A53734:165
Two discourses concerning the Holy Spirit, and His work the one, Of the Spirit…
Two discourses concerning the Holy Spirit, and His work the one, Of the Spirit as a comforter, the other, As He is the author of spiritual gifts ... / by ... John Owen.
London: printed for William Marshall, 1693
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
FIRST; It is not any Act or Work of the Holy Spirit on us or in us, that is called his being an Earnest. It is He Himself who is this Earnest. This is expressed in every place where there is mention made of it. 2 Cor. 1. 22. [Greek or Hebrew]; The Earnest of the Spirit; that Earnest which is the Spirit, or the Spirit as an Earnest; as Austin reads the words, Arrhabona Spiritum. Chap. 5. 5. Who hath also given unto us the Earnest of the Spirit. The giving of this Earnest is constantly assigned to be the Act of God the Father, who according to the Promise of Christ would send the Comforter unto the Church. And in the other place, Ephes. 1. 14. it is expressly said that the Holy Spirit is the Earnest of our Inheritance. Every where the Article is of the Masculine Gender, [Greek or Hebrew]; and [Greek or Hebrew], the Spirit is of the Neuter. Some would have it to refer unto Christ, ⟨p. 93⟩v. 12. But as it is not unusual in Scripture that the Subjunctive Article and Relative should agree in Gender with the following Substantive, as [Greek or Hebrew] here doth with [Greek or Hebrew]; so the Scripture speaking of the Holy Ghost, though [Greek or Hebrew] be of the Neuter Gender, yet having respect unto the thing, that is, the Person of the Spirit, it subjoins the pronoun of the Masculine Gender unto it, as John 14. 26. Wherefore the Spirit himself is the Earnest, as given unto us from the Father by the Son. And this Act of God is expressed by giving or putting him into our Hearts, 2 Cor. 1. 22. How he doth this, hath been before declared, both in general, and with respect in particular unto his Inhabitation. The meaning therefore of the words is, that God gives unto us his Holy Spirit to dwell in us, and to abide with us as an Earnest of our future Inheritance.
FIRST; It is not any Act or Work of the Holy Spirit on us or in us, that is called his being an Earnest. It is He Himself who is this Earnest. This is exprest in every place where there is mention made of it.