Christus in corde, or, The mystical union between Christ and believers considered in its…

The next thing, which comes to be considered in this discourse, is the Operations of the Spirit. I touched upon this before, but now I will speak a little more to it. It's true, these Operations, being among the opera ad extra, are common to the whole Trinity, yet in Scripture they are in a peculiar manner attributed to the Spirit; the reason of which is, because of that order which is among the persons in the Sacred Trinity: the Father is of himself, fons Deitatis, the fountain of the Deity; the Son is from the Father, lumen de lumine, light of light; the Holy Spirit is from the Father and the Son; he proceeds by an eternal spiration from both of them. And as is the order of subsisting, so is the order of operating; the Father operates from himself; the Son from the Father; the Holy Spirit from both: Hence in the three great Works of God; Creation, which is the first rise of things out of nothing, is in a special manner attributed to the Father. Redemption, which helps up ⟨p. 188⟩a poor fallen creature, is in a special manner attributed to the Son. Sanctification, which perfects the redeemed, is in a special manner attributed to the Holy Spirit. Hence in the great Work of Salvation; the Father laid the counsel and platform of it; the Son carries on the work in a middle mediating way; the Holy Spirit, according to his place, in order consummates it by working Faith, and all other Graces: But this is only by the way. In treating of these Operations, I shall note two things; that is, what is in them of respect to union with Christ, and what is in them of respect to the Inhabitation of the Spirit; or, which is all one, to the Inhabitation of the whole Sacred Trinity.

The first Operation of the Spirit in Believers, is this; He forms all holy Graces in them; he draws the very Picture of Christ upon them, in humility, love, meekness, mercy, goodness, heavenliness, patience: this operation is requisite upon a double account: One, that Christ may have a seed; the Father promised him a seed; he himself merited one; yet a seed he could not have, unless the Spirit did work these Graces, which make us to bear a resemblance of him. Another, that God might have a Temple; under the Old Testament he had an ⟨p. 189⟩