precious light of its own upon that Sanctum Sanctorum of life and love, the inner relations of the Persons of the blessed Godhead. He who is at once the Spirit of the Father and the Spirit of the Son, and One with Both-is He not, in His blessed personal existence, the Result, the Bond, the Vehicle, of Their everlasting mutual delight and love? That such He is was the belief of Christians long ago, a belief resting not indeed upon direct revelation, but upon inferences deep and lawful suggested by it. It is put into articulate statements by St Augustine, in his treatise On the Trinity, vi. 5. It falls in with the doctrine of the Dual Procession in a true harmony. And surely the study of anything which casts light on the revelation of that Mutual Love is full of practical blessing to thoughtful faith, for it is a contribution to the study of that inexhausti1 John iv. 8, 16. ble text, "GOD IS LOVE." Yes, not only does God do acts of love, however great. In the inmost heart and secret of His Being He "Is Love." And when we come from the revealed inner life of Godhead to the divine work of redemp PRACTICAL BENEFIT OF THE BELIEF. 29 tion we find a manifest aid and blessing in the belief of the eternal Forthcoming of the Holy Spirit from the Son as well as from the Father. In the light of this belief, every part and detail of the work of the Spirit in connexion with the Person and work of Christ gains indefinitely in our view in respect of closeness and tenderness of contact. In the light of this belief, He who "testifies of" Christ, and "glorifies" Him, and imparts Him, does all this blessed work not only as the holy Messenger and Co-operator of the Saviour but as the Stream from Him the Fountain. Deep Deep must be the harmonies of such co-operation. Absolute must be the truth and fulness of such testimony. Close, unspeakably close, must be the union effected by such an Intermediary. is In Meanwhile the scriptural basis for this belief strong, and capable of simple statement. Scripture the Spirit is as freely called "the Spirit of the Son," "the Spirit of Rom. viii. 9. I Gal. iv. 6. II. God," 1 Pet. i. 11. And Eph. iii. 16. Luke xxiv. 49. Christ," as "the Spirit of "sent" by the Scripture, with abundant fulness, and in many directions, that the works of the blessed Three Persons in redemption bear always a deep and steadfast reference to their eternal inner relations. Thus the Eternal Father of the Son, and not the Son, is the Father of the believer. The Eternal Son, and not the Father, is the First-born among many brethren. Therefore, by the rule of a deep and holy analogy, we believe that the relation of the Spirit to the Son in respect of saving work rests upon their relation in respect of eternal Being. Him who is "the Spirit of the Son, sent by the Son," for us men and for our salvation, we humbly and adoringly believe to be related to the Son in the inner sanctuary of Godhead after the manner of an unbeginning and unending Procession, Forthcoming, of Divine Life. If such is indeed the truth, let our insight into it rise higher, infinitely higher, than any mere analysis or record, however careful, of a great Church controversy. It is a thing which can and should lead us up to look upon the very springs of life eternal. It is one of the THE SPIRIT AND CHRIST'S MANHOOD. 31 mighty truths which converge upon the inexhaustible glory and preciousness of our Lord Jesus Christ; upon His central position for us in the plan of salvation; upon the close connexion with Him, the infinitely close connexion, of all parts of that plan and work; the parts which concern our holiness as truly as these which concern our acceptance. 2. This last thought leads me to a few considerations on our second present topic; the work of the Holy Spirit in relation to the Human Nature of our Lord Jesus Christ. On this topic I dwell in order above all to emphasize some practical spiritual truths about the Spirit's regenerating and sanctifying work for us who come to Christ and are in Him. It is but rapidly, and as collecting specimens of illustration, that I need remind my readers of the large and deep connexion revealed in Scripture between the Holy Spirit and the SON OF MAN. Luke i. 35. The Holy Spirit was the immediate Agent in the Immaculate Conception of “that holy Thing." Not that He was therefore the Father of the blessed Son; but He was the vehicle of the Paternity. Not again that He so acted that the Son as God had nothing to do with the act of the Incarnation. The Son, in divine will, willed to assume Our nature, and so assumed it; but again the blessed Spirit wrought the process whereby that will was carried out. And then, thirty years later, the Spirit descended upon the youthful Lord at His baptism, in some inMatt. iii. 16; etc. scrutable speciality of presence and Luke iv. 1-14. power. In this power of the Spirit" He went forth first to temptation and then to ministry. It was in the Spirit, "given without measure," that He "spoke the words John iii. 34. of God." It was "by means of the Eternal Spirit," wonderful phrase, that He offered Himself without spot to We find indications that the Spirit had great things to do with the bodily resurrecRom. viii. 11. tion of the buried Lord. After resurrection it was "by the Holy Spirit" that gave commandment to the And when in the Revelation the Heb. ix. 14. God." Acts i. 2. Apostles." He glorified Jesus, as the slain One risen again |