by Rev. George Smeaton
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I FOUND it necessary in the preparation of this Course of Lectures to travel over a field of vast extent, and the subject has on this account taken shape in my hands rather as a general survey of Theology from the view-point of the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, than as an exhaustive exposition of any single topic. To this course I was shut up by the fact that attention could not be limited to only one or two departments of the subject, and because a selection could not satisfactorily be attempted. I have endeavoured, therefore, to take a survey of the doctrine of the Holy Spirit from the various points of view commended to our attention by the testimony of Scripture on the one hand, and by the results of theological discussion, as well as by the ecclesiastical history of the doctrine, on the other. This has given a threefold division to the work, and a threefold distribution of its subject-matter.
To bring out these three aspects of the topic, it seemed necessary, IN A FIRST DIVISION, to survey the Biblical testimony in the Old and New Testament, or to furnish such a sketch as would show that the doctrine of the Holy Spirit was sufficiently exhibited and apprehended from the first dawn of Revelation, though it was fully displayed only on the day of Pentecost. Then follows, IN A SECOND DIVISION, a brief outline or sketch of the positive truth accepted by the Church, or the form in which the Church dogmatically holds the doctrine. This is contained in the six Lectures which required to be formally prepared. As this was still felt to be incomplete without a Historical survey of the discussions connected with the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, I have subjoined, IN A THIRD DIVISION, a condensed history of the doctrine from the Apostolic age to the present time.
May the Holy Spirit, whose personality and work this treatise is intended to exhibit, condescend to accept and bless it to the glory of a Three-One God.
GEORGE SMEATON.
1st October 1882.
George Smeaton (1814–89) was ordained to the ministry of the Church of Scotland at Falkland (1839), and was among the numerous ministers who emerged in 1843 during the Disruption to form the Free Church of Scotland. He was appointed professor at the Free Church College in Aberdeen (1854), and later became Professor of Exegetical Theology at New College, Edinburgh (1857). Smeaton passed away on April 14th, 1889.
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Table of Contents
Extract
Preface
FIRST DIVISION
THE DOCTRINE OF THE TRINITY - INTRODUCTORY DISSERTATION, BRIEFLY SETTING FORTH THE BIBLICAL TESTIMONY IN THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT
I THE BOOKS OF MOSES AND JOB
MAN MADE TO BE THE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY GHOST
II. FROM THE TIME OF MOSES TO DAVID
III. FROM THE RISE OF DAVID TO THE EXILE
IV. FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE EXILE TO THE END OF THE OLD TESTAMENT CANON
THE TESTIMONY TO THE SPIRIT IN THE GOSPELS AND BOOK OF ACTS
THE TESTIMONY TO THE SPIRIT IN THE APOSTOLICAL EPISTLES
THE TESTIMONY OF THE APOSTLE PAUL
THE TESTIMONY OF JAMES THE TESTIMONY OF PETER
THE TESTIMONY OF THE APOSTLE JUDE
SECOND DIVISION
LECTURE I.—THE PERSONALITY AND PROCESSION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
LECTURE II.—THE WORK OF THE SPIRIT IN THE ANOINTING OF CHRIST
LECTURE III.—THE WORK OF THE SPIRIT IN CONNECTION WITH REVELATION AND INSPIRATION
LECTURE IV.—THE SPIRIT'S REGENERATING WORK ON THE INDIVIDUAL
LECTURE V.—ON THE SPIRIT OF HOLINESS
LECTURE VI.—THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE CHURCH
THIRD DIVISION
HISTORICAL SURVEY OF THE DOCTRINE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT FROM THE APOSTOLIC AGE