OUCHING the manifold signification of this word [Spirit]*[*[] in text.] I have elsewhere in this breefe discourse told you my mind: which is a word nothing differing in Hebrue from breath or wind. For all these words following; to wit, Spiritus, Ventus, Flatus, Halitus, are indifferentlie used by the Holie-ghost, and called by this Hebrue word רוח in the sacred scripture. For further proofe whereof I cite unto you the words of Isaie;Isai. 30, 28. For his spirit (or breath) is as a river that overfloweth up to the necke, &c: in which place the prophet describeth the comming of God in heate and indignation unto judgement, &c. I cite also unto you the words of Zacharie;Zach. 6, 5. These are the foure spirits of the heaven, &c. Likewise in Genesis;Gen. 1, 2. And the spirit of GOD mooved upon the waters. Moreover, I cite unto you the words of Christ;Joh. 3, 8. The spirit (or/544. wind) bloweth where it listeth. Unto which said places infinite more might be added out of holie writ, tending all to this purpose; namelie, to give us this for a note, that all the saiengs above cited, with manie more that I could alledge, where mention is made of spirit, the Hebrue text useth no word but one; to wit, רוח which signifieth (as I said) Spiritum, ventum, flatum, halitum; which may be Englished, Spirit, wind, blast, breath.
But before I enter upon the verie point of my purpose, it shall not be amisse, to make you acquainted with the collection of a certeine Schoole divine, who distinguisheth and divideth this word [Spirit]* *Eras. Sarcer. in dictio. Scholast. doctr. lit. S. into six significations; saieng that it is sometimes taken for the aier, sometimes for the wind, sometimes for/390. the bodies of the blessed, sometimes for the soules of the blessed, sometimes for the power imaginative or the mind of man; and sometimes for God. Againe he saith, that of spirits there are two sorts, some created and some uncreated.
A spirit uncreated (saith he) is God himselfe, and it is essentiallie taken, and agreeth unto the three persons notionallie, to the Father, the Sonne, and the Holie-ghost personallie. A spirit created is a creature, and that is likewise of two sorts; to wit, bodilie, and bodilesse. A bodilie spirit is also of two sorts: for some kind of spirit is so named of spiritualnes, as it is distinguished from bodilinesse: otherwise it is called Spiritus á spirando, id est, á flando, of breathing or blowing, as the wind dooth.
A bodilesse spirit is one waie so named of spiritualnes, and then it is taken for a spirituall substance; and is of two sorts: some make a full and complet kind, and is called complet or perfect, as a spirit angelicall: some doo not make a full and perfect kind, and is called incomplet or unperfect, as the soule. There is also the spirit vitall, which is a certeine subtill or verie fine substance necessarilie disposing and tending unto life. There be moreover spirits naturall, which are a kind of subtill and verie fine substances, disposing and tending unto equall complexions of bodies. Againe there be spirits animall, which are certeine subtill and verie fine substances disposing and tempering the bodie, that it might be animated of the forme, that is, that it might be perfected of the reasonable soule. Thus farre he. In whose division you see a philosophicall kind of proceeding, though not altogether/545. to be condemned, yet in everie point not to be approoved.
Erasm. Sar. in lib. loc. & lit. prædictis. Now to the spirit of spirits, I meane the principall and holie spirit of God, which one defineth or rather describeth to be the third person in trinitie issuing from the father and the sonne, no more the charitie dilection and love of the father and the sonne, than the father is the charitie dilection and love of the sonne and Holie-ghost. An other treating upon the same argument, proceedeth in this reverent manner: Laurent. à Villavicentio in phrasib. s. script. lit. S. pag. 176.The holie spirit is the vertue or power of God, quickening, nourishing, fostering and perfecting all things: by whose onlie breathing it commeth to passe that we both know and love GOD, and become at the length like unto him: which spirit is the pledge and earnest pennie of grace, and beareth witnesse unto our heart, whiles wee crie Abba, Father.Rom. 8, 15.
2. Cor. 6, 5. This spirit is called the spirit of GOD, the spirit of Christ, and the spirit of him which raised up Jesus from the dead.
Jesus Christ, for that he received not the spirit by measure, but in fulnesse, doth call it his spirit; saieng:John. 15, 26. When the comforter shall come, whome I will send, even the holie spirit, he shall testifie of me. This spirit hath diverse metaphoricall names attributed thereunto in the holie scriptures. It is called by the name of water, bicause it washeth, comforteth, moisteneth, softeneth, and maketh fruitefull with all godlinesse and vertues the minds of men, which otherwise would be uncleane, comfortlesse, hard, drie, and barren of all goodnesse: wherupon the prophet IsaieIsai. 44. saith; I will powre water upon the thirstie, and floods upon the drie ground, &c./391. Wherewith-all the words of Christ doo agree;John. 7, 38. Hee that beleeveth in me, as saith the scripture, out of his bellie shall flowe rivers of waters of life. And else where; John. 4, 14.Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him, shall never be more a thirst. Other places likewise there be, wherein the holie spirit is signified by the name of water and flood: as in the 13. of Isaie, the 29. of Ezech. the 146. Psalme, &c. The same spirit by reason of the force and vehemencie thereof is termed fier. For it doth purifie and cleanse the whole man from top to toe, it doth burne out the soile and drosse of sinnes, and setteth him all in a flaming and hot burning zeale to preferre and further God’s glorie. Which plainelie appeared in the apostles, who when they had re/ceived546. the spirit, they spake fierie words, yea such words as were uncontrollable, in so much as in none more than in them this saieng of the prophet JeremieJer. 23, 29. was verified, Nunquid non verba mea sunt quasi ignis? Are not my words even as it were fier? This was declared and shewed by those fierie toongs, which were seene upon the apostles after they had received the holie spirit.
Moreover, this spirit is called annointing, or ointment, bicause that as in old time preests and kings were by annointing deputed to their office and charge, and so were made fit and serviceable for the same: even so the elect are not so much declared as renewed and made apt by the training up of the holie spirit, both to live well and also to glorifie God. Whereupon dependeth the saieng of John;1. Joh. 2, 20. And yee have no need that anie should teach you, but as the same ointment doth teach you. It is also called in scripture, The oile of gladnesse and rejoising, whereof it is said in the booke of Psalmes;Psal. 44. God even thy God hath annointed thee with the oile of joy & gladnes, &c.Cyrill. in evang. Joh. lib. 3. cap. 14. And by this goodlie and comfortable name of oile in the scriptures is the mercie of God oftentimes expressed, because the nature of that doth agree with the propertie and qualitie of this. For as oile doth flote and swim above all other liquors, so the mercie of God doth surpasse and overreach all his works, and the same doth most of all disclose it selfe to miserable man.
Exod. 8.It is likewise called the finger of God, that is, the might and power of God: by the vertue whereof the apostles did cast out divels; to wit, even by the finger of God. It is called the spirit of truth, because it maketh men true and faithfull in their vocation: and for that it is the touchstone to trie all counterfet devises of mans braine, and all vaine sciences, prophane practises, deceitfull arts, and circumventing inventions; such as be in generall all sorts of witchcrafts and inchantments, within whose number are comprehended all those wherewith I have had some dealing in this my discoverie; to wit, charmes or incantations, divinations, augurie, judiciall astrologie, nativitie casting, alcumystrie, conjuration, lotshare, poperie which is meere paltrie, with diverse other: not one wherof no nor all together are able to stand to the triall and examination, which this spirit of truth shall and will take of those false and evill spirits. Naie, they shalbe found, when/547. they are laid into the balance, to be lighter than vanitie: verie drosse, when they once come to be tried by the fervent heate of this spirit; and like chaffe, when this spirit bloweth upon them, driven awaie with a violent whirlewind: such is the per/fection,392. integritie, and effectuall operation of this spirit, whose working as it is manifold, so it is marvellous, and therefore may and is called the spirit of spirits.
The holie spirit can abide nothing that is carnall, and uncleane.This spirit withdrawing it selfe from the harts of men, for that it will not inhabit and dwell where sinne hath dominion, giveth place unto the spirit of error and blindnesse, to the spirit of servitude and compunction, which biteth, gnaweth, and whetteth their harts with a deadlie hate of the gospell; in so much as it greeveth their minds and irketh their eares either to heare or understand the truth; of which disease properlie the phariseis of old were, and the papists even now are sicke. Yea, the want of this good spirit is the cause that manie fall into the spirit of perversenes and frowardnes, into the spirit of giddinesse, lieng, drowzines, and dulnesse: according as the prophet IsaieIsai. 29, 10. saith; For the Lord hath covered you with a spirit of slumber, and hath shut up your eies: and againe else-where, Dominus miscuit in medio, &c:Isai. 19, 14. The Lord hath mingled among them the spirit of giddinesse, and hath made Aegypt to erre, as a dronken man erreth in his vomit: as it is said by Paule;Ro. 1, 21, 23. And their foolish hart was blinded, and God gave them over unto their owne harts lusts. Which punishment MosesDeuter. 28, 28, 29. threateneth unto the Jews; The Lord shall smite thee with madnesse, with blindnesse and amazednesse of mind, and thou shalt grope at high noone as a blind man useth to grope, &c.