HKB
with us; and by the grace and power of the same Spirit we are made his members; that he may keep us under himself, and we may mutually enjoy him.
IV. But faith, being his principal work, is the object principally referred to in the most frequent expressions of his power and operation; because it is the only medium by which he leads us into the light of the gospel; according to the declaration of John, that “Christ gave power (or privilege) to become the sons of God to them that believed on his name; which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God;”(1416) where, opposing God to flesh and blood, he asserts the reception of Christ by faith, by those who would otherwise remain unbelievers, to be a supernatural gift. Similar to which is this answer of Christ: “Flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father, which is in heaven;”(1417) which I now merely mention because I have elsewhere treated it at large. Similar also is the assertion of Paul, that the Ephesians “were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise.”(1418) For this shows, that there is an eternal teacher, by whose agency the promise of salvation, which otherwise would only strike the air, or at most our ears, penetrates into our minds. Similar also is his remark, that the Thessalonians were “chosen by God through sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth;”(1419) by which connection, he briefly suggests, that faith itself proceeds only from the Spirit. John expresses this in plainer terms: “We know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.”(1420) Again: “Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.”(1421) Therefore Christ promised to send to his disciples “the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive,”(1422) that they might be capable of attaining heavenly wisdom. He ascribes to him the peculiar office of suggesting to their minds all the oral instructions which he had given them. For in vain would the light present itself to the blind, unless this Spirit of understanding would open their mental eyes; so that he may be justly called the key with which the treasures of the kingdom of heaven are unlocked to us; and his illumination constitutes our mental eyes to behold them. It is therefore that Paul so highly commends the ministry of the Spirit;(1423) because the instructions of preachers would produce no benefit, did not Christ himself, the internal teacher, by his Spirit, draw to him those who were given him by the Father.(1424) Therefore, as we have stated, that complete salvation is found in the person of Christ, so, to make us partakers of it, he “baptizes us with the Holy Spirit and with fire,”(1425) enlightening us into the faith of his Gospel, regenerating us so that we become new creatures, and, purging us from profane impurities, consecrates us as holy temples to God.