the Church until it was accomplished towards them Acts 1. 4 5 8. They would have been again embracing his humane Nature and rejoycing in it But as he said unto Mary touch me not John 20 17. to wean her from any carnal consideration of him so he instructs them all now to look after and trust unto the Promise of the Holy Ghost Hence is that of our Apostle though we have known Christ after the flesh yet now henceforth know we him no more 2 Cor. 5. 16. For although it was a great Priviledg to have known Christ in this World after the flesh yet it was much greater to enjoy him in the Dispensation of the Spirit And this was spoken by the Apostle as the Ancients judge to rebuke the boasting of some about their seeing the Lord in the Flesh who were thereon called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom he directs unto a more excellent knowledg of him It is in vain pretended that it was the Apostles only and it may be some of the Primitive Christians who were concerned in this Promise For although the Holy Ghost was bestowed on them in a peculiar manner and for especial Ends yet the Promise in general belongs unto all Believers unto the End of the World For as to what concerns his Gracious Operations whatever the Lord Christ prayed for for them and so promised unto them as the Spirit was procured for them on his Prayer Joh. 17. 16 17. he prayed not for it for them alone but for them also which should believe on him through their word John 17. 20. And his Promise is to be with his always even unto the End of the World Math. 28. 20. As also that wherever two or three are gathered together in his Name there he would be in the midst of them Math. 18. 20 which he is no otherwise but by his Spirit For as for his Humane Nature the Heavens must receive him until the times of the Restitution of all things Acts 3. 21. And this one Consideration is sufficient to evince the importance of the Doctrine and things which concern the Holy Spirit For is it possible that any Christian should be so supinely negligent and careless so inconcerned in the Things whereon his Present Comforts and future Happiness do absolutely depend as not to think it his Duty to inquire with the greatest Care and Diligence into what our Lord Jesus Christ hath left unto us to supply his Absence and at length to bring us unto himself He by whom these things are despised hath neither Part nor Lot in Christ himself For if any Man hath not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Rom. 8. 9. Sect. 11 Secondly The great work of the Holy Ghost in the Dispensation and Ministration of the Gospel unto all the Ends of it is another evidence unto the same Purpose Hence the Gospel it self is called the Ministration of the Spirit in opposition to that of the Law which is called the Ministration of the Letter and of Condemnation 2 Cor. 3. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ministry of the Spirit is either that Ministry which the Spirit makes effectual or that Ministry whereby the Spirit in his Gifts and Graces is communicated unto Men. And this is that which gives unto the Ministry of the Gospel both its Glory and its Efficacy Take away the Spirit from the Gospel and you render it a dead Letter and leave the New-Testament of no more use unto Christians than the Old-Testament is of unto the Jews It is therefore a mischievous imagination proceeding from Ignorance Blindness and Unbelief that there is no more in the Gospel but what is conteyned under any other Doctrine or Declaration of Truth that it is nothing but a Book for men to exercise their Reason in and upon and to improve the things of it by the same Faculty For this is to separate the Spirit or the Dispensation of the Spirit from it which is in Truth to destroy it And therewith is the Covenant of God rejected which is that his Word and Spirit shall go together Isa. 59. v. 20. 21. We shall therefore God assisting manifest in our Progress that the whole Ministry of the Gospel the whole Use and Efficacy of it do depend on that Ministration of the Spirit wherewith according to the Promise of God it is accompanied If therefore we have any concernment in or have ever received any benefit by the Gospel or the Ministration of it we have a signal Duty lying before us in the matter in hand Sect. 12 Thirdly There is not any Spiritual or Saving-Good from first to last communicated unto us or that we are from and by the Grace of God made Partakers of but it is revealed to us and bestowed on us by the Holy Ghost He who hath not an immediate and especial Work of the Spirit of God upon him and towards him did never receive any especial Love Grace or Mercy from God For how should he so do Whatever God works in us and upon us he doth it by his Spirit He therefore who hath no Work of the Spirit of God upon his heart did never receive either Mercy or Grace from God For God giveth them not but by his Spirit A disclamure therefore of any Work of the Spirit of God in us or upon us is a disclamure of all Interest in his Grace and Mercy And they may do well to consider it with whom the Work of the Spirit of God is a Reproach When they can tell us of any other way whereby a Man may be made Partaker of Mercy and Grace we will attend unto it in the mean time we shall prove from the Scripture this to be the way of God Sect. 13 Fourthly There is not any thing done in us or by us that is Holy and Acceptable unto God but it is an Effect of the Holy Spirit it is of his operation in us and by us Without him we can do nothing For without Christ we cannot Joh. 15. 5. And by him alone is the Grace of Christ communicated unto us and wrought in us By him we are Regenerated by him we are Sanctified by him are we Cleansed by him are we Assisted in and unto every Good Work Particular instances to this Purpose will be afterwards insisted on and proved And it is our unquestionable concernment to enquire into the Cause and Spring of all that is Good in us wherein also we shall have a true discovery of the Spring and Cause of all that is Evil without a competent knowledge of both which we can do nothing as we ought Sect. 14 Fiftly God lets us know that the only peculiarly remediless Sin and way of sinning under the Gospel is to sin in an especial manner against the Holy Ghost And this of it self is sufficient to convince us how needful it is for us to be well instructed in what concerns him For there is somewhat that doth so which is
Covering of her Marriage to him she was to receive a Protection of her Spotless Innocency And besides 2. God provided one that should take care of her and her Child in his infancy And hereby 3. also was our Blessed Saviour freed from the imputation of an illegitimate Birth until by his own Miraculous Operations he should give Testimony unto his Miraculous Conception concerning which before his Mother could not have been believed 4. That he might have one on whose account his Genealogie might be recorded to manifest the accomplishment of the Promise unto Abraham David For the Line of a Genealogie was not legally continued by the Mother only Hence Matthew gives us his Genealogie by Joseph to whom his Mother was legally espoused And although Luke give us the true Natural Line of his Descent by the Progenitors of the Blessed Virgin yet he nameth her not only mentioning her Espousals he begins with Heli who was her Father Chap. 3. 23. And this is the first thing ascribed peculiarly to the Holy Spirit with respect unto the Head of the Church Christ Jesus Sect. 14 From this Miraculous Creation of the Body of Christ by the immediate Power of the Holy Ghost did it became a meet Habitation for his Holy Soul every way ready and complying with all actings of Grace and Vertue We have not only the Depravation of our Natures in General but the obliquity of our particular Constitutions to conflict withal Hence it is that one is disposed to Passion Wrath and Anger another to Vanity and Lightness a third of Sensuality and fleshly Pleasures and so others to Sloth and Idleness And although this Disposition so far as it is the Result of our especial Constitutions and Complexion is not sin in it self yet it dwells at the next Door unto it and as it is excited by the Moral Pravity of our Natures a continual occasion of it But the Body of Christ being formed pure and exact by the Holy Ghost there was no Disposition or Tendency in his Constitution to the least Deviation from perfect Holiness in any kind The exquisite Harmony of his natural temperature made Love Meekness Gentleness Patience Benignity and Goodness Natural and Cognate unto him as having an incapacity of such Motions as should be subservient unto or complaint with any thing different from them Hence 2dly also although he took on him those Infirmities which belong unto our Humane Nature as such and are inseparable from it until it be glorified yet he took none of our particular Infirmities which cleave unto our Persons occasioned either by the Vice of our Constitutions or irregularity in the use of our Bodies Those natural Passions of our Minds which are capable of being the means of affliction and trouble as Grief Sorrow and the like he took upon him as also those Infirmities of Nature which are troublesome to the Body as Hunger Thirst Weariness and Pain Yea the purity of his Holy Constitution made him more highly sensible of these things than any of the Children of Men. But as to our Bodily Diseases and Distempers which personally adhere unto us upon the Disorder and Vice of our Constitutions he was absolutely free from Work of the HOLY SPIRIT in and on the Humane Nature of Christ. CHAP. IV. 1. The actual Sanctification of the Humane Nature of Christ by the Holy Ghost On what Ground spotless and free from sin Positively endowed with all Grace 2. Original Holiness and Sanctification in Christ how carried on by the Spirit Exercise of Grace in Christ by the rational Faculties of his Soul Their Improvement 3. Wisdom and Knowledg how increased objectively in the Humane Nature of Christ. 4. The Anointing of Christ by the Holy Spirit with Power and Gifts 5. Collated eminently on him at his Baptism John 3. 34. explained and vindicated 6. Miraculous Works wrought in Christ by the Holy Ghost 7. Christ guided conducted and supported by the Spirit in his whole Work Mark 1. 11. opened 8. How the Lord Christ offered himself unto God through the Eternal Spirit 9. His Sanctification thereunto 10. Graces acting eminently therein Love Zeal Submission Faith and Truth all exercised therein 11 12. The Work of the Spirit of God towards Christ whilst he was in the state of the Dead in his Resurrection and Glorification 13. The Office of the Spirit to bear Witness unto Christ and its Discharge 14. The true Way and Means of coming unto the Knowledg of Christ with the necessity thereof 15. Danger of Mistakes herein 16. What it is to Love Christ as we ought Sect. 1 SEcondly The Humane Nature of Christ being thus formed in the Womb by a Creating Act of the Holy Spirit was in the instant of its Conception sanctified and filled with Grace according to the measure of its Receptivity Being not begotten by Natural Generation it derived no taint of Original Sin or Corruption from Adam that being the only Way and Means of its Propagation And being not in the Loyns of Adam morally before the Fall the Promise of his Incarnation being not given until afterwards the Sin of Adam could on no account be imputed unto him All Sin was charged on him as our Mediator and Surety of the Covenant but on his own account he was obnoxious to no charge of Sin Original or Actual His Nature therefore as miraculously created in the manner described was absolutely innocent spotless and free from sin as was Adam in the day wherein he was Created But this was not all It was by the Holy Spirit positively endowed with all Grace And hereof it was afterwards only capable of farther degrees as to actual Exercise but not of any new kind of Grace And this Work of Sanctification or the Original Infusion of all Grace into the Humane Nature of Christ was the immediate Work of the Holy Spirit which was necessary unto him For let the Natural Faculties of the Soul the Mind Will and Affections be created pure innocent undefiled as they cannot be otherwise immediately created of God yet this is not enough to enable any rational Creature to live to God much less was it all that was in Jesus Christ. There is moreover required hereunto supernatural Endowments of Grace superadded unto the Natural Faculties of our Souls If we live unto God there must be a principle of Spiritual Life in us as well of Life Natural This was the Image of God in Adam and was wrought in Christ by the Holy Spirit Isa. 11. 1 2 3. And there shall come forth a Rod out of the Stem of Jesse and a Branch shall grow out of his Roots And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding the Spirit of Counsel and Might the Spirit of Knowledg and of the Fear of the Lord and shall make him of quick Understanding in the Fear of the Lord. It is granted that the following Work of the Spirit in and upon the Lord Christ in the
Disquietment of Mind fear of Ruine and the like see Acts 2. 37. Acts 24. 25. But this I must not enlarge upon Sect. 21 This therefore is the second thing which we observe in God's gracious Actings towards the Recovery of the Souls of Men from their Apostacy and from under the Power of sin The principal efficient Cause of this Work is the Holy Ghost the preaching of the Word especially of the Law being the Instrument which he maketh use of therein The Knowledg of sin is by the Law both the Nature Guilt and Curse belonging to it Rom. 7. 7. There is â—herefore no Conviction of sin but what consists in an Emanation of Light and Knowledg from the Doctâ—ine of the Law with an Evidence of its Power and a sense of its Curse Other Means as Afflictions Dangers Sicknesses Fears Disappointments may be made use of to excite stir up and put an edge upon the Minds and Affections of Men yet it is by one means or other from the Law of God that such a discovery is made of sin unto them and such a sense of it wrought upon them as belongs unto this work of Conviction But it is the Spirit of God alone that is the principal efficient Cause of it or he works these effects on the Minds of Men. God takes it upon himself as his own work to reprove Men and set their sins in order before their eyes Psal. 50 21. And that this same Work is done immediately by the Spirit is expresly declared John 16. 8. He alone it is who makes all means effectual unto this End and Purpose Without his especial and immediate Actings on us to this End we may hear the Law preached all the Days of our Lives and not be once affected with it Sect. 22 And it may by the way be worth our Observation to consider how God designing the Calling or Conversion of the Souls of Men doth in this holy wise Providence over-rule all their outward Concernments so as that they shall be disposed into such Circumstances as conduce to to the end aymed at Either by their own Inclinations and Choice or by the Intervention of Accidents crossing their Inclinations and frustrateing their Designes he will lead them into such Societies Acquaintances Relations Places means as he hath ordained to be useful unto them for the great ends of their Conviction and Conversion So in particular Austin aboundeth in his Contemplation on the Holy Wise Providence of God in carrying of him from Carthage to Rome and from thence to Milan where he heard Ambrose preach every Lords-day which proved at length the Means of his through-Conversion to God And in that whole Course by his discourse upon it he discovers Excellently as on the one hand the variety of his own Projections and Designes his Aymes and Ends which oft-times were perverse and froward so on the other the constant guidance of divine Providence working powerfully through all Occurrences towards the blessed End designed for him And I no way doubt but that God exercised him unto those distinct Experiences of Sin and Grace in his own Heart and Wayes because he had designed him to be the great Champion of the Doctrine of his Grace against all its enemyes and that not only in his own Age wherein it met with a fierce Opposition but also in all succeeding ages by his Excellent Labours preserved for the use of the Church see Confess lib. 5. cap. 7. 8 9 c. Tu spes mea in terra viventium ad mutandum terrarum locum pro salute animae mea Carthagini stimulos quibus inde avellerer admovebas Romae illecebras quibus attraberer proponebas mihi per homines qui diligebant vitam mortuam hinc insana facientes inde vana pollicentes ad corrigendos gressus meos utebaris occulte illorum mea perversitate cap. 8. Thou who art my hope in the Land of the Living that I might remove from one Country to another for the Salvation of my Soul didst both apply goads unto me at Carthage whereby I might be driven from thence and proposedst Allurements unto me at Rome whereby I might be drawn thither and this thou didst by Men who loved the Dead Life in sin here doing things outragious there promising things desirable to vain Minds whilst thou to correct and reform my ways didst secretly make use of their frowardness and mine Sect. 23 3. It must be granted that many on whom this work hath been wrought producing great Resolutions of Amendment and much Reformation of Life do lose all the Power and Efficacy of it with all the impressions it had made on their Affections And some of these wax worse and more profligate in sinning than ever they were before For having broken down the Damm of their restraints they pour out their lusts like a Flood and are more senseless than ever of those Checks and Fears with which before they were bridled and awed 2 Pet. 2. 20 21. 22. So the person lately mentioned declares that after many Convictions which he had digested and neglected he was grown so obdurate and sensless that falling into a feaver wherein he thought he should die and go immediately unto Hell he had not that endeavour after Deliverance and Mercy as he had many years before on lesser dangers And this perverse Effect is variously brought about Sect. 24 1. It is with most an immediate product of the power of their own Lust. Especially is it so with them who together with their Convictions receive no Gifts of the Holy Ghost For as we observed their Lusts being only checked and controuled not subdued they get new strength by their Restraint and rebel with success against Conviction Such as these fall away from what they have attained suddenly Math. 13. 5. 21. One day they seem to lye in Hell by the Terror of their Convictions and the next to be hasting towards it by their sins and pollutions see Luke 11. 24 25 26. Hos. 4. 6. cap. 6. 4. 2. This Apostacy is promoted and hastned by others As 1. such as undertaking to be Spiritual Guides and Instructers of Men in their way towards Rest who being unskilful in the Word of Righteousness do heal their wounds slightly or turn them out of the way Seducers also it may be interpose their crafty deceits whereby they lye in wait to deceive and so turn Men off from those Good ways of God whereinto they would otherwise enter So it fell out with Austin who beginning somewhat to enquire after God fell into the society and heresy of the Manichees which frustrated all the Convictions which by any means he had received 2. Such as directly and that perhaps with importunity and violence will endeavour to draw Men back into the wayes of the World and the pursuit of their lusts Pro. 1. 11 12 13 14. So the same Person declares with what earnestness and restless importunities some of his Companions endeavoured to draw
Nature and Operations of the Holy Spirit of God Hence will it be undeniable manifest what a stranger this pretended Light is unto the true Spirit of Christ how far it is from being of any real Use to the Souls of Men yea how it is set up in opposition unto Him and his Work by whom and by which alone we become accepted with God and are brought unto the enjoyment of him Sect. 24 Fourthly There are moreover many hurtful and noxious Opinions concerning the Holy Ghost gone abroad in the World and entertained by many to the Subversion of the Faith which they have professed Such are those whereby his Deity and Personality are denyed About these there have been many contests in the World some endeavouring with Diligence and subtilty to promote the perverse Opinions mentioned others contending according to their Duty for the Faith once delivered unto the Saints But these Disputations are for the most Part so managed that although the Truth be in some of them strenuously vindicated yet the minds of Believers generally are but little edified by them For the most are unacquainted with the ways and Terms of arguing which are suited to convince or stop the mouths of gain-sayers rather than to direct the Faith of others Besides our Knowledge of things is more by their operations and proper Effects than from their own Nature and formal Reason Especially is it so in Divine Things and particularly with respect unto God himself In his own Glorious Being he dwelleth in Light whereunto no Creature can approach In the Revelation that he hath made of himself by the Effects of his Will in his Word and Works are we to seek after him By them are the otherwise invisible things of God made known his Attributes declared and we come to a better Acquaintance with him than any we can attain by our most diligent speculations about his Nature it self immediately So is it with the Holy Ghost and his Personality He is in the Scripture proposed unto us to be known by his Properties and Works Adjuncts and Operations by our Duty towards him and our Offences against him The due consideration of these things is that which will lead us into that assured knowledg of his Being and Subsistence which is necessary for the guidance of our Faith and Obedience which is the end of all these Enquiries Col. 2. 2. Wherefore although I shall by the way explain confirm and vindicate the Testimonies that are given in the Scripture or some of them unto his Deity and Personality yet the principal means that I shall insist on for the establishing of our Faith in him is the due and just Exposition and Declaration of the Administrations and Operations that are ascribed unto him in the Scriptures which also will give great Light into the whole Mystery and Oeconomy of God in the work of our salvation by Jesus Christ. Sect. 25 Fifthly The Principal Cause and Occasion of our present Undertaking is the open and horrible opposition that is made unto the Spirit of God and his Work in the World There is no concernment of his that is not by many derided exploded and blasphemed The very name of the Spirit is grown to be a reproach nor do some think they can more despightfully expose any to scorn than by ascribing to them a Concern in the Spirit of God This indeed is a thing which I have often wondred at and do continue still so to doe For whereas in the Gospel every thing that is Good Holy Praise worthy in any Man is expresly assigned to the Spirit as the immediate Efficient Cause and Operator of it and whereas the Condition of Men without him not made Partakers of Him is described to be reprobate or rejected of God and forreign unto any Interest in Christ yet many pretending unto the Belief and Profession of the Gospel are so far from owning or desiring a Participation of this Spirit in their own Persons as that they deride and contemn them who dare plead or avow any concern in him or his Works Only I must grant that herein they have had some that have gone before them namely the old scoffing Heathens For so doth Lucian in his Philopatris speak in imitation of a Christian by way of scorn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Speak out now receiving Power or Ability of speaking from the Spirit or by the Spirit Certainly an attendance to the old Caution Si non caste tamen Caute had been needful for some in this Matter Could they not bring their own hearts unto a due Reverence of the Spirit of God and an endeavour after a Participation of his Fruits and Effects yet the things that are spoken concerning him and his Work in the whole New Testament and also in Places almost innumerable in the Old might have put a check to their publick Contemptuous Reproaches and scornful Mockings whilst they own those writings to be of God But such was his Entertainment in the World upon his first Effusion Acts 2. 13. Many Pretences I know will be pleaded to give Countenance unto this Abomination For First They will say it is not the Spirit of God himself and his works but the Pretence of others unto him and them which they so reproach and scorn I fear this Plea or Excuse will prove too short and narrow to make a Covering unto their Profaneness It is dangerous venturing with Rudeness and Petulancy upon holy things and then framing of Excuses But in Reproaches of the Lord Christ and his Spirit Men will not want their Pretences Joh. 10. 32. And the things of the Spirit of God which they thus Reproach scorn in any are either such as are truely and really ascribed unto him and wrought by him in the Disciples of Jesus Christ or they are not If they are such as indeed are no Effects of the Spirit of Grace such as he is not promised for nor attested to work in them that do believe as vain Enthusiasmes extatical Raptures and Revelations certainly it more became Christians Men professing or at least pretending a Reverence unto God his Spirit and his Word to manifest and convince those of whom they treat that such things are not Fruits of the Spirit but Imaginatiocs of their own then to deride them under the name of the Spirit or his Gifts Operations Do Men consider with whom and what they make bold in these things But if they be things that are real Effects of the Spirit of Christ in them that believe or such as are undeniably assigned unto him in the Scripture which they despise what remains to give countenance unto this daring Prophaneness Yea but they say Secondly It is not the real true Operations of the Spirit themselves but the false Pretensions of others unto them which they traduce and expose But will this warrant the Course which it is manifest they steer in Matter and Manner The same Persons pretend to believe in Christ and the
rather coming upon him He that is John the Baptist not Christ himself The Relative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 refers in this Place to the more remote Antecedent For although he that is Christ himself also saw the descending of the Holy Spirit yet I suppose this relates unto that Token which was to be given of him unto John whereby he should know him Joh. 1. 32 33. The following words are ambiguous For that Expression like a Dove may refer to the manner of his descending descending in a bodily shape as a Dove descends Or they may respect the manner of his Appearance he appeared like a Dove descending And this sense is determined in the other Evangelists to the bodily shape wherein he descended He took the form or shape of a Dove to make a visible Representation of himself by For a visible Pledg was to be given of the coming of the Holy Ghost on the Messiah according to the Promise and thereby did God direct his great forerunner to the Knowledg of him Now this was no real Dove That would not have been a thing so Miraculous as this Appearance of the Holy Ghost is represented to be And the Text will not bear any such Apprehension though it was entertained by some of the Antients For it is evident that this shape of a Dove came out of Heaven He saw the Heavens opened and the Dove descending that is out of Heaven which was opened to make way as it were for him Moreover the Expression of the Opening of the Heavens is not used but with respect unto some Appearance or Manifestation of God himself And so or which is the same the bowing of the Heavens is often used Psal. 144. 5. Isa. 64. 1. Bow thy Heavens O Lord and come down 2 Sam. 22. 10. Ezek. 1. 1. The Heavens were opened and I saw the Visions of God So Acts 7. 56. God used not this Sign but in some manifestation of himself And had not this been an Appearance of God there had been no need of bowing or opening the Heavens for it And it is plainly said that it was not a Dove but the shape or representation of a Dove It was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a bodily shape and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a Dove Sect. 16 As then at the beginning of the old Creation the Spirit of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 incubabat came and fell on the Waters cherishing the whole and communicating a prolifick and vivifick Quality unto it as a Fowl or Dove in particular gently moves it self upon its Eggs until with and by its generative warmth it hath communicated vital heat unto them so now at the entrance of the new Creation he comes as a Dove upon Him who was the immediate Author of it and virtually comprized it in himself carrying it on by vertue of his Presence with him And so this is applyed in the Syriack Ritual of Baptism composed by Severinus in the account given of the Baptism of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the pirit of Holiness descended flying in the likeness of a Dove and rested upon him and moved on the Waters And in the assumption of this form there may be some respect unto the Dove that brought tydings to Noah of the ceasing of the Flood of Waters and of the ending of the Wrath of God who thereon said that he would curse the Earth no more Gen. 8. 11. For herein also was there a significant Representation of him who visited poor lost mankind in their cursed Condition and proclaimed Peace unto them that would return to God by him the Great Peace-maker Ephes. 2. 14 15. And this Work he immediately ingaged into on the resting of this Dove upon him Besides there is a natural aptness in that Creature to represent the Spirit that rested on the Lord Jesus For the known Nature and Course of a Dove is such as is meet to mind us of Purity and harmless Innocencie Mat. 10. 16. Hence is that Direction Be harmless as Doves So also the sharpness of its sight or eyes as Cant. 1. 16. Chap. 4. 1. is fixed on to represent a quick and discerning Understanding such as was in Christ from the resting of the Spirit upon him Isa. 11. 3. Sect. 14 The shape thereof that appeared was that of a Dove but the Substance it self I judge was of a fiery Nature an aethereal Substance shaped into the form or resemblance of a Dove It had the shape of a Dove but not the appearance of Feathers Colours or the like This also rendred the appearance the more Visible Conspicuous Heavenly and Glorious And the Holy Ghost is often compared to Fire because he was of old typified or represented thereby For on the first solemn offering of Sacrifices there came fire from the Lord for the kindling of them Hence Theodotion of old rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 4. 4. the Lord had respect to the Offering of Abel by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God fired the Offering of Abel sent down Fire that kindled his Sacrifice as a Token of his Acceptance However it is certain that at the first Erection of the Altar in the Wilderness upon the first Sacrifices fire came out from before the Lord and consumed on the Altar the Burnt-Offering and the Fat which when all the People saw they shouted and fell on their Faces Levit. 9. 24. And the Fire kindled hereby was to be perpetuated on the Altar so that none was ever to be used in Sacrifice but what was traduced from it For a neglect of this Intimation of the Mind of God were Nadab and Abihu consumed Chap. 10. 1. So was it also upon the Dedication of the Altar in the Temple of Solomon Fire came down from Heaven and consumed the Burnt-Offering 2 Chron. 7. 1. and a fire thence kindled was alwayes kept burning on the Altar And in like manner God bare Testimony to the Ministry of Elijah 1 King 18. 38 39. God by all these signified that no Sacrifices were accepted with him where Faith was not kindled in the Heart of the Offerer by the Holy Ghost represented by the Fire that kindled the Sacrifices on the Altar And in Answer hereunto is our Lord Jesus Christ said to offer himself through the eternal Spirit Heb. 9. 14. It was therefore most probably a fiery Appearance that was made And in the next bodily shape which he assumed it is expresly said that it was fiery Acts 2. 3. There appeared unto them cloven Tongues like as of Fire which was the Visible Token of the coming of the Holy Ghost upon them And he chose then that figure of Tongues to denote the Assistance which by the miraculous Gift of speaking with divers Tongues together with that Wisdom and Utterance which he furnished them withal for the Publication of the Gospel And thus also the Lord Christ is said to baptize with the Holy Ghost and with Fire Matth. 3. 11. Not two things are intended but the
deep things of God which the World could not understand were now preached and declared unto the Church God saith he hath revealed them unto us by the Spirit But how cometh the Spirit himself the Author of these Revelations to be acquainted with these things This he hath from his own Nature whereby he knoweth or searcheth all things even the deep things of God It is therefore the Revelation made by the Spirit unto the Apostles and Pen-men of the Scripture of the New Testament who were acted by the Holy Ghost in like manner as were the Holy Men of old 1 Pet. 1. 21. which the Apostle intendeth and not the Illumination and Teaching of Believers in the knowledg of the Mysteries by them revealed whereof the Apostle treateth in these words But who is this Spirit The same Apostle tells us that the Judgments of God are unsearchable and his wayes past finding out Rom. 11. 33. And asketh who hath known the mind of the Lord or who hath been his Counsellor v. 34. And yet this Spirit is said to search all things even the deep things of God such as to all Creatures are absolutely unsearchable and past finding out This then is the Spirit of God himself who is God also For so it is in the Prophet from whence these words are taken Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord or being his Counsellor hath taught him Isa. 40. 13. It will not relieve the Adversaries of the Holy Ghost though it be pleaded by them that he is compared with and opposed unto the spirit of a Man v. 11. which they say is no Person For no Comparisons hold in all Circumstances The Spirit of a Man is his Rational Soul endued with Understanding and Knowledg This is an individual intelligent Substance capable of a subsistence in a separate Condition Grant the Spirit of God to be so far a Person and all their Pretences fall to the ground And whereas it is affirmed by one among our selves though otherwise asserting the Deity of the Holy Ghost Good p. 175. that this Expression of searching the things of God cannot be applyed directly to the Spirit but must intend his enabling us to search into them because to search includes imperfection and the use of means to come to the knowledg of any thing it is not of weight in this matter For such Acts are ascribed unto God with respect unto their Effects And searching being with us the means of attaining the perfect knowledg of any thing the perfection of the knowledg of God is expressed thereby So David prays that God would search him and know his heart Psal. 139. 23. And he is often said to search the hearts of men whereby his infinite Wisdom is intimated whereunto all things are open and naked So is the Spirit said to search the deep things of God because of his infinite Understanding and the perfection of his Knowledg before which they lie open And as things are here spoken of the Spirit in reference unto God the Father so are they spoken of him in reference unto the Spirit Rom. 8. 27. He that searcheth the Hearts knoweth the Mind of the Spirit And hereunto that this Spirit is the Author of Wisdom and Understanding in and unto others and therefore he must have them in himself and that not virtually or causally onely but formally also 1 Cor. 12. 8. Wisdom and Knowledg are reckoned among the Gifts bestowed by him For those of Faith and Tongues it is enough that they are in him virtually But for Wisdom and Understanding they cannot be given by any but he that is wise and understandeth what he doth And hence is he called expresly a Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding of Counsel and Knowledg Isa. 11. 3. I might confirm this by other Testimonies where other Effects of Understanding are ascribed unto him as 1 Tim. 4. 1. 1 Pet. 1. 11. 2 Pet. 1. 21. but what hath been spoken is sufficient unto our purpose Sect. 20 Secondly A Will is ascribed unto him This is the most eminently distinguishing Character and Property of a Person Whatever is endued with an intelligent Will is a Person And it cannot by any Fiction with any tolerable congruity be ascribed unto any thing else unless the Reason of the Metaphor be plain and obvious So when our Saviour sayes of the VVind that it bloweth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it willeth or listeth Joh. 3. 8. the abuse of the Word is evident All intended is that the Wind as unto us is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not at all at our disposal acts not by our Guidance or Direction And no Man is so foolish as not to apprehend the meaning of it or once to enquire whether our Saviour doth properly ascribe a Will to the Wind or no. So James Chap. 3. v. 4. The words rendred by us turned about with a very small Helm whithersoever the Governour listeth are in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in which the act of Willing is ascribed to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the impâ—tus or inclination of the Governour which yet hath not a Will But the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that place is not the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Philosophers the motus primo-primus or the first Agitation or Inclination of the Mind but it is the Will it self under an earnest Inclination such as is usual with them who govern Ships by the Helms in Storms Hereunto the Act of Willing is properly ascribed and he in whom it is proved to be a Person Thus a Will acting with Understanding and Choice as the Principle and Cause of his outward Actions is ascribed unto the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 12. 11. All these things worketh that one and self-same Spirit dividing unto every Man as he will He had before asserted that he was the Author and Donor of all the Spiritual Gifts which he had been discoursing about v. 4 5 6. These Gifts he declares to be various as he manifests in nine Instances and all variously disposed of by him v. 8 9 10. If now it be enquired what is the Rule of this his distribution of them he tells us that it is his own Will his Choice and Pleasure What can be spoken more fully and plainly to describe an intelligent Person acting voluntarily with freedom and by choice I know not Sect. 21 We may consider what is excepted hereunto They say Schliâ—ting p. 610. that the Holy Ghost is here introduced as a Person by a Prosopopeia that the distribution of the Gifts mentioned is ascribed unto him by a Metaphor and by the same or another Metaphor he is said to have a Will or to act as he will But is it not evident that if this course of interpreting or rather of perverting Scripture may be allowed nothing of any certainty will be left unto us therein It is but saying this or that is a Metaphor and if one will not serve the turn to bring in two or