2. The divinity of the Holy Ghost is proved by the fact that he is called (iod. (Comp. 1 Sam. xvi, 13 with xviii. 12 ; .\cts v, 3 with v, 4 ; 2 Cor. iii, 17 with Exod. xxxiv, 34: Acts xxviii, "io with Isa. vi,8; Matt, xii, "28 with Luke xi, 20; 1 Cor. iii, lt> with vi, 19.) The attri- butes of (Jod are ascrilx-d to him. He creates, works miracles, insjiires prophets, is the Source of holiness (see alxive), is everlasting (Heb. ix, 14), omnipresent, and omniscient (Psa. cxxxix, 7; and 1 Cor. ii, 10).
3. The personality of the Holy (Jhost is shown by the actions ascribed to him. He hears and speaks (.John xvi, 13; Acts X. 19; xiii,2, etc.). He wills and acts on his decision (1 Cor. xii, 11), lie chooses and directs a certain course of action (.Acts xv, 28). He knows (1 Cor. ii, II). He teaches (.lohn xiv, 20). He intercedes (Kom. viii, 26). The texts 1 Thess. iii, 12, 13, and 2 Thess. iii, .i, are riuoted aj^aiiist those who confound the three persons of the (iodhead.
4. The procession of the Holy Ghost from the Father is shown from .lohn xiv, 20; xv, 20, etc. The tenet of the Western Church that he proceeds from the Son is groundeii on .lohn XV, 20; xvi, 7; Hom. viii, 9; Gal. iv, 0: i'hil. i. 19; 1 I'et. i. 11 ; and on the action of our Lord reconled by .John xx, 22. The historj- of the long and inipiirtant controversy on this point has been written by rfati"; by Walchius, llUtoria Cimtntrersiie de Proces- sioiif (17.31): and by Xeale, ///.>•/. <i/'/^e Kagtem Church, ii, 1093.— Smith. See Holy Ghost.
Sl'IKIT (Hoi.v), Hai'tism ok. The bestowment of the Divine Spirit upon faithful men — which is simply (lod's spiritual access to and abiding with his believing and obedient ones — is a promise for all times and dis- (KMisatioiis of the Church, of the tullilment of which promise the Divine Word is the per]ietual record. It was the consilation and guide of the (latriarchs; the ins|iiration of the prophets, and the light and life of the Old-Test. Church. That which is now given to believers and to the aggregate Church differs from the former in degree antl in some of its modes of manifes- tation rather than in its sul)stauce or kind. Indeed, as the Church has been, and is, essentially the same un- der all its dispensations, having the same precious faith, with the one atoning Sacrifice as its object and end, so tln' animating Spirit that guided and sustained the faith- ful ones of the earlier Church is the same with that which we recognise ami worship, and in which we rej(»ice in this our day of the fulness of Gospel grace. It is evi- dent, however, that, for obviously good reasons, a spe- cial and peculiar manifesiution of the Spirit was given to the apo!\il<'M— first on the day.ol' I'enlecost. and after- wards continuously, though evidently with stea<lilv de- creasing outwaril manifestations, till it linally entirely cea.'M'il with thr- apostolic age. Hut though its "signs" failed from the Church, as did the power of working mirocles, itfl substance and reality, with all its blessed results, continued as Christ's perpetual legacy to his dixiph-s all ilown throiif;!! the a;,'es, and will do so till the great consummation of his kingdom.
1. The term "baptism," used in the New Test, to dexignale the iM-stowinent of the Holy (Jhost, is proba- bly simply an accommodation Of the iilea of .John's bap- tism, and is used to indi.ate the substance o( which that ceremony was ;>ui the shad.iw and type; and, therefore,
it should not be made to signify anything in respect to the method of the impartation of its grace, nor con- versely anything as to the mode and form of the initial (^'hristian ordinance. It is enough that we are assured that the Holy (ihost shall be given. The gift of the Holy Spirit was promised by Christ to his disciples un- der circumstances calculated to impress them with a deep sense of its value and importance. In his last and singularly tender interview with them (.John xvi), he represented the promised Comforter as more than eipiiv- aleiit to his own personal presence; and after his resui- rectioii, because of its importance and necessity for them, he charged them not to enter upon their great commis- sion until they should receive this (iromised endowment (Luke xxiv, 40). Its original bestowment on the day of Pentecost is recorded with unusual detail (Acts ii), and its possession is frequently referred to in both the earlier and later Scriptures in such emphatic terms as to leave no doulit of its cardinal character in the Chris- tian scheme. Nevertheless, it would seem to have been strangely overlooked in many ages and sections of Chris- tendom, and its distinctive features have not seldom been imperfectly apprehended even by those who have cor- dially embraced it as a doctrine and personally experi- enced its power. A careful looking into the subject may therefore not be without its practical utility.
The great importance of this matter to the Christian ministry is all along, and with great emphasis, set forth in the New Test, The same truth plainly appears from the altered complexion of the ajiostles' language and Conduct after their reception of this gift. Peter, the self-confident and yet timid disciple, was immediately transformed into the bold but dignified chamjiion of his Lord. The whole eleven, who had before been such weak believers and such dull scholars, at once rose to a just comprehension of the evangelical scheme. The resistless power with which Stephen spoke before his murderers (Acts ii, 10) was but a sample of that with which all were endued.