Church; and the candlestick, of the Holy Spirit, to whom the Church is indebted for all her light. The candlestick, though one in itself, had seven distinct lamps. The person of the Holy Spirit, too, is one; but his grace is most abundant and most perfect; for the number seven is a symbol of multitude and of perfection. The seven lamps were formed of one continued beaten work, proceeding from the candlestick itself. And the graces of the Holy Spirit are, so to speak, essential to him, and proceed from the all-sufficiency of his godhead. For this reason he is denominated from them, "The Spirit of wisdom and under"standing, the Spirit of counsel and might," &c. But the very style of the Apocalypse leads us also to this interpretation. These seven Spirits are called " the "Spirits of God;" and I can recollect no passage in holy writ, where any created Spirit is called by this name. The seven Spirits are placed betwixt the Father and the Son, as of the same dignity. They are also called the horns and the eyes of Christ. Holy Spirit, to wit, is "the Spirit of Christ." exhibited under the emblem of horns, because of the power of the Spirit which is often celebrated; and under the emblem of eyes, either on account of his knowledge, or because the look of Christ is a look of love, and his love appears in the gift of the Spirit.d In fine, we nowhere read that these seven Spirits worship God, which is done by the living creatures, and the elders. But on the contrary, they are invocated by John-an honour which doth not belong to created spirits. And y Exod. xxv. 31. ■ Rev. iv. 5. Gal. iv. 6. Rom. viii. 9. e Rev. xix. 10. xxii. 9. 2 Is. xi. 2. b Rev. v. 6. 4 Rom. v. 5. The He is in what manner doth John call upon them? In the same manner, with the same worship, as that with which he calls upon the Father and the Son, adoring the Spirit without any mark of distinction, as equally with the Father and the Son, the Author of grace and peace. XXXI. Another instance of the ascription of Divine honour to the Spirit, is that we are baptized in his name. This is clearly a Divine honour; for, 1st, He in whose name we are baptized is recognised as the true God, the author of the sacraments, the Lord and Lawgiver of the Church,-characters which are peculiar to Jehovah.s 2dly, We confide in him as one able to impart and perform the thing signified by the sign. This also is competent to God only; for who that is not God, can afford us the grace, the fellowship, the enjoyment of God, which are sealed by the sacraments? 3dly, In this sacrament we surrender ourselves to him in whose name we are baptized, to serve and obey him; for in baptism there is "the answer of a good conscience towards God." This again is an honour too high to fall to the share of any creature. And hence Paul disclaims it with great warmth; "Were ye baptized in the name of Paul?" i XXXII. Add to this, that we are consecrated as a Temple to the Holy Spirit. "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God 66 "dwelleth in you?"j "Know ye not that your body "is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you?”k Now a temple is the house of God only, "an house Mat. xxviii. 19. h1 Pet. iii. 21. J1 Cor. iii. 16. Is. xxxiii. 22. i 1 Cor. i. 13. * Chap. vi. 19. k "built unto the name of Jehovah," "the sanctuary "of Jehovah," "a glorious high throne;" and in a temple religious worship is performed to God alone. Nor is there any ground for the objection, that it is only metaphorically that believers are called a temple; for although that were true, the analogy must still be preserved. As therefore the house erected by Solomon was a temple on account of the indwelling of the Divinity, which the Hebrews call Shechinah, so belieyers are the temple of the Spirit, because he is in them and inhabits them as God. But in truth, believers are a temple in a far more strict and proper sense than the temple of Jerusalem; as that was merely a figure, of which the substance is primarily in Christ, and secondarily in believers.P XXXIII. We must not overlook, in fine, the religious obedience which the Apostle urges us to render to the Holy Spirit." Wherefore, as the Holy Ghost saith, 66 66 To-day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of tempta"tion in the wilderness, when your fathers tempted 66 me," &c. The Spirit of God was justly offended, because that sacred obedience which was an honour due to his Majesty, had not been rendered to him. But we find also that a certain sin is mentioned in sacred writ, which is in a peculiar manner committed against the Spirit and his office, and which is so heinous in the sight of God that it is declared unpardonable above every other sin. Now, if the Holy Spirit שכינה * 11 Kings v. 3, 4. p 2 Cor. vi. 16. Ephes. ii. 21, 22. Heb. x. 26, 29. m Is. lxiii. 18. • Ps. xxix. 9. 1 Heb. iii. 7, 8, 9. be not the Supreme God, what reason can be assigned why a sin committed against him should be held so dreadful and atrocious? From this, however, we are not to infer, that the Holy Spirit is a greater Divine person, or entitled to higher honour, than the Father or the Son. That he is truly God, we justly conclude, because it is possible to sin against him peculiarly and signally. That he is greater than the Father or the Son, we cannot infer, as the infinitude of the godhead excludes all disparity. That the sin committed against him is never forgiven, is not owing to his being worthy of higher honour than the Father or the Son, but to the nature of the sin, by which that grace of God without which there is no salvation, although exhibited, known, and acknowledged, is wantonly and pertinaciously rejected; and resistance is maliciously given to those operations of the Holy Spirit, by which only he brings sinners into a state of saving relation to God.57 XXXIV. And thus, we think, we have abundantly confirmed the Supreme Deity of the Holy Ghost. It now remains to show, that he is a Divine person, DISTINCT from the Father and the Son. This appears, 1st, From the distinct mention of these adorable persons. Haggai ii. 4, 5, “I am with you, saith the Lord of hosts, with the WORD,-and my SPIRIT remaineth among you.s 58 2dly, From the enumeration of Three that bear record in heaven. 3dly, From an express term of distinction: "I will pray the Father, " and he shall give you ANOTHER Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever, even the Spirit of "truth."u To this learned men refer also an expres 66 See also Mat. xxviii. 19. 2 Cor. xiii. 14. t 1 John v. 7. 67 See NOTE LVII. " John xiv. 16, 17. 58 See NOTE LVIII. sion in Zechariah, which they thus render; Even today will I restore unto thee another Teacher or Revealer. The Holy Spirit may be called a Revealer, because it is his office to disclose deep mysteries ;" and another Revealer, to distinguish him from Christ, who was sent before him, and who is mentioned in a preceding verse. He may be said to be restored, partly because the extraordinary mission of the Holy Spirit was suspended from the times of Zechariah to Christ; partly because he was to be given in the room of Christ, who is gone to the Father. The distinguishing properties of the Holy Spirit, are as follows. 1st, Passive procession from the Father and the Son. 2dly, The third place in the order of subsistence. 3dly, The third place in the order of operation. Compare what is said on this topic in the Seventh Dissertation. xxxv. These truths relating to the Spirit ought to be rightly known, and most devoutly acknowledged. Something more, however, is included in that faith in the Holy Ghost of which we make a profession in the Creed. This faith doth not rest satisfied with a frigid contemplation of his Divine Person, but goes forward to consider his mysterious indwelling in believers, and the secret efficacy which he exerts in their hearts. It will now be proper for us to discourse a little further on these points, that we may penetrate to the marrow and the kernel of the doctrine before us. It is the privilege of believers, then, that they have received the Spirit from God, and enjoy his presence as a much loved Inhabitant in the innermost chambers of their .12 .Ch. ix גם היום מגיד משנה אשיב לך" |