40 DIVINE NATURE which is.intimate unto all its own thoughts andcounsels. So the things of God 'mowed: no man but the Spirit of God; and by him are they revealed unto us, for by him we know the things that arefreely givenus ofGod, verse 12. These things cannot be spoken of any, hula per- won endued with understanding. And he thus searcheth ra ßu9.4 es Ora the deep things of God; that is, the mys- teries of his will, counsel, and grace; and is therefore a divine person that bath an infinite understanding. As it is said of God, irotnn5 nn rs, Isa. xl. 28. There is no end, measure, or investigation of his understanding, Psal. cxlvii. 5. There is no number of his understand- ing; it is endless, boundless, infinite. It is excepted that the " spirit is not here taken fer the Spirit himself, <a nor doth the apostle express what the Spirit himself doth, but what by the assistance of. the Holy Ghost " men are enabled to do." By that believers are helped to search into the deep counsels of God. But as this exception is directly against the words of the text, so the context will by no means admit of it. For the apos- tle giveth an account 'how the wisdom, counsels, and deep things of God, which the world could not under- stand, were now preached and declared unto the church. God, saith he, bath revealed them unto as by the Spi- rit. But how cometh the Spirit himself, the author of these revelations, to be acquainted with these things? This he bath from his ownnature, whereby he knoweth or searcheth all things, even the deep things of God. It is therefore the revelation made by the Spirit unto the apostles and penmen of the scripture of the New Testament, who were actuated by the Holy Ghost in like manner, as were the Holy men of old, I Pet. i. 21. which the apostle intendeih, and not the illumination and teaching of believers in the knowledge of the mys- teries by them revealed, whereof the apostle treated] in these words. But who is this Spirit? The same apostle tell us that thejudgmentsof God are unsearchable, and his ways past fading out, Rbm. xi. 33. And asketh w/ bath known the mind of the Lord, or who bath been his counsellor? verse 34. And yet this spirit is said to search all things, even the deep things of God; such as to all creatures are absolutely unsearchable and past finding out. This then is the Spirit of God himself; who is God also. For so it is in the prophet, from whence these words are taken. Who bath directed the Spirit of the Lord, br being his counsellor kath taught him? Isa. xl. 13. AND PERSONALITY OE It will not relieve the adversaries of the Holy Ghost, though it be pleaded by them, that he is compared with, end opposed unto the spirit of a man, ver. 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 separate condition. Grant the Spirit of God tobe so far a person, and all tneir pretences fall to theground. And whereas it is affirmed by one among ourselves, though otherwise asserting the Deity of the Holy Ghost, (Good. p. 175.) that this " expression of searching the things of God, cannot be applied directly to the Spi- rit, 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 r thing;" it is not of weight in this matter. For such acts are ascribed unto God with respect unto their ef- fects. And searching being with us the means of at- taining the perfect knowledge of any thing, the perfec- tion of the knowledge of God is expressed thereby. So David prays, that God would search hint, and know his heart, Psal. cxxxix. 23. And he is often said to search the hearts of men, whereby his infinite wisdom is inti- mated, whereunto all things are open and naked. So is the Spirit said to search the deep things of God, be- cause of his infinite understanding, and the perfection of his knowledge, 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 him, in reference Unto the Spirit. Rom. viii. 27. He that searcheth the hearts, knoweth the mind of the Spirit. Add hereunto that this Spirit is the author of wisdom and understand- ing in, and unto others; and therefore he most have them in himself, and that not virtually or causally only, but formally also. I Cor. xii. 8. Wisdom and knowledge arc reckoned among the gifts bestowed by him.- For those of faith and tongues, it is enough that they are in him virtually. But for wisdom and understanding, they cannot be given by any but,he that is wise and under- standeth what he doth. And hence is be called express ly a Spirit of wisdom and understanding, of counsel artd knowledge, Isa. xi. 3. I might confirm this by other testimonies, where other effects of understanding are ascribed unto him; as 1 Tim. iv. t. 1 Pet. i. 1 t. 2 Pet. 21. but what bath been spoken is sufficient unto our purpose.
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