The work of the Holy Spirit - pagina 86

:

RE-CREATION

46

The work of the Holy Spirit

is

not confined to the elect,

not begin with their regeneration ; but

it

touches every creature, animate

First,

and

and does

operations in the elect at the very

moment

of their origin. Second, The proper work of the Holy Spirit in every creature

consists

and

inanimate,

and, in

its

and sustaining of

in the quickening talents,

begins

its

life

with reference

to his

highest sense, with reference to eternal

being and

life,

which

is

his salvation.

Thus we have regained

the true standpoint requisite for consid-

ering the work of the Holy Spirit in the re-creation.

For thus

it

appears First, that this

man

work

Spirit,

who

performed in fallen

of re-creation is not

independently of his original creation

but that the Holy

;

in regeneration kindles the spark of eternal life,

has

already kindled and sustained the spark of natural life. And, again, that the Holy Spirit, who imparts unto man born from

above

new

gifts necessary to

sphere of

life,

sanctification

has in the

first

and

to his calling in the

creation

endowed him with

natural gifts and talents.

From

man's which nips every form of and which characterizes the doctrine

this follows that fruitful confession of the unity of

life before and after the

new

Methodism* in its very root, of the Reformed churches. Second,

it is

evident that the work of the Holy Spirit bears the

same character

in creation

quickens

that which

life in

birth

and is

re-creation.

If

we admit

that

He

created by the Father and by the Son,

what does He do in the re-creation but once more quicken life in him that is called of the Father and redeemed by the Son? Again, if the Spirit's work is God's touching the creature's being by Him, what is re-creation but the Spirit entering man's heart, making it His temple, comforting, animating, and sanctifying it.> Thus following the Sacred Scripture and the superior theologians, we reach a confession that maintains the unity of the Spirit's work, and makes it unite organically the natural and the spiritual life,

the realm of nature and that of grace.

Of course His work First, since it is

*

in the latter surpasses that in the former:

His work to touch the inward being of the crea-

For the sense in which the author takes Methodism, see section

the Preface.

5 in

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