians' conversion ; they ^vere the 
 epistle of Christ, written by the Spirit : Tlie Holy Spirit had 
 wrote the laws of Christ m their heaits, or impressed the gos- 
 
 Thcophyl. ill loc. b Gcil. iii. 2. 
 
OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY fsriRIT. 217 
 
 pel with power upon their souls. He then adds, tluit the 
 apostles were made ministers of the S{)irit, that Spirit wl)o 
 gives life, even the Holy Ghost, who makes men overseers of 
 the church. This is that Spirit who gives liherty, and changes 
 the Christian from one degree of glory to another, in con- 
 formity to the glory of the Lord. 
 
 Thus we see that the Holy Spirit is the sovereign Agent, 
 Lord, and Administrator of the whole gospel oeconomy, and 
 ' not iDarely the thing administered. " It is evident fi-oni the 
 whole chapter, that the apostle understands hy tlie Sjurit, tlie 
 Spirit of Christ, or the Holy Spirit :" as is observed by Dr. 
 Whitby «. " How much more honomable is the ministry of 
 that Spirit, who is the pledge or earnest of eternal life ?" says 
 another h. ^ The doctrine of the gospel, at first, Avas de- 
 clared fiom the immediate revelation of the Spirit, preached 
 by the assistance of the Spirit, made effectual by his work and 
 power, was accompanied in many by outward miraculous 
 works and effects of the Spirit ; whence the whole of what 
 belonged to it, in opposition to the law, was called the mini- 
 stration of the Spii'it," says Dr. Owen c. Chrysostom d 
 commenting upon my text, obseiTes, " That after the apostle 
 had expressed what was the effect of the letter, (or tlie law.\ 
 namely, death and condemnation ; lie does not mention mat 
 which flows from the Spirit, righteousness and life, but men- 
 tions the Spirit himself ; which amplifies his speech ; for the 
 new covenant not only gives life, but the Spirit, fi'om whom 
 that life flows ; which tridy (says he) is much greater, jind 
 more excellent." 
 
 The word ii<zxsr/«, which we render ministration, signifies 
 ministry, work, or service, whether done by virtue of some 
 
 a In loc. b Grotius in loc. c Owen of the Spirit, p. id. 
 
 d To avo T« y^uju.fACi'l'^ 3-«;, tov B^ecvu'lov x, ty.v KUiocK^isiy, to uvo t* 
 Vfnvf/.ctl'^ isKiTi TiB^'/ifft, TYiv Z,M7^v, ^ 771V "^iKUiorvvviv, ukk aujo TO -arviufta, 
 OTTi^ f/^ei^ova. i'Xoiei tov koyov, y) yaa xuivh ^ia,^r,)c.yi i Z,uy,v idiiv fiaMav, ecXXa 
 TO VMiZy.a, \^^oo'/iyH to t'/iv Z,'Mriv zira^i^ov o WoXXu f^ei^ov T:;i ^a/ya ♦jc — 
 
 Chrysost. in loct Tom. II. p. 569. 
 VOL. ILl. K 
 
^^\S OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 8])ecial office, or otlierwise. It is applied to pastors, apostles, 
 aii^els, and to Christ himself. lumy text, it is applied to the 
 Holy Spirit, and, I apjirehend, denotes the office and work 
 of the Holy Spirit, iVi the oeconomy of our salvation, or that 
 work and office which, by dispensation, the Holy Spiiit was 
 fccnt to fulfil and accomplish. 
 
 Some scruple to assign any office to the Ploly Spirit, lest 
 it should ingenerate too low and mean thoughts of him in the 
 minds of men : But I see no reason why we may not as well^ 
 speak of the office of the Spirit, who is sent by Christ, as 
 we conmionly speak of the offices of Christ, an<l especially 
 ^\ hen Christ himself has styled him the Comforter or Advo- 
 cate, and the Spirit of truth ; and has told us his work, in 
 many parts of it, as to testify of him, glorify him, reprove the 
 world, &c. all which are consistent with the Spirit's equality 
 in natm-e to Father and Son, as lias been proved before. 
 
 By office we intend no more than a special Avork, wliich 
 the Spirit has undertaken to perform, by nmtual agreement 
 between him and the Father and Son ; and therefore, I think, 
 the word is not improper ; however, as it is not, in scripture, 
 applied to him, I shall not contend about the word, if the 
 thing intended by it be allowed a special work, which he has 
 undertaken to perform, in the accomplishment of man's sal- 
 vation, according to the divine (economy : And that such a 
 special work belongs to him, appears from his names and titles, 
 and the prophecy and promises concerning him, contained in 
 scripture. 
 
 Dr. Owen a observes, that the Spirit's bearing witness to 
 Christ, that he was the Son of God, and the. true Messiah, 
 comprises the head and fountain of the whole office of the 
 Holy Spirit towards the church. And when the Holy Ghost 
 said, ' Separate me Barnabas and Saul ;' He spoke as one 
 entered upon an office or work committed to him, and entnisted 
 with him, says Dr. Goodwin b ; and it is as if he had said, 
 " This is my work proper to me ; I am the immediate Go- 
 
 « Of the Spirit, p. 1 19. I Of the Holy Ghost, p. 11. 
 
OF THE WO^KS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 019 
 
 vornor and administrator herein ; for all tliat any ways con- 
 cerns the edification of the church is committed to niy ma- 
 nagement and care." The leanied and accurate a biblioi) 
 Pearson thinks, that the Spirit of God is called the Holy Sj)!- 
 ritj because it is his particular office to sanctify or make us 
 Iioly : " But," says he, " when I speak of the office of tliM 
 Holy Ghost, I do not understand any ministerial office or 
 function, such as that of the created angels is ; for I have prov- 
 ed this Spirit to be a person properly divine, and consequently 
 above »*! ministration ; but I intend thereby, Avhatsoever i.s 
 attributed to him peculiarly in the salvation of man, as the 
 work wrought by him, for which lie is sent by the Father and 
 Son." " Anotlier," says Chrysostom h, " is the Lord, who 
 distributes these gifts ; for the Holy Spirit is Lord ; the Fa- 
 ther, Son, and Spirit, divided among themselves the dispensa- 
 tion undertaken for oui* sake." 
 
 The Spirit is the interpreter of tlie Father and Son, per- 
 fonning towards us the office of a Counsellor and a Comforter ; 
 as the learned Turretine c expresses it. According to these 
 representations, I understand the office of the Holy Ghost. 
 Some may think it to be of little moment, whether we con- 
 sider the Holy Spirit acting as in office, or not : As to the word 
 office, it is not so material whether we use it or not, if an- 
 other, or other words can be found that express the thing de- 
 signed by it, or a special work in man's salvation ; which the 
 Holy Spirit is engaged by the Father and Son, and his own 
 consent, to perform : But if we may let go the word office, 
 yet we must, by no means, let go the thing intended by it, 
 the solemn engagement of the Holy Spirit to fulfil the woi k 
 allotted to him in our salvation. It is a matter of great con- 
 I sequence, and of great encouragement and comfort, to look 
 
 a On the Creed, p. 326, 327. 
 
 b "EtTiPOi xv^i<^ %ia,nf/.MV to. ^aj^ec ravra, h, ycc^ to ■5rysf,«a kuoh; irn, k 
 
 ) sost> d. s. Peutecoste, torn. b. p. 491. 
 c Vol. I. p. 334. 
 
220 OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 upon the application and perfecting our redemption, as a work 
 given to the Holy Spirit to do, and which he lias engaged 
 to the Fatlier and Son, who sent him, to accomplish. It is 
 then no occasional and uncertain work, but what he has un- 
 dertaken to finish and perfect. 
 
 Christ says, that the Father would send the Spirit in his 
 name, and that he should take of his things, and glorify him : 
 he was to come to supply Christ's absence, carry on his work, 
 and perfect the salvation which Christ was to be to the ends 
 of the earth ; and this takes in all that is included in what we 
 call the work and office of the Holy Spirit. Christ had pro^ 
 raised to be with his ministers to the end of the world a ; but 
 soon after the promise was given, he was taken up out of their 
 sight ; how then did he make good his promise ? how was he, 
 how could he be with them to the end of the world ? Does 
 not Paul say, * Henceforth know we Christ no more after 
 the flesh b ?' And elsewhere we read, that the heavens must 
 retain him to the time of the restitution of all things c. What 
 then becomes of the promise of Christ's being with the apos- 
 tles, and their successoi's, to the end of the world ? I answer, 
 Christ fulfils the promise by the Spirit, who is his represen- 
 tative, who is sent in his name by the Father, and whose 
 work It is to take of the things of Christ, and to shew them 
 to us d. So that the faithfulness and honour of Christ are 
 very much concerned in the Holy Spirit's discharging his office, 
 and fulfilling his work. 
 
 Salvation is not the effect of cliance, or of unconcerted 
 measures, but of infinite foresight, knowledge, and counsel : 
 if a spaiTOW does not fall to the ground without our heavenly 
 Father, much less does so great a work as man's salvalioa 
 come to pass, without a previous scheme and agreement liow 
 the whole should b(? transacted : This is called God's working 
 all things according to tlie counsel of his own will e ; which 
 was to gather together in one, all things in Christ, in the dis- 
 
 a Mat. xxviii. 19. — Acts i. 9. h 2 Cor. v. 17. c Acts iii. 27. 
 
 </ J«hn iv. 16. ; xvi. 14^ e Eph. i. 11. 
 
I 
 
 OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 221 
 
 pensation of the fulness of times. The covenant is ordered 
 in all things relating to man's salvation ; and the Holy Spirit 
 being called to it by the Father and Son, has taken upon 
 him this part or office, to ^ply and perfect the salvation of 
 the redeemed ; and his love, faithfulness, and honour, are as 
 much concerned in perfecting, as Christ's were in purchasing 
 our salvation. Hence the apostle speaks of the sealing work 
 of the Spuit a, and represents him as the Spirit of wisdom 
 and revelation, in the knowledge of Christ ; and mentions his 
 mighty power in working faith, and creatmg us in Christ Jesus 
 to good works, and in bringing both Jews and Gentiles to the 
 enjoyment of God through Christ ; ' For by one Spirit, we 
 both have an access, through Christ, to the Father.' This is 
 all according to ceconoray, and office, according to the coun- 
 sel of the divine will, in which it was agreed and determined 
 what the Father should do, and what the Son should do, and 
 also what the Holy Spirit should do in the work of man's 
 salvation. And this may be sufficient to clear what is intend- 
 ed by the Work and Office of the Holy Spirit, relating to 
 Salvation ; the whole gospel dispensation being a ministration 
 of the Spirit. 
 
 There are some things which it may be necessary to hint 
 before I enter upon the particular works of the Holy Spi- 
 rit. 
 
 1. There are some works of the Spirit which may be call- 
 ed natural ; as the work of creation, wherein the Spirit con- 
 curred and wrought as the third person in the Trinity, and 
 not as sent by the Father and Son ; the Spirit being one in 
 nature with the Father and Son, could not but also be one in 
 operation with them in making the world. This work is not, 
 strickly speaking, a part of the dispensation ; but yet, wlien 
 we treat of the Work of the Spirit in general, none of the 
 works ascribed to him in scripture ought to be omitted. 
 
 The operations of the Spirit, which ai-e internal, and im- 
 mediately respect the Father and Son, m the communion of 
 
 a Eph. i. IS, 17, 19.; ii. 10, 18. 
 
•2'22 OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 tlie one undivided Godhead, are natural and necessary, not by 
 dispensation or ap:reonient ; as for example a, the Spirit's love 
 to the Father and Son, and his searching and knowing the 
 (loop things of God. If there never had been any oeconomy 
 of salvation, or any salvation of sinners at all ; yet there would 
 have been such a work of the Spirit as is last mentioned : It 
 could not be otherwise ; it is the result of nature, and of those 
 divine perfections whereof the Holy Spirit is possessed as 
 God, ;vho must know all thuigs, and love both Father and 
 Son. 
 
 2. A sober, humble, and diligent Inquiiy into the work of 
 the Spirit is very necessary; so it has been at all times, but 
 never more than in our day, wherein men are so full of them- 
 selves, and so fond of their own works, tliat they have almost 
 excluded the Spirit and his work from their religion ; as the 
 writings and discourses of too many make evi<lent. The 
 Psalmist says, that ' the works of God are great, sought out 
 of all them that have pleasure therein ; his work is honourable 
 and glorious ; he has made his wonderful works to be remem- 
 bered b.' If this is tnie of God's works in general, then surely 
 the Avorks of the Spirit, which are the most gloiious works, 
 ought not to lie neglected : The scnpture is full of them, from 
 one end of the Bible to the other ; and it is strange to see 
 how industriously some seem to overlook them, or to lessen, 
 and explain them away, or to ascribe to their own spirits 
 what belongs to the Holy Spirit. Is not this one great thing 
 that has quenched and grieved him, and caused him to with- 
 draw and leave us in such a deplorable condition ? It is high 
 time then to awake out of sleep, and to do what we can in 
 vindication of the glorious work of the Holy Spirit. If we 
 honour him he will honour us ; but if we despise him, what 
 can we expect but to be lightly esteemed ? Is it not pecu- 
 liarly ungrateful and base to grieve and dishonour lum, who 
 is the author of all our comfort, grace, and glory? thus to re- 
 quite him, O how foolish and unwise is it ? How necessary 
 
 a Sec Dr. Owen on the Spiiit, p. lo. b Psal. cxi. 2 — k 
 
OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 22S 
 
 then is it to gird up the loins of our minds, and to search out, 
 as far as Ave can, his great, and honourahle, and glorious works, 
 and not to be ashamed to own that we have a pleasure there- 
 in? 
 
 3. It must be owned that there is a great deal of difficulty 
 wliich attends this inquiry ; a great part of his work is the 
 hidden wisdom of God in a mystery; as we only hear the 
 sound of the wind, but know not whence it comes, nor whitl>er 
 it goes ; so is every one that is horn of the Spirit a. If the 
 w'wiiX caii neither be compreliended nor governed by us, and 
 though we hear and feel it, we can neither see nor restrain 
 it ; how should we comprehend the more secret and hidden 
 work of tlie Spirit in regeneration, or the new birth ? Chry- 
 sostora h speaks thus : " If you do not know the way of the 
 wind, which you hear and feel, how should you be able to 
 search out ihe work of the divine Spirit ?" The words of 
 Solomon may very fitly he cited upon this head : * As thou 
 knowest not what is the way of the Spirit, nor how the bones 
 grow in the womb of her that is with child, even so thou 
 knowest not the works of God who makes all c' O how 
 unsearchable are his works, and his ways past our finding 
 out ! It therefore must not be expected that we should be able 
 to attain to a full comprehensive knowledge of the Avork of 
 the Spirit. But j'et, Avhat may be knoAvn is to be sought 
 after. 
 
 4. We gi-eatly need, and should much desire the aids of 
 the Spirit, whilst we speak and .think on the works of the 
 Spirit. As the apostle prayed for the Ephesians, that they 
 might know the love of Christ, Avhich passes knoAvledge d ; 
 so should Ave pray for ourselves and one another, that Ave may 
 
 a John iii. 8. 
 
 h E/ yk^ rdra ry ■srviv/u.aj'^ S rr,v oltB-'/ia-iv VixV '''V ^^^V^ ^ '"^ ^'PV "^^''^ 
 epf/.hv ipf/Aviv<ruc ix o'lou;, iiTi v/iv ohov ; zsrui tyiv uto tu S«» zsrnvu.tt.tSf 
 
 Chrysost. in John iii, 8. Tom. viii. p. 161. 
 
 c Eccl. xi. 5. d Eph. i. 17, 18. 
 
224 OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 have the Spirit of wisdom to enlighten the eyes of our un- 
 derstandings in tlie knowledge of the things of the Spirit, 
 though as to the gi'eatness and perfection of them they pass 
 our knowledge. We can see the works of the Spirit only in 
 the light of the Spirit. The natural man cannot know the 
 things of the Spirit of God, because they are spiritually dis- 
 cenied : What need then have we to pray for the Spirit, that 
 by his liglit we may discern the beauty and excellency of his 
 works, and, by his grace, be enabled to give him the glory of 
 them. 
 
 5. There is an exact agi'eement between the works of the 
 Spirit and the word of God ; and therefore all impulses, re- 
 velations, or pretended operations of the Spirit, which are 
 contrary to, or have no foundation in the scriptures, ai*e to 
 be rejected as enthusiastic fancies, or satanical delusions. 
 * To the law and to the testimony ; if they speak not accord- 
 ing to this word, it is because there is no light in them a* 
 All our sentiments of the Spirit and his works must be de- 
 rived from, and consonant to the written word ; whatever is 
 not according to this word, is darkness, though advanced as 
 new light and farther revelation. The Holy Spirit was not 
 to speak or act of himself, or any thing disagreeable to the 
 scriptures, or doctrine of Christ ; ' He shall receive of mine,' 
 said Christ, * and shall shew it to you h^ We therefore dis- 
 claim every doctrine or work ascribed to the Spirit, which is 
 contrary to the word and glory of Christ. 
 
 When men pretend to be guided by the Spirit, and deny 
 Christ's deity, incarnation, sufferings, resurrection, or inter- 
 cession, or the ordinances of Christ, as baptism and the Lord's 
 supper, as the Quakers do, or the resurrection of the body, 
 which Christ taught, and of which he assured us ; these men 
 are not actuated by the Spirit of God : for the spirit which 
 conducts them, does not take of the things of Christ, but re- 
 jects them ; does not glorify Christ, but dishonour liim, by 
 contradicting Iiis doctrines, and trampling upon his commands ; 
 
 a Isa. viil. 20. h John xvi. 13. 
 
OF THE WORKS OF THE HOtY SPIRIT. 225 
 
 which cannot be the Avork of the Holy Sphit, who Morifies 
 Christ, and leads men into the truth. 
 
 We are strictly enjoined a not to believe every spirit, but 
 to try the spirits, whether they be of God ; we must then 
 have some rule to try them by, and that, in general, is the 
 tendency and effect of then- notions and works ; and in par- 
 ticular, the written word, which is not the enemy, but the 
 sword of the Spirit. ' No man speaking by the Spirit of God, 
 calls Jesus accursed ; and no man can say, that Jesus is Lord, 
 but by the Holy Ghost h : It is his work to glorify Christ by 
 testifying of him, and taking of his things, and shewing them 
 to men. The Holy Spirit is one, and uniform in his con- 
 duct ; such as he is in the word, such he is in his works : 
 He is not divided against, or contrary to himself. We are 
 tlien to bring all doctrines, and all works ascribed to the Holy 
 Spirit, to the rule of the ^^Titten word ; and if they agi'ee not 
 to this rule, they are none of his ; they do not belong to him, 
 whatever is pretended. And in walking by this rule, we 
 shall keep clear of Quakerism, and all other enthusiasms, and 
 new lights or revelations, falsely ascribed to the Holy Spirit. 
 The canon of scripture we believe to be completed, and that 
 nothing is to be added to the inspired wiitings ; nor may wo 
 now allow of any inspired interpretation of them : Whoever 
 pretends to either, is imder the conduct of an evil spirit, and 
 not of the Holy Spirit. 
 
 I shall therefore here declare, once for all, that I reject, with 
 abhorrence, all impulses, motions, or suggestions, which ad- 
 vance any new doctrines not contained in the Bible, or any 
 new duties not enjoined there, or any new works of the Spirit 
 not ascribed to him in the word of God, or any new joys or 
 comforts which are not warranted thereby. Nothing is to be 
 taught, believed, or received, concerning the Holy Spirit and 
 his work, but what is contained in, and may be proved from 
 the holy scriptures. And if, whilst we keep close to this 
 rule, any shall ciiai'ge us with enthusiasm, or nonsense, let 
 
 «.] Johuiv. 1. b I Co.*. xii. 3, 
 
 k2 
 
226 OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 them do it at their peril ; for the charge lies not against us, 
 but against the holy scriptures, and the author of thein, to 
 whom they must answer for it. 
 
 That there have been, and tliat there are enthusiasms, and 
 vile opinions and practices, ascribed to the Holy Spirit, is not 
 denied : But must we therefore deny or discard the real work 
 of the Spirit ? or ought it not the more diligeivtly to he iii- 
 (piired into, that Ave may discern between things that differ, 
 embrace and hold fast the truth, and reject every vile and 
 false opinion or work imputed to the Holy Spirit, so much to 
 his dishonour, and the detriment of true religion ? 
 
 The written word, A^hich gives us an account of the Holy 
 Spirit and his works, has been confirmed and attested by di- • 
 verse signs and miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost a ; but 
 the pretenders to visions and new revelations, the inward af- 1 
 flatus, and infallible teachings of the Spirit, must first confirm 
 their doctiines by like miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost, 
 and produce like testimonials from heaven, as the holy scrip- 
 tures have had, before their sayings be owned as the oracles 
 of God, or their authority be admitted, as to any doctrines 
 they teach, or works or duties which they advance under the 
 name of the Holy Spirit. I thought this a matter of great 
 importance, and therefore hope I shall be excused for en- 
 larging so much upon it : But I will conclude these prelimi- 
 nary considerations with observing, in the last place, that, 
 
 6. There are many and glorious works mentioned in scrip- 
 tine; which, though they are applied eminently to the Holy 
 Spirit, yet not separately, or exclusive of the Fa*.her and the 
 Son, tlie worl« of the Trinity towards the creatures being 
 undivided. 
 
 Hence we often find the same work attributed in one place 
 to the Father, in another to the Son, and in a third to the 
 Holy Spirit. Thus Christ is said to be raised from the dead 
 hy his Father, by himself, ami by the Holy Spirit : So like- 
 wise (lod the Father is said to comfort his people, and Christ 
 
 « Ihb. ii. 4. 
 
OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 227 
 
 is the Comforter ; and yet the Spirit, by way of eminence, 
 has the title of the Comforter, and of another Comforter. 
 This consideration may much help us in understanding the 
 ', scriptures, which apply various works to all the divine per- 
 sons, but yet eminently assign them to one of them. Some 
 works are eminently ascribed to the Father or Son, yet not 
 exclusively of the Spirit, and other works are chiefly applied 
 to the Spirit, yet not exclusive of the Son ; and therefore, in 
 discoursing of the divine works, we are no more to exclude 
 the Spirit from those which are eminently attributed to the 
 Fatlier or the Son, than we are to exclude the Father and 
 Son from those works which are eminently assigned to the 
 Spirit. But here it must be carefully observed, that I am not 
 now speaking of those works which are purely personal ; for 
 so the assumption of our nature strictly belonged to the Son, 
 but neither to the Father nor Holy Spirit. 
 
 Having premised these necessary observations, I come now 
 to consider more particularly the Avorks of the Holy Spiiit, as 
 they are afiirmed of, or applied to him in scripture. 
 
 I. One gi'eat work assigned to the Holy Spirit, is that of 
 the old or first creation. 
 
 Creation, as the scriptures and the ancient writers represent 
 it, belongs to the Holy Spirit ; ' The Spirit of the Lord mov- 
 ed on the face of the waters «.' Some would understand this 
 of the air or wind, but that element was not yet sepaiated 
 from the confused chaos, or brought into its proper form : 
 And the Spirit here spoke of, is not said to be created, but 
 to act in the forming the parts of the confused mass into their 
 several beings, and the giving them their beautiful forms, 
 order, and dependencies. This was the work of the Holy 
 Spirit ; he gave a vital and prolific power to the several beings 
 formed out of the first confused mass. ' By his Spirit God 
 has garnished the heavens ; his hand has formed the crooked 
 seqient b :' When he moved upon the waters, he said, ' Let 
 there be light, and there was liglit ;' and he divided the light 
 
 a Gen. i. 2. Job xxvi. 13. 
 
2'28 OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 from the darkness, and afterwards placed, the fourth day, t]ie 
 various luminaries in their delightful order and aspects : " He 
 lias garaished the heavens, and he has adorned them, and 
 made them thus heautiful as we behold them ; his power 
 made the milky way, and other celestial signs, whose wind- 
 ings are so wonderful «." ' By the word of the Lord were 
 the lieavens made, and all the host of them b by the Breath 
 or Spirit of his mouth,' the Holy Spirit, not the wind, that 
 made not the host of heaven. Irenseus, citing this text, says, 
 tliat He (God) made all things, visible and invisible, not by 
 angels, nor by any powers separated from his own mind ; for 
 the God of all stands in need of nothing, but, by his own 
 Word and Spirit, makes, goveras, and gives being to all 
 things c' The prophet Isaiah, speaking of the creation of 
 the world, says, ' WTio has directed the Sphit of the Lord, 
 or being his counsellor, has taught him d ?' The Holy Spirit 
 manifested his own wisdom and might in the work of crea- 
 tion. 
 
 Man, the head and noblest part of the visible creation, was 
 tlie workmanship of the Holy Spirit : This is thought to be 
 ilk luded in these words, ' Let us make man. Remember 
 thy Creators. Let Israel rejoice in his Makers. Where is 
 God my Makers e ?' These plural expressions the ancients in- 
 sisted on, as proving that more persons than one were con- 
 cerned in the v/ork of creation : and Justin Martyr particu* 
 larly proves that the plural terms signified more than one per- 
 son, or rational agent, from these words, ' Behold the man is 
 become like one of us, knowing good and evil ;' " Where,'* 
 says hejT, " there is one speaking to one other at least, dis- 
 
 a Patrick in loc. b Psnl. xxxiii. 6. 
 
 c Iienseus, lib. 1. c. 22. § 1. — See Mr. Alexander's Essay on Ire-, 
 nseus, p. 19 — 25. d Isa. xl. 13. 
 
 e Gen. i. 26.— Eccl. xii. 1.— Psal. cxlix. 2.— Job xxxv. 10. 
 
 f Aoya; rtss li^yifi^iva; ujr' aJ]» t5 Mus'iio; -zyaX/v Wo^riffu, 1% mv ava^^/X- 
 iK\ui zirpoi Tivcx, X, u.(iB-/iiui ovja Vrs^av, XoytKov v'Va.^y^ovlK, ouiXyixiycn avih 
 tttyvuvxi 'i^OfAiv U(r» 'c^z It \oyci 5 ror x, ei'TTiv o ©s^f, "Icsf Aoocf.i ylycviv u'g 
 
OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 229 
 
 tinct in number, and rational or intelligent." Tlie propriety 
 of the expression, and justness of the thought, will appear, 
 if we annex to the cited texts, some that expressly ascribe the 
 creation to the Son and Spirit ; all things are said to be made 
 by tlie Logos or Word a ; and Elihu says, ' The Spirit of 
 God has made me, and the breatli of tlie Almighty has given 
 me hfe 3.' The same Spiiit that created one, may justlv be 
 supposed to have been equally concerned in creating all men ; 
 and it is his work, as well as the Father's and the Son's. 
 
 A wonderful instance and evidence of the Spirit's creating 
 power and operations we have in his forming the human na- 
 ture of Christ in the womb of the Virgin, of which I hav« 
 spoken formerly, and of which I shall have occasion to take 
 farther notice hereafter, and therefore shall not enlarge upon 
 it here. We cannot doubt the Spirit's being Creator, when 
 we know the author of our Lord's incarnation. 
 
 The variety, beauty, and excellence of his wonderful works, 
 proclaim the praise and glory of their gi-eat Creator : He must 
 be wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working, who is 
 IMaker of heaven and earth, and all things therein, visible and 
 invisible, the earth, air, water, and fire ; birds and beasts, trees 
 and plants, and all the riches hid in the bowels of the earth, and 
 the bottom of the seas ; the heavens, and all their hosts, sun, 
 moon, and stars, and those higher species of beings, men and 
 angels. The Psalmist, recounting many parts and wonders of 
 the creation, adds this just reflection ; ' O Lord, how ma- 
 nifold are thy works ! in wisdom hast thou made them all ; 
 the earth is full of thy riches, so is the wide and gi*eat sea e.' 
 And elsewhere he observes, that ' the heavens declare the 
 glory of the Lord, and the firmament shews forth his handy- 
 works c?.' The Holy Spirit, together with the Father and the 
 
 «5 \\ vip-uVf t5 ytvutTKHv xeckov i^ 'srayyi^ov. "Of>« iv ^tuv, "il; ei; l^ vfcuiv, 
 5 apiB-f^ov Tuv uXXviXoti ffuvovruv, ^ to iXci^i^'ev di/o fiiju,i:vuaiv»'—J\iStlIX 
 Mart. Dial, cum Tryphone, p. 285. 
 
 a John i. 3. b Job xxxiii. 4. c Psal. civ. 2i, 25. 
 
 d Fsal. xix. 1. 
 
230 OF THE WORKS OF THE IIOL\ SPIRIT. 
 
 Son, being the Creator of all tilings, 1ms thereby discovered 
 )iis eternal power and Godhead ci^ and the reality, majesty, 
 and glory of his divine person. " The primitive chmx'h (says 
 a celebrated writer) believed, tliat Father, Son, and Holy 
 Ghost, were distinct persons, and all jointly concemed in the 
 creation of the world ; not as many creators, but as one Crea- 
 tor, not dividing the work into parts, but as concurring in the 
 whole, and in eveiy part ^." And, as the same person ob- 
 serves, " Avhenever scripture intended to raise in men's minds 
 such esteem and veneration as they ought to have for the su- 
 preme God of Israel c ;" nothing higher or greater could be 
 said than this ; that he had created the universe, had laid the 
 foundations of the earth, and that the heavens Avere the worka 
 of liis hands d, " As for the terraqueous globe, the earth, lie 
 has laid the foundations thereof, divided it into sea and land, 
 garnished it with trees, plants, and flowers, stocked it with 
 living creatm*es for the use of man, and plentifully furnished 
 it with the most inexpressible variety. Every herb that grows, 
 every spire of grass that springs up, every creeping tiling that 
 moves upon the face of the earth, proclaims the wisdom of its 
 INIaker;" as the same learned e writer speaks. And as he^ 
 adds, " If we survey the magnitude of the heavenly bodies, 
 some smaller, some vastly bigger than our earthly globe, all 
 of an amazing size and greatifess ; if we consider the nice 
 proportion of their distances, the regularity of their situations, 
 the harmony of their courses, and the uniformity of all their 
 motions, they cannot but raise in us an idea of the infinite 
 power, wisdom, and greatness of him that made them." And 
 seeing this is the work of the Holy Spirit, as well as of the 
 Father and the Son, it ought to be ascribed to him, and the 
 glory due to him, on the account of it, should be freely and 
 openly given liim. 
 
 II. Providence is another work in which the Holy Spirit is 
 
 « Rom. i, 20. h Dr. Waterland's second Sermon, p. 78^ 
 
 c Third Sermon, p. 00. d Psfil. cii. 25, 26. 
 
 £ Third Sermon, p. 8 j. / Third Sermon, p. 87. 
 
OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 231 
 
 intimately conceraed, as the scriptures witness, both in the 
 Old Testament and the New. 
 
 The Psalmist said, ' Thou sendest forth thy Spirit, and 
 they are created ; thou renewest the face of the earth a.' 
 The same Spirit who created all things at first, and gave order 
 and beauty to the various parts of his work, cai'ries on a suc- 
 cession of individuals of each kind, as the former fail and die 
 away ; and he restores the order and beauty of his works, 
 when fallen to decay ; the earth, and all things that giow 
 upon it, being, as it were, dead in the winter, are revived 
 and renewed again in the spring, and appear with new life, 
 beauty, and glory, through the powerful influence of the Holy 
 Spirit : This is his providential work, called a creating and 
 renewing the face of the earth. To whatever other causes 
 men may ascribe this wonderful work, yet the scriptures ex- 
 pressly proclaim the Holy Spirit to be the efficient cause and 
 author of it, in the continual course and exercise of liis provi- 
 dential care and influence. The conservation of the whole is 
 carried on by a new creation of such parts as were wanting. 
 Elihu, long after the first creation, owtis the Spirit to have 
 been his Maker or Creator, as Avas noted before b. 
 
 The conducting and protecting Israel through the Red Sea 
 and the wilderness, was the work of the Holy Spirit ; for thus 
 spoke Isaiah, ' Where is he that put his Holy Spiiit within 
 him, that led them by the right hand of Moses, that led them 
 through the deep ? The Spirit of the Lord caused him to rest, 
 80 didst thou lead thy people c' It was the Holy Spirit that 
 qualified the rulers of the people, called them to, and assisted 
 them in their work ; by him were Moses and the rest of the 
 prophets conducted, in the Theocracy the Jews were under : 
 It was, both in civil and military things, a ministration of the 
 Spirit ; when the enemy came in as a flood dj he lifted up a 
 standard against them. It was he that separated e some who 
 had no might to build the second temple. And in the gospel- 
 
 a Fsal. eiv. 30. b Job xxxiii. i. c Isa. Ixiii. II — 14. 
 
 d Isa. iix. 19. e Zech. iv. iy, <'. 
 
232 OP THE WORK.t OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 oeconomy, his providential influence clearly appears ; by liim 
 one apostle strikes a man blind, another strikes others dead^ 
 and by them the dead were raised to life ; All gifts, admini- 
 strations, and operations are from the Holy Spiiit : From the. 
 time of his glorious mission, he has been at work in the 
 world r/, reproving of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment : 
 He will, at last, be the ruin of Antichrist, and the author of 
 that glorious work which sliall be eflfected in the latter day. 
 
 If we consider these things, how applicable to him ^ ill the- 
 Psalmist's description of providence appear to be ; ' The Lord 
 looketh from heaven, and beholdeth all the sons of men ; he 
 fdshioneth their hearts alike, he considereth all their works b^ 
 Is it not reasonable to suppose, that lie, the wise Creator^ 
 should take care of, and govern what he made, and direct 
 every thing to the ends designed by him ? When Christ is af-- 
 firmed to have made the worlds, in the very next verse we 
 read, that he upholds all things c : Creation and providence 
 are not to be divided ; the same ends are pursued in both, and' 
 therefore he that does the one does tlie other also. 
 
 If providence consists in the divine wisdom directing, the 
 divine will appointing, and the divine power executing, and 
 performing events ; then providence is properly the work of ^ 
 the Holy Spirit, as may be seen in the instances before men- 
 tioned, and in many others that miglit be produced. I will 
 only mention one ; that is, the Spirit's directing and ordering 
 Paul's course in fulfilling his ministry ; when he would have 
 gone into Bithynia, the Spirit suffered him not ; but sent him 
 into Macedonia, where Lydia was converted, and afterwards 
 the jailor and others d : Nor are we to think that this over- 
 raling hand of the Spirit was his only providential work ; ask. 
 he still makes, so he conducts the com'se of his ministers still, 
 though in a different way from that relating to Paul. And 
 thus we see how the gieat works of providence are the works 
 of the Spirit, as well as of the Father and Son. 
 
 a John xvi. 8. b Psal. xxxiii. 13—15. . c Heb. i. % 3. 
 
 4 Acts xvi. 7, 9. 
 
OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 23S 
 
 APPLICATION. 
 
 1. How fit is the Holy Spirit to be Christ's successor and 
 vicegerent, to come in liis name, and cany on his work ? He 
 wlio is God the Creator, is also God the Comforter : He who 
 created the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth, and 
 forms the spirit of man within him a ; he is infinitely able to 
 create Jerusalem a rejoicing-, and her people a joy ; to restore 
 comfort to her and her mourners, and to create the fruit of 
 the lips, peace, peace to him that is nigh, and to him that is 
 afar oiF. When Christ promised and sent the Spirit to supply 
 his absence, he provided well for his people : The greatest 
 comforts and benefits they had received from his bodily pre- 
 sence and ministry were by means of the Spirit, who anointed 
 him 5, to bind up the broken-hearted, and to preach glad tid- 
 ings to the meek. 
 
 Christ, speaking of this other Comforter, says to his dis- 
 ciples, ' You know him ; for he dwells with you, and shall be 
 in you c' He dwelt with them, and they had seen his 
 power and grace in the ministry of Christ ; and Christ pro- 
 mised that he should dwell in them, by an extraordinary in- 
 finite power and presence, such as they enjoyed wlien he was 
 shed down upon them, and discovered all the perfections of 
 wisdom, goodness, and power required in the infinite Creator 
 and Governor of the world. If we view the Holy Spirit in 
 this light, and as vested with this august character, there is 
 no room to doubt of his sufficiency to fill up Christ's place, 
 and carry on his work of salvation. When Job had heai'd 
 from God of his wonderful works of creation and providence, 
 he drew this conclusion, ' I know that thou canst do every 
 thing, and that no thought can be withheld from thee d^ The 
 Holy Spirit is Creator and Governor, he can do eveiy thing, 
 finish the work given him to do. 
 
 2. Is the Holy Spirit so much concerned in the works of 
 
 a Isa. Ixv. 18. ; xvil. 19. h Isa. Ixi. 1. 
 
 c Jtthn xiv. 17. d Job xKi. 2. 
 
234* OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 creation and providence ; then what subjection and obedienca 
 do we owe to him ? ' O come let U8 worship and bow down, 
 let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. To-day, if you will 
 Iiear his voice, harden not your hearts cl This is expressly 
 applied to the Holy Ghost by the apostle b ; which enforces 
 the exhortation to bow down before him, and to hear and 
 obey Ijis voice. Seeing he is the Father of our spirits, and 
 the fountain of our comforts, it is highly reasonable that we 
 should be subject to him : He has made us, and not we our- 
 selves ; and therefore we should serve him with gladness; ' Thy 
 hands have made me and fashioned me,' said the Psalmist, 
 'give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments <?.' 
 The scriptures d represent it as the most horrid and heinous 
 evil, for those whom God has nourished and brought up, to 
 rebel against him. Seeing then the Spirit of God has made 
 us, and the Breath of the Almighty has given us life, it is 
 most highly reasonable that we should yield subjection and 
 obedience to him. 
 
 3. Wliat confidence and comfort may believers draw from 
 this doctrine? ' Happy is lie whose hope is in the Lord his 
 (iod, which made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that 
 therein is e' When we are ready to sink and despond, 
 under a sense of spiritual declensions in the church, or in our- j 
 selves, what relief may be received from that word ? ' Hast 
 thou not known, hast thou not beard, that the everlastins; 
 God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, faints 
 iu>t, neither is weary ? there is no searching of his understand- 
 ing ; lie gives power to the faint, and to them that have no 
 might he increases strength/.' He that created all things 
 can create us in Christ Jesus to good works ; he that renews 
 the face of the earth, can renew our souls, give power to the 
 faint, and increase strength to them that have no might : He 
 is a free Spirit, an Almighty Spirit, and therefore is fit to pre- 
 
 « Tsal. xcv. 6, 7. b Ileb. iii. 7. c Kal. cxix. 73. 
 
 '^ Is^- »• 2. e Psal. cxlvi. o, 6. 
 
 /Isa. xl. 18, 19— Eph. il. 10. 
 
OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 235 
 
 serve and uphold us. Greater is he that is in the saints than 
 he that is in the world a ; to him therefore w6 are to look, on 
 him we are to depend, to strengthen us with all might, to re- 
 vive, carry on, and perfect his own work ; for he who created 
 and upholds all things, can do every thing, overcome all ene- 
 mies and opposition, and lead us with joy into the land of up- 
 rightness. 
 
 Let us remember that the Creator and Comforter meet in 
 one ; ' I, even I am he that comforts you ; who art thou that 
 art afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man, that 
 shall be made as grass ? and forgettest the Lord thy Maker ? 
 who stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of 
 the earth h7 Is there not more in God the Creator and Sanc- 
 tifier to encourage us, than there can be in the greatest and 
 Avorst of creatures to deject and dishearten us ? Does not the 
 Lord the Spirit do all according to his own sovereign and gra- 
 cious will ? wherefore let us lift up the hands that hang down, 
 and strengthen the feeble knees ? let the believer then say, 
 The Lord, the Almighty Spirit is my helper ; I will not fear 
 what enemies can do against me : My help comes from the 
 Lord, who made heaven and earth ; he will not suffer my foot 
 to be moved. 
 
 4. What praise and glory are due to the Holy Spirit, the 
 maker and ruler of all things ? As such, he must have an in- 
 terest in that noble ascription of glory and praise recorded by 
 the Psalmist ; ' Praise him, all his angels ; praise him, all his 
 hosts. Praise you him, sun and moon ; praise him, all you 
 stars of light. Praise him, you heavens of heavens. Let 
 them praise the name of the Lord ; for he commanded, and 
 they were created c' And let all saints, when they behold 
 the sun, moon, and stai's, say, What is man ? who are we, 
 that thou shouldst be mindful of us, and take our poor bo- 
 dies for thy temple, who hast the whole heavens for thy 
 throne, and all the earth for thy footstool ? Thou who char- 
 gest the angels with folly, and the heavens are not pure in 
 
 « ] John iv. 4. h IsR. li. 12, 13. c Fsal. cxlviii. 2-^6. 
 
'2'36 OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 thy sight ; thou the infinitely great God, before whom all the 
 inhabitants of tlie earth are as nothing ; for thou madest them 
 out of nothing ; How is it that thou wilt dwell in us, be our 
 God, and make us thy people ? Thou art the Spirit of glory, 
 and the lieavens declare thy glory ; and we, thy workman- 
 ship, and thy temples, have the greatest reason to praise and 
 honour thee, for the works of creation and providence, and 
 especially for that gracious muiistration of thine which is 
 rather glorious. 
 
 OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 SERMON II. 
 
 PREACHED NOVEMBER 3d, 1730. 
 
 2 Cor. iii. 8. — Hoiv shall not the ministry of the Spirit 
 be rather glorious ? 
 
 A HE main question in settling the sense of these words is, 
 whether the ministration of the Spirit is to be taken in an 
 active or passive sense, whether the Spirit be the thing mini- 
 stered, or the administrator of those things which render this 
 dispensation so very glorious. The reasons inclining me to 
 understand the words in the latter sense, or that the Spiiit is 
 here spoke of, as the agent, or administrator of the glorious 
 things intended, are these that follow : 
 
 1. Because the Spirit is, in the context, spoke of in an ac- 
 tive sense ; ' The Spirit gives life :' He is, indeed, given by 
 Christ, but yet so as that he himself is the giver of life ; he 
 is the Spirit of life, and the immediate author of all spiritual 
 life in the souls of men : The gospel would have been as 
 much a dead letter as the law, if the all-quickening Spirit 
 had not wrought with it, and by it : Hence the apostle a dis- 
 
 u 1 Thcss. i. 5, 6, 9. 
 
OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 237 
 
 tinguished between receiving the gospel in word only, and 
 the receiv-ing it in power, and in the Holy Ghost ; which 
 latter was the cause of the Thessalonians' following the Lord 
 and serving the living God. So then the Spirit is not only- 
 administered, but is also the administrator and giver of that 
 life and salvation revealed in the gospel. 
 
 2. Because there seems to me to be a comparison l>etween 
 person and person, in the apostle's discourse ; one being ex- 
 pressly mentioned, the other necessarily understood. In tlie 
 verse before my text it is said, That the children of Israel 
 could not behold the face of Moses by reason of the glory of 
 Iiis countenance ; and then it follo\^s in my text, ' How shall 
 not the ministration of the Spirit be rather glorious ?' even 
 the Spirit in his dispensation, as the Spirit that gives life, 
 must be more glorious than Moses, the administrator of the 
 law, which by reason of sin brings death, or than him who 
 gave the ministration of death. 
 
 3. Because the Spirit here spoke of is called the Spirit of 
 the living God, and the Spirit of the Lord, in the context ; 
 which are phrases proper to the person of the Holy Spirit. 
 
 4. Because the Spirit here spoke of is said to be Lord ; 
 * Now the Lord is that Spirit ;' or, ' That Spirit is Lord a ;' 
 and by the Spirit of the Lord, or (according to the gi'amma- 
 tical constiiiction) by the Lord the Spiiit, «^o x.vpl^ •jrnvfiu.ros. 
 
 In a former epistle to the Corinthians, Paul had set forth 
 tiie Lordship of the Holy Spirit ; when after a large enume- 
 ration of extraordinary powers and gifts, he says, ' All these 
 worketh that one and the self-same Spirit, dividing to eveiy 
 one severally as he will b ; which shews him to be Lord : 
 and that the gospel-dispensation, as conducted by him, is full 
 of glory. But if by jninistration of the Spnit a conmiunication 
 only of the gifts of the Spirit had been meant, the glory liad 
 been less, than to see the Spirit himself supplying Christ's 
 absence, and shining forth in his works with so bright a 
 ^lory. 
 
 a 1 Thess. i. 17, la l^ 1 Cor. xii. 1 1. 
 
238 OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 5. The Spirit spoke of in the context, is that Spirit who 
 romU tlie veil of tlie heart, and chanj^es men into the divine 
 image from glory to glory ; and that is the person of the Holy 
 Spirit, or the Holy Spirit as a person. 
 
 I conclude therefore, that the gospel ministered hy the 
 n))()stles, and other ministers since, is a ministration of the 
 S{)irit ; because he, as Lord, conducts and manages the whole 
 dispensation, witli such infinite authority, power, wisdom, 
 grace, and glory. The whole oeconomy and Avork of the Spi- 
 rit is comprised under the word ministry, as is plain by its 
 opposition to the legal dispensation, which is called a mini- 
 stration of death. 
 
 In a former discourse on these words, I considered the 
 Work of the Holy Spirit, with relation to Creation and 
 Providence. 
 
 III. I now proceed to consider the Work of the Spirit, in 
 tlie gifts of eminent wisdom, skill, courage, and strength in 
 tilings natural, civil, or moral. 
 
 Under this head I shall only give some brief hints, which 
 are left us upon record in the holy scriptm'es ; all parts of 
 wjjich are profitable, as the apostle a tells us. 
 
 The wisdom and knowledge of Bezaleel and Aholiab, in 
 devising and performing all curious works, was from the Holy 
 Spirit : Hence they are said to be filled with the Spirit of 
 God, for these ends b. The children of Israel being newly 
 come out of slavery, in which they had not been bred up to 
 arts and sciences, it could not be supposed that they had 
 persons among them capable, in a natural way, to do all 
 the curious works relating to the tabernacle : The Holy 
 Spirit therefore instantaneously filled the persons mention- 
 ed with skill, not only to do them, but to teach others to 
 do them, in the manner which God had appointed ; which 
 Avas a wonderful instance of his powerful influence upon 
 the minds of men, enlarging their capacities, enriching 
 their inventions, and filling them with ingenuity and an 
 
 a 2 Tim. iii. 10. /) Exod. xxxr. 31. 
 
OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 239 
 
 for all manner of works which lay before them. And it 
 may be an affecting and pleasing thought to consider, that 
 the same Spirit who instructed and fitted men to prepare the 
 tabernacle, which Avas a type of Christ, did also eminently 
 exercise his wisdom and power in forming and fitting Christ's 
 Imman nature, the antitype, for all the gieat and glorious 
 services that were to be done in it and by it, as may more 
 fully appear hereafter. 
 
 . In like manner the Holy Spirit gave to David a a pattern 
 of the temple, with all its utensils, services, and servants, 
 which he left with Solomon his son, who was to do all ac- 
 cording to this pattern given by the Spirit. 
 
 It was the Holy Spirit who qualified the seventy elders of 
 Israel to bear part of the political or civil government of the 
 people. It was the Holy Ghost who endowed the seventy 
 elders of Israel with that wisdom, prudence, equity, com-age> 
 and vigilance, necessary for that work, as he had, by such 
 gifts, qualified Moses before them. ' The Lord took of the 
 Spirit that was upon Moses, and gave it to the seventy elders, 
 and the Spirit rested on them h' The gifts cf Moses were 
 not taken away, or diminished, but some of the same kind 
 were by the Spirit, bestowed on these men, to qualify them 
 for government. The Jewish Rabbies illustrate it by a great 
 lamp set up in the midst of a room at which many others are 
 light^l, Avithout the least diminution of its own light. The 
 Spirit resting upon these elders, it is said, ' they prophesied,' 
 eitlier by setting forth the praises of God, in such a strain as 
 none else could imitate c, or in giving such admirable instruc- 
 tions to the people, as manifested they were raised above 
 themselves, and that they were extraordinarily assisted and 
 lacted by the Holy Ghost d. 
 
 The Spirit of the Lord is likewise said to come upon 
 Gideon and Sampson, endowing them with extraordinary 
 courage and strength, enabling them to perform lieroic exploits, 
 
 a See 1 Chron. xxviii. 11, 12. h Num. xi. 25. 
 
 c Patrick in loc. d Dr. Owen in loc. on the Spirit, p. IIG. 
 
240 OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 in delivering the people from tjTanny and oppression : the 
 like is recorded of otliers of the judges. 
 
 When Saul was made king, ' the Spirit of the Lord rame 
 upon him «,' and turned him into another man ; he endowed 
 him with extraordinary wisdom and courage, and other gifts, 
 which fitted him for government. 
 
 All these were the gifts of the Holy Ghost, that one and 
 the self-same Spirit, who in all ages divides to, and works in 
 and by every one severally as he will, and, as he sees fit, re- 
 calls and withdraws these common gifts and operations ; as is 
 plain in the instance of Saul b, from whom the Spirit of the 
 Lord departed, and about the same time came upon David, 
 who was designed to succeed him in the government. 
 
 This Spirit, or these gifts and operations of the Spirit, 
 David, after his sad fall, seems afraid of losing, as Saul had ; 
 and therefore cries to God, not to cast him away from Iiis pre- 
 sence, nor to take his Holy Spirit from him. 
 
 From the instances given it appears that all the great things 
 done by the famous men among the Israelites of old, were 
 eft'ected under the influence and operation of the Holy Spirit ; 
 lie was the author or efficient cause of them. Hence the Le- 
 vites m their prayer, recorded by Nehemiah, recollecting the 
 wonderful works of God in former times among his people, 
 particularly take notice of this as the fountain and sjiring of 
 all c ; that God gave them his good Spirit to instruct them. 
 From him (as one d observes) was the word of promise, and 
 the word of prophecy, whereon the church was founded and 
 whereby it was built. 
 
 IV. Another great Work of the Spirit is that of Prophecy 
 and Revelation. 
 
 Justin Martyr e says of himself, and the Christians of his 
 time, " W^e worship and adore the Father, the Son, and the 
 
 a 1 Sam. x. 6. 6 1 Sam. xvi. 13, 14. 
 
 c Neh. ix. 20. d Owen on the Spirit, p. 119. 
 
 i'^ot K, wjor»j/v5M5y.— Justia Martyr. Apol. i.e. 0. p. II, 12. 
 
OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 241 
 
 proplietic Spirit." This title he gives to the Holy Ghost on 
 the account of his inspiring the prophets, wliicli was not only 
 owmed to be his peculiar work, but was ascribed to him as a 
 work of Almighty Gotl. Hence, in opposition to the ^lacedo- 
 nian heresy «, the council at Constantinople called liim the 
 quickening Lord, who spoke by the prophets. But \A'hat I 
 shall add upon this head, may be comprised under tlie fol- 
 lowing distinct propositions. 
 
 1. It is reasonable to believe, that he who formed the spirit 
 of man can move and work upon that spirit, communicate and 
 impart his mind and will to it, though in a secret, spiiitual, 
 unseen way. 
 
 To deny this, would be to exclude all spiriturd converse 
 between God and his creatines, and deny his government over 
 the intellectual world. Is there any room to think that he 
 who has created finite spirits with powers and capacities fitting 
 them to converse one with another, should preclude himseif ; 
 and when he had made man the top of this lower creation, 
 and endowed him with an underetanding, will, and other 
 powers, should wholly neglect him, or treat him as inc'*.)able 
 of receiving the knowledge of the mind and will of his Maker, 
 the notices of his wisdom, goodness, or displeasure ? There 
 is a spirit in man h, and the inspiiation of the Almighty gives 
 understanding. The Spirit of God inspires the spirit of man 
 with supernatural light, for special services. David said, 
 * The Spuit of Jehovah spoke in me : The Rock of Israel 
 said to me c' The Spirit of Christ is said to have been in 
 the prophets d\ he was so in them, inwardly and secretly, as 
 to speak to them, and to enable them to declai-e to others 
 ^what he communicated to them. Why should it not be as 
 conceivable to us, that the infinite Spirit acts upon the ini- 
 material, as upon the material part of the world ? He tliat 
 
 a Tltsiuofiiv lis TO ■srvidju.cc to elyiov, xvpiov, k, ^uoTotovro o-vv rm llttT^i f^ 
 viZ ffvvzf^ocfKuvofmvv, X, avvhotfit, ^ofiivov TO XaXTiffK* dta, tuv ■sr^o(fr,Tui>.—' 
 Symb. Con slant in. 
 
 b Job xx:di. 8. c 2 San., xxiii. 2, 3. d 1 Pet. i. H. 
 
 VOL. III. L 
 
212 OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 moved upon the watere, is able to move upon tlie mind of 
 man, and fill it with the knowledge of such thmgs as he sees 
 lit to injpart to it. 
 
 2. The way and manner in which this is done, is a secret 
 mysterious thing. 
 
 As we know not whence the wnnd comes, or whether it 
 poos ; so is every one that is horn of the Spirit a. If this 
 holds true of regeneration, it may as well he affirmed of the 
 way and work of the Spirit, in inspiration, prophecy, and 
 revelation. " The inspirations of the Holy Spirit, anil liis 
 actino^s on the minds of the holy men of old, gave them 
 infallible assurance, that it was himself alone by whom they 
 were acted, as one b observes ; but if any shall ask by what 
 infallible tokens they might know assuredly the inspiration of 
 the Holy Spirit, and be satisfied with such a persuasion, as 
 was not liable to mistake, that they were not imposed upon ; 
 I nmst (says the same writer) say plainly, that I cannot tell ; 
 for these are tilings whereof we have no experience. And 
 yet why might not a prophet be as well assured that God 
 spoktf to him, as we are every day that such or such a friend 
 speaks to us ?" It is evident, that the prophets themselves 
 had good assurance that their messages a\ ere from God ; for 
 tliey ventured their lives upon it ; the miracles attending, 
 and the exact accomplishment of their prophecies, shewed 
 them to be from God ; and the holiness of the prophets' lives, 
 and the holiness of their doctrines, made it evident that they 
 <Ud not willingly deceive others, but w^ere verily persuaded 
 that they were under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost. 
 Paul knew liow to c distinguish between the commandments 
 of the Lord, and what he delivered as his own judgment. And 
 why should it be thought impossible, or improbable, that tlie 
 Holy Spirit should come upon them with such alight, holiness, 
 and power, as to leave them no room to doubt whether it was 
 be or another that inspired them ? The sun is seen with as- 
 
 a John iii. 8. b Dr. Owen on the Spirit, p. lOL 
 
 c 1 Cor. vii. 10, 12, 25, 40. 
 
OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 213 
 
 siirance in and by his own light, and so undoubtedly Avas tliw 
 Holy Spirit seen and known to the prophets, by his own liglit, 
 power, and other perfections, though the modus of it is un- 
 known to us. 
 
 3. We have abundant reason to believe, that tlie Holy Spi- 
 rit hifluenced and inspired those holy men of old, by wlioni 
 the scripture prophecy and revelation were delivered. 
 
 (1.) This a])pears by the exact accomplishment of pio- 
 phecies long after they Avere delivered, committed to writing, 
 and made public. Who but God could foretel the end from 
 the beginning, and ages beforehand declare what afterwards 
 punctually came to pass ? 
 
 • Josiah a was prophesied of by name three hundred and sixty 
 years before he was born ; and a strange work was mentioned 
 that should be done by him, which exactly came to pass ; 
 for we are thus h informed ; ' The altar that was at Bethel, 
 and the high place which Jeroboam the son of Nebat, \\ho 
 made Israel to sin, had made, both that altar and tlie high 
 place he broke down, and burnt the high place, and stampt it 
 small to powder, and burnt the gi'ove. And as Josiah turned 
 liimself, he spied the sepulchres that were there in tlie mount, 
 and sent and took the bones out of the sepulchres, and bunit 
 them upon the altar, and polluted it, according to the wor<l 
 of the Lord :' or the before-mentioned prophecy ; ' O altar, 
 altar ! thus says the Lord, Behold a child shall be born to the 
 Ijouse of David, Josiah by name, and upon thee shall he ofter 
 the priests of the high places that burn incense upon thee, 
 and men's bones shall he bum upon thee.' By two miracles 
 the prophet confirmed the prediction at the time of its do- 
 liveiy, the drying up and restoring tlie hand y^f Jeroboam r, 
 that was stretched out against him, and by rending the altar, 
 and pouring out the ashes, done at the same time, in the sight 
 of a numerous appearance, as must be present on such an oc- 
 casion. This could not be the work of a mere creature, but 
 of that Almighty Spirit, by whom the prophet was inspired. 
 
 « 1 Kings xiii. 2. h 2 Kings xxiii. \5. c 1 Kiugs xiii. 2. 
 
 I 
 
2-t4i OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 Isaiah a propliesied of Cyius by name above iwo hun(lre<l 
 yeare bt.'forehand, and foretold the rebuilding of the temple 
 one hundred and forty yeara before it was demolished. A 
 multitude of otlier instances might be given ; but these may 
 suffice. 
 
 (2.) The same may be proved by the miracles wliich con- 
 firmed the propliecies : Some have been already hinted, many 
 more might be added ; let one suffice. In confirmation of 
 Elijah's being a true prophet, in opposition to the propliets of 
 Baal, at b Elijah's prayer, fire came down from heaven, and 
 consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, 
 and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench : 
 The like the false prophets attempted to do, but could not. 
 Thus, by miracles, the Holy Spirit confirmed the truth of his 
 prophetic influence upon liis servants. 
 
 (3.) Under the gospel there was the gift of discerning of 
 spirits, and distinguishing tme prophets, and prophecies, from 
 counterfeits. This confirmed the true, and detected the false 
 ones, and was a means of ascertaining such as were from the 
 Spirit of God. 
 
 That same Spirit in the apostles, who bore witness to 
 them, by divers signs and miracles, did also assert and esta- 
 blish the Old Testament prophecies, as his own work, as will 
 appear in some subsequent testimonies. * The prophets 
 searched what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ 
 signified, when he testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, 
 and the glory that should follow c' Though the Spirit and 
 liis work be not expressly mentioned in every particular pro- 
 phet and prophecy, yet it is often said, The word of the Lord, 
 or. Thus saith the Lord ; yet we are here assured, that it was 
 the Lord the Spirit that inspired the prophets. The same 
 Spirit, known by the name of the Si>irit of Christ, was in the 
 ancient prophets ; and, as a real person and a witness of 
 Cluist, testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the 
 glory that should follow. This agrees with what is elsewhere 
 
 a Isa. xliv. 28. j xlr. 1, 13. b 1 Kings xviii. 38. c 1 Pet. i. 1 1, 
 
OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 245 
 
 iaiil </, that Christ, by his Spirit, went and preached to the 
 s|)irits in prison, or in tlie ministry of Enoch and Noah, gave 
 warning to the okl world, who aftei'wards, for their obstinacy 
 and wickedness, were cast into the prison of hell. To make 
 this still more plain, the same apostle assures us h, that 
 ' prophecy came not in old time (or at any time, as the word 
 ■sro\i may be rendered) by the will of man, but holy men of 
 God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.' Their 
 prophecies were not the fruits of their own inventions, nor 
 modelled according to the wills or inclinations of the prophets, 
 but according to the direction and influence of the Holy Ghost, 
 by whom they were inspired, moved, or acted. He made use 
 of them only as instruments by which he revealed his mind 
 and will to men. Thus we jSnd David saying, ' The Spirit 
 of God spoke by me, and his word was in my tongue c :' He 
 was under the influence and guidance of the Holy Ghost, in 
 his divine composures : He spoke not his own words, or what 
 human wisdom taught him, but the words which the Holy 
 Ghost taught him ; as the apostle tells us that he and others 
 did also : * Now we have received the Spirit, which is of God, 
 that we might know the things that are freely given us of 
 ' (}od : Which things also we speak, not in the words which 
 man's wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Ghost teaclies, 
 comparing spiritual things with spiritual d\ or comparing tiie 
 spiritual things dictated by the Holy Spirit in the Old Tes- 
 tament with those now dictated by the same Spirit, and con- 
 firming our doctrine by them. It is exceeding plain from 
 this testimony, that the apostles spoke and wrote by inspira- 
 tion of the Holy Ghost, as did the prophets of old time, wlio 
 have preached the gospel which the Holy Ghost sent down 
 : from heaven e. 
 
 In all ages of the church, both Jewish and Christian, the 
 work of inspiration, prophecy, and revelation, has been the 
 immediate work of the Holy Spirit, though he is not always 
 
 a 1 Pet, iii. 18, 19. b2 Pet. i. 21. c 2 Sam. xxiii. 2. 
 
 d 1 Cor. ii. 12, 13. e \ Pet. i. 12. 
 
:i\ij OF THE WORKS OF TilE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 fxpivssly nainnd. Hence what the piopliets are said, in tlie 
 Old Testament, to speak in the name oi' (Jod, is often, in tlie 
 N<'W Testament, said to he spoke hy tlie Holy Ghost ; he- 
 eause, whatever God spoke by inspiration, or revelation, to 
 the ])roj)hpts, he did it by the Spirit ; it was his immediate 
 Avork : The Levites, in Nehemiah's history, tell us, that God 
 terstitied against the wickedness of the Jews, by his Spirit in 
 the propliets a. And the prophet Micali said concerning 
 himself, ' I am full of power by the Sjjirit of the Lord, and 
 of judgment, and of might, to declare to Jacob liis trans- 
 gr«;ssion, and to Israel his sin b.' It required a mighty pre- 
 seiu'c and power of the Spirit, to enaUe so mean a man, 
 with such authority and freedom, to reprove and condemn 
 even those wlio liad his life in their power, humanly speak- 
 ing : But that Almighty Spirit wlio gave him a commission, 
 gave him courage to go througli his work. 
 
 This is also not only mentioned, but exemplified in tlie 
 prophets and preachers of the New Testament. Christ had 
 ]>romised them a spirit, and wisdom, which none of their ad- 
 \'ersaries should be able to withstand ; and accordingly Peter, 
 who, when left to himself, was dashed and confounded by a 
 mean maid, wUen lie was endowed with the Spirit, testified 
 of Christ, before a great multitude, yea, before the Sanhe- 
 drim, or chief rulers of the people, with remarkable boldness ; 
 and this was not Peter's case alone, but of the rest that were 
 filled with the Ploly Ghost c. The same Spirit exerted the 
 same power and might in the prophets and preachers of the 
 Old Testament and the Ne\\'. 
 
 7Vmong tlie numerous objections wliich have been raised 
 by infidels against the prophetic Spirit, or the work of the 
 Spirit in and by the prophets, one has been, the obscurity, 
 and darkness of several prophecies, which tlierefore, it is sup- 
 j)osed, could not come from the Spirit of wisdom and revela- 
 tion. But this objection, 1 apprelieiid, has no weigiit in it, 
 if we consider, that some pro})hecies which were dark to for- 
 
 (1 Xeh. ix. 30. l> Wicali iu. 8. f Arts iv. 8, 1:>, 29, 31. 
 
 i 
 
OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 247 
 
 mer ages, are now clear to us ; and some that are now dark 
 to us, will be clear to such as shall live to see tliem accom- 
 plished ; and they carry in them the vestigia and tokens of the 
 operation of that Spirit, who searches all things, even the deep 
 things of God ; for if the prophets themselves could not un- 
 derstand their o^vn prophecies, it is plain they could not con- 
 trive them : Their humility, prayer, and diligence, were ex- 
 ercised in searching into the meaning of them : And the ac- 
 complishment is a plain evidence that they came not from man, 
 but from that Spirit, who foresees and foreknows all things, 
 and is able to shew the end from the beginning. This may be 
 illustrated by the words of Christ ; ' These things have I 
 told you, that when the time shall come, you may remember 
 that I told you of them a ; or that you may be convinced that 
 I had the prophetic Spirit ; * These things (said Christ to his 
 disciples) have I told you beforehand, that when they come 
 to pass, you may believe that I am he b.' So that prophecies 
 which may not be understood beforehand, may be of great 
 use when they are accomplished. Thus Christ confirmed the 
 disciples in the belief of his being the ti-ue Messiah, when 
 tliey saw those predictions fulfilled, which, at first hearing, 
 they did not understand. 
 
 It may not be improper to obsei^ve here, that the spirit of 
 prophecy was not a common gift, nor the exercise of it in the 
 power of the prophets themselves, when they pleased ; but it 
 depends upon the immediate sovereign agency and influence 
 of the Holy Spirit. 
 
 Some, indeed, have ascribcil it to the warm and strong 
 imaginations of melancholic people ; not only our modern ad- 
 versaries to revealed religion affect thus to speak, as did Spi- 
 nosa, and others of the same stamp before them <? ; but even 
 Rabbi Moses, the son of Maimon, himself has advanced this 
 impious conceit, which is subversive of all revealed religion, and 
 directly contrary to scripture ; which tells us, that prophecy 
 
 a John xvi. 4. i> John xiii. 10. 
 
 f ^'i(l. Witsius Miscel. Lib. 1. p. o7. 
 
248 OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 came not by the mil of man, but holy men of God spoke as 
 they were moved by the Holy Ghost a. In contradiction to 
 this, the last-mentioned author tells us b, That the gift of pro- 
 phecy wholly depends on the temperatui-e of the brain, natural 
 and moral exercises, for the preparing and raising the imagi- 
 nation, upon which divine visions will succeed. A brain-sick 
 imagination, as Dr. Owen c rightly calls it, confounding di- 
 vine revelation with fanatic delusions. 
 
 How often do we find the Spirit, on a sudden, and unex- 
 pectedly, coming upon the prophets, and some, Balaam for 
 instance, have been forced to utter things contrary to their 
 interest and inclinations, which confutes the aforesaid false 
 conceit. Moses was in his natural temper, the meekest man 
 that ever was d ; yet he prophesied the most dreadful judg- 
 ments against the Israelites : the prophecy was according to 
 the influence and suggestion of the Holy Spirit, who spoke 
 by him, and not according to Moses's natui-al disposition ; 
 which shews the falsehood of the forementioned opinion. 
 
 In opposition to the immediate and sovereign influence of 
 the Holy Spirit upon the prophets, it is pretended, that pro- 
 phecy was of old an art or science, to which men were as 
 naturally formed in the schools of the prophets among the 
 Jews, as persons are to any art or science in our schools and 
 universities. But this objection is founded upon a mistaken 
 notion of those schools of the prophets. Dr. Lightfoot e gives 
 the following account of them ; " The schools of the prophets 
 were little universities and colleges of students : For their 
 governor they had some venerable prophet, inspired with the 
 Holy Spirit, and that partook of divine revelations : The scho- 
 lars were not inspired, indeed, with the same prophetical 
 spirit, but received prophecies from the mouth of their mas- 
 ter. He revealed to them those things that were revealed 
 to him of the will of God, and the state of the people, of the 
 
 rt2 Pet. i. 20, 21. b More Nebuchim, Part 2. c. xxxii. 
 
 c Exposition on Heb. c. i. p. II. d Lev. xxvi. H. 
 
 e Vol. 2. p. 68. 
 
OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 249 
 
 times and events of Israel, and aboA'e all, of the mysteries of 
 the gospel, of the MessiaJi, of his cominsr, times, death, resur- 
 rection, and those things that were to be done by him. These 
 things, not to be fetched out by the mere and bare study of 
 the law, were here taught ; and so the studies of the law and 
 gospel together rendered the minister of the divine word com- 
 plete." According to this account, with which I find others a 
 agree, the scholars did not learn an art of prophecy, but studi- 
 ed the prophetic writings, as we now do, to find out the sense 
 and meaning of them : The spirit of prophecy might, or 
 might not, fall upon these students ; but they did not obtain 
 it as an art or science, nor was it tied to them. 
 
 David was taken from the sheep-fold, and endowed with 
 the prophetic spirit. Saul was among the prophets, but that 
 was accidental, and but for a little time. Moses, the greatest 
 of the Old Testament prophets, was so, long before the schools 
 of the prophets were erected ; which, it is thought, begun in 
 the time of Samuel ; of whom we fii'st read, that he was ap- 
 pointed over the company of the prophets ; ' They saw the 
 company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing, as 
 appointed, over them b.^ This prophesying was praising God 
 in hymns, not foretelling things to come, or giving out any 
 new and infallible revelation of the will of God ; as may ap- 
 pear from some passages in David's histoiy c, where we read 
 of prophesying with the harp ; of doing it according to the 
 order of the king ; which could not be meant of prediction, for 
 no prophet could do that at the command of another, nor 
 when he pleased himself; but it is intended of celebmting 
 God's praises, as appears from what is said, that they pro- 
 phesied with harp, to give thanks and to praise the Lord. 
 
 They are said to prophesy, because they sung in the ser- 
 vice of God those divine prophetical hynrns which were com- 
 posed by David, and other prophets d : Not because they 
 were prophets in the highest sense of the word ; they had, no 
 
 « See Bishop Stillingfleet's Orig. Sacrse, p. 1 62. h 1 Sam. xix. 20. 
 c 1 Chron. xxv. 1 — 3. d See Patrick on the place. 
 
 L 2 
 
250 OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 doubt, tlie CTacioiis assistance of the Spirit in this worlv, as 
 Paul had when he said, ' I will sing with the Spirit, and with 
 understanding- a ;' or, as he elsewhere expresses it ; ' Be fill- 
 ed with the Spirit, speaking to themselves in psahns, and 
 Ijynms, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in 
 their heart to the Lord 6.' And when the servants of Saul 
 are said to have the Spirit of God come upon them c, and 
 that they prophesied, the meaning is, that they were under an 
 extraordinary impulse, at that time, to join in God's praises ; 
 and it is probable, they had their hearts and affections so en- 
 gaged therein, as to forget, at least neglect the errand they 
 were sent upon. But this is the lower and larger sense of 
 the word prophecy, which I thought it proper to explain, for 
 the better understanding of many scriptures, and to distinguish 
 it from that prophecy which is said to come, not by the will 
 of man, but by the immediate and superior motion and in- 
 fluence of the Holy Ghost. 
 
 From what lias been said it appears, that prophecy, in the 
 high sense of the word, was not an art and science, taught 
 and learned in the schools of the prophets, but the immediate 
 work of the Holy Spirit ; and tliis will be faither evident if 
 Are consider, that many of the prophets mentioned in scrip- 
 lure were never educated in the schools of the prophets. 
 Some instances were given before, I may now add that of 
 Amos, who said, ' I was no prophet, neither a prophet's son ; 
 hut I was an herdsman, and a gatherer of sycamore fruit. 
 Aiid the Lord took me as I followed the flock, (not cut of 
 the school of the prophets,) and the Lord said to me, Go, 
 jiiophesy to my people Israel d.' The Holy Spirit, on a sud- 
 den, endowed him with prophetic powers, without any pre- 
 vious study or education disposing him thereto ; and thus it 
 appeal^, that the Holy Spirit influenced and inspired those 
 hoiy men of old, by whom the scripture-prophecies and re- 
 vrUitions Avere delivered. 
 
 u 1 Cor. xlv. 15. h Eph. V. 18, 19. 
 
 c 1 Sam. xix. *i(), :ij]. d Amos vii. 11, i5. 
 
OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 251 
 
 Against this it may be objected, tliat contradictions cannot 
 come from the Spirit of God ; those prophets therefore who 
 contradicted one another, as Jeremiah and Ezekiel, could not 
 be under the influence of the Holy Spirit, as they pretended ; 
 and therefore the work of propliecy is not the Avork of the 
 Holy Spirit. To strengthen and confinn this objection, it 
 may be obsei"ved, that Jeremiali prophesied, in Jerusalem, 
 concerning the death of Zedekiah, at the same time that 
 Ezekiel prophesied in Babylon, concerning the same tiling. 
 Jeremiah said to him, * Thine eyes shall behold the eyes of 
 the king of Babylon, and he shall speak with thee mouth to 
 mouth a ;' But Ezekiel said, ' I will bring him into Baby- 
 lon, into the land of the Chaldeans ; yet shall he not see it, 
 though thou shalt die there hi Which two prophecies seem 
 to contradict each otlier. I answer, that there is no real con- 
 tradiction between the two prophecies ; and they were botli 
 punctually fulfilled, and might be, and were, by the influence 
 and operation of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth. Jere- 
 miah said, that king Zedekiah should see the king of Baby- 
 Ion ; and Ezekiel, that he should not see Babylon ; both 
 which were true ; for he saw the king of Babylon when he 
 took Jerusalem ; but never saw Babylon, though he died 
 there ; for his eyes were put out before they canied him to 
 Babylon, where he died in peace : So both prc^jheeies were 
 punctually fulfilled. 
 
 What farther remains to be spoke concerning the work of 
 the Spirit relating to prophecy and revelation, must be de- 
 ferred to another time* 
 
 APPLICATION. 
 
 1. Let us own and honour the Holy Spirit in this pai't of 
 Lis work, his inspiring the prophets, and other revealers of 
 the will of God to us : Hereby he has discovered his Deity 
 and Personality, as was formerly obsei*ved : Let us then give 
 bim the glory due to his name^ for all the discoveries which" 
 
 a Jer, xxxiv. 3, &c. 6 Ezek. xii. 13. 
 
2o2 OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 lie has made of God and liis will, at sundry times, and in di- 
 vers manners. When we consider him as the prophetic Spi- 
 rit, and mark the appearances of infinite wisdom, goodness, 
 holiness, justice, omniscience, divine authority, majesty, and 
 glory, which fill the prophetic writings ; how necessarily are 
 we led to reverence and adore, love and glorify the Holy Spi- 
 rit, the fountain and Father of lights, from whom comes every 
 good and perfect gift ? He is the Spirit of wisdom and reve- 
 lation ; he intimately knows the things of God, and makes 
 tliem known to men ; he spoke in the prophets. David in- 
 troduces him with great magnificence, that we may reverence 
 and adore him, ' The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me, and 
 his word was in my tongue. The God of Israel said, the 
 Rock of Israel spoke to me «.' The Spirit is the God of 
 jsrael, and the Rock of Israel. . In what a glorious character 
 does the Holy Spirit appeal- in these words ; and how worthy 
 must he be of our highest regard ? Could we bring into one 
 view his whole prophetic work and influence, with what over- 
 beaiing light and evidence would his majesty and glory ap- 
 pear to us ? However, from what we can discern of this mat- 
 ter, let us learn to own and honour him the best we can. And 
 as for those who make it their business to lessen and degrade 
 him, to dispute his operations, or to give the glory of them 
 to another ; let them see how they will be able to answer it t 
 As for us, let us, each one, say, O my soul, come thou not 
 into their secret ; with their assembly, my honour, be thou 
 not united. 
 
 2. Let us learn to value and improve all the parts of divine 
 revelation. Let us not despise the prophecies ; for in so doing 
 we should despise the Si)irit, from whom they came. 
 
 Christ commanded the people to search the scriptures of 
 the Old Testament 6, as writings which testified of him ; be- 
 fore his ascension he expounded to his disciples all the things 
 in Moses and the prophets concerning himself c ; how happy 
 were they who heard him ? what a rich variety of glorious 
 
 n 2 Sam. xxiii. 2, 3. b John v. 39. cLuke xx'iv, 21. 
 
OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 253 
 
 triitlis concerning his person, life, death, resurrection, ascen- 
 sion, intercession, and heavenly glory, are dispersed through 
 the inspired writings of the Old Testament. Paul tells Timo- 
 thy, that they were ahle to make him wise to salvation through 
 faith in Christ Jesus a. 
 
 The prophets themselves were students in their o^vn pro- 
 phecies ; and shall we neglect them, when we may see such 
 a glorious work of the Spirit in them, and may peruse them 
 with so much gi'eater advantage, now we have the veil done 
 away, and may read the prophecies with the gospel-comment 
 of the Holy Spirit upon them, and with open face behold the 
 glory of the Lord ? 
 
 Let us then search these oracles of the Holy Spirit with 
 greater diligence, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 
 Let us pay a holy regard to all the insphed waitings of the 
 prophets, and holy men of God, who of old spoke as they 
 were moved by the Holy Ghost, and take heed to the sure 
 word of prophecy ; when men depreciate these sacred records, 
 and cavil against them, the contempt and opposition nms up 
 as high as the Sphit of God, the author of them ; and if they 
 take not heed, may end in a doing despite to the Spirit of 
 grace. 
 
 May the Lord help us to love and esteem, study and obey 
 the heavenly vision, as it comes from the Holy Spirit, and is 
 a pait of his (economical work and ministration, which is 
 trjmscendently glorious. 
 
 a 2 Tim. iii. 15. 
 
234t OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 SERMON III. 
 
 PREACHED NOVEMBER 17th, 1730. 
 
 '2 CoR. iii. 8. — How shall not the ministry of the Spirit 
 be rather glorious ? 
 
 J-N my last discourse upon this subject, I entered upon the 
 AVork of tlie Spirit relating to Piophecy and Revelation, upon 
 Avliicl) I proceeded in several propositions. 
 
 1. He who formed the spirit of man can move and work 
 upon that spirit, and impart liis mind and will to it, in a spi- 
 ritual unseen way. 
 
 2. The manner in which this is done, is, to us, a secret 
 mysterious thing. 
 
 3. We have great reason to believe, tliat the Holy Spirit 
 influenced and inspired the holy men of old, by whom tlie 
 scripture prophecy and revelation were delivered : This was 
 explained, confirmed, and vindicated at large. I now pro- 
 ceed. 
 
 4. Tlie influences and operations of the Holy Spirit pro- 
 ceeded in various ways and manners, in and by the pro- 
 phets. 
 
 This proposition, I think, is confirmed by that passage of 
 scripture, ' God, wlio in times past spoke, in divers manners, 
 to the fathers, by the prophets «.' Tliis may refer to the ^ 
 different ways used by the Holy Spirit, in his communication 
 of divine revelations : Tlie variation sometimes respected the 
 matter of the revelation, consisting sometimes of promises, 
 at other times of threatenings ; sometimes of predictions of 
 tilings to come, at other times in a recognition of things past ; 
 
 a Ileb. i. I. 
 
OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 2.").> 
 
 sometimes in recommending- moral duties, at other times in 
 representing the evil and ag-gra vat ions of sin. 
 
 With respect to the manner, there were also different ways 
 taken by the Holy Spirit, in communicating the prophecies 
 and revelations. Sometimes he did it by distinct articulate 
 voices ; so he called to Samuel, and told him, he would do a 
 thing- in Israel, at which the ears of every one tliat heard it 
 should tingle a. Sometimes lie made use of dreams h, when 
 deep sleep fell upon men ; for he said, ' If there be a pi-oi)het 
 among you, I will make myself known to him in a dream c' 
 Another way made use of by the Spirit in communicating the 
 divine will to men, was by vision : Thus Isaiah has recorded 
 the vision d which he saw, or his whole famous prophecy. 
 In these visions there was a clear representation of things to 
 the inward or outward senses of the prophets, which rendered 
 tliem as plain to them, as if they had seen them with their 
 bodily eyes. 
 
 Here it may be proper to take notice of some things whi<h 
 the enemies of revealed religion have vastly improved to its 
 disadvantage : As for example ; Isaiah's going naked, and 
 Hosea's taking a wife of whoredoms, and children of whore- 
 doms ; Avhich things being contrary to the light of nature, and 
 the express law of God, could not be consistent with the holi- 
 ness of the prophets, and much less consistent with the holi- 
 ness of that Spirit, by whom they were thought to have been 
 hi'jpired : and hence it is inferred, that the whole pretence of 
 prophecy was a cheat and delusion : But it cannot be granted, 
 that these things were actually done, but only represented in 
 vision, or parabolically, and emblematically; many things 
 Avere acted upon the stage of fancy, which were never done 
 in reality. Nothing could be more contrary to God's holiness 
 tlian for the prophet Hosea to have committed the facts men- 
 tioned : It was also directly contrary to the law ; ' Tiiou shalt 
 not take a wife that is a whore e.' Nor aie we to imagine, 
 
 a 1 Sam. iii. II. b Job xxxiii. 15. c Num. xii. 6. 
 
 d Isa. i. 1. f Lev. xxi. 7. 
 
256 OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 tliat whilst tli«» ])ro|)]u4 was reproving the people's spiritual 
 whoredom, he sliouhl jiive countenance to it hy being guilty 
 of it in a natural sense ; but this might be done in a visionary 
 way, or be represented to his imagination as done by him. 
 
 But here it may be said, that Christ represented specula- 
 tive adultery as real, when lie said, ' He that looks upon a 
 woman so as to lust after her, has committed adultery with 
 her in his heai't;' then it does not seem consistent with the 
 purity of the Spirit, or of the prophet, to have such images 
 formed in the imagination. I answer, there is no doubt, but 
 the Holy Spirit could preserve his own purity, and likewise 
 that of the prophet, whilst such things were represented to 
 him in a visionary Avay. It was easy for the Holy Spirit to 
 raise in the propliet an indignation against those vile actions, 
 the visionary representation of which was designed to expose 
 and condemn the spiritual adulteries, the idolatries of the Is- 
 raelites, against which God declares his indignation and wrath 
 in the following parts of the prophecy. It is plain that all th« 
 images and descriptions of the evil thoughts and actions Ci. 
 wicked men, mentioned in the inspired Aviitings, were formeo- 
 in a consistency with the holiness of the Spirit, and of tht . 
 penmen; and why not this, as well as other visionary repre- 
 sentations of such things? In this very prophecy of Hosea, 
 God says, ' I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes by 
 the ministry of the prophets <?.' And why may not this mar- 
 riage of Hosea be one of these visions or similitudes ? It is- 
 (said the leanied Zanchy b) the opinion of almost all the He- 
 brews, and of many learned men among ourselves, that all this 
 befel the prophet only in vision, and that therein the prophet 
 received the command to take such a wife, and, according to 
 the vision, seent>€d so to have done. To suppose it really 
 matter of fact, would have rendered the prophet and his mini- 
 Ktry vile and contemptible in the eyes of the people : Nor do 
 the names of the wife and children mentioned prove it to have 
 l>een a real fact ; for if one part was visionary only, so might 
 
 « Hos. xiii. 10. b In loc.— See also Burroughs on the place. 
 
OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 257 
 
 tlie rest be. Such visions were frequent among the prophots, 
 which yet were never thought to have been matters of fact, 
 or things actually done ; as Peter's vision of the sheet, where- 
 in were all manner of four-footed beasts, with the voice to 
 • Peter, saying, ' Arise, kill and eat a ;' and many of John's 
 visions, as that of his taking the little book and eating it 6, it 
 being sweet in his mouth as honey, but bitter in his belly : 
 Likewise his c measuring the temple of God, and the altar, 
 and them that worship therehi. These things were, in vision, 
 represented as done, but were not actually done, or matters 
 of fact. And what reason can be given why Isaiah's Avalking 
 naked, Hosea's taking a wife of whoredoms, Ezekiel's siege, 
 and Jeremiah's hiding the linen girdle, might not all be vision- 
 ai'v only, and not things really transacted among men ? 
 
 If it be said, if Isaiah's walking naked, and Hosea's taking 
 a wife of whoredoms, were only visionaiy, not real facts, how 
 could they be signs to tlie people of Israel, who were to be 
 instructed and reproved thereby. To this I answer ; Though 
 the things were not really done, yet they were a sign to the 
 ;Jews; because the prophets, by God's command, declared 
 the visions to the people of Israel, and thereby warned and 
 reproved them. Thus Christ, by the parable of the rich man 
 and Lazarus, taught the Jews the future happiness of the 
 godly poor, and the future miseiy of rich and wicked men, 
 dying such. 
 
 If then the things objected were only visionaiy, and not 
 real, the difficulty is removed, and the tmth and honour of 
 the prophetic influence of the Holy Spirit is preserved and 
 maintained, which is a point of great moment and importance. 
 
 5, The Holy Spii'it generally, though not always, confen-ed 
 his prophetic powers on good and holy men. 
 
 This proposition is confirmed by that scriptme-testimony, 
 < Holy men of old spake as they were moved by the Holy 
 Ghost d: It was a maxim which universally obtained among 
 the Hebrew doctors, that the spirit of prophecy never rests 
 
 a Acts X. II. h Rev. x. 10. c R«v. xi. I. d1 Fet. i. 21. 
 
258 OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 w]>oii any l)ut a lioly man : 15ut yet, as has been observed, St. 
 Peter, in tlie cited tc^xt, is speaking of scripture prophecy^ 
 and the holy men intended by Iiiin, were the penmen of sa- 
 cred scripture ; we have no reason to call in question the holi- 
 ness of any of the penmen of the Old Testament ; and it will^ 
 I think, be granted, that all the writers of the New Testa- 
 ment, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, Peter, James, and 
 Judo, Mere holy men of God. And it is for the lionom* of 
 the Holy Spirit, and of the holy scriptures, that they were 
 M'ritfen by sucli persons. And we have reason to think, tbat 
 the* persons employed in tlie work of prophecy and revelation 
 were, generally speaking, men of such a character. 
 
 Two instances to the contraiy we have upon record, in 
 scripture ; wicked Balaam, Avho uttered a noble propliecy of 
 Christ ; and Caiaphas, who being high-priest that year Cluist 
 died, prophesied that it was fit that one man slioiild die for 
 the people a. Hence it appears how great is the power of 
 the Spirit, wlio could bring forth from a wicked mind such 
 admirable prophetic words ; but lie said he knew not what, 
 and the grace only touched his mouth, but not liis wicked 
 heart. 
 
 The scripture elsewhere h speaks of some who sliall plead, 
 in the great day, that they had prophesied in the name of 
 Christ, whom yet he will reject as workers of iniquity : But 
 concerning all these we may observe, that the Spirit of God 
 did not rest upon them, but came upon tliem with a sudden 
 afflatus, or impulse, whereby the Holy Spirit did, as it Avere, 
 pluck tlie instruments out of the devil's hand for a time, and 
 by Balaam proclaim Christ and his kingdom to the Gentiles, 
 and by Caiaphas set the rulers at work to do that whicli was 
 to bring about the salvation of sinners, the word of the high- 
 priest going a great way in encouraging them to compass the 
 death of Christ. And as the prophetic powers did not ne- 
 cessarily require sanctifying grace in those that had tliem ; 
 yet tliey miglit, on some particular and extraordinary occa- 
 
 « John xi. 51. b Mat. vii. 22. 
 
OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. g.)^ 
 
 f^ions, and for a short time, be exerted in and by ill men to 
 sliew the sovereignty of the Holy Spirit ; though to manifest 
 his love to holiness, he more commonly made use of good 
 men in this great and good work. 
 
 6. The prophecies and other parts of the Old Testament 
 canon were composed under the infallible influence and con- 
 duct of the Holy Spirit. 
 
 Of tills we have as full and satisfying evidence as we can 
 reasonably desire, the testimony of Christ and his apostles. 
 Christ confirnjod the ^vhole Old Testament canon, which was 
 the same in his time as it is now, when he said, ' Search the 
 scriptm-es, they are they that testify of me «.' By scnptures 
 here we are to understand Moses, the prophets, and the 
 psalms, which comprised the whole Ohl Testament, and con- 
 tained illustrious things concerning Christ, suggested to the 
 writers by the Holy Spirit. If any uninspii'ed writings had 
 been mixed with those of divine autliority, or any mistakes 
 liad been in those books which he calls the scriptures, it is 
 neither agreeable to his faithfulness, nor his mercy, that he 
 should not detect the errors, but recommend the scripture^!, 
 in tiie bulk, as they then were owned and used in the Jew- 
 ish church. After Christ, comes an apostle under the conduct 
 of tliat infallible Spirit, that was promised and granted to lead 
 them into all truth, and tells us, theit ' all scripture is given 
 by inspiration of God b ;' that the whole Old Testament canon 
 was inspired by the Holy Ghost. Paul c speaks of these 
 scriptures as able to make a man wise to salvation, and to 
 make the man of God perfect, throughly furnished to every 
 good work ; so it is said by Christ, ' They have Moses and 
 the prophets, let them hear them c?.' And Christ, before he 
 left this world e, reminded the disciples, that all things nmst 
 be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in 
 the Prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning him, and open- 
 ed their understandings, that they might understand the 
 
 a JoTm V. o9. b 2 Tim. iii. 10. c 2 Tliii. iii. 15, 17. 
 
 ti Luke xvi. 29. e Luke xxiv. 41, \o. 
 
260 OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 scriptures ; for a little before, beginninG: at Moses and all tbo 
 propbets r/, be bad expounded to tbe two disciples, in all the 
 sciiptures, tbe tbiiigs concerning biinself. We bave here a 
 clear and full proof t>f Christ's owning and establishing tbe 
 divine authority of the Old Testament writings, or shewing 
 that tbev were given by tbe inspiration of tbe Holy Ghost. 
 
 Tills indeed is no argument to such as do not own the 
 Christian religion, nor admit of tbe testimony of Christ and 
 his apostles ; but to such as do, the argument is clear and 
 strong. And we have satisfying evidence of Christ's being 
 tbe true Messiah, and the apostles being under tbe infallible 
 guidance of tbe Holy Spirit in their sacred composures, as 
 will appear hereafter. One of these inspired writers tells us, 
 that whatever was written afore time, Avas written for our 
 learning, that through patience and comfort of tbe scriptures 
 we might have hope h : Here we have a farther attestation 
 to the scriptures of the Old Testament, given by the inspira- 
 tion of the Holy Ghost ; for no less than a divine infallible 
 word is a fit foundation for our hope and comfort to rest upon. 
 
 7. The influences and inspiration of tbe Holy Spirit, laid 
 tlie foundation of tbe universal church through all ages and 
 places of the world. 
 
 This thought represents tbe Work of the Holy Spirit as 
 great and glorious, beyond expression ; let us see bow tbe 
 apostle represents it w'hen be is speaking of all tbe building, 
 or church universal, consisting of Jews and Gentiles ; be 
 says c, ' You are built upon the foundation of the apostles 
 and prophets.' The inspired prophecies, promises, precepts 
 and declarations of the prophets and apostles, are the ground- 
 work and support of the church in all ages : Her faith, wor- 
 ship, obedience, edification, and comfort depend thereon : 
 Take away the prophecies, promises, precepts, and declara- 
 tions of tlie inspired writers, and what could tbe church be, 
 any more than a crowd of wretched infidels, without Christ, 
 without hope, and without God in the world d ? How should 
 
 a Luke xxiv. 27. 6 Rom. xv. 4. c Eph. ii. 20. d Eph. ii. 12. 
 
OP THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT." 2G1 
 
 they believe in him of whom they had not heard ? how should 
 they obey him whose commands they knew not ? how should 
 they hope for that happiness of which they had no promise ? 
 Iiow should they rightly worship that God, whom they could 
 but feel after «, as a man does in the dark ? how should such 
 ns lived before Chiist's incarnation have known any thin"- of 
 him, or had any faith in him, if the Holy Spirit had not 
 shewed them the things of Christ, in the prophecies, types, 
 and sacrifices of those times, and caused them to see Christ 
 in them, and embrace him ? 
 
 When the apostle had given a large account of tlie gifts 
 and administrations of the Holy Spirit ; he adds, ' By one 
 Spirit we are all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews 
 or Gentiles b.' The apostles and prophets are said to be the 
 foundation of the church doctrinally, as they revealed and re- 
 commended Christ, who is the real and only foundation of 
 the church in all ages ; * Other foundation can no man la}', 
 but that wliich is laid, which is Jesus Christ c :' As it is said 
 of the believing Ephesians in particular, so it holds true of 
 the chm'ch in general, that they are built, an habitation of 
 God through the Spirit d. What but his light and power 
 could cause Abel to offer a sacrifice in faith ; Abram to see 
 Christ's day afar off, and rejoice ; Jacob to wait for God's 
 salvation ; Job to know his Redeemer ; David to sing so 
 sweetly of Christ's person, sufferings, resurrection, kingdom, 
 and glory ? Whence was it that the prophets, as with one 
 mouth, testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the 
 glory that should follow, but from the Spirit of Christ whicli 
 was in them ? And what was it that upheld and enlarged 
 the cliurch when it became Christian, but the gifts, miracu- 
 lous powers, clear light, and effectual gi*ace of the Holy Spi- 
 rit, in the ministry of the apostles and their fellow-helpers ? 
 
 8. The Holy Spirit led the prophets and apostles to reveal 
 Christ, and tmite and centre in him as the foundation of the 
 church, and the author of eternal salvation. 
 
 a Acts xvii. 27, b 1 Cor. xii. 13. c 1 Cor. iii. ii. 
 
 d Eph. ii. 20—22. 
 
262 OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 Tlio scrlptTirp declares coiicprnini>- Clirist tlius ; ^ To liim 
 a:ive all tlip j^ropliets witness, that tliroiigli liis name, wlioso 
 ever believes i» him shall rorcive remission of sins «.' If wo 
 carefully inspect the srrij)tin-es, we shall find much of Chri;*t 
 revealed in the Old Testament, as well as in the New; and 
 the religion of Christ declared, confirmed, and recommended 
 various Avays, and with surprising liarmony and agreement, 
 among the proj^hets and apostles, under the infallible influ- 
 ence and guidance of the Holy Spirit. 
 
 When the scripture tells us that we are built upon the 
 foundation of the apostles and prophets, it is added, ' Jesus 
 Christ being the chief corner stone b, in whom all the build- 
 ing fitly framed together, grows up to an holy temple in the 
 Lord ; in wliom you also are built an habitation of God 
 through the Spirit.' The Holy Spirit, the inspirer of the 
 jirophets and apostles, gathers together the whole body of tl)e 
 faithful, in a state of union with Christ, in whom they are 
 one building, one body, one church, or lioly temple. The 
 work of the Spirit, placed in this light, appears to be very 
 magnificent and glorious. 
 
 Under the influence and inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the 
 prophets, from the beginning of the world, have spoke of 
 Christ as a horn of salvation c, that was to be raised up in the 
 liouse of David. To Adam it was revealed, that the seed of 
 the woman should bruise the serpent's head d. Enoch, by a 
 prophetic spirit, said, ' Behold, the Lord comes witli ten 
 thousand of his saints e :' To Abraham, that seed of his was 
 revealed/", in which all the nations of the earth were to be 
 blessed ; and by the Holy Spirit g he was enabled to see the 
 day of Christ, and rejoice in it. Jacob h, by the same Spi- 
 rit, foretold the coming of Christ, and the gathering of the 
 people to him ; and a little after, with a divine pathos, said, 
 ' I have waited for thy sahation, O Lord.' Moses i fore- 
 
 o Acts X. 4-3. b Eph. il. 21, 22. c Luke i. G9, 70. 
 
 d Gen. iii. 1.5. c Jiide Ik /"Gen. xviii. 8. 
 
 f; John viii. oG. Ji Gen. xlix. 10, 18. i Dent, xviii. 18. 
 
OF THE WORK-: OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 203 
 
 told Christ as that extraordinary propliet which God should 
 raise up. David a represents hiin as God's King set upon 
 the holy hill of Sion ; and in one Psalm speaks largely of his 
 sufferings, and elsewhere of his resurrection, his ascension, 
 fitting at God's right hand, and coming to judgment. So- 
 lonion describes Christ at large in his wonderful Song, and 
 represents his intercours(» with the Jewish church : liintjnn- 
 also the bringing in of the Gentiles. Isaiah abounds with 
 discoveries of Christ, as a child born, and a Son giv(>n ; 
 and he foretels that a virgin should conceive. What a won- 
 derful account does he give of his sufferings, in the fifty-third 
 chapter, and elsewhere, of his kingdom, grace, and glory ! too 
 large now to be recited. Jeremiah prophesied of the righteous 
 Branch that should be raised up to David b, and that his name 
 should be, the Lord our righteousness. Ezekiel speaks of 
 ^jim as the one Shepherd, a Prince, and plant of renown c. 
 Daniel propliesied of Christ in very remarkable terms ; the 
 ]?>Iessiah shall be cut off, but not for himself; he shall make 
 an end of sin <?, finish transgression, and bring in an everlast- 
 ing righteousness. Hosea e prophesied of Christ under the 
 title of David, long after David's time. Joel foretold the 
 times of the Messiah, wlienthe Sjfirit was y to Ix; poured out 
 upon all flesh. Amos, under the phrase of raising u]> the 
 tabernacle of David that was fallen, prophesied of Christ, ar.d 
 tlie calling of the Gentiles g. Obadiah h foretold that the 
 kingdom should be the Lord's. Micah i meirtions the very 
 place of Christ's birth, and the power and glory of his king- 
 dom. Zechariah k prophesied of Christ as the Branch, and 
 particularly foretells his divinity, his sufferings, and a remaik- 
 able circumstance of them, Avhen lie said, ' Awake, O sword, 
 against my Shepherd, the man that is my fellow, says the 
 Lord of hosts U Malachi, who \\2t& the last of the Old Tes- 
 
 a Psal. ii, xxii, Ixviii, Ixxii, ex. h Jer. xxili. 5,6. 
 
 c Ezek. xxxiv. 23, 21-, 29. d Dan. ix. e Hos. iii. 5. 
 
 /Joel 'i. g Amos ix. II. — See Acts xv. IG. It Obail. 27. 
 
 i Mic. i\.. 5. k Zech. iii. 8. / Zoch. xiii. 7. 
 
264* OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 tainent propliets, after whom the spirit of prophecy was sus- 
 pended for about four hundred yeai's, foretold a tlie coming 
 of Christ to tlie second temple, and likewise spoke of John 
 the Baptist, his forerunner. 
 
 It is wonderful to observe how persons of distant times, 
 different stations and capacities, who could have no cor- 
 respondence, some of whom did not know at first the meaning 
 of some part of their own prophecies, should yet all agree in 
 prophesying of Christ, without the least contradiction between 
 any two of them, in the accounts Avhich they give of him, or 
 any contradiction to the event or facts relating to Christ. This 
 is a wonderful evidence of the infallible influence and guidance 
 of the Holy Spirit, that one Spirit, who inspired them all, 
 and was able to foretel the end from the beginning. How 
 manifestly was our Saviour revealed, in his person, offices, 
 the time of his appearance, the place of his birth, the circum- 
 stances of his life and death, the gi*owing state of his kingdom, 
 with the endless duration of it ; part predicted by one pro- 
 phet, part by another, in different places and distant ages, 
 without any possible concert between them. This made it 
 evident, that it was one Spirit, the all-knowing, infinite Spirit 
 of truth, who spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets, since 
 the world began, as the scripture assures h us he did. What 
 a mighty confirmation of our faith may we draw from hence ? 
 aiul how well may it be said, that the church is built upon 
 the foundation of the prophets ! 
 
 By the same Spirit, Elizabeth was enabled to call Clirist 
 Lord c ; Zacharias d also, being filled with the Holy Gliost, 
 prophesied of Christ, the horn of salvation, raised up in tlie 
 house of David : And to Simeon also, by the Spirit it was 
 revealed, that he should not see death till he had seen the 
 Lord's Christ ; and when he saw c him, he declared him to 
 be God's salvation, a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the 
 glory of his people Israel, .\nnay* the prophetess also gave 
 
 a Mai. iii. h Luke i. 70. c Luke i. 41, \X 
 
 d Luke i. C7, 68. e Luke li. 26, 30, 3-3. /"Lukeii. :iQ, 37. I 
 
OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIIUT. 2G5 
 
 thanks for Christ, and spoke of him to all that looked for re- 
 demption in Jei-usalem. John the Baptist, the greatest of all 
 the prophets before Christ, by the Spirit witnessed to Christ, 
 and pointed him out as the Lamb of God a tliat taketh away 
 the sin of the world, and as being the Son of God : Thus we 
 see the Spirit of prophecy was revived and enlaiged at tlie 
 coming of Christ in the flesh. 
 
 The Spirit was given to Christ without measure, and to 
 the New Testament prophets and apostles, in a very evident 
 and remarkable manner and measure ; when ascended b on 
 high, he gave some propliets and some apostles : Tliese were 
 under the immediate and infallible guidance of the Holy Gliost. 
 Christ had promised c that the Spirit should lead them into 
 all tmth, that he should testify of him, and they should also 
 testify of him. Paul therefore, being instructed and guided 
 by the Holy Spirit, declares, that he and his fellow apostles 
 spoke the things which the Holy Ghost taught them d. And 
 Peter puts Paul's e writings upon a level with the other scrip- 
 tures, or Avith the inspired writings : ' As our beloved brother 
 Paul also, according to the wisdom given him, has written to 
 you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these 
 things, in which there are some things hard to be understood ; 
 which they that are unlearned and unstable, wrest, as they i\o 
 also the other scriptures, to tlieir own destruction.' Here we 
 have an attestation given to Paul's epistles, as equally inspired 
 with the other scriptures : Thus we are built u})on tlie foun- 
 dation of the apostles and prophets, Christ being, in all of them, 
 laid as the chief corner stone. 
 
 The gospels, as well as the epistles, were composed under 
 the infallible guidance and direction of the Holy Ghost ; and 
 were mitten, as John speaks/, that we might believe tliat 
 Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God ; and that believing we 
 might have life through his name. It is here suj)posed, that 
 the gospel history, or narrative, was written under the infallible 
 
 « John i. 29, 3k h Eph. iv. 8, 11, 12. c John xv. 26. 27. 
 
 d I Cor. ii. 12, 13. e 2 Pet, iii. I J, 16. /John xx. 31. 
 
 VOL. !II. M 
 
2G6 OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRI F. 
 
 guidance of tlie Holy Ghost; how else could it be a sufficient 
 ground of our faith, or a certain means of life and salvation ? 
 For, cursed is the man that truslcth in man, and maketh flesh 
 yds arm ; only the infinite and unerring truth is fit for us to 
 rest our faith and liOpe of salvation upon. 
 
 It may here be objected, that Luke pretends not to in- 
 fallible inspiration, but to certain knowledge of the facts re- 
 corded in Ids gospel, either by his own observation, or the 
 certain information of others ; for thus he speaks, ' It seeme<l 
 good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things 
 from the very first, to write to thee in order, most excellent 
 Theophilus «.' But supposing lie made use of his memory, 
 or the information of others, as to the facts mentioned, yet he 
 might be under the inspiration and infallible guidance of the 
 Holy Spirit, in committing them to writing, so as not to be 
 permitted to make any mistake in the nai'rative, either through 
 a failure of memory, or by using wortls which did not truly 
 represent the things concerning which lie wrote. Besides, 
 those words of Luke, ' Having had perfect understanding of 
 all things, from the very first,' might be rendered from above ; 
 for so the Greek word, ccvu^iv, often signifies : And if this 
 reading be admitted, then we have here a clear evidence of 
 his being divinely inspired in writing his gospel. 
 
 The judaizing Christians did not entirely, and at first, sub- 
 mit to the authority of Paul and Barnabas, as directly in- 
 spired ; but hereby Infinite Wisdom took an occasion to shew 
 the harmony of the inspired persons, and the uniform superior 
 influence of the Holy Spirit over them all ; as appears in the 
 decision of the council at Jerusalem. ' It seemed good to the 
 Holy Gliost, and to us b.' 
 
 According to Christ's promise, tlie Holy Spirit, after the 
 days of Pent(;cost, ghuified Christ by taking of tlie things of 
 Christ, and shewing them to men : But the history of this 
 might be a work of many volumes, and cannot be brought 
 in in a small part of one discourse. 
 
 a I.uke i. 3. b Acts xv. 28. 
 
OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 267 
 
 What wonderful discoveries of Christ and liis kingdom liave 
 we, in the Acts, Epistles, and Revelations, given as under 
 tlie infallible guidance and influence of the Holy Spirit : ' We,' 
 says the apostle Paul, ' speak the hidden wisdom of God in 
 a mystery «,' relating to the Lord of glory ; ' God has reveal- 
 ed them to us by his Spirit ; we have the mind of Christ.' 
 The revealing Christ, and the mind of Christ by the apostles, 
 is therefore the work of the Holy Spirit. When John, in tlie 
 seven epistles, informed the churches of the mind of Clnist, 
 he says, ' Let him that lias an ear, hear what the Spirit savs 
 to the churches 6.' And all the subsequent proph.ecies and 
 revelations contained in that book, relating to Christ and his 
 kingdom, are the dictates of the Holy Ghost, or were deliver- 
 ed under tiie inspiration and infallible guidance of the Holy 
 Spirit : The spirit of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus c. 
 The Holy Spirit, in all the prophetic writings, has borne a 
 testimony to Christ : The apostles had the prophetic spirit, as 
 appears in the instance of the apostle John, and tlie revelation 
 given by him, which, all things considered, is the most noble 
 one in all the Bible. 
 
 But here it maybe objected, that the apostles and prophets 
 are often distinguished in scripture; how then can it be s»id, 
 that the apostles were prophets? Indeed, all tlie proj)hpts 
 were not apostles ; but some of the apostles, at lea.st, w <m»* 
 •prophets. Paul d prophesied of the rise and dou iifal of An- 
 tichrist, and of the apostacy of the latter days, and the peril- 
 ous times that should come. Peter c foretold tlie scoffers of 
 the last day, and the new heavens and the new earth, i)i uliich 
 righteousness shall dwell. John, in the Revelation.-, has utter- 
 ed many wonderful prophecies concerning CInist and thestaf(! 
 of his church and kingdom, and of the world, in tlie Inst 
 days. 
 
 The apostles were prophets, as they received those truths 
 
 B 1 Cor. ii. 7, 8, 10, 16. 
 
 S Rev. ii. 7, 11, 17, 29. J ill. 6, I.?, '22. c Kov. xix. IC 
 
 i 2 Thess. ii. .3, Sfc— 1 lim. iv. I.— 2 Tim. iii. i. ^'2 Pet. U. y, 13. 
 
*i68 OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 which they tauglit, by tlie immediate revelation of the Holy 
 Spirit, wliojn Christ had promised them, to lead them into all 
 truth, and to enable them to testify of him ; as tliey, by ^^'ord 
 and vvniting, Kleclared those things wliich he had revealed to 
 them in words which the Holy Ghost taught them ; and as they 
 did it in languages immediately inspired by the Holy Ghost, 
 and not acquired by study and labour : And herein they ex- 
 celled all the Old Testament prophets, in that the light and 
 influence of the Holy Spirit was ever with them ; whereas 
 the Old Testament prophets enjoyed the prophetic influence 
 only at times, and on certain occasions. 
 
 Let it be further observed, that, under the New Testament, 
 there were some called prophets, distinct from the apostles ; 
 who, by the Spiiit, were enabled to give the sense of Old 
 Testament prophecies, and confirmed the apostles' doctrine 
 by them : Thus Judas and Silas a being prophets, confirmed 
 the disciples. Of this sort of prophecy the apostle seems to 
 speak, when he says, ' Let tlie prophets speak two or three, 
 and let the others judge ; for the spirits of the prophets are 
 (subject to the prophets b :' Either let liim that speaks give 
 place to another, who has clearer light given him by the Holy 
 Spirit, that he may discover it ; or let the speakers be willing 
 to submit what they say to the judgment of their brethren, 
 who liear, and are also partakers of the same Spirit. Thus 
 it appears how the Holy Spirit inspired the prophets and 
 apostles, and led them to reveal Christ, and to unite and centre 
 in him, as the foundation of the church, and the author of her 
 eternal salvation. 
 
 9. The Holy Spirit so conducted and overruled the pro- 
 phets and apostles, that their writings and discourses were pre- 
 served free from error and mistake. 
 
 The scripture says, < The same anointing teaches you all 
 things, and is trutii, and is no lie c' It is the Spirit that 
 bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. All scripture is 
 given b)' inspiration of God, it is a sure word of prophecy, be- 
 
 « Acts XV. 32. h 1 Cor. xiv. 29, 32. c 1 John ii. 27. ; v. C. 
 
OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 269 
 
 I cause it came from the uneniiig S})irit. ' The tilings,' says 
 the apostle, ' which we speak, we speak in the words whicli 
 tbe Holy Ghost teaches a : From hence some infer, that the 
 very words of scripture were dictated by the Holy Ghost. 
 
 To which others object the different phraseology used in 
 different scripture-naiTatives of the same thing. But has not 
 the Holy Spirit a power, as well as men have, and a much 
 greater, to vary the diction, and keep the sense ? Or is he 
 confined to one form of words, any more than we are ? 
 Others object tlie vast difference and variety of style found 
 lamong the inspired writers ; whence it is inferred that the 
 Sph'"^ 'eft them to express themselves in their o\vn way of 
 speakmg. To which it may be replied. That he might allow 
 them the use of their own styles, and yet prevent their mis- 
 representing, or falling short of his true sense and meaning ; 
 or, the Holy Spirit might, and did guide and direct them in 
 [the choice of such words, in their own way of speaking, as 
 did truly and infallibly declare the tniths wliich he designed 
 by their tongues or pens to reveal to men. Supposing that 
 the words themselves were not always suggested, yet they 
 were always inspired in the use of them, and not permitted 
 :to make use of any words which should not fully and infallihly 
 express the mind of the Holy Ghost. 
 
 The sum of the matter is excellently well expressed, by 
 the learned and pious Dr. Owen, in the following words, " We 
 may giant, and do, that the penmen of the scripture used 
 their own abilities of mind and understanding in the clioice of 
 words and expressions ; so the preacher sought b to find out 
 acceptable Avords ; but the Holy Spirit, who is more intimate 
 to the minds and skill of men than they are themselves, did 
 80 guide, act, and operate in them, as that the words they fix- 
 ed upon were as directly and certainly fiom him, as if they 
 had been spoke to them by an audible voice. Hence that 
 which was written was upright, even words of trutii c. 
 
 a 1 Cor. ii. 13. * E«^cl- «"• ^^^ 
 
 c Dr. Owen on the Spirit, p. 11+. 
 
270 OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 10. In the works of prophecy and revelation, the infinite 
 knowledge, wisdom, grace, authority, and power of the Holy 
 8[>irit appear. 
 
 With what God-like majesty does lie speak by the pro- 
 pliets ; Thus says the Lord ; Heai' you the word of the Lord ; 
 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth ; for the Lord has 
 spoke : Thus says the Lord of hosts. He speaks not as a 
 delegate, hut with sovereign authority ; how often does he 
 foretel the end from the beginning, sometimes very plainly, 
 and at other times more darkly, as he saw best ? The Jews a 
 therefore fulfilled the sayings of the prophets, because they 
 did not understand them when they read them. How ready 
 would they have been to have destroyed the propliecies of 
 Christ, as well as his person, had they clearly understood 
 them, and their own rejection foretold therein ? But, in in- 
 finite Avisdom, the Holy Ghost cast them into such a form as 
 preserved them safe, and made them appear plain when ac- 
 complished. How full of grace and power aie many parts 
 of the inspired writings, as is known to the experience of 
 such as do believe ? What glorious discoveries have we of 
 God, his natiue and perfections, his will and works ? What a 
 wonderful account have we of Christ in his person, mediation, 
 and glory ? And how clear a representation have we of our- 
 selves, in oiu' best and worst state, in the inspired writings ? 
 What an excellent system of religion has the Holy Spirit given 
 us in the writings of the Old and New Testament ? How su- 
 blime are the doctrines? How holy and good ai*e the pre- 
 cepts ? How proper and strong the motives to obedience ? 
 How gi'eat and comfortable are the promises ? How pungent 
 and awful the threatenings ? And in all, what signatures and 
 marks have we of the wisdom and knowledge, majesty and 
 Ijoliness, righteousness and grace of the blessed Spirit, in liis 
 great works of prophecy and revelation, of which some account 
 
 }ias been now given ? 
 
 a Arts xiii. 27. 
 
OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 271 
 
 APPLICATION. 
 
 1. How injuiious are they to the Holy Spirit, and to the 
 souls of men, who reject or imprison divine revelation ? The 
 first is the act of the Deists, the second of the Papists ; the 
 ■one will neither hear Moses and the prophets, nor Cinist and 
 the apostles, nor the Holy Spirit speaking in them and by 
 tliem : The other keep the inspired writings from the use of 
 the common people, lest, as they pretend, they should lead 
 itheni into eiTor : But is this payhig a due regard to Gvd the 
 Holy Spirit, who preserved the writers of them from error, 
 and can preserve the readers of them from it too. We have 
 good assurance that they are from the Holy Spirit, and that 
 they are profitable for doctrine and instruction in righteous- 
 ness. How then will they answer it to the Holy Spirit, v. ho 
 deny or undervalue his great and glorious work of inspiration, 
 and turn away from- him that speaks from heaven by the 
 gospel ? 
 
 2. Let us take heed of seducing spirits. The Holy Spirit 
 is not divided against himself: His inspiration of the scrip- 
 tures we have good evidence of; but whatever men pretend, 
 that is not the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, which contra- 
 d'lcts the holy scriptures ; which lays aside those duties aiul 
 ordinances commanded therein : The Holy Spirit is one, and 
 uniform in his doctrine ; whatever is contrary to the inspired 
 writings, is therefore, from another spirit, and an evil spirit ; 
 whether it be called the light Avithin, new inspiration, or na- 
 tural religion, or whatever other name it goes by : to the law 
 and to the testimony, if they speak not according to these, it 
 is because there is no light in them. 
 
 Let us humbly address ourselves to him, who inspired the 
 scriptuies, to explain and apply them to us. W e have tho 
 liighest reason to acquiesce in all the occasions of revelation, 
 though we cannot comprehend them, in regard to the Spirit 
 from whom they come, who is truth itself. He who framed 
 them best knows the meaning of them, and how and when, 
 
272 OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 and in what way to apply them. Let us see wherein we hare 
 quenched and grieved the Holy Spirit, be grieved and hum- 
 bled for it, beg pardon and new light and life from him, who 
 has promised that his word shall not return to him void, but 
 shall accomplish that which he pleases, and shall prosper in 
 the things whereto he sent it. Let us beg of him, in the use 
 of the scriptures, and under his own gi*acious influences of 
 gospel light and power, to make us wise to salvation, through 
 faitli in Christ Jesus, and then we shall know more of the 
 gloi-y of his ministration. 
 
 OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 SERMON IV. 
 
 PREACHED JULY 13th, 1731. 
 
 2 Cor. iii. 8. — How shall not tJie ministration of the Spirit 
 be rather glorious ? 
 
 JL HESE words contain a general account of the dispensation 
 of the Spirit, or of that oeconomy in which his operations are 
 peculiarly distinguished, and are eminently glorious : Several 
 of the Works of the Spirit were formerly considered. The 
 last time, that great work of the Spirit, relating to Prophecy 
 and Revelation was insisted on. 
 
 V. I now proceed to consider the Agency or Efficience of 
 the Holy Spirit in working INIiracles. 
 
 For the clearer understanding of this, it will be necessary 
 to state the true notion or nature of a miracle ; to enquire 
 what power is required to the working of miracles ; to shew 
 that miraculous works are, in scripture, ascribed to the Holy 
 Giiost, and were performed by him ; and to evince that this 
 t.Huli much to the confirmation, and to the glory of the Chris- 
 
OF THE WORKS OF TITF HOLY SPIRIT. 273 
 
 ^ian ceconomy, and of the method of salvation, botli witli re- 
 bpect to Cluist, and with respect to tt»e Spirit himself. 
 
 1. I shall endeavour to state the true notion or nature of a 
 miracle. 
 
 Miracles are extraordinary works of God, above, beyond, or 
 contrary to the course of nature, or the power of second 
 causes, done to confirm the tnith. Some miraculous works 
 are prceter naturam^ besides nature, or out of its common 
 course ; as the standing still of the sun, in Joshua's days, or 
 ,the going back of the shadow on Ahaz's dial, in Hezekialfs 
 time. Some are above the power of nature ; as the multi- 
 plication of five loaves and two fishes a, into a sufficient quan- 
 tity to feed five thousand men, besides women and children. 
 Some miracles are contrary to the coui'se and power of na- 
 ture ; as the safety of the three persons in the fiery furaace b ; 
 the heat of which was so gi*eat as to consume those who cast 
 them in, yet they themselves remauied unhurt. Another in- 
 stance is Daniel's preservation, when cast to the lions : The 
 fiuy of the fire could not consume the three young nobles ; 
 nor the devouring appetite of the lions cause them to destroy 
 Daniel, when God, in a miraculous way, checked and put a 
 
 Lstop to the common coui-se of nature. 
 
 Dr. Clark's c definition of a miracle I take to be a very 
 mean and insufficient one, though much laboured by him ; it 
 is this, " A miracle is a work effected in a manner unusual, 
 
 I or different from the common and regular method of provi- 
 dence, by the interposition, either of God himself, or of some 
 intelligent agent, superior to man ; for the proof or evidence 
 of some particular doctrine, or in attestation to the authority 
 of some particular pei-son." According to this dnfinition, any 
 thing out of the common way, or what is unusual, umsi pre- 
 sently be a miracle, though not wrought by God himself, hut 
 by any spiiit superior to man, or by any good or evil angel. 
 But the scripture d has bmnded those extraordinary works ef- 
 
 c Mat. xiv. * ^«"- '■'• 
 
 c Sermons at Mr. Boyle's Lecture, Part 2. p. 310, 311. ed. 1. 
 
 ti 2 Thess. ii. 9, 10. 
 
 M 2 
 
274 OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 footed by the power of Satan, with tlio Jianio of lyinpr won- 
 ders. The devil, who is the prince of the power of the air, 
 may be able to do many things wonderful and astonishing to 
 us, but nothing really miraculous : for then certainly miracles 
 could be no certain proof of any doctrine, or of tlie truth of 
 any person's mission, pretending to come from God. There 
 is something discriminating in miracles ; for Christ said, * No 
 man can do these works except God is with him a ;' they ai"e 
 above the power of men, above the power of devils. 
 
 It would argue a defect of power or wisdom in God, to 
 leave the powers of nature at the will and mercy of created 
 beings, so that they should be able to stop them, invert them, 
 or turn them to their own ends, as they -pleased ; for this 
 would be for God to admit of rivals and controllers of his will 
 and empire ; and if any creatures had this power in them- 
 selves, to be exercised as they would, then miracles could be 
 no sufficient evidence that a person or doctrine came from 
 God. A late writer b says, " You could not know that I 
 came from, and was sent by such a prince, by my bringing 
 lils seal along with me, if other people had the same seal, and 
 would lend it to others to use as they saw fit." It therefore 
 belongs to God only to work miracles, as will appear more 
 fully hereafter. 
 
 There are diverse words made use of, to signify the same 
 thing ; what we call miracles, when they are said to be 
 wi-ought by God, or the Spirit of God, they are called signs, 
 wondei*s, miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost c: The same 
 thing is intended by the various names ; they are called signs, 
 as signifying God's presence with them that wrought them, 
 and his approbation and confirmation of the doctrine which 
 they taught ; they are called wonders, works above the ap- 
 prehended power of nature, fit to raise wonder and admira- 
 tion in the minds of men ; they are called miracles, mighty 
 
 a John iii. 2. b Bp. Fleetwood in his Essay on miracles, p. 1 1, 12. 
 C Hcb. ii. 4-. IvviTifJt.a.^lv^iv]^ t5 &i^ (rii/u,eiai; rt ^ r'ioxa-i, k, zroiKiXui; 
 
OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. , 275 
 
 «'Oi-k??, wlierein evidently a raiglity power, the power of God, 
 is exerted in the operation ; and tliey are called diverse gifts 
 of tlie Holy Ghost, with respect to the hand which he iia« in 
 them ; of which I shall speak in its proper place. 
 
 When the apostle Paul appealed to miracles as an evidence 
 of his apostlesliip, he said, ' The signs of an apostle were 
 wrought among you in all places, in signs, and Avonders, and 
 mighty deeds «,' or miracles. Peter speaking of Christ, said, 
 ' Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you, by 
 miracles, wonders, and signs 5.' Paul said, ' Christ wrought 
 by me, by mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the 
 Spirit of God c\ Thus we see, in vaiious instances, how 
 these words, signs, wonders, and mighty deeds, are often 
 joined together, to express and signify miracles, such as really 
 are so. 
 
 It must be o^vned d that the scriptures speak of miracles 
 wiought by the beast, by the spirits of devils, and by the false 
 prophets : But it is veiy observal>le, that in all these places, 
 the word Axhich our translators have rendered miracles, is 
 tTr.'xila., which is commonly rendered signs, and is not to be 
 taken for time and real miracles, when ascribed to any agent 
 but God. The Holy Ghost, with reference to this very thuig, 
 ealls them lijing woimvn,, as was noted before. 
 
 Christ foretold that there should arise false Christs, and 
 false prophets e, which should shew gieat signs and wonders, 
 T£^«7«« Kai (TnuiTu, but not real miracles. / 
 
 We have been told lately/, that when the man of sin U 
 said to come with lying wonders, the meaning is, not that his 
 miracles should be sham and counterfeit, but that they should 
 be WTOUght in opposition to Chiistianity, and in consequence 
 in confirmation of a lie. But for this we Ijave only our i-ash 
 author's bare and bold assertion, following Grot i us, contrary 
 to the sense of many judicious inteipreters, both ancient and 
 
 a 2 Cor. xii. 22. b Acts ii. 22. c Rom. xv. 19. 
 
 d Rov. xiii. U. ; xvl. 14. J xix. 20. ' >Iat. xxiv. 24. 
 
 /Chandler's Vindication of the Christian Religion, p. 10, 12, 13. 
 
276 OF THE WORKS OF THE IIOI.Y SPIRIT. 
 
 modern, and contrary to the text itself; for when the coming 
 of the man of sin is said to he after tlie working of Satan, it 
 denotes tlie similitude and likeness of the deceit a ; the devil 
 heg^iiled Eve by suhtilty, not by real miracles ; so the mystery 
 of iniquity was to be carried on by tricks, and all tlie deceiva- 
 bleness of unrighteousness. Will our author say, that real 
 miracles have been wrought in the Antichristian church ? Dr. 
 IManton h interprets the lying wonders of pretences of mira- 
 cles, and the deceivableness of unrighteousness of other cheats 
 and impostures. The devil in this shews himself contrary 
 to the kingdom of Christ, by false doctrines and feigned or 
 fictitious miracles, as Calvin has observed on the place. 
 Though Antichrist comes with signs and wonders, yet not 
 properly with miracles ; because the devil, though he can 
 >vork the one, he cannot the other ; for miracles are the 
 effects of a divine powTr only, and not diabolical. To the 
 same sense speak many other inteipreters of the first rank. A 
 miracle is said, by some, to be an action done above all the 
 powers of the agent of himself, and unassisted to perform, by 
 the co-operation and assistance of some invisible and superior 
 being. Upon this foot it is asserted, that miracles may be 
 done by Satan and his instruments ; to confirm this, the per- 
 formances of the Egyptian magicians are alleged : But it 
 cannot be proved that these were true and real miracles ; it 
 is easy to account for them another way : But supposing, 
 though not granting, that they Avere real miracles, it does not 
 follow that they were performed by the power of Satan ; God 
 might, in siich an extraordinary case, exert his own omni- 
 potent power by the magicians for a time, and the more to. 
 harden Pharaoh's heart ; and neither Pharaoh, nor the ma- 
 gicians then know, that the things w^ere done by the God of 
 Israel. Why should it be thought more absind, that God 
 should make use of a magician in working a miracle, than in 
 a work of prophecy, as it was in the instance of Balaam ? But 
 yet supposing God did at that time, and, for an extraordi- 
 
 fl 2 Thess. ii. 9. h Manton on 2 Thess. ii. p. \b%. 
 
OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 277 
 
 nary end o, make use of the magicians in working those mira- 
 cles, if they really were such, yet he took effectual care to con- 
 vince the magicians themselves, that the miraculous power he- 
 longed to God alone, by giving Moses a superiority over them : 
 liis serpent devoured theirs ; they could only bring the plagues, 
 not remove them, they were forced to stop when God pleased, 
 and therefore could not bring forth lice 6, as Moses did ; but 
 were brought to own the finger, or almighty power of God, 
 the God of Israel, in this matter. Herein they had a better 
 sense of things than those who say, that Satan can work true 
 and real mii-acles, in confirmation of false pretension to a pro- 
 phetic mission. 
 
 If such a fiction was once allowed to be true, it would be 
 impossible to prove a divine mission, by miracles, or to sup- 
 port our Saviour's argument for the truth of his mission, drawn 
 from his miraculous works, to which he so often and so c so- 
 lemnly appealed ; and in particular, when he said, ' If I, \<\\\\ 
 the finger of God, cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of 
 i God is come to you d \ or, as Matthew expresses it, ' If I 
 cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God 
 i is come to you c' The same works that I do, bear witness 
 of me,' said Christ, ' that the Father has sent me f' And 
 again, ' If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not ; 
 but if I do, though you believe not me, believe the works ; 
 I that you may know and believe that the Father is in me, and 
 I in him g' And elsewhere he said, ' If I had not done 
 among them the works which no other man did, they had not 
 had sin ; but now they have both seen and hated both me and 
 my Father h' Is it not hence veiy evident, that Christ ap- 
 peals to his miraculous works, as a clear proof of his mission ? 
 , But if Satan can empower his missionaries to work real mira- 
 I cles, how could the miracles of Christ be a sure proof of his 
 
 a Exod. vii. 22. h Exod. viii. IS. 
 
 c John V. 31, 36. ; x. 37, 38. ; xv. 24-. d Luke xi. 20. 
 
 e Mat. xii. 28. /John V. 31, 36. - John x. 37, 38. 
 V h John XV. 24. 
 
278 or TiiK \voRK.s of tiii: holy j^pirit. 
 
 mission from God ? To all that he had alleared in the rccit- 
 <^*1 passages, it had been easy, according to our novelists, to 
 have replied, all these things may have l)een done by the 
 devil, in confirmation of an impostor ; and, indeed, the ma- 
 licious Jews gave it that wretched turn, when tlieysaid, ' lie 
 casts out devils by Beelzebub, the prince of devils.' 
 
 The learned and judicious Rivet a defines a proper miia- 
 cle, as an action of God, evident to the senses, exceeding the 
 po\A-er of all created nature, and therefore truly wondeiful. 
 That miracles are wrought only by a divine power, and that 
 they are the work of (jod only, contrary to the devilish doc- 
 trine now-a-days advanced, that the devil can work true mira- 
 cles, is proved by the following texts ; ' Blessed be the Lord 
 (jod of Israel, Avho only does wondrous things.' ' To him 
 who alone does great wonders ; for his mercy endures for 
 ever^.' Bishop Kidder observes, that two things are neces- 
 sary to a miracle ; one is, that it be a work above the power 
 of nature, and above the reach of any creature whatsoever : 
 Another is, that the effect be visible and discernible : Hence 
 Christ said, ' Go, shew John those things which you see and 
 hear r.' Dr. Owen d says, " By miracles we understand 
 such effects as are really above and beyond the poAver of 
 natural causes, however applied to operation." 
 
 The evangelist John having related Christ's turning water 
 into wine, added, that ' this beginning of miracles did Jesu» 
 in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory ; and his 
 disciples believed on him 6.' And afterivards he spoke thus : 
 * Many other signs did Jesus, in the presence of his disciples, 
 which are not Avritten in this book ; but these are written- 
 that you might believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God /I* 
 With what truth and modesty, or rather witli what want of 
 both, does a late ^7 author affirm, that real miracles are not, in 
 themselves, sufficient proofs of the divine authority of him 
 
 « In Exod. vii. p. 833. h Psal. Ixxii. 18.; cxxxvi. 4<. 
 
 c Mat. xi. 4, 5. d Of the Spirit, p. 114, 115. e John ii. ll. 
 
 yjohn XX. 30, 31. g Chandler on Miracles, p, 3!, o7. 
 
OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 279 
 
 that works them; and tliata nnrfiole, in itself, would no more 
 prove Christianity to be true, tliau any other institution what- 
 soever, unless applied to tliis purpose ? 
 
 I have been the larger in explaining the true nature of a 
 miracle, and in shewing it to be tlie effect of an infinite al- 
 mighty power, partly because men have been so bold as to 
 rob Christ of this evidence of his mission from God, and paitly 
 because, according to their supposition, that finite and created 
 spirits can work miracles, we lose one great evidence of the 
 deity of the Holy Spirit. On these accounts it is probable 
 this notion has been of late so much contended for, by such 
 as are no hearty friends to the Christian revelation of the 
 Godhead of the Holy Ghost. 
 
 It becomes us therefore to hold fast the truth, and not to 
 give heed to seducing spirits, as we would shew our regard 
 to Clirist and his mission, to the Deity of the Holy Spirit, to 
 the gloiy of his v^orks, and to our own peace and comfort. 
 
 2. I shall enquire what power is required to the working 
 miracles, or by whom they may be performed: This lias, in 
 part, been declared already ; but there is room for further en- 
 largement and confirmation. 
 
 Some affirm, that tnie and real miracles have been done, 
 and may be done by finite created spirits, nay, by devils and 
 bad spirits. But supposing, though not granting this, the 
 question is, Whether they can do them by a power naturally 
 inherent in themselves, or only as instruments in the Iiand of 
 God. To affirm evil spirits to have an inherent power in 
 themselves to work miracles, is to set them up in competition 
 with God, to destroy all proof of a divine mission or revela- 
 tion, drawn frqm miracles done in confirmation of it, and 
 seems to be an invasion upon the Almighty's empire and do- 
 minion over the world ; for, next to creation, wliat can l)e a 
 work of more sovereign power than to invert and stop the 
 course of nature, and make the several parts and powers of it 
 to attest, or give suffiage to what doctrines or works a person 
 pleases? If it be said, evil spirits may work miracles l>y a 
 
;^80 OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 power (lerivT(l from God : It must bo gi'anted, tliat this is 
 possible ; but very rarely, if ever done, for reasons easy to be 
 apprehended. 
 
 What we have affirmed, and see no reason to recede fi'om, 
 is, that an almighty, infinite power is required to the working 
 of a true and real miracle ; and that therefore miracles belong- 
 to God alone, as the supreme cause, whoever are the instru- 
 ments. In the first account which we have of miracles in 
 scnpture, even God's enemies were brought to own that they 
 were performed by the power of God : the Egyptian magi- 
 cians said, ' This is the finger of God a ;' as much as to say, 
 A divine, almighty power has done all these wonderful \A'orks, 
 and not any of our arts or demons ; we are convinced tliat it 
 is the gi"eat God, the God of Israel, that has done these things, 
 and restrained us from proceeding any farther ; and therefore 
 we advise the king to let the people of this great God go at 
 his demand. This I take to be the sense of the passage al- 
 leged. 
 
 Our Saviour constantly ascribed his miraculous works to 
 the power and Spirit of God b ; but the ^vicked Jews reject- 
 ed the evidence, and hardened themselves by the same perni- 
 cious principle which is advanced at this day, that the devil 
 can work miracles; and hence they infened, that Christ 
 miglit, and did work his miracles by the power of the devil. 
 The admitting that false notion, that Satan could work mira- 
 cles, lay at the bottom of their infidelity and ruin ; which 
 should make us afraid of receiving- such an opinion, lest it in- 
 volve us in the same sin and misery. If God only can >vork 
 miracles, and none can do it unless God be with him, then 
 God was with Christ, and did own and approve of him ; for 
 Christ did certainly work many and great miracles, which even 
 his enemies could not deny. 
 
 It is objected, that it is said, ' There shall arise false 
 Christs and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and 
 wonders, insomuch that, if it Avcre possible, they should de- 
 
 a Exod. viii. 19. b Mat. xii. 28.— Luke xi. 20. 
 
OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 281 
 
 ceive, the veiy elect «.' But, by great signs and wonders we 
 are not here to understand true miracles ; for if true miracles 
 will prove one man to he CInist, the like miracles will prove 
 another to be so ; These signs and wonders deceive many ; 
 but true miracles do not deceive men, but confirm the truth, 
 as they come from the God of truth ; and I see no way of 
 guarding against a deception by a true miracle, but by reject- 
 ing the evidence of all miracles, according to the modern no- 
 tion, which is contrary to the scriptm-es, which lay much 
 stress upon them. I conclude tlierefore that these deceitful 
 signs and wonders were not true miracles, and so no proof 
 that miracles can be wrought by any power inferior to God's:. 
 
 It is farther objected, that Antichrist is said to come with 
 all power, and signs, and lying wonders 6, after the working 
 of Satan : Is it not plain then, that, by the co-operation of the 
 devil. Antichrist works miracles ? But surely there is then a 
 wide difference between lying wonders and true miracles ; 
 and I, for my part, can never believe, that the infinitely wise 
 (jrod would permit Satan to destroy the evidence of Christ's 
 mission, by the same means as he empowered Christ and his 
 apostles to support and confirm it ; or that the Inspirer of the 
 sacred writers would permit them to tell us, that Jesus prov- 
 ed himself to be the Christ, by miracles ; and also to tell us, 
 that devils and wicked men worked miracles to prove that 
 Jesus is not the Christ. 
 
 Peter c, in his famous seniion, tells us, that God did mira- 
 cles by Jesus of Nazareth ; and Paul has assured us c/, that 
 God bore witness to the first preachers of the gospel with 
 miracles. In all miracles, whoever is the instiinnent, God is 
 the supreme efficient cause, it is by his power and Spirit alone 
 that they are effected : None could do such works, unless the 
 divine almighty power of God was with them. Hence it is 
 said, in one place, tliat the power of God was present to 
 heal e ; and the impotent man is said to be made whole by 
 
 a Mat. xxiv. 2k 6 2 Thess. ii. 9. c Aets ii. 22. 
 
 d Ileb. ii. 4-. c Luke v. 17. 
 
28-2 OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 the name of Jesus a : And Peter and John declared, that it 
 was by Christ, and not by their own power or holiness, that 
 the man was healed who liad lain so long at the gate of the 
 temj)le h. From all which testimonies it appears, that mira- 
 cles were wrought, not by a tinite created power, hut by a 
 power infinite and divine ; which is the point I undertook to. 
 prove. 
 
 3. I shall shew tlmt miraculons works are in scilpture as- 
 cribed to the Holy Ghost, and were performed by him. 
 
 The apostle Paul, in his enumeration of the extraordinary, 
 gifts and works of the Holy Spirit, expressly mentions mira- 
 cles c, the power of working them being the gift of the Holy 
 (jihost. When inferior agents are said to work miracles, it is 
 only as instruments made use of by the Holy Spirit. Christ 
 Inmself, with respect to his human nature, makes that only 
 the instrument by which the Holy Spirit exerted his divine 
 power in working of miracles. ' I cast out devils by the Spi- 
 rit of God d.' Christ had the Spirit without measure, and he 
 rested upon him, or was always present with him to perform 
 )niraculous works, whatever Christ pleased : Aiid after him 
 the apostles had the gift of the Spirit, to enable them to work 
 miracles, and to impart this gift of the Spirit to others; so 
 that they also were enabled to work miracles by the almighty 
 ])ower of the same Spirit. It was at and after Pentecost, 
 \vhen they were endued with power from on high, that they 
 wrought nnracles to the astonishment of beholders. Stephen f, 
 a man full of the Holy Ghost and of power, did gi"eat wour 
 ders and miracles among the people : And Philip^' did great 
 miracles in Samaria, by the assistance and power of the Holy 
 Spirit.^ Paul^, speaking of the mighty signs and wonders 
 which Christ wrought by him, tells us, that tliey were Avrought 
 by the power of the Spirit of God. From Avhich testimonies 
 it is very clear, that the Holy Ghost is the author or efficient 
 
 a Acts iv. 10. h Acts lli. IG. c \ Cor. xii. 10. 
 
 d Mat. xii. 29. e Acts vi. i>, 6. y Acts viii. 6. 
 
 If Rom. XV. 19. 
 
OP THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 283 
 
 cause of miraculous works. As he had a hand in making the 
 world, as was formerly proved, so he has a power of controll- 
 ing and inverting the powers of nature, and making use of 
 them to his own purposes, in what way and maimer he 
 pleases. 
 
 He is not confined to one kind of miracles, hut makes use a 
 of divers miracles and gifts, according to his own will, as aj)- 
 peared in the miraculous works of Christ and his apostles ; 
 all whicli were done hy the power of the Holy Ghost. " It 
 was the Holy Spirit whom the Egyptian magicians called the 
 finger of God, as Cyprian observes h. The finger df God is 
 the Judge of worldly things, and the avenger of perfidiousness: 
 In the times of the New Testament he powerfully cast out 
 devils ; neither was it difScult to him, for he performs all with 
 a nod, or the least intimation of his will and pleasure ; what 
 he says he does ; what he commands he fulfils." 
 
 This power was continued in the church for a considerable 
 time : Origen, who lived in the former part of the third cen- 
 tury, says, " That some footsteps of the Holy Spirit remain, 
 even to this day, among Christians, who cast out devils, and 
 perform many cures, and foresee some future events, accord- 
 ing to the will of Christ c." Tertullian, about two hundred 
 years after Christ, in more places than one, speaks of the 
 power of working miracles, which some enjoyed in his time : 
 And this \\2& from the Holy Spirit, and to him it was ascrib- 
 ed in those early ages of the church. God, in infinite wisdom, 
 has seen fit to recall this power ; and miracles are no more 
 seen or expected, God having, by those formerly \^Tought, 
 sufficiently testified to Christ, and to the Deity and glury of 
 the Holy Ghost. 
 
 The miraculous works which are now ceased, are those 
 
 a Ileb. ii. i. h Cyrnan, de Spiritu Sanct. p. 480. 
 
 X<»/s-/avsrj awXCiar lliTcc^acri ^ccif^ovu;, k, wcXXa; lutrei; iwii:Xv(n, x, oi^oKii 
 rntt xara. ro (i^?.-/ifix t5 Aoyv -sn^i f/.iXXoy'lMv. — Origt'H. c CelsuBJ, lib. 
 I. p. 34. 
 
284 OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 wliicli are external and visible; such as raising the dead, 
 healing the sick with a word, and striking men blind or dead 
 with a word : But as to the internal miraculous power and 
 work of the Spirit in rogene*ration, sanctilication, and consola- 
 tion; this neither is, or ever shall be recalled, or withheld 
 fi'oni the church to the end of time. The Holy Spirit is per- 
 forming, every day, among the elect, those miraculous works 
 of turning men from darkness to light, and from Satan to 
 God ; slaying the enemy, and making them Avilling subjects 
 and servants of Christ, in the day of his power. The inward 
 and gracious works of the Holy Spirit upon the souls of men 
 are great and glorious, and sought out of all that have plea- 
 sure therein ; but his external, and particularly his miraculous 
 works, are not to be neglected, or undervalued ; as will ap- 
 pear if we consider, that thereby the Holy Spirit gives testi- 
 mony to Chi-ist and the Christian religion, and also manifests j 
 his own Deity and glory. ' 
 
 4. I shall shew that the miraculous works of the Holy Spi- 
 rit tend much to the confirmation, and to the glory of the 
 Christian oeconomy, and to the method of salvation, both with 
 respect to Christ, and with respect to the Spirit himself. 
 
 The Jews had crucified the Lord of life and glory, because , 
 they did not know him ; they were fond of their law, and in \ 
 high expectation of a temporal deliverer and kingdom, pre- 
 judiced against Christ and his followers to a high degree, and 
 resolved to run doAvn Christ as an impostor, and his disciples 
 as cheats and deceivers. The Gentile world had been long 
 settled in polytheism, idolatry, and the vilest lusts, to which 
 the Christian scheme is most opposite. Some extraordinary 
 means therefore seemed necessary to remote the prejudices 
 of the one sort and the other, and to convince them that Chiist 
 was the Messiah sent of God : And the disciples themselves, 
 who exj)ected a temporal kingdom, and had their faith in 
 Christ so much shocked by his death, stood in need of the 
 strongest conviction that Christ ^vas the Saviour who was to 
 come into the world. 
 
OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 285 
 
 When Christ told the people, ' That they should helieve 
 on him whom God had sent,' they replied, ' What sign shew- 
 est thou then (that thou are sent of God) that we may see 
 and believe thee ? what doest thou work a ?' There was a 
 grounded expectation that the Savioiu-'s mission should be 
 confirmed by miracles : Hence Christ said, < Except you see 
 signs and wonders, you will not believe h^ To confirm 
 Christ's mission, and induce men to believe on him, God was 
 pleased to work many miracles by the Spirit, in Christ and 
 the apostles. Hence Peter thus addressed the people, ' Je- 
 sus of Nazareth, a man approved of God by miracles, and 
 wonders, and signs, you have crucified and slain c' And the 
 apostle Paul says, ' That God bore A^'itness to Christ, and 
 liis salvation, by divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy 
 Ghost </.' The Holy Spirit, by miraculous Avorks, attested 
 the truth of Christ's mission, and proclaimed him to be the 
 true and the only Saviour, whom God sent. Hence Peter, 
 and the other apostles, testified to the council, that God had 
 raised Christ from the dead, and had exalted him to be a 
 Prince and a Saviour ; and that they the apostles were wit- 
 nesses of the truth of these things ; and they add, ' And so 
 is also the Holy Ghost, whom God has given to them that 
 ! obey him e.' The Spii'itjf bears witness, because the Spirit 
 is truth. Miracles wi-ought by the power of the Holy Ghost, 
 in confirmation of Christ's being the tme Messiah, and for 
 I the establishment of the Christian doctrine, cannot deceive 
 ! us, seeing the Spirit is truth, and was sent to lead us into all 
 truth ; and therefore he could not set his seal to a lie, or 
 work miracles to authorize or confirm an impostor. It is 
 therefore a great and glorious confirmation of the Christian 
 religion, that the Holy Ghost has attested it by divers mi- 
 racl(?s and gifts. 
 
 They who assert that evil spirits have a power of working 
 muacles, in confirmation of false doctrines and deceivers, 
 
 a John vi. 29, 30. h John iv. 48. c Acts ii. 2-2, 2,1. 
 
 d Heb. ii. 4. e Acts v. 31, 32. / 1 John v. (!. 
 
286 OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 lose, or rather give away this glorious evidence aiul defence 
 of the Christian religion, and expose it to the insults of its 
 enemies. But seeing the scriptures which have heen cited, 
 ^hew that miracles were wrought hy the power of jJie Holy 
 Ghost, in confirmation of Christ and Christianity, h't us hold 
 fast this truth, and endeavour to improve it to all the great 
 purposes to which it serves. The Spirit and his miraculous 
 ])owers were the attendants of that Christian doctrine, they 
 Avitnessed and confirmed the truth of the gospel, and that 
 Clnist is the true Messiah, Thus Christ was justified in or 
 bv the Spirit, in that convincing and glorious testimony which 
 he gave to Christ, wheieby he convinced the world of sin, of 
 righteousness, and of judgment. 
 
 In doing this the Holy Spirit is glorified. The miraculous 
 works could be performed by no less than an Almiglity 
 power; seeing then they were wrought by the Holy Spirit, 
 lie is Almighty, and consequently the true and living God : 
 None but God could do such mighty Avopks by his own 
 power. The ministration of the Spirit must therefore be very 
 glorious, with respect to those miraculous powers and works 
 which proceeded from him? and ought to be very nmch le- 
 gaided, on the accounts now mentioned. 
 
 It was a glorious thing for the Spirit to glorify Christ and 
 himself at once : This was a work fit for the Spirit of glory, 
 or that eternal Spirit whose office it is to testify of, and glo- 
 rify Christ, and that in a way glorious to the Spirit himself; 
 as the apostle teaches in my text, when he calls the ministra- 
 tion of the Spirit glorious. It is said of Christ, wlien he 
 wrought his first miracle, XAJiich was done by the Spirit, that 
 he manifested forth his glory a : If such glory aj)peared in 
 that one single miracle, what glory may we see in the various 
 miraculous works of the Holy Spirit recorded in scripture ? 
 The outward splendor of Moses's face was not once to Hbe 
 compared with the glory of the Holy Ghost in his miraculous 
 
 a Jolin ii. 11. 
 
OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 287 
 
 and wonderful works, whicli filled the beholders with sucli 
 conviction, admiration, and praise to God. 
 
 APPLICATION. 
 
 1. What reason have we to adhere to Clirist, nnd to hoM 
 fast the profession of our faith without waverina", seeing the 
 Spirit of truth has so confirmed it by divers miracles ? There 
 v^'ould be no escaping, should we reject such a Saviour and 
 salvation, attested with so many and such infallible proofs, 
 which came from him for whom it is impossible to lie, or pro- 
 pagate a falseliood in tlie world. The Holy Spirit has given 
 a most convincing and unalterable testimony to Christ, that 
 he is the true and the only Sa\iour whom God has sent, and 
 on whom we ought to believe. Let us then never be moved 
 away from the faith of the gospel ; if we receive tlie Axitness 
 of men, the a witness of God is greater, and ouplit to he 
 more regarded. Well then might Christ say, ' The Spirit 
 shall convince the world of sin, because they believe not on 
 me &.' The clearer and fidler the endence there is give?i, 
 that Jesus is the very Christ, the more inexcusable they must 
 be, who either do not believe in him, or apostatize from liim. 
 Let us then regard the testimony of the Spirit, and cleave 
 to Christ vA\\\ full purpose of heart, and embrace, witli a di- 
 vine faith, every truth concerning him, attested by sudi a di- 
 vine witness as is the Holy Ghost. 
 
 2. What reason liave we to love and lionour tlie Holy Spi- 
 rit, who has, in such a convincing way, t-estified of Chiist, and, 
 at tlie same time, has given us such proofs of iiis own Deity 
 and glory ? Wliat a dark dungeon would the worid have i)een 
 without the revelation of the gospel by the Spirit? and what 
 a nest of scepticism and infidelity would it have been, it this 
 revelation had not been so wonderfully attested, and confarm- 
 ed by the Holy Ghost by divers miracles and gifts, and which 
 even convinced the beholders that they came from God, and 
 carried in them a divine approbation, and seal to the gospel- 
 
 i a John V. "i^. ^ J«hn xvi. 9. 
 
288 OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 salvation? What roasoii have we to magnify and adore tlie 
 Holy Spirit, as for his Deity, so for Iiis works' sake? And 
 whilst we recollect his other works, ^ve ouglit not to forget 
 his miraculous works, which are of so gi'eat use in the Chris- 
 tian fleconomy. Had we lived in the apostolic age, and seen 
 the mighty and glorious things which the Holy Spirit eua* 
 bled iiis servants to do ; with wliat awful reverence would it 
 have filled us, and how worthy of our love and esteem would 
 the Holy Spirit have appeared to he ? The distance of time 
 makes no alteration in the thing; the works of the Spirit do 
 not lose their reality, greatness, or glory by length of time ; 
 why should we then be more backward to love and honour 
 him than the primitive Christians were? He has, indeed, 
 been degraded by some, quenched and grieved by others, at 
 whose hands he deserves much better : But let us consider 
 who he is, and what lie lias done, both for the saints, by his 
 external works, and in them, by an internal power ; and let 
 us abound more in our love to him, and esteem of him, whose 
 ministration is so exceeding glorious. 
 
 OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 SERMON V. 
 
 PREACHED JULY 27th, 1731. 
 
 '2 Cor. ill. 8. — ffoiv shall not the mlnistr'atimi of the Spirit 
 he rather glorious ? 
 
 X HAVE, for some time, been discoursing conceniing the 
 Works of the Holy Spirit, and have treated on those of Crea- 
 tion, Providence, and Inspiration, and the last time concern- 
 ing his Miraculous Works. 
 
 VI. I nov/ proceed to consider the Work of the Holy Spi- 
 rit, relatinc: to Christ himself. 
 
OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 289 
 
 Tlie scriptures insist much upon it ; onr be&it writers on 
 
 tins subject have distinctly considered it ; and, witliout niak- 
 
 ling- a chasm in the substance and order of his works, tliis 
 
 liead cannot well be omitted ; I shall therefore present this 
 
 (Work to our view, in the following particulars. 
 
 1. The Holy Spirit made representations, and gave de- 
 scrij)tions of Christ before his incarnation. Thereby ho glo- 
 rified Christ among the Old Testament saints, by taking of 
 his things, and shewing them to them. Job knew his lle- 
 I deemer ; Abraham saw his day, and was glad ; Jacob waited 
 for him as God's salvation; David beheld him as fairer than 
 : the sons of men ; Solomon has given a most glorious descrip- 
 ! tion of him in his wonderful Song ; Isaiah saw his glory, and 
 I spoke much of him ; and the rest of the prophets have given 
 ; various hints concerning him, and all from the teachings and 
 influence of the Holy Ghost. In scripture he is represented 
 , as the seed of the woman, that should break the serpent's 
 \ head ; as the seed of Abraham, in whom all the nations of the 
 ( earth should be blessed ; as God's salvation ; as the gi*eat pro- 
 pliet, whom God should raise up ; as God's priest for ever ; 
 as his king set upon the holy hill of Zion ; as a child born of 
 a virgin, and a son given, wlio is the mighty God, the ^\'on- 
 il derful Counsellor, the everlasting Father, the Piince of peace ; 
 I as the Messiah, and the Lord our righteousness; as the Ile- 
 \ deemer of his people, who was to die for their sins and rise 
 again, in whom all the seed of Israel are justified and do 
 ■glory ;-as fairer than the sons of men, and the chiefest among 
 I ten thousand, who should build the temple of the Lord, and 
 bear the glory; these, with many other and larger represen- 
 tations of Christ, as to liis person, natures, works, disposition, 
 and glory, did tiie Holy Spirit give to the Old Testament 
 saints ; and a great and wonderful work it v. as in itselt, 
 and for the glory of Clnist, and the salvation and comfort 
 of his people. 
 
 •7. As Christ sent tlie Spirit, after his ascension, so llic 
 S;;:rit sent Christ at his incarnation ; for equals, by ions( nt, 
 
 VOL. ill. N 
 
200 OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 may send each other. Christ's mission is eminently, and most 
 frequently ascribed to God tlie Father; yet not exclusively of 
 the Holy Spirit. The prophet Isaiah spoke of it as the joint 
 act and deed of the Father and the Spirit, when lie brings 
 in Christ, saying, ' Come you near to me, hear you this, I 
 have not spoke in secret from the beginning, from the time 
 that it was, there am I : And now the Lord God and his 
 Spirit have sent me a' Christ seems to have applied this 
 text to himself, when he said, ' In secret have I sai<l nothing b' 
 When Christ went into the wilderness to be tempted of tlie 
 devil, the Holy Spirit sent him forth, or led him up to the 
 battle c : Herein he gave a particular instance of his power 
 exerted on Christ's hunian nature, in his primaiy and general 
 mission as a Saviour. When it is said, the Lord God and 
 liis Spirit have sent me ; the person sent must be the second 
 person of the blessed Trinity, who was sent into the world 
 by his Father, and was anointed to his prophetical office by 
 the Holy Spirit. When Christ's mission is expressly ascrib- 
 ed both to the Lord God, and also to his Spirit, there must 
 be some sense in which the Father and Spiiit have a distinct, 
 though not separate agency in the sending of the Messiah. 
 The Spirit being God of the same substance w^ith the Father, 
 and equal in power and glory, must be concenied in Christ's 
 mission, the works of the Trinity, ad cxira^ being undivided. 
 3. The conception and formation of Christ in the womb of 
 the Virgin, w^as the work of the Holy Spirit. Christ's in- 
 carnation, or being made man, is differently ascribed to the 
 Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. It was the work 
 of the Father, as to designation and appointment ; hence long 
 before Christ came in the flesh he is introduced saying to the 
 Father, ' Mine ears hast thou opened ;' or, ' A body iiast 
 thou prepared me d :' It was tlie work of the second person, 
 or the Son, with respect to voluntary assumption ; he took 
 part of human flesh and blood ; but, with respect to im- 
 
 « Isa. xlviii. IG. b John xviii. 20. c Mat. iv. 1. 
 
 rf Psal. xl. G.—IIeb. x. 5. 
 
OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 291 
 
 mediate efficiency, the forming Christ's human nature, bodv 
 and soul, was the Avork of the Holy Gliost. The virgin 
 Mary is said to be with child of the Holy Ghost a ; the Holy 
 Ghost came upon her, and the power of the Highest over- 
 shadowed her in a secret ineffable way: He formed Christ's 
 body in the womb of the Virgin, and of her substance ; it was 
 not like the first creation, wherein all thingrs were made out 
 of nothing ; but like the forming the body of Adam cut of the 
 earth, and the body of Eve out of a rib taken from Adam : 
 There was previous matter to work upon, though such matter 
 as would never have pro<luced that body, but by an almighty 
 creating power : Such the Holy Ghost exerted in fiannng 
 Christ's body, and animating it with a living soul, that he 
 might, in all things, be like to us, sin only excepted ; for the 
 Holy Ghost, in this v/onderful work, purified and sanctified 
 that part of the substance of the virgin JNIary; so that what 
 was conceived and bom of her, was perfectly holy and void 
 of sin. Christ, as to his human nature, was holy, harmless, 
 and undefiled, and separate from sinners, 
 
 4. Christ's unction was another great work of tlie Holy 
 Spirit ; gTace was poured into his lips, and he was anointed 
 with the oil of gladness above his fellows. Christ's human 
 nature was filled with the gifts and gi-aces of the Holy Spirit ; 
 and God poured out upon him the Spirit without measure : 
 ' We beheld him,' said the evangelist, ' as the only begotten 
 of the Father, full of grace and truth b.' This was according 
 to ancient prophecy, ' There shall come forth a rod out of the 
 stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. And 
 the Spiiit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wis- 
 dom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the 
 Spirit of knowledge, and of the feai* of the Lord ; and he shall 
 make him of quick understanding in the fear of tlie Lord r.' 
 In his first conception, he was habitually and radically filled 
 with a perfection of grace, a\ hich afterwards gradually exerted 
 
 a I\Iat. i. IS—Luke i. 'Sb. b John iii. 34. ; i. 14—10. 
 
 c Isa. xi. I — 3. 
 
29*2 OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 itself as his bodily org^ans were fitted for it, and occasion and 
 <)j)portunity offered itself; tliis is called liis increasing in wis- 
 dom and stature, and in favour ^^ itli God and man a. 
 
 5. 'Hie Holy Spirit, in and after Christ's baptism, afforded 
 a miglity presence and power with Inm in all his glorious 
 works. There was a sort of solemn inauguration of Christ, 
 and solemn unction of him at his baptism, at which time the 
 Spirit gloriously descended, and rested upon him ; nnd fnmi 
 that time he went about doing good, and healing all manner 
 of diseases : God having anointed him with the Holy Ghost 
 and with power, as the apostle declares h. Immediately after 
 Christ's baptism, the Spirit led him up into the wilderness to 
 be tempted of the devil c, where he Avas forty days : His trial 
 and victory there being finislied, Jesus returned in the power 
 of the Spirit into Galilee, and began his public ministry, very 
 fitly applying to himself, and assuring the people that at that 
 time this scripture was fulfilled, ' TJie Spirit of the Lord is 
 upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to 
 the poor.' Many miracles did Christ work by the power of 
 the Holy Ghost, as the scriptures amply declaie. In the 
 whole of his ministry, in all his temptations, sufferings, fatigues, 
 and reproaches, in all that he did and suffered, whilst he was 
 in this world, he had the mighty aid and power of the Holy 
 Spirit with him : His human nature was wonderfully assisted 
 and supported in that great work wherein he was engaged, as 
 might easily be made appear, by an induction of particulars, 
 was it needful; but such as search the scriptures cannot be 
 ignorant of them. All that I design by these hints, is to shew 
 that the Holy Spirit exerted an almighty power in and by 
 Christ's ministry, and those works which he enabled him to 
 perform. 
 
 It may be said. If Christ was God as well as man, and if 
 the Godhead dwelt in him bodily, what need was there of 
 these operations of the Holy Spirit? Surely Christ's divine 
 nature was of itself, and alone, able and sufficient to ar- 
 
 a Luke ii. 5'2. h Acts x. .38. c laike iv. J— 21. 
 
OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 29S 
 
 coniplish them. I answer, That Christ, as God, was able to 
 do every thing, is unquestionably true : but yet, according to 
 the divine oeconomy and order of working agreed upon be- 
 tween tlie divine persons, some things are peculiarly ascribed 
 to the Father, some to the Son, and some to the Holy Spirit, 
 and some to all three in their proper order : Thus God is said 
 to work miracles by Christ, and Christ is said to do them by 
 the Spirit, whose office it was to assist the human nature in 
 the performance of them. If a reason of this is demanded, it 
 is sufficient for us to say, that the Father, Son, and Holy Spi- 
 rit saw fit that it should be so ; and it is not for us to pry in- 
 to the secret reasons of the divine will, why it is so : It is, or 
 ought to be enough for us, that so it is appointed and reveal- 
 ed ; and therefore we are bound to beUeve it, and acquiesce 
 in it, knowing that God's ways are unsearchable, and past 
 our finding out : However, this, I think, we may safely affirm, 
 that this order of working shews the distinction of the divine 
 persons, and the office and glory of the Holy Spirit, in the 
 oeconomy of om* salvation, without supposing any defect or 
 insufficiency in the person of the Son, to do all his great 
 works ; for there is a mutual concurrence of all the divine 
 persons in the works mentioned. The Father and Son put 
 forth those operations by and with the Spirit, which yet, in 
 scriptui'e, are more frequently and expressly ascribed to the 
 Holy Spirit. As therefore the Son does whatsoever the Fa- 
 ther does, so whatever the Father and Son do towards the 
 creature, the Spirit does it likewise : As all the three persons 
 have the same nature and principle of operation, so they are 
 all jointly concerned in the same external works, even those 
 which, according to office and immediate agency, peculiarly 
 belong: to the Holy Ghost. These things duly considered, 
 will, I think, take off the force of the objection. 
 
 6. There was the work of the Holy Spirit upon Christ's 
 human natm^e, relating to his resurrection. He was put to 
 <leath in the flesh, but quickened, or restored to life again by 
 the Spirit. And the apostle Paul assures us, that that Spii'it 
 
"iOl. OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 who raised Chri;st from the dead, bliall quicken the mortal 
 bodies of the saints : Tims he was declared to be the Son of 
 Ciod f/, and was justified in, or by the Sjiirit, raising liini 
 from the dead. His body ^vas not suffered to see corruption 
 in the grave ; and, as the cited texts testify, \\as, by the Holy 
 Spirit, raised from tlie dead. The same Spirit wlio had ex- 
 erted his almighty power in the resurrection of Lazarus and 
 of the widow's son, also shewed himself in Christ's resurrection 
 from the dead. The same Spirit who raises Christ's members 
 from the grave, also quickened and raised their Head wlien 
 brought to the dust of death. 
 
 7. The Holy Spirit glorifies Christ. This he did in his 
 conception, baptism, life, death, and resurrection, and also at 
 his ascension and entrance into heaven. Christ's body Avas 
 then made glorious, Avhen it was received up into glory : All 
 human infirmities being then removed, and an inexpressible 
 majesty and splendor adorning the man Christ Jesus. Hence 
 John, in his vision of Christ 6, beheld his countenance as the 
 sun shining in his strength. The Holy Spii'it made Christ's 
 human nature every way meet for its residence at the right 
 hand of God ; this was part of his work as appointed to glori- 
 fy Christ : He first made him holy in his conception, and then 
 made him glorious at his ascension ; Christ also then received 
 the promise of the Father, even the Holy Ghost, and he de- 
 scended to glorify Christ in the world. Thus I have very 
 briefly considered the Work of the Holy Spirit, relating to the 
 Person of Christ. 
 
 VII. I shall consider another sort of works of the Holy 
 Spirit ; which, though they were extraordinary, and are long 
 since ceased, yet were of great use in the first planting of the 
 gospel, and are left upon record, as proper to be known; and 
 these are his wonderful descent and appearance at Pentecost, 
 with the attending extraordinary gifts and \vorks mentioned in 
 scripture. 
 
 The former of tliese we have an account of in the second 
 
 a 1 Pet. iii. IS, — Koni. viii. II. — 1 Tun. iii. 16. b Rev. i. 
 
OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 295 
 
 chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. Christ, before his death, 
 liad foretold a signal, and glorious coming and work of the 
 Holy Spirit : He had been in and with the chiu'ch in all ages ; 
 in the beginning of tlie world he strove with men ; in the days 
 of Noah he assisted the preachers of righteousness ; he wrought 
 in Moses, and other eminent men, by prophecy and miracles ; 
 he fitted for his ministry John the Baptist ; he converted the 
 apostles and others ; he descended and rested upon Christ, 
 and filled his ministry wdth grace and miraculous works ; the 
 seventy disciples had done great things by his assistance ; and 
 yet our Saviour speaks of the Spirit's coming in a signal emi- 
 nent way after his own departuie from this world ; and of the 
 gi'eat things which he was to do as a Comforter, as a Spirit 
 of truth, leading into all truth, as a prophetic Spirit, shewing 
 tljings to come, as a Sanctifier, and a Spirit of holiness, and 
 therefore called the Holy Spirit ; and, as a converter of men, 
 he was to reprove the world of sin, of righteousness, and of 
 judgment : ' If I go not away,' said Clnist, ' the Comforter 
 will not come ; but if I depart, I will send him to you : And 
 when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, of righ- 
 teousness, and of judgment a.' The Holy Spirit was to have 
 a coming in state, in a solemn and visible manner, as one b 
 expresses it, attended with visible signs, works, and effects ; 
 such as his coming at Pentecost, the feast of first-fiiiits, which 
 was fifty c days after the Passover ; as this coming and eft\i- 
 sion of the Spirit was fifty days after Christ our passover was 
 sacrificed for us. ' When d the day of Pentecost was fully 
 come, they were all with one accord in one place : And sud- 
 denly there came a sound from heaven, as of a i-ushing mighty 
 wind ; and it filled all the house where they were sitting : 
 And there appeared to them cloven tongues, as of fire, and 
 tlioy sat upon each of them ; and they were all filled with the 
 Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the 
 Spirit gave them utterance.' Tlie Spirit's coming was with 
 remarkable signs and eflects, sucli as amazed the beholders ; 
 
 a John xvi. 7, 8. # i Goodwin of the Spirit, p. 5. 
 
 c Lev. xxlii. d Acts ii. 1 — 4. 
 
2D6 OF THE WORKS OF THE UOIY SPIRIT. 
 
 tliere was a sudden loud noise from heaven, as of a mighty 
 wind, and the appearance of fieiy tongues sitting upon tlie 
 disciples. This was attended with sensible miraculous eflfects ; 
 they spoke with other tongues. Uidearned men now spoke 
 all languages to the multitude gathered together, consisting of 
 all nations, without study, and without difficulty. Those who 
 were filled with the Holy Ghost, at this his glorious coming, 
 were enabled to speak to the nniltitmle in their several 
 tongues, the wonderful Avorks of God ; and by one discourse 
 of Pt?ter, at that time, no less than three thousand were con- 
 verted; and after that there were daily added to the church such 
 as should be saved ; and, in a little time, the number of bre- 
 tlu'en was increased to five thousand a ; and, soon after that, 
 we read, that multitudes of believers were added, both men 
 and women b. The conversion of the Gentile world, and the 
 raising and building the Christian church, was reserved as the 
 glorious work of the Holy Ghost ; and a glorious beginning 
 of it there was at his visible coming at Pentecost, when the 
 first-fniits of it were produced with joy and gladness, how 
 much soever they are undervalued at this day. When the 
 Holy Spirit came and wrought in that wonderful manner be- 
 fore-mentioned, the believers were together, and ate their 
 meat with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God, and 
 having favour with all the people. 
 
 At this signal coming of the Holy Ghost, extraordinary 
 gifts were by him conferred upon men ; an account of these 
 is given us by the apostle Paul c in the following Avords ; 
 * For to one is given by the Spirit, the word of wisdom ; to 
 another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit ; to an- 
 other faith by the same Spirit ; to another the gifts of healing 
 by the same Spirit ; to another the working of miracles ; to 
 another prophecy ; to another discerning of spirits ; to another 
 divers kinds of tongues ; to another the interpretation of 
 tongues. But all these worketh that one and self-same Spi- 
 rit, xlividing to every man severally as he will.' The works 
 
 a Acts iv. 4. b Acts v. 11. c i Cor. xii. 8 — 11. 
 
OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 297 
 
 mentioned were extraordinary ; to explain and distinguish 
 tliem accurately and justly is, at this distance of time, very 
 difficult, if not impossible. 
 
 1. By the word of wisdom possibly may be meant, a clear 
 and comprehensive knowledge of the gospel, with an ability 
 to declare the same to others. Thus Paul a and his com- 
 panions spoke wisdom among them that were perfect, even 
 the things which God prepared for them that love him, even 
 the deep things of God, which are knouTi to, and revealed 
 by the Spirit : This wisdom was given to Paul, and also to 
 the rest of the disciples, according to Christ's promise, that 
 after he left them, he would give them ^visdom, which all 
 their advei-saries should not be able to gainsay or resist h. 
 For the Spirit led them into all truth, and gave them such ut- 
 teiance and eloquence as was far superior to the abilities of 
 their opposers : Thus Paul c confounded the Jews that dwelt 
 at Damascus, proving Jesus to be the very Christ. 
 
 2. By the Spirit also was given the word of knowledge ; 
 by which some understand an inward clear perception of di- 
 vine things, yet not attended with an ability to make them 
 known to others ; others, by the word of knowledge, under- 
 stand an insight into the meaning of those passages and pro- 
 phecies of the Old Testament relating to Christ, which had 
 not been clearly understood, or rightly applied before; which, 
 sense seems agi'eeable to that of the apostle ; ' You may un- 
 derstand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ, which in 
 other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it is 
 now revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit ; 
 that the Gentiles should be fellow- heirs, and of the same 
 body, and partakers of liis promise in Christ, by the gospel : 
 That I should preach among the Gentiles the unseai-chable 
 riches of Christ ; and make all men see what is the fellon'- 
 >hip of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world 
 bath been hid in God d^ From tliis gift of knowledge it was 
 
 a 1 Cor. ii. 6, 9, 10, 12. h Luke xxi. 15. 
 
 c Acts ix. 22. d liph. iii. 4, b, 6, 8, 9. 
 
 N 2 
 
•29S OF THE WORKS OF TIIK HOLY SriKJT. 
 
 tliat the Now Testament writers have expounded many pas- 
 sages in the Old Testament eonceniing' Christ, wliith few, if 
 any, would otiierwise have miderstood of liim ; and this was 
 a i^lorious hght it cast on tliat part of scripture. 
 
 3. Faith is also mentioned among the extraordinary works 
 and gifts of the Holy Spirit. By faith, in this place, the 
 a|)Ostle cannot mean that faith hy wliich all the just live, and 
 all the redeemed believe to righteousness ; for lie speaks of 
 such a faith as is given to one Christian in distinction from 
 another. Sojne understand by it the faith of miracles, that is, 
 such an inward persuasion and belief that sucli or such a mi- 
 raculous work should be done, upon calling on the name of 
 the Lord, as was certainly followed with the effect upon the 
 use of the means. Thus Clirist said to his disciples, ' If you 
 have faith and doubt not ; if you say to this mountain, be thou 
 removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.' 
 And, ' All things whatsoever you shall ask in prayer, be- 
 lieving, ye shall receive «.' So Peter told the people, that it 
 was through faith in Christ's name that they had healed the 
 lame man b, Paul speaks of the same thing when he says, 
 ' If I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains ; if I 
 liave not love, I am nothing c' And Christ intended tlie 
 same faith when he said, ' If you have faith but as a grain of 
 mustard-seed, you shall say to this mountain. Remove hence 
 to yonder place, and it shall remove d. It was a work pro- 
 per for the Holy Ghost to fix their faith or persuasion relat- 
 ing to such events, because he searches all the deep things of 
 God, and knows beforehand whatever shall come to pass. 
 
 4. The gifts of healing in an extraordinary way the most 
 incurable diseases, without the use of ordinary means, was 
 anotJier wonderful work and gift of the Holy Spirit. Peter 
 and John cured one that had been a cripple from his mo- 
 ther's womb e ; nay, the very shadow of Peter cured many : 
 
 n Mat. xxi. 21, 22. b Aits iv. 0, 10. 
 
 c 1 Cor. xiii. '\ d MaI. xvii. '20. 
 
 e Acts iii. 1 — 1 I. ; V. 15. ; ix. -32—43. ; xiv. B, 11. ; xix. 12. 
 
OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 299 
 
 The cripple at Lystra, who had never talked, was cured by 
 Paul ; and handkerchiefs from his body performed cures at a 
 distance. And as the apostles received from the Spirit a 
 power of healing, so also of wounding and killing, as there 
 was occasion : Thus Peter o, by the power of the Spirit, 
 struck Ananias and his wife dead upon tlie spot, for dissem- 
 bling and lying to the Holy Ghost ; and Paul stnick Elynias 
 the sorcerer blind. These acts of seeming severity might be 
 necessary to vindicate the honour of the Holy Spirit in the 
 beginning of his administration, to strike terror into offenders, 
 and to convince by-standers that the Holy Spirit would justify 
 and support the pretensions of the apostles, that they acted 
 under, and were sent by him. These things engaged the at- 
 tention of the populace, the miraculous cures produced admi- 
 ration and thankfulness in many, and the judgments inflicted 
 filled others with gi'eat fear and astonishment. Though the 
 Christian dispensation had not the po^ver^of the civil magis- 
 trate on its side, yet it had a greater and more terrible power 
 to support and defend it, and that was the power of the Holy 
 Spirit, in acts of goodness and severity, as the case required ; 
 so that the apostles could address themselves boldly to the 
 fiercest and greatest of their adversaries, in such language as 
 this ; ' Behold, you despisers, wonder, and perish b :' for 
 they had it in readiness to revenge all disobedience. 
 
 5. INIiracles, or the pouer of working them, was the gift 
 of the Holy Spirit. INIany miracles were wrought by the 
 apostles and their companions, under the conduct and in- 
 Huence of the Holy Ghost. The main difficulty here, is to 
 distinguish between faith and miracles ; perhaps the former 
 may signify the temper of mind required in the instniment in 
 some cases ; the latter, the power by which miracles are 
 wrought in general, and the efficiency of it, or the ability of 
 working miracles exerted and dra^^n out into exercise, with- 
 out that particular faith before-mentioned ; for though, ac- 
 cording to Christ's words, wherever tliat faith was found the 
 
 « Acts V. 1 — II.; xiii. 8 — 12. h Acts :.iiL 41. 
 
800 OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 effect would certainly follow, yet that faith was not required 
 10 the Working of all miracles : Tiioi'iffi the Spirit never dis- 
 ajipointed that faith, yet he might and did work above and 
 Avithout it ; aftd therefore the gifts of faith and miracles might 
 well be distinguished. 
 
 These miraculous works had wonderful effects, and pro- 
 cured great regard to the apostles and their doctrine ; and 
 were much for the honour of the Holy Spirit, Avho is declared 
 to be the prime efficient cause of them, for from him the power 
 of working tliem was deiived, as the scriptures expressly de- 
 clare a. Stephen, full of the Holy Ghost, did great miracles 
 among the people ; and so did Philip at Samaria ; and the 
 people, with one accord, gave heed to his preaching of Christ, 
 hearing and seeing the miracles he did. The ministration of 
 the Spirit must needs be glorious, as it was attended Avith 
 such excellent gifts and such visible wonderful works as 
 shewed all nature to be at his command, and under his cou- 
 troul. 
 
 6. Prophecy was another gift of tlie Holy Spirit, which 
 gave a beauty and glory to this dispensation. Christ had 
 promised that when the Spirit cam.e he should shew things to 
 come h. By prophecy, some understand every extraordinary 
 and eminent gift of understanding the divine will, whether as 
 to things past, present, or to come. Agabus, and the four 
 daughters of Philip, had the spirit of prophecy ; so had Paul 
 and the rest of the apostles, and many of the jirimitive Chris- 
 tians. And when under the particular influence of the Holy 
 Ghost, they spoke by exhortation, to edification and comfort 
 in tlie explication and application of scripture, it is called pro- 
 phesying c ; and it is ordered to be according to the analogy 
 or proportion of faith. Paul, by the si)irit of prophecy, fore- 
 told the casting off, and recalling of the Jews, and the bring- 
 ing in the fulne;-!S of the Gentiles d'. The prophets at Antioch 
 ))0!nted out the persons whom the Holy Ghost would employ 
 
 a Acts vi. 8. ; vli 5, C. b John xvi. 13. 
 
 c 1 Cor. -:i\-. 3. — RtJni. xii. 7. d Acts xiii. 1—3. 
 
OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 301 
 
 ill calling the Gentiles : Timothy was constituted an e\an- 
 gelist <7, according- to prophecy. St. John foretold the luys- 
 teiy of the heast, the persecuted and glorious state of the 
 churcli hefore and at the end of time. Prophecy, in this com- 
 prehensive sense, was a very excellent and useful gift, and 
 rendered the ministration of the Spirit, from whom it came, 
 very glorious. 
 
 7. Discerning of spirits is another work and gift of the 
 Holy Spirit. There were many false prophets in the primitive 
 times ; Satan did all he could to puzzle and confound the 
 Christian cause, and sent many to mimic and resemble the 
 true prophets, so that it was not easy, at fii'st, to distinguish 
 the true prophets from the false ones : As an antidote against 
 this -evil, the Holy Spirit furnished some with a power of dis- 
 tinguisliing true prophets and prophecies from all counterfeits. 
 There b was a power of discerning th& secrets of the heart 
 through all disguises, and detecting false pretenders to inspira- 
 tion, or to a gi'acious work upon the heart. Thus Peter c 
 perceived Simon IMagus to be in the gall of bitterness and 
 bond of iniquity ; and Paul detected Elymas the false prophet ; 
 for being filled with the Holy Ghost, he set his eyes on him, 
 as a token, it may be, of the inward sight and view Avhich he 
 had of him, and said, ' O full of all subtilty and all mischief, 
 thou child of the devil, thou enemy of ail righteousness, wilt 
 thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord ?' That 
 Spirit who searches all things, could easily discover the state 
 and the designs of men, to such of his servants as he saw fit 
 to entrust with this gift ; and this was another ^^onderful 
 work and gift of the Spirit, suited to the preservation of the 
 church fi'om the ill effects of fi-aud and deceit, and to the con- 
 viction of others ; for the secrets of men's hearts being thus 
 maJe manifest, they are brought to confess, that God is in and . 
 with his servants of a truth d. 
 
 8. Divers kinds of tongues are mentioned as another mira- 
 
 a I Tim. i. 18. /; I Cor. xiv. 25. 
 
 c Actsviii. 21—23.; xiii. 9, 10. d 1 Cor. xiv. 24, 25. 
 
302 OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 CLilous work and ^ift of the Sj)irit. This was a wonderful 
 thing, and what filbd the first auditors with amazement, to 
 hear ignorant and unlearned men, who had never studied the 
 languages, speak them ^villl the greatest propriety and fluency. 
 TJus gift was, indeed, a sign that God was with them «, and 
 was very proper for them Vi'ho Avere to teach all nations, hut 
 could not have done it, if they could not liavc conversed with 
 t'lem in tlieir several languages. What few men now attain 
 with many years study and lahour, these primitive teachers 
 received in a moment, by the teachings of the Holy Spirit, 
 who made them better linguists in a minute, than other men 
 are by tlie painful labours of a wliole life. 
 
 9. The last gift, or work of the Spirit in the apostle's list^ 
 is the interpretation of tongues : An ability to render any lan- 
 guage into another that \>'as understood by the people ; as the 
 turning Hebrew or Greek into Latin, for the sake of such as 
 understood Latin, but understood neitlier of the otlier lan- 
 guages :* This, I think, is the most natural sense of the ex- 
 pression ; though some would carry it farther, and would have 
 us understand an explication of tlie things or doctrines deliver- 
 ed in the unknown language, as well as giving the true sense 
 and signification of the words, in a language understood by 
 those for whom the translation was made. It was doubtless 
 of excellent use and service in the chinTh, to have the insj)ir- 
 ed discourses of the first preachers, delivered in one language 
 to a mixed multitude, where many did not understand it, in- 
 terpreted to them by the infallible guidance of the Holy 
 CJhost, who knows all languages, and enabled some of his ser- 
 vants to help and assist the rest this way. 
 
 These, with other miraculous gifts, were plentifully bestow- 
 ed on the primitive churches ; the chiu'ch at Corinth, in par- 
 ticular, was full of them ; they spoke with tongues, they pray- 
 ed, they prophesied, they interpreted, they blessed with the 
 Spirit, or by his assistance : When they came together, every 
 one had a doctrine, a tongue, a revelation, an interpretation i ; 
 
 rt 1 Cor. xiv. 22. b 1 Cor. xiv. U, IC, 26. ; vi. 5, 6. ; xii. 1?. 
 
OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 303 
 
 they were enriched in all utterance, and in all knowledge, so 
 as that they came behind in no gift, and were not inferior to 
 any of the other churches ; which strongly implies that these 
 gifts abounded in the other churches also. Had we lived in 
 those times, and seen and heard the fore-mentioned thiiio-s, 
 what high thoughts of the Holy Spirit must it have raised in 
 us ? And how fully should we have been convinced that this 
 ministration of the Spirit was fai' more glorious than any dis- 
 pensation that went before it ? 
 
 And thus I have gone through another part of the Spirit's 
 work relating to his glorious coming at Pentecost, and the 
 wonderful gifts and works that attended and followed it. 
 Many exclude the Holy Spirit from any concern in their reli- 
 gion ; there are some who deny his Deity, others who diisown 
 l)is divine Personality, many who disbelieve or despise his 
 Works, but how gi-oundless and guilty a conduct is this, if we 
 consider his works of creation and providence, of prophecy 
 and inspiration, of miracles, and on Christ's Jmman nature, 
 and when he came after Christ's ascension, and imparted his 
 gifts, as the sun his glittering I'ays, throughout the Avorld, even 
 the gifts of wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, mii'acles, pro- 
 phecy, discerning spirits, divers tongues, and the inteipreta- 
 tion of them. 
 
 VIII. I shall now add a brief consideration of his work re- 
 lating to the institution and success of the gospel-ministry. 
 
 Paul a has told us, tliat lie and his brethren were ministers 
 of the Spirit ; and that the Holy Ghost had made the elders 
 of the church at Ephesus overseers or bishops. Clement h of 
 Rome has told us, " That the apostles going forth in the full 
 
 a 2 Cor. iii. 6.— Acts xx. 28. 
 
 b Gi uToToXoi — ■arccia'yyOJas kecSovriir x, zirXr,^o^ooy,^\vrii %ia, rvi; ava,- 
 <^a,(Tiui r5 xvoin rjju,uv lyitrS X^/g-y, x, zs'iTeaB-iVTii iv rco Xoyui tS 0j5 fi-ra 
 ■3^Xri^o(pontu; tst'Avu.u.t'^ uyia, l^jjA-Sov \vce.yyiXiZ,of/,ivot Tvtv (icic;tXetuv tS 
 0ni ju,i/.Xei)i io^eiv. Kara ^copus iv k, -roXei; xfipvtrtrovrc; fcaB-i^-civov rag 
 KTito^xs uvTciv, ooKifixirecvrt; tu zsrviv/act-ri us iTtirxo'rui x, iiuKojn; rajy 
 f/.-zXXo-jTsuv -sr/s-fyeiv. — Cleiiurit. Epist. i. r. xlli. p. 170. 
 
304? 01-' THE V.ORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 j)ersuasion of the Holy Gliost, preached the gospel, and or- 
 dained, to he bisliops and deacons, those wlio were the first 
 fruits of their ministry, having made proof and trial of their 
 spirits." And the apostle John set such apart for the minis- 
 try, in the churches of Asia, as were pointed out by tlie Spi- 
 rit, as Clement of Alexandria observes a. 
 
 When Christ ascended up on high, he gave gifts to men h ; 
 tlie first and gi-eat gift was that of the Spirit, and from and by 
 that Spirit the churcli received other great gifts, as apostles, 
 prophets, pastors and teachers for the work of the ministry, 
 and the edifying the body of Chrisf. When Christ, in his 
 forty days conversation with his disciples after his resurrection, 
 gave them commandments relating to tlie ministry and Avor- 
 sliip of the church, it is expressly said, ' That he gave tliose 
 commandments by the Holy Ghost c :' And afterwards, on a 
 special occasion, he gave commandment to separate to him 
 Barnabas and Saul to the v,'ork whereto he had called them d-, 
 and they were sent forth by the Holy Ghost, 'i'he elders at 
 Ephesus, who were ordinary officers of the church, ^vere 
 made overseers by the Holy Ghost, as was hinted before. 
 
 The institution of the gospel-ministry is tlien the work of 
 the Holy Ghost ; and as he appointed it at first, so he conti- 
 nues it in the church to the end of time ; not by flux of extra- 
 ordinary miraculous pov>^ers, as at first, but by a supply of 
 gifts and grace in an ordinary way ; sucli as the ministers of 
 Clu-ist have received from him in every age, since miracles 
 have ceased. This was long since solemnly promised in those 
 remarkable words ; ' My Spirit which is upon thee, and my 
 words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out 
 of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of 
 
 jttsT^xS-sv sa*/ Tjjv E(pi(rov, dTnet ■sfu^uxxXifAivf^ .5 s-r/ tu '7rXri(n'o^uaa. 
 Tuv i^vuvy oTU /u,iv iTiffKOTH; Ka.ra.<;r-(juM, oTa ^s oXm ixxX'/isids u.pf/.'offui'Vy 
 
 Clement. Al. de Sah'abilitafc divitmn, c. xlii. p. 9.39. 
 
 b Eph. iv. 8—13. c Acts i. 2. d Acts xiii. 2. 
 
OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 305 
 
 the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth 
 and for ever a.' So Christ promised his disciples that the 
 Spirit sliould abide with them for ever, whicli must respect 
 the gospel church and ministry ; for the apostles were to abide 
 but a few yeai's in this world ; but the gates of hell shall never 
 prevail against the chm'ch, founded upon Christ, and supplied 
 with his Spirit in the ministry of it. 
 
 All the fmiiiture for the ministry is from the Spirit ; it is 
 his work to make men able ministers of the New Testament : 
 From whom should they receive the true sense of scripture, 
 but from him who indited it, and framed the Avhole body of 
 Christian doctrine ? The aptness to teach, the gifts of utter- 
 ance, boldness, resolution, patience, love to souls, and zeal for 
 the glory of God, with every other heavenly gift and grace, 
 are from the Holy Spirit. 
 
 Another work of the Holy Spirit is to fix the stations, and 
 succeed the labours of his ministers. He sent Peter to Cor- 
 nelius, and made his way prosperous ; he forbad the apostle 
 Paul to preach in Asia b ; and when he had thoughts of going 
 to another place, the Spirit suffered him not : But when he 
 ^vas called into Macedonia, there he gave him success. Thus 
 the Lord of the harvest sent forth his reapers, and appointed 
 them where to thi-ust in their sickles, and gather in the fruits 
 of his power and grace. And though, in succeeding ages, 
 the Holy Spirit has not notified his pleasure in such an extra- 
 ordinary manner, when and wliere they should labour ; yet 
 there is no room to doubt but that, in the course of provi- 
 dence, he still fixes their stations, and gives them all the gifts 
 and success they have, though in a more secret and unseen 
 way ; seeing, as he is Christ's vicegerent, tlie care of the 
 church and ministry still lies upon him, and will do so to the 
 end of the world. This truth is so clearly revealed, and so 
 fully attested in the scriptures, that almost all sorts of men, 
 wlio receive them, have made some pretence or other to this 
 gift and work of the Spirit. The pretended church of Rome 
 
 « Isa. lix. 21. b Acts xvi. G, 7. 
 
306 OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 builds lier infallibility upon this^ promise of the Spirit, to lead 
 the disciples into all truth, and to abide witli them for ever. 
 Others pretend to give the Holy Ghost in ordination, and 
 teach the ordained to say, that they verily believe that they 
 are moved by the Holy Ghost to take upon them the work 
 of the nnnistry. Plow answerable to such professions many 
 act afterwards, let others judge. However, these pretensions 
 and professions cany in them an acknowledgment of the office 
 and vt'ork of the Holy Spirit with respect to the ministry of 
 the chiu'ch ; and therefore for any who make such profession* 
 to ridicule or deny this work of the Spirit, is not only to con- 
 tradict and condemn themselves, but carries in it a most 
 heinous and aggravated guilt. 
 
 APPLICATION. 
 
 I shall conclude with one word of exhortation, which is 
 this ; Let us endeavour more to study and value tlie work of 
 the Holy Spirit. 
 
 The devil is carrying on his design by crying up natural, 
 and crying down revealed religion, by setting up men's own 
 works, and depreciating the works of the Holy Spirit : But 
 they are great, and worthy to be sought out by all who would 
 be wise to salvation. Why is the Bible so full of the works 
 of the Holy Spirit ? is it not that we should study them and 
 improve them ? He Avho conducted the human nature of 
 Chiist, through his difficult work, surely is able to cany us 
 through ours, how hard soever it be, and complete it in the 
 day of Christ. He \vho poured out such wonderful gifts at 
 his descent, and spread the church throughout the world, and 
 has supported it ever since, is able still to uphold it, and make 
 it more glorious at the conclusion of his administration, than 
 it was at the beginning of it. By studying the works of the 
 Spirit which have already been done, we may strengthen our 
 faith as to those that remain yet to be done, either with re- 
 spect to particular persons, or the church in general. And 
 from what has been already said, we may see abundant reason 
 
OF THE WOI^KS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 307 
 
 for the apostle's preferring the administration of the Spirit, as 
 excelling- any other in glory. 
 
 OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 SERMON VI. 
 
 PREACHED OCTOBER 5th, 1731. 
 
 2 Cor. iii. 8. — How shall not the ministration of the Spirit 
 he rather glorious ? 
 
 An my last discourse, the Works of the Spirit, relating to 
 Christ himself, and his extraordinary gifts conferred at Pente- 
 cost, were considered. 
 
 IX. Another eminent Work of the Spirit, which must not 
 be overlooked, is his witnessing to Christ and the truth of 
 Christianity. 
 
 Our Lord said, * When the Comforter is come, he shall 
 testify of me a ' And the apostle John has informed us, ' That 
 it is the Spirit that bears witness, because the Spirit is truth b.' 
 From which scriptures, and many others, it appears, that one 
 great work of the Holy Spirit was and is, to be a witness for 
 Christ, that he is the Son of God, and the true Messiah. 
 
 The great contest at first was, whether Jesus of Nazareth 
 was the true Messiah ; the apostles were witnesses of those 
 facts which proved him so to be ; but lest their testimony 
 should not be received, God sent down the Holy Ghost from 
 heaven to witness the same thing, not only in and by the mira- 
 culous works of the apostles, but also by his immediate testi- 
 mony. ' The Spirit itself bears witness, because the Spirit 
 is truth.' He is a witness worthy of credit, because he has 
 the two great qualifications of a creditable witness, knowledge 
 
 n John XV. 26. 6 1 John v. 6. 
 
308 OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 and voracity ; he cannot either deceive, or be deceived ; he 
 cannot l)e deceived, for he knows all tilings, and searches all 
 tilings, even the deep things of God a ; and he cannot de- 
 ceive, because he is truth itself; and it is his office to lead 
 into all truth. If then we receive the witness of men b, the 
 witness of God the Holy Spirit is greater, and much more 
 worthy of being" received. 
 
 The witness or testimony of the Spirit was by Christ him- 
 self very plainly distinguished from that of the apostles, when 
 he said, ' I will send the Spirit of truth, and he shall testify 
 of me ; and you also shall bear witness c' The gi'eat work 
 of the Spirit, as Christ represents it in his account of his 
 mission, l", to testify of him, or to be his witness ; and the 
 apostles also were to bear witness : So then there is a distinct 
 testimony of the Spirit, and of the apostles ; there is a testi- 
 mony of the Spirit, Avhich may be called immediate, which 
 is without the instrumentality of men, and a testimony which 
 may be called mediate, as it is by men, as the means or in- 
 struments of it. 
 
 There are various ways and seasons in which the Holy 
 Spirit bears witness to Christ ; but that testimony given to 
 Christ after his ascension by the Holy Spirit, is what Christ 
 seems to lay the gi'eatest stress upon, and expect the most 
 from : He foretold that the Spirit should convince the world 
 of sin, and that, when he, the Spirit of truth was come, he 
 should guide them into all truth ; for he should not speak of 
 Ijimself; but whatsoever he was to hear, that he would 
 speak ; he was to be a faithful witness and messenger ; would 
 report the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth : 
 Hereupon Christ, a little after, said, ' He siiall glorify me ;' 
 and that by the declarations which he was to make of him, 
 and the witness and testimony whiih he Avas to bear to Irim d. 
 
 Some brief hints of this work of the Spirit were given in a 
 former discourse, concerning the miraculous works of the 
 
 a I Cor. ii. 10. b 1 John v. 9. c John xv. 26, 27. 
 
 rf John xiv. 8, 9, 13, IL 
 
OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 309 
 
 Spirit ; but as they were very short, and v\'rapped up in an- 
 other subject, and it is so much insisted on in scripture, as 
 one great end of the mission of the Spirit, that he should tes- 
 tify and bear witness of Christ, I thought it necessary to in- 
 sist more distinctly and largely upon it : And here we may 
 consider the matter testified, the manner in which it is done, 
 and its times and seasons. 
 
 1. We may consider Avhat it is which the Spirit testifies 
 of Christ : And our Saviour tells us, that it is all the truth 
 relating to himself ; 'He shall lead you into all tnith ;' all 
 truth relating to Christ and Christianity ; not into all the 
 truths of philosophy, all natural or metaphysical verities, but 
 into all those truths which are contained in the gospel. A 
 summary account of the matter of the Spiiit's testimony we 
 have in this passage, ' The God of oia* fathers raised up Je- 
 sus ; him hath God exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour, to 
 give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins : And we 
 are his witnesses of these things ; and so also is the Holy 
 Ghost, whom God has given to them that obey him cu We 
 are here told, that the Holy Ghost, in distinction from the 
 apostles, is a witness of the death, resurrection, and exalta- 
 tion of Chiist, as a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance 
 and forgiveness of sins ; which few words contain a ai'eat 
 deal in them. The author of the epistle to tlie Hebrews^, 
 having declared that Christ, by one offering, has perfected 
 for ever them that are sanctified, and that, according to the 
 tenor of the new covenant, all the covenant-people are par- 
 doned and purified, adds these obsei"vable words ; ' Whereof 
 the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us.' 
 
 \Ve see then, not only that the Holy Ghost is a divine 
 person, an intelligent voluntary agent, but also that he em- 
 ploys himself in witnessing and testifying the great things 
 of Christ. Wliatever is said of Christ in the whole Bible, 
 either in the Old or New Testament, is the testimony and 
 evidence of the Holy Spirit ; but yet it must be owned, tlirt 
 
 a Acts V. £0—3-2. h Heb. x. 15. 
 
310 OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 there is a special and eminent testimony of the Spirit, which 
 Christ foretold he should give after his ascension, and the 
 glorious mission of the Spirit ; and this we are particularly 
 to regard in discoursing upon this suhject. Concerning the 
 Old Testainent, Christ had said to the Jews, ' Search the 
 scriptures, they testify of me «;' as a means in tlie hand of 
 the Spirit; hut of the Spirit himself, at and after his coming, 
 Christ says, < lie shall testify of me :' This was to he one 
 of his great works in the world, to give evidence of Christ's 
 heing the Saviour sent by God, and to declare and confirm 
 those truths concerning l)im winch are necessary for men to 
 know. To enter upon a detail, or recite the particulars, 
 would he to recite the gospel ; but what has been said may 
 give us a general and comprehensive view of the matter of 
 the Spirit's testimony, or what it is which he witnesses con- 
 cerning Christ b ; that God has given us eternal life, and this 
 life is in his Son. 
 
 2. I come next to consider in what manner the Holy Spi- 
 rit bears Avitness to Christ ; and this may be considered as 
 immediate and external, and as mediate and internal. 
 
 The Spirit's descent, and resting upon Christ, in a visible 
 manner, at his baptism, was an immediate and external tes- 
 timony to Christ. John the Baptist had been advertised by 
 God, that upon whom he should see the Spirit descending 
 and remaining, the same was he who baptizes with the Holy 
 Ghost ; ' And I (says John) saw and bai-e record, that this 
 is the Son of God c' 
 
 At the time of Christ's baptism there was a voice from 
 Jieaven saying, ' This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well 
 pleased d,' But, lest the people present should apply this to 
 John the Baptist rather than to Christ, the Holy Ghost came 
 down in a visible glory, like the Shechinah of old, and abode 
 upon Christ, thereby declaring him to be the beloved Son of 
 the Father, in whom he was well pleased, as Chrysostom well 
 
 a John V. 39. b 1 John v. 9. c John i. 33, 34-. 
 
 d Mat. iii. 16, 17. 
 
OF THE V.'ORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 311 
 
 notes upon tlje place : He likewise tells u«, that tlie Spirit 
 chose the appearance of a dove, to shew his meekness and 
 purity ; and as a dove had brought the good news of a resto- 
 ration from the deluge of water, so the Spirit now descend- 
 ing as a dove upon Christ, notified the restoration of spiritual 
 and eternal peace and happiness by Jesus Christ. This vi- 
 sible descent of the Holy Ghost upon Christ, was a thing al- 
 together new and extraordinary ; for ho never so descended 
 and abode upon any pei-son before, not upon Moses, or Sa- 
 muel, or David, or any of the prophets : There had been a 
 glory that filled tlie tabernacle, which was a type of Christ, 
 and now the Spirit of glory rested upon Christ himself, the 
 true tabernacle which God has pitched, and not man ; and 
 hereby the Holy Spirit witnessed to Christ, in an immediate, 
 external, and glorious manner. Herein there was a practical 
 testimony given to Christ, as if the Holy Ghost had said, 
 Here will I dwell for ever ; for herein do I delight. Tliis can 
 be accounted nothing less than the testimony of the Holy 
 Ghost to him, tliat he was the Holy One of God, the Anoint- 
 ed from above, the King of God's people, and the Heu- of 
 all things, as one expresses it a. 
 
 I Another external and sensible evidence which tire Holy 
 ! Ghost gave to Christ, was at Pentecost ; when he appeared 
 ' as cloven tongues of fire, and sat upon the apostles, and caused 
 ( them to bear witness to Christ in a glorious manner. It is 
 I thought to be with reference to this that Peter says 6, that 
 \ the Holy Ghost, whom God had given to them that obeyed 
 \ him, was a witness to Christ ; and so he v/as eminenth^, with 
 ! regard to this event ; for this coming of the Holy Spirit was 
 an accomplishment of Christ's prediction and promise, and so 
 p'lewed him to be omniscient and faithful : It was likewise a 
 fulfilment of the Father's engagement to send the Spirit to 
 supply Christ's absence, and testify of him ; thus it is ex- 
 plained in those words, ' Having received of the Father the 
 promise of the Holy Ghost, he has shed forth this which yuw 
 
 a Patrick's Testim. p. 165. b Acts v. 32. 
 
312 OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 now see and hear a :' Here was a glorious evidence of the 
 truth of God, an accomplishment of the promise of the Fa- 
 ther made to Christ as Messiah, the accomplishment of which 
 i*? a glorious testimony of the Holy Spirit that he Avas so. 
 The declarations which hy the apostles he made, and the 
 doctrine which h<^ taught, was a clear and strong evidence, 
 <ir testimony for Christ ; not to insist on the extraordinary 
 gifts Avliich he hestowed, and the extraoidinary works whicli 
 J>e enabled them to do ; which have been consichned before 
 under anotlier view, and might now be considered as a me- 
 diate testimony of the Spirit to Christ. 
 
 As to the internal witness of the Holy Ghost, the scripture 
 says b, that no man can say, that Jesus is Lord but by the 
 Holy (iliost : It is his work internally to reveal Christ in the 
 soul, and to reprove men of sin, of righteousness, and of 
 judgment. 
 
 3. The last branch of this head is, To hint the times and 
 seasons in which the Holy Ghost bears witness to Clnist : 
 And these may be summed up in three grand periods, before 
 Christ's incarnation, during his abode on earth, and since his 
 ascension ; and here the light shines more and more in every 
 season to the perfect day. Before Christ's incarnation, the 
 Spirit bore witness to him, in the prophecies, promises, types, 
 and declarations of the Old Testament, as has been noted be- 
 fore ; ' Tlie prophets testified beforehand the sufferings of 
 Christ, and the glory that should follow r.' During Christ's 
 abode on earth, the Spirit witnessed to him, by John the Bap- 
 tist, who proclaimed him to be the Son of God ; Zacharias 
 spoke of him as a horn of salvation ; Simeon declared him to 
 be God's salvation ; Peter confessed him to be Christ, tlie 
 Son of tlie living God : In these and many other ways, the 
 Holy Spirit, during this period, l)are witness to Chnst. But 
 the period from Christ's ascel!^jion to the end of the v.orld, is 
 that in which the Holy Ghost gives the clearest and strongest 
 testimony to Christ : And the beginning and end of this pe- 
 
 a Acts ii. 33. /. I Cor. xiJ. 3. c i Pot. i. 10, 11. 
 
OF THE WORKS OF TI>E HOLY SPIRIT. 313 
 
 riod contain tlie most glorious evidence ; the former, as it was 
 to establish Christianity ; the latter, as it shall be to perfect 
 and complete it. In the first and some following ages, the 
 Holy Spirit testified to Christ in a very convincing and glo- 
 rious manner, and he will do so in a superior manner, when 
 the latter-day glory comes, when the light of the moon shall 
 be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun as the light 
 of seven days, that is, much gi'eater and more resplendent 
 than ever it had been before. 
 
 The New Testament A\Titings are a glorious witness and 
 testimony to Jesus Christ, as must be confessed by all wlio 
 understand and believe them ; and these writings, as well as 
 those of the Old Testament, were given by inspiration of the 
 Holy Ghost. Particularly, the spirit of prophecy a is said 
 to be the testimony of Jesus : The spirit of prophecy, in the 
 apostles and others, was a noble testimony to Christ : It is 
 compared with the voice from heaven, when God said, ' This 
 is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased h ;' which 
 was heard by Peter, and is even preferred before it, and said 
 to be a more sure word, or more certain witness to Christ ; 
 for whereas a voice in the air might have been formed by an- 
 other ; this spuit of prophecy, which they then enjoyed, could 
 come only from God, and deserved to be regarded as a con- 
 vincing witness to Christ, a clear evidence, a light that shined 
 in a dark place. 
 
 The effusion of the Holy Ghost at, and after Pentecost ; 
 the doctrines he taught, the miracles he wrought, the predic- 
 tions he gave forth by the apostles, the gifts he confeiTed on 
 men, and the effectual power by which he brought thousands 
 into Christ's kingdom, made up such an evidence and testi- 
 mony, that Christ is the Son of God, and Saviour of the world, 
 as can never be justly destroyed or evaded. 
 
 X. Another gi'eat work ascribed to the Holy Ghost by 
 Christ himself, and which was to follow his death, is the glo- 
 rifying of Christ. 
 
 a Rev. xix. 10. hi Pot. i. 19. 
 
 ^ OL. HI. O 
 
314 OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 Christ said, ' He shall glorify me ; for lie shall take of 
 mine, and shew it to you a.' Christ appeared in a state of 
 soiTovv and humiliation when he came in the flesh ; for though 
 he was in the form of God, yet he took upon liim the form 
 of a servant, and humbled himself; and became obedient to 
 the death of the cross : He appeared in the likeness of sinful 
 flesh ; he was numbered with transgressors, was the reproach 
 of men, and despised of the people : This was part of his hu- 
 miliation and suffering for us ; but all was not to end thus : 
 After his sufterings, he was to enter into his glory in heaven, 
 and the whole earth was also to be filled with his glory ; And 
 t^Jis great work was to be performed by the Holy Spirit ; 
 ' He,' said Christ, * when he comes shall glorify m€ ;' it is as 
 if our Lord had said, He shall carry on my design, build and 
 enlarge my kingdom, enable you to do greater works than 
 have yet been done, and perfect the gospel-revelation ; but all 
 as my messenger, building on my foundation, doing my will, 
 publishing and propagating the same doctrine which I have 
 taught you, so far as you were able to bear it, enlarging 
 your capacities to take in the rest, and your abilities to com- 
 municate it to others, and your miraculous gifts and powers to 
 assert the truth, and make its way in the world ; and in all 
 this to exalt and glorify me. The Spirit of glory is infinitely 
 superior to all the powers of darkness ; and therefore is fitly 
 qualified to glorify Christ in the world : He is the infinite all- 
 comprehending Spirit, who searches all the deep things of 
 God, and therefore is capable of setting the things of Christ 
 in such a light as shall glorify him. 
 
 But more particularly ; 
 
 1. The very mission and gift of the Holy Spirit, or his 
 coming down at Christ's appointment, and as his gift, glorified 
 Christ. For this made it evident, that Christ, when he died, 
 did not die eternally ; his body lived again, and ascended ; 
 his cause did not die with his flesh, but prevailed, as he did, 
 over all the powers of darkness. Thou^hjie found no favour 
 
 a John xvi. H. 
 
OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 315 
 
 among the princes of this world, yet he was great in the heaven- 
 ly court, and lives and acts there as a Prince and a Saviour ; 
 though on earth he had no naoney, without working a miracle, 
 to pay tribute to Caesar, yet when he ascended, he had the 
 greatest of all gifts, next to himself, to give to men, even the 
 Holy Ghost, which as a royal gift he shed down upon his 
 servants, when he sat down at the Father's right hand, and 
 was crowned with glory and honour there. This made it 
 evident how great a person he is who has such a power to 
 send and give the Holy Spiiit, and in what favour he was with 
 God, who, at his request, communicated this gift to him to 
 impart to men : Hence Peter said of him, ' Being by the 
 right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father 
 the promise of the Holy Ghost, he has shed forth this which 
 you now see and hear a.' None of the princes of this world 
 had such a messenger to send, such a gift to bestow : How 
 great mast" he be who could send dowu from heaven that in- 
 finite and glorious Spirit, who is th^ author of all miracles, 
 gifts, grace, and endowments, natural and spiritual, which are 
 excellent and glonous ? Thi& reasoning must surely be clear 
 and convincing to all v/ho behold the once despised Jesus en- 
 throned at God's right hand, and sending down the Spirit to 
 convince and coiTect the world, to raise, build, and perfect 
 the chui'ch, by his infinite wisdom, power, and grace. How 
 glorious did the foreknowledge and truth of Chi'ist appeal* in 
 the fulfilment of this great prediction and promise, of sending 
 down the Holy Ghost after his ascension ? What a clear de- 
 monstration was here of Christ's power and authority in the 
 heavenly court ? This glorious mission of the Holy Ghost 
 verified the words of Christ to the chief priest and scribes : 
 * Hereafter you shall see the Son of man sitting on the right 
 hand of the power of God b ; and from this wonderful event 
 all the house of Israel might learn that God had made the 
 same Jesus, whom they had crucified, both Lord and Christ c. 
 2. The Holy Ghost glorified Christ by the testimony which 
 
 a Acts ii. 33. b Luke xxii. 69. c Acts ii. 32, 33, 36. 
 
316 OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 lie bore of Christ's glorious resuiTection. That the Holy Spi- 
 rit concuiTed in raising Christ from the dead, has been noted 
 before ; but as that was before the celebrated coming of tlie 
 Spirit, I do not now insist upon that work of his, but upon 
 the declaration which he, after Christ was gone to heaven, 
 made of liis truth by the mouths of the apostles. 
 
 Christ died as a reputed malefactor ; the Jews affirmed that 
 his resuiTection was a mere fable ; tlie apostles withstood the 
 greatest of them to the face, and, with great and convincing 
 power, gave witness of the resuiTection of Cln-ist from the 
 dead, when the Holy Ghost was come upon them a : Thus 
 [ he was declared with power by the Spirit of holiness, to be 
 the Son of God risen from the dead b. This was to put a 
 gi'eat glory upon Christ, to declare that Christ had a glorious 
 resun'ection, and therein gave a full proof that he was the 
 Son of God, and not an impostor or deceiver. All the Gos- 
 pels, the Acts, and the Epistles, composed under the inspira- 
 tion of the Holy Ghost, assert Christ's resuiTection, and many 
 great things that followed upon it, which were much»to the ho- 
 nour and glory of Christ. And, indeed, Christ's resurrection 
 was so great a thing, and so decisive in the dispute between 
 him and his enemies, whether he was the true Messiah or 
 not, that the making this appear must be very much to the 
 honour of Chi-ist, and the glorious success of his cause and in- 
 terest in the world. The devil could not, and the God of 
 truth would not have raised a counterfeit Messiah. If then 
 the Holy Ghost makes it appear, that God raised Christ from 
 the dead, thereby he proves him to be the Son of God, and 
 the Saviour of the world, who, though he w^& once dead, 
 is now alive again, and has the keys both of death and of 
 hell. 
 
 8. The Holy Spirit glorifies Christ, by wiping off the ig- 
 nominy cast upon him before and at the very time of his 
 death. In the very article of death, his enemies loaded him 
 with theii' reproaches, and insultingly said, ' He saved others, 
 
 a Acts iv. 31, 33. b Rom. i. 4. 
 
OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. S17 
 
 himself he cannot save «.' But wlien the Spirit came and con- 
 vinced the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment, 
 these clouds of reproach were scattered, and Christ arose as 
 the Sun of righteousness, with healing in his wings. Some 
 of his enemies, even many of the priests, were converted, 
 others were confounded ; the multitude was amazed, the gos- 
 pel prevailed every where, and Satan fell as hghtning from 
 heaven ; so mightily gi'ew the word of the Lord, and prevail- 
 ed. Christ appeared to be the Lord of glory, and had a 
 name above every name : His name was gi'eat among the 
 Heathen, and he was the glory of his people Israel. The 
 Spirit proclaimed him as received up to glory, as sitting at 
 God's right hand, crowned with glory and honour, as the Lord 
 of all, and the Judge of the quick and dead, who should 
 come again in power and gi-eat glory, to judge the world in 
 righteousness. Thus did the Spirit, in a doctrinal way, glo- 
 rify Christ, by taking of the things of Christ, and shewing 
 them to men : The Lamb that had been slain, was now de- 
 clared by multitudes, to be worthy to receive power, and riches, 
 and wisdom, and strength, and honom*, and glory, and blessing. 
 The Holy Spirit, as Christ's advocate, cleared and supported 
 his character, proved his enemies guilty of malice, envy, and 
 unrighteous judgment, confuted all their false pretences, and 
 vindicated the innocence, righteousness, and honoui* of Christ, 
 from the vile aspersions of all his accusers. 
 
 4. The Holy Ghost glorifies Christ by erecting a kingdom 
 for him, and bringing many into it. By way of accusation 
 and derision, it was wiitten upon his cross, ' This is the King 
 of the Jews.' But notwithstanding all the craft, spite, and 
 power of men, the Holy Ghost set him up as King upon the 
 holy hill of Zion, and brought multitudes to own him as their 
 Lord and King ; he delivered them from the power of daik- 
 ness, and brought them into Christ's Idngdom ; though it was 
 not of this world, nor was Christ any longer visible among 
 men, yet they became his voluntary subjects in the day of his 
 
 a Mat. XX vU. 42. 
 o2 
 
318 OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 power, and submitted to liis laws : This could not have been 
 done by any ordinary power ; for the laws of his kingdom 
 are contrary to the carnal interests and lusts of men, and ex- 
 pose the subjects to shame and loss, and many troubles in the 
 world, and the rewards are invisible, and, in great part, future. 
 Christ had suffered a visible disgrace at his death, and popu- 
 lar prejudice run strong against him ; these, with many other 
 things, seemed to be insuperable difficulties in the way of his 
 kingdom; but the Holy Spiiit surmounts all these obstructions, 
 and many more, and enthrones Christ in the souls of men, 
 and they are built together a habitation for him through the 
 Spirit. The everlasting doors are opened, and the King of 
 glory enters in ; and then the followers of Christ have the 
 honesty and courage to own their sovereign Lord, and plead 
 for, and propagate his kingdom in the world. The instru- 
 ments by wliom persons are won over to Christ, are men of 
 like passions with themselves, who can as well make a world, 
 SiS change a heait, or make so much as one soul willing, by 
 their own power or skill : The doctrine they preach is foolish- 
 ness to the worldly wise ; and the motives they use are out 
 of the sight, and contrary to the taste of those whom they 
 would gain over to Christ ; but yet the Holy Spirit, by his 
 power and gi'ace, brings men to yield themselves to him, and 
 80 proclaims the glorious majesty of his kingdom ; and this 
 way the Holy Spirit does eminently glorify Christ. The 
 glory of a prince is the midtitude and loyalty of his subjects : 
 Christ is, on this account, very glorious ; his subjects, when 
 gathered together, will be a number which no man can num- 
 ber ; how much then does the Holy Spirit glorify the King 
 of saints ? 
 
 5. The Holy Spirit glorifies Christ by impressing his glo- 
 rious image upon men, and by transforming them more and 
 more into it: Beholding the glory of the Lord, they are 
 changed into the same irnaire, from glory to glory, by the 
 Spirit a, Tiie King's daughter is all glorious within. As 
 
 n 2 Cor. iil. 18. 
 
OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 3] 9 
 
 Christ is fairer than the sons of men, so they who bear liis 
 image, aiul partake of liis grace, thereby glorify him. The 
 righteous is more excellent than his neighbour, and where 
 God fulfils all tlie good pleasui'e of his goodness, and the work 
 of faith Avith power, in any persons, the name of the Lord 
 Jesus Christ is glorified in them a. The new-creation work 
 is in light and life, righteousness and true holiness, which 
 carry an innate, intrinsic beauty and glory in them : And it 
 moreover disposes the soul to magnify and glorify Christ ; 
 Wlien persons receive the grace of the gospel, the haughtiness 
 of men is made low, and the Lord alone is exalted b. 
 
 Those born of the Spirit, are a people created for Christ's 
 praise ; it is their principle and inclination to advance the 
 glory of Christ, and to shew forth his praises. Paul desired 
 that Chri:^t might be magnified in him, whether it were by life 
 or death c : The glory of Christ is the end which the true 
 Christian aims at and pursues. An increase in grace, and a 
 progress in holiness and good works, tend to the glory of 
 Christ : This way Christians adorn the doctrine of God, their 
 Saviour, and recommend him to others, to think and speak 
 well of him, whose image and Spirit, in his followers, affords 
 such gi'ounds of admiration and praise. So that the sanc- 
 tifjdng and renewing work of the Spiiit on the souls of men, 
 tends much to the glory of Christ ; if it be considered as his 
 image, and a resemblance of his glorious excellencies, honom- 
 ed with the name of a divine nature ; or, if we consider it as 
 an actiye^principle, which directly inclines the person to be 
 nothing, that Christ may be all, to live in and upon him as 
 their wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, 
 and so to glory not in himself, but only in the Lord ; or if we 
 consider holiness and good works as the ground and means 
 of byholders giving glory to Christ, any, or all these ways con- 
 sidered, the impressing Christ's image upon the soul, by the 
 Holy Spirit, is one eminent way and work in and by which 
 he glorifies Christ. 
 
 a 2 Thess. i. 11, 12. b I:^a. ii. 16. c Phil. i. 20. 
 
3-30 OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT 
 
 6. The Holy Spuit eriorifies Christ by revealing to believers 
 liis infinite merit, rig^liteousness, grace, and love, and impres- 
 sing a sense of them upon their souls. O liow precious is 
 Christ to them ! What innumerable ascriptions of glory and 
 honour have been made to him on these accounts, in all ages ? 
 To those, the closet, the family, the public assembly, and the 
 writings of many can witness, which have been full of the high 
 praises of the dear Saviour, as having made an end of sin, and 
 brouglit in an everlasting righteousness, in which all the faith- 
 fvd are justified, and do glory. And the infinite gi'ace and 
 love of the Redeemer no less affect the hearts of the faithful,, 
 nor less excite their praises, ' The grace of our Lord Jesus 
 was exceeding and abundant towards me,' said Paul ; and the 
 same has been extolled by numberless numbers since, who, by 
 tlie illuminations of the Holy Spirit, have been brt»Lght, first 
 to see their own vileness and unworthiness, and then the in- 
 finite free favour of Christ to the most unworthy and unde- 
 serving. Thus the Holy Spirit revealed him to Paul, and 
 Paul has represented him to others, that Christ might be glo- 
 rified. ' I,' said the apostle a ' had been a blasphemer, and a 
 persecutor, and injurious ; but I obtained mercy, and the 
 grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant towards me.' In 
 one place b we read of grace given in Clirist before the world 
 began ; in another, that he was full of gi*ace, and that out of 
 his fulness we all receive, according to the measure of his gift ; 
 and elsewhere, the grace of Christ is made pait of a farewell 
 benediction : The Corinthians are said to know the grace of 
 our Lord Jesus Christ ; and Christ told Paul, that his gi'ace 
 was sufficient for him ; and Timothy is exliorted to be strong 
 in the grace that is in Christ; and grace is said to reign to 
 eternal life, through Jesus Christ. These, with many other 
 representations of Christ's infinite grace, has the Holy Ghost 
 given us, that we might have high and admiring thoughts of 
 it, and adore and praise him for it, as all the saints, in all 
 
 n 1 Tim. i. 13, 14-. h 2 Tim. i. 9.— .John i. 14-, 16.— Eph. 
 
 Iv. 7.-2 Cor. xiii. U. ; viii. 9. j xiii. 9.-2 Tim. ii. 1.— Rom. v. '^I. 
 
OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 321 
 
 ages, have done : and thus the Holy Spuit glorifies Christ, 
 by displaying the riches and glory of his grace, and causing 
 Christians to glorify him on that account. Believers ai-e 
 said to taste that tlie Lord is gracious, and are exhorted 
 to know the love of Christ «, which passes knowledge ; 
 and to look for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, to 
 eteiTial life. 
 
 The crowning excellency of the mercy and love of Christ, 
 is its sovereignty and freeness ; M'hich is called grace, and has 
 respect to the unworthiness of the receiver, which renders it 
 more pleasant to the taste, and more glorious in the eyes of 
 the saved, who know themselves to be most unworthy ; and 
 this will render their praises and adorations of Christ eter- 
 nally delightful, and be for ever to the glory of his grace : 
 Thus whilst the Spirit of grace takes of the grace of Christ 
 and shews it to us, he, in a transcendent way, glorifies him ; 
 this he does on eaith, all the days of time ; and in heaven, to 
 all eteniity, 
 
 7. The Holy Spirit glorifies Christ, by enabling his servants 
 to suffer for him, with resolution and constancy. Through a 
 supply of the Spirit of Jesus, Paul h hoped, that in nothing 
 he should be ashamed ; but that Christ should be magnified 
 in his body, whether it were by life or by death ; for it was 
 a gift of the Holy Ghost to suffer for his sake. O the noble 
 army of martyrs, who loved not their lives to the death, but 
 glorified their dear Saviour in dying for him ! The Spirit of 
 glory and of God rested upon them c, and by them he was 
 glorified, as Peter speaks. Hence TertuUian said to the mar- 
 tyi-s, " Grieve not the Holy Spirit, who entered with you 
 into prison ; for if he had not been with you, you had never 
 entered, nor had you been now there d.' In this tJie apostle 
 rejoiced, that ^ God had not given him, and his fellow-labour- 
 ers, the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a 
 sound mind e :' Hereby they were enabled to Avitness a good 
 
 a 1 Pet. ii. a—Eph. iii. 19.— Jude 21. b Phil. i. 19, 20, 29. 
 
 c 1 Fet. iv. 14. d TertuUian, ad martyres, p. loit. 
 
 e 2 Tim. i. 17. 
 
322 OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 confession of Christ, and to honour him by laying down their 
 lives in l»is cause ; which was the greatest visible token of 
 their love and loyalty to him, as the best of Sovereigns and 
 Saviours. By this means Christ's interest spread an<l prevail- 
 ed in the primitive times, insomuch that it was commonly 
 said, the blood of the martyi'S is the seed of the church : The 
 liistories of those times furnisli us with many remarkable in- 
 stances of it. And thus did the Holy Spirit glorify Christ, 
 by enabling his servants to lay down their lives for his sake. 
 
 8. The Holy Spirit glorifies Christ in perfecting the saints «, 
 in order to their being presented a glorious church, having 
 neither spot nor wrinkle, nor any such thing. How will 
 Christ be glorified in the saints ft, in tlie great day ? when 
 they all shall appear in their robes of glory, all glorious within, 
 and their raiment of wrought gold e, all the workmanship of 
 the Holy Spirit, who changes them into Christ's image c?, 
 from glory to glory, till Christ shall be e glorified in them, 
 and they in him, in the highest degree that is possible ? And 
 how much must it be to Christ's honour, to be attended in 
 that day with a numberless number, turned from darkness to 
 light, from filthiness to piu-ity, from Satan to God, with the 
 Saviour's image in them, and gloiy upon them, and drawn to 
 the life by the Holy Spirit ? O how are they changed from 
 being the most loathsome, to be the most lovely creatures, 
 with one mind and with one mouth, adoring and praising their 
 dear Redeemer ? Well may Christ say of his church in that 
 day. Thou art all fair, my spouse, there is no spot in thee ; 
 and herein the glory of the Redeemer's merit, grace, and love, 
 will shine brightly for ever and ever. If it be asked. Who 
 are these, and whence did they come ? It may be answered, 
 These all came out of the pit of corruption, the devil's king- 
 dom, having once bore the same loathsome image as the re- 
 probates do; but the Holy Spirit renewed them, washed them, 
 and made tiiem white in the blood of the Lamb, made them 
 all thus fit for Christ to be glorified and admired in and by them. 
 
 a Eph. V. 26. b 2 Thcss. i. 10. c Psal. xliv. 13. 
 
 d 2 Cor. iii. 18. e John xvii. 10. 
 
OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 323 
 
 APPLICATION. 
 
 1. What reason Lave we to believe that Jesus Cliiist is the 
 true and only Saviour, and to adhere to him as such ? He is 
 not left without witness, and that of the highest and best sort : 
 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of the Holy- 
 Ghost is greater. The Spirit himself beare Avitness because 
 the Spirit is truth, and is no lie ; he can neither be deceived, 
 nor deceive us : He has testified of Christ, by abiding in a 
 glorious mannei' upon him at his baptism, and by his enabling 
 the apostles to proclaim him in such a glorious manner, at 
 and after Pentecost. In all ages of the church, but eniinently 
 in the last, the Holy Spirit bears witness to Christ in the 
 most convincing manner, awk therefore it is now a great sin 
 not to believe in and receive Christ, as it is committe«l against 
 clear light and strong evidence. 
 
 The very effusion of the Holy Ghost at Pentecost, was a 
 noble testimony to Christ, that he was ascended up on liigh, 
 seeing he was to give such a gift to men : And the power and 
 gift of prophecy, wherewith the Holy Ghost endowed the 
 apostles, is the testimony of Jesus, and a plain evidence that 
 Christ is the Son of God, and SaA'iom- of men, seeing that 
 Spirit, who is tme God, thereby testified of him. Hence it 
 follows, that we are under the strongest obligations to own 
 and adhere to Christ ; for we make the Holy Spii4t a liar, if 
 we receive not his record which he has given us of Christ ; 
 and how gi-eat a sin must that be ! Let us then, most earnest- 
 ly beg, that the work of faith may be fulfilled with power in 
 us : and that we may stedfastly embrace Christ as the Son 
 of God, and only Saviour of lost sinners : as such the Holy 
 Spirit has revealed him, and has given the cleai'est attestation 
 to this truth. All that he inspired the Evangelist and apostle 
 John to write in his gospel, was with this intent, that we 
 might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and 
 that believing we might have life through his name a, 
 
 a John XX. 31. 
 
321 OF THE WORKS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 
 
 2. Let us be led by the Spirit, and fall in with his design 
 and work of glorifying Christ. Surely Christ is wortliy of 
 great glory, seeing so great and good a person as the Holy 
 Ghost has made it to be his great work in the world, to glo- 
 rify Christ. If we are fond of following examples, let us 
 choose the highest and best to imitate : Let us keep in view 
 the work of the Holy Spirit, and the great things which he 
 has done to glorify Christ : What a glorious testimony has 
 he given us of Christ's resurrection ? How has he vindicated 
 his truth and honour? How has he erected and established 
 his kingdom, by changing men into his image, and displaying 
 the glory of his merit and gi'ace ? How has he enabled many 
 to glorify Christ in the fires of persecution and death itself? 
 Shoidd not we now, if we live nl^he Spirit, also Avalk in the 
 Spirit, endeavour to advance his kingdom in tlie world, pro- 
 mote his image in ourselves and others, display the glory of 
 liis grace and merit, and endeavour, by our good works, to 
 adorn his doctrine, give honour to his glorious person and 
 work ? May the Spiiit assist us with sufficient grace for this 
 service, to which we are so strongly bound, who live under 
 tliat ministration, which abounds in gloiy. 
 
 Now to the Holy Spirit, who has made us, who provides 
 for us, who is the giver of all wisdom, who inspired the pro- 
 phets and apostles, who conducted the Man Christ Jesus, 
 who lias wrought miracles, who furnished the primitive 
 teachers with extraordinary gift:^, who has instituted and 
 makes useful a gospel-ministry, who bears witness to Christ, 
 and glorifies him in the world, and to the Father of mercies, 
 and to the eternal Son, to these three divine persons, who 
 are the One supreme God, be lionour, glory, and praise 
 ascribed in all the churches, now, henceforth, and for ever- 
 more. Amen. 
 
 THE END. 
 
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