72 DIVINE NATURE AND PERSONALITY OF THE [BOOK I.
some men, Sociuians or Quakers, whom we have just cause on many other accounts to suspect, at least, of deceit and falsehood ; and they confidently tell us that what the Scripture speaks concerning the Holy Spirit is indeed true, but that in and ]3y all the expressions which it useth concerning him, it intendeth no such person as it seems to do, but " an accident, a quality, an effect, or influence of the power of God," which figuratively doth all the things mentioned, — namely, that hath a will figuratively, and understanding figuratively, dis- cerneth and judgeth figurativel}^, is sinned against figuratively, and so of all that is said of him. Can any man that is not forsaken of all natural reason as well as spiritual light choose now but determine that either the Scripture designed to draw him into errors and mis- takes about the principal concernments of his soul, and so to ruin him eternally; or that these persons, who would impose such a sense upon it, are indeed corrupt seducers, that seek to overthrow his faith and comforts? Such will they at last appear to be. I shall now proceed to confirm the argument proposed : —
] . All things necessary to this purpose are comprised in the solemn form of our initiation into covenant with God. Matt, xxviii. 19, our Lord Jesus Christ commands his apostles to " disciple all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Sou, and of the Holy Ghost." This is the foundation we lay of all our* obedience and profession, which are to be regulated by this initial engagement. Now, no man will or doth deny but that the Father and the Son are distinct persons. Some, indeed, there are who deny the Son to be God ; but none are so mad as to deny him to be a person, though they would have him only to be a man ; — all grant him, whether God and man, or only man, to be a distinct person from the Father. Now, what confusion must this needs introduce, to add to them, and to join equally with them, as to all the concerns of our faith and obe- dience, the Holy Ghost, if he be not a divine person even as they ! If, as some fancy, he be a person indeed, but not one that is divine, but a creature, then here is openly the same honour assigned unto him who is no more as unto God himself This elsewhere the Scripture declares to be idolatry to be detested, Gal. iv. 8, Eoni. i. 25. And if he be not a person, but a virtue and quality in God, and emanation of power from him, concerning which our adversaries 7ipaTo'koyoZ<si, speak things portentous and unintelligible, what sense can any man apprehend in the words?
Besides, whatever is ascribed unto the other persons, either with respect unto themselves or our duty towards them, is equally ascrib- ed unto the Holy Ghost; for whatsoever is intended by the "name" of the Father and of the Son, he is equally with them concerned therein. It is not the name " Father/' and the name " Son," but the
CHAP. III.] HOLY SPIRIT PROVED AND VINDICATED. 73
name of " God," that is, of them both, that is intended. It is a name common to them all, and distinctly applied unto them all; but they have not in this sense distinct or diverse names. And by the " name " of God either his being or his authority is signified; for other inten- tion of it none have been able to invent. Take the " name" here in either sense, and it is sufficient as to what we intend : for if it be used in the first way, then the being of the Spirit must be acknow- ledged to be the same with that of the Father; if in the latter, he hath the same divine authority with him. He who hath the nature and authority of God is God, — is a divine person.
Our argument, then, from hence is not merely from his being joined with the Father and the Son, for so, as to some ends and purposes, any creatures may be joined with them (this our adversaries prove from Acts xx. 32, Eph. vi. 10, Phil. iii. 10, 2 Thess. i. 9, and might do it from other places innumerable, although the first of these will not confirm what it is produced to give countenance unto, — Schlich- ting. de Trinitat. ad Meisner., p. 605) ; but it is from the manner and end of his being conjoined with the Father and the Son, wherein their "name," — that is, their divine nature and authority, — is ascribed unto him, that we argue.
Again ; We are said to be baptized g/g ro ovo/Aa, "into his name." And no sense can be affixed unto these words but what doth un- avoidably include his personality ; for two things they may and do ! intend, nor any thing else but what may be reduced unto them : — First, Our religious owning the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, in all our divine worship, faith, and obedience. Now, as we own and avow the one, so we do the other; for we are alike baptized into their name,^ equally submitting to their authority, and equally tak- ing the profession of their name upon us. If, then, we avow and own the Father as a distinct person, so we do the Holy Ghost. Again ; by being baptized into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, we are sacredly initiated and conse- crated, or dedicated, imto the service and worshij) of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. This we take upon us in our baptism. Herein lies the foundation of all our faith and profession, with that engagement of ourselves unto God which constitutes our Christianity. This is the pledge of our entrance into covenant with God, and of our giving up ourselves unto him in the solemn bond of religion. Herein to conceive that any one who is not God as the Father is, who is not a person as he is also, and the Son likewise, is joined with them /or the ends and in the manner mentioned, without the least