Bishop Andrews remarks, " We sliall never see tlie absolute necessity of the Holy Ghost's coming, until we see the incon- venience of His not coming."
The expression, " I tell you the truth," is a very solemn, emphatic one. It is like, "' Verily, verily I say, whether you believe me or not, it is true."
The expression, " I will send," seems again to point to the equal procession of the Holy Ghost from the Son and the Father. In another place it is, " The Father will send." Here, " I will send."
After all no text throws more light on this deep verse than Psalm Ixviii. 18 : " Thou hast ascended up on high, and received gifts for men ; that the Lord God might dwell among them." These words surely point out that the Holy Ghost's dwelling among men was a gift purchased by the Son.
Does not the verse teach us that those who make much of the " corporal presence " of Christ, so called in the Lord's Supper, as a thing we should hold and believe, are in great error ? There is something of far more importance to the Church, be- tween the first and second advents, than any corporal presence of Christ, and that is the presence of .the Holy Ghost. This is the real presence we should make much of, and desire to feel more. Our question should be not, " Is Christ's body here ? " — but, "is the Spirit, the Comforter here?" — Excessive craving after Christ's bodily presence before the second advent, is in reality a dishonoring of the Holy Ghost. We should make much of the Spirit.
Ecolampadius remarks, " Those who try to defend an eating of Christ, or a presence of Christ, in the Sacramental bread,, as if His body was at the same time with us and in heaven, are manifestly at variance with this text."
Henry remarks here : " The presence of the Holy Spirit is a greater comfort and advantage to us than the presence of Christ in the liesli. Christ's bodily presence was comfortable, but the Spirit is more intimately a Comforter than Christ in His tieshly presence ; because the Spirit can comfort all believers at once in all places, while Christ's bodily presence can comfort but few, and that only in one place at once. The benefit of Christ's presence was great, but the advantage of the Spirit's renovation and holy inspiration is much greater."