But, it may be, it will be said at last that our whole labour, in declaring the work of the Spirit of God in us and towards us, as well as what we have now briefly spoken in the vindication of it from these or the like imputations, is altogether vain, seeing all we do or say herein is nothing but canting with unintelligible expressions. So some affirm, indeed, before they have produced their charter wherein they are constituted the sole judges of what words, what expressions, what way of teaching, are proper in things of this nature. But, by any thing that yet appears, they seem to be as unmeet for the exercise of that dictatorship herein which they pretend unto, as any sort of men that ever undertook the declaration of things sacred and spiritual. Wherefore, unless they come with better authority than as yet they can pretend unto, and give a better example of their own way and manner of teaching such things than as yet they have done, we shall continue to make Scripture phraseology our rule and pattern in the declaration of spiritual things, and endeavour an accommodation of all our expressions thereunto, whether to them intelligible or not, and that for reasons so easy to be conceived as that they need not here be pleaded.

DISCOURSE CONCERNING THE HOLY SPIRIT.

BOOK I.

CHAPTER I.

GENERAL PRINCIPLES CONCERNING THE HOLY SPIRIT AND HIS WORK.

1 Cor. xii. 1 opened—Пnμaxá, spiritual gifts-Their grant unto, use and abuse in, that church-Jesus, how called "anathema"-Impiety of the Jews-How called "Lord"-The foundation of church order and worship-In what sense we are enabled by the Spirit to call Jesus "Lord"-The Holy Spirit the author of all gifts-why called "God," and "The Lord"-General distribution of spiritual gifts-Proper end of their communication-Nine sorts of gifts-Abuse of them in the church-Their tendency unto peace and order-General design of the ensuing discourse concerning the Spirit and his dispensation-Importance of the doctrine concerning the Spirit of God and his operations— Reasons hereof-Promise of the Spirit to supply the absence of Christ, as to his human nature-Concernment thereof-Work of the Spirit in the ministration of the gospel-All saving good communicated unto us and wrought in us by him-Sin against the Holy Ghost irremissible-False pretences unto the Spirit dangerous-Pretences unto the spirit of prophecy under the Old Testament-Two sorts of false prophets: the first; the second sort-Pretenders under the New Testament-The rule for the trial of such pretenders, 1 John iv. 1-3—Rules to this purpose under the Old and New Testaments compared-A false spirit, set up against the Spirit of God, examined-False and noxious opinions concerning the Spirit, and how to be obviated-Reproaches of the Spirit and his work-Principles and occasions of the apostasy of churches under the law and gospel-Dispensation of the Spirit not confined to the first ages of the church-The great necessity of a diligent inquiry into the things taught concerning the Spirit of God and his work.

THE apostle Paul, in the 12th chapter of his First Epistle to the Corinthians, directs their exercise of spiritual gifts, concerning which, amongst other things and emergencies, they had made inquiry of him. This the first words wherewith he prefaceth his whole discourse declare: Verse 1, "Now, concerning spiritual gifts,"-napi δὲ τῶν πνευματικῶν —that is, χαρισμάτων, as his ensuing declaration doth evince. And the imagination of some, concerning spiritual persons to be here intended, contrary to the sense of all the ancients,

is inconsistent with the context:1 for as it was about spiritual gifts and their exercise that the church had consulted with him, so the whole series of his ensuing discourse is directive therein; and, therefore, in the close of it, contracting the design of the whole, he doth it in that advice, Ζηλοῦτε δὲ τὰ χαρίσματα τὰ κρείττονα,-“ Covet earnestly the best gifts,"—namely, among those which he proposed to treat of, and had done so accordingly, verse 31. The rà veuμarixà of verse 1 are the rà xapíopara of verse 31; as it is expressed, chap. xiv. 1, Ζηλοῦτε δὲ τὰ πνευματικά,—that is, χαρίσματα,—“Desire spiritual gifts,' whose nature and use you are now instructed in, as it first was proposed." Of these that church had received an abundant measure, especially of those that were extraordinary, and tended to the conviction of unbelievers: for the Lord having "much people in that city," whom he intended to call to the faith, Acts xviii. 9, 10, not only encouraged our apostle, against all fears and dangers, to begin and carry on the work of preaching there, wherein he continued "a year and six months," verse 11, but also furnished the first converts with such eminent, and some of them such miraculous gifts, as might be a prevalent means to the conversion of many others; for he will never be wanting to provide instruments and suitable means for the effectual attaining of any end that he aimeth at. In the use, exercise, and management of these "spiritual gifts," that church, or sundry of the principal members of it, had fallen into manifold disorders, and abused them unto the matter of emulation and ambition, whereon other evils did ensue; as the best of God's gifts may be abused by the lusts of men, and the purest water may be tainted by the earthen vessels whereinto it is poured. Upon the information of some who, loving truth, peace, and order, were troubled at these miscarriages, 1 Cor. i. 11, and in answer unto a letter of the whole church, written unto him about these and other occurrences, chap. vii. 1, he gives them counsel and advice for the rectifying of these abuses. And, first, to prepare them aright with humility and thankfulness, becoming them who were intrusted with such excellent privileges as they had abused, and without which they could not receive the instruction which he intended them, he mindeth them of their former state and condition before their calling and conversion to Christ, chap. xii. 2, "Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away with dumb idols, even as ye were led;" as äv nyeσte àñayóμevor,

1 Πνευματικὰ τὰ σημεῖα καλῶν, ὅτι ταῦτα ἔργα τοῦ πνεύματος μόνου, οὐδὲν ἀνθρωπίνης ἐπεισφερούσης σπουδῆς, εἰς τὸ τὰ τοιαῦτα θαυματουργεῖν.—Chrysost. in loc. So also Ambros. and Theophylact. in loc.

2 Χαρίσματα δὲ εἶχον, οἱ μὲν ἐλάττονα, οἱ δὲ πλείω· καὶ τοῦτο αἴτιον σχίσματος αὐτοῖς ἐγένετο, οὐ παρὰ τὴν οἰκείαν φύσιν, ἀλλὰ παρὰ ἀγνωμοσύνην τῶν εἰληφότων· οἴτε γὰρ τὰ μεί ζονα ἔχοντες ἐπήροντο κατὰ τῶν τὰ ἐλάττονα κεκτημένων· οὗτοι δὲ αὖ πάλιν ἔλγουν, καὶ τοῖς τὰ μείζονα ἔχουσιν ἐφθόνουν.—Chrysost. in loc.

-hurried with violent impressions from the devil into the service of idols. This he mentions not to reproach them, but to let them know what frame of mind and what fruit of life might be justly expected from them who had received such an alteration in their condition. Particularly, as he elsewhere tells them, if they had not made themselves to differ from others, if they had nothing but what they had received,-they should not boast nor exalt themselves above others, as though they had not received, chap. iv. 7; for it is a vain thing for a man to boast in himself of what he hath freely received of another, and never deserved so to receive it, as it is with all who have received either gifts or grace from God.

This alteration of their state and condition he farther declares unto them by the effects and author of it: chap. xii. 3, “ Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost." The great difference which was then in the world was concerning Jesus, who was preached unto them all. Unbelievers, who were still carried with an impetus of mind and affections after "dumb idols," being led and acted therein by the spirit of the devil, blasphemed, and said Jesus was anathema, or one accursed. They looked on him as a person to be detested and abominated as the common odium of their gods and men. Hence, on the mention of him they used to say, "Jesus anathema," "He is," or, "Let him be, accursed," detested, destroyed. And in this blasphemy do the Jews continue to this day, hiding their cursed sentiments under a corrupt pronunciation of his name: for instead of

,יְמַח שְׁמוֹ וְזִכְרוֹ the initial letters of ,יֵשׁוּ they write and call him ,יֵשׁוּעַ

—that is, "Let his name and memory be blotted out;" the same with "Jesus anathema." And this blasphemy of pronouncing Jesus accursed was that wherewith the first persecutors of the church tried the faith of Christians, as Pliny in his epistle to Trajan, and Justin Martyr, with other apologists, agree; and as the apostle says, those who did thus did not so "by the Spirit of God," so he intends that they did it by the acting and instigation of the devil, the unclean spirit, which ruled in those children of disobedience. And this was the condition of those Corinthians themselves to whom he wrote, whilst they also were carried away after "dumb idols." On the other side, those that believed called Jesus "Lord," or professed that he was the Lord; and thereby avowed their faith in him and obedience unto him. Principally, they owned him to be Jehovah, the Lord over all, God blessed for ever; for the name is every

1 “Spiritualia illis traditurus, exemplum prioris conversationis memorat; ut sicut simulacrorum fuerunt formâ colentes idola, et ducebantur duce voluntate dæmoniorum; ita et colentes deum sint formâ legis dominicæ."-Ambros. in loc.

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where in the New Testament expressed by Kúpios, here used. He who thus professeth Jesus to be the Lord, in the first place acknowledgeth him to be the true God. And then they professed him therewithal to be their Lord, the Lord of their souls and consciences, unto whom they owed all subjection and performed all obedience; as Thomas did in his great confession, "My Lord and my God," John xx. 28. Now, as he had before intimated that those who disowned him and called him "accursed" did speak by the instinct and instigation of the devil, by whom they were acted, so he lets them know, on the other hand, that no man can thus own and confess Jesus to be the "Lord" but by the Holy Ghost. But it may be said that some acted by the unclean spirit confessed Christ to be the Lord. So did the man in the synagogue, who cried out, "I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God," Mark i. 23, 24; and verse 34, he "suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him." And the damsel possessed with a spirit of divination cried after the apostle and his companions, saying, "These men are the servants of the most high God," Acts xvi. 17. So also did the man who abode in the tombs, possessed with an unclean spirit, who cried out unto him, “What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God," Mark v. 7. And other testimonies to the like purpose among the heathen, and from their oracles, might be produced. Ans. 1. Our apostle speaks of such a saying of Jesus to be Lord as is accompanied with faith in him and subjection of soul unto him; which is from the Holy Ghost alone. Thus none acted by the unclean spirit can call him Lord. 2. These acknowledgments were either (1.) wrested from the devil, and were no small part of his punishment and torment; or (2.) were designed by him with an intention to prejudice the glory of Christ by his testimony, who was a liar from the beginning; and

"Malus bonum cum simulat, tunc est pessimus."

These things, therefore, can have here no place.1 Hereby, then, the apostle informs them wherein the foundation of all church relation, order, and worship, did consist: for whereas they had all respect unto the Lordship of Christ and their acknowledgment thereof, this was not from themselves, but was a pure effect of the operation of the Holy Ghost in them and towards them. And any thing of the like kind which doth not proceed from the same cause and fountain is of no use to the glory of God, nor of any advantage unto the souls of men.

Some think that this saying of Jesus to be the Lord is to be re1 Τί οὖν, οὐδεὶς δαίμων ὀνομάζει τὸν Θεόν; εὐχὶ οἱ δαιμονιζόμενοι ἔλεγον, οἴδαμέν σε τίς εἶ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ; οὐχὶ Παύλῳ ἔλεγον, οὗτοι οἱ ἄνθρωποι δοῦλοι τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ὑψίστου εἰσίν, ἀλλὰ μαστιζόμενοι, ἀλλ' ἀναγκαζόμενοι, εκόντες δὲ καὶ μὴ μαστιγούμενοι, οὐδαμοῦ. - Chrysost. in loc.