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I. THE BEING SPOKEN OF.

1. Spiritual (ver. 17).

2. Personal. Not a mere influence or energy, as according to the Monarchians, Patripassians, Unitarians, but a Person as truly as Christ was. That Christ taught this is apparent from —

(1) The use of the personal pronoun (ver. 26; chap. John 15:26).

(2) The names given Him.

3. Divine. Christ could not be represented by or commit the interests of His Church to a creature.

4. Distinct, as against Sabellians and Swedenborgians. "Another."

II. THE RELATION IN WHICH HE STANDS —

1. To the Father.

(1) Ontologically: one with Him, equal in being, wisdom, power, and glory, and yet proceeding from Him (John 15:26).

(2) Historically. He is sent (ver. 26) and given (ver. 16) by the Father.

2. To the Son.

(1) Essentially the Son's as the Father's equal, He is nevertheless —

(2) Historically exhibited as sent forth by the Father at the Son's intercession.

3. To the Truth. Spirit of Truth may signify the Spirit whose essence is the Truth, whose operations concern the Truth, whose office it is to testify of Him who is the Truth (John 15:26), and to guide into all the Truth (John 16:13).

4. To the disciples. A presence —

(1) Inward; not with and by, but in them (1 Corinthians 3:16).

(2) Permanent; not temporary, as Christ's had been.

(3) Helpful (Matthew 10:20).

5. To the world (ver. 17; John 16:8).

III. THE CONDITIONS OF RECEIVING HIM.

1. Loving obedience to Christ (ver. 15).

2. Believing recognition of the Spirit (ver. 17). The world had closed its eyes and steeled its heart against Him.Learn —

1. That all a saint obtains on earth he owes to the Saviour's intercession (Romans 8:34; Hebrews 7:25).

2. That the highest gift a human spirit can receive is the Holy Ghost as a Divine Being, an all-sufficient Helper, a heavenly Teacher, an unchanging Friend.

3. That the world's unbelief of the Spirit is no proof that He does not exist.

(T. Whitelaw, D. D.)

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KJV: And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

WEB: I will pray to the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, that he may be with you forever,—