The work of the Holy Spirit - pagina 60

INTRODUCTION

20

Here we have two prepositions: of whom, But Rom. xi. 38 he adds another: " For of Him in and and through Him and to Him are all things." The operation here spoken of is threefold first, that by which second, that by which all things all things are originated {of Him) consist {through Him) third, that by which all things attain their In connection with this clear, apostolic final destiny {to Him). who7n are by

all

things."

whom.

:

;

;

distinction the great teachers of the Church, after the fifth century, used to distinguish the operations of the Persons of the Trinity by saying that the operation whereby all things originated proceeds from the Father that whereby they received consistency from the Son; and that whereby they were led to their destiny from the ;

Holy Spirit. These clear thinkers taught that this distinction was in line with Thus the Father is father. He generates the that of the Persons. Son. And the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. Hence the peculiar feature of the First Person is evidently that He is the Source and Fountain not only of the material creation, but of its very conception of all that was and is and ever shall be. The peculiarity of the Second Person lies evidently not in generaOne is a son by being generated. ting, but in being generated. Hence since all things proceed from the Father, nothing can proceed from the Son. The source of all things is not in the Son. Yet He adds a work of creation to that which is coming into existence for the Holy Spirit proceeds also from Him but not from Him alone, but from the Father and the Son, and that in such a ;

;

;

way

that the procession

from the Son

is

due to His sameness of

essence with the Father.

The ated that "

all

Scripture agrees with this in teaching that the Father cre-

Him was nothing made For the difference between "created by" and

things by the Son, and that without

was made.

created from,"

we

refer to Col.

i.

17

:

"

By Him

all

things consist,"

by Him they hold together. Heb. i. 3 is even clearer, saying This that the Son upholds all things by the Word of His po^ver. shows that as the essentials of the creature's existence proceed from the Father as Fountain of all, so the forming, putting together, and arranging of its constituents are the proper work of the Son. If we were reverently to compare God's work to that of man we would say A king proposes to build a palace. This requires not only material, labor, and plans, but also putting together and

i.e.,

:

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