It will not relieve the adversaries of the Holy Ghost, though it be pleaded by them that he is compared with and opposed unto the " spu'it of a man," 1 Cor. ii. 11, which, they say, is no person; for no comparisons hold in all circumstances. The spirit of a man is his rational soul, endued with understanding and knowledge. This is an individual intelligent substance, capable of a subsistence in a sepa- rate condition. Grant the Spirit of God to be so far a person, and
80 DIVINE NATURE AND PERSONALITY OF THE [BOOK I.
all their pretences fall to the ground. And whereas it is affirmed by- one among ourselves, though otherwise asserting " the deity of the Holy Ghost" (Goodwin, p. 175), " That this expression, of 'searching the things of God,' cannot be applied directly to the Spirit, but must intend his enabling us to search into them, because to search includes imperfection, and the use of means to come to the knowledge of any thing," it is not of weight in this matter; for such acts are ascribed unto God with respect unto their effects. And searching being with us the means of attaining the perfect knowledge of any thing, the perfection of the knowledge of God is expressed thereby. So David prays that God would " search him, and know his heart," Ps. cxxxix. 23. And he is often said to " search the hearts of men," whereby his infinite wisdom is intimated, whereunto all things are open and naked. So is his Spirit said to " search the deep things of God," because of his infinite understanding and the perfection of his know- ledge, before which they lie open. And as things are here spoken of the Spirit in reference unto God the Father, so are they spoken of hirn in reference unto the Spirit: Rom. viii. 27, " He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit." Add hereunto that this Spirit is the author of wisdom and understanding in and unto others, and therefore he must have them in himself; and that not virtually or casually only, but formally also. 1 Cor. xii. 8, wisdom and know- ledge are reckoned among the gifts bestowed by him. For those of faith and tongues, it is enough that they are in him virtually; but wisdom and understanding, they cannot be given by any but he that is wise and understandeth what he doth; and hence is he called ex- pressly a " Spirit of wisdom and understanding, of counsel and know- ledge," Isa. xi. 2. I might confirm this by other testimonies, where other effects of understanding are ascribed unto him, as 1 Tim. iv. 1 ; 1 Pet. i. 11; 2 Pet. i. 21; but what hath been spoken is sufficient unto our purpose.
j Secondly, A will is ascribed unto him. This is the most eminently 'distinguishing character and property of a person. Whatever is en- dued with an intelligent will is a person ; and it cannot by any fic- tion, with any tolerable congTuity, be ascribed unto any thing else, unless the reason of the metaphor be plain and obvious. So when our Saviour says of the wind that it bloweth 6Vou SIXs/, " as it willeth," orlisteth, John iii. 8, the abuse of the word is evident. All intended is, that the wind, as unto us, is dwrsvObvog, and not at all at our disposal, acts not by our guidance or direction. And no man is so foolish as not to apprehend the meaning of it, or once to inquire whether our Saviour doth properly ascribe a will to the wind or no. So James iii. 4. The words rendered by us, "Turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth," are in the original, " O'ttou
CHAP. III.] HOLY SPIRIT PROVED AND VINDICATED. 81
av 7] opiM-}\ 7(j\) svdviiovTog ^ouXrjrar in which the act of wilhng is ascribed to the 6p/u,7j, the impetus or inclination of the governor, which yet hath not a will. But the 6p/;jt,r! in that place is not the Tpurr) -Ahrisig of the philosophers, the motiis ])rimo-primus, or the first agitation or inclination of the mind ; but it is the will itself under an earnest inclination, such as is usual with them who govern ships by the helms in storms. Hereunto the act of willing is properly ascribed, and he in whom it is proved to be is a person. Thus, a will acting with under- standing and choice, as the principle and cause of his outward actions, is ascribed unto the Holy Ghost: 1 Cor. xii. 11, " All these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will." He had before asserted that he was the author and donor of all the spiritual gifts which he had been discoursing about, verses 4-6. These gifts he declares to be various, as he manifests in nine instances, and all variously disposed of by him, verses 8-10. If nov/ it be inquired what is the rule of this his distribution of them, he tells us that it is his own will, his choice and pleasure. What can be spoken more fully and plainly to describe an intelligent person, acting voluntarily with freedom and by choice, I know not.
We may consider what is excepted hereunto. They say (Schlich- ting. p. 610) " That the Holy Ghost is here introduced as a person by a prosojjopoeia, — that the distribution of the gifts mentioned is ascribed unto him by a metaphor; and by the same or another metaphor he is said to have a will, or to act as he will." But is it not evident that if this course of interpreting, or rather of perverting, Scripture ma}^ be allowed, nothing of any certainty will be left unto us therein? It is but saying this or that is a metaphor, and if one will not serve the turn, to bring in two or three, one on the neck of another, and the work is done; — the sense intended is quite changed and lost. AlJow this liberty or bold licentiousness, and you may overthrow the being of God himself and the mediation of Christ, as to any testimony given unto them in the Scripture. But the words are plain, " He divideth to every man severally as he will." And for the confirma- tion of his deity, though that be out of question on the supposition of his personality, I shall only add from this place, that he who hath the sovereign disposal of all spiritual gifts, having only his own will, which is infinitely wise and holy, for his rule, he is " over all, God blessed for ever."