I ARTICLE VIII. I believe in the Holy Gholt. Freely and refolvedly affent unto this, as unto a certain and infallible Truth, that befide all other whatsoever, to whom the Name of Spirit is, or may be given, there is one particular and peculiar Spirit (a), who is truly and properly, a Perfon, of a true, real, and perfonal Subfiftence (b), not a created but an uncrea ted Perfon (c), and so the True and One Eternal GOD (d); that tho' He be that GOD, yet He is not the Father, nor the Son (e), but the Spirit of the Father and the Son, the Third Perfon in the Blessed Trinity (f), proceeding from the Father and the Son (g): I believe this Infinite and Eternal Spirit to be not only of perfect and indefectible Holiness in Himself, but also to be the immediate Cause of all Holiness in us (b), revealing the pure and undefiled Will of GOD (1), infpiring the Bleffed Apostles, and enabling them to lay the Foundation, and by a perpetual Succeffion to continue the Edification, of the Church (k); illuminating the Underfiandings of particular Perfons (1), rectifying K 2 their Afte xxiii. 8. As by Evipha nius. Haref. l. 14. • St. Chryfoft. en the place. † Aan xix. 2. Joh. vii. 39. their Wills and Affections, renovating their Natures (m), uniting their Perfons unto Chrift (n), affuring them of the Adoption of Sons (0), leading them in their Actions (p), directing them in their Devotions (q), by all ways and means purifying and fanctifying their Souls and Bodies, to a full and eternal Acceptation in the fight of GOD (r). (a) The Sadducees, who faid there is no Refurrection, neither Angels nor Spirits *, have been hence fuppos'd by fome † to have denied the Existence of the Holy Ghoft. But in thofe Words there were certainly but two Particulars, the Refurrection one, Angels and Spirits the other; for it is exprefly added, that the Pharisees confessed both. Nor could the Notion which the Jews had of the Spirit of GOD any way incline the Sadducees to reject it, tho' disbelieving all created fpiritual Natures. As for thofe Difciples at Ephelus, who had not so much as heard whether there be an Holy Ghoft t; they had only not heard of the folemn giving of the Holy Ghoft, mention'd by the Apcftles. As we read elfewhere, that the Holy Ghost was not yet *; i.e. was not yet plentifully poured out on Believers. The Existence, therefore, of the Holy Ghoft, was never doubted of, either by the Jews, to whom He fpake in the Prophets, nor by Chriftians, who are baptiz'd into his Name. (b) If there were no other Argument but this, That we are affured by the Scriptures of the Holy Ghoft's Existence, and cannot be affur'd by Reafon, or Faith, that there is any Quality really and effentially diftinguifh'd from all Subftance, it might be fufficient to deter us from the Boldness of afferting the Holy Ghoft,in whose Name we are baptiz'd, to be nothing more than a Quality. But the fame Scriptures have defcrib'd the Nature of the Spirit from whom they came, and have declar'd his Perfonal Subfiftence. Now, because the Holy Ghost, or Spirit of GOD, is not always taken in the fame Propriety of Signification, it is neceffary this Proof fhould confift of two Parts. I. That I. That, the Scriptures represent the Holy Ghoft as a Perfon, by fuch Attributes and Expreffions, as cannot be understood to be spoken of Him, other wife than as of a Perfon. II. That, thofe Attributes, or Expreffions ufed of the Holy Ghoft in the Scriptures, and pretended to be repugnant to the Nature of a Perfon, either are not fo repugnant, or, if they be, they belong to the Spirit as fignifying not the Perfon, but the Gifts or Effects of the Spirit, I. The Scriptures reprefent, &c. 1 Sam. xvi. 14 As in the Old Teftament the Holy Ghoft, or Good Spirit of GOD, is oppos'd to thofe Evil Spirits or Angels, which must be acknowledg'd to have an IntelleEtual Subfiftence; for the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and an evil Spirit from the Lord troubled him * ; fo the New Teftament applies the like Perfonal Marks and Signs to the Holy Ghoft, as to the Father and to the Son. Thus we are exhorted not to grieve the Spirit of GOD: We are affured that the fame Spirit maketh in- † Ephef. iv. 30, terceffion for us, with Groanings which cannot be uttered That He fearcheth all things, even the deep things of GODt: That He worketh all the Spiritual Gifts, dividing t1 Cor. ii. 10. to every Man Severally as He will*. Again, the Spirit faid⚫ 1 Cor. xii. 1 1. unto Peter, behold three Men Jeek thee; arife therefore, and * get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing, for I have Rom. viii. 26. Jent them t. And, the Holy Ghoft Jaid unto the Prophets + Acts x. 19. and Teachers at Antioch, Separate me Barnabas and Saul, for the Work whereunto I have called them. We cannot * A&s xiii, 2. better understand the Nature of the Holy Ghost, than by the Defcriptions given by Chrift which fent Him; and these are so many Defcriptions of a Perfon: The Comforter (or, the Advocate,) which is the Holy Ghoft, whom the Father shall end in my Name, He shall teach you things: He hall testify of me : When He is come, Het Joh. xiv. 26, Shall reprove the World: He shall glorify me; for He hall Joh. xv. 26. receive of mine, and shall flew it unto you * all The Adverfaries to this Truth acknowledge thefe Perfonal Expreffions, but urge, that the like are frequently used in Scripture of things that are no Perfons; as particularly in St. Paul's famous Description of Charity: Now, fay they, as all thofe Perfonal Actions are attributed to Charity, becaufe the charitable Perfon does K 3 them . + Joh. xvi. 8. . Ram viii. 27. Joh. xv. 26. Joh. xiv. 26. Joh. xvi. 13. Joh. xvi. 14. Ifai. ix 6. them in and thro' this Virtue; fo are Perfonal Actions afcrib'd to the Holy Ghoft, becaufe GOD the Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, doth perform thofe Actions by that Virtue, Power, and Efficacy in Himfelf, which is the Holy Ghoft. But this Answer will be apparently infufficient, if we can prove, that there are feveral Perfonal Attributes given in the Sacred Scriptures exprefly to the Holy Ghoft, which cannot be afcrib'd to GOD the Father; or, which GOD the Father by that Power which is in Him cannot be faid to do. Now to make interceffion for the Saints, according to the Will of GOD*; to be fent from t, and by the Father*; to speak not of Himself, but what he hears t; &c. are all Perfonal Acti ons, are all attributed to the Holy Spirit, and all after fuch a manner, as that 'tis impoffible to apply them to GOD the Father. Therefore the Socinian Reply is utterly unfatisfactory, and, by confequence our Argu ment good and valid. But the Subtilty of Socinus has prepared another Profopopeia, where He faw the former could not ferve: "The Spirit, that is, the Power of GOD, faith he, may be confidered either as a Propriety in GOD, or as the things on which it worketh are affected by it: In the firft Notion any Per"fonal Action attributed to the Spirit, belongs to GOD who is the Agent ; in the fecond to Man who is the "Subject. Yet this Evafion too is eafily difabled. The Holy Ghoft came unto the Apoftles, as fent by the Father: If, then, as we before obferv'd, the Father could no way be faid to have fent Himfelf, fo neither could the Apoftles be any way faid to have been fent to themselves. In like manner our Saviour faith, He fall receive of mine, and shall fhew it unto you*; the former part evinceth that He is not the Father, (who cannot be faid to receive of the Son,) the latter, that He is not the Perfon in whom He worketh, or to whom He fhews what He receiv'd. II. Thofe Attributes, or Expreffions, &c. Our Adverfaries alledge, that the Spirit is given, poured out, diftributed, diminifh'd, and even extinguifh'd; which Expreffions are, they fay, inconfiftent with Perfonality. But as our Saviour is faid to be given, Unto us a Son is given *, and GOD fo loved the World, that He gave his Only-begotten Son t; fo the reft of those Pas fages do only prove that the Gifts and Operations of the Holy Spirit have, fometimes in the Scriptures, the Name Name of the Spirit who is their Cause. And this we may eafily grant, having demonftrated, that to the Spirit, as fuch a Caufe, Attributes are apply'd which can agree to nothing but a Perfon. So that from both our Particulars we may conclude fully against the Jews and Socinians, that the Holy Ghost is not a Quality, or Divine Energy. (c) Those who denied the laft Truth, fupply us with an Argument for this. For fince they acknowledge the Spirit of GOD to be in GOD, and since nothing which is in GOD can be a Creature, He whom we have before prov'd to be a Perfon, must be now own'd for an uncreated Perfon. From that Text, Who knoweth the things of a Man fave the Spirit of Man which is in him? even fo the things of GOD knoweth none but the Spirit of GOD, the Socinians difpute against the Perfo- 1 Cor. ii. II. nality of the Holy Ghoft, by confeffing his Divinity: He is, fay they, in the Divine Nature, or Effence; which Nature or Effence they fuppofe incapable of more than one Perfon. But we need not take this Advantage, having fo many direct Proofs in the Cafe: As, I. From the Sin against the Holy Ghoft, which our Saviour has pronounced irremiffible: All manner of Sin and Blafphemy fhall be forgiven unto Men; but the Blasphemy against the Holy Ghoft fhall not be forgiven unto Men. And whojoever fpeaketh a Word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him t, &c. Were the Holy Spirit no Perfon, + Mat. xii. 31,32. the Sins or Blafphemies committed against him could not be diftin&t from others committed against Him whofe Spirit He is: Were He a created Perfon, they could receive no fuch degree of Guilt and Aggravation beyond those others. The Socinians, in reply, fay what is true, That the Sin against the Holy Ghoft is not therefore unpardonable because He is GOD: But if they wou'd fay what is to the purpose, they ought to prove, that it could be unpardonable if He were not GOD. II. From the Expreffions in Scripture concerning the World's Creation; which are so far from afferting the Holy Spirit to have been made in the Beginning, as rather to intimate that in the Beginning He made the World; as Job speaks of GOD, by his Spirit He has garnished the Heavens". *Job xxvi. 13. K 4 III. From |