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THE PR. ACTIC. AL CHRISTIAN'.
by ye are sealed unto the day of redemption."
EI, hcs. 4: 30. Again : " For God hath not
called us unto uncleanness, bdt unto holiness.
He therefore that despjseth, despiaeth not rna,!,
but God, who hath also given unto us his Holy
Spirit," 1 Thess. 4: 7, 8. Theile pa888ges
show conclusively that the Holy Spirit is truly
and properly God's Spirit: so lhat whenev- .
er in Scripture we read of the Holy Ghost, the
Holy Spirit, God's Spirit, the Spirit of the
Lord, & c., we are to understand always the
same peculiar divine element.
1. 1 have said that by this divine element God
diffuses himself through infiniie space. I will
explain my meaning, It is impossible for me
to form ~ ny definite conception ofthe Creator
us II personal intelligence without centralizing
his mind. 1 am compelled to imagine some
point as the source anll seat of his vitality"
whence issue forth in 1111 directions th e rays
of his spirit. It mny beowing to my weakness
that I can form no better conception, but 1
have tried in vain, and must wait till some
higher stage of my being for worthier views.
Cherishing these ideas of God, for want of nobler
ones, 1 contemplate the Holy Spirit as Ihe"'
most subtile , volatile, elastic, expansive lind
penetrating essence existing, and- yet as incapnhle
of losing its inherent energy hy diffu sion.
I seem to see this incomprehensible elem
ent of the divine nature radiated into the
infinity ofspa ce , and filling the universe with
<( od's presence. Every where it is virtually
God, yet not the proper person of God, but
only the Spirit ofGod ; F UI · ther than thi s I attempt
not to explain what so fiu' transcends my
sublimest thoughls. 1 doubt not the greul/ act,
that hy this Spirit God diffuses himself thro'
iufinite space, and so renders himself omnipresent,
however I mllY he lost in lIlIllmpting
to understand the proccss. of ita . accomplish.
ment. It is cer ta in that He
~ .: ' l" IC .. '~-
" Lives through caillife, extends throogh all extant,
Spreads undivided, and operatea onopent;'.'
This is imprinted on the tablets of creation,
and is declured · hy the unceasing voice of univer~
al NlIture. Thill too is the testimony of di ·
vine revelation. Job llays--'-" 8y his Spirit he
halh garnished the heavens." Job 26: ] 3. Elihu
suys:".;)' l f he set hi ~ heart upon l1Ian, if
he ~ uth er IInto him selfhis spirit and his br eath,
all flesh shall peri sh together." Ih. 34: 14, 15~
David silys-" Whither shall I go . fl'OIB' thy
. S pirit ? Or wIlhher shall ' I flee fi'om thy presence?
If I ascend lip into heaven, thou art
th ere. ) f 1 make Illy bed in hell, behold Ihou
IIrt th ere. IfJ tnke the wings of Ihe morning,
and dw ell in the IIllennost ' pnrts of the Hea;
even there shall thy hand lead me, IIlId thy
rightllBlld hold l1Ie." PsaJ. 139: 7- 10. Truly
" in him we live, anti inove, and hllve our
being."
By his Spirit God dwells in all holy beings•
All true holiness ill prompted and nourished
hy the . Holy Spirit. Where it is listened to
and obeyed, it hecomes , permanently resident.
Hence it may be truly · afti rmed dlDt GOII hy
thill Spirit dwells in all holy beings. By it he
dwells in Jesllll Christ in all the fullnet'S ofHis
Godhead; for as the Baptillt te~ lifi ed- IIGod
giveth not the Spirit by meallure unto him." John
3: 34. By it he dwells ill all the . heovenly
f8mily of ungels nnd snints. Palll SlIYS"
they that · are in the flesh cannot plens e God.
But ye are not in the Besh, hilI ill the Spirit; if
80 be that ~ h e Spirit of God dwell ill YOII. Now
ifuny mnn hnve not th e Spirit of Christ,
he is none of his : • But if the Spirit of him
thaHaised up Jeslls from the deael dw ell in
yOIl, he that mi sed up Christ fi'omthe dead,
I! hall also quicken your mortal bodi es hy his
Spirit thaI d ~ ellelh in YOIl. •• For us many
as are led by th e Spirit of God, th ey are
the sons of God." Rom. 8: 8, 9, 11, 14. John
sllys-" 8ereby know we that we dwell in
him, snd he in UIl, because he hath given us
of his , spiri t." 1 John 4: 13. Again; Paul
says-" We ' have receiv; d not the Spirit of the
world, but the Spirit which is of God, that
we might know the things that lire freely given
us of God. Which . thi ~ gJl aillo we apeak,
not in th e words whic h m8n'c wisdom te! Jeh ·
VOL. I.
' I'HB :' B. AO'l' 1: 0AL OHB. I8' 1' IAN
" pualished twice every calendar , lmlnth- lIl
One Dollar per annum, payable always in adva1l'Ce
- no credit beyond No. 2 of each volume . Persons
.~ o n si b le for sn: copies receive the seventh
« ratis. N., ' lIbseriptiop received for \ elll than one
year.
Regular Contributors to she Work,- ADlN
BALLOU,( Editor and' Publishing Agent;) J). l. VID
R. L. l. llolftON, GEORGE W. STAC'IC, DANIEL S.
\ VKI. TNEY, WILLIAH H. FlaK, S. l. MUEL J.
. M A. Y .
All letters, remittances and communicationo to
be sent ( post paid) to ADIN BALLOU, Menolon,
' Man . ·
We love all, but caa flatter none. Therefore
we solicit noperson to IGb. cribe who is not willing
we .1101114 ' Iller all our moral eenvictious 88 freely
as the wii> ft blow 11m! the waters run. ' 1' 0 all
such , of whatsoever name or persuasion. we make
- our respectful s810tat", n, and would say " Come
and see if any good thiag can come out of NaZlleeth."
EXPOSITIOX or rAITH.
CHAPTER IV.
COIlCE. RNING THE HOLY GHOST.
I believe :- thot the Holy Ghost is the Spitit
of God:- tbat divine element whereby he
Oditfuses himself through infinite sllllce, dwells
in all holy beings, influences more or less all
moral agents, endows his chosen servnnts with
miraculous pow ers, · llIa llifellls hi~ presence on
special occasions, and op erates for the execu-
. tion of his will in ev ~ ry part of the universe ;
that it is the enlightener, qui ckener, reprover,
seuetifiee and cumfi, rter of the mlJral worltl, without
whose regenerming influeuce no lost
soul can ever ent er into the kiugdom of'God.
Sf~ CT19N 1.
The Holy Ghost is the Spirit of God- i- that di vine
element whereby he diffuses himself
through infinite sl) llce, dwells in all holy be ·
iugs, infln encml I/ Iore or less a II 1II0rai
agent ", endow!! his chosen servantll with
miraculons . powerll, manifests his iJrese llce
.-- .."... - . .... ~ 1 ,.. - j: a--- .....'. .
on sp ecial oC'~ lIsionll, amI operlltes for the
execllliou of his will in every part of the
universe.
" J1/ 1d the Spirit 0/ God _\ Jea upon the/ 1lU oj
the waters." Gen. 1 :~.
The Holy Ghost is the Spirit of Goel. 1
mean thltt it proceeds by continual elllllllution
from the etemal Father, Spirit from ~ I! irit,
the . stream from the fonntaill, like of like. God
is au infinite Spirit. The Holy Ghost · is distinguishaLle
from God only by its peculiar offlee
in th e divine lidministration. Jt is conIlubstlllltiol
with the Eterna. l Logos which.
dwells ill and uniles the perfect ma~ Christ
Jesus with the Fllther. Hence it is al! ke the
Spirit ofGod, and the spirit of Christ- their
common messenger and representative to all
the hellvenly family whithersoever sC, lltlered
ubrolld. With th ese views of the Holy Ghost
1 helieve' all th e representations of scripture
. will . be , liHIIUf to harmonize. The doctrine
' , thllt; the Holy Ghost ill a proper person ill the
Godhead, distinct/ rOil! : llId coequal with the
' F a ther, I call not rece ive as any pllrt of the
~ hristion lilith . While therefore 1 denounce'
n~' t my fellow christinll8 who !' o IInderlltand
the 8ubject, I proceed to establish what seems
to Ill'" to he most c1ellrly declared in my in/ allible
directory.
IIl . the. first plac e, let it he understood that
the . words Gho, t. and Spirit are , only different
translations of th e SUllle original Greek term,
: which is " pneuma." The Holy Ghosl; tlum,
is the Holy Spirit. The original ought to
. have been uniformly rendered Holy Spirit. l.
elUB now see whether the Holy Spirit is 1I0t
truly nnd properly God's Sllirit. David Slly8,
· .' Cast me not lIway from thy presence, and
, tllke not thy Holy Sllirit from me. Restore
unto ,_ me the joy of thy . sill vat ion, and IIphold
lI1e with thy free Spirit." . Psa l. 5]: n, 12. Isaiah
, speakillg of Israel, sny s," But they rebelled,
and vexed his Holy Sllirit." Again;
· ' Where is he that put his Holy Spirit in him?"
I sa ,, 63: ) 0, 11. Our Sav! or 8l1ys-" lfyc then
being. evil, know how to give good gifts unto
your children, how milch more shall your
Heav, cnly Falher give the Holy Spirit to them
thaI allk him?" L~ k8 11: 13• . Paul . SIlYS"
~ An diir ic ve no t th ~. Holy. Spirit ofGod, whe re ·
De't'oted to Truth and Righteousness.
MElI! DON, MASS., DECEMBER ~, 1840.
. eth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth ; comparing
spirituel things with spiritual." 1 Cor.
2: 12, 13. Again; " Know ye not that ye are
the temple of God, and ihat the Spirit of God
dwelleth ' in you? Jfany DIan defile the ternpie
of God, him shall God destroy; ( or the
temple of God is holy, which temple ye are."
lb. 3: ~ 6, 17. Jesus sayll-" If any man love
me he will keep my words, and my ' Father
will love him, >< tId we will come UOIO him and
make our abode with him." John 14: 23.
2. By his Spirit God influences more or less
allmora! agents. This is that light where.
with he " enlighteneth every man that cometh
into the workl ;" John 1: 9- the Spirit of
ChriaL By this tile work of the law is wr itten
in the heart of the most distant and outwardly
untaght heathen. Rom. 2: 15. By its influence
the wicked Are rehuked and restrained,
convicted of sin, humbled, subdued and convert
ed. By it the regenerate are chastened,
enlightened, comforted and advanced towards
perfection. It strives with . great long- suffering
in the hearts even of those who contemn
itll counsels, and leaves them only when wilfully
resisted. In the willing and ob edient it
remains the spring ofendless peace, righteous
and joy. Hence the apostle sayll-" The fruit
of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long - suffering,
gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance."
Gul. 5:~, 23. Hence, also , he says"
The kingdom ofGod is not meat and drink,
hnt righteousness, and peace, and joy in the
Holy Ghost." And again; " Tribulation worketh
patience j anel patience experience j and
experience hope j and hope rnuketh not
asharned ; because the love of God ill shed
abrond in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which
i~ given unto us." Rom. 5: 3- 5. i
3. By his Sllirit God en dows his chollen
serv qnls with miraculous ' p owe~. To his
beIO\''!.~ 1 Son he giveth the l; lpirit withollt
ine08~ re.. At hi" ba1> tism the~ heuvells were
opened, and the; Holy Ghost was . c8used) 0 descend
in the mOllt wonllerful ' manner · . upon
him. Luke Ilays-(: I- He was " full of the
Holy Ghost." Peter, as we have seen, declares
him to have been " anointed wilh the
Holy Ghost and power." It wall he whom
John the Baptist nnnounc~ d, as coming aft er
him to baptize " with the Holy Ghost and with
fire ." . He declared to the Pharisees, th at hc
cu.. t out devil, by Ihe Spirit and finger ofGod.
After his resurrcction it is said of him, that
he breathed on his dis ciples, sayin,::, " Receive
ye thc Holy . Ghost." John 20: 22. A" coreling
to his direction, they tllrried in J erusalem
till they should be imhued with I, ower from
on high, which event took plnce" on the dny of
P ent icost. " AIlII when the day of . P emicos t
Wllll fully come, they were. all with onc Ilccord
in one pl: lee. And sucldenly therll cunie a
sound from heaven, , as ofa rushing ' mighty
wind, anel it tille. 1 ail the hOllse where they
were sitting, And there appeared unto them
cloven tongues us of tire, aOiI it sat upon each
01 them. And they were nil filled with the
Holy Ghost, and began to spenk with other
tongues, a8 the Spirit gave them utt erance. llP
eter in explaining this said to the alltoni8hed
people- uThill ill thaI which , was spoken liy
the prophet Joel: And it ' llhall come. topass
in the! ast dnys, ( saith God,).! will rour out of
my Spirit upon nil flesh: and . your sons and
your dllllghtetll shall prophesy, ol1d your
young men Ilhnll see visioO/ I , and your oltl men
sha ll dream dreallls ; and on '': IY servonts and
on my handmllidens. l ' Yill pour out in those
day" of my Spirit ; and they Rhallprophesy =
and I will show wonders in heaven ahove, and
signs in the earth beneath .". Acts ,2: )- 4 •
16-] 9. Hence Paul afterwatds held the fol.
lowing Innguage to his brethren. ofthe Corin thian
CIJurch- uWherefore I give you to un ·
c1erlltand, thnt no no mon speaking by tbe Spiro
ilofGod calleth Jesus accursed: an, lthat no
man can S8Y that Jesus is the Lord hill hy the
Holy Ghost. Now there are ' dh'etsiti es of
gifts, but the Ilallle Spirit. And th er e ate ,! if ·
ferencell of administrations, bUI th e sume Lord.
And there arc diversities of operotionll, but . it
is the Rme God which worketh all in all. Brit
the'mllnif~ stat~ on of, tlre Sp'irit is glr'Cn to
No. 15.
every man to profit withal. For to one is given
' by the Spjrit the word of wisdom ; to another
the word of knowledge by the same
Spirit j to another faith by the same Spirit i
to another the~ ifta of healing l) y the same
Spirit; to another the working of miracles;
to another. prophecy ; to another discerning of
Spirits I to another divers kinda of tongues j
to another the lnterpretntlon of tongues ; but
all these worketh that aile and the self- same
Spirit; dividing to eve ry ' man severally as be
will!' .1 Cor, 12: 3- 11. With these representations
the Whole Bible concurs.
4. By his Spirit G;;' d manifests his presence
on special occasions. All those awful and
sublime appearances of God and his glory recorded
in the Old and New Testaments, were
epeci~ 1 manifestations of himself hy the concentration
of his - S pirit. Hence those fenrful ~
sights; and aupematural- seunds, which Moses
and the Israelites witnessed in their day , nnd
some of which occurred afterwords in the min"
istration of the prophets. · 1 might select many
striking instances from the pages of Scriptura,
but will content myself with only observing,
that though Goel jli often represented all manifesting
himself, and in some inetauces seemingly
in person, yet it is always . to _~ understood,
thnt Illi did so hy the . apparltion of his
Spirit o nly- i. e. by the Holy Ghost- the An .
gel of his presence. . F or strictly it is most
certain that God himself, in I. ls own proper
person, dwelleth in light inaccessible; where
no man hath seen, or can see ' lim. · l\ Ioses, it
is said, spoke with God face to face j but in
this and all similar cases, they saw and . heard
onlv that special representation of himself,
which he is at a ~ y time able to causeby the
concentrative power of his Spirit- not the '
proper pel'Ron of Ihe immortal God; for no
man ca'n see him ancllive. The visible glllry
of God whicii'shone lit tim es with overpowerillg
brightness in and about"' the 8neie~ t s& nctll'
ary, und which is said also to' have . filled the
temple ofSolomon at itll d edi'~ lItion , \' I'lltl the
apparition of the clivine Spirit- the special
manifesl/ ilion of God's · presence. · tt is : a lso
frequently call ed Ibe Anglll of , God j i. e. hill
divine Messenger.
5. Fiually, hy thil'l Spirit God operates for
the execution of his will in ever. y p~ rt of the
universe. H)' · it Ilfl gave, iiII'm to IIHl earth ,
when it was spread nut in the e1mos of ils first
existence . 11 w~ s thcn . that his Spirit mov .,.!
on th e face of the wllterll, and , gav c instant effect
10 the cornmllnd-" Let th erc be light." By
thi s Spirit he fllHhioned the celet! tla l areh,
and garnished the heavens. Witholll it " was
nothing mad e, that is made." By it, as the
operative finger of his right hllnd, he causes
his will to he carried into etrect, alike on matter
8~ l mind, throughout all !' Ipace. . " It is
quick und powerlill, sharper than any twoedgell
swo,. l, piercing e. en to the e1h · idiqg allsunder
of the I'onl and sp iril, the jointll and
marrow- and is a discerner of the thoughts
and ' intentll or the hellrt." Heh. 4: 12. It is
that quickening Spirit by which the dead iD
sin ar e rai lled to. newneaa of Illliritual life, aud
hy which the n: nurully dead in their graves
lire csullcd to come forth to immortality. The
apostle Paul Mys- IIFor onr conversation .1s
in heaven, from whence also wc look for the
Sovior, theLorrl J esus Christ j who IIhall
change 0111' vile body, that it rnay be fuehioned
like IInto his moat . gloriolls bod)', according
to the workil) g , whe reby he ill . nble even , to
subdue allthi~ gs unto hilllBelf.' i Phil, 3: 20,21.
By this is effected the wnshil) g of regeneration,
and that lIanctification of th'elloul, which is
the seal of the living God, and mokll8 us " met: t
for the illh eritance oflhe llRints iD. lilJht,"
Such is the Holy Ghost- the outpoured
Spirit of God. 1t pervadee immensity; it
tills heaven and earth. h~ qperations are in. ·
visihly affecting all thatexista in this boundlesl!'
creation, Le: us welcome it to our bosoms, .
listen to itll njproot:~, follow itl! tear: hi l1gs;' ch ~ r -
. ish its . purifying 1Iamc, walk by itB light, re-joice
in ilS Iife- giYing energy, trE'lIsure lip its
joys, and '! pprove OUl'llel~ tltI itll conlreCratetl
temples. Let Ull never lIo it t\ e. pitP, nor gri~ lVe
it, nor I'elist ie. 8t~ l vi~; 8~ ~( to Irriln') in all
by ye are sealed unto the day of redemption."
EI, hcs. 4: 30. Again : " For God hath not
called us unto uncleanness, bdt unto holiness.
He therefore that despjseth, despiaeth not rna,!,
but God, who hath also given unto us his Holy
Spirit," 1 Thess. 4: 7, 8. Theile pa888ges
show conclusively that the Holy Spirit is truly
and properly God's Spirit: so lhat whenev- .
er in Scripture we read of the Holy Ghost, the
Holy Spirit, God's Spirit, the Spirit of the
Lord, & c., we are to understand always the
same peculiar divine element.
1. 1 have said that by this divine element God
diffuses himself through infiniie space. I will
explain my meaning, It is impossible for me
to form ~ ny definite conception ofthe Creator
us II personal intelligence without centralizing
his mind. 1 am compelled to imagine some
point as the source anll seat of his vitality"
whence issue forth in 1111 directions th e rays
of his spirit. It mny beowing to my weakness
that I can form no better conception, but 1
have tried in vain, and must wait till some
higher stage of my being for worthier views.
Cherishing these ideas of God, for want of nobler
ones, 1 contemplate the Holy Spirit as Ihe"'
most subtile , volatile, elastic, expansive lind
penetrating essence existing, and- yet as incapnhle
of losing its inherent energy hy diffu sion.
I seem to see this incomprehensible elem
ent of the divine nature radiated into the
infinity ofspa ce , and filling the universe with
<( od's presence. Every where it is virtually
God, yet not the proper person of God, but
only the Spirit ofGod ; F UI · ther than thi s I attempt
not to explain what so fiu' transcends my
sublimest thoughls. 1 doubt not the greul/ act,
that hy this Spirit God diffuses himself thro'
iufinite space, and so renders himself omnipresent,
however I mllY he lost in lIlIllmpting
to understand the proccss. of ita . accomplish.
ment. It is cer ta in that He
~ .: ' l" IC .. '~-
" Lives through caillife, extends throogh all extant,
Spreads undivided, and operatea onopent;'.'
This is imprinted on the tablets of creation,
and is declured · hy the unceasing voice of univer~
al NlIture. Thill too is the testimony of di ·
vine revelation. Job llays--'-" 8y his Spirit he
halh garnished the heavens." Job 26: ] 3. Elihu
suys:".;)' l f he set hi ~ heart upon l1Ian, if
he ~ uth er IInto him selfhis spirit and his br eath,
all flesh shall peri sh together." Ih. 34: 14, 15~
David silys-" Whither shall I go . fl'OIB' thy
. S pirit ? Or wIlhher shall ' I flee fi'om thy presence?
If I ascend lip into heaven, thou art
th ere. ) f 1 make Illy bed in hell, behold Ihou
IIrt th ere. IfJ tnke the wings of Ihe morning,
and dw ell in the IIllennost ' pnrts of the Hea;
even there shall thy hand lead me, IIlId thy
rightllBlld hold l1Ie." PsaJ. 139: 7- 10. Truly
" in him we live, anti inove, and hllve our
being."
By his Spirit God dwells in all holy beings•
All true holiness ill prompted and nourished
hy the . Holy Spirit. Where it is listened to
and obeyed, it hecomes , permanently resident.
Hence it may be truly · afti rmed dlDt GOII hy
thill Spirit dwells in all holy beings. By it he
dwells in Jesllll Christ in all the fullnet'S ofHis
Godhead; for as the Baptillt te~ lifi ed- IIGod
giveth not the Spirit by meallure unto him." John
3: 34. By it he dwells ill all the . heovenly
f8mily of ungels nnd snints. Palll SlIYS"
they that · are in the flesh cannot plens e God.
But ye are not in the Besh, hilI ill the Spirit; if
80 be that ~ h e Spirit of God dwell ill YOII. Now
ifuny mnn hnve not th e Spirit of Christ,
he is none of his : • But if the Spirit of him
thaHaised up Jeslls from the deael dw ell in
yOIl, he that mi sed up Christ fi'omthe dead,
I! hall also quicken your mortal bodi es hy his
Spirit thaI d ~ ellelh in YOIl. •• For us many
as are led by th e Spirit of God, th ey are
the sons of God." Rom. 8: 8, 9, 11, 14. John
sllys-" 8ereby know we that we dwell in
him, snd he in UIl, because he hath given us
of his , spiri t." 1 John 4: 13. Again; Paul
says-" We ' have receiv; d not the Spirit of the
world, but the Spirit which is of God, that
we might know the things that lire freely given
us of God. Which . thi ~ gJl aillo we apeak,
not in th e words whic h m8n'c wisdom te! Jeh ·
VOL. I.
' I'HB :' B. AO'l' 1: 0AL OHB. I8' 1' IAN
" pualished twice every calendar , lmlnth- lIl
One Dollar per annum, payable always in adva1l'Ce
- no credit beyond No. 2 of each volume . Persons
.~ o n si b le for sn: copies receive the seventh
« ratis. N., ' lIbseriptiop received for \ elll than one
year.
Regular Contributors to she Work,- ADlN
BALLOU,( Editor and' Publishing Agent;) J). l. VID
R. L. l. llolftON, GEORGE W. STAC'IC, DANIEL S.
\ VKI. TNEY, WILLIAH H. FlaK, S. l. MUEL J.
. M A. Y .
All letters, remittances and communicationo to
be sent ( post paid) to ADIN BALLOU, Menolon,
' Man . ·
We love all, but caa flatter none. Therefore
we solicit noperson to IGb. cribe who is not willing
we .1101114 ' Iller all our moral eenvictious 88 freely
as the wii> ft blow 11m! the waters run. ' 1' 0 all
such , of whatsoever name or persuasion. we make
- our respectful s810tat", n, and would say " Come
and see if any good thiag can come out of NaZlleeth."
EXPOSITIOX or rAITH.
CHAPTER IV.
COIlCE. RNING THE HOLY GHOST.
I believe :- thot the Holy Ghost is the Spitit
of God:- tbat divine element whereby he
Oditfuses himself through infinite sllllce, dwells
in all holy beings, influences more or less all
moral agents, endows his chosen servnnts with
miraculous pow ers, · llIa llifellls hi~ presence on
special occasions, and op erates for the execu-
. tion of his will in ev ~ ry part of the universe ;
that it is the enlightener, qui ckener, reprover,
seuetifiee and cumfi, rter of the mlJral worltl, without
whose regenerming influeuce no lost
soul can ever ent er into the kiugdom of'God.
Sf~ CT19N 1.
The Holy Ghost is the Spirit of God- i- that di vine
element whereby he diffuses himself
through infinite sl) llce, dwells in all holy be ·
iugs, infln encml I/ Iore or less a II 1II0rai
agent ", endow!! his chosen servantll with
miraculons . powerll, manifests his iJrese llce
.-- .."... - . .... ~ 1 ,.. - j: a--- .....'. .
on sp ecial oC'~ lIsionll, amI operlltes for the
execllliou of his will in every part of the
universe.
" J1/ 1d the Spirit 0/ God _\ Jea upon the/ 1lU oj
the waters." Gen. 1 :~.
The Holy Ghost is the Spirit of Goel. 1
mean thltt it proceeds by continual elllllllution
from the etemal Father, Spirit from ~ I! irit,
the . stream from the fonntaill, like of like. God
is au infinite Spirit. The Holy Ghost · is distinguishaLle
from God only by its peculiar offlee
in th e divine lidministration. Jt is conIlubstlllltiol
with the Eterna. l Logos which.
dwells ill and uniles the perfect ma~ Christ
Jesus with the Fllther. Hence it is al! ke the
Spirit ofGod, and the spirit of Christ- their
common messenger and representative to all
the hellvenly family whithersoever sC, lltlered
ubrolld. With th ese views of the Holy Ghost
1 helieve' all th e representations of scripture
. will . be , liHIIUf to harmonize. The doctrine
' , thllt; the Holy Ghost ill a proper person ill the
Godhead, distinct/ rOil! : llId coequal with the
' F a ther, I call not rece ive as any pllrt of the
~ hristion lilith . While therefore 1 denounce'
n~' t my fellow christinll8 who !' o IInderlltand
the 8ubject, I proceed to establish what seems
to Ill'" to he most c1ellrly declared in my in/ allible
directory.
IIl . the. first plac e, let it he understood that
the . words Gho, t. and Spirit are , only different
translations of th e SUllle original Greek term,
: which is " pneuma." The Holy Ghosl; tlum,
is the Holy Spirit. The original ought to
. have been uniformly rendered Holy Spirit. l.
elUB now see whether the Holy Spirit is 1I0t
truly nnd properly God's Sllirit. David Slly8,
· .' Cast me not lIway from thy presence, and
, tllke not thy Holy Sllirit from me. Restore
unto ,_ me the joy of thy . sill vat ion, and IIphold
lI1e with thy free Spirit." . Psa l. 5]: n, 12. Isaiah
, speakillg of Israel, sny s," But they rebelled,
and vexed his Holy Sllirit." Again;
· ' Where is he that put his Holy Spirit in him?"
I sa ,, 63: ) 0, 11. Our Sav! or 8l1ys-" lfyc then
being. evil, know how to give good gifts unto
your children, how milch more shall your
Heav, cnly Falher give the Holy Spirit to them
thaI allk him?" L~ k8 11: 13• . Paul . SIlYS"
~ An diir ic ve no t th ~. Holy. Spirit ofGod, whe re ·
De't'oted to Truth and Righteousness.
MElI! DON, MASS., DECEMBER ~, 1840.
. eth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth ; comparing
spirituel things with spiritual." 1 Cor.
2: 12, 13. Again; " Know ye not that ye are
the temple of God, and ihat the Spirit of God
dwelleth ' in you? Jfany DIan defile the ternpie
of God, him shall God destroy; ( or the
temple of God is holy, which temple ye are."
lb. 3: ~ 6, 17. Jesus sayll-" If any man love
me he will keep my words, and my ' Father
will love him, >< tId we will come UOIO him and
make our abode with him." John 14: 23.
2. By his Spirit God influences more or less
allmora! agents. This is that light where.
with he " enlighteneth every man that cometh
into the workl ;" John 1: 9- the Spirit of
ChriaL By this tile work of the law is wr itten
in the heart of the most distant and outwardly
untaght heathen. Rom. 2: 15. By its influence
the wicked Are rehuked and restrained,
convicted of sin, humbled, subdued and convert
ed. By it the regenerate are chastened,
enlightened, comforted and advanced towards
perfection. It strives with . great long- suffering
in the hearts even of those who contemn
itll counsels, and leaves them only when wilfully
resisted. In the willing and ob edient it
remains the spring ofendless peace, righteous
and joy. Hence the apostle sayll-" The fruit
of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long - suffering,
gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance."
Gul. 5:~, 23. Hence, also , he says"
The kingdom ofGod is not meat and drink,
hnt righteousness, and peace, and joy in the
Holy Ghost." And again; " Tribulation worketh
patience j anel patience experience j and
experience hope j and hope rnuketh not
asharned ; because the love of God ill shed
abrond in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which
i~ given unto us." Rom. 5: 3- 5. i
3. By his Sllirit God en dows his chollen
serv qnls with miraculous ' p owe~. To his
beIO\''!.~ 1 Son he giveth the l; lpirit withollt
ine08~ re.. At hi" ba1> tism the~ heuvells were
opened, and the; Holy Ghost was . c8used) 0 descend
in the mOllt wonllerful ' manner · . upon
him. Luke Ilays-(: I- He was " full of the
Holy Ghost." Peter, as we have seen, declares
him to have been " anointed wilh the
Holy Ghost and power." It wall he whom
John the Baptist nnnounc~ d, as coming aft er
him to baptize " with the Holy Ghost and with
fire ." . He declared to the Pharisees, th at hc
cu.. t out devil, by Ihe Spirit and finger ofGod.
After his resurrcction it is said of him, that
he breathed on his dis ciples, sayin,::, " Receive
ye thc Holy . Ghost." John 20: 22. A" coreling
to his direction, they tllrried in J erusalem
till they should be imhued with I, ower from
on high, which event took plnce" on the dny of
P ent icost. " AIlII when the day of . P emicos t
Wllll fully come, they were. all with onc Ilccord
in one pl: lee. And sucldenly therll cunie a
sound from heaven, , as ofa rushing ' mighty
wind, anel it tille. 1 ail the hOllse where they
were sitting, And there appeared unto them
cloven tongues us of tire, aOiI it sat upon each
01 them. And they were nil filled with the
Holy Ghost, and began to spenk with other
tongues, a8 the Spirit gave them utt erance. llP
eter in explaining this said to the alltoni8hed
people- uThill ill thaI which , was spoken liy
the prophet Joel: And it ' llhall come. topass
in the! ast dnys, ( saith God,).! will rour out of
my Spirit upon nil flesh: and . your sons and
your dllllghtetll shall prophesy, ol1d your
young men Ilhnll see visioO/ I , and your oltl men
sha ll dream dreallls ; and on '': IY servonts and
on my handmllidens. l ' Yill pour out in those
day" of my Spirit ; and they Rhallprophesy =
and I will show wonders in heaven ahove, and
signs in the earth beneath .". Acts ,2: )- 4 •
16-] 9. Hence Paul afterwatds held the fol.
lowing Innguage to his brethren. ofthe Corin thian
CIJurch- uWherefore I give you to un ·
c1erlltand, thnt no no mon speaking by tbe Spiro
ilofGod calleth Jesus accursed: an, lthat no
man can S8Y that Jesus is the Lord hill hy the
Holy Ghost. Now there are ' dh'etsiti es of
gifts, but the Ilallle Spirit. And th er e ate ,! if ·
ferencell of administrations, bUI th e sume Lord.
And there arc diversities of operotionll, but . it
is the Rme God which worketh all in all. Brit
the'mllnif~ stat~ on of, tlre Sp'irit is glr'Cn to
No. 15.
every man to profit withal. For to one is given
' by the Spjrit the word of wisdom ; to another
the word of knowledge by the same
Spirit j to another faith by the same Spirit i
to another the~ ifta of healing l) y the same
Spirit; to another the working of miracles;
to another. prophecy ; to another discerning of
Spirits I to another divers kinda of tongues j
to another the lnterpretntlon of tongues ; but
all these worketh that aile and the self- same
Spirit; dividing to eve ry ' man severally as be
will!' .1 Cor, 12: 3- 11. With these representations
the Whole Bible concurs.
4. By his Spirit G;;' d manifests his presence
on special occasions. All those awful and
sublime appearances of God and his glory recorded
in the Old and New Testaments, were
epeci~ 1 manifestations of himself hy the concentration
of his - S pirit. Hence those fenrful ~
sights; and aupematural- seunds, which Moses
and the Israelites witnessed in their day , nnd
some of which occurred afterwords in the min"
istration of the prophets. · 1 might select many
striking instances from the pages of Scriptura,
but will content myself with only observing,
that though Goel jli often represented all manifesting
himself, and in some inetauces seemingly
in person, yet it is always . to _~ understood,
thnt Illi did so hy the . apparltion of his
Spirit o nly- i. e. by the Holy Ghost- the An .
gel of his presence. . F or strictly it is most
certain that God himself, in I. ls own proper
person, dwelleth in light inaccessible; where
no man hath seen, or can see ' lim. · l\ Ioses, it
is said, spoke with God face to face j but in
this and all similar cases, they saw and . heard
onlv that special representation of himself,
which he is at a ~ y time able to causeby the
concentrative power of his Spirit- not the '
proper pel'Ron of Ihe immortal God; for no
man ca'n see him ancllive. The visible glllry
of God whicii'shone lit tim es with overpowerillg
brightness in and about"' the 8neie~ t s& nctll'
ary, und which is said also to' have . filled the
temple ofSolomon at itll d edi'~ lItion , \' I'lltl the
apparition of the clivine Spirit- the special
manifesl/ ilion of God's · presence. · tt is : a lso
frequently call ed Ibe Anglll of , God j i. e. hill
divine Messenger.
5. Fiually, hy thil'l Spirit God operates for
the execution of his will in ever. y p~ rt of the
universe. H)' · it Ilfl gave, iiII'm to IIHl earth ,
when it was spread nut in the e1mos of ils first
existence . 11 w~ s thcn . that his Spirit mov .,.!
on th e face of the wllterll, and , gav c instant effect
10 the cornmllnd-" Let th erc be light." By
thi s Spirit he fllHhioned the celet! tla l areh,
and garnished the heavens. Witholll it " was
nothing mad e, that is made." By it, as the
operative finger of his right hllnd, he causes
his will to he carried into etrect, alike on matter
8~ l mind, throughout all !' Ipace. . " It is
quick und powerlill, sharper than any twoedgell
swo,. l, piercing e. en to the e1h · idiqg allsunder
of the I'onl and sp iril, the jointll and
marrow- and is a discerner of the thoughts
and ' intentll or the hellrt." Heh. 4: 12. It is
that quickening Spirit by which the dead iD
sin ar e rai lled to. newneaa of Illliritual life, aud
hy which the n: nurully dead in their graves
lire csullcd to come forth to immortality. The
apostle Paul Mys- IIFor onr conversation .1s
in heaven, from whence also wc look for the
Sovior, theLorrl J esus Christ j who IIhall
change 0111' vile body, that it rnay be fuehioned
like IInto his moat . gloriolls bod)', according
to the workil) g , whe reby he ill . nble even , to
subdue allthi~ gs unto hilllBelf.' i Phil, 3: 20,21.
By this is effected the wnshil) g of regeneration,
and that lIanctification of th'elloul, which is
the seal of the living God, and mokll8 us " met: t
for the illh eritance oflhe llRints iD. lilJht,"
Such is the Holy Ghost- the outpoured
Spirit of God. 1t pervadee immensity; it
tills heaven and earth. h~ qperations are in. ·
visihly affecting all thatexista in this boundlesl!'
creation, Le: us welcome it to our bosoms, .
listen to itll njproot:~, follow itl! tear: hi l1gs;' ch ~ r -
. ish its . purifying 1Iamc, walk by itB light, re-joice
in ilS Iife- giYing energy, trE'lIsure lip its
joys, and '! pprove OUl'llel~ tltI itll conlreCratetl
temples. Let Ull never lIo it t\ e. pitP, nor gri~ lVe
it, nor I'elist ie. 8t~ l vi~; 8~ ~( to Irriln') in all
Page 57 of Volume 1 from The Practical Christian 1840-1841
Creator
Ballou, Adin
Date
1840
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Files
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Citation
Ballou, Adin, “Page057,” Digital Commonwealth , accessed May 20, 2013, http://digitalcommonwealth.org/items/show/484.
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