I believe in the Holy Ghost.
However, in this matter, as in all other things also, let us behave ourselves so that all may tend unto the glory of God.
I believe in the Holy Ghost.
Seeing the word "Spirit" signifies many things, to better understand what we believe, it shall be good to first separate and distinguish the various meanings conveyed by that name. From these meanings, we will choose the one that fits our purpose and explore it further. In general, the word "spirit" always expresses a certain hidden strength or power capable of moving and driving things forward. Therefore, the winds, along with those organs by which life governs, move, and stir the body, are called the spirit. And although this power is included and mixed with corporeal nature, since the bodies it interacts with are often so subtle that they cannot be seen, this word is also extended to signify natures and essences that are simple and of diverse sorts, such as God, the company of angels, and the souls of men now separated from their bodies. Hence, the divine nature is called a spirit, as Christ clearly states in John: "Because God is a spirit, he will be worshipped in spirit." There is no difference in this respect between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Ultimately, the word "spirit" signifies not only the divine nature, invisible and without body, but specifically denotes to us the third person of the Trinity, distinct from the Father and the Son. He is called by the name "spirit" because of his property, which is to move, encourage, persuade, comfort, and enlighten the spirits and hearts of men, and finally, to work in them such things as pertain to our sanctification.
The saints experience the marvelous effects of this, beyond the comprehension of reason or human wisdom, and not discernible by the eyes of men.
Therefore, it is right for us to say, "I believe in the Holy Spirit," as it is something that far surpasses the capacity of our nature yet is distinctly set forth to us in the Holy Scripture. That the same Spirit is the third person in the divine nature, Christ sufficiently expresses in these words to his apostles: "Go ye and baptize in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." This means that those who are baptized are bound to confess that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit grant them salvation. Consider what it means to be baptized in the name of the three persons of the Trinity. The distinction of this third person is not only known here from the other two but is also gathered when the eternal Father speaks to John the Baptist concerning the Holy Spirit as something distinct from himself and the Son: "He it is (meaning by Christ) upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit come down in the likeness of a dove." He does not speak as if he meant himself, saying, "Upon whom I will descend," but rather, "Upon whom he shall descend," speaking of another. It is evident that he was not the Son because the Spirit, in the form of a dove, was to light on Christ, who is properly called the Son. Indeed,
Christ in the Gospel of John speaks of the same Spirit: "He shall take of mine and shall come in my name." And he adds, "The Father shall give you another Comforter," meaning another besides me and distinct from myself. These passages conclusively prove that the Holy
Spirit is a distinct person in the Holy Trinity, which we steadfastly believe and confess.
This also must be considered, that the Spirit is not the same as His gifts and works. Paul, in his first letter to the Corinthians, chapter 12, lists various effects thereof and adds afterward, "And all these things work that one and the same Spirit, distributing them to every man severally as he will." It is evident that here we confess the third person of divinity, by whose power we are renewed in Christ and therefore may become like unto Christ. Just as He was begotten
without man's seed, so are we born again into a new life by the power of God's Spirit, as testified by John when he says that "He who believes is made the son of God, and is neither born of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." This is particularly attributed to the third person, as Christ expressly says that "He who is not born of the water and of the Spirit shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." From the very same Spirit, the remission of sins is said to flow. Therefore, when Christ breathed upon the apostles and said, "Receive ye the Holy Ghost, whose sins ye shall forgive, the same shall be forgiven, and whose sins ye retain shall be retained," whoever sins against the Holy Ghost does not obtain remission of his sins because it is directly done against Him, from whom the remission of sins proceeds.
Yet, we do not attribute all this to Him only, but considering that we are burdened with such weightiness that we can scarcely rise from the earth, always pressed down with the burden of our flesh and our corporeal senses, we would lie still in the earth unless we were raised up by that Spirit who straightens and erects our minds unto heaven
(which, through natural corruption, are altogether sunk in the affections of the flesh), just as the soul sustains the frail and mortal body and sets it upright. In this life, the elect may, in a manner, experience the same about themselves as in bottles, which, when thrown empty into the water, fall to the bottom; but if they are blown and filled with wind, they float above the water. Similarly, men's minds, being void of that Spirit, are drowned through their own affections and lusts; but when they are filled with that Holy Spirit, they master sin and never allow themselves to be overcome by it. We also obtain, by the benefit of the same Spirit, both the will to do right and the ability to act justly. For our nature, being corrupt and perverse, would never willingly show forth actions acceptable unto
God or proceed from us, being enemies unto Him. But that Spirit of
God, being among us, fashions our minds so that whatever flows from us with His help is most pleasing and acceptable to God. He inwardly reforms us so that we may become most welcome friends, indeed, most beloved children.
Here you see what singular benefit this article of our faith brings when it is known and understood. Undoubtedly, our affections, our mind, and even the members of the body are instruments of the Spirit Himself. Therefore, Paul writes to the Romans that "Those finally be the children of God who are led by the Spirit of God." Just as he cannot be called a man who lacks the mind of man, nor that a dog which does not bear the form or living property of a dog, likewise, he is not a partaker of the divine nature who is void of the Spirit of God. Hence, I cannot marvel enough at the folly of some who, if a man says they are not Christians, cannot bear this reproach, and yet, at the same time, neither seem to be endowed with that Spirit nor are persuaded, or willing themselves to grant, that none may be a Christian without it. However, Paul boldly affirms in his letter to the Romans that "He who has not the Spirit, the same is no son." Therefore, let such men go, and by the same infidelity by which they doubt the possession of God's Spirit, let them stand in doubt whether they are Christians. And if any man asks how we have Him,
I answer that the most excellent Father, for Christ's sake, sends Him unto us, as Christ promised to us through His apostles: "The Comforter," says He, "which is the Holy Ghost, whom My Father will send in My name, etc."
Furthermore, I may boldly add that Christ Himself sends Him unto us from the Father, as He says in another place, "The Spirit, which I will send from the Father unto you." He is given unto us, either from the Father or from the Son, for no other purpose than to enrich us abundantly with those gifts and very excellent riches. Yet, the
scripture shows that His chiefest work specially consists in teaching.
Christ promised to His disciples that He would send the Holy Ghost, who would teach them and lead them into all truth, which He had shown unto them. He also warned them that when they should be brought before princes, they should take no care, for it should not be they that should speak, but the Spirit of their Father that should speak in them. Certainly, the apostles were not dispersed abroad in the world for preaching the Gospel before they were endowed from above with that heavenly power, by the help of which they not only preached the Gospel mightily to bring men unto the obedience of Christ, but they also established the truth of their doctrine with wonderful signs and miracles. The manner of teaching by which that Spirit performs towards us must be inwardly considered in the mind, as He not only replenishes us with His light but also gently allures and persuades us, making those things acceptable from which, otherwise, by reason of our corrupt nature, we would flee. He works a marvelous transformation in the minds of the elect, stirring them up unto the endeavor of good works and godly actions, which by the guide of nature they might not be able to perform.
And yet He does not force them unto those works but rather persuades them inwardly with effect. This is the happy liberty with which the chosen of Christ are endowed, who, by the power and persuasion of the same Spirit, employ their whole endeavor unto such actions which, by the only guide of nature, could neither be done by them nor would be acceptable unto God. Further, from that spiritual doctrine which flourishes inwardly, there springs afterward an assured mortification, as well in the mind as in the flesh, as Paul testifies in his epistle to the Romans, where he warned them that if they would, by the Spirit, mortify the deeds of the flesh, they should live.
Moreover, if you will add to these things that the comfort which springs from the assurance of our salvation is so great that even in the midst of troubles, miseries, calamities, and sorrows of this world, we may lead a cheerful and merry life. And that not without cause; seeing we feel in us that singular and noble gift which Paul to the Ephesians calls "The pledge of our salvation." I now see no reason for any man, upon just cause, to doubt of his coming one day into that state of Christ when he perceives already that his soul lives by the same Spirit of Christ.
But if a man will demand how we know that our soul is quickened by the same Spirit? Answer may be made by the words of Paul, "I live not any longer," says Paul to the Galatians, "but Christ liveth in me."
And unto the Philippians, "Christ unto me is life." These sayings declare no other thing but that the godly live in Christ, and Christ in them, and that by His Spirit. It is also written in the epistle to the Romans that "The same Spirit doth testify with our spirit that we are the sons of God." And it is not fit by any means to refuse such a certain testimony. But whoever has not this testimony inwardly in himself is unworthy to be called a Christian. But if any man objects that although Paul was endowed with this assured persuasion and that he felt inwardly this inward testimony in himself, it does not follow that the same must be granted to be in others. I answer that Paul wrote all these things unto the Romans, who as yet were far off from perfection; neither had they profited so much as Paul. And their own contentions, suspicions, and rash judgments, and also their very feeble and weak consciences, bear witness to this; all which things the apostle often reprehends in his writings.
Yet, when the Romans were such, he wrote unto them of that adoption whereby God had determined to make them His children when they should embrace Christian religion. Therefore, beloved
brethren, let us put off the spirit that miserably doubts of our salvation, seeing there is nothing that is more an enemy to our faith, which is the lively and most sure foundation of all our felicity. Who does not sufficiently understand how great contraries are believing and doubting, and how much they are repugnant to each other? For my part, I do not see how these things may agree: to believe truly in Christ, my only and true Savior, and to stand likewise in doubt of Him, whether He will save me or not, seeing He has received me into His faith, and so greatly testifies by His Spirit unto my mind that sweet and bountiful affection of His towards me. And if we admit the testimonies of men, who naturally are liars and prone to deceit, that we should in like manner cleave to them, how much rather ought we to repose ourselves in all those things which that good and true Spirit of God confirms by His testimony? Unless perhaps we allow ourselves to be persuaded that there is more truth and fidelity in men than there is in God. Whoever says this, shall in this point alone most plainly betray himself to be such a one as he is.
Therefore, let us yield unto the most benign and merciful God as great and many thanks as we can, who has (not by the ministry of angels or of any other creature whatsoever, but by the power of His own Spirit) engrafted us in Christ, His true and natural Son, and by Him has renewed and sanctified us, and so enriched us with the knowledge of Him and with other heavenly gifts that now we are destitute neither of strength nor of force, nor of light, nor of any faculty to let us whereby we should the less either will or work aright.
And thus we shall retain a cheerful and quiet life even in the midst of persecutions, which often the world and Satan do stir up, so that we are most fully persuaded by that holy Spirit that we shall obtain eternal life: and that not of our own merits but by the grace of our
Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns forever, Amen.