02. Chapter I.

Chapter I.

General principles concerning the Holy Spirit and his work.

1 Corinthians 12:1 explained — pneumatica, spiritual gifts — Their grant to, use and abuse in, that church — Jesus, how he is called "anathema" — Impiety of the Jews — How he is 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 he is 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 toward 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 for this — Promise of the Spirit to supply the absence of Christ, as to his human nature — The concern of this — The work of the Spirit in the ministration of the gospel — All saving good is communicated to us and worked in us by him — Sin against the Holy Ghost is irremissible — False pretenses to the Spirit are dangerous — Pretenses to the spirit of prophecy under the Old Testament — Two sorts of false prophets: the first and second sorts — Pretenders under the New Testament — The rule for the trial of such pretenders, 1 John 4:1-3 — Rules to this purpose under the Old and New Testaments are compared — A false spirit, set up against the Spirit of God, is examined — False and noxious opinions concerning the Spirit, and how to obviate them — Reproaches of the Spirit and his work — Principles and occasions of the apostasy of churches under the law and gospel — Dispensation of the Spirit is 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 which they had asked him about (among other things and emergencies). Here are the fixed words with which he prefaces his whole discourse: Verse 1, "Now, concerning spiritual gifts," — pneumatika, or charismata as his ensuing declaration shows. The imagination of some, that spiritual persons are meant here — contrary to the sense understood by all the ancients — is inconsistent with the context.18

Because the church had consulted with Paul about spiritual gifts and their exercise, the whole series of his ensuing discourse is directed toward this. Therefore, at its close, he summarizes the design of the whole as he advises, "Covet earnestly the best gifts," — namely, among those which he proposed to address, and had done so accordingly, verse 31. The ta pneumatika of verse 1 are the ta charismata of verse 31; as it is expressed in 1 Corinthians 14:1, "’Desire spiritual gifts,’ whose nature and use you are now instructed in, as first proposed." That church had received an abundant measure of these gifts, especially those that were extraordinary, and tended to convict unbelievers. For the Lord having "many people in that city," whom he intended to call to the faith, Acts 18:9-10 encouraged our apostle, against all fears and dangers, to begin and carry on the work of preaching there; he continued in this "a year and six months," verse 11. But the Lord also furnished the first converts with such eminent, and for some of them, such miraculous gifts, that they might be a prevalent means to the conversion of many others. For the Lord will never fail to provide instruments and suitable means to effectively attain any end that he aims at. In the use, exercise, and management of these "spiritual gifts," that church (or a number of its principal members) had fallen into multiple disorders. They had abused their gifts, using them for their own aspirations and ambition. And from these, other evils ensued — just 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 vessel into which it is poured. Upon receiving this information, some who loved truth, peace, and order, were troubled at these miscarriages.1 Corinthians 1:11 In answer to a letter from the whole church, written to Paul about these and other occurrences,1 Corinthians 7:1 he gave them counsel and advice to rectify these abuses. First, he advised them to rightly prepare themselves with humility and thankfulness, which becomes those who were entrusted with such excellent privileges as they had abused (and without which they could not receive the instruction which he intended for them). To do that, he reminded them of their former state and condition before their calling and conversion to Christ. "You know that you were Gentiles, carried away with dumb idols, even as you were led." 1 Corinthians 12:2 With violent impressions from the devil, they were hurried into the service of idols. Paul does not mention this to reproach them, but to let them know what frame of mind, and what fruit of life, might be justly expected of those who received such an alteration in their condition. Particularly (as he tells them elsewhere), if they did not make themselves different from others, and if they only had what they received from another, then they could not boast or exalt themselves above others, as though they had not received it.1 Corinthians 4:7 For it is a vain thing for a man to boast in himself of what he freely received from another, and never deserved to receive, just as it is with all those who have received either gifts or grace from God.

He further declares to them this alteration of their state and condition by their effects and author:

"For this reason I give you to understand that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed; and no man can say that Jesus is the Lord except by the Holy Ghost." 1 Corinthians 12:3 The great argument that was then in the world, concerned Jesus, who was preached to them all. Unbelievers, who were still carried by an impetus of their mind and by their affections for "dumb idols," were led and moved by the spirit of the devil to blaspheme. They said Jesus was anathema, or "one accursed." They looked at him as a person to be detested and abominated as the common odium19 of their gods and men. Hence, at his mention they used to say, "Jesus anathema." He is, or let him be, "accursed, detested, destroyed." And the Jews continue in this blasphemy to this day, hiding their cursed sentiments under a corrupt pronunciation of his name. For instead of Yeshua, they write and call him Yeshu (ysv), the initial letters of yimmach shemo vezikhro — that is, "Let his name and memory be blotted out;" the same as "Jesus anathema." And this blasphemy of pronouncing Jesus accursed was what the first persecutors of the church tested the faith of Christians with, as Pliny said in his epistle to Trajan; Justin Martyr with other apologists agree. As the apostle says, those who did this did not do it "by the Spirit of God;" and so he means they did it by the action 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 when they were carried away with "dumb idols." On the other side were those who believed. They called Jesus "Lord," or professed that he was the Lord. Thereby they avowed their faith in him and obedience to him. Principally, they admitted that he is Jehovah, the Lord over all, God blessed forever. For the name Yahweh is expressed everywhere in the New Testament by Kurios, which is used here. The one who thus professes Jesus to be the Lord, in the first place acknowledges him to be the true God. Thus, with this they professed him to be their Lord, the Lord of their souls and consciences to whom they owed all subjection and performed all obedience. Thomas did this in his great confession, "My Lord and my God." John 20:28 Now, Paul intimated before, that those who disowned him, and called him "accursed," spoke by the instinct and instigation of the devil by whom they were moved. So he lets them know, on the other hand, that no man can thus own and confess Jesus to be the "Lord" except by the Holy Ghost. But it may be argued that some confessed Christ to be the Lord, because they were moved by an unclean spirit. The man in the synagogue did so; he cried out, "I know who you are, the Holy One of God." Mark 1:23-24 Jesus "did not allow the devils to speak, because they knew him." Mark 1:34 And the young woman possessed with a spirit of divination shouted at the apostle and his companions, "These men are the servants of the most high God." Acts 16:17 The man who lived in the tombs also did this. Possessed by an unclean spirit, he cried out to Jesus, "What have I to do with you, Jesus, Son of the most high God?" Mark 5:7 Other similar testimonies might be produced among the heathen, and from their oracles.

Ans. 1. Our apostle writes that saying "Jesus is Lord" is accompanied by faith in him, and by subjecting our soul to him; which are from the Holy Ghost alone. Thus, none who are moved by an unclean spirit can call Jesus "Lord" [in this way].

Ans. 2. These acknowledgments were either (1) wrested20 from the devil, and were no small part of his punishment and torment;21 or (2) they were intentionally designed by the devil, who was a liar from the beginning, to prejudice the glory of Christ by his testimony: "a bad man is worst when he pretends to be a saint."22

These things, therefore, have no application here. By this, then, the apostle informs them what the foundation of all church relation, order, and worship consisted of. For because they had complete respect for the Lordship of Christ and acknowledged it, this was not from themselves; rather it was a pure effect of the operation of the Holy Ghost in them and towards them. Anything of a similar kind, which does not proceed from the same cause and fountain, is of no use to the glory of God; nor is it of any advantage to the souls of men.

Some think that saying "Jesus is the Lord" is restricted to the way of speaking that is used afterward;23 for the apostle in the following verses addresses those extraordinary gifts with which many in that church were then endowed. He says, "None can say ’Jesus is the Lord,’ in an extraordinary manner, with various tongues, and in prophecy, except by the Holy Ghost;" — without his special assistance, none can eminently and miraculously declare Jesus to be so. And if this is true, it is likely that those mentioned before, who said Jesus was accursed, were persons pretending to be moved, or were really moved, by an extraordinary spirit, which the apostle declares is not the Spirit of God. Chrysostom interprets those words as speaking of those who were visibly and violently stirred by the devil. Satan stirred up many such instruments of his malice in those days, to preserve, if it were possible, his tottering kingdom from ruin. But there is no need to restrain the words this way, or affix this meaning to them. Indeed, it seems to me to be inconsistent with the design of the apostle and scope of the passage. For, as said earlier, intending to instruct the Corinthians in the nature, use, and exercise of spiritual gifts, Paul first lays down the spring and fountain of all saving professions of the gospel, which those gifts were designed to further and improve. Upon doing that, and having reminded them of their previous heathen state and condition, he lets them know by what means they were brought into the profession of the gospel, and into admitting that Jesus is the Lord, in opposition to the dumb idols whom they had served. And this was by done the Author of those gifts, the consideration of whom Paul was now addressing. The great change worked in them, as to their religion and profession, was by the Holy Ghost; for no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, which is the sum and substance of our Christian profession, except by him — though some think he has little or no concern at all in this matter. But to say Christ is the Lord includes two things:

First, Faith in him as Lord and Savior. He was declared so, and preached by the angels, "A Savior, which is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:11 And this word "Lord" includes not only the dignity of his person, but his investiture with those offices which this Lord exercised and discharged for our good.

Secondly, the profession of that faith.

These two things, where they are sincere, always accompany each other.Romans 10:10 For just as saying Jesus is anathema comprised an open disclaimer and renunciation of him, so calling him Lord expresses the profession of our faith in him, and of our subjection to him. And both these professions are meant here to be sincere and saving; for it is that faith and profession by which the church is built upon the rock.

It is the same as when Peter said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God," Matthew 16:16 And God assisting, it will afterward be abundantly declared that these are the works of the Holy Ghost, which none are sufficient for, of themselves.

Having thus stated the origin and foundation of the church in its faith, profession, order, and worship, Paul further informs them that the same Spirit is likewise the author of all those gifts by which it was to be built up and established, and by which its profession might be enlarged: "Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit," 1 Corinthians 12:4. These are the things about which he intends to speak, and which he enlarges upon in the whole ensuing chapter. Now, because the particulars he emphasizes here in the beginning of his discourse, will be encountered and recalled in their proper places, I will only point to the topics of the discourse in the verses that precede 1 Corinthians 12:11, which is what we principally aim at.

Addressing, therefore, these spiritual things or gifts in the church,

First he declares their author from whom they come, and by whom they are worked and bestowed. He calls him the "Spirit," verse 4; the "Lord," verse 5; "God," verse 6; and to denote the oneness of their author, notwithstanding the diversity of the things themselves, he calls him the same Spirit, the same Lord, the same God. These words may be understood two ways:

First, that the whole Trinity, and each person distinctly, are meant by these terms — for consider the immediate operator of these gifts, and it is the "Spirit" or the Holy Ghost, verse 4; consider them as to their procurement and immediate authoritative conferring, and so they are from Christ, the Son, the "Lord," verse 5. But [secondly], as to their first origin and source, they are from "God" the Father, verse 6: and all of these are one and the same. The Spirit alone is meant; and yet he has this threefold designation given to him. For just as he is particularly denoted by the name "Spirit," which Paul uses so that we may know whom it is that he eminently means, so Paul calls him both "Lord" and "God," to manifest his sovereign authority in all his works and administrations. It generates a due reverence in their hearts towards the one with whom they dealt in this matter.

Yet no more is meant in these three verses than what is summed up in verse 11: "But one and the same Spirit works all these, distributing to every man separately as he will."

Secondly, With respect to their general nature, the apostle divides them into "gifts," verse 4; "administrations," verse 5; and "operations," verse 6; — this division, along with the reasons for it, will be further clarified as we progress.

Thirdly, Paul declares the general end of the Spirit of God in His communication of these gifts, and their use in the church: Verse 7, "But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit with." That is, "the revelation of the Spirit" is seen in the exercise of the gifts by which the Spirit manifests and reveals his own presence, power, and effectual operation. And the Spirit of God has no other aim in granting these enlightening gifts, in which he manifests his care of the church, and declares the things of the gospel to anyone, except that they be used to the profit, advantage, and edification of others. They are not bestowed on men for secular gain or advantage in riches, honor, or reputation — these are ends for which Simon the magician would have purchased them with his money.Acts 8:18-19 Nor are they merely for the good and benefit of the souls of those who receive them. Rather, they are for the edification of the church, and the furtherance of faith and profession in others: "For that which is expedient, useful, profitable," — namely, to the church.24 Thus the foundation of the first churches of the gospel was laid by the Holy Ghost; and the work of building toward their perfection was carried on by him. How far our present churches do or ought to stand on the same ground, and how far they are carried out on the same principles, is worth our inquiry; and it will be considered in its proper place.

Fourthly, the apostle categorizes the spiritual gifts then bestowed on the church, or some members of it, into nine particular heads or instances: 1. Wisdom 2. Knowledge, or the word of wisdom and the word of knowledge;1Cor 7.8 3. Faith; 4. Healing;v. 9 5. Working miracles; 6. Prophecy; 7. Discerning spirits; 8. Kinds of tongues; 9. Interpretation of tongues.v. 10 And all these were extraordinary gifts in the manner of their communication and exercise, which related to the state of the church then. What still continues that is analogous to them, or proportional to them, must be further inquired into, when their special nature will also be unfolded. But for now, if there is that great diversity of gifts in the church, and if there is so much difference in their administrations, then how can it possibly be prevented that differences and divisions will arise among those on whom they are bestowed, and those among whom they are exercised? It is true that this may and sometimes does occur; and de facto, it did so in this church of Corinth. One admired one gift, a second another of a different kind, and so the third.

Accordingly, among those who had received these gifts, one boasted of this or that particular gift and ability, and he would continually exercise it to the exclusion and contempt of others, even though it was bestowed no less for the edification of the church, than for his own. And they were so far transported with vain-glory, and a desire for self-advancement, that they preferred the use of those gifts in the church which tended principally to produce astonishment and admiration in those who heard or beheld them, above those gifts which were particularly useful for the edification of the church itself. It is this evil in particular that the apostle rebukes at large in chapter 14. By this means, the church came to be divided in itself, and almost broken in pieces, chap. 1.11-12. The minds of men are so often foolish, and so liable to be imposed upon; it is so common for their lusts — seduced and principled by the craft of Satan — to turn judgment into wormwood,25 and to abuse the most useful effects of divine grace and bounty! In order to prevent all these evils for the future, the apostle declares both the author of these gifts and the rule he proceeds by in their dispensation, chap. 12.11: "All these," he says, "are worked by that one and self-same Spirit, distributing them to every man severally as he will." He does this to manifest how perfect a harmony there is in all these diverse gifts and different administrations; and what agreement there is among them in their tendency to bring about the same ends of the union and edification of the church; and from what a fountain of wisdom they proceed; and with what care they ought to be used and improved.

I will not at present further explain or insist on these words. Frequent recourse must be had to them in our progress, in which they will be fully explicated as to what concerns the person of the Spirit, his will, and his operations, which are all asserted in them. For my purpose is, through the permission and assistance of God, to address from this the name, nature, existence, and whole work of the Holy Spirit, along with the grace of God through Jesus Christ in the communication of the Spirit to the sons of men. This is a work that, in itself, is too great and difficult for me to undertake; it is beyond my ability to manage to the glory of God or the edification of the souls of those who believe, for "who is sufficient for these things?" 2 Corinthians 2:16 Yet I dare not utterly faint in it, nor under it, while I look to Him whose work it is, who gives wisdom to those who lack it, and does not upbraid them. James 1:5 Our eyes, therefore, are toward him alone who both supplies seed to the sower, and when he has sown them, blesses it with an increase. The present necessity, importance, and usefulness of this work, are the only things which engaged me to undertake it. Therefore, I will briefly represent these in some general considerations, before I emphasize the things themselves, whose special explanation is designed.

First then, we may consider that the doctrine of the Spirit of God, his work and grace, is the second great head or principle of those gospel truths in which the glory of God and the good of the souls of men are most eminently concerned. And it is such that, without it — without the knowledge of it in its truth, and the improvement of it in its power — the other will be useless to those ends. For when God designed the great and glorious work of recovering fallen man and saving sinners, to the praise of the glory of his grace, he appointed, in his infinite wisdom, two great means to do this. The one was giving his Son for them, and the other was giving his Spirit to them. And by this, a way was made to manifest the glory of the whole blessed Trinity; which is the utmost end of all the works of God. By this, the love, grace, and wisdom of the Father, in the design and projection of the whole, were made gloriously conspicuous. So too were the love, grace, and condescension of the Son, in the execution, purchase, and procurement of grace and salvation for sinners; along with the love, grace, and power of the Holy Spirit, in the effectual application of all these to the souls of men. Hence, from the first entrance of sin, there were two general heads of the promise of God to men concerning the means of their recovery and salvation. The one concerned sending his Son to be incarnate — to take our nature upon himself, to suffer for us in this. The other concerns giving his Spirit to make the effects and fruits of the incarnation, obedience, and suffering of his Son effectual in us and towards us. All the promises of God may be reduced to these two heads.

Now, because the incarnation was to be the foundation of the gift of the Spirit, that was the first to be laid down, and to be most insisted on, until it was actually accomplished. Hence, the great promise of the Old Testament, the principal object of the faith, hope, and expectation of believers, concerned the coming of the Son of God in the flesh, and the work which he was to perform. Yet we will see as we progress, that this was also accompanied with a great intermixture of promises concerning the Holy Spirit, to render the Son’s coming and work effectual to us. But once that first work was fully accomplished, when the Son of God had come, and had destroyed the works of the devil, the principal remaining promise of the New Testament, the spring of all the rest, concerns sending the Holy Spirit to accomplish his part of that great work which God designed. Hence, the Holy Ghost — the doctrine concerning his person, work, and grace — is the most special and principal subject of the Scriptures of the New Testament, and it is a most eminent and immediate object of the faith of those who believe. This must be further clarified, seeing that we have to deal with some who will scarcely allow the Spirit to be at all considered in these matters. But I will be brief in these previous testimonies to this, because the whole ensuing discourse is designed to demonstrate the truth of this assertion.

1. It is of great moment, and sufficient of itself, to maintain the cause as proposed, that when our Lord Jesus Christ was to leave the world, he promised to send his Holy Spirit to his disciples to supply them his absence. We may in some measure conceive of what use the presence of Christ was to his disciples. They knew full well of his leaving them; their hearts were filled with sorrow at the mention of it, John 16:5-6. Intending to relieve them in this great distress — which drew out the highest expressions of love, tenderness, compassion, and care towards them — Jesus principally by this promise, assures them it will be to their advantage, greater than any they could receive by his continued bodily presence among them. And to secure them about this, as well as to inform them of its great importance, he frequently repeats this to them, and inculcates it upon them. Consider what he says to this purpose in his last discourse with them, John 14:16-18,

"I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see him or know him: but you know him; for he dwells with you, and will be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you;" that is, in and by this Holy Spirit. And verses 25-27,

"These things have I spoken to you while still present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatever I have said to you. Peace I leave with you," etc. And chap. 15.26,

"But when the Comforter has come, whom I will send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth which proceeds from the Father, he will testify of me." And chap. 16.5-15,

"Now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asks me, Where do you go? But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. Nevertheless I tell you the truth, it is expedient for you that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Comforter will not come to you — but if I depart, I will send him to you. And when he has come, he will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in me — of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and you will see me no more — of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

"I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. Yet when the Spirit of truth has come, he will guide you into all truth: for he will not speak of himself; but whatever he hears, that he will speak: and he will show you things to come. He will glorify me: for he will take of what is mine, and show it to you. All things that the Father has are mine: therefore I said that he will take of mine, and show it to you." This was the great legacy which our Lord Jesus Christ, departing out of this world, bequeathed to his sorrowful disciples. This he promises to them as a sufficient relief against all their troubles, and a faithful guide in all their ways. And because of the importance of it to them, he frequently repeats it, and enlarges upon the benefits that they would receive by it, giving them a particular account of why it would be more advantageous to them than his own bodily presence. And therefore, after his resurrection, he minds them again of this promise, commanding them to do nothing towards building the church until this promise was accomplished for them, Acts 1:4-5; Acts 1:8.

They would have again embraced his human nature, and rejoiced in it; but as he said to Mary, "Do not touch me," John 20:17, to wean her from any carnal consideration of him — so he instructs them all to now look for and trust the promise of the Holy Ghost. From this, our apostle says, "Though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet from now on we know him no more," 2 Corinthians 5:16; for although it was a great privilege to have known Christ in this world after the flesh, yet it was much greater to enjoy him in the dispensation of the Spirit. And this was spoken by the apostle, as the ancients judge it, to rebuke the boasting of some about their seeing the Lord in the flesh, who for that reason were called δεσπόσυνοι (desposunoi),26 whom he directs to a more excellent knowledge of him. It is pretended in vain that it was only the apostles, and maybe some of the primitive Christians, who were concerned in this promise — for although the Holy Ghost was bestowed on them in a particular manner and for special ends, yet the promise in general belongs to all believers, to the end of the world.27 For as to what concerns his gracious operations, whatever the Lord Christ prayed for them, and thus promised to them (as the Spirit was procured for them by his prayer, John 14:16-17), he "did not pray for for them alone, but also for those who would believe in him through their word," chap. 17.20. His promise is to be "with his own always, even to the end of the world," Matthew 28:20; as he also promises "wherever two or three are gathered together in his name, there he would be in the midst of them," chap. 18.20; — he is only in their midst by his Spirit; for as to his human nature, "heaven must receive him until the times of restoration of all things," Acts 3:21. This one consideration is sufficient to show the importance of the doctrine and of the things which concern the Holy Spirit. For is it possible that any Christian would be so supinely negligent and careless — so unconcerned about the things on which his present comforts and future happiness absolutely depend — as not to think it is his duty to inquire with the greatest care and diligence, into what our Lord Jesus Christ has left to supply us with in his absence, and at length to bring us to himself? The one who despises these things has neither part nor lot in Christ himself; for "if any man does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his," Romans 8:9.

2. The great work of the Holy Ghost in the dispensation and ministration of the gospel, to all its ends, is another evidence of having the same purpose.28 Hence, the gospel itself is called "The ministration of the Spirit," 2 Corinthians 3:8 in opposition to that of the law, which is called the ministration of the letter and of condemnation. Διακονία τοῦ Πνεύματος, (diakonia tou Pneumatos) the "ministry of the Spirit," is either that ministry which the Spirit makes effectual, or that ministry by which the Spirit, in his gifts and graces, is communicated to men. And this is what gives the ministry of the gospel both its glory and its efficacy. Take away the Spirit from the gospel, and you render it a dead letter; you make the New Testament as useless to Christians as the Old Testament is to Jews. It is therefore a mischievous imagination, proceeding from ignorance, blindness, and unbelief, that there is no more in the gospel than what is contained under any other doctrine or declaration of truth — that it is nothing but a book in and upon which men may exercise their reason, and prove its contents by the same faculty. For this is to separate from it the Spirit, or from the dispensation of the Spirit, which in truth, is to destroy it and thereby reject the covenant of God: which is that his word and Spirit will go together.29 God assisting, we will therefore show, as we progress, that the whole ministry of the gospel, its whole use and efficacy, depend on that ministration of the Spirit with which it is accompanied, according to the promise of God. Therefore, if we have any concern in the gospel, or have ever received any benefit from it, or from its ministration, then we have a signal duty lying before us in the matter in hand.

3. There is no spiritual good, or saving good, from first to last, that has been communicated to us, or that we are made partakers of, from and by the grace of God, that has not been revealed to us and bestowed on us by the Holy Ghost. The one who does not have an immediate and special work of the Spirit of God on and towards him, never received any special love, grace, or mercy from God. For how could he? Whatever God works in and upon us, he does by his Spirit. Therefore, whoever has no work of the Spirit of God upon his heart, never received either mercy or grace from God, for God gives them only by his Spirit. Therefore, a disclaimer of any work of the Spirit of God in or upon us, is a disclaimer of all interest in his grace and mercy. Those for whom the work of the Spirit of God is a reproach, may do well to consider that. When they can tell us of any other way by which a man may partake of mercy and grace, we will attend to it; in the meantime we will prove from the Scripture that this is the way of God.

4. There is nothing done in us or by us that is holy and acceptable to God, unless it is an effect of the Holy Spirit — unless it is from his operation in us and by us. Without him we can do nothing; for without Christ we cannot; John 15:5 the grace of Christ is communicated to us and worked in us by him alone. By him we are regenerated;30 by him we are sanctified; by him we are cleansed;31 by him we are assisted in and for every good work.32 Particular instances to this purpose will be asserted and proved after. It is our unquestionable concern to inquire into the cause and spring of all that is good in us, in which we will also have a true discovery of the spring and cause of all that is evil. Without a competent knowledge of both, we can do nothing as we should.

5. God lets us know that the only uniquely remediless sin, and way of sinning under the gospel, is to sin in a special manner against the Holy Ghost. And this of itself is sufficient to convince us how needful it is for us to be well-instructed in what concerns him; for there is something in this which is accompanied with irrecoverable and eternal ruin, as nothing else in the world is. So it says in Mark 3:28-29 : "All sins will be forgiven for the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter: but he that blasphemes against the Holy Ghost never has forgiveness." Or, "Whoever speaks against the Holy Ghost, it will not be forgiven him, either in this world, or in the world to come," Matthew 12:32. There remains nothing for him who despises the Spirit of grace, but a "certain fearful expectation of judgment and fiery indignation, which will devour the adversaries," Hebrews 10:27; Hebrews 10:29. This is that "sin unto death" whose remission is not to be prayed for, John 5:16. Having taken it upon himself to make effectual to us the great remedy provided in the blood of Christ for the pardon of our sins, if he is despised in the prosecution of that work — if he is blasphemed and spitefully used — then there is neither relief nor pardon for that sin. For from where, in that case, would relief and pardon arise or spring? God does not have another Son to offer another sacrifice for sin. So one who despises his sacrifice can have no other sacrifice remaining for him, nor is there another Spirit to make that sacrifice effectual to him, if the Holy Ghost is despised and rejected in his work. This therefore is a tender place.33 We cannot use too much holy diligence in our inquiries after what God has revealed in his word concerning his Spirit and his work, seeing that there is so fatal a miscarriage in opposing him — one which the nature of man is incapable of making in any other instance.

These considerations belong to the first head of reasons for the importance, use, and necessity of the doctrine proposed to be inquired into. They are enough to manifest what is the concern of all believers in this. For on account of these things, as the Scripture plainly declares and we observed before, that "he who does not have the Spirit of Christ is none of his," — their portion is not in him; they will have no benefit by his mediation.

Men may please themselves with a profession of being Christians, and owning the gospel, while they despise the Spirit of God in both name and thing. We will examine and judge their condition by the Scripture before we come to the end of this discourse. And for the Scripture itself, whoever reads the books of the New Testament, besides the great and precious promises that are given concerning the Spirit in the Old Testament, will find and conclude (unless he is prejudiced) that the whole of what is declared in those writings turns on this solitary hinge. Remove from them the consideration of the Spirit of God and his work, and it will be hard to discover what they aim at or tend towards.

Secondly, the great deceit and abuse that, in all ages of the church, has been under the pretense of the name and work of the Spirit, make the thorough consideration of what we are taught concerning them exceeding necessary. If these things had not been excellent in themselves, and acknowledged as such by all Christians, they would never have been falsely pretended to by so many. Men do not seek to adorn themselves with rags, or to boast of what, on its own account, is under just contempt. They are liable to abuse according to the worth of things; the more excellent anything is, the more vile and pernicious is an undue pretense to it. Such have been the false pretenses of some in all ages toward the Spirit of God and his work, whose real excellencies in themselves have made those pretenses abominable and unspeakably dangerous. For the better the things are that are counterfeited, the worse the ends always are which they are employed for. In the whole world, there is nothing so vile as that which pretends to be God, and is not; nor is anything else capable of so pernicious an abuse. I will give some instances of this, out of both the Old and New Testaments. The most signal gift of the Spirit of God, for the use of the church under the Old Testament, was that of prophecy. This was therefore deservedly held in honor and reputation, as having a great impression of the authority of God upon it, and of his nearness to man in it. Besides, those with this gift had the conduct of the minds and consciences of others justly surrendered to them — for they spoke in the name of God, and they had his warranty for what they proposed; this is the highest security of obedience. These things caused many to pretend to this gift who were, indeed, never inspired by the Holy Spirit; but on the contrary, they were moved by a spirit of lying and uncleanness. For it is probable that when men falsely and in mere pretense took it upon themselves to be divinely inspired prophets, without any antecedent diabolical enthusiasm, the devil made use of them to compass34 his own designs Being given up by the righteous judgment of God to all delusions Lamentations 2:14 — for belying his Spirit and holy inspirations — they were quickly possessed with a spirit of lying and unclean divination. So the false prophets of Ahab, who encouraged him to go up to Ramoth-gilead, foretelling his prosperous success,1Kng 22.6 seemed only to comply deceitfully with the inclinations of their master, and out-acted his other courtiers in flattery by gilding it with a pretense of prophecy. But when Micaiah came to lay open the mystery of their iniquity, it appeared that a lying spirit, by the permission of God, had possessed their minds, and gave them impressions which, being supernatural, they were deceived as much as they deceived others, verses 19-23. They were justly given up to this, pretending falsely to the inspiration of that Holy Spirit which they had not received. And it has similarly fallen out with some in our days, whom we have seen visibly moved by an extraordinary power. Unduly pretending to supernatural agitations from God, they were really moved by the devil; a thing they neither desired nor looked for. But being surprised by it, they were pleased with it for a while, as with various Quakers at their first appearance.

Now, these false prophets of old were of two sorts; both are mentioned in Deu 18.20:35

First, Those who professedly served other gods, directing all their prophetic acts to the promotion of their worship. Such were the prophets of Baal, in whose name they expressly prophesied, and whose assistance they invoked: "They called on the name of Baal, saying, O Baal, hear us," 1Kng 18.26-29. Many of these were slain by Elijah; and the whole race of them were afterward extirpated36 by Jehu, 2Kng 10.18-28. This put an end to Baal’s deity, for it is said, "he destroyed Baal out of Israel;" false gods have no existence except in the deceived minds of their worshippers. It may be asked, Why are these called "prophets?" and so it may be asked in general about all the false prophets mentioned in the Scripture. Was it because they merely pretended and counterfeited a spirit of prophecy? Or was it that they really had any such spirit? I answer that in no way do I doubt that they were of both sorts. These prophets of Baal were those who worshipped the sun, in the manner of the Tyrians. In this they invented many hellish mysteries, ceremonies, and sacrifices; they taught these things to the people by whom they were hired. Being thus engaged in the service of the devil, he actually possessed their minds "as a spirit of divination," Acts 16:16 and enabled them to declare things that were unknown to other men. In the meantime, finding themselves really moved by a power superior to them, they took and accepted it as the power of their god; and thereby they became immediate worshippers of the devil. Our apostle declares this in 1Cor 10.20.37 Whatever those who left the true God aimed at to worship, the devil interposed himself between that and them, as the object of their adoration. Thereby he became the "god of this world," 2 Corinthians 4:4 — the one whom they worshipped and adored in all their idols. With a spirit of divination from him, many of the false prophets were moved, which they thought to be the spirit of their god; for they found themselves moved by a superior power, which they could neither excuse nor resist.38 Others were mere pretenders and counterfeits, who deceived the foolish multitude with vain, false predictions. More will be spoken of these afterward.

Secondly, there were others who spoke in the name of, and as they falsely professed, by the inspiration of, the Spirit of the holy God. Jeremiah had great contests with this sort. For in that apostatizing age of the church, they had such an interest and reputation among the rulers and people, that they not only confronted Jeremiah’s prophecies with contrary predictions,Jeremiah 28:1-4 but also maligned him as a false prophet, and urged his punishment according to the law.Jeremiah 29:25-27 Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah carried this contrariety with like confidence towards Micaiah, 1Kng 22.24. For he scornfully asks him, "Which way did the Spirit of the Lord go from me to speak to you?" That is, "Assuredly he speaks in me; therefore how did he come to inspire you with a contrary revelation?" Ezekiel, at the same time as Jeremiah, was exercised and perplexed with these false prophets (chap. 13, 14). For this sort — namely, false pretenders to divine extraordinary revelations — usually abounded in times of danger and approaching desolations. The devil stirred them up to fill men with vain hopes, to keep them in sin and security so that destruction might seize them unawares. And whoever takes the same course in times of deserved, threatened, and impending judgments, even though they may not use the same means, they likewise do the work of the devil. For whatever encourages men to be secure in their sins, is a false divination.39 And this sort of man is characterized by the prophet in chapter 23, from verse 9 to 33; where anyone may read about their sin and judgment. Yet this false pretending to the spirit of prophecy was far from casting any contempt on the real gift of the Holy Ghost in this — indeed, it gave it greater glory and luster. God never more honored his true prophets, than when there were most false ones about; nor will any false pretense to the Spirit of grace ever render Him less dear to those who are partakers of the Spirit; nor will His gifts ever be of less use to the church.

It was also this way under the New Testament, at the first preaching of the gospel. Its doctrine at first was declared from the immediate revelation of the Spirit, preached by the assistance of the Spirit, and made effectual by his work and power; it was accompanied in many by outward miraculous works and effects of the Spirit. From the whole of this, what uniquely belonged to it, in opposition to the law, was called "The ministration of the Spirit." 2 Corinthians 3:8 These things being admitted and acknowledged by all, those who had any false opinions or dotages40 of their own to broach,41 or any other deceit to put upon Christians, could think of no more expeditious means to compass their ends than by pretending to have immediate revelations from the Spirit. For without some kind of credibility given to them from that, they knew that their fantasies would not be taken into the least consideration. Hence the apostle Peter addressed the revelation of God by his Spirit in prophecy, under the Old Testament and the New (2 Peter 1:19-21). And he adds as an inference from that discourse, a comparison between the false prophets under the Old Testament and false teachers under the New, 2 Peter 2:1 : "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you." And the reason is because, just as they pretended to the Spirit of the Lord in their prophecies — saying, "Thus says the Lord," when he did not send them — so these false pretenders ascribed all their abominable heresies to the inspiration of the Spirit, by whom they were not assisted.

Hence comes that blessed caution and rule given to us by the apostle John, who lived to see great mischief done in the church by this pretense:

1 John 4:1-3, "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are of God: because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, is of God: and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, is not of God." The apostle gives a twofold direction here to all believers; The first is by way of caution: that they should not believe every spirit — that is, they should not receive or give credit to every doctrine proposed to them, as being of immediate revelation and inspiration of the Spirit. He intends the same as the apostle Paul with Ephesians 4:14, who would not have us "carried about by every wind of doctrine." We are not to be like vessels at sea without anchors or helms, by the "sleight42 of men, and cunning craftiness, by which they lie in wait to deceive." For the crafts and sleights intended, are those which men use when they cast a mist, as it were, before the eyes of others whom they intend to cheat and defraud. So false teachers dealt with their disciples by their pretenses of immediate revelations.

John’s next direction informs us how we may observe this caution to our advantage; and this is by testing the spirits themselves. This is the duty of all believers on any such pretenses.

They are to test these spirits, and examine whether they are of God or not. The church of Ephesus is commended by our Lord Jesus Christ for observing this rule and discharging this duty: Revelation 2:2, "You have tested those who say they are apostles, and are not, and have found them liars;" for those who said they were apostles pretended to apostolic authority and infallibility by that, on account of the immediate inspirations which they received by the Holy Ghost. In testing them, they tested the spirits that came to them; and by this warrant we may test the spirit of the church of Rome, which in like manner pretends to apostolic authority and infallibility. To these two directions, the apostle John subjoins the reason for the present watchfulness required to discharge this duty: "Because," he says, "many false prophets have gone out into the world." It is "false teachers," as Peter calls them, "bringing in damnable heresies," concerning whom he speaks. He calls them "false prophets," partly as an allusion to the false prophets under the Old Testament, with whom they are ranked and compared by Peter; and partly because, just as they fostered43 their prejudices on divine revelation, so these men falsely ascribed their doctrines to immediate divine inspiration. And on this account also, he calls them spirits: "Test the spirits;" for just as they pretended to the Spirit of God, so indeed for the most part they were moved by a spirit of error, lying, and delusion — that is, the devil himself. And therefore I in no way doubt that most of those who made use of this plea — that the doctrines which they taught were by immediate inspiration — also effected other extraordinary operations or disguised appearances of them (such as lying miracles), by the power of that spirit which moved them, as in Mat 24.24.44 Hence the apostle does not direct us to test their pretensions to inspiration by using extraordinary works for their confirmation — for they also made a show and appearance of these, and did it in such a manner that they were not to be detected by most Christians. But he gives to all a blessed and stable rule which, in such a case, will never fail those who diligently attend to it. And this rule is to test them by the doctrine that they teach, 1John 4.2-3.45 Let their doctrine be examined by the Scriptures; and if it is found consistent with this, it may be received without danger to the hearers — whatever corrupt affections the teachers may be influenced by. But if it is not consistent with this, if it does not keep in harmony with the analogy of faith,46 then whatever inspiration or revelation is pleaded for its justification, is to be rejected, just as those by whom it is declared are also to be rejected. The apostle Paul confirms this rule by the highest instance imaginable:

Galatians 1:8, "Though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed." And the apostle shows that, for our advantage in this testing that we make of spirits, it is good to have a clear conviction of, and a constant adherence to, some fundamental principles, especially those we have reason to think will be the most cunningly attacked by seducers.

Thus, because in those days the principal design of Satan was to broach strange and false imaginations about the person and mediation of Christ, endeavoring to overthrow both by it, the apostle advises believers to test the spirits by this one fundamental principle of truth: namely, that "Jesus Christ has come in the flesh;" which contains a confession of both his person and his mediation.47 Believers were therefore to demand this of all new teachers and pretenders to spiritual revelations, in the first place, "Do you confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh?" And if they did not immediately make this confession, they never stood to consider their other pretenses, but turned from them, not bidding them God speed, 2John 7, 10-11.48 I could easily manifest how many pernicious heresies were obviated in those days by this short confession of faith. For some of late (like Grotius, who follows Socinus and Schlichtingius) openly corrupt the text by interpreting this coming of Christ in the flesh as his outward lowly estate and condition, and not the pomp and glory of an earthly king. His coming in the flesh is the same as the "Word’s being made flesh," John 1:14; or "God being manifest in the flesh," 1 Timothy 3:16 — that is, he is the Son of God being made "partaker of flesh and blood," Hebrews 2:14; or "taking on him the seed of Abraham," verse 16; that is, being "made of a woman," Galatians 4:4; or being "made of the seed of David according to the flesh," Romans 1:3; or "being of the fathers as to the flesh," Rom 9.5.49 And this was directly opposed to those heresies which had then arisen, whose broachers contended that Jesus Christ was but a fantasy, an appearance, a manifestation of divine love and power, denying that the Son of God was really incarnate, as the ancients generally testify. And it would have been well for many in our days, if they attended to such rules as this. But through neglecting it, accompanied by an ungrounded boldness and curiosity, they have listened to deceiving spirits in other things, and have been engaged beyond recovery. They did this before considering that, by their sly 50 deceits, they have cheated themselves of all the principal articles of their faith — those by which, if they had steadily tested and examined them at first, they might have been preserved from their snares. The Jews well say that there was a double testing of prophets under the Old Testament — the one by their doctrine, and the other by their predictions. Trial by their doctrine — namely, whether they seduced men from the worship of the true God into idolatry — belongs to all individual persons of the church.51

Direction for this is given in Deuteronomy 13:1-3, "If there arises among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, who gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you" (if he effects anything by a seeming presence of an extraordinary power), saying, "Let us go after other gods which you have not known, and let us serve them; you shall not listen to the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams." Whatever his signs and wonders might be, the people were to test these men by what they taught. The judgment on predictions was left to the Sanhedrin, for which directions are given in Deu 18.20-22.52 And by virtue of this test, they falsely and cruelly endeavored to take away Jeremiah’s life, because he foretold the ruin of both them and their city, Jeremiah 26:11. In the former case, even though a prophet’s sign, wonder, or prediction came to pass, if the doctrine he sought to confirm by it was false, then he was to be rejected. In the latter case, the fulfilling of his sign acquitted him, because he taught nothing with it that was false as to doctrine. The first kind of trial of the spirits of prophets (by doctrine), is the duty of all believers under the gospel. Those who would deprive them of this liberty would make brutes of them instead of Christians — unless it is a property of a Christian to believe he knows not what, and obey he knows not why.53 See Romans 12:2; Ephesians 5:8-12; Php 1:10; 1Thes 5.21.54 The other kind of trial (by predictions), so far as was necessary to preserve the church in truth and peace, was provided for in those primitive times by a specific gift of discerning, which was bestowed on some among them. This was while there was a real communication of extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, and thus there were more occasions for a false pretense of them, and more danger in being deceived by them. In 1 Corinthians 12:10, "discerning of spirits" is reckoned among the gifts of the Spirit — so the Lord graciously provided for his churches, that some among them would be enabled in an extraordinary manner to discern and judge those who pretended to have extraordinary actings of the Spirit. And upon the ceasing of such extraordinary gifts really given from God, the gift of discerning spirits also ceased, and we are left to the word alone 55 for testing anyone who pretends to them.

Now, this kind of pretense was so common in those days that the apostle Paul wrote to the Thessalonians to caution them not to let themselves be deceived in their expectation and calculations about the time of the coming of Christ. In the first place, he warns them not to be moved in it "by spirit," 2 Thessalonians 2:2; that is, by persons pretending to spiritual revelations. Something also of this nature has continued and broken out in succeeding ages, and that has been in abominable and dreadful instances. The more eminent that the real effusions of the Holy Spirit are in any season, upon the ministers of the gospel and the disciples of Christ, the more diligence and watchfulness are necessary against these delusions. For it is upon such opportunities — when the use and reputation of spiritual gifts is eminent — that Satan intrudes his own deceitful suggestions under their color.56 In the dark times of the Papacy, all stories were full of satanic delusions, in fantastic apparitions, horrors, spectrums, and like effects of darkness. It was seldom if ever that anyone falsely pretended to the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit — for these things were then of little use or request in the world. But when God was pleased to really renew a fresh communication of spiritual gifts and graces to men, in and upon the Reformation, the old dreads and terrors, nightly appearances that inclined to deeds of darkness, vanished. And everywhere, by Satan’s instigation, false pretenders arose to the Spirit of God. Satan will be ever more active and industrious by this way of delusion, as God increases the gifts and graces of his Spirit in his churches — though as yet, in these latter ages, Satan has not attained what he arrived at in the primitive times of the gospel. A full and clear declaration from the Scripture, of the nature of the Holy Spirit and of his operations, may be of use by God’s blessing, to fortify the minds of believers against satanic delusions that counterfeit his actings and inspirations. Directions to this purpose are given to us by the holy apostle, who lived to see great havoc made in the churches by deluding spirits. Knowledge of the truth; testing the spirits that go abroad, using the doctrines of the Scriptures; dependence on the Holy Spirit for his teachings according to the word — these are the things which he commends to us for this purpose.

Thirdly, In the days in which we live, there is an anti-spirit set up and advanced against the Spirit of God — in his being and in all his operations, in his whole work and use towards the church of God. For this new spirit takes upon himself, whatever is promised to be effected by the "good Spirit of God." This is what some men call "the light within them," though indeed it is nothing but a dark product of Satan upon their own imaginations. Or at best, it is the natural light of conscience, which some of the heathens also call "a spirit."57 But they trust this to do everything for them, leaving no room for the "promise of the Spirit of God," nor anything for Him to do. This spirit teaches them, instructs them, and enlightens them. They attend to it as the Samaritans attended to Simon Magus. As they put it, they yield obedience to it; and from this and its fruits, they expect acceptance with God now, with justification and blessedness hereafter. These deluded souls must fix on one of these two things — namely, that this light of which they speak is either the Holy Spirit of God, or it is not.

If they say it is the Spirit, it will be easy to demonstrate how, by saying so, they utterly destroy the very nature and being of the Holy Ghost, as will evidently appear in our explication of them. And if they say that it is not the Holy Spirit of God which they intend by it, then it will be no less manifest, on the other hand, that they utterly exclude him from his whole work; and that they substitute another in his place; indeed, an enemy. For another God is a false god; another Christ is a false Christ; and another Spirit is a false spirit — it is the spirit of antichrist.

Now, because this is a growing evil among us — many being led away and seduced by it — our duty to Jesus Christ, and our compassion for the souls of men, require that our utmost endeavor in the ways of Christ’s appointment, should be used to obviate this evil, which eats like a canker. Also, it is propagated by profane and vain babblings, increasing to still more ungodliness. Some, I confess, unduly rage against those who have imbibed these imaginations, falling upon them with violence and fury, as they also do upon others; — may the Lord not lay it to their charge! Yet this does not keep us from attempting the destruction of their errors, and the breaking of the snares of Satan by which these men have been captured alive at his pleasure. But we do it using the "weapons of our warfare, which are not carnal, but mighty through God for pulling down strongholds, casting down such imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,"2 Corinthians 10:5 The course of opposing errors and false spirits — by praying, preaching, and writing — is indeed despised by those in whose furious and haughty minds alone ure, seca, occide — "burn, cut, kill" —have any meaning. They think that, "Arise, Peter, kill and eat," Acts 10:13 is a precept of more use and advantage to them than all the commands of Jesus Christ besides. But the way proposed to us by the Lord Jesus Christ himself, the way walked in by his holy apostles, and by all the ancient, holy, learned writers of the church, is that way we must and will attend to in these matters. And that course which is particularly suited to obviate the evil mentioned, is to give a full, plain, and evident declaration from the Scripture of the nature and operations of the Holy Spirit of God. Hence it will be undeniably manifest what a stranger this pretended light is to the true Spirit of Christ; how far it is from being of any real use to the souls of men; indeed, how it is set up in opposition to him and his work — by whom and by which alone we become accepted by God, and are brought to the enjoyment of him.

Fourthly, There are, moreover, many hurtful and noxious opinions concerning the Holy Ghost that have gone abroad in the world, and are entertained by many, to the subversion of the faith which they have professed.58

Such are those by which his deity and personality are denied. There have been many contests about these in the world — some endeavoring with diligence and subtlety to promote the perverse opinions mentioned; others "contending" according to their duty, "for the faith once delivered to the saints." Jude 1:3 But these disputations are so managed for the most part, that although the truth is strenuously vindicated in some of them, yet the minds of believers generally are but little edified by them. For most are unacquainted with the ways and terms of arguing, which are better suited to convince or "stop the mouths of gainsayers,59" Titus 1:11 than to direct the faith of others. Besides, our knowledge of things is more by their operations and proper effects, than from their own nature and formal reason. It is especially so in divine things, and particularly with respect to God himself. In his own glorious being, God dwells in light to which no creature can approach.

We are to seek after him in the revelation he has made of himself by the effects of his will — in his word and works. By these, the otherwise invisible things of God are made known, his attributes are declared, and we come to a better acquaintance with him than by any we can attain by our most diligent speculations about his nature directly. So it is with the Holy Ghost and his personality. In the Scripture,60 He is proposed to be known by his properties and works, his adjuncts and operations — by our duty towards him, and our offenses against him. The due consideration of these things will lead us into that assured knowledge of his being and subsistence, which is necessary to guide our faith and obedience; and which is the end of all these inquiries, Col 2.2.61 This is why, although I will along the way explain, confirm, and vindicate the testimonies that are given in the Scripture (or some of them) as to his deity and personality, yet the principal means that I will assert for establishing our faith in him, is the due and just exposition and declaration of the administrations and operations that are ascribed to him in the Scriptures. These will also give great light into the whole mystery and economy of God in the work of our salvation by Jesus Christ.

Fifthly, The principal cause and occasion of our present undertaking is the open and horrible opposition that is made to the Spirit of God and his work in the world. There is no concern of his that is not derided, exploded,62 and blasphemed by many. The very name of the Spirit has grown to be a reproach; nor do some think they can more despitefully expose anyone to scorn than by ascribing to them a "concern in the Spirit of God." This, indeed, is a thing which I have often wondered at, and continue to do so (1) because in the gospel, everything that is good, holy, and praiseworthy in any man, is expressly assigned to the Spirit, as the immediate efficient cause and operator of it; and (2) because the condition of men without him — those who are not made partakers of him — is described as being reprobate or rejected by God, and foreign to any interest in Christ. Yet many who pretend to the belief and profession of the gospel are so far from owning or desiring a participation of this Spirit in their own persons, that they deride and contemn those who dare to plead or avow any concern in him or his works. Only, I must grant that some have gone before them in this — namely, the old scoffing heathens. For so Lucian speaks in his Philopatris,63 imitating a Christian by way of scorn — "Speak out now, receiving power or ability in speaking from the Spirit," or "by the Spirit." Certainly attending to the old caution, Si non castè, tamen cautè,64 would have been needful for some in this. Even if they could not bring their own hearts to a due reverence for the Spirit of God, nor endeavor to participate in his fruits and effects, yet the things that are spoken concerning him and his work — in the whole New Testament, and also in countless places in the Old — might have checked their public contemptuous reproaches and scornful mockings (at least while they owned that those writings were from God). But this is how the Spirit was treated in the world upon his first effusion, Acts 2.13.65 There are many pretenses, I know, that will be pleaded to countenance this abomination.

First they will say, ’It is not the Spirit of God himself and his works,’ which they so reproach and scorn. ’but the pretense of others to him and his works.’ I fear that this plea, or excuse, will prove too short and narrow to make a covering for their profaneness. It is dangerous to venture upon holy things with rudeness and petulance, and then frame excuses for it. But men will not lack for pretenses in their reproaches of the Lord Christ and his Spirit, John 10.32-33.66 The things of the Spirit of God, which they thus reproach and scorn in anyone, are either those that are truly and really ascribed to the Spirit, and worked by him in the disciples of Jesus Christ, or else they are not. What if indeed they are not effects of the Spirit of grace, nor things for which he is promised, nor attested to work in believers (such as vain emotionalism or ecstatic raptures and revelations)?

Then certainly it would be more becoming for Christians — those who profess or at least pretend to a reverence for God, his Spirit, and his word — to demonstrate and convince those whom they address, that such things are not "fruits of the Spirit," but of their own imaginations. That would be better than deriding them under the name of the Spirit, or deriding His gifts and operations. Do men consider with whom, and with what, they are so bold in these things? But if they are indeed things that are real effects of the Spirit of Christ in those who believe, or things which are undeniably assigned to him in the Scripture — these things which they despise — then what remains to countenance this daring profanity?

Indeed, secondly they will say, "It is not the real true operations of the Spirit themselves, but the false pretensions to them by others, which they denounce and expose." But will this warrant the course which it is manifest they steer, in both matter and manner? These same persons pretend to believe in Christ and the gospel, and to be made partakers of the benefits of his mediation. And yet, if they do not have the Spirit of Christ, they have no saving interest in these things — for "if any man does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." Romans 8:9 If it is only the false pretending to the Spirit of God and his works, that these persons so revile and scorn, then why do they not deal with them in a similar way with respect to Christ and the profession of the gospel? Why do they not say to them, "You believe in Christ, you believe in the gospel," and on that basis expose them to derision? So the Jews plainly dealt with our Lord Jesus Christ, Psalms 22:7-8; Mat 27.42.67 It is, therefore, the things themselves, and not the pretenses pretended, that are the objects of this contempt and reproach.

Besides, suppose that those whom they hate or despise on other occasions, are not at present partakers of the Spirit of God, but are really strangers to the things which they hypocritically profess. Will they grant and allow that there are any other Christians in the world, who do really partake of the Spirit so as to be led, guided, and directed by him? So as to be quickened,68 sanctified, and purified by him? So as to be enabled by him to communion with God and to all duties of holy obedience, along with those other effects and operations for which the Spirit is promised by Jesus Christ to his disciples? If they grant that these things are really effected and accomplished in anyone, then let them not be offended by those who desire that these things should be evident in themselves, and declare themselves to that purpose. Then men would have more charity for them under their petulant scoffing, than they are otherwise able to exercise.

Thirdly, it will yet be pleaded that, "They grant as fully as anyone, the being of the Holy Ghost, the promise of him, and his real operations — only, they differ from others as to the sense and exposition of those phrases and expressions that are used concerning these things in the Scripture, which those others abuse in an unintelligible manner, such as making proper (literal) those things which indeed are metaphorical." But is this the way which they like and choose to express their notions and apprehensions — namely, to openly revile and scorn the very naming and asserting of the work of the Spirit of God in the words which He himself has taught? This is a boldness which the former ages have not given a precedent for; we hope the future will not afford an instance of anyone following that example. Their sense and grasp of these things will afterward be examined, so far as they have dared to reveal them. In the meantime, we know that the Socinians acknowledge a Trinity, the sacrifice of Christ, and the expiation of sin made by it; yet we have some differences with them about these things. And so too we have differences with these men about the Spirit of God and his dispensation under the gospel, even though, like the Socinians, they would grant that the things said about them are true, as metaphorically interpreted. But we must address these things more fully afterward.

I say it has so come to pass, among many who profess that they believe the gospel is true, that the name or naming of the Spirit of God has become a reproach; so has his whole work also. And thereby the promise of him, made by Jesus Christ to his church, is rendered useless and frustrated. It was the main, and on this matter, the only support which he left to the church in his bodily absence — the only means of rendering the work of his mediation effectual in them and among them. For without the Spirit, all other things, such as the word, ministry, and ordinances of worship, are lifeless and useless. God is not glorified by them, nor are the souls of men advantaged by them. But it is now uncertain with some, of what use the Spirit is to the church; indeed, as far as I can discern, they are uncertain whether he is of any use, or no use at all. Some have not trembled to say and contend that some things — which are as plainly ascribed to him in the Scripture as words can make an assignment of anything — are the cause of all the troubles and confusions in the world! They say that they have the word or tradition outwardly revealing the will of God, and what God would have them do (just as the Jews have both of these to this day). These things being made use of by their own reason, and improved by their natural abilities, make up the whole of man — all that is required to render the persons or duties of anyone acceptable with God! Of what use then, they ask, is the Spirit of God in these things? Maybe none at all; nor is the doctrine concerning him of any use, they say, except "to fill the world with a buzz and noise, and to trouble the minds of men with unintelligible notions." If these things had not been spoken, they would not have been repeated; for death lies at the door in them. So then, they claim, men may pray without the Spirit, and preach without him, and turn to God without him, and perform all their duties well enough without him. For if anyone pleads the necessity of his assistance for the due performance of these things, and ascribes to Him all that is good and well done in them, he will hardly escape from being notably derided. And all this, while we would be esteemed Christians! And what do such persons think of the ancient church and of Christians who prayed to Him, for working all good in them, and in their ascribing every good thing to Him? And in what, then, do we have any advantage over the Jews, or in what does the pre-eminence of the gospel consist? They have the word of God, that part of it which was committed to their church, and which in its kind is sufficient to direct their faith and obedience — for such is the "sure word of prophecy" if diligently attended to, 2Pet 1.19.69 And if traditions are of any use, Jews can out vie the whole world. Nor is this sort lacking in their wits and the exercise of them. Those who converse with them in the things of this world, do not usually say they are all fools. And for their diligence in the consideration of the letter of the Scripture, and inquiring into it according to the best of their understanding, none will question it, except those to whom they and their concerns are unknown. And yet after all this, they are still Jews. If we have the New Testament in no other way than the Jews have the Old Testament — having only the letter of it to philosophize upon, according to the best of our reasons and understandings, without any dispensation of the Spirit of God accompanying it to give us a saving light into its mystery, and to make it effectual to our souls — then I will not fear to say that, just as they call themselves "Jews and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan," Revelation 2:9, so we who pretend to be Christians, as to all the saving ends of the gospel, will not be found in any better condition than they.

Yet it could be wished that even here, bounds might be fixed to the fierceness of some men’s spirits. But they will not allow themselves to be so confined. In many places they are transported with rage and fury, so as to stir up persecution against those who really are anointed with the Spirit of Christ; and they do that for no other reason than because those others are so anointed, Gal 4.29.70 Other things, indeed, are pretended by them; but all the world may see that they are not of such importance as to countenance their wrath. This is the latent cause which stirs it up, and is often openly expressed.

These things at present are charged only as the miscarriages of private persons. When they are received in churches, they are the cause of and an entrance into a fatal defection and apostasy. From the foundation of the world, the principal revelation that God made of himself, was in the oneness of his nature and his monarchy over all.71 And in this, the person of the Father was immediately represented with his power and authority; for he is the fountain and origin of the Deity — the other persons of the Godhead, as to their subsistence, are of him. Only, with that, He gave out promises concerning the unique exhibition of the Son in the flesh at an appointed time, and also of the Holy Spirit, to be given by him in a special manner. Their persons were to be signally glorified in the world by this; it is the will of God that "all men should honor the Son as they honored the Father," John 5:23 and the Holy Spirit in like manner.72 In this state of things, the only apostasy of the church could be polytheism and idolatry. Accordingly, so it came to pass. The church of Israel was continually prone to these abominations, so that scarcely a generation passed, or very few, in which the body of the people did not more or less defile themselves with them. To wean and recover them from this sin was the principal end of the preaching of those prophets which God sent to them from time to time, 2Kng 17.13.73 And this was also the cause of all the calamities which befell them, and of all the judgments which God inflicted on them, as testified in all the historical books of the Old Testament, and confirmed by countless instances. To put an end to this, God at length brought a total desolation upon the whole church, and caused the people to be carried into captivity out of their own land. It was so far effected by this that, on their return, whatever other sins they fell into, they kept themselves away from idols and idolatry, Ezekiel 16:41-43; Ezekiel 23:27; Ezekiel 23:48. And the reason for this was because the time was now drawing near in which they were to be tried with another dispensation of God — the Son of God was to be sent to them in the flesh. To receive and obey him was now the principal instance and trial of their faith and obedience. They were no longer to be tried merely by their faith — whether they would own only the God of Israel, in opposition to all false gods and idols — for God had now absolutely won that ground upon them. But now all was to turn upon this hinge: whether they would receive the Son of God coming in the flesh, according to the promise.

Here most of that church and its people fell by their unbelief, apostatized from God, and thereby became neither church nor people, John 8.24.74 Having been rejected, the Son of God calls and gathers another church, founding it on his own person with faith, and the profession of faith in this, Mat 16.18-19.75 In this new church, therefore, this foundation is fixed, and this ground is made good: that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is to be owned and honored as we honor the Father, 1 Corinthians 3:11; John 5.23.76 And in this, all who are duly called Christians agree, as the church of Israel agreed in one God after their return from the captivity of Babylon. But now the Lord Jesus Christ, having ascended to his Father, has committed all his affairs in the church and in the world, to the Holy Spirit, John 16.7-11.77 It is upon this design of God, that the person of the Spirit may be singularly exalted in the church by those who were so much in the dark before, that some (not the worst of them) professed they had "not so much as heard whether there was any Holy Ghost," Acts 19:2 — that is, at least as to the unique dispensation of Him that was then introduced in the church.

Therefore the duty of the church now immediately respects the Spirit of God, who acts towards the church in the name of the Father and of the Son. And so it is with respect to him, that the church in its present state is capable of an apostasy from God. Whatever is found of this nature among any, this is where it has its beginning. For the sin of despising his person and rejecting his work is now of the same nature as idolatry of old, and of the Jews’ rejection of the person of the Son. Because there was relief provided against these sins, and a new dispensation of the grace of God was to ensue in the evangelical work of the Holy Ghost, if men then sin against him and his operations, which contain the perfection and complement of God’s revelation of himself to them, their condition is deplorable.

It may be that some will say and plead, that whatever is spoken of the Holy Ghost, his graces, gifts, and operations, it belonged entirely to the first days of the gospel in which they were manifested by visible and wonderful effects — and they were confined to those times. Consequently, we have no other interest or concern in them except as in a recorded testimony given of old to the truth of the gospel. This is indeed so as to his extraordinary and miraculous operations; but to confine his whole work to this, is plainly to deny the truth of the promises of Christ, and to overthrow his church. For we will make it undeniably evident that none can believe in Jesus Christ, or yield obedience to him, or worship God in him, except by the Holy Ghost. And therefore, if the whole dispensation of the Spirit and his communications to the souls of men ceases, so does all faith in Christ, and Christianity also.

It is on these and like considerations that I have thought it necessary for myself, and for the church of God, that the Scripture should be diligently searched concerning this great matter; for none can deny that the glory of God, the honor of the gospel, the faith and obedience of the church, with the everlasting welfare of our own souls, are deeply concerned in this. The apostle Peter, addressing the great things of the gospel that were taught by himself and the rest of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, tells those to whom he wrote that in what was preached to them, they had not "followed cunningly-devised fables," 2 Peter 1:16; for that is how the "power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" were then reported in the world. What was preached concerning them was looked at as "cunningly-devised" and artificially-framed "fables" to dupe and allure the people. The apostle gives his testimony against this, with appeals to the divine assurance which they had of the holy truths delivered to them, verses 17-21.78 In the same way, our Lord Jesus Christ himself, having preached the doctrine of regeneration to Nicodemus, the Pharisee calls it into question as something incredible or unintelligible, John 3.4.79 For his instruction (and to rebuke his ignorance), Jesus lets Nicodemus know that he spoke nothing except what he brought with him from heaven — from the eternal Fountain of goodness and truth, verses 11-13.80 It has not fallen out much differently in this matter. The doctrine concerning the Spirit of God, and his work on the souls of men, has been preached in the world. It has been preached, taught, and pressed on the minds of those who attend to the dispensation of the word of the gospel, what the Spirit does in convincing81 men of sin; what he does in working godly sorrow and humiliation in them; what the exceeding greatness of his power is which he exerts in the regeneration and sanctification of the souls of men; what the supplies of grace are which he bestows on those who believe; and what assistance he gives them as the Spirit of grace and supplications. In answer to this, men have been urged to test, search, and examine themselves, as to what work of the Holy Ghost they have found, observed, or experienced that was effectively accomplished in or upon their own souls. And they have been taught that on this depend the great concerns of their peace, comfort, and assurance, of their communion among themselves as the saints of God, along with many other ends of their holy conduct. Indeed, it is and has been constantly taught to them, that if there is not an effectual work of the Holy Ghost upon their hearts, they "cannot enter into the kingdom of God." John 3:5

Now these things, and whatever is said in explicating them, are called into question by some, if not utterly rejected; indeed, some look at them as "cunningly-devised fables," — things that some invented not long ago, and which others propagated for their own advantage. Others say that what is delivered concerning them is hardly to be understood by rational men, if at all. They are only empty speculations about things in which the Christian religion is little or not at all concerned. Yet many, very many, have received these things as sacred truths, and are persuaded that they have realized them in their own souls. So that all their consolation and peace with God is resolved for the most part into their experience of the work of the Holy Spirit of God, in them and upon them, as it is declared in the word. This is what gives them the best evidence of their interest in Him who is their peace. And because, for the present, they believe that unless these things are so, in and with them, they have no foundation to build a hope of eternal life upon, it can only be of indispensable necessity to them to examine and search the Scripture diligently, whether these things are true or not. For if there is no such work of the Spirit of God upon the hearts of men, that is indispensably necessary to their salvation — if there are no such assistances and supplies of grace needed for every good duty as they have been instructed — then in the whole course of their profession, they have only been seduced by "cunningly-devised fables." Their deceived hearts have fed upon ashes, and they are still in their sins. What then is immediately concerned in this, is of no less consideration and importance than the eternal welfare of their souls can render it — that they diligently test, examine, and search into these things, by the safe and infallible touchstone and rule of the word, on which they may, must, and ought to risk their eternal condition.

I know, indeed, that most believers are so far satisfied in the truth of these things, and their own experience of them, that they will not be moved in the least by the opposition made to them and the scorn that is cast upon them. For "he that believes on the Son of God has the witness in himself," 1 John 5:10. Yet Luke wrote his Gospel to Theophilus "that he might know the certainty of those things in which he had been instructed," Luke 1:4 — that is, Luke wrote it to confirm Theophilus in the truth, by adding new degrees of assurance to him. In the same way, it is our duty to be so far excited by the clamorous oppositions made to the truths which we profess, and in which we are as much concerned as our souls are worth, to compare them diligently with the Scripture, so that we may be more fully confirmed and established in them. And on examination of the whole matter, I will leave them their option, as Elijah did of old:

1Kng 18.21 "If Jehovah is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him."

If the things which most professors82 believe and acknowledge concerning the Spirit of God and his work on their hearts — his gifts and graces in the church, along with the manner of their communication — if these are, for their substance (in which all are generally agreed), according to the Scripture as taught and revealed there, and if they are on the same terms as they received them, then they may abide in the holy profession of them, and rejoice in the consolations they have received by them. But if these things — along with other things which, in their application to the souls of men, are directly and necessarily deduced, or may be deduced from them 83 — are all but vain and useless imaginations, then it is high time the minds of men were disburdened of them.