John Owen · 10 of 123

Chapter III. Divine nature and personality of the Holy Spirit proved and vindicated. · Part 2

2. His appearance in and under a visible sign argues his personal existence. This is related, Matt. iii. 16; Luke iii. 22; John i. 32. Luke speaks first in general that he descended ἐν εἴδει σωματικῷ, “in a bodily shape” or appearance; and they all agree that it was the shape of a dove under which he appeared. The words in Matthew are, Εἷδε τὸ Πνεῦμα τοῦ Θεοῦ καταβαῖνον ὡσεὶ περιστερὰν καὶ ἐρχόμενον ἐπ’ αὐτόν· — “He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting” (or rather coming) “upon him.” “He,” that is John the Baptist, not Christ himself. The relative, αὐτός, refers in this place to the more remote antecedent; for although “he,” that is Christ himself, also saw the descending of the Holy Spirit, yet I suppose this relates unto that token which was to be given of him unto John, whereby he should know him, John i. 32, 33. The following words are ambiguous: for that expression, “like a dove,” may refer to the manner of his descending, — descending (in a bodily shape) as a dove descends; or they may respect the manner of his appearance, — he appeared like a dove descending. And this sense is determined in the other evangelists to the bodily shape wherein he descended. He took the form or shape of a dove to make a visible representation of himself by; for a visible pledge was to be given of the coming of the on the Messiah, according to the promise, and thereby did God direct his great forerunner to the knowledge of him. Now, this was no real dove. That would not have been a thing so miraculous as this appearance of the Holy Ghost is represented to be. And the text will not bear any such apprehension, though it was entertained by some of the ancients; for it is evident that this shape of a dove came out of heaven. He saw the heavens opened and the dove descending; that is, out of heaven, which was opened to make way, as it were, for him. Moreover, the expression of the opening of the heavens is not used but with respect unto some appearance or manifestation of God himself. And so (or which is the same) the bowing of the heavens is often used: Ps. cxliv. 5, “Bow thy heavens, O Lord, and come down;” 2 Sam. xxii. 10; Isa. lxiv. 1; Ezek. i. 1, “The heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God;” so Acts vii. 56. God used not this sign but in some manifestation of himself; and had not this been an appearance of God, there had been no need of bowing or opening the heavens for it. And it is plainly said that it was not a dove, but the shape or representation of a dove. It was εἷδος σωματικόν, “a bodily shape;” and that περιστερᾶς, “of a dove.”

As, then, at the beginning of the old creation, the Spirit of God מְרַחֶפֶת‎, “incubabat,” came and fell on the waters, cherishing the whole, and communicating a prolific and vivific quality unto it, as a fowl or dove in particular gently moves itself upon its eggs, until, with and by its generative warmth, it hath communicated vital heat unto them; so now, at the entrance of the new creation, he comes as a dove upon him who was the immediate author of it, and virtually comprised it in himself, carrying it on by virtue of his presence with him. And so this is applied in the Syriac ritual of baptism, composed by Severinus, in the account given of the baptism of Christ: ורוחא דקודשא בדמות יונא פרחת נחתת ועל רישא דברא שכנת ועל מיא רהפת‎; — “And the Spirit of descended, flying in the likeness of a dove, and rested upon him, and moved on the waters.” And in the assumption of this form there may be some respect unto the dove that brought tidings to Noah of the ceasing of the flood of waters, and of the ending of the wrath of God, who thereon said that he would curse the earth no more, Gen. viii. 11, 21, for herein also was there a significant representation of him who visited poor, lost mankind in their cursed condition, and proclaimed peace unto them that would return to God by him, the great peace-maker, Eph. ii. 14–17. And this work he immediately engaged into on the resting of this dove upon him. Besides, there is a natural aptness in that creature to represent the Spirit that rested on the Lord Jesus; for the known nature and course of a dove is such as is meet to mind us of purity and harmless innocency. Hence is that direction, “Be harmless as doves,” Matt. x. 16. So also the sharpness of its sight or eyes, as Cant. i. 15, iv. 1, is fixed on to represent a quick and discerning understanding, such as was in Christ from the resting of the Spirit upon him, Isa. xi. 2–4.

The shape thereof that appeared was that of a dove, but the substance itself, I judge, was of a fiery nature, an ethereal substance, shaped into the form or resemblance of a dove. It had the shape of a dove, but not the appearance of feathers, colours, or the like. This also rendered the appearance the more visible, conspicuous, heavenly, and glorious. And the Holy Ghost is often compared to fire, because he was of old typified or represented thereby; for on the first solemn offering of sacrifices there came fire from the Lord for the kindling of them. Hence Theodotion of old rendered וַיּשַׁע יְהוָה‎, Gen. iv. 4, “The Lord had respect unto Abel, and to his offering,” by Ἐνεπύρισεν ὁ Θεός, “God fired the offering of Abel;” sent down fire that kindled his sacrifice as a token of his acceptance. However, it is certain that at the first erection of the altar in the wilderness, upon the first sacrifices, “fire came out from before the Lord, and consumed upon the altar the burnt-offering and the fat; which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces,” Lev. ix. 24. And the fire kindled hereby was to be perpetuated on the altar, so that none was ever to be used in sacrifice but what was traduced from it. For a neglect of this intimation of the mind of God were Nadab and Abihu consumed, chap. x. 1, 2. So was it also upon the dedication of the altar in the temple of Solomon: “Fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt-offering and the sacrifices,” 2 Chron. vii. 1; and a fire kindled was always kept burning on the altar. And in like manner God bare testimony to the ministry of Elijah, 1 Kings xviii. 38, 39. God by all these signified that no sacrifices were accepted with him where faith was not kindled in the heart of the offerer by the Holy Ghost, represented by the fire that kindled the sacrifices on the altar. And in answer hereunto is our Lord Jesus Christ said to offer himself “through the eternal Spirit,” Heb. ix. 14. It was, therefore, most probably a fiery appearance that was made. And in the next bodily shape which he assumed it is expressly said that it was fiery: Acts ii. 3, “There appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire;” which was the visible token of the coming of the Holy Ghost upon them. And he chose, then, that figure of tongues to denote the assistance which, by the miraculous gift of speaking with divers tongues, together with wisdom and utterance, he furnished them withal for the publication of the gospel. And thus, also, the Lord Christ is said to “baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire,” Matt. iii. 11. Not two things are intended, but the latter words, “and with fire,” are added ἐξηγητικῶς, and the expression is ἕν διὰ δυοῖν, — with the Holy Ghost, who is a spiritual, divine, eternal fire. So God absolutely is said to be a “consuming fire,” Heb. xii. 29, Deut. iv. 24. And as in these words, “He shall baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire,” there is a prospect unto what came to pass afterward, when the apostles received the Holy Ghost with a visible pledge of fiery tongues, so there seems to be a retrospect, by way of allusion unto what is recorded, Isa. vi. 6, 7; for a living or “fiery coal from the altar,” where the fire represented the Holy Ghost, or his work and , having touched the lips of his prophet, his sin was taken away, both as to the guilt and filth of it. And this is the work of the Holy Ghost, who not only us, but, by ingenerating faith in us, and the application of the promise unto us, is the cause and means of our also, 1 Cor. vi. 11, Tit. iii. 4–7, whereby our sins on both accounts are taken away. So also his efficacy in other places is compared unto fire and burning: Isa. iv. 4, 5, “When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof, by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning.” He is compared both to fire and water, with respect unto the same cleansing virtue in both. So also Mal. iii. 2. Hence, as this is expressed by “the Holy Ghost and fire” in two evangelists, Matt. iii. 11, Luke iii. 16; so in the other two there is mention only of the “Holy Ghost,” Mark i. 8, John i. 33, the same thing being intended. I have added these things a little to clear the manner of this divine appearance, which also belongs unto the economy of the Spirit.

Now, I say that this appearance of the Holy Ghost in a bodily shape, wherein he was represented by that which is a substance and hath a subsistence of its own, doth manifest that he himself is a substance and hath a subsistence of his own; for if he be no such thing, but a mere influential effect of the power of God, we are not taught right apprehensions of him but mere mistakes by this appearance, for of such an accident there can be no substantial figure or resemblance made but what is monstrous. It is excepted by our adversaries (Crell. de Natur. Spir. Sanc.), “That a dove is no person, because not endued with an understanding, which is essentially required unto the constitution of a person; and therefore,” they say, “no argument can thence be taken for the personality of the Holy Ghost” But it is enough that he was represented by a subsisting substance; which if they will grant him to be, we shall quickly evince that he is endued with a divine understanding, and so is completely a person. And whereas they farther object, “That if the Holy Ghost in the appearance intended to manifest himself to be a divine person, he would have appeared as a man, who is a person, for so God, or an angel in his name, appeared under the Old Testament,” it is of no more importance than the preceding exception. The Holy Ghost did manifest himself as it seemed good unto him; and some reasons for the instructive use of the shape of a fiery dove we have before declared. Neither did God of old appear only in a human shape. He did so sometimes in a burning fiery bush, Exod. iii. 2, 4; sometimes in a pillar of fire or a cloud, chap. xiv. 24. Moreover, the appearances of God, as I have elsewhere demonstrated, under the Old Testament, were all of them of the second person; and he assumed a human shape as a preludium unto, and a signification of, his future personal assumption of our nature. No such thing being intended by the Holy Ghost, he might represent himself under what shape he pleased. Yea, the representation of himself under a human shape had been dangerous and unsafe for us; for it would have taken off the use of those instructive appearances under the Old Testament teaching the of the Son of God. And also, that sole reason of such appearances being removed, — namely, that they had all respect unto the incarnation of the second person, — as they would have been by the like appearance of the third, there would have been danger of giving a false idea of the Deity unto the minds of men; for some might from thence have conceived that God had a bodily shape like unto us, when none could ever be so fond as to imagine him to be like a dove. And these, with the like testimonies in general, are given unto the divine personality of the Holy Spirit. I shall next consider those personal properties which are particularly and distinctly ascribed unto him.

First, Understanding or wisdom, which is the first inseparable property of an intelligent subsistence, is so ascribed unto him in the acts and effects of it: 1 Cor. ii. 10, “The Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.” What Spirit it is that is intended is declared expressly, verse 12, “Now we have not received τὸ πνεῦμα τοῦ κόσμου, the spirit of the world,” are not acted by the evil spirit; ἀλλὰ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ, “but the Spirit which is of God,” — a signal description of the Holy Ghost. So he is called “His Spirit,” verse 10, “God hath revealed these things unto us by his Spirit.” Now, to search is an act of understanding; and the Spirit is said to search, because he knoweth: Verse 11, “What man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him?” — which is intimate unto all its own thoughts and counsels; “even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.” And by him are they revealed unto us, for by him “we know the things that are freely given to us of God,” verse 12. These things cannot be spoken of any but a person endued with understanding. And he thus “searcheth τὰ βάθη τοῦ Θεοῦ, the deep things of God,” — that is, the mysteries of his will, counsel, and grace; — and is, therefore, a divine person that hath an infinite understanding; as it is said of God, אֵין חֵקֶר לִחְבוּנָתוֹ‎, Isa. xl. 28, There is no end,” measure, or investigation, “of his understanding;” Ps. cxlvii. 5, there is “no number of his understanding,” — it is endless, boundless, infinite. It is excepted (Schlichting. de Trinitat., p. 605) “That the Spirit is not here taken for the Spirit himself, nor doth the apostle express what the Spirit himself doth, but what by the assistance of the Holy Ghost men are enabled to do. By that believers are helped to search into the deep counsels of God.” But as this exception is directly against the words of the text, so the context will by no means admit of it; for the apostle giveth an account how the wisdom, counsels, and deep things of God, which the world could not understand, were now preached and declared unto the church. “God,” saith he, “hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit.” But how cometh the Spirit himself, the author of these revelations, to be acquainted with these things? This he hath from his own nature, whereby he knoweth or “searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.” It is, therefore, the revelation made by the Spirit unto the apostles and penmen of the scripture of the New Testament, — who were acted by the Holy Ghost in like manner as were the holy men of old, 2 Pet. i. 21, — which the apostle intendeth, and not the illumination and teaching of believers in the knowledge of the mysteries by them revealed, whereof the apostle treateth in these words. But who is this Spirit? The same apostle tells us that the “judgments of God are unsearchable, and his ways past finding out,” Rom. xi. 33; and asketh, “Who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?” verse 34. And yet this Spirit is said to “search all things, yea, the deep things of God;” such as to all creatures are absolutely unsearchable and past finding out. This, then, is the Spirit of God himself, who is God also; for so it is in the prophet from these words are taken, “Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being his counsellor hath taught him?” Isa. xl. 13.

It will not relieve the adversaries of the Holy Ghost, though it be pleaded by them that he is compared with and opposed unto the “spirit of a man,” 1 Cor. ii. 11, which, they say, is no person; for no comparisons hold in all circumstances. The spirit of a man is his rational soul, endued with understanding and knowledge. This is an individual intelligent substance, capable of a subsistence in a separate condition. Grant the Spirit of God to be so far a person, and all their pretences fall to the ground. And whereas it is affirmed by one among ourselves, though otherwise asserting “the deity of the Holy Ghost” (Goodwin, p. 175), “That this expression, of ‘searching the things of God,’ cannot be applied directly to the Spirit, but must intend his enabling us to search into them, because to search includes imperfection, and the use of means to come to the knowledge of any thing,” it is not of weight in this matter; for such acts are ascribed unto God with respect unto their effects. And searching being with us the means of attaining the perfect knowledge of any thing, the perfection of the knowledge of God is expressed thereby. So David prays that God would “search him, and know his heart,” Ps. cxxxix. 23. And he is often said to “search the hearts of men,” whereby his infinite wisdom is intimated, whereunto all things are open and naked. So is his Spirit said to “search the deep things of God,” because of his infinite understanding and the perfection of his knowledge, before which they lie open. And as things are here spoken of the Spirit in reference unto God the Father, so are they spoken of him in reference unto the Spirit: Rom. viii. 27, “He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit.” Add hereunto that this Spirit is the author of wisdom and understanding in and unto others, and therefore he must have them in himself; and that not virtually or casually only, but formally also. 1 Cor. xii. 8, wisdom and knowledge are reckoned among the gifts bestowed by him. For those of faith and tongues, it is enough that they are in him virtually; but wisdom and understanding, they cannot be given by any but he that is wise and understandeth what he doth; and hence is he called expressly a “Spirit of wisdom and understanding, of counsel and knowledge,” Isa. xi. 2. I might confirm this by other testimonies, where other effects of understanding are ascribed unto him, as 1 Tim. iv. 1; 1 Pet. i. 11; 2 Pet. i. 21; but what hath been spoken is sufficient unto our purpose.

Secondly, A will is ascribed unto him. This is the most eminently distinguishing character and property of a person. Whatever is endued with an intelligent will is a person; and it cannot by any fiction, with any tolerable congruity, be ascribed unto any thing else, unless the reason of the metaphor be plain and obvious. So when our Saviour says of the wind that it bloweth ὅπου θέλει, “as it willeth,” or listeth, John iii. 8, the abuse of the word is evident. All intended is, that the wind, as unto us, is ἀνυπεύθυνος, and not at all at our disposal, acts not by our guidance or direction. And no man is so foolish as not to apprehend the meaning of it, or once to inquire whether our Saviour doth properly ascribe a will to the wind or no. So James iii. 4. The words rendered by us, “Turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth,” are in the original, Ὅπου ἂν ἡ ὁρμὴ τοῦ εὐθύνοντος βούληται· in which the act of willing is ascribed to the ὁρμή, the impetus or inclination of the governor, which yet hath not a will. But the ὁρμή in that place is not the πρώτη κίνησις of the philosophers, the motus primo-primus, or the first agitation or inclination of the mind; but it is the will itself under an earnest inclination, such as is usual with them who govern ships by the helms in storms. Hereunto the act of willing is properly ascribed, and he in whom it is proved to be is a person. Thus, a will acting with understanding and choice, as the principle and cause of his outward actions, is ascribed unto the Holy Ghost: 1 Cor. xii. 11, “All these worketh that one and the self-same Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.” He had before asserted that he was the author and donor of all the spiritual gifts which he had been discoursing about, verses 4–6. These gifts he declares to be various, as he manifests in nine instances, and all variously disposed of by him, verses 8–10. If now it be inquired what is the rule of this his distribution of them, he tells us that it is his own will, his choice and pleasure. What can be spoken more fully and plainly to describe an intelligent person, acting voluntarily with freedom and by choice, I know not.

We may consider what is excepted hereunto. They say (Schlichting. p. 610) “That the Holy Ghost is here introduced as a person by a prosopopœia, — that the distribution of the gifts mentioned is ascribed unto him by a metaphor; and by the same or another metaphor he is said to have a will, or to act as he will.” But is it not evident that if this course of interpreting, or rather of perverting, Scripture may be allowed, nothing of any certainty will be left unto us therein? It is but saying this or that is a metaphor, and if one will not serve the turn, to bring in two or three, one on the neck of another, and the work is done; — the sense intended is quite changed and lost. Allow this liberty or bold licentiousness, and you may overthrow the being of God himself and the mediation of Christ, as to any testimony given unto them in the Scripture. But the words are plain, “He divideth to every man severally as he will.” And for the confirmation of his deity, though that be out of question on the supposition of his personality, I shall only add from this place, that he who hath the disposal of all spiritual gifts, having only his own will, which is infinitely wise and holy, for his rule, he is “over all, God blessed for ever.”

Thirdly, Another property of a living person is power. A power whereby anyone is able to act according to the guidance of his understanding and the determinations of his will, declares him to be a person. It is not the mere ascription of power absolutely, or ability unto any thing, that I intend; for they may signify no more but the efficacy wherewith such things are attended in their proper places, as instruments of the effects whereunto they are applied. In this sense power is ascribed to the word of God, when it is said to be “able to save our souls,” James i. 21; and Acts xx. 32, “the word of God’s grace” is said to be “able to build us up, and to give us an inheritance among all them which are sanctified,” if that place intend the word written or preached (whereinto I have made inquiry elsewhere): but these things are clearly interpreted in other places. The word is said to be “able,” yea, to be the “power of God unto salvation,” Rom. i. 16, because God is pleased to use it and make it effectual by his grace unto that end. But where power, divine power, is absolutely ascribed unto anyone, and that declared to be put forth and exercised by the understanding and according to the will of him to whom it is so ascribed, it doth undeniably prove him to be a divine person; for when we say the Holy Ghost is so, we intend no more but that he is one who by his own divine understanding puts forth his own divine power. So is it in this case: Job xxxiii. 4, “The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.” Creation is an act of divine power, the highest we are capable to receive any notion of; and it is also an effect of the wisdom and will of him that createth, as being a voluntary act, and designed unto a certain end. All these, therefore, are here ascribed to the Spirit of God. It is excepted (Schlichting. pp. 613–615) “That by the ‘Spirit of God’ here mentioned no more is intended but our own vital spirits, whereby we are , called the ‘Spirit of God’ because he gave it.” But this is too much confidence. The words are, רוּחַ־אֵל עָשָׂתְנִי וְנִשְׁמַת שַׁדַּי תְּחַיֵּנִי‎. There were two distinct divine operations in and about the creation of man. The first was the forming of his body out of the dust of the earth; this is expressed by עָשָׂה‎, and יָצַר‎; — “he made,” “he formed.” And secondly, the infusion of a living or quickening soul into him, called נִשְׁמַת חַיִּים‎, or “the breath of life.” Both these are here distinctly mentioned; the first ascribed to the Spirit of God, the other to his breath, — that is, the same Spirit considered in a peculiar way of operation in the infusion of the rational soul. Such is the sense of these figurative and enigmatical words, “God breathed into man the breath of life,” — that is, by his Spirit he effected a principle of life in him; as we shall see afterward.

Isa. xi. 2, As he is called a “Spirit of wisdom and understanding,” so is he also of “might” or power. And although it may be granted that the things there mentioned are rather effects of his operations than adjuncts of his nature, yet he who affecteth wisdom and power in others must first have them himself. To this purpose also is that demand, Mic. ii. 7, “Is the Spirit of the Lord straitened,” or shortened? that is, in his power; that he cannot work and operate in the prophets and his church as in former days; and the same prophet, chap. iii. 8, affirms that he is “full of power, and of judgment, and of might, by the Spirit of the Lord.” These things were wrought in him by his power, as the apostle speaks to the same purpose, Eph. iii. 16.

Those by whom this truth is opposed do lay out all their strength and skill in exceptions, I may say cavils, against some of these particular testimonies and some expressions in them; but as to the whole argument, taken from the consideration of the design and scope of the Scripture in them all, they have nothing to except.

To complete this argument, I shall add the consideration of those works and operations of all sorts which are ascribed to the Spirit of God; which we shall find to be such as are not capable of an assignation unto him with the least congruity of speech or design of speaking intelligibly, unless he be a distinct, singular subsistent or person, endued with divine power and understanding. And here what we desired formerly might be observed must be again repeated. It is not from a single instance of every one of the works which we shall mention that we draw and confirm our argument; for some of them, singly considered, may perhaps sometimes be metaphorically ascribed unto other causes, which doth not prove that therefore they are persons also, — which contains the force of all the exceptions of our adversaries against these testimonies; — but as some of them, at least, never are nor can be assigned unto any but a divine person, so we take our argument from their joint consideration, or the uniform, constant assignation of them all unto him in the Scriptures: which renders it irrefragable. For the things themselves, I shall not insist upon them, because their particular nature must be afterward unfolded.

First, He is said to teach us: Luke xii. 12, “The Holy Ghost shall teach you what ye ought to say.” John xiv. 26, “The , which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance.” 1 John ii. 27, He is the “anointing which teacheth us all things;” how and whence he is so called shall be afterward declared. He is the great Teacher of the church, unto whom the accomplishment of that great promise is committed, “And they shall be all taught of God,” John vi. 45. It is sad with the church of God when her teachers are removed into a corner, and her eyes see them not; but better lose all other teachers, and that utterly, than to lose this great Teacher only: for although he is pleased to make use of them, he can teach effectually and savingly without them where they are removed and taken away; but they cannot teach without him unto the least spiritual advantage. And those who pretend to be teachers of others, and yet despise his teaching assistance, will one day find that they undertook a work which was none of theirs. But as unto our use of this assertion, it is excepted “That the apostle affirms that nature also teaches us: 1 Cor. xi. 14, ‘Doth not even nature itself teach you?’ now, nature is not a person.” This is the way and manner of them with whom we have to do. If any word in a testimony produced by us have been anywhere used metaphorically, though it be never so evident that it is so used in that place, instantly it must have the same figurative application in the testimony excepted against, although they can give no reason why it should so signify! And if this course of excepting be allowed, there will be nothing left intelligible in the Scripture, nor in any other author, nor in common in the world; for there is scarce any word or name of [a] thing but, one where or other, is or hath been abused or used metaphorically. In particular, nature in this place of the apostle is said to teach us objectively, as the heavens and earth teach us in what we learn from them; for it is said to teach us what we may learn from the customs and actings of them who live, proceed, and act, according to the principles, dictates, and inclinations of it. Everyone sees that here is no intimation of an active teaching by instruction, or a real communication of knowledge, but it is said figuratively to do what we do with respect unto it. And not only in several places, but in the same sentence, a word may be used properly with respect unto one thing and abusively with respect unto another; as in that saying of the poet, —