ARTICLE V. Of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father and the Son, is of one substance, majesty, and glory, with the Father and the Son, very and eternal God. De Spiritu Sancto. Spiritus Sanctus, a Patre et Filio procedens, ejusdem est cum Patre et Filio essentiæ, majestatis, et gloriæ, verus ac æternus Deus. What does this Article assert? What is the meaning of the word Ghost'? What is the relation which in this Article is declared to exist between the Holy Ghost, and the Father and the Son 2 ? Where is God the Father said to send the Comforter? (John xiv. 26.) Where does Christ say that He will send the Comforter? (John xv. 26.) What do we infer from these two passages? The Personality of the Holy Ghost.-What erroneous opinion has been held with regard to the Holy Spirit? What is the Greek word translated Spirit? How was this word applied by the ancient Greek writers? How is the Spirit here spoken of distinguished from all other spiritual beings'? In what name are Christians baptized? What is meant by being baptized in the name of 1 It is an old Saxon word meaning "Spirit." 2 He is declared to proceed from them both. 3 That the Holy Spirit has the same relation to the Son that He has to the Father. That He is a mere quality or attribute derived from God, which when withheld is of no avail. * Πνεῦμα. To the incorporeal beings of another world. 7 By the epithet " the Holy." any one? What absurdity would result from hence, supposing that the Holy Spirit was a mere quality or attribute'? Whom does St. Paul exhort the Ephesians not to grieve? (Ephes. iv. 30.) Can a mere quality or attribute be grieved? Who is said to make intercession for us? (Rom. viii. 26.) With whom? But if the Spirit of God intercedes with God, what must follow? Who wrought the miraculous gifts with which the early Church was endowed? (1 Cor. xii. 11.) What description is given by Christ of the Comforter? (John xiv. 26.) What office does Christ assign to Him? Which pronoun is used in this passage in reference to the Spirit? Why? How does the Holy Ghost differ from the Fathers? How from the Son* ? The Divinity of the Holy Ghost.-We have seen that the Holy Ghost is a person. What is his dignity? Whose place was He sent to supply? When Moses came forth from holding communion with God, what did he put on his face? (Exod. xxxiv. 34.) Why? What allusion is made to this by St. Paul? (2 Cor. iii. 15.) Who was that Lord with whom Moses communed on the mount? To whom 1 Christians would then profess faith in a mere quality or property, and that, too, associated with almighty and eternal agents. 2 That He is distinct from God the Father. He is his successor. 3 He is his messenger. 52 Cor. iii. 17.-"The Spirit is here so plainly said to be the Lord, that is, Jehovah, the one eternal God, that the adversaries of this truth must either deny that the Lord is here to be taken for God, or that the Spirit is to be taken for the Spirit of God; either of which denials must seem very strange to any person which considereth the force and plainness of the Apostle's discourse." (Pearson on the Creed, p. 317, ed. 1669.) 22 PART II. THE RULE OF FAITH. ARTICLE VI. Of the Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures for Salvation. HOLY Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation; so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it should be believed as an article of the Faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation. In the name of the Holy Scripture we do understand those Canonical Books of the Old and New Testament, of whose authority was never any doubt in the Church. Of the Names and Number of the Canonical Books. Genesis Exodus Leviticus The First Book of Samuel The Book of Esther Numbers Joshua Judges Ruth Chronicles The Proverbs Ecclesiastes, or Preacher mon The First Book of Esdras Four Prophets the (Ezra) greater The Second Book of Esdras Twelve Prophets the less. (Nehemiah) And the other Books (as Hierome saith) the Church doth read for example and instruction of manners; but yet doth it not apply them to establish any doctrine; such are these following, The Third Book of Esdras Baruch the Prophet |