196 THE GENEEAL WORK OF THE HOLY SPIEIT [BOOK II.
of tlie Father. And, — 1. This I take to be the meaning of that expression, "He shall not speak of himself;" — " He shall reveal no other truth, communicate no other grace, hut what is in, from, and by myself" This was the Holy Spirit to do ; and this he did. And hereby may we try every spirit whether it be of God. That spirit which revealeth any thing, or pretendeth to reveal any thing, any doctrine, any grace, any truth, that is contrary unto, that is not con- sonant to, yea, that is not the doctrine, grace, or truth of Christ, as now revealed in the word, that brings any thing new, his own, or of himself, that spirit is not of God. So it is added, — 2. " Whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak." This which he hears is the whole counsel of the Father and the Son concerning the salvation of the church. And how is he said to " hear" it? which word, in its pro- per signification, hath no place in the mutual internal actings of the divine persons of the holy Trinity. Being the Spirit of the Father and the Son, proceeding from both, he is equally participant of their coun- sels. So the outward act of hearing is mentioned as the sign of his infinite knowledge of the eternal counsels of the Father and Son ; he is no stranger unto them. And this is a general rule, — That those words which, with respect unto us, express the means of any thing, as ap- plied unto God, intend no more but the signs of it. Hearing is the means whereby we come to know the mind of another Avho is distinct from us ; and when God is said to hearken or hear, it is a sign of his knowledge, not the means of it. So is the Holy Spirit said to "hear" those things, because he knows them; as he is also on the same account said to " search the deep things of God." Add hereunto tliat the counsel of these things is originally peculiar to the Father, and unto him it is everywhere peculiarly ascribed; therefore is the par- ticijDation of the Spirit therein as a distinct person called his hear- ing. Hereunto, 3. His great work is subjoined: " He," saith Christ, " shall glorify me." This is the design that he is sent upon, this is the work that he comes to do ; even as it was the design and work of Jesus Christ to glorify the Father, by whom he was sent. And this are they always to bear in mind who stand in need of or pray for his assistance in their work or office in the church of God : He is given unto them, that through him they may give and bring glory to Jesus Christ. And, 4. How the Holy Spirit doth glorify the Lord Christ is also declared : "He shall receive of mine, and shall shoAv it unto you." The communication of spiritual things from Christ by the Spirit is here called " Ms receiving" of them ; as the comnnmication of the Spirit from the Father by the Lord Christ to his disciples is called " his receiving of the promise." The Spirit cannot receive any thing subjectively which he had not, as an addition unto him; it is there- fore the economy of these things that is here intended. He is not
CHAP, v.] IN THE NEAV CREATION. 197
said to receive them, as though before he had them not; for what can he who is God so receive? Only, when he begins to give them unto us, because they are pecuharly the things of Christ, he is said to receive them ; for we can give nothing of another's but what we receive of him. Good things are given unto us from Christ by the Spirit; for so it is added, " And shall show them unto you;" — " He shall make them known unto you; so declare them, and manifestly evidence them to you and in you, that ye shall understand and have experience of them in yourselves; show them by revelation, instructing you in them, by communication imparting them to you/' And what are those things that he shall so declare? They are ra sfid, " my things," saith our Saviour. The things of Christ may be referred unto two heads, — his truth and his grace, John i. 1 7. The first he shows by revelation, the latter by effectual communica- tion. His truth he shoAved unto them by revelation, as we have de- clared him to be the immediate author of all divine revelations. This he did unto the apostles by his inspirations, enabling them in- fallibly to receive, understand, and declare the whole counsel of God in Christ ; for so, according unto the promise, he led them into all truth. And his grace he showed unto them in his pouring out both of his sanctifying graces and extraordinary gifts upon them in an abundant measure. And so he still continues to show the truth and grace of Christ unto all believers, though not in the same man- ner as unto the former, nor unto the same degree as unto the latter: for he shows unto us the " truth of Christ," or the truth that " came by Jesus Christ," by the word as written and preached, instructing us in it, and enlightening our minds spiritually and savingly to un- derstand the mind of God therein; and of his grace he imparts unto us in our sanctification, consolation, and communication of spiritual gifts, according unto the measure of the gift of Christ unto every one of us, as the present use of the church doth require; — which things must be afterward declared. 5. And the reason of the asser-. tion is added in the last place : " All things that the Father hath are mine; therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall show it unto you." Two things may be observed in these words : —