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for our Sins, a merciful and faithful High-priest in all things, being made like unto his brethren. He which is Judge, is alfo our Advocate; and who fhall condemn us, if he fhall pass the Sentence upon us, who maketh InterEphef. 3. 12. ceffion for us? Well therefore may we have boldness and accefs with confidence by the faith of him unto the Throne of that Judge, who is our Brother, who is our Redeemer, who is our High-prieft, who is our Advocate, who will not by his Word at the last Day condemn us, because he hath alJohn 5. 24. ready in the fame Word abfolved us, faying, Verily, verily, I fay unto you, He that heareth my word and believeth on him that fent.me, bath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life.

Having thus explained the nature of the Judgment to come, and the neceffity of believing the fame, we have given fufficient light to every Chriftian to understand what he ought to intend, and what it is he profeffeth, when he faith, I believe in him who shall come to judge the quick and the dead. For thereby he is conceived to declare thus much I am fully perfuaded of this, as of an infallible and neceffary Truth, That the eternal Son of God, in that humane Nature, in which he died, and rose again, and afcended into Heaven, fhall certainly come from the fame Hea→ ven into which he afcended, and at his Coming fhall gather together all those which shall be then alive, and all which ever lived and shall be before that Day dead: when caufing them all to ftand before his Judgment-feat, he fhall judge them all according to their Works done in the Flesh; and paffing the Sentence of Condemnation upon all the Reprobates, fhall deliver them to be tormented with the Devil and his Angels; and pronouncing the Sentence of Abfolution upon all the Elect, fhall tranflate them into his glorious Kingdom, of which there fhall be no end. And thus I believe in Jefus Chrift who fhall judge the quick and the dead.

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ARTICLE

ARTICLE VIII.

I believe in the Holy Ghoft.

N this Article we repeat again the firft word of the Creed, 1 believe; whereas a Conjunction might have been fufficient, but that fo many particulars concerning the Son have intervened. For as we are baptized in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoft: fo do we make Confeffion of our Faith, faying, I believe, in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoft; and the Ancients, * Sed enim whofe Creed was fomething fhorter, made no repetition of the act of Faith, ordo rationis, but only an addition of the Object, † And in the Holy Ghost. And as we repeat this act of Faith in this Article, fo fome did alfo in the fecond, Itis vocibus believe in Jefus Chrift. Wherefore being this word, I believe, is taken here & literis Doonly by way of refumption or repetition, and confequently must be of fame fenfe or importance of which it was in the beginning of the Creed, may well receive the fame explication here which it received there; to that therefore the Reader is referred.

the

it

& Fidei auctoritas dige

mini, admonet nos poft

hæc credere etiam in Spi

ritum S. olim Ecclefiæ repromiffum,

fed ftatutis temporum opportunitatibus redditum. Novatian. de Trin. c. 29. Schlictingius the Socinian, in his Preface to the Polonian Confeffion of Faith, endeavoureth to perfuade us that this Article of the Holy Ghoft is not fo ancient as the reft; which being diametrically oppofite to that Original of the Creed, which I have delivered, the Baptifmal Words, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, it will be neceffary to examine his Reason, which is drawn only from the Authority of Tertullian; who in his Book de veland. Virg. reciting the Rule of Faith, makes no mention of the Holy Ghost: and de Præfer. Hæret. propounds this Article no otherwife, quàm ut credamus Chriftum in coelos receptum federe ad dextram Patris, mififfe vicariam vim Sp. Sancti. But this Objection made for the Novelty of this Article is eafily answered. For Irenæus before Tertullian bath it exprefly in his Confeffion, 1.1. c. 2. and calls it the Faith in Patrem & Filium, & Spiritum Sanctum; and alfo declares, That the Church received that Faith, and preferved it through the whole World. ↑ So the ancient Greek MS. sua yiov; and Marcellus, is to do wivμm; as alfo Arius and Euzoius, and the Council of Nice. Thus alfo the Latines, Poft hoc ponitur in ordine fidei, Et in Spiritum Sanctum. Ruffinus in Symb. Max. Taurin, & Author lib. de Symb. ad Catechum. The MS. in the Oxford Library', Et in Spiritum San&um. Others instead of the Conjunction made ufe of Credo by way of repetition as we do: Credo in Spiritum San&tum. Chryfolog. Eufeb. Gallican. Author Serm. de Tempore. Etherius Uxam, the Greek and Latine MS. in Bennet ColLege Library and Credo in Sancto Spiritu: Venantius Fortunatus. As the ancient Saxon Creed fet forth by Freherus.

*

is

Nazianzen difputing for

that he is no

Creature

For although the ancient Fathers did frequently make use of this Lan-* Gregory guage to prove the Divinity of the Spirit, and did thence argue that he really and truly God, becaufe we believe in the Holy Ghoft; yet being that the Divinity Language is not expreffly read in the Scriptures in relation to the Spirit, as it of the Holy is in reference to the Son; being to believe in the Holy Ghoft, is only the Ghost proveth expreffion of the Church contained in the Creed; being in the fame Creed many of the ancients, without any reprehenfion, have used the fame Phrafe thus: Axx' in the following Articles expreffly, and where the Prepofition is not expreffed it may very well be thought it was understood; therefore I think fit to acquiefce in my former Expofition, and lay no great force in the Prepofition.

εἰ με κλίσμα

as is aro

ἐν αὐτῇ τελή

ταυτόν έσι

πιςεύειν ἐς

71, for AUTO #1sLew To μ yag is diórn, to 5 warris Tμal. Orat. 37. Epiphanius feems to speak thus much, fhewing that though the Fathers of the Nicene Council had determined nothing particularly of the Holy Ghost, yet they fufficiently hew that he is God, by thofe Words, x eis wrotμa aylor. Evto's go & exteris ómodoyen in dva 56μ γδ εἰς ἕνα Θεὸν Πατέρα παντοκράτορα, Τὸ ἢ πισονομῳ ἐκ ἁπλῶς εἴρη, ἀλλ ̓ ἢ πίσις εἰς τὰ Θεὸν, καὶ εἰς ἕνα Κύριον Ιησεν Χρι σὸν, ἐκ ἁπλῶς εἴξη), ἀλλ' εἰς Θεὸν ἡ πίσις. Καὶ, εἰς τὸ ̔́Αγιον Πνεῦμα, ἐχ ἁπλῶς εἰς μίαν δοξολογίαν, καὶ εἰς μίαν ἕνωσιν θεότηλα καὶ μίαν ὀμασιότητα, εἰς τρία τέλεια, μίαν ἢ θεότητα, μίαν εσίαν, μίαν δοξολογίαν, μίαν κυριότητα, από τα πιςόνομα * 15 of Wisdoμ. Hares. 4. Agnofcamus verbi ipfius privilegium. Credere illi quilibet poteft hominum, credere verò in illum foli debere te Majeftati noveris. Sed & hoc ipfum aliud eft Deum credere, aliud eft credere in Deum. Effe Deum & Diabolus credere dicitur, fecundùm Apoftolum; nam & demones credunt & contremifcunt. In Deum verò credere, hoc eft fideliter eum quærere, & totâ in eum dilectione tranfire. Credo ergo in illum hoc eft dicere, Confiteor illum, colo illum, adoro illum, totum me in jus ejus ac dominium trado, atque transfundo. In profetfionis hujus' reverentià univerfa divino nomini debita continentur obfequia. Pafchafius in Prafat. Operis de Spiritu s.

It will therefore be fufficient for the Explication of this Article, if we can declare what is the full and proper Object of our Faith contained in it, what Rr 2

we

Acts 23:

8.

As Epiph. Hæref. 14.

καῖοι μὲ ἐδὲ

ὅθεν τας του

σαύτας πεί

we are obliged to believe concerning the Holy Ghost. And as to this we fhall difcharge our undertaking, and fatisfie whatsoever is required in this Expofition, if we can fet forth these two particulars, the Nature and the Office of that bleffed Spirit. For the name of G HOST or GAST in the ancient Saxon Language fignifieth a Spirit, and in that appellation of the Spirit of God, his Nature principally is expreffed. The addition of Hotinels, though it denote the intrinfecal Sanctity effentially belonging to that Spirit, yet notwithstanding it containeth alfo a derivative notion, as fignifying an emanation of that Holinefs, and communication of the ef fects thereof; and in this communication his Office doth confift. Whatfoever therefore doth concern the Spirit of God, as fuch, and the intrinfecal Sanctity, which belongeth to that Spirit, may be expreffed in the explication of his Nature; whatfoever belongeth to the derivation of that Sanctity, may be defcribed in his Office; and confequently more cannot be neceffary than to declare what is the Nature, what the Office of the Spirit of God.

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2

For the better indagation of the Nature of the Holy Ghost, I fhall proceed by certain fteps and degrees; which as they will render the Discourse more clear, fo will they alfo make the Reasons more ftrong, and the Arguments more evident. And first, as to the existence of the Spirit of God, it will be unneceffary to endeavour the proof of it; for although the Sadduces feemed to deny it, who faid that there is no refurrection, neither Angel, nor Spirit; though it hath been ordinarily concluded from thence TIVE To - that they rejected the Holy Ghoft, yet it cannot be proved from those ylov Zadou Words that they denied the existence of the Spirit of God, any more than εἶναι τὸ τουλά To that they denied the existence of God who is a Spirit: nor did the nowas a tion which the Jews had of the Spirit of God, any way incline the Sad(sday duces, who denied the existence of the Angels and the Souls of men, to reject SU) & oid it. The Refurrection, Angel, and Spirit, which the Sadduces refused to acknowledge, were but two particulars; for it is expreffly added, that the αὐτῷ μαρτυρί Pharifees confefed both; of which two the Refurrection was one, † Angels as and Spirits were the other; wherefore that which the Sadduces disbelieved. λαια διαπλύ Gals. Greg, was the existence of fuch created fpiritual Natures, as the Angels and the Naz.Orat.37. Souls of men are conceived to have. And as for thofe Difciples at Ephefus, †, who had a not so much as heard whether there be an Holy Ghost; if they were Gentiles, it is no wonder, because they never had that notion in their Pore Religion; if they were Jews, as they feem to be, because they were baptized Te is with the Baptifm of John, it fignifieth not that they never heard of the Spipore, rit of God, but only that they had not heard of the giving of it, which the μ- Apostle mentioned. As we read elfewhere, that the Holy Ghoft was not S. Chryf. ad yet; not denying the existence, but the plentiful effufion of it. For, whatlocum. foever the Nature of the Spirit of God may be thought to be, no Man can Acts 19.2. conceive the Apostle fhould deny his existence before Chrift's glorification, whofe operation was fo manifeft at his Conception. Howfoever, the Apoftle asked thofe ignorant Difciples, Unto what then were ye baptized? intimating, that if they were baptized according to the Rule of Christ, they could not be ignorant that there is an Holy Ghoft; because the Apostles were commanded to baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft. It is therefore prefumed that every one who profeffeth the Name of Chrift, from the first baptifmal Inftitution, acknowledgeth that there is an Holy Ghoft; and the only Queftion confifts in this, What that Holy Ghoft is, in whofe Name we are baptized, and in whom, according to our Baptifm, we profefs in the Creed to believe.

φησίν, όμολο

γᾶσι τὰ ἀμ

ἦν λέγει ἀμ

γελος ἐν ἐσι ;

b John 7.39.

b

In order to the Determination of which Question, our first Affertion is, That the Holy Ghost, described to us in the Word of God, and joined with

the

which is not immediate

the Father and the Son in the form of Baptifm, is a Perfon. We are all baptized in the name of the three, the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost; and the publick confeffion of our Faith hath relation to those three. We all confefs that two of thefe, the Father and the Son, are Perfons: That which we now affert is only this, That the Holy Ghoft, who is of the three the third, is also a Perfon as the other two. That bleffed Spirit is not only an energy or operation, not a quality or power, but a fpiritual and intellectual Subfiftence. If we conceive it as an operation only, then must it only be *To conclude actuated and not act; and when it is not actuated, it must not be at the nature of all. If we fay that it is a quality, and not a fubftance; we fay that it is the Holy Ghoft that which we cannot prove to have any being. It feemeth to me strangely unreasonable that men fhould be fo earneft in endeavouring to prove ly expreffed in that the Holy Ghost which fanctifieth them is no fubftance, when they the Scriptures, cannot be affured that there is any thing operative in the World befide needful so to fubstantial Beings; and confequently if they be not fanctified by that, they place our Afcan be fufceptible of no holinefs. By what reafon in nature can they be fertions, as affured, by. what revelation in Scripture can they be confident, that there may occur to is a reality deferving the name and quality diftinguished from all fubftance, all other Mifand yet working real and admirable effects? If there were no other ar- Now the old gument but this, that we are affured by the Chriftian Faith, that there is Notions (and an Holy Ghost exifting: and we cannot be affured, either by reafon or more they canfaith, that there is a quality really and effentially diftinguished from all fubftance, it would be fufficient to deter us from that boldnefs, to affert the Holy Ghost, in whose name we are baptized, to be nothing elfe but quality.

it will be

that they

not now have) were thus de

livered by a zianzen, that Gregory Na

great Divine, fo much con

cerned in this Subjet : Τῶν ἢ καθ' ἡμᾶς (οφῶν οἱ μὲ ἀνέργειαν τότο (τὸ πνεῦμα) ὑπέλαβον, οἱ ἢ κλίσμα, οἱ 5 θεὸν, οἱ ἢ ἐκ ἔγνωσαν ὁπότερον τέτων· αἰδοῖ ο γραφῆς, ὡς φασιν· ἐδέτερον (αφῶς δηλωσάσης. Orat. 37. Thefe were the three particular and oppofite Opinions, either the Spirit is an Operation, or a created Subftance, or God; the fourth is but a doubt or Hefutation which of the three is true. The first of these is thus propounded by way of question: To Wrevka To allor i I xas" ἑαυτὸ ὑφεσηκότων πάντως υποθετέον, ή δ' ἐν ἑτέξω θεως μθύων, ὧν τὸ μὲ ἐσίαν καλέσιν οἱ τεὶ ταύτα δεινοί, τὸ ἢ συμβεβηκός. Either it is fubfifting in it felf, as a Subftance; or in another, as an Accident. This was the first question then, and ftill † This is the argument of the Game Father, Εἰ μὲν ἐν (υμβέβηκεν, ἐνέργεια τότε ἂν εἴηθες, τί τδ ἕτερον, ἢ τίνΘ ; τᾶτο γάς πως μᾶλλον και φούρι (αύθεσιν, καὶ εἰ ενέργεια, ενες[ηθήσε) δηλονότι εκ ένεργήσε, καὶ ἐμῶ τῷ ἐνεργηθέναι παύσει. τοις τον γδ ή ενέργεια. Πῶς ἂν ἐνες εῖ, καὶ τάδε λέγει, καὶ ἀφορίζει, καὶ λυπῶν, καὶ παιξιώς ), και στα κινομύρος, (αφῶς ἐσιν 8 κινήσεως.

is.

:

But we are not left to guefs at the nature of the Spirit of God; the word of God which came from that Spirit hath fufficiently delivered him as a Perfon. It is indeed to be obferved, that in the Scriptures there are fome things fpoken of the Holy Ghoft which are proper and peculiar to a Perfon, as the adverfaries confefs: others, which are not properly and primarily to be attributed to a perfon, as we cannot deny and it might feem to be equally doubtful, in relation to the Scripture expreffions, whether the Holy Ghost were a Perfon or no; and that they which deny his Perfonality may pretend as much Scripture as they which affert it. But in this feeming indifferency we must also observe a large diverfity; inafinuch as the Holy Ghoft, or Spirit of God, is not always taken in the fame propriety of fignification; nor do we fay that the Holy Ghost which fignifieth a Perfon, always fignifieth fo much. It is therefore easily conceived how fome things may be attributed to the Spirit in the Scriptures which are not proper to a Perfon, and yet the Spirit be a Perfon, because fometimes the Spirit is taken for that which is not a Perfon, as we acknowledge. Whereas, if ever any thing be attributed to the Holy Ghost as to a Perfon, which cannot be otherwife understood of the Spirit of God than as of a Perfon, then may we infallibly conclude that the Holy Ghost is a Person. This therefore we fhall endeavour fully and clearly to demonftrate; first, that the Scriptures declare unto us the Holy Ghost as a Perfon, by fuch attributes and expreffions as cannot be understood to be spoken of the Spirit of God any other way than as

I

of

20, 21.

of a Perfon Secondly, that whatsoever attributes or expressions are used in the Scriptures of the Holy Ghoft, and are objected as repugnant to the nature of a Perfon, either are not fo repugnant as is objected; or if they be, they belong unto the Spirit, as it fignifies not a Perfon.

First then the Holy Ghoft, or good Spirit of God, is clearly and formally opposed to thofe evil Spirits, which are and must be acknowledged Per1 Sam. 16. 14. fons of a fpiritual and intellectual fubfiftence. As, the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil Spirit from the Lord troubled him. Now, what thofe evil Spirits from the Lord were, is apparent from the fad exam2 Chron. 18. ple of Ahab, concerning whom we read, there came out a Spirit and flood before the Lord and faid, I will entice him; and the Lord faid unto him wherewith? and he faid, I will go out and be a lying Spirit in the mouth of all his Prophets; and the Lord faid, thou shalt entice him, and thou halt alfo prevail; go out and do even fo. From whence it is evident, that the evil Spirits from God were certain Perfons, even bad Angels, to which the one good Spirit as a Perfon is oppofed, departing from him to whom the other cometh.

Ephef. 4. 30.

Rom. 8. 26.

I Cor. 2. 10,

II.

per

Again, The New Teftament doth defcribe the Holy Ghoft by fuch fonal difpofitions, and with fuch operations, as are as evident marks and figns of a Perfon as any which are attributed to the Father or the Son, which are unquestionable Perfons; and whatsoever terms are fpoken of the Spirit by way of quality, are fpoken as well of thofe which are acknowledged Perfons. We are exhorted by the Apostle not to grieve. the Spirit of God; but Grief is certainly a perfonal affection, of which a quality is not capable. We are affured that the fame Spirit maketh interceffion for us with groanings that cannot be uttered; and we can understand what are interceding Persons, but have no apprehenfion of interceding or groaning qualities. The operations of the Spirit are manifeft, and as manifeftly perfonal: for he fearcheth all things, yea even the deep things of God; and fo he knoweth all things, even the things of God, which can be no defcription of the power of God: He worketh all the fpiritual gifts, dividing to every man feverally as he will; in which the operation, difcretion, diftribution, and all thefe voluntary, are fufficient demonstrations of a Perfon. He revealeth the will of God, and fpeaketh to the Sons of Men, in the nature and affer the manner of a perfon; for the Spirit faid unto Peter, behold three men feek thee. Arife therefore and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing, for I have fent them: and the Holy Ghoft faid unto the Prophets and Teachers at Antioch, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. We cannot better understand the nature of the Holy Ghoft than by the defcription given by Christ which fent him: and John 14. 26. he faid thus to his Difciples, The Comforter, (or, the Advocate) which is the Holy Ghoft, whom the Father will fend in my name, he shall teach you 15. 26, 27 all things, he shall teftifie of me: and ye alfo fhall bear witness. If I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will fend 16.7, 8. him unto you. And when he is come he will reprove the world, and he 13.14 will guide you into all truth; for he shall not speak of himself, but whatfoever he fhall hear that shall be speak, and he shall fhew you things to come; he shall glorifie me, for he shall receive of mine, and shall fhew it unto you. All which words are nothing elfe but fo many defcriptions of a Perfon, a Person hearing, a Perfon receiving, a Perfon testifying, a Person *The prefent fpeaking, a Perfon reproving, a Perfon inftructing.

Acts 10. 19.

Acts 13. 2.

Adverfaries to this Truth. are the Soci

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The * Adverfaries to this truth acknowledging all these personal expreffi

nians, and their opinion was thus delivered by Socinus, Quòd in teftimoniis facris quæ adverfarii citant Spiritui S. actiones tribuuntur, & ea quæ perfonarum funt propria, ex hoc nihil concludi poteft, cum aliis rebus, quas perfonas nen effe conftat, fimiliter in Scripturis facris actiones tribuantur, & ea quæ funt propria perfonarum. Cujus rei plenifli

3

mam

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