圣灵在救赎之工中特有的作为The Peculiar Actions of the Holy Spirit in Redemption
Chapter V.
The peculiar actions of the Holy Spirit in this business.
Thirdly, In few words we may consider the actions of that agent, who in order is the third in that blessed One, whose all is the whole, the Holy Spirit, who is evidently concurring, in his own distinct operation, to all the several chief or grand parts of this work. We may refer them to three heads:--
First, The incarnation of the Son, with his plenary assistance in the course of his conversation whilst he dwelt amongst us; for his mother was found en gastri echousa, with child, "to have conceived in her womb of the Holy Ghost," Matt. i. 18. If you ask, with Mary, how that could be? the angel resolves both her and us, as far as it is lawful for us to be acquainted with these mysterious things: Luke i. 35, "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God." It was an overshadowing power in the Spirit: so called by an allusion taken from fowls that cover their eggs, that so by their warmth young may be hatched; for by the sole power of the Spirit was this conception, who did "incubare foetui," as in the beginning of the world. Now, in process, as this child was conceived by the power, so he was filled with the Spirit, and "waxed strong" in it, Luke i. 80; until, having received a fulness thereof, and not by any limited measure, in the gifts and graces of it, he was thoroughly furnished and fitted for his great undertaking.
Secondly, In his oblation, or passion (for they are both the same, with several respects, -- one to what he suffered, the other to what he did with, by, and under those sufferings), how "by the Eternal Spirit he offered himself without spot to God," Heb. ix. 14: whether it be meant of the offering himself a bloody sacrifice on the cross, or his presentation of himself continually before his Father, -- it is by the Eternal Spirit. The willing offering himself through that Spirit was the eternal fire under this sacrifice, which made it acceptable unto God. That which some contend, that by the eternal Spirit is here meant our Saviour's own Deity, I see no great ground for. Some Greek and Latin copies read, not, as we commonly, Pneumatos aioniou, but Pneumatos hagiou, and so the doubt is quite removed: and I see no reason why he may not as well be said to offer himself through the Holy Spirit, as to be "declared to be the Son of God, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead," as Rom. i. 4; as also to be "quickened by the Spirit," 1 Pet. iii. 18. The working of the Spirit was required as well in his oblation as resurrection, in his dying, as quickening.
Thirdly, In his resurrection; of which the apostle, Rom. viii. 11, "But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you."
And thus have we discovered the blessed agents and undertakers in this work their several actions and orderly concurrence unto the whole; which, though they may be thus distinguished, yet they are not so divided but that every one must be ascribed to the whole nature, whereof each person is "in solidum" partaker. And as they begin it, so they will jointly carry along the application of it unto its ultimate issue and accomplishment; for we must "give thanks to the Father, which hath made us meet" (that is, by his Spirit) "to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins," Col. i. 12, 13. __________________________________________________________________
# 第五章 圣灵在救赎之工中特有的作为
第三，我们可以用简短的话考察圣灵的作为。按着位格的次序，圣灵在这可称颂的三一神中是第三位；然而，每一位都完全拥有整个神性。圣灵显然以祂自己有分别的运行，参与了这工作各个首要、重大的部分。我们可以把祂的作为归为三个方面。
一、圣子取人性及在世行事为人时，圣灵的工作
第一，圣子取人性是圣灵的工作；圣子住在我们中间、行事为人的整个过程中，圣灵也丰丰富富地扶助祂。因为人发现祂的母亲 en gastri echousa，即腹中怀孕，「马利亚就从圣灵怀了孕」（太1:18）。你若像马利亚一样问，这事怎能发生，天使便在我们可以知道这些奥秘之事的限度内，向她也向我们解明：「圣灵要临到你身上，至高者的能力要荫庇你。因此所要生的圣者，必称为神的儿子」（路1:35）。
这是圣灵荫庇的能力。「荫庇」这个说法取自飞鸟覆翼在蛋上，以温暖孵育雏鸟的景象；因为这次成孕惟独借着圣灵的能力成就。圣灵在这里 incubare foetui，覆翼其胎，正如祂在世界起初覆翼水面一样。此后，这孩子怎样借着圣灵的大能成孕，也照样被圣灵充满，并且「渐渐长大，心灵强健」（路1:80；英文本如此标引）。直到祂领受圣灵各样恩赐与恩典的丰盛，不是按任何有限的分量领受，祂便得着完备的装备和预备，承担祂的伟大工作。
二、圣子献上自己并受难时，圣灵的工作
第二，在圣子献上自己或受难时，圣灵也运行。献上和受难所指的是同一件事，只是观察的角度不同：一个着眼于祂所受的苦，另一个着眼于祂在这些苦楚中、借着这些苦楚并在这些苦楚之下所作的事。基督「借着永远的灵，将自己无瑕无疵献给神」（来9:14）。无论这句话是指祂在十字架上把自己献为流血的祭，还是指祂不断把自己呈献在父面前，这都是借着永远的灵成就的。祂借着这灵甘愿献上自己；这灵如同祭坛下永不熄灭的火，使这祭蒙神悦纳。
有人坚持认为，这里的「永远的灵」是指我们救主自己的神性；我看不出这个说法有多么充分的根据。有些希腊文和拉丁文抄本所读的不是我们通常所读的 Pneumatos aioniou（永远的灵），而是 Pneumatos hagiou（圣灵）；这样，疑问便完全消除了。我也看不出有什么理由，不能说祂借着圣灵献上自己，正如罗马书1:4说祂「按圣善的灵说，因从死里复活，以大能显明是神的儿子」，彼得前书3:18也说：「按着肉体说他被治死；按着灵性说他复活了。」圣灵的运行在祂献上自己时与在祂复活时同样不可缺少，在祂受死时与在祂得以复活时同样不可缺少。
三、圣子复活时，圣灵的工作
第三，在圣子复活时，圣灵也运行。使徒在罗马书8:11说：「然而叫耶稣从死里复活者的灵，若住在你们心里，那叫基督耶稣从死里复活的，也必借着住在你们心里的圣灵，使你们必死的身体又活过来。」
这样，我们已经揭明这工作中可称颂的行动者和承担者各自的行动，以及三个位格怎样按着次序共同成就整个工作。这些行动虽可如此区分，却不可彼此分割；每一项行动仍必须归于整个神性，因为每一个位格都 in solidum，完全而不分割地拥有整个神性。三一神怎样共同开始这工作，也必怎样共同推进这工作的应用，直至它最终实现、完全成就。因为我们必须「感谢父，叫我们能与众圣徒在光明中同得基业」。父借着祂的灵使我们配得这基业；「他救了我们脱离黑暗的权势，把我们迁到他爱子的国里。我们在爱子里得蒙救赎，罪过得以赦免」（西1:12–14；英文本仅标12–13节）。