# 5. The Spirit of God
Just as there is man and the spirit of man, so there is God and the spirit of God. They are capable of a separate and distinct existence. "What man knows the thoughts of a man," says Paul, "except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God." In this case, there is an image of God in man — not, indeed, an exact image, but an image; for as Paul says of the law, so we say of man: "For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God." (Note: the original quote is from Hebrews 10:1, which refers to the law having a shadow, a resemblance of good things to come, not the very image of the things.) So man was made in the image of God, though not the exact image — the active power of man is in his spirit: so John the Baptist came in the power of Elijah, because he came in his spirit. The spirit of God is therefore often used to mean his power; though it is not an impersonal force, but a living, energizing, active, personal existence. Hence, in all the works of God, the spirit of God is the active, operating agent. Thus in the original creation, while ancient chaos still remained — when "the earth was without form, and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep," "the Spirit of God moved" — (hovered and energized) — "upon the face of the waters." "The hand of the Lord has made me, and the spirit of the Almighty has given me life." "The Holy Spirit shall come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you;" and thus chaos was subdued, man was given life, "the heavens were adorned," and the body of Jesus was made by the spirit of God.
The Spirit is said to do, and to have done, all that God does and all that God has done. It is attributed with all divine perfections and works; and in the New Testament it is described as the immediate author and agent of the new creation and the holiness of Christians. It is therefore called the Holy Spirit. In the sublime and ineffable relationship of the Deity, or Godhead, it stands next to the Incarnate Word. Anciently, or before time, it was God, the Word of God, and the Spirit of God. But now, in the development of the Christian plan, it is "the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit" — one God, one Lord, one Spirit. To us Christians there is, then, but one God, even the Father; and one Lord Jesus Christ, even the Savior; and one Spirit, even the Advocate, the Sanctifier, and the Comforter of Christ's body, the church. Jesus is the head, and the Spirit is the life and animating principle of that body.
The whole systems of creation, providence, and redemption are founded upon these relationships in the Deity. Destroy these, blend and confuse these, and nature, providence, and grace are blended, confused, and destroyed. The peerless and supreme excellence of the Christian system is that it fully reveals to the vision of mortals the Divinity — the whole Godhead employed in the work of man's regeneration and ultimate glorification. God is revealed in human flesh, and is justified and glorified by the Spirit in accomplishing man's deliverance from ruin. Each name of the sacred three has its own particular work and glory in the three great works of Creation, Government, and Redemption. Hence, we are by divine authority, "baptized into the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit," in entering the kingdom of grace; and while in that kingdom the supreme blessing is — "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you!" Indeed, in the old church that was in the wilderness, while matters were comparatively in the shadows of a moonlight age, the high priest of Israel was commanded to put "the name of God" upon the children of Israel — in the same relation of the sacred three. "The Lord [1] bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace." [2] Jehovah bless you — is equal to "the love of God." Jehovah be gracious to you corresponds to "the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ" — and Jehovah lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace corresponds to "the fellowship of the Spirit."
The divine doctrine of these holy and incomprehensible relationships in the Divinity is so woven and incorporated with all parts of the sacred books — so identified with all the dispensations of religion, and so essential to the mediatorship of Christ, that it is impossible to make any real and divine progress in the true knowledge of God — of man — of reconciliation — or forgiveness of sins — of eternal life — or in the piety and divine life of Christ's religion — without a clear and distinct understanding of it, as well as a firm and unshaken faith and confidence in it, as we hope still to make more evident in what follows.
1: In the Hebrew Bible it is Jehovah each time.
2: Num 6:24-27.