The Scripture directory for church-officers and people, or, A practical commentary upon the whole…

Secondly, When the Spirit of God is said to dwell in his Church, it may not only be understood of the gracious effects thereof, but also of his Person likewise. And this indeed I find a very sublime and mysterious Dispute both among Papists and Protestants, Whether believers are made partakers of the Person of the holy Spirit, or only of his graces? According to many, all those places, where we are said to receive the Spirit, or to be full of the holy Ghost, they are extended no further than the gifts and graces of the holy Ghost: But certainly, many places, as this in my Text, are to be understood of the Person of the holy Ghost. For it's the Spirit (as we showed) that is the same with God. Now the gifts and graces of the Spirit are not the same with God: So we are said to be a Temple of this Spirit; and a Temple doth relate to a God, and to a Person, not to graces merely. So that we conclude, that opinion to be far more true, and consonant to Scripture, which makes us partakers even ⟨p. 208⟩of the Spirit it self, as we also are of Christ himself, and not of the benefits only that come by him: But the Scripture layeth down this in a transcendent and mystical manner, and it's by faith only. So that those who have fancied a transubstantiation into the God-head; To be Christed with Christ, and Godded with God, or to be made the Spirit with the Spirit, have thought of a physical and natural union; as if a drop of water were poured into the sea, where as it is only a moral union; even as the wife is made partaker not only of the husbands wealth, but the husband himself, yet not turned into his nature; and this comparison the Scripture doth often use.

Secondly, When the Spirit of God is said to dwell in his Church, it may not onely be understood of the gracious effects thereof, but also of his Person likewise. And this indeed I finde a very sublime and mysterious Dispute both among Papists and Protestants, Whether believers are made partakers of the Person of the holy Spirit, or onely of his graces? According to many, all those places, where we are said to receive the Spirit, or to be full of the holy Ghost, they are extended no further than the gifts and graces of the holy Ghost: But certainly, many places, as this in my Text, are to be understood of the Person of the holy Ghost. For it's the Spirit (as we shewed) that is the same with God. Now the gifts and graces of the Spirit are not the same with God: So we are said to be a Temple of this Spirit; and a Temple doth relate to a God, and to a Person, not to graces meerly. So that we conclude, that opinion to be farre more true, and consonant to Scripture, which makes us partakers even