Nicene and Post-Nicene Church Fathers Series 2 - The Still Small ...

made me,” 1127 and God filled Bezaleel with “the divine Spirit of wisdom and understanding
and knowledge.” 1128 Such names as these are super-eminent and mighty, but they do not
transcend His glory.
49. And His operations, what are they? For majesty ineffable, and for numbers innumerable.
How shall we form a conception of what extends beyond the ages? What were
His operations before that creation whereof we can conceive? How great the grace which
He conferred on creation? What the power exercised by Him over the ages to come? He
existed; He pre-existed; He co-existed with the Father and the Son before the ages. It follows
that, even if you can conceive of anything beyond the ages, you will find the Spirit yet further
above and beyond. And if you think of the creation, the powers of the heavens were estab
lished by the Spirit, 1129 the establishment being understood to refer to disability to fall away
from good. For it is from the Spirit that the powers derive their close relationship to God,
their inability to change to evil, and their continuance in blessedness. Is it Christ’s advent?
The Spirit is forerunner. Is there the incarnate presence? The Spirit is inseparable. Working
of miracles, and gifts of healing are through the Holy Spirit. Demons were driven out by
the Spirit of God. The devil was brought to naught by the presence of the Spirit. Remission
of sins was by the gift of the Spirit, for “ye were washed, ye were sanctified,…in the name
of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the holy Spirit of our God.” 1130 There is close relationship
with God through the Spirit, for “God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts,
crying Abba, Father.” 1131 The resurrection from the dead is effected by the operation of
the Spirit, for “Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created; and Thou renewest the face
of the earth.” 1132 If here creation may be taken to mean the bringing of the departed to life
again, how mighty is not the operation of the Spirit, Who is to us the dispenser of the life
that follows on the resurrection, and attunes our souls to the spiritual life beyond? Or if
here by creation is meant the change to a better condition of those who in this life have
fallen into sin, (for it is so understood according to the usage of Scripture, as in the words
of Paul “if any man be in Christ he is a new creature” 1133 ), the renewal which takes place
in this life, and the transmutation from our earthly and sensuous life to the heavenly conversation
which takes place in us through the Spirit, then our souls are exalted to the highest
pitch of admiration. With these thoughts before us are we to be afraid of going beyond due
1127 Job xxxiii. 4.
1128 Ex. xxxi. 3, LXX.
1129 cf. Ps. xxxiii. 6.
1130 1 Cor. vi. 11, R.V.
1131 Gal. iv. 6.
1132 Ps. civ. 30.
1133 2 Cor. v. 17.
Against those who assert that the Spirit ought not to be glorified.
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