A Compendium of the Chief Doctrines of the True Christian Religion/Chapter 10
X. The Holy Spirit, or Divine Operation.
THE great Jehovah having thus shewn himself to be not only the Creator, but also the Redeemer and Saviour, by means of the Humanity which he assumed in the world: and having returned to heaven, together with and in that Humanity glorified, it became necessary, on the removal of his personal presence from the church, to secure to it the presence of his Holy Spirit: and this is effected by the divine truth proceeding immediately out of the Lord's glorified body from the Father, or divine essence within him. Hence the Holy Spirit, called also the Spirit of truth, and the Comforter, becomes a new character of the Lord, arising out of the incarnation of himself, as divine truth, or as the Word, and his subsequent glorification: and hence it is written, "I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. When he the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself. He shall glorify me; for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath, are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you," John xvi. 7, 13 to 15. Again, "The Holy Spirit was not yet, because that Jesus was not yet glorified," John vii. 39. But after his glorification, "Jesus breathed on his disciples, and saith, Receive ye the Holy Spirit," John xx. 22.
In these passages the Holy Spirit, though apparently represented as a distinct person by himself, yet cannot in reality be considered as such; because it is expressly said of him, that he shall not speak of himself, but shall take of the Lord's; that there was no Holy Spirit until the glorification of Jesus; and lastly, that the breath, or divine truth, proceeding from him, after his glorification, is the Holy Spirit. It further appears from the circumstance of there having been no Holy Spirit until the glorification of Jesus, that in some respects it is to be distinguished from the Spirit of Jehovah, or even the Spirit of holiness, which existed prior to the incarnation. And it is remarkable, that in the original of the Old Testament the term Holy Spirit is not so much as once mentioned, though the phrase Spirit of holiness occurs three times, once in Ps. li. 11; and twice in Isa. lxiii. 10, 11. Neither is it said by any of the prophets, that they spake from the Holy Spirit, but from Jehovah. The difference between the one and the other may be seen in what follows.
By the Spirit of Jehovah is understood the divine truth proceeding from him, and operating through the medium of angels and spirits. This operation, passing through such a medium, though adequate to the wants and necessities of former ages prior to the incarnation, was at length, in consequence of the excessive accumulation of evil, found to be no longer effectual in promoting the reformation, regeneration, and salvation of mankind. It therefore became necessary, that the Lord should assume the Humanity, and by the divine truth proceeding immediately from himself, when glorified, as well as mediately through angels and spirits, restore to man the capacity of receiving new spiritual life. This divine truth, proceeding both mediately and immediately from the Lord, is what is emphatically called the Holy Spirit, because his Humanity, now glorified, is the only fountain and source of all holiness; as it is written, "Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy," Apoc. xv. 4. By the latter Spirit, that is, by the Holy Spirit, man is also enabled to comprehend spiritual things even in a natural and rational manner, and so to have a more full and satisfactory view of the great truths of revelation, especially of Him, from whom alone they proceed, of whom alone they treat, and to whom alone they continually lead.
In addition to these considerations we further learn, that the Lord himself is the Holy Spirit, since he, from whom any thing proceeds, must be essentially the same with it. but in a primary order and degree. On which account, after identifying himself with the Father, he proceeds to identify himself in like manner with the Comforter, or Spirit of truth, whom he promised to send after his personal departure out of the world, saying to his disciples, "I will not leave you comfortless; I will come to you," John xiv. 18.
