68. The force of both expressions has now
been explained. I will proceed to state once more wherein they
agree and wherein they differ from one another;—not that they are
opposed in mutual antagonism, but that each contributes its own meaning
to true religion. The preposition “in” states
the truth rather relatively to ourselves; while
“with” proclaims the fellowship of the Spirit with
God. Wherefore we use both words, by the one expressing the
dignity of the Spirit; by the other announcing the grace that is with
us. Thus we ascribe glory to God both “in” the
Spirit, and “with” the Spirit; and herein it is not our
word that we use, but we follow the teaching of the Lord as we might a
fixed rule, and transfer His word to things connected and closely
related, and of which the conjunction in the mysteries is
necessary. We have deemed ourselves under a necessary obligation
to combine in our confession of the faith Him who is numbered with Them
at Baptism, and we have treated the confession of the faith as the
origin and parent of the doxology. What, then, is to be
done? They must now instruct us either not to baptize as we have
received, or not to believe as we were baptized, or not to ascribe
glory as we have believed. Let any man prove if he can that the
relation of sequence in these acts is not necessary and unbroken; or
let any man deny if he can that innovation here must mean ruin
everywhere. Yet they never stop dinning in our ears that the
ascription of glory “with” the Holy Spirit is
unauthorized and unscriptural and the like. We have stated that
so far as the sense goes it is the same to say “glory be to the
Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost,” and
“glory be to the Father and to the Son with the Holy
Ghost.” It is impossible for any one to reject or cancel
the syllable “and,” which is derived from the very words of
our Lord, and there is nothing to hinder the acceptance of its
equivalent. What amount of difference and similarity there is
between the two we have already shewn. And our argument is
confirmed by the fact that the Apostle uses either word
indifferently,—saying at one time “in the name of the Lord
Jesus and by the Spirit of our God;”
1 Cor. vi.
11. at
another “when ye are gathered together, and my Spirit, with the
power of our Lord Jesus,”
1 Cor. v. 4. with no
idea that it makes any difference to the connexion of the names
whether he use the conjunction or the
preposition.