fpeak any other language than the Scriptures and their Fathers fpake.

Howfoever we have fufficiently in our affertions declared the nature of the Holy Ghost, diftinguishing him from all qualities, energies or operations, in that he is truly and properly a Perfon; differencing him from all Creatures and finite things, as he is not a created Perfon; fhewing him to be of an infinite and eternal effence, as he is truly and properly God; diftinguishing him from the Father and the Son, as being not the Father, though the fame God with the Father; not the Son, though the fame God with him; demonftrating his order in the bleffed Trinity, as being not the first or second, but the third Perfon, and therefore the third, because as the Son receiveth his effence communicated to him by the Father, and is therefore fecond to the Father, fo the Holy Ghoft receiveth the fame effence communicated to him by the Father and the Son, and so proceedeth from them both, and is truly and properly the Spirit of the Father, and as truly and properly the Spirit of the Son.

Thus far have we declared the nature of the Holy Ghoft, what he is in himself, as the Spirit of God; it remaineth that we declare what is the office of the fame, what he is unto us, as the Holy Spirit: for although the Spirit of God be of infinite, effential and original holinefs, as God, and fo may be called Holy in himself; though other Spirits which were created, be either actually now unholy, or of defectible fanctity at firft, and fo having the name of Spirit common unto them, he may be termed Holy, that he may be distinguished from them; yet I conceive he is rather called the Holy Spirit, or the Rom. i. 4. Spirit of Holiness, because, of the three Perfons in the bleffed Trinity, it is his particular office to fanctify or make us holy.

Now when I fpeak of the office of the Holy Ghoft, I do not understand any minifterial office or function,

fuch

Heb. i. 14. fuch as that of the created Angels is, who are all miniftering fpirits, fent forth to minifter for them who fhall be heirs of falvation; for I have already proved this Spirit to be a Person properly divine, and confequently above all miniftration. But I intend thereby whatsoever is attributed unto him peculiarly in the falvation of Man, as the work wrought by him, for which he is fent by the Father and the Son. For all the Perfons in the Godhead are reprefented unto Johniii. 16. us as concurring unto our falvation: God so loved Eph. ii, 18. the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, and through that Son we have an access by one Spirit unto the Father. As therefore what our Saviour did and fuffered for us belonged to that office of a Redeemer which he took upon him; fo whatfoever the Holy Ghost worketh in order to the fame falvation, we look upon as belonging to his office. And because without holiness it is impoffible to please God, because we all are impure and unholy, and the purity and holinefs which is required in us to appear in the prefence of God, whofe eyes are pure, must be wrought in us by the Spirit of God, who is called Holy because he is the cause of this holiness in us, therefore we acknowledge the office of the Spirit of God to confift in the fanctifying of the fervants of God, and the declaration of this office, added to the defcription of his nature, to be a fufficient explication of the object of faith contained in this Article, I believe in the Holy Ghost.

Now this fanctification being opposed to our impurity and corruption, and answering fully to the latitude of it, whatfoever is wanting in our nature of that holiness and perfection, muft be fupplied by the Spirit of God. Wherefore being by nature we are totally void of all faving truth, and under an im1 Cor.li. poffibility of knowing the will of God; being as no man knoweth the things of a man fave the fpirit of man which is in him, even fo none knoweth the things of God but the Spirit of God; this Spirit fearcbeth all things,

10, 11.

yea,

yea, the deep things of God, and revealeth them unto the Sons of Men; fo that thereby the darkness of their understanding is expelled, and they are enlightened with the knowledge of their God. This work of the Spirit is double, either external and general, or internal and particular. The external and general work of the Spirit, as to the whole Church of God, is the revelation of the will of God, by which fo much in all ages hath been propounded as was fufficient to inftruct Men unto eternal life. For there have been holy Prophets ever fince the world Luke i. 70. began, and prophecy came not at any time by the will 2 Pet. i. 21. of man, but holy men of God fpake as they were moved by the Holy Ghoft. When it pleased God in the last Heb. i. 2. days to fpeak unto us by his Son, even that Son fent his Spirit into the Apoftles, the Spirit of truth, that John xvi. he might guide them into all truth, teaching them all 13. xiv. 26 things, and bringing all things to their remembrance, whatfoever Chrift had faid unto them. By this means it came to pass, that all Scripture was given by infpiration of God, that is, by the motion and operation of the Spirit of God; and fo whatfoever is neceflary for us to know and believe, was delivered by revelation. Again, the fame Spirit which revealeth the object of Faith generally to the univerfal Church of God, which object is propounded externally by the Church to every particular believer, doth alfo illuminate the understandings of fuch as believe, that they may receive the truth for faith is the gift of God, not only in the object but alfo in the act; Chrift is not only given unto us, in whom we believe, but it is alfo given us in the behalf of Chrift to be- Phil. i.29 lieve on him; and this gift is a gift of the Holy Ghost, working within us an affent unto that which by the word is propounded to us by this the Lord A&ts xvi. opened the heart of Lydia, that he attended unto the 14 things which were spoken of Paul; by this the word preached profiteth, being mixed with faith in them Heb. iv, 2. that bear it. Thus by grace we are faved through faith, Eph. ii. 8.

and

and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of God. As the increase and perfection, fo the original, or (s) initiation of Faith is from the Spirit of God, not only by an external propofal in the word, but by an internal illumination in the Soul; by which we are inclined to the obedience of Faith, in affenting to thofe truths, which unto a natural and carnal Man are foolishness. And thus we affirm not only the revelation of the will of God, but also the illumination of the Soul of Man, to be part of the office of the Spirit of God, against the old and new (1) Pelagians.

The fecond part of the office of the Holy Ghost in the fanctification of Man, is the regeneration and renovation of him. For our natural corruption confifting in an averfation of our wills, and a depravation of our affections, an inclination of them to the will of God is wrought within us by the Spirit of Tit, iii. 5. God. For according to his mercy he faved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy John iii. 5. Ghost. So that except a man be born again of water and of the Holy Ghoft, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. We are all at first defiled by the corruption 1 Cor. vi. of our nature, and the pollution of our fins, but we are washed, but we are fanctified, but we are justified in the name of the Lord fefus, and by the Spirit of our God. The fecond part then of the office of the Holy Ghost is the renewing of Man in all the parts and faculties of his Soul.

II.

The third part of this office is to lead, direct and govern us in our actions and converfations, that we may actually do and perform thofe things which are Gal. v. 25 acceptable and well-pleafing in the fight of God. If we live in the Spirit, quickened by his renovation, we inuft alfo walk in the Spirit, following his direction, led Gal. v. 16. by his manuduction. And if we walk in the Spirit, we shall not fulfil the lufts of the flesh; for we are not only directed but animated and acted in thofe operations by the Spirit of God, who giveth both to will Rom. viii. and to do, and as many as are thus led by the Spirit of

14.

God,

God, they are the Sons of God. Moreover that this direction may prove more effectual, we are alfo guided in our prayers, and acted in our devotions by the fame Spirit, according to the promise, I will Zach. xii. pour upon the boufe of David, and upon the inhabitants of 10. Jerufalem, the Spirit of grace and of fupplication. Where

14.

16.

34.

as then this is the confidence that we have in him, that 1 John v. if we ask any thing according to his will, he beareth us; and whereas we know not what we should pray for as Rom. viii. we ought, the Spirit itself maketh interceffion for us with 26, 27. groanings which cannot be uttered, and he that fearcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh interceffion for the Saints according to the will of God. From which interceffion efpecially I conceive he hath the name of the Paraclete given him by Christ, who faid, I will pray the Father, John xiv. and he shall give you another Paraclete. For if any John ii. I. man fin, we have a Paraclete with the Father, Jefus Chrift the righteous, faith St. John: who alfo maketh Rom. viii. interceffion for us, faith St. Paul, and we have another Paraclete, faith our Saviour; which also maketh interceffion for us, faith St. Paul. A (u) Paraclete then in the notion of the Scriptures is an Interceffor. Fourthly, The office of the fame Spirit is to join us unto Chrift, and make us members of that one Body of which our Saviour is the Head. (x) For by one 1 Cor. xii. Spirit are we all baptized into one body. And as the 12, 13. body is one and bath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, fo alfo is Chrift. Hereby we know that God abideth in us, by the 1 John iii. Spirit which he hath given us. As we become spiritual 24. Men by the Spirit which is in us, as that union with the Body and unto the Head is a spiritual conjunction, fo it proceedeth from the Spirit; and he that is 1 Cor. vi. joined unto the Lord is one Spirit.

Fifthly, It is the office of the Holy Ghost to affure us of the adoption of Sons, to create in us a fense of the paternal love of God towards us, to give us VOL. I.

K k

an

I

17.