# Chris Coldwell Type Question



## Wayne (Feb 28, 2012)

Today a student asks:

"I was interested in the use of "spirit" in the Confession vs. "Spirit" in the Catechisms (per the OPC copy of the standards). 
Is this just minor detail or inconsistency or is there anything more substantial?"

In other words, he's noticed a lack of capitalization in the Confession of Faith when speaking of the Holy Spirit.
Is the inconsistency between CoF and Catechisms merely a matter of typographical error(s)?


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## PuritanCovenanter (Feb 28, 2012)

Can you give an example Wayne. 

10:1 All those whom God hath predestinated unto life, and those only, He is pleased in His appointed and accepted time effectually to call (Rom_8:30; Rom_11:7; Eph_1:10, Eph_1:11), by His Word and Spirit...

http://www.pcanet.org/general/cof_chapvi-x.htm#chapx
10:1. All those whom God hath predestinated unto life, and those only, He is pleased, in His appointed and accepted time, effectually to call, by His word and Spirit,

Edit. I mention this because it was done with Word in the 1647 in the Confession on Word also and the OPC Confession.


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## Dearly Bought (Feb 28, 2012)

Actually, Chris Coldwell definitely has the answer. Check out his essay in the first volume of The Confessional Presbyterian (2005), “Examining the Work of S. W. Carruthers: Justifying a Critical Approach to the Text of the Westminster Standards and Correcting the 18th Century Lineage of the Traditional Text." Apparently you can generally blame whatever capitalization or lack thereof on the seventeenth century printer, not the Assembly. Thus, it should not be taken as anything substantial.


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## Wayne (Feb 28, 2012)

That was my expectation, Bryan, and I said as much to the student.
He didn't provide chapter and verse, and I didn't take the time to locate it myself. (mea culpa. Latin for _My bad._)


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## Phil D. (Feb 28, 2012)

The second London edition of the Standards (1658) capitalized "Spirit" in 10.1 and 3 (although using "holy Spirit" in 10.2!), and capitalized both parts of "Holy Ghost" in places like 2.3 and 4.1.


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## NaphtaliPress (Feb 28, 2012)

I answered the question and I didn't answer the question!


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