the time, when the Spirit of God should come down visibly from heaven, and by the most indubitable tes- timony efface every stain, and rectify the mistaken apprehensions of the world respecting him.
Let us consider, I. Our Lord's description of his promised messenger —
In speaking of the inscrutable mysteries of our religion, we are constrained to represent heavenly things in terms, not strictly just perhaps, but such as are best accommodated to our own feeble apprehen- sions. We observe then respecting the messenger whom Jesus undertook to send, that,
He is a distinct person — [Many deny the distinct personality of the Spirit, and affirm that he is only a virtue or quality belonging to the Father: but our text clearly shews, that this is not a just and scriptural idea : the names here given to the Spirit, as " the Comforter," and " the Spirit of Truth," import that he is a distinct person. And the circumstance of his mission leaves no doubt upon the subject; for he " proceeds from the Father," is " sent" by the Son, and comes down to us. Besides, the very end of his mission implies the same ; for he comes to " testify," that is, to be a witness.]
Yet, though distinct from the Father, he is, in his essential properties, equal to him —
[He is sent to testify to all persons, in all places, at the very same instant of time : and does not the execution of such an office require both omnipresence and omniscience? Must he not know what every person needs to be instructed in, and be every where present to hear and grant their requests? And are there any attributes more appropriate to the Deity than these? Yet these the Spirit has in common with the Father: David says respecting him, " Whither shall I go then from thy Spirit ? If I go up to heaven, thou art there ; if I go down to hell, thou art there alsoa:" and St. Paul observes that "the Spirit searcheth all things, even the deep things of God1'." Nor are these testimonies unsupported by others that are yet more direct and clear: for the Spirit is constantly joined both with the Father and the Son as equally worthy of the highest honour0, and equally a source of the richest blessings'1. Indeed he is expressly and repeatedly called God. They who lied unto
a Ps. exxxix. 6, 7. b 1 Cor. ii. 10.
c Matt, xxviii. 19. d '2 Cor. xiii. 14.