Difference between revisions of "Holy Ghost"

<p> Besides referring back to the former article (See Holiness) concerning this almighty Lord, it may be proper to subjoin some of the names and offices by which God the Holy Ghost is known in Scripture. I say some, for to bring forward all is perhaps beyond the power or the province of man. Our blessed Lord, over and above the sacred names the Holy Ghost hath in common with the Father and the Son in the essence of the GODHEAD, hath graciously taught his church the special titles and appellations by which the Lord the Spirit is known. He is called the "Spirit of truth, by Jesus that leads his church into all truth." (&nbsp;John 14:17) Jesus speaks of him as a "Witness to testify of him." (&nbsp;John 16:26) And his servant, the apostle Paul, following the steps of his divine Master, calls the Holy Ghost by the same name. See a beautiful account of the almighty Spirit to this amount. (&nbsp;Romans 8:1-16) As the Holy Ghost the Comforter, the Lord Jesus most blessedly describes him. (&nbsp;John 14:16-26) Indeed, this is his great work; for under whatever divine operations the Lord the Spirit brings the people of God, the first and ultimate design of the whole, is for consolation. Hence Paul prays for the communion and fellowship of the Holy Ghost to be with the church. (&nbsp;2 Corinthians 13:14) And it is most blessed to every child of God, when brought into the fellowship and communion of the Holy Ghost, to discover how that almighty Comforter opens a communication between Christ and the soul, and keeps it open by the exercises of his grace; so that, while the person of the Father, or the Son, is coming forth to bless the soul, he draws forth and leads out the actings of the soul's faith and love upon the glorious persons of the GODHEAD, and gives "a joy unspeakable and full of glory." </p> <p> The Lord Jesus also points to the person and office of the Holy Ghost, as a Leader and Guide to his chosen, &nbsp;John 16:13; as a Glorifier of Jesus, &nbsp;John 16:14; as the [[Remembrancer]] also of Jesus, &nbsp;John 14:26. And as the prophet Isaiah had been commanded to tell the church of this sovereign Lord, under his almighty offices, as acting with "a spirit of judgment and a spirit of burning," (&nbsp;Isaiah 4:4) the Lord Jesus more fully opens the nature of these heart-searching works of the Holy Ghost, in shewing that it consists in "convincing of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment." (&nbsp;John 16:8-11) In short, so many, so diversified, so constant, and so unremitting are the operations of the Holy Ghost on the hearts and minds of the Lord's people, that it must with truth be said, that he, and he only, is the almighty minister in the church of Christ, and to him alone the who efficiency of the gospel, both in work and blessing, is committed. </p> <p> And, indeed, the beautiful order in the covenant of grace, and the economy of redemption, makes it necessary so to be. For, as the whole Three persons of the GODHEAD all concurred in the vast design, and all guaranteed to each other concerning the several offices in the departments of grace, so it became essential, that in the carrying on and completing the work, each almighty person should be engaged in it in his own specific office and character. The Father gave the church; the Son redeemed the church; and God the Holy Ghost sanctifies the church. God the Father appears in the Old, Testament dispensation, holding forth the promised Saviour with all his blessings, as coming for salvation; God the Son takes up the wonderful subject under the New Testament dispensation, as thus coming and finishing all that was promised in the Old; and now that the Son of God hath finished transgression, made an end of sin, and is returned unto glory, God the Holy Ghost is come down, agreeably to Jesus's and his Father's most sure promise, to render effectual the whole purpose of redemption, by his divine offices in the hearts of the redeemed. And thus the church is taught to give equal and undivided praise and glory to the united source of all her mercies, in the Father's love, the Son's grace, and the Spirit's fellowship. </p> <p> It would be little less than the brief recapitulation of the Bible, to go over all that might be brought forward concerning the agency of God the Holy Ghost in the church. From the first awakenings of grace in the heart, until grace is consummated in glory, believers are taught to look to that Holy and eternal Spirit, for his leadings and influences in and through all. The regeneration by the Holy Ghost, in the first motions of the spiritual life, &nbsp;John 3:3; the baptisms of the Spirit, so essential in the spiritual life, &nbsp;1 Corinthians 12:13; the illuminations of the Spirit, &nbsp;2 Corinthians 4:6; the "indwelling residence of the Spirit," &nbsp;John 14:16-17; the "receiving of the Holy Ghost," &nbsp;Acts 8:15-17; the "walking in the Spirit," &nbsp;Acts 9:31; the "renewing of the Ho1y Ghost," &nbsp;Titus 3:5; the sealings and earnest of the Spirit, &nbsp;Ephesians 1:13; &nbsp;2 Corinthians 5:5. All these, and infinitely more to the same effect, prove his sovereign and unceasing agency. But having already swollen this article beyond the usual limits, I must close these observations with only praying that holy and eternal Teacher in the church of the Lord Jesus, to grant some sweet and precious token of his grace and power, by setting his seal in the heart both of the writer and reader, that the truth of his ministry may be known, and felt, and adored, to his glory, and to our comfort and joy. "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost." (&nbsp;Romans 15:13) </p>

<p> The third person in the Trinity. I. The Holy Ghost is a real and distinct person in the Godhead. </p> <p> 1. Personal powers of rational understanding and will are ascribed to him, &nbsp;1 Corinthians 2:10-11 . &nbsp;1 Corinthians 12:11 . &nbsp;Ephesians 4:3 . </p> <p> 2. He is joined with the other two divine persons, as the object of worship and fountain of blessings, &nbsp;Matthew 28:19 . &nbsp;2 Corinthians 13:14 . &nbsp;1 John 5:7 . </p> <p> 3. In the Greek, a masculine article or epithet is joined to his name Pneuma, which is naturally of the neuter gender, &nbsp;John 14:26; &nbsp;John 15:26; &nbsp;John 16:13 . &nbsp;Ephesians 1:13 . </p> <p> 4. He appeared under the emblem of a dove, and of cloven tongues of fire, &nbsp;Matthew 3:1-17 : &nbsp; Acts 2:1-47 : </p> <p> 5. Personal offices of an intercessor belong to him, &nbsp;Romans 8:26 . </p> <p> 6. He is represented as performing a multitude of personal acts; as teaching, speaking, witnessing, &c. &nbsp;Mark 13:11 . &nbsp;Acts 20:23 . &nbsp;Romans 8:15-16 . &nbsp;1 Corinthians 6:19 . &nbsp;Acts 15:28; &nbsp;Acts 16:6-7 . &c. &c. &c. II. It is no less evident that the Holy Ghost is a divine person equal in power and glory with the Father and &nbsp;Song of [[Solomon]] 1:1-17 . [[Names]] proper only to the Most High God are ascribed to him; as Jehovah, &nbsp;Acts 28:25 , with Is. 6: 9. and &nbsp;Hebrews 3:7; &nbsp;Hebrews 3:9 . with &nbsp;Exodus 17:7 . &nbsp;Jeremiah 31:31; &nbsp;Jeremiah 31:34 . &nbsp;Hebrews 10:15-16 . God, &nbsp;Acts 5:3-4 . Lord, 2 Cor 3: 17, 19. "The Lord, the Spirit." </p> <p> 2. Attributes proper only to the Most High God are ascribed to him; as Omniscience, &nbsp;Psalms 139:7 . &nbsp;Ephesians 2:17-18 . &nbsp;Romans 8:26-27 . Omnipotence, &nbsp;Luke 1:35 . Eternity, &nbsp;Hebrews 9:14 . </p> <p> 3. [[Divine]] works are evidently ascribed to him, &nbsp;Genesis 1:2 . &nbsp;Job 26:13 . &nbsp;Psalms 33:6 . &nbsp;Psalms 104:30 . </p> <p> 4. Worship, proper only to God, is required and ascribed to him, Is. 6: 3. &nbsp;Acts 28:25 . &nbsp;Romans 9:1 . &nbsp;Revelation 1:4 . &nbsp;2 Corinthians 13:14 . &nbsp;Matthew 28:19 . III. The agency or work of the Holy Ghost is divided by some into extraordinary and ordinary. The former by immediate inspiration, making men prophets, the latter by his regenerating and sanctifying influences making men saints. It is only the latter which is now to be expected. This is more particularly displayed in, </p> <p> 1. [[Conviction]] of sin, &nbsp;John 16:8; &nbsp;John 9:1-41 : </p> <p> 2. Conversion, &nbsp;1 Corinthians 12:1-31 : &nbsp; Ephesians 1:17-18 . &nbsp;1 Corinthians 2:10; &nbsp;1 Corinthians 2:12 . &nbsp;John 3:5; &nbsp;John 6:1-71 : </p> <p> 3. Sanctification, &nbsp;2 Thessalonians 2:13 . &nbsp;1 Corinthians 6:11 . &nbsp;Romans 15:16 . </p> <p> 4. Consolation, &nbsp;John 14:1-31 </p> <p> 5. Direction, &nbsp;John 14:17 . &nbsp;Romans 8:14 . </p> <p> 6. Confirmation, &nbsp;Romans 8:16; &nbsp;Romans 8:26 . &nbsp;1 John 2:24 . &nbsp;Ephesians 1:13-14 . As to the gift of the Holy Spirit, says a good writer, it is not expected to be bestowed in answer to our prayers, to inform us immediately, as by a whisper, when either awake or asleep, that we are the children of God; or in any other way, than by enabling us to exercise repentance and faith and love to God and our neighbour. </p> <p> 2. We are not to suppose that he reveals any thing contrary to the written word, or more than is contained in it, or through any other medium. </p> <p> 3. We are not so led by, or operated upon by the Spirit as to neglect the means of grace. </p> <p> 4. The Holy Spirit is not promised nor given to render us infallible. </p> <p> 5. Nor is the Holy Spirit given in order that we may do any thing, which was not before our duty. </p> <p> See TRINITY, and Scott's Four Sermons on Repentance, the Evil of Sin, Love to God, and the [[Promise]] of the Holy Spirit, p. 86-89; Hawker's Sermons on the Holy ghost; Pearson on the Creed, 8th article; Dr. Owen on the Spirit; Hurrion's 16 Sermons on the Spirit. </p>