106 CHAPTER 9 Proving the Personality and Deity of the Holy Ghost 106 6. All those scriptures (John 20:17; Hebrews 1:3.) express the Spirit’s distinct mode of subsisting there which speak of his ascension to heaven, and his session in; and perhaps, is the true reason of his bearing this at God’s right hand, are full and clear testimonies of this name. The soul of man is a spirit: “There is a spirit in truth. He must be a Person distinct from his God, and man”; and that is his soul, which the Lord has formed our God, from his Father, and our Father, to whom he in him; and therefore he is called the Father of Spirits. ascended; and cannot be the same person with him, at But the soul of man, even when renewed and sanctified, whose right hand he sits. is never called the Holy Spirit, as [284]some have vain7. All those scriptures (Hebrews 9:24; 7:25; 1 John ly imagined, who are no friends to the proper Deity of 2:1), which speak of his advocacy, intercession, and me- the blessed Spirit. Angels are called by the same name; diation, confirm the same. For surely he cannot be said God makes his angels spirits, and by him they are sent to be an advocate with himself, to make intercession forth as ministering spirits: But of this kind of spirits with himself, or to mediate with himself on the behalf is not the Holy Ghost. The phrase is never used for the of his people. whole company and multitude of holy angels, as some Once more, his judging the world at the last day, [285]have insinuated. A single instance of this use of it with all the circumstances attending it, prove him to be cannot be produced; no one proof of it can be given. a person, a divine person, and a distinct person from God, as essentially considered, is said to be a Spirit, i.e. the Father and the Holy Ghost. For as that work is never a spiritual Substance; which may be said of all the three ascribed to the Holy Ghost in scripture, so of the Father Persons, Father, Son, and Spirit; but the third person is it is said, (John 5:22) That he “judgeth no man, but hath only called the Holy Spirit, or Holy Ghost, in distinccommitted all judgment unto the Son.” In fine, he will, tion from the Father and Son, whom I shall endeavor as a distinct person from the Father and the Holy Ghost, to prove to be a person, a distinct Person, and a divine be the object of the saints’ praise, admiration, and wor- person. ship, throughout the endless ages of eternity. First, I shall endeavor to prove him to be a Person, which will be easily done, by observing, CHAPTER 9 1. That personal subsistence is ascribed to him. As the Father hath life in himself, and the Son hath life in Proving the Personality and Deity of the Holy himself, so has the Holy Ghost life in himself; He is the Ghost author of natural life: “The breath or Spirit of the AlI have considered the respective characters, prop- mighty,” says Elihu, “hath given me life.” (Job 33:4) And er Deity, and distinct Personality of the Father and the he is the author of all spiritual life: It is he who implants Son; and I am now to treat of the Holy Ghost. I shall in the principle of life, and maintains and preserves it unto my entrance on this work just observe, that the words eternal life: All which he could not be, and do, unless he Ghost and Spirit, are of the same signification; one and had life in himself. And if he has life in himself, he must the same word in the Greek language is translated by be a person that subsists of himself. them both. This I observe, for the sake of some poor, 2. Personal characters and actions are ascribed unto weak, ignorant persons, who take them to be different; him. He is represented as a person, when he is said to and foolishly talk of an eternal created Spirit, which is a convince of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; to contradiction in terms, as diverse from the Holy Ghost. comfort the hearts of God’s people; witness their adopThe Word Spirit, is variously used; sometimes it signi- tion to them; teach them all things; guide them into all fies the wind, as in John 3:8, where the Holy Spirit is truth; assist them in their prayers; make intercession for compared to it, because of their agreement in name; and them, according to the will of God; and seal them up because of some analogy between that and the divine unto the day of redemption. And also, when he is said operations of the Spirit. Sometimes by it is meant the to furnish men with gifts for the work of the ministry, breath, as in James 1:26. And it is easy to observe, that 284 Vocabulam quando tertiae personae apthe Holy Spirit is called the breath of the Lord (Psalm plicatur, notat halitum. Quod inde constat, quia alias 33:6; Job 33:3), and the breath of the Almighty. Now, vocatur spiritus oris sive halitus Dei, eo vero embleas generation expresses the Son’s distinct mode of sub- mate significatur modus subsisendi Spiritus S. Qui eit sisting in the divine essence, so spiration [283]may also per processionem naturalem. Vitringae Epilog. Disp. de 283 Alting. Problem. Theolog. par. 1. Probl. 11. p. 52, Synops. pur. Theolog. Disp. 8. Thes, 12. p. 89
generatione filii, o. 29. p. 46. 285 Vid. Hittichii causa Spiritus Sancti, p. 8, 9.