Owen, Of Communion With God, File 20
(... continued from File 19)
Chapter 2. Of the acting of the Holy Ghost in us, being
bestowed on us - He worketh effectually,
distributeth, giveth.
Having thus declared from whence and how the Holy Ghost is
given unto us as a Spirit of consolation, I come, in the next
place, -
5thly. To declare what are his acting in us and towards
us, being so bestowed on us and received by us. Now, here are
two general heads to be considered: - (1st.) The manner and
kind of his acting in us, which are variously expressed; and,
(2dly.) The particular products of his acting in our souls,
wherein we have communion with him. The first is variously
expressed; I shall pass through them briefly: -
(1st.) He is said ("energein") "to work effectually," 1
Cor. 12: 11, "All these worketh" (or effecteth) "that one and
the self-same Spirit." It is spoken there, indeed, in respect
of his distribution of gifts; but the way is the same for the
communication of graces and privileges. He does it by working:
which, as it evinces his personality, especially as considered
with the words following, "Dividing to every man according to
his will" (for to work according to will is the inseparable
property of a person, and is spoken expressly of God, Eph. 1:
11); so in relation to verse 6, foregoing, it makes no less
evident his Deity. What he is here said to do as the Spirit
bestowed on us and given unto us, there is he said as God
himself to do: "There are diversities of operations, but it is
the same God which worketh all in all;" which here, in other
words, is, "All these worketh that one and the self same
Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will." What we
have, then, from him, we have by the way of his energetical
working. It is not by proposing this or that argument to us,
persuading us by these or those moral motives or inducements
alone, leaving us to make use of them as we can; but he works
effectually himself, what he communicates of grace or
consolation to us.
[2dly.] In the same verse, as to the manner of his
operation, he is said "diairein", - he divideth or
distributeth to every one as he will. This of distribution
adds to that of operation, choice, judgement, and freedom. He
that distributes variously, does it with choice, and
judgement, and freedom of will. Such are the proceedings of
the Spirit in his dispensations: to one, he giveth one thing
eminently; to another, another; - to one, in one degree; to
another, in another. Thus are the saints, in his sovereignty,
kept in a constant dependence on him. He distributes as he
will; - who should not be content with his portion? what claim
can any lay to that which he distributeth as he will? which is
farther manifested, -
[3dly.] By his being said to give when and what he
bestows. They "spake with other tongues, as the Spirit gave
them utterance," Acts 2: 4. He gave them to them; that is,
freely: whatever he bestows upon us, is of his gift. And hence
it is to be observed, that in the economy of our salvation,
the acting of no one person does prejudice the freedom and
liberty of any other: so the love of the Father in sending the
Son is free, and his sending does no ways prejudice the
liberty and love of the Son, but that he lays down his life
freely also; so the satisfaction and purchase made by the Son
does no way prejudice the freedom of the Father's grace in
pardoning and accepting us thereupon; so the Father's and
Son's sending of the Spirit does not derogate from his freedom
in his workings, but he gives freely what he gives. And the
reason of this is, because the will of the Father, Son, and
Holy Ghost, is essentially the same; so that in the acting of
one there is the counsel of all and each freely therein.
Thus, in general, is the manner and kind of his working in
us and towards us, being bestowed upon us, described. Power,
choice, freedom, are evidently denoted in the expressions
insisted on. It is not any peculiar work of his towards us
that is hereby declared, but the manner how he does produce
the effects that shall be insisted on.
(2dly.) That which remains, in the last place, for the
explanation of the things proposed to be explained as the
foundation of the communion which we have with the Holy Ghost,
is, -
The effects that, being thus sent and thus working, he
does produce; which I shall do, not casting them into any
artificial method, but taking them up as I find them lying
scattered up and down in the Scripture, only descending from
those which are more general to those which are more
particular, neither aiming nor desiring to gather all the
several, but insisting on those which do most obviously occur.
Only as formerly, so now you must observe, that I speak of
the Spirit principally (if not only) as a comforter, and not
as a sanctifier; and therefore the great work of the Spirit
towards us all our days, in the constant and continual
supplies of new light, power, vigour, as to our receiving of
grace from him, belonging to that head of sanctification, must
be omitted.
Nor shall I insist on those things which the Comforter
does in believers effect towards others, in his testifying to
them and convincing of the world, which are promised, John 15:
26, 16: 8, wherein he is properly their advocate; but only on
those which as a comforter he works in and towards them on
whom he is bestowed.
Owen, Of Communion With God
(continued in File 21...)
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file: /pub/resources/text/ipb-e/epl-09: owcom-20.txt
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