A Golden Chain

Now having spoken hitherto of the first person the father, and also of the son, it followeth in the next place to speak of the third person in these words, I believe in the holy Ghost. In which we may consider two things, the title of the person, and the action of faith, repeated from the beginning. The title is, Holy Ghost, or spirit. It may here be demanded, how this title can be fit to express the third person, which seems to be common to the rest: for the father is holy, and the son is holy: again, the father is a spirit, and the son ⟨p. 436⟩is a spirit. Ans. Indeed the father and the son are as well to be termed holy in respect of their natures, the third person: for all three subsisting in one and the same godhead, are consequently holy by one and the fame holiness: but the third person is called holy, because beside the holiness of nature, his office is to sanctify the Church of God. Now if it be said that sanctification is a work of the whole Trinity, the answer is, that although it be so, yet the work of sanctification agrees to the Holy Ghost in special manner. The father sanctifieth by the son and by the holy Ghost: the son sanctifieth from the father and by the Holy Ghost: the holy Ghost sanctifieth from the father and from the son by himself immediately: and in this respect is the third person termed holy. Again the third person is termed a Spirit, not only because his nature is spiritual (for in that respect the father is a spirit and the son is a spirit;) but because he is spired or breathed from the father and from the son, in that he proceeds from them both. Thus we see there is a special cause why the third person is called the Holy Ghost.

Nowe hauing spoken hitherto of the first person the father, and also of the sonne, it followeth in the next place to speake of the third person in these wordes, I beleeue in the holy Ghost. In which wee may consider two things, the title of the person, and the action of faith, repeated from the beginning. The title is, Holy Ghost, or spirit. It may here be demanded, howe this title can be fit to expresse the third person, which seemes to bee common to the rest: for the father is holy, and the sonne is holy: againe, the father is a spirit, and the sonne ⟨p. 436⟩is a spirit. Ans. Indeed the father and the sonne are as wel to be tearmed holy in respect of their natures, the third person: for all three subsisting in one and the same godhead, are consequently holy by one and the fame holinesse: but the third person is called holy, because beside the holinesse of nature, his office is to sanctifie the Church of God. Nowe if it be said that sanctification is a work of the whole Trinitie, the answer is, that although it be so, yet the worke of sanctification agrees to the Holy Ghost in speciall manner. The father sanctifieth by the sonne and by the holy Ghost: the sonne sanctifieth from the father and by the Holy Ghost: the holy Ghost sanctifieth from the father and from the sonne by himselfe immediatly: and in this respect is the third person tearmed holy. Againe the third person is tearmed a Spirit, not onely because his nature is spirituall (for in that respect the father is a spirit and the sonne is a spirit;) but because hee is spired or breathed from the father and from the sonne, in that he procedes from them both. Thus wee see there is a speciall cause why the third person is called the Holy Ghost.