ti DIVINE NATURE AND PERSONALITY OF sedly to contend with them about all the concernmente77a pers al, he is a person, and him ara we taught to of this difference; for there is nothing of importancein " believe so to be." So know we the Father to be a all their pretencesor exceptions,but it willin one-place person, as also the Son. For our knowledge of things or other occur unto consideration in our progress; I is more by their propertiesand operations, than by their shall only, at present, confirm the divine personality of essential forms. Especially is this so, with respect to the Holy Ghost with one argument; which I will not the nature, being and existence of God, which are in say is such as no man can return the chew of an answer themselves absolutely incomprehensible. Now, I shall unto; for what is it that the serpentine wits of men will not confirm the assumption of this argument with refer- not pretend an answer unto, or an exception against, if cace unto the Holy Ghost, from this or that particular their lusts and prejudices require them so to do? But testimony, nor from the assignation of any single per- I will boldly say, it is such as that the gates of hell shall sonal property unto him, but from the constant uni- never prevail against it in the hearts of true believers, form tenor of the scripture, in ascribing all these pre- the strengtheningof whose faith is all that in it I do aim perties unto him, And we may add hereunto, that at. And if it doth not unto all unprejudiced persons things are so ordered in the wisdom of God, that there ,evince the truth and reality of the divine personality of is no personal property that may be found inan infinite the Holy Ghost, it must certainly convince all men, divine nature, but it is in one place or other ascribed that nothing which is taught or delivered in the scrip- unto him. tare can possibly be understood. Sect. 9. There is no exception can be laid against Sect S. One consideration which hath in part been the force of this argument, but only that some things, before proposed, I shall premise, to free the subject of on the one hand, are ascribed unto the Spirit which be- rme argument from ambiguity, And this is, that this long not unto a person, nor can be spoken of him who word or name spirit, is used sometimes to denote the is so; and, that on the other, that sundry things that Spirit of God * himself, and sometimes his gifts and properly belong to persons are in the scripture figure- graces, the effects of his operations on the souls of men. tively ascribed unto such things as are not so. Thus, And this our adversaries, in this cause, are forced to as to the first head of this exception, the Holy Spirit is confess; and thereon, in all their writings, distinguish said to be poured out, to be shed abroad, to be an unc- between the Holy Spirit and his effects. This alone tion, or the like, of all which expressions we shall treat being supposed, I say it is impossible to prove the Fa- afterwards. What then shall we say, that he is not a titer to be a person, or the Son to be so, both which person, but only the power of God? Will this render are acknowledged, any other way, than wemay and do those expressions concerning him proper? How can the prove the Holy Ghost to be so. For he ie to whom all virtue of God, or the power of God, be said to be so personal properties, attributes, adjuncts, acts, and poured out, tobe shed abroad, and the like? Wherefore p operations are ascribed, and unto whom they do be, both they and we acknowledge that these expressions long, and to whom nothing is or can be truly and are figurative, as many things are so expressed of God " properly ascribed, but what may and Both belong unto in the scripture, and that frequently; and what is the meaning of them under their figurative colours we shall et'non substantiam Dei esse Spiritum Sanctum. Et sialiisquoque plu, afterwards declare. This therefore doth not in the least rimi,. loats subsisten natura demonstrator Spiritus Sancti. Didym. de impeach our argument, unless this assertion were true Spirit. Sanct. lib. 2. generally; that whatever is spoken of figuratively in the 'Eas,laorsg To Bregspssvov re ,rveana TO 47W iTl sshiwTa, ass, Ta scripture is no person; which would leave no one in 8mgov i aoe vaas ea xape.aue,.Chrysost. heaven or earth. On the other side, it is confessed, Nec existimaredeberaus Spiritpm Sanctumsecundumsubstantia, esse that there are things peculiar unto rational subsistents or divis m quia muttitudo bonorum dicamr impassibili, enim et indivi_ persons, -which are ascribed sometimes unto those that sibafs segue immutabilis ass, ,eajunta aolrreuse,etficietiun et intenecros are not so. Many things ofthis nature, es to hope, to molds honorem vocabulis nuncupatur; quia participes suns, non juxta eandemquevirtutem communtone nut donee. Qnippecum ad uttl- ìtatem uuiuscjusque eptus sit. Didym. lib. 1. But every one presently apprehends that this expression believe, to bear, are ascribed unto charity, 1 Cor. xin. ainam
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