FX94 C9 |£t

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YALE UNIVERSITY
Cibrarg of the ©ftrinitg School
GIFT OF
Douglas Qlgde Macintosh
DWIGHT PROFESSOR OF THEOLOGY
DWIGHT PROFESSOR OF THEOLOGY AND
PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION
1916-1942
'¦'»¦¦''''  '''¦¦''  "  "'¦¦'  wiywi'i'i'i-iymyiYmyiyi1"  ¦¦¦'¦'¦  -Ig

Works on the Holy Spirit.
Through the Eternal Spirit. A Bible Study on the
Holy Ghost. By Rev. J. Elder Cumming-, D.D. Intro
duction by Rev. F. B. Meyer, B.A. 12mo, cloth, $1.50.
The Ministry of the Spirit. By Rev. A. J. Gordon,
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The Indwelling Christ. By Rev. J. M. Campbell.
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"Another Comforter." By Rev. A. D. McClure.
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THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT

A BIBLICAL STUDY ON

THE HOLY GHOST

BY

JAMES ELDER CUMMING, D. D.

FLEMING H. REVELL COMPANY
Chicago New York Toronto
Publishers of Evangelical Literature
I YALE DMNITY SCHOOL]

FX94
CSl2t

Copyright 1896, by
Fleming H. Revell Company,

CONTENTS. PAGE
Introductory— Position of the Question  9
CHAPTER
I. A Catena of Passages in which the Holy Spirit
is directly mentioned in the Old Testament. . . 17
II. A Catena of Passages in which the Holy Spirit
is directly mentioned in the New Testament. . 25
III. Comments on, and Inferences from, the Pas
sages cited, taken as a whole  36
IV. The Spirit in the Word  54
V. The Relation of the Holy Spirit to the other
Persons of the Godhead, and to the Mediator. 64
VI. Teaching of the Lord concerning the Holy Ghost. 76
VII. Pentecost— What it Was, and What it Did  86
VIII. Pentecost in Relation to Former Dispensations. 91
IX. What Pentecost was for the Church  98
X. Pentecost in its Relation to Individual Believers
Now  104
XI. The "Baptism of the Spirit;" His being "Re
ceived;" His "Falling" on Men; and Other
Expressions  116
XII. The Administrator of the Affairs of the Church.. 135
XIII. The Spirit Glorifying Christ  145
XIV. TheSecretof Sanctification  154
XV. The Fruit of the Spirit  164
XVI. The Love of the Holy Ghost  175
XVII. The Communion of the Holy Ghost  185
XVIII. The Guidance of the Holy Spirit  194
XIX. Obedience to the Holy Ghost  202

6 CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
XX. The Anointing of the Holy Ghost  212
XXI. Power  221
XXII. Being Filled with the Spirit  230
XXIII. Temples of the Holy Ghost  242
XXIV. The Holy Ghost in the Mission Field  252
XXV. Offenses Against the Holy Ghost  266
Appendix 1  277
Appendix II  281
AppendixIII  297
Index of Subjects  307
Index of Scripture Passages  310

BY WAY OF PREFACE.
Many have taken in hand, within the last few years,
to write treatises on the Person and Work of the Holy
Spirit. But amongst them, this work by my honored
and beloved friend, Dr. Elder Cumming, stands in the
foremost rank. It is a strong book, the production of
a scholarly and well-furnished mind. It burns through
out with the fire of a devout and holy soul.
When on the eve of publishing his own great work
on the Holy Spirit, the late Dr. Gordon, of Boston, on
more than one occasion, spoke to me of his admiration
for Dr. Elder Cumming's study of this great theme;
and I notice he makes several references to, and ex
tracts from, Dr. Cumming's pages. There was a kin
ship between these two minds, though I believe there
was never direct interchange of thought. Their dual
witness is, therefore, all the more valuable; and from
their lips the great doctrine of the Pentecostal char
acter of the present age is established.
Dr. Elder Cumming, as on this side of the Atlantic
we all know well, is a distinguished son of the Estab
lished Church of Scotland, and for many years has oc
cupied a prominent position in Glasgow, hard by the
church where Dr. Andrew Bonar ministered.
In the early history of the Keswick convention he
came as a critic, but became deeply convinced by the
truth specially taught from that platform, and after a
period of strong spiritual conflict, passed into an abid-

8 BY WAY OF PUB FA CE
ing realization of the rest and power of a life hidden
with Christ in God. On a naturally strong, well-bal
anced, and highly cultured nature, was now grafted a
conception of the inner meaning of Scripture, and a
perception of the possibilities of Christian experience
and usefulness, which were destined to make him well
known, by lip and pen, to thousands, as a clear,
thoughtful and powerful exponent of the doctrine of
the inner life. Such is the position which, for several
years now, he has worthily maintained; whilst his
white hair and venerable aspect give an additional
sanction and force to his words.
This book is characterized by a very scholarly, care
ful study of all the passages in the Old and New Testa
ments which refer to the Holy Spirit. It is after two
or three chapters devoted to this most valuable consid
eration of these special instances, that our author pro
ceeds, by the inductive process, to the enunciation of
the laws and methods of the Spirit's work, which fill
the later chapters. There is no book on this sublime
subject more deeply saturated with the letter and spirit
of the Bible than this. It is profound enough for the
most thoughtful, yet it is so lucid and interesting as to
be understood and enjoyed by the youngest disciple.
To those who know Dr. Cumming, it may appear an
impertinence and presumption for me to say thus
much. We cteuiot hold candles to light stars. But it
is a pleasure at least to weave my name with his, and
to wish that others may derive from him some of the
benefit which he has always been the means of com
municating to myself.
F. B. Meyeb.
Christ Church, London, February, 1896.

INTRODUCTORY.
POSITION OF THE QUESTION.
IT may be thought to require justification, that,
although many books have of late been written on the
Holy Spirit of God, by able, learned, and spiritual men,
another should be added to the list; and that by one
who has not done much more than prayerfully study
the Word. I venture to plead that the last word has
obviously not been spoken on the subject; that the
following pages are sufficiently distinct in the line
taken to claim at least a hearing; that the subject is
of the deepest importance, and has the greatest interest
for many at the present day. Should the fruit of my
labors prove of no avail, the Lord has others to do His
work; and should it help many, His is the glory!
It seems to me that there is room for a new discussion
of this subject, chiefly on two grounds. None of the
late treatises attempt to cover the whole field, being
confined to such points as have been much in evidence
of recent years; and the result has been a somewhat
fragmentary treatment of questions which have been
presented out of focus and of due proportion. And if
I may venture another criticism of an unfavorable
kind, there has not always been an adherence to a defi
nite method, proceeding from step to step, either in
9

INTRODUCTORY
the order of Revelation or in the order of thought. Thus
a certain amount of confusion has resulted, in the minds
of readers at all events, which on such a subject is apt
to engender errors and doubts. Some seem to me to
have erred from a lack of caution, framing subtle and
metaphysical distinctions, and entering into specula
tions which have no Scriptural warrant in themselves,
and have not had great success; and others appear to
have erred from an excess of caution, presenting oppo
site views of the subject, so nearly balanced, without a
distinct deliverance of opinion, as to leave the ordinary
reader much at sea. While some have written in a
spirit at once gracious and beautiful, as if "grace" had
been "poured into their lips, " others have dealt with
the whole question as a dry and difficult dogma; and
others still have introduced so much of the hortatory
and even the anecdotical element, as to confuse and
entangle the thread of the great argument on which
they were engaged.
These are unfavorable comments, but one is glad to
remark in addition how much has been done by those
to whom reference has been made, to prepare the way
for a fuller treatment; how ably the many difficult
questions have been discussed; how much has been
written that is admirable both in spirit and substance;
and that but for their labor it had been impossible for
this and other books to have appeared.
It is so much easier to .cjjiiifiiflfl.._than „to^jprjginate,
that no doubt what I have written will be the subject
of equally unfavorable remark, spoken or felt; and I
must accept and bear the blame which justly falls upon

INTRODUCTORY 11
it. My obiejct has been to present the whole teaching
of Scripture in a short compass and in clear and method
ical order, so that all may find here not only the con
clusions come to by the author, but materials gathered
by means of which every reader may test the accuracy
iof these, and form his own judgment.
To this end I have ventured to devote two chapters to
the literal repetition of every passage in the Old and New
Testaments directly bearing on the subject, though in
the full knowledge that these may perhaps be more used
for reference than for reading continuously. Not that
the latter were an unprofitable exercise; could these
passages indeed not only be read, but committed to
memory, by those gifted of God with that great posses
sion, a good memory, what a blessing it were, and how
inexhaustible in its results! But at all events, there
the verses are, on the printed leaf, gathered together
within a few pages, sifted gold of Ophir, for those who
would be rich. I have made also an attempt in the
appendix* to classify these passages, so as to bring them
still more under the eye at a single glance. In them
we have, and must have, our armory for this conflict.
All that we know of the Holy Ghost practically lies in them!
It surely must ever remain one of the painful mem
ories of the Church that the Holy Spirit has so gener
ally been ignored, forgotten, or kept in the background.
"We have not so much as heard whether there be any
Holy Ghost." That is the confession which many
Christians, many hearers of the Word, exe.n.~maiiy
eitfU&ligs might well make. Even in the early days of
* See Appendix I.

12 INTRODUCTORY
Church history, when the battlefield of controversy
was the great doctrine of the Holy Trinity, the engross
ing debates were on the Person of the Son rather than
of the Holy Ghost. And since that time, down to yes-
terday,how little attention has been given to this sub
ject! Where there has been an exception it has often,
like the great dispute with the Eastern Church, turned
aside to some theoretical question concerning Him and
His offices. Indeed, two charges lie against the Church
of Christ, for which there is little defense on her part:
she has, since the first few generations, ceased to testify
to her own great hope, — the Return of the Lord in glory,
notwithstanding the perpetual reminder of it in the in-
stitutory words of the Holy Communion ; and she has
ceased to cherish, to teach, and almost to adore, the
Holy Ghost.
Some one has remarked that the hymnology of the
Christian Church has often served to complete, if not
to correct, her theology, and this has been specially
true in respect of our subject. Even in the dark days of
the Papacy there were voices, issuing chiefly from quiet
corners of cell or monastery, in which the work of the
Holy Ghost was recognized and sung, and in which
especially the right of the Church to invoke His pres
ence and aid was indicated, where the leaders and doctors
hesitated either to sanction or deny. To the present
day the theology of our subject is to be found largely
in the hymns of Christendom. The heart of the Church
has spoken where the head was doubtful. But it is
surely good to learn from the utterances of the heart,
and to arrange and classify the truths which it has been
the first to grasp.

INTRODUCTORY 13
The widespread revival of the last twenty years has
been most marked, most distinctive, and full of instruc
tion. It cannot fail to leave its mark on history. It
began by being evangelistic, and a wave of conversions
passed over many lands, chiefly over America and Great
Britain. And for this purpose God found and raised up
agents well fitted for His work where men would not
have looked for them. There came next the teaching
of holiness for the people of God; needful, one might
say, in any case, but specially needful where young con
verts were reckoned by the thousand, and had passed
with sudden step from death to life. This work, largely
confined to Great Britain, beginning in England, though
not confined to it, has been one of the main features of
the Church of to-day: not always wisely done; certainly
fringed and accompanied by a good deal that was ex
treme both in view and language; not, alas! command
ing the general sympathy of the Church (wherever the
blame of such a fact may rest); but largely participated
in by those who were unconscious of it; no doubt des
tined to attain to much greater proportions; and surely
a work of God.
And now the third part of this revival has come into
prominence, the general interest in, and study of, the
teaching as to the Holy Ghost. It is hardly too much
to say that it is "the cry" of the Church of to-day.
Little understood by many from whom it comes; often
incorrect in form and utterance; not seldom springing
from a desire in which self-glory largely mingles ; seek
ing for "power," which power would be a temptation
and a snare to those who are unprepared for it; yet,

14 INTROD UCT0R Y
with all drawbacks, how fruitful and how significant!
This, at least, is embodied in it — the recognition of
Him; and the recognition that it lies with Him only
to bless the Church and the world.
Let the order be noted. First, the work of saving
sinners — so largely as to incite both opposition and
devout thankfulness — for this thing "was not done in
a corner." That was the work of the Holy Ghost.
Next came the edifying and building up of the body of
Christ: a time of sifting, when "His fan was in His
hand;" when most of the members of the Body have
had presented to them an opportunity of much larger
and deeper blessing, which, alas! many have refused;
and it has been made plain that not the greatest workers,
or the best known writers or preachers, or the chief
authorities in the Church, are those who are nearest
the Lord; but those only who are prepared to "leave
all and follow. " That, too, is the work of Him who
"sanctifies" the people of the Lord.
And then has come the time of His revelation of
Himself to the hearts of those who have found the Lord,
and are desirous to do His work on the earth in His
way. For this the Church has been made ready; and
now He is permitting it to see what was hidden in the
Word and never understood, save by the few in every
age who have known the Holy Spirit as a Person, and
been consciously under His influence. But the present
are the times of blessing to a multitude whom He has
led, like the host of Gideon, to the water, testing and
dividing them there. The very name by which in our
English tongue He is known is in its way significant.

INTRODUCTORY 15
A strange name, one is compelled to think it, when all
the associations of the word Ghost are considered; yet
how entirely these have been shut out and forgotten
when we speak of The Holy Ghost! for this, rather than
"the Holy Spirit,^ or "the Spirit," has come to be
His distinctive name among us, insufficient as it is.
But in the Greek of the New Testament there appears
the same difficulty. The neuter Pnjsuma, by which He
is designated in common with the Father and the Son
(John iv. 24), and the name Paraclete, which He bears
in common with the Son, are but approximations (if I
may so designate them). It is as if the question asked
of Jacob were reiterated still in the ears of all who seek
to know Him — "Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after
My name, seeing it is Pete" (wonderful and secret)?
Yes! He who has revealed to us all that we know of
spiritual things, Himself included, has withheld, like
John in the Gospel, His own name! And yet we know,
or shall know. "To him that overcometh ... I
will give ... a white stone, and upon the stone
a new name written, which no one knoweth but he that
receiveth it" — the new_name of God, which the Holy
Ghost shall bear, as well as the Father and the Son.
In the Old Testament it was Jehovah; in the New it is
Jesus; in the future it shall be — what?

THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT.
CHAPTER I.
A CATENA OF PASSAGES IN WHICH THE HOLY SPIRIT IS
DIRECTLY MENTIONED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT.
A LARGE number of passages in the Old Testament
Scriptures speak of a certain Being, who is called
the Spirit of the Lord. Among these we do not include
a considerable number of other verses, in which it is
uncertain whether the reference is to God, or to an
other being, or to a disposition of mind. Two distinct
words are employed in Hebrew, Ruach and Neshamah,
the latter, generally at least, signifying the bodily
breath, the former the Spirit — of man or of God — to
be determined by the context. In two passages the
words occur together. In Gen. vii. 22, we read, "In
whose nostrils was the breath of the Spirit of life;"
with this compare Isaiah xiii. 5.
Confining ourselves, then, to the cases in which a
Divine Person seems to be spoken of, the following is a
brief summary of those contained in the Old Testament.
As some importance is attached to the presence or
absence of the definite article before the word "Spirit,"
in the Septuagint translation of the Hebrew, I have
indicated its absence by putting it in brackets where
the article occurs in English and not in Greek. I have
17

18 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
uniformly quoted from the Revised Version, save where
it is otherwise specified.
1. The book of Genesis has three such verses :—
Chapter!. 2, "(The) Spirit of God moved upon the face of the
'"waters," indicating that He had part in the creative work,
and mentioning Him at the very opening of the record,
Chapter vi. 3, "My Spirit shall not strive _ with man forever,
for that he also is flesh ;" where the influence of the Divine
Spirit on sinful men, yielding to temptation.is pointed out,
as well as a time when that ceases.
Chapter xii. 38, "A man in whom (the) Spirit of God is!"
—a word coming from the mouth of the heathen Pharaoh,
but probably recorded as meaning, much more than the
utterer knew.
2. The book of Exodus has likewise three passages, all
bearing on one line of influence: —
Chap, xxviii. 3, "All that are wise-hearted, whom I have
filled with (the) Spirit of wisdom."
Chapter xxxi. 3, "I have filled him with (the) Spirit of
God, in wisdom.''
Chapter xxxv. 31, "He hath filled him with (the) ^Spirit of
God, in wisdom."
These passages all refer to Bezaleel and his assistants,
whom the Spirit of God "filled" for the special work of pre
paring the robes of the priests and the parts of the Taber
nacle. 3. The book of Numbers has seven passages, which tell
us of the Holy Spirit : —
Chapter xi. 17, "I will take of the Spirit which is udoii
thee" (Moses), "and will put it ngon them" (the seventy
elders) ; verse 25, "And the Lord . . . took of the Spirit
that was upon him . . . and it came to pass, that,
when (the) Spirit rested udoii them, they prophesied ;"
verse 26, "And (the) Spirit rested upon them" (Eldad and
Medad) . . . "and they prophesied in the camp ;" verse
29, "And Moses said . . . Would God that all the
Lord's people were prophets, that the Lord would put His
Spirit [the Spirit of Him] upon them!"
The last of these verses interprets those which go before
it, and shows the meaning of the writer to be, that it was

PASSAGES IN THE OLD TESTAMENT 19
the Spirit of the Lord that was on Moses, on the seventy,
and on the two who remained in the camp.
Chapter xxiv. 2, "And (the) Spirit of God came upon
him." The reference is to Balaam, of whom, whatever else
we may say, it is safe to assert that he was enabled to
utter predictions of the future through the Spirit of God.
Chapter xxvii. 18, "Take thee |Joshua the son of Nun, a
man in whom is (the) Spirit, and lay thy hand upon him."
4. The book of Deuteronomy has but one passage, which
is all but a repetition of the last of those from Numbers: —
Chapter xxxiv. 9, "And Joshua the son of Nun was full
of (the) Spirit ofjwisdqm; for Moses had laid his hands
upon him."
5. The book of Judges is the next book of the Canon in
which we find the Holy Spirit spoken of, and it contains
seven passages, in which the same name is given to Him,
and in similar circumstances: —
Chapter iii. 10, "And (the) Spirit of the Lord came up_on
him" (Othniel), "and he judged Israel."
Chapter vi. 34, "But (the) Spirit of the Lord came upjjn"
(clothed itself with, margin) "Gideon."
Chapter xi. 29, "Then (the) Spirit of the Lord came upon
Jephthah." Chapter xiii. 25, "And (the) Spirit of the Lord began to
move him" (Samson).
Chapter xiv. 6, "And (the) Spirit of the Lord came
mightily urjon him :" do., verse 19 ; chapter xv. 14.
In these passages the thought apparently is that of the
Spirit entering in and becoming a Spirit of wisdom and of
niight in the men specified .
6. In the first book of Samuel there are also seven pas
sages in which He is mentioned by name : —
Chapter x. 6, "And (the) Spirit of the Lord will come
mightily upon thee" (Saul).
Chapter x. 10, "And (the) Spirit of God came mightily
upon him, and he prophesied."
Chapter xi. 6, "And (the) Spirit of God came mightily
upon Saul when he heard these words."
Chapter xvi. 13, "And (the) Spirit of the Lord came
mightily upon David from that day forward ;" verse 14.
"Now (the) Spirit of the Lord had departed from Saul."

20 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
Chapter xix. 20, " (The) Spirit of God came upon the mes
sengers of Saul, and they also prophesied;" verse 23, "And
(the) Spirit of God came upon him also" (Saul himself),
"and he went on, and prophesied."
7. In the second book of Samuel there is but one mention
of the Holy Spirit, and it has reference to David's inspira
tion : —
Chapter xxiii. 1, 2, " The anointed of the God of Jacob,
and the sweet Psalmist of Israel . . . (the) Spirit of the
Lord spake by me."
8. In the first book of Kings we have two references: —
Chapter xviii. 12, where Obadiah, meeting Elijah, says
to him, "(The) Spirit of the Lord shall carry thee whither
I know not."
Chapter xxii. 24, where the false prophet Zedekiah says
to Micaiah, " Which way went (the) Spirit of the Lord from
me_to speak unto thee?" "i^, t,« >.,_jm. -h -"-!:.'<¦-¦-. '{V
9. In the second book of Kings there is one reference: —
Chapter ii. 16, "Lest peradventure (the) Spirit of the
Lord hath taken_him" (Elijah) "up, and cast him upon
some mountain."^' / fcc, /T',,' z. ,
10. The first book of Chronicles has two passages: —
Chapter xii. 18, "Then (the) Spirit came upon"
(clothed, margin) "Amasai, who was chief of the thirty,
and he said."
Chapter xxviii. 12, "The pattern of all that he had by
the Spirit."
11. In the second book of Chronicles there are four pas
sages : —
Chapter xv. 1, "(The) Spirit of God came upon Azariah
the son of Oded."
Chapter xviii. 23, "Then Zedekiah said, Which way
went (the) Spirit of the Lord from me to speak unto thee?"
Chapter xx. 14, "Then upon Jahaziel . . . the Levite
. . came (the) Spirit of the Lord in the midst of the
congregation." Chapter, xxiv. 20, "And (the) Spirit of God came upon
Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest . . . and he
said unto them, Thus saith God."
12. In the book of Nehemiah there are two passages 

PASSAGES IN THE OLD TESTAMENT 21
both found in the 9th chapter (one of the most remarkable,
chapters of the Old Testament) :—
Verse 20, "Thou ga_ves_t also Thy good Spirit to instruct
them." Verse 30, "Thou . . . testjfiest against them b£ (Thy)
Spirit through Thy prophets: yet would they not give
ear." 13. In Job there are two references : —
Chapter xxvi. 13 (otherwise in Sept.), "By His Spirit
the heavens are garnished." %*-?.<-.
Chapter xxxiii. 4, "(The) Spirit of God hath made me,
and the breath of the Almighty giveth me life. " Cx^Kj»« .
The former passage seems to refer to the creative work of
God, and the latter to Providence.
14. The book of Psalms contains five references to the
Holy Spirit: —
(One which should probably be classed as doubtful is not
included, namely, Psalm xxxiii. 6, "All the host of them"—
the heavens — "by tlie breath" — the Spirit— "of His mouth.'')
Psalm li. 11, "Take not Thy Holy Spirit frxun me."
Verse 12, "And uphold me with a free Spirit."
Psalm civ. 30, "Thou sendest forth Thy Spirit, they are
created" — God's work in Providence, tf sw^ ^ -^ ; u, ,
Psalm cxxxix. 7, "Whither shall I go from Thy Spirit ?" '••
Psalm cxliii. 10, "Thou art my God : Thy Spirit is good ;
lead me."
15. In Proverbs one passage occurs : —
Chapter i. 23, ' 'Behold, 1 will pour out My Spirit untp
you.'' (Otherwise Sept. )
16. In the book of Isaiah we have fifteen references, all
very distinct : —
Chapter xi. 2, "(The) Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon
Him, (the) Spirit of wisdom and understanding, (the) Spirit
of counsel and might, (the) Spirit of knowledge and of the
fear of the Lord" (sevenfold Spirit).
Chapter xxx. 1, "That cover with a covering, but not of
My Spirit. [(The) Spirit of Me.]
Chapter xxxii. 15, "Until (the) Spirit be poured upon us
from on high,"
Chapter xxxiv. 16, "Seek ye out of the Book of the Lord, •
and read : no one of these shall be missing, . . . for His
Spirit it hath gathered them."

22 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
Chapter xl. 7, "The grass withereth, the flower fadeth,
because the breath '(the Spirit, Ruach) "of the Lord bloweth
upon it: surely the people is grass." (Omitted in Sept.)
Chapter xl. 13, "Who hath directed the spirit of the
Lord?" Chapter xiii. I, "Behold My servant, . . . I have put
my Spirit upjxn Him."
Chapter xliv. 3, "I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed."
Chapter xlviii. 16, "From the time that it was, there am
I; and now the Lord God hath_g£nt Me, and His Spirit."
Chapter lix. 19, "He shall come as a rushing stream,
which the breath" (the Spirit, Ruach) "of the Lord driveth.'
(The A. V. is, "The Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard
against him.") Verse 21, "My Spirit that is upon thee
.... shall not depart out of thy mouth."
Chapter lxi. 1, "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me,
because the Lord hath anointed Me to preach."
Chapter lxiii. 10, "But they rebelled, and grigyed His
Holy Spirit." Verse 11, "Where is He that put His
Holy Spirit in_the_mjdst of them?" Verse 14, "(The) Spirit
of the lord causedjthem to rest: so didst Thou lead Thy
people." 17. In the book of Ezekiel we have fifteen passages
which speak of the Holy Spirit (besides some that are
doubtful): —
Chapter ii. 2, "And (the) Spirit entered into me when He
spake with me."
Chapter iii. 12, "Then (the) Spirit lifted me up, and I
heard behind me the voice of a great rushing,* saying,
Blessed be the glory of the Lord from His place." Verse
14, "So the Spirit lifted_me up, and took me away." Verse
24, "Then (the) Spirit entered into me, and set me upon my
feet, and He spake with me."
Chapter viii. 3, ' 'And the Spirit lifted me up between the
earth and the heaven."
Chapter xi. 1, "Moreover (the) Spirit lifted me up, and
brought me unto the east gate of the Lord's house." Verse
5, "And (the) Spirit of the Lord fell upon me, and He said
unto me, Speak, Thus saith the Lord." Verse 19, "And I
will put (a) new Spirit withjn_ you." Verse 24, "And (the)
^Compare Acts ii. 2.

PASSAGES IN THE OLD TESTAMENT 23
Spirit lifted me up, and brought me in the vision by the
Spirit of God into Chaldea."
Chapter xxxvi, 26, "A new heart also will I give you,
and a new Spirit will I put within you.'' Verse 27, "And I
will put My" — the — "Spirit within you."
Chapter xxxvii. 1, "The hand of the Lord was upon me,
and He carried me out in (the) Spirit of the Lord." Verse
14, "And I will put (My) Spirit in you, and ye shall live."
Chapter xxxix 29, "For I have poured out My Spirit
upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord God." (Other
wise in Sept.)
Chapter xliii. 5, "And the Spirit took_mejip."
18. The book of Joel has two well-known verses in which
the Holy Spirit is mentioned :—
Chapter ii. 28, 29, "And it shall come to pass afterward,
that I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons
and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall
dream dreams, your young men shall see visions ; and also
upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days
will I pour out My Spirit." [The Spirit of Me.]
The whole passage to which these verses belong is the
prophetical description of the day of Pentecost, as declared
by St. Peter in his sermon delivered upon that day in
Jerusalem (Acts ii. 16).
19. The prophet Micah has two references to the Holy
Spirit in his short and beautiful Book :—
Chapter ii. 7, "Shall it be said, O house of Jacob, is (the)
Spirit of the Lord straitened? Are these His doings?"
Chapter iii. 8, "But I truly am fullof power by (the)Spirit
of the Lord, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto
Jacob his transgressions, and to Israel his sin."
20. In the book of Haggai there is one passage :—
Chapter ii. 5, "When ye came out of Egypt, and My
Spirit abode among you."
21. The book of Zechariah has three passages, which are
distinct and clear : —
Chapter iv. 6, "Not by might, nor by power, but by (My)
Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts"— a promise that where
man's power and wisdom could do nothing, the Spirit of
the Lord would cause the Temple to be rebuilt.

24 THR O UGH THE E TERNAL SPIRIT
Chapter vii. 12, "The words which the Lord of hosts-had
sentby (His) Spirit by the hand of the former prophets."
Chapter xii. 10, "And I will pour upon the house of David,
and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, (the)Spirit of grace,
and of supplication;* and they shall look upon Me whom
they have pierced."
22. And lastly, the book of Malachi contains a verse: — ii.
15, "And did he not make one, although he had the residue
of (the) Spirit?" (probably referring, I think, to the case of
Abraham, who took Hagar to wife, seeking a "godly seed :"
he did this "although he had the residue of the Spirit.") [In
the same verse we have, "Take heed to your Spirit" (the
Spirit of you).]
* Compare Romans viii, 26,last clause, "The Spirit Himself maketh intercession
for us," and verse 27, "He maketh intercession for the saints."

CHAPTER II.
A CATENA OF PASSAGES IN WHICH THE HOLY SPIRIT IS
DIRECTLY MENTIONED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT.
THE teaching as to the Holy Spirit is of course much
fuller in the New Testament than in the Old; and
with the exception of three of the minor Epistles, it is
found in every book. Many somewhat remarkable
differences are found in what may be called the distri
bution of the teaching; but in the present chapter I
propose to confine myself to a short notice of what is
contained in each of the books in turn. (The absence
of the definite article in the original is marked by put
ting the English article in a parenthesis. )
1. In St. Matthew's Gospel there are twelve passages
in which the Holy Spirit is mentioned : —
Chapter i. 18, "She was found with child of (the) Holy
Ghost;" verse 20, "That which is conceived in her is of (the)
Holy Ghost."
Chapter iii. 11, "He shall baptize you with (the) Holy
Ghost, and with fire;" verse 16, "He saw the Spirit of God
descending as a dove, and coming upon Him."
Chapter iv. 1, "Then was Jesus led up of the. Spirit into
the wilderness to be tempted of the devil."
Chapter x. 20, "For it is not ye that speak, but the
Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you."
Chapter xii. 18 (quoting from Isaiah), "I will put My
Spirit upon Him ;" verse 28, "If I by (the) Spirit of God
cast out devils;" verse 31, "The blasphemy against the
Spirit shall not be forgiven ; " verse 32, "Whosoever shall
25

26 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
speak against the Holy Spirit, it shall not beforgiven him."
Chapter xxii. 43, "How then doth David in (the) Spirit call
Him Lord?"
Chapter xxviii. 20, "Into the Name of the Father and of
the Son and of the Holy Ghost."
2. In St. Mark there are six passages : —
Chapter i. 8, "He shall baptize you with (the) Holy
Ghost;" verse 10, "He saw . . the Spirit as a dove de
scending upon Him;" verse 12, "Straightway the Spirit
driveth Him forth into the wilderness."
Chapter iii. 29, "Whosoever shall blaspheme against the
Holy Spirit hath never forgiveness."
Chapter xii. 36, "David himself said in the Holy Spirit."
Chapter xiii. 11, "It is not ye that speak, but the Holy
Ghost." 3. In St. Luke there are eighteen passages : —
Chapter i. 15, "He shall be filled with (the) Holy Ghost;"
verse 35, "(The) Holy Ghost shall come upon thee;" verse
41, "Elisabeth was filled with (the) Holy Ghost;" verse 67,
"Zacharias was filled with (the) Holy Ghost."
Chapter ii. 25, " (The) Holy Spirit was upon him ;" verse
26, "Revealed unto him by the Holy Spirit; " verse 27, "He
came in the Spirit into the Temple."
Chapter iii. 16, "He shall baptise you with (the) Holy
Ghost, and with fire;" verse 22, "The Holy Ghost de
scended in a bodily form as a dove, upon Him."
Chapter iv. 1, "Jesus, full of (the) Holy Spirit;" also
"Was led by the Spirit into the wilderness ;" verse 14, "Jesus
returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee;" verse 18,
"(The) Spirit of the Lord is upon Me."
Chapter x. 21, "He rejoiced in "the" Holy Spirit, and said,
I thank thee, O Father."
-Chapter xi. 13, "Give (the) Holy Spirit to them that ask
Him." Chapter xii. 10, " Unto him that blasphemeth against the
Holy Spirit;" verse 12, "The Holy Spirit shall teach you
in that very hour."
Chapter xxiv. 49, "Behold, I send forth the promise of
My Father upon you."
4. In St. John there are twenty passages : —
Chapter i. 32, "I have beheld the Spirit descending as a

PASS A GES IN THE NE W TESTAMENT 27
dove;" verse 33, "Upon whomsoever thou shalt seethe
Spirit descending, and abiding upon him, the same is He
that baptizeth with (the) Holy Spirit."
Chapter iii. 5, "Except a man> born of water and (the)
Spirit;" verse 6, " That which is born of the Spirit is spirit;''
verse 8, "So is every one that is born of the Spirit; " verse
34, "He giveth not the Spirit by measure."
Chapter vi. 63, "It is the Spirit that quickeneth."
Chapter vii. 39, "This spake He of the Spirit . . .
for (the) Spirit was not yet given."
Chapter xiv. 16, "Another Comforter;" verse 17, "Even
the Spirit of Truth;" verse 26, "The Comforter, even the
Holy Spirit . . . He shall teach you ... and bring-
to your remembrance all that I said unto you."
Chapter xv. 26, "When the Comforter is come, whom I
will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of
Truth  He shall bear witness of Me."
Chapter xvi. 7, "If I go not away, the Comforter will not
come unto you;" verse 8, "And He, when He is come, will
convict the world in respect of sin, and of righteousness,
and of judgment;" verse 9, "Of sin, because they believe
not in Me;" verse 10, "Of righteousness, because I go to
the Father, and ye behold Me no more;" verse 11, "Of judg
ment, because the prince of this world hath been judged ;"
verse 13, "When He, the Spirit of Truth, is come, He shall
guide you into all the truth : for He shall not speak from
himself; but what things soever He shall hear, these
shall He speak : and He shall declare unto you the things
that are to come;" verse 14, "He shall glorify Me; for He
shall take of Mine, and shall declare it unto you ;" verse 15,
"He taketh of Mine, and shall declare it unto you."
Chapter xx. 22, "He breathed on them, and saith unto
them, Receive ye (the) Holy Ghost."
The Acts of the Apostles has fifty-seven passages di
rectly referring to this subject. It is the special book of
Scripture devoted to it ; and we are not therefore surprised
to find that the verses to be quoted are nearly as many as
in all the four Gospels, and that we are here told more
about the Holy Ghost than elsewhere.
Chapter i. 2, The Lord "had given commandment through
(the) Holy Ghost unto the Apostles;" verse 4, "He charged

28 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
them ... to wait for the promise of the Father, which,
said He, ye heard from Me;" verse 5, "For John indeed
baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with (the)
Holy Ghost not many days hence;" verse 8, "Ye shall receive
power, when the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and ye
shall be My witnesses;" verse 16, "It was needful that the
Scripture should be fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost spake
before by the mouth of David concerning Judas."
Chapter ii. 4, "They were all filled with (the) Holy Spirit,
and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave
them utterance ;" verse 17, "I will pour forth of My Spirit
upon all flesh" [The Spirit] ; verse 18, "On My servants and
on My handmaidens in those days will I pour forth My
Spirit; and they shall prophesy" [The Spirit]; verse 33,
"Having received of the Father the promise of the Holy
Ghost, He hath poured forth this;" verse 38, "And ye shall
receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."
Chapter iv. 8, "Then Peter, filled with (the) Holy Ghost,
said ;" verse 25, "[O Lord], who by the Holy Ghost, by the
mouth of our father David Thy servant, didst say;" verse
31, "And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and
they spake the Word of God."
Chapter v. 3, "Wliy hath Satan filled thy heart to lie to
the Holy Ghost;" verse 9, " How is it that ye have agreed
together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord?" verse 32, "We
are witnesses of these things ; and so is the Holy Ghost,
whom God hath given to them that obey Him."
Chapter vi. 3, "Men of good report, full of (the) Spirit
and of wisdom;" verse 5, "A man full of faith and of (the)
Holy Spirit;" verse 10, "Not able to withstand the wisdom
and the Spirit by which he spake."
Chapter vii. 51, " Ye do always resist the Holy Ghost;"
verse 55, " But he, being full of (the) Holy Ghost, looked up."
Chapter viii. 15, 16, "Who . . . prayed for them,
that they might receive (the) Holy Ghost : for as yet He was
fallen upon none of them: only they had been baptized; "
verse 17, "Then laid they their hands on them, and
they received (the) Holy Ghost;" verse 18, "When Simon
saw that through the laying on of the Apostles' hands the
Holy Ghost was given ; " verse 19, "That on whomsoever I
lay my hands, he may receive (the) Holy Ghost;" verse 20,
"Thought to obtain the gift of God with money;" verse 29,

PA SSA GES IN THE NE W TES TAME NT 29
"And the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near and join thyself
to this chariot;" verse 39, "(The) Spirit of the Lord caught
away Philip."
Chapter ix. 17, "That thou mayest receive thy sight, and
be filled with (the) Holy Ghost;" verse 31, "Walking in the
fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost."
Chapter x. 19, "The Spirit said unto him, Behold three
men seek thee;" verse 20, "I have sent them;" verse 38,
"God anointed Him with (the) Holy Ghost and withpower;"
verse 44, "While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy
Ghost fell on all them which heard ;" verse 45, "On the Gen
tiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost;" verse
47, "Which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we."
Chapter xi. 12, "And the Spirit bade me go with them;"
verse 15, "As I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them,
even as on us at the beginning;" verse 16, "Ye shall be
baptized with (the) Holy Ghost;" verse 24, "He was agood
man, and full of (the) Holy Ghost and of faith;" verse 28,
"Agabus . . . signified by the Spirit that there should
be a great famine.' '
Chapter xiii. 2, "The Holy Ghost said, Separate me
Barnabas and Saul ;" verse 4, "So they, being sent forth
by the Holy Ghost;" verses 9, 10, "But Saul, who is also
called Paul, filled with (the) Holy Ghost . . . said:"
verse 52, "The disciples were filled with joy and with (the)
Holy Ghost."
Chapter xv. 8, "God . . . bare them witness, giving
them the Holy Ghost, even as He did unto us;" verse 28,
"For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us."
Chapter xvi. 6, "Having been forbidden of the Holy
Ghost to speak the Word in Asia;" verse 7, "And the Spirit
of Jesus suffered them not."
Chapter xix. 2, "Did ye receive (the) Holy Ghost when
.ye believed? . . . Nay, we did not so much as hear
whether (the) Holy Ghost was given ;" verse 6, "When Paul
had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on
them ; and they spake with tongues, and .prophesied."
Chapter xx. 22, "I go bound in the Spirit" (?) "unto
Jerusalem ;" verse 23, "The Holy Ghost testifieth unto me
in every city ;" verse 28, "In the which the Holy Ghost hath
made you bishops."
Chapter xxi. 4, "These said to Paul through the Spirit;"

30 THR 0 UGH THE E TERNAL SPIRIT
verse 11, "And said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, so shall
the Jews . . . bind."
Chapter xxviii. 25, "Well spake the Holy Ghost by Isaiah
the prophet."
6. The Epistle to the Romans directly mentions the Holy
Spirit in twenty -five passages, as follows : —
Chapter i.4,"Declared to be the Son of God with power, ac
cording to(the) Spirit of holiness;" verse 11 (?), "That Imay
impart unto you some spiritual gift" (Xapia(j.a nveuij.azr/.w).
Chapter v. 5, "The love of God hath been shed abroad in
our hearts through (the) Holy Ghost, which was given
unto us."
Chapter viii 1, "Who walk not afterthe flesh, but after
(the) Spirit" (A. V.); verse 2, "The law of the Spirit of life in
Christ Jesus made me free;" verse 4, "Who walk not after
the flesh, but after (the) Spirit;" verse 5, "Thej' that are
after (the) Spirit (mind) the things of the Spirit;" verse 9,
"Ye are ... in (the) Spirit, if so be that (the) Spirit of
God dwelleth in you. But if any man have not (the) Spirit.
of Christ, he is none of His;" verse 10, "The Spirit is life;"
verse 11, "If the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the
dead dwelleth in you, He . . . shall quicken also your
mortal bodies through His Spirit that dwelleth in you;"
verse 13, "If by (the) Spirit ye mortify the deeds of the
body;" verse 14, "As many as are ledby(the) Spirit of God ;"
verse 15, "Ye received (the) Spirit of adoption;" verse 16,
"The Spirit Himself beareth witness with our spirit ;" verse
23, "Which have the first-fruits of the Spirit;" verse 26, "The
Spirit also helpeth our infirmity . . . the Spirit Himself
maketh intercession for us;" verse 27, "He . . . knoweth
what is the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh interces
sion . . . according to the will of God."
Chapter ix. 1, "My conscience bearing witness with me in
the Holy Ghost."
Chapter xiv. 17, "Righteousness and peace and joy in
(the) Holy Ghost."
Chapter xv. 13, "That ye may abound in hope, in the
power of (the) Holy Ghost;" verse 16, "Being sanctified by
(the) Holy Ghost;" verse 19, "Signs and wonders, in the
power of (the) Holy Ghost ;" verse 30, "I beseech you . . .
by our Lord Jesus Christ, and by the love of the Spirit."

PASSA GES IN THE NE W TESTAMENT 31
7. The First Epistle to the Corinthians is also one which
very fully dwells on the Person and work of the Holy Spirit,
and contains twenty-four passages in which He is mentioned
directly: —
Chapter ii. 4, "My speech and my preaching were . .
in demonstration of (the) Spirit ;" verse 10, "God revealed
them through the Spirit : for the Spirit searcheth all things,
yea, the deep things of God;" verse 11, "The things of God
none knoweth, save the Spirit of God;" verse 12, "We re
ceived . . . the Spirit which is of God;" verse 13, "Words
. . . which (the) Spirit teacheth ;" verse 14, "The natural
man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God."
Chapter iii 16, "Know ye not that ye are a temple of
God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?"
Chapter v. 4 ( ?), "In the name of our Lord Jesus, ye being
gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our
Lord Jesus."
Chapter vi. 11, "Justified in the name of the Lord Jesus
Christ, and in the Spirit of our God;" verse 19, "Know ye
not that your body is a temple of the Holy Ghost?"
Chapter vii. 40, "I think that I also have (the) Spirit of
God." Chapter xii. 3, "No man speaking in (the) Spirit of God
saith" . . . "No man can say, Jesus is our Lord, but in
(the) Holy Spirit;" verse 4, "Diversities of gifts, but the
same Spirit;" verse 5 (?), "And the same Lord;" verse 7,
"Tq,<each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit to
profit;" verseS, "To one is given through the Spirit the
word of wisdom; and to another the word of knowledge,
according to the same Spirit ;" verse 9, "To another faith, in
the same Spirit ; and to another gifts of healings, in the one
Spirit ;" verse 11, "But all these worketh the one and the
same Spirit, dividing to each one severally even as He will ;"
verse 13, "For in one Spirit were we all baptized into one
body . . . and were all made to drink of one Spirit."
Chapter xiv. 2, "But in (the) Spirit he speaketh mysteries."
8. In 2nd Corinthians there are twelve passages which
speak of the Holy Ghost :—
Chapter i. 22, "Who also sealed us, and gave us the
earnest of the Spirit."
Chapter iii. 3, "Written not with ink, but with (the) Spirit

32 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
of the living God ;" verse 6, "The letter killeth, but the Spirit
giveth life;" verse 8, "How shall not rather the ministration
of the Spirit be with glory?"
Chapter iii. 17, "The Lord is the Spirit; and where the
Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty ;" verse 18, "Even as
from (the) Lord (the) Spirit."
Chapter iv. 13, "The same Spirit of Faith."
Chapter v. 5, "God, who gave unto us the earnest of
the Spirit."
Chapter vi. 6, "In kindness, in (the) Holy Ghost, in love
unfeigned." Chapter xi. 4 (?), "If he that cometh preacheth another
Jesus . . . or if ye receive (a) different Spirit, which ye
did not receive."
Chapter xii. 18, "Walked we not by the same Spirit?"
Chapter xiii. 14, "The Communion of the Holy Ghost."
9. In the Epistle to the Galatians there are thirteen
passages concerning the Holy Ghost: —
Chapter iii. 2, "Received ye the Spirit by the works of
the law, or by the hearing of faith?" verse 3, "Having
begun in (the) Spirit, are ye now perfected in the flesh?"
verse 5, "He . . that supplieth to you the Spirit . , .
doeth He it by the works of the law?" verse 14, "That we
might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith."
Chapter iv. 6, "God sent forth the Spirit of His Son into
our hearts;" verse 29, "Persecuted Him that was born after
(the) Spirit."
Chapter v. 5, "We through (the) Spirit by faith wait for
the hope of righteousness;" verse 16, "Walk by (the) Spirit,
and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh;" verse 17, "The
flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the
flesh;" verse 18, "If ye are led by (the) Spirit, ye are not un
der the law;" verse 22, "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,
peace, . . . ;" verse 25, "If we live by (the) Spirit, by
(the) Spirit let us also walk."
Chapter vi. 8, "He that soweth unto the Spirit shall of
tho Spirit reap eternal life."
10. In the Epistle to the Ephesians there are thirteen (?)
passages as follows: —
Chapter i. 13, 14, "Ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of
promise, which is an earnest of our inheritance ;" verse 17,

PASS A GES IN THE NE IV TESTAMENT 33
"That . . God . . may give unto you (a) Spirit of
wisdom and revelation."
Chapter ii. 18, "Through Him we both have our access in
One Spirit unto the Father;" verse 22, "Builded together for
a habitation of God in (the) Spirit."
Chapter iii. 5, "It hath now been revealed unto His holy
apostles and prophets in (the) Spirit;" verse 16, "That ye
may be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the
inward man." [The Spirit of Him.]
Chapter iv. 3, "Giving diligence to keep the unity of the
Spirit;" verse 4, "There is one body, and one Spirit;" verse
30, "And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, in whom ye
were sealed.''
Chapter v. 9 (?), "The fruit of the light" (A. V. "Spirit") ;
verse 18, "Be filled with (the) Spirit."
Chapter vi. 17, "The sword of the Spirit, which is the
Word of God;" verse 18, "Praying at all seasons in (the)
Spirit." 11. The Epistle to the Philippians has only three pas
sages : —
Chapter i. 19, "The supplj' of the Spirit of Jesus Christ."
Chapter ii. 1, "If any fellowship of (the) Spirit."
Chapter iii. 3, "The circumcision, who worship by (the)
Spirit of God."
12. The Epistle to the Colossians has only one passage: —
Chapter i. 8, "Declared unto us your love in (the) Spirit."
13. In the First Epistle to the Thessalonians we have
four passages: —
Chapter i. 5, "Our Gospel came . also in power, and
in (the) Holy Ghost;" verse 6, "Much affliction, with joy
of (the) Holy Ghost."
Chapter iv. 8, "God, who giveth His Holy Spirit unto
you." [The Holy Spirit of Him.]
Chapter v. 19, "Quench not the Spirit."
14 In 2nd Thessalonians there are two (?) passages: —
Chapter ii. 13, "In sanctification of (the) Spirit and
belief of the truth."
( ? ?) Chapter iii. 5, "The Lord direct your hearts into
the love of God, and into the patience of Christ."
15. In the First Epistle to Tjmot^hy. ^there are three
passages (?): —

34 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
Chapter iii. 16, "Manifested in the flesh, justified in (the)
Spirit."
. Chapter iv. 1, "But the Spirit saith expressly;" verse
14 (?), "Neglect not the gift (Charismatos) that is in thee,
which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of
the hands of the presbytery."
16. In 2nd Timothy there are two passages : —
Chapter i. 7, "But (the Spirit) of power and love and
discipline" (compare Rom. viii. 15) ; verse 14, "Guard
through (the) Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us."
17. In Titus there is only one passage: —
Chapter iii. 5, "He saved us through the washing of re
generation and renewing of (the) Holy Ghost."
18. In the Epistle to the Hebrews there are eleven
passages : —
Chapter ii. 4, "By signs and wonders, and by manifold
powers, and by gifts of (the) Holy Ghost."
Chapter iii. 7, "Wherefore even as the Holy Ghost saith."
Chapter iv. 3, "He;" verse 4, "He;" verse 7, "He." [The
Holy Ghost, see iii. 7.]
Chapter vi. 4, "And were made partakers of (the) Holy
Ghost." Chapter ix. 8, "The Holy Ghost this signifying;" verse 14,
"Who through (the) Eternal Spirit offered himself."
Chapter x. 15, "And the Holy Ghost also beareth witness
to us; for after He hath said;" verse 16, "Then saith He"
(supplied words in R.V.) ; verse 29, "And hath done despite
unto the Spirit of grace."
19 In St. James there is one passage : —
Chapter iv. 5, "The Spirit which He made to dwell in us."
20. The First Epistle of Peter has seven passages :—
Chapter i. 2, "In sanctification of (the) Spirit;" verse 11,
"The Spirit of Christ which was in them;" verse 12,
"Preached the Gospel unto you by (the) Holy Ghost;" verse
22 (A. V.), "Purified your souls in obeying the truth through
the) Spirit."
Chapter iii. 18, "Put to death in the flesh, but quickened
in the Spirit."
Chapter iv. 6, "Live according to God in (the) Spirit;"
verse 14. "The Spirit of Glory and the Spirit of God resteth
upon you.'

PASSAGES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT 35
21. In 2nd Peter we have only one reference : —
Chapter i. 21 "Men spake from God, being moved by (the)
Holy Ghost."
22. The First Epistle of John has eight passages, as fol
lows : —
Chapter ii. 20, "Ye have an anointing from the Holy
One;" verse 27, "The anointing which ye received of Him."
Chapter iii. 24, "We know . . . by the Spirit which He
gave us."
Chapter iv. 2, ' 'Hereby know ye the Spirit of God ;" verse
6, "We know the Spirit of truth ;" verse 13, "He hath given
us of His Spirit ."
Chapter v. 7, "It is the Spirit that beareth witness . .
. the Spirit is the truth;" verse 8, "The Spirit, and the
Water, and the Blood."
23. The Epistle of St. Jude has two passages: —
Verse 19, "Having not (the) Spirit;" verse 20, "Praying
in (the) Holy Spirit."
24. The Book of Revelation has eighteen passages ( ?)
which follow: —
Chapter i. 4, "From the Seven Spirits which are before the
throne;" verse 10, "I was in (the) Spirit on the Lord's Day."
Chapter ii. 7, "Hear what the Spirit saith ;" verse 11,
"Hear what the Spirit saith ;" verse 17, "Hear what the
Spirit saith ;" verse 29, "Hear what the Spirit saith."
Chapter iii. 1, "He that hath the seven Spirits of God ;"
verse 6, "Hear what the Spirit saith;" verse 13, "Hear
what the Spirit saith ;" verse 22, "Hear what the Spirit
saith." Chapter iv. 2, "Straightway I was in (the) Spirit;" verse
5, "The seven Spirits of God."
Chapter v. 6, "The seven Spirits of God."
Chapter xi. 11 (?), "(The) breath" (A.V., "Spirit") "of life
from God."
Chapter xiv. 13, "Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may
rest." Chapter xvii. 3, "He carried me away in (the) Spirit."
Chapter xxi. 10, "He carried me away in (the) Spirit."
Chapter xxii. 17, "And the Spirit and the Bride say,
Come."

CHAPTER III.
COMMENTS ON, AND INFERENCES FROM, THE PASSAGES
CITED, TAKEN AS A WHOLE.
THE OLD TESTAMENT.
WE call attention to the great number and variety
of the passages in the Old Testament.
1. There are eighty-eight of them — including pos
sibly a f'6w that are doubtful, but only a few; for in
the case of the immense majority of the references
there ought to be no hesitation as to their import. And
these are widely spread over the Canon, being found in
no fewer than twenty-two out of the thirty-nine books
of Old Testament Scripture. This, be it remembered,
is a portion of the Word to which we do not look for
the special teaching of the doctrine of the Holy Trin
ity, which we are accustomed to regard as revealed in
the New Testament only.
2. When we come to look at these passages more
closely, we find that the five books of Moses contain
fourteen of them (or one-sixth of the whole), and that
of these the book of Leviticus has none. Two of the
prophetic books far exceed any other two books, namelv
those of Isaiah and Ezekiel — each having fifteen refer
ences, and the two together one-third of the whole. If
to these we add the books of Moses, we have thus one-
36

COMMENTS ON OLD TESTAMENT PASSAGES 37
half of all the passages accounted for. Of the other
books, Judges and 1st Samuel have each seven refer
ences, and 2nd Samuel one; and the Book of Psalms
has five. When we have summed up these we have sixty-
four passages, leaving twenty-four for the other eleven
books. 3. It is impossible to say that the passages increase
in number, or in clearness, with any special character
istic of the books of Scripture. They seem to bear no
special relation to chronology, as they appear chiefly
in Isaiah (750 b. a), in Ezekiel (590 b. c), and in the
books of Moses. Nor can we trace any relation to the
comparative spirituality of the books, though Isaiah
stands so high in the list; for whereas Ezekiel stands
first, and Judges has seven, Psalms has only six, Deu
teronomy only one, and 2nd Chronicles four. But it is
possible to discern that each of the inspired writers has
caught some special aspect of the Holy Spirit's person
or work, which is reiterated in his pages. In Ezekiel,
for instance, it is the action of the Holy Spirit in trans
porting the prophet bodily to the places where he is
needed, which accounts for six of the passages out of
fifteen. In Judges it is the in-breathing of courage or
strength which is alluded to in every one of the seven
passages. In Exodus it is as the Spirit of wisdom that
He is specially — and exclusive!}* — regarded. It is His
office as the Giver of prophetic inspiration which is
almost constantly spoken of in the books of Samuel and
the Chronicles. In Isaiah, and in the Psalms, the
twofold teaching concerning Him is His connection
with the Messiah on the one hand, and what may be

38 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
called Hia personal qualities, such as being grieved, or
vexed, by ingratitude or rebellion, on the other.
4. Another fact, apparent and important, is the
imagery employed to represent the Holy Spirit's pres
ence and approach to men. This is especially note
worthy from the fact of the reappearance in the New
Testament of the same imagery in the same connection.
Four instances of this occur: —
(1. ) The similitude of breath is a remarkable one.
In Ezekiel xxxvii. 14, "I will put My Spirit in you;"
compare verse 9,"Come from the four winds, O breath'1'1
(same word as in verse 14); "Say to the wind" (also
same word), "Thus saith the Lord God." The word in
Hebrew is Ruach.
See Psalm xxxiii. 6, "By the word of th6 Lord were
the heavens made; and all the host of them by the
breath" (the Spirit) "of His mouth."
See Job xxxiii. 4, "The Spirit of God hath made me,
and the breath (Nishmah) of the Almighty giveth me
life." So Isaiah lix. 19, "As a rushing stream, which
the breath (Ruach) of the Lord driveth." See also
Isaiah xl. 7, The breath (Ruach) of the Lord bloweth
upon it."
With these we must compare the following passages
in the New Testament :—John xx. 22, "He breathed on
them, and saith . . . Eeceive ye the Holy Ghost."
See Acts ii. 2, "A sound as of the rushing of a mighty
wind" (77^)— breath— same word as in Acts xvii.
25, "He . . . giveth to all life and breath," which is
the only other place in the New Testament where the
word occurs. The word Ilvedfm, which is the name by

COMMENTS ON OLD TESTAMENT PASSA GES 39
which He is known in the New Testament, means the
breath (of God).
The image is a most striking one, its explanation be
ing seen in John xx. 22. The Holy Spirit is there seen
as the breath of. God, the outcome of the life of God.
(2.) The same image carried further out, is found
in another passage of the Old Testament, and is repro
duced in the New.
In Ezekiel iii. 12,"Then the Spirit lifted me up,and
I heard behind me the voice of a great rushiiog, saying,
Blessed be the glory of the Lord from His place." With
this we compare Acts ii. 2, "And suddenly there came
from heaven a sound as of the rushing of a mighty
wind;" also Rev. i. 10, "I was in the Spirit on the
Lord's Day, and I heard behind me a great voice, as of
a trumpet." It is still the image of the breath; but it is of the
breath rushing forth in power and in abundance.
(3.) A third Old Testament image is found in
Judges vi. 34, "The Spirit of the Lord came upon Gid
eon," (in margin and literally, clothed itself with Gid
eon); and i Chron. xii. 18, "The Spirit came upon
Amasai" (where possibly the margin clothed presents a
variation in the thought). The meaning of the former
passage certainly is that the Spirit of God entered into
the inner man for the time, making the man Gideon to
be, as it were, the clothing or outer garment of God's
Spirit. Possibly the other passage refers to the same
thought; but if not, it presents the converse — that the
Spirit encompassed and clothed the man Amasai, hid
ing the man himself from observation, and causing
him to be lost in the manifestation of God.

40 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
Both of these images are found in the New Testa
ment in substance at least. All such passages as Luke
ii. 25, "The Holy Ghost was upon (i™) him," represent
the Spirit as clothing the man; while the special prom
ise of the Lord in John xiv. 17, "He shall be in you"
(h upXv), repeats the thought of the Spirit of God en
tering into the man, and clothiDg Himself with him.
(The former image is twice applied to the Lord Jesus,
Rom. xiii. 14, "But_pwi ye on the Lord Jesus Christ;"
and Gal. iii. 27, "As many of you as were baptized
into Christ did put on Christ. ")
(4.) A fourth image employed in the Old Testament
is that of pouring out, as of water. This is probably
the most frequently used of all the images employed to
signify the Holy Spirit; and it is found equally in the
Old Testament and the New.
We find it in Isaiah (thrice), in Ezekiel, in Joel
(thrice), and in Zechariah. So in the New Testament,
after having quoted the two verses from Joel in which
this image is used, St. Peter himself employs it (Acts
ii. 33), "He hath poured forth this, which ye see and
hear" (m%£ev). St. Paul takes up the same image in
Titus iii 6, "The Holy Ghost which He poured out upon
us richly" (s;£yjev).
This image is in every way striking. First, because
it suggests the element of water; next, from the abun
dance which it suggests; and, not least, from its rela
tion to one particular mode of baptism, viz., by effusion,
probably the oldest mode, and possibly adopted by
the early Church from this very image. I think the
phrase, "Baptized into (e??) the Holy Ghost," nowhere

COMMENTS ON OLD TESTAMENT PASSAGES 41
occurs*: we are of ten said to be "baptized into Christ,"
but always "by" (iV) the Holy Ghost. The only image
which touches the mode of baptism by the Spirit is
this of effusion; at least, if we are not to apply the
promise, "I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye
shall be clean" (Ezek. xxxvi. 25), to this promise of
the Holy Ghost,
5, One other observation must be made on these
passages concerning the Holy Ghost in the Old Testa
ment, taken as a whole. How fully they mark out the
ground which the New Testament passages occupy!
Does the New Testament speak of the Spirit's work
on sinners, or on "the world?" Not less does the Old
represent Him as "striving with men," both in the
early ages (Gen. vi. 3) and in post-Babylonian times
(Neh. ix. 30).
Does the New Testament tell us that it is by the in
spiration of the Holy Ghost that the prophets and holy
men of God spake? Not less does the Old Testament
show that it is the Spirit who gives inspiration (see
Numb. xi. 17, 25, 26, 29; 2 Sam. xxiii. 1, 2; 2 Chron.
xv. 1; xx. 14), and who gives wisdom (see Exodus
xxviii. 3; xxxi. 3).
Does the New Testament speak of "grieving" the
Holy Spirit (Eph. iv. 30)? So does the Old Testament
tell of His being "grieved" (Isaiah Ixiii. 10; comp.
Micah ii. 7).
Does the New Testament tell us of the Spirit "carry-
* Possibly the close of verse 13 of 1 Cor. xii. may be a
virtual exception, though connected there with a different
Greek word — that is. if I am right in my interpretation of
that very difficult verse.

42 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
ing away" Philip and the Apostle of Patmos? So does
the Old Testament tell us of Ezekiel being carried and
lifted up by Him.
Does the New Testament tell of "power" being given
by the Spirit to the Apostles? The Old Testament has
clearly said, both in Micah iii. 8 and in Zechariah iv.
6, that He fills with power.
But there are two thing3 told us in the New Testament
as to the work of the Holy Ghost, which we nowhere
find ascribed to Him in the Old, save in predictions of
what is hereafter to be. There is no trace of the Ad
ministration of the Church being under His control,
and there is no record of His dwelling with men so as
to sanctify them! The latter fact is most suggestive,
and the apparent exceptions to it only serve to accen
tuate its significance. There are three passages in the
prophet Ezekiel where this result of His coming to men
is specially described. The first is in chapter xi. 19,
immediately before the cherubim and the glory of the
Lord are seen by the prophet to issue from the Temple
and leave the city. Before they go, a promise is given
of restoration from the heathen, and return out of ban
ishment from all "the countries where ye have been
scattered." And there is added, in reference to that
time, "I will give them one heart, and I will put a new
Spirit within you." In chapter xxxvi. 24-32, the same
promise is made to them, with particulars added, and
in fuller detail — "And I will put My Spirit within you,
and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye shall keep
My judgments, and do them." And once more, in
chapter xxxvii. 13, 14, it is said, "Ye shall know that

COMMENTS ON OLD TESTAMENT PASSAGES 43
I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, and
caused you to come up out of your graves, O My peo
ple. And I will put My Spirit in you, and ye shall
live." It is a promise for the far future, some part of
which is not yet fulfilled. But so far it has been ful
filled in "the new covenant," of which Jeremiah in a
parallel passage tells, and which is quoted and referred
to more than once in the Epistle to the Hebrews, where,
indeed, these very words of Ezekiel are seen to be in
the mind of the sacred writer (Hebrews x. 22).
At all events the promise is one which is of New Tes
tament fulfillment, under the "new covenant" of which
the Lord speaks (Matthew xxvi. 28; Luke xxii. 20).
And this passage, therefore, does not invalidate, but
explains and confirms, the remark that the work of
sanctifying the soul of the man on whom He comes is
not specially mentioned in the Old Testament.
There is one other passage which might be thought
to refer to this — where it is said that the Spirit of the
Lord would come upon Saul, and he should be "turned
into another man" (1 Samuel x. 6). On that occasion
it is written that "God gave him another heart" (verse
9). But attention to the context will, I think, bear
out the comment that what was then promised and
given to the unhappy Saul was the power of prophesy
ing, and a new interest in such things, which had been
unknown to him before. Even if the words of Samuel
mean that Saul then turned to the Lord, and found new
life, which in New Testament language we designate
"conversion," yet this would not be the blessing of the
sanctified heart — all the distinction between justifica
tion and sanctification lies between. But it is not clear

44 THR 0 UGH THE E TERNAL SPIRIT
that even the former is intended. At all events, there
is nothing in the passage to lead to the modification of
the statement, that while almost all the other work of
the Holy Ghost is found clearly described and ascribed
to Him in the Old Testament, yet His chief work under
the new covenant, that of "sanctifying through the
truth," is not alluded to, otherwise than in a promise
for the future.
PASSAGES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT.
Proceeding now to the many and various statements
in the New Testament Scriptures as to the Holy Ghost,
and confining ourselves in the meantime to these taken
as a whole, and to the general inferences which may
be drawn from them, we observe: —
1. There are in all two hundred and sixty-two pas
sages in which the Holy Ghost is specially and directly
mentioned. A few of these no doubt may be questioned,
but these can make little difference. The Gospels con
tain fifty-six passages; the Acts of the Apostles, fifty-
seven; St. Paul's Epistles, one hundred and thirteen;
and the other Books, thirty-six. The Epistle to Phile
mon and the 2nd and 3rd Epistles of John are the only
books in which the Holy Spirit is not named.
2. In the books containing these passages we notice
the prominence given to Him in some, as compared
with the infrequency with which He is mentioned in
others. Those belonging to the former class are —
The Gospels; Acts; Romans; 1 Corinthians; Revela
tion; Galatians; and Ephesians.
Those belonging to the latter are—

COMMENTS ON NE W TESTAMENT PASS A GES 45
Philippians (with only three passages); Colossians
(with only one); and St. James (with only one, and
that a doubtful one).
3. A fact of a somewhat similar character to that
last noted is what may be called the grouping of the
passages in which the Spirit is mentioned in certain
parts of the books which speak of Him. Thus —
In St. Mark, three out of six references are in the 1st
chapter. In St. Luke, thirteen out of eighteen are in the first
four chapters.
In St. John, eleven out of twenty are in two chap
ters (these being, notasin the other Gospels, the earlier
ones, but the 14th and 16th).
In Romans, sixteen out of twenty-four are in one
chapter (the 8th).
In 1 Corinthians eighteen out of twenty-four are in
two chapters (2nd and 12th).
In Galatians, ten out of thirteen are in two chapters
(3rd and 5th).
In Revelation, twelve out of eighteen are in the first
four chapters.
There are only two New Testament books in which
the subject is found in every part:
The Acts, containing fifty-seven passages, in seven
teen chapters out of twenty-eight; and the Epistle to
the Ephesians, containing thirteen passages, some be
ing found in every chapter of the Epistle.
From these facts one is justified in noting that there
is no nervous anxiety about the balance of teaching (if
we may call it so), but the fearless, simple statement

46 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
of truth in the circumstances which call it forth. There
is here, as elsewhere, the absence of any trace of an at
tempt to concoct a story or build up a system. There
is an unconscious simplicity which can afford to state
things precisely as they are, leaving the truth to pro
duce its natural effect.
4. The next thing which strikes us about the New
Testament passages which speak of the Holy Spirit, is
the prominence given to Him at the opening of the vol
ume, without any sort of explanation. This is the more
remarkable, because some of the most mysterious things
concerning His person and work are contained in these
early pages.
Taking the first four chapters of each of the four
Gospels, we find the Holy Spirit mentioned twenty-
eight times in the following relations and aspects: —
As to the generation of the Messiah (three passages).
As to the baptism of the Messiah (five passages).
As to the temptation of the Messiah (four passages).
As to the teaching of the Messiah (three passages).
As inspiring or leading men (six passages).
In baptizing men (spiritually) (four passages).
In the new birth (two passages).
As being blasphemed (one passage).
These references are all made at the beginning of the
volume, without a word to say who He is, why He
works, or how He does so. The significance of this is
perhaps most fully seen when we read the first passage
of all, which occurs in Matthew i. 18, "When His
mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before thev
came together, she was found with child of the Holy

COMMENTS ON NEW TESTAMENT PASSA GES 47
Ghost." Could any form of statement be, as we think
of it, more surprising? Would any mere human histor
ian have dared to write a story in such terms? Have
we any explanation now to give? I venture to offer
one or two suggestions, which may throw light on so
mysterious a fact.
Is there not implied, for one thing, a knowledge on
the part of the reader of the whole Old Testament
teaching concerning the Holy Spirit? He can hardly
be said to be unknown by name to the student of these
ancient records, who is mentioned eighty-six times in
them! What is told in the Gospels is no doubt some
thing new, but it is told of One who is not unknown to
the Jewish servants of God.
Still more perhaps should we give importance and
weight to the fact that the Gospels, not being written
immediately after the resurrection of Christ, found the
Churches which received them at first already in pos
session of a great amount of knowledge of Divine
things. This knowledge was not communicated merely
by what we call "tradition," that is, by the handing
down, from father to son, and from friend to friend,
of historical statements regarding Christ, and the
founding of His Church. In addition to what comes
generally under the name of "tradition," there were
the public discourses of the Apostles and other disciples
of Jesus Christ, which had been delivered through the
space well nigh of a generation before the Gospels were
written down. However early a date we assign to any
of the latter, and whether Mark or Matthew be sup
posed to be the first in time, their writings came to

48 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
readers who already knew much of the substance of
them, and had done so for years. It is difficult to resist
the conclusion, that several of the Epistles were earlier
in date than the earliest of the Gospels, and especially
that the two Epistles to the Thessalonians, and the re
markable Epistle of St. James, must have been well
known years before the Gospels were penned. Such
events as Pentecost and the effects which followed it
must have been familiar to all sections of the Church
before there was a New Testament at all. Those who
had received Christian baptism must have heard of the
"Holy Ghost." Such knowledge therefore is presumed
in the readers of the four Gospels. There was no need
to pause for explanation when such events were recorded
as those to which we have referred, and which are nar
rated in the first four chapters of the four Gospels.
5. The next general remark on the New Testament
passages regarding the Holy Ghost is, the number and
variety of names by which He is known. Of these there
are (not including one or two doubtful names) no fewer
than twenty-five, which may be classified thus: —
I.— NAMES EXPRESSING HIS RELATIONSHIP.
(1) His Relationship to the Father.
a "The Spirit of God"— Matthew iii. 16.
b "The Spirit of the Lord"— Luke iv. 18 (here evidently
of the Father: but in Acts v. 9, and viii. 39, the
expression " Lord" may possibly refer rather to
Christ).
c "The Spirit of our God" — 1 Corinthians vi. 11.
d "The Spirit of the living God"— 2 Corinthians iii. 3.
e "The Spirit of your Father"— Matthew x. 20.

COMMENTS ON NE W TESTAMENT PASS A GES 49
/ "The Spirit of Glory and the Spirit of God"— 1 Peter
iv. 14.
g "The Promise of the Father"— Acts i. 4.
(2) His Relationship to the Son.
a "The Spirit of Christ" — Romans viii. 9.
b "The Spirit of Jesus Christ" — Philippians i. 19;
"Spirit of Jesus" — Acts xvi. 7.
c "The Spirit of His (God's) Son"— Galatians iv. 6.
d "Another Comforter" (Paraclete) — John xiv. 16.
II. —NAMES EXPRESSING HIS OWN ESSENTIAL
DEITY.
(1) "One Spirit"— Ephesians iv. 4.
(2) "Seven Spirits" (the Perfect Spirit) — Revelation i.
4; iii. 1.
(3) "The Lord the Spirit"— 2 Corinthians iii. 18.
(4) "The Eternal Spirit"— Hebrews ix. 14.
IIL— NAMES EXPRESSING SPIRITUAL ATTRI
BUTES. !
(1) "The Holy Ghost" ("Holy Spirit")— Matthew i. 18;
xxviii. 19.
(2) "The Holy One"— 1 John ii. 20.
IV. NAMES EXPRESSING THE GIFTS WHICH
HE BESTOWS.
(1) "The Spirit of Life"— Romans viii. 2; Rev. xi. 11
(A. V.)
(2) "The Spirit of Holiness"— Romans i. 4.
(3) "A Spirit of Wisdom" — Ephesians i. 17; (see Isaiah
xi. 2).
(4) "The Spirit of Faith"— 2 Cor. iv. 13.

50 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
(5) "The Spirit of Truth"— John xiv. 17; xvi. 13.
(6) "The Spirit of Grace"— Hebrews x. 29 (see Zech
ariah xii. 10, "The Spirit of Grace and of Sup
plication").
(7) "The Spirit of Adoption" — Romans viii. 15.
(8) "(The Spirit) of Power and Love and Discipline"
("a sound mind," A. V.)— 2 Timothy i. 7 (?).
What does this great variety of names import? One
thing is, the fullness of the revelation about Himself in
the Word, each name telling us something more than
the rest of what He is. Indeed, were there nothing
more told than His names, we should have in them
alone a rich revelation concerning Him. Another thing
which these names set before us is our own spiritual
need, in its unspeakable depth and breadth, and His
blessed sufficiency to meet that need on all sides. For
every one of these five and twenty names has a practical
bearing on our souls.
6. Another remark of a general character will prob
ably find here its most suitable place — that the Holy
Spirit, so frequently mentioned both in the Old Testa
ment and the New, is a Person, and a Divine Person.
This is so obviously the teaching of Scripture that I
confess I must take it here for granted, and decline to
spend time in arguing that it is so.
But a very interesting inquiry follows: — Does this
Holy Spirit ever speak to us in the first person in Scrip
ture? And if so, how often? It is a fact, and one en
compassed with the deepest mystery, that the blessed
Spirit, though Himself the Inspirer of the Word of
Scripture (2 Peter i. 21), yet generally, habitually, all

COMMENTS ON NEW TESTAMENT PASSAGES 51
but invariably, speaks to us — not in His own Person;
not with an "I say unto you," or a "Thus saith the
Spirit." The Father speaks to us directly; the Son
speaks directly; as a rule, the Holy Spirit does not do
so. Some have accounted for this by quoting the pas
sage (John xvi. 13), "He shall not speak from Himself;
but what things soever He shall hear, these shall He
speak." This is the reading of the Revised Version:
and the correction which is here made upon the A. V.
is almost enough to show that the passage does not
bear upon this point. It does not say that the Holy
Spirit shall not speak concerning Himself; for then how
should we have known anything of Him? how then
could there have been one verse in Scripture concerning
the Holy Spirit? The meaning is, that He is not to
speak as of His own authority, but as from the Father
and from Jesus Christ. The Greek words in John xvi.
13 exactly correspond to those which the Lord uses of
Himself in John xiv. 10, "The words that I say unto
you I speak not from Myself," where they mean that
Jesus Christ does not speak of His own authority, but
with that of the Father, carrying a message from Him :
and this is what is affirmed above of the Holy Ghost.
This, therefore, is no reason why He does not usually
speak in the first person.
There are, however, certain passages in which He
does so speak, and these we may here present in a few
words. Two of them are in the book of Acts. In chap
ter xiii. 2, we read, "As they ministered . . . and
fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate Me Barnabas and
Saul for the work whereunto I have called them." In

52 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
chapter x. 19, 20, we also read, "While Peter thought
on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three
men seek thee. But arise, and get thee down, and go
with them, nothing doubting; for I have sent them."
In Revelation we have also two passages with refer
ences of a similarly direct kind, — chapter ii. 7, "He
that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to
the Churches: To him that overcometh, to him will I
give to eat of the tree of life." So verse 17, "Let him
hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches: To him
that overcometh, to him will I give of the hidden
manna, and I will give him a white stone," etc.*
There is also a third set of passages, of a remarkable
kind, in the Epistle to the Hebrews, — chapter iii., verses
7, 9, 10, 11, "Wherefore even as the Holy Ghost saith,
'To-day if ye shall hear His voice, harden not your
hearts, as in the provocation, like as in the days
of the temptation in the wilderness, wherewith
your fathers tempted Me by proving Me, and saw
My works forty years. Wherefore I was displeased
with this generation, and said, They do always err in
their heart: but they did not know My ways; as I sware
in My wrath, They shall not enter into My rest.'"
All this passage, quoted from Psalm xcv. 7-11, is put
by the writer of Hebrews into the mouth of the Holy
Spirit; and he repeats it in His name! The fact is un
deniable, and the inferences for those who accept of the
inspired teaching varied and most important.
" These passages differ from Rev iii. 13, 21, in that the
letters are general in their illusion to the voice of the Spirit,
whereas the two in the text are specific, and indicate the
very words of the Spirit to which attention is called.

COMMENTS ON NEW TESTAMENT PASSAGES 53
7. A good deal of importance has sometimes been
ascribed to the presence or absence of the definite ar
ticle before the Greek name for the Holy Ghost, when
He is mentioned in the New Testament. In order,
therefore, that the reader may have this clearly before
him, whether he is able to consult the original or not,
I have, as noted before, marked thus (the) every case
in which the article is absent in Greek, both in the
New Testament and the Septuagint. The result in both
cases seems to me very noteworthy, and appears to prove
that far too much weight has been attributed to the
use or the absence of the article, but this is fully treated
in the appendix.*
* See appendix ii.

CHAPTER IV-
THE SPIRIT IN THE WORD.
1. " I\ /I EN spake from God, being moved by the
I VI Holy Spirit" (2 Peter i. 21). This may well
be made the motto of the present chapter; for I accept
the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as an
authoritative and God-given book; our teacher with
regard to spiritual and eternal things, which is not to
be judged, but to be submitted to, by men.
2. The book itself claims to be from God, in a sense
in which no other book ever was. Nothing can be
plainer or more startling than the appeal which the
Lord Jesus makes to the Old Testament as the ultimate
authority on every question as to which He quotes it.
Recondite meanings which lie, not on the surface, but
far beneath, He insists on as fully as the simplest dec
larations; truths which turn upon a word, He reckons
proved as fully as the doctrine which pervades a whole
book. Scripture (and Old Testament Scripture only it
was then!) was the Lord's weapon in every controversy
with an adversary. And it was His appeal in all His
teaching. It is of Scripture, then, in both Testaments, that we
are told the Holy Spirit is the real inspiring and re
sponsible Author.
3. Here are some of the passages from which we
54

THE SPIRIT IN THE WORD 55
maintain that Scripture claims to be sent by Him
through the medium of those writers whom He inspired
to write it: —
2 Peter i. 21 (as to "prophesy" and "prophecy of
Scripture"), "Men spake from God, being moved by
the Holy Ghost."
1 Peter i. 10, 11, "The prophets sought" . . . "what
time, or what manner of time, the Spirit of Christ
which was in them did point unto, when it testified be
forehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glories that
should follow them."
Hebrews iii. 7, "Wherefore, even as the Holy Ghost
Baith" (quoting the 95th Psalm).
Hebrews iv. 3, "Even as He (the Holy Ghost) hath
said" (quoting the 95th Psalm); verse 4, "For He (the
Holy Ghost) hath said somewhere ... on this
wise" (quoting the book of Genesis); verse 7, "He
(the Holy Ghost) again defineth a certain day, saying
in David."
Hebrews ix. 6-8, "The priests go in continually into
the first Tabernacle . . . but into the second the
High Priest alone" (quoting the book of Leviticus as
to the Tabernacle services) . . . "the Holy Ghost
thus signifying" (by His directions in that book).
Hebrews x. 15, "And the Holy Ghost also beareth
witness to us: for after He hath said" (then follows a
quotation from the book of Jeremiah).
Matthew xxii. 43, "How then doth David in the
Spirit call Him Lord?"
Acts i. 16, "It was needful that the Scripture should
be fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost spake before by the
mouth of David concerning Judas."

56 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
Acts iv. 25, "Who by the Holy Ghost, by the mouth
of our father David Thy servant, didst say."
Acts xxviii. 25, "Well spake the Holy Ghost by Isaiah
the prophet."
Ephesians vi. 17, "Take ... the sword of the
Spirit, which is the Word of God."
1 Timothy iv. 1, "But the Spirit saith expressly,
that in later times some shall fall away from the faith. "
2 Timothy iii. 16, "Every Scripture inspired of God
is also profitable" (rp°-<PV OeuTtveuazo?. Compare John
XX. 22, Iveipva-qije xai Aiyei, AajSere -Kveojia ayiov).
If the question be asked, how far there is evidence
that the New Testament writers claimed the same in
spiration of the Holy Ghost, the following passages
may be referred to: —
Ephesians iii. 5, "Which in other generations was not
made known unto the sons of men, as it hath now been
revealed unto His holy apostles and prophets in the
Spirit." 1 Peter i. 12, "These things which now have been
announced unto you through them that preached the
Gospel unto you by the Holy Ghost sent forth from
heaven." 1 Peter iv. 14, "If ye are reproached for the name"
of Christ (because of their testimony), "blessed are ye;
because the Spirit of glory and the Spirit of God resteth
upon you."
1 John ii. 20, "Ye have an anointing from the Holy
One, and ye know all things;" and v. 7, "It is the
Spirit that beareth witness."
Revelation i. 10, "I was in the Spirit on the Lord's
Day, and I heard behind me a great voice."

THE SPIRIT IN THE WORD 57
Revelation iv. 2, "Straightway I was in the Spirit;
and, behold, there was a throne set in heaven."
4. Accepting then, these varied declarations as some
of our grounds for believing that the Scriptures claim
to be sent and authorized by the Holy Spirit, we now
call attention to the distinction between the inspiration
of the men. who wrote, and the inspiration of the record
itself. It may be compared to the distinction so famil
iar to lawyers, between the "intention" of an Act of
Parliament and its written purport. No appeal is pos
sible from the terms of an Act to a report of the de
bate in Parliament when it was passed. The judges
who administer the Act know nothing save its terms.
So is it in a sense with the Word of Scripture. What
Isaiah meant, or understood, or thought he was saying,
is not to the purpose; how he was affected is of little
concern to us; we ask, what does the record say? The
inspiration for us is that which lies in the book itself.
5. We say advisedly the book, though there are 66
different books included in it. For if there be one thing
more than another which indicates the one Spirit who
is responsible for Scripture, it is its unity. It contains
one system of doctrine from beginning to end; not in
every part teaching it with equal fullness, but every
where in consistency with itself.
Its doctrine regarding God, one God, the unseen and
spiritual, the Holy God, who requires obedience from
man and promises blessing in Himself — that is the
teaching of every part of Scripture. Its doctrine of
man — fallen, sinful, corrupt, disobedient to God, and
deserving of death — that is nowhere in doubt, much

58 THRO UGH THE E TERN A L SPIRIT
less contradicted. Its doctrine of law — pure, strict, un
swerving, unalterable, universal — that is found in every
book and page. And from beginning to close, more or
less clearly in every part, a way of escape possible for
sinful man by a Mediator and a sacrifice of blood — that
is embodied in all parts of the Word.
Such a unity is impossible if we confine our attention
to the merely human side of the book and its authors,
spread over 1500 years, and taken from all classes of
society, the most ignorant and the most cultured.
Such a unity is supernatural. The Bible as it stands
is a miracle! Only on the supposition of one authorship
behind the human authorship, of one Spirit inspiring
many writers, is the book possible. Inspiration vin
dicates itself.
6. If it be asked, How is such a thing conceivable?
the only reply I am concerned to give is, that it is in
perfect consistency with what we not only know as a
theory, but experience as a fact. I mean the unspeak
ably intimate relation of the Holy Spirit to the soul in
which He is dwelling. Scripture teaches that He comes
to the Christian to dwell within him, and that, at all
events in Christians who are yielded up to Him, there
is a continued presence of the Spirit in power and puri
ty; yet so that it is impossible to say what line divides
the self from the Spirit, the human from the Divine.
And this is something of which actual experience is to
be had. It is perfectly known. Not in vain does the
poet tell us, "Closer is He than breathing, and nearer
than hands and feet. " Just because He is the Divine
Spirit, and because we are made in His image, and are

THE SPIRIT IN THE WORD 59
"created anew" in it, is this union a possible thing.
And this explains, for all who know it, the inspiration
of the Holy Spirit in those whom He used for the pur
pose of conveying His Word. In such cases there was a
something more— a distinction more than one of de
gree; but the nearness, the communion, the intimacy
of Spirit with spirit, so as that God was present in
man, forms a perfect and an intelligible basis for our
doctrine of the inspiring power of the Holy Ghost
claimed for the Word of God in Scripture.
7. The Holy Spirit so inspiring the record presents
to us the solution of many of the most difficult prob
lems connected with that record, in the fact that all is
known to Him, while all is not made known in it. The
Bible is everywhere written as by "One having author
ity." It is not founded on argument, and not justified
by logic ; but is a series of messages by witnesses, or by
those who speak with as much authority as if they were.
In the few chapters where argument is employed, as
in St. Paul's Epistles, that is done for the sake of elu
cidation; but the teaching is rested on a professed
communication from God. And almost everywhere we
can see traces of a fuller knowledge than is given us.
There is no attempt to remove difficulties, or to enter on
self-defense. Just so much of a story is given as is
needful for the writer's purpose, and there is no effort
to harmonize one account with that of others. Many
parts, both of the Old and New Testaments, are (so to
speak) in duplicate; and there is proof that in many
cases the writers of the later histories were acquainted
with some of those other writings which take up the

60 THRO UGH THE E TERNAL SPIRIT
same ground. Yet there is no anxiety to piece together
the parts of the stories told us; the truthful and sim
ple narrators leave the truth to justify itself.
It was impossible for the Holy Spirit to have told
all He knew; He must stop somewhere. Nothing is
told in full. A certain imperfection was necessary be
cause the Perfect Author was writing under needful
limitations. Hence, century after century, as more
light comes to us, we discern more and more a wide
knowledge lying behind in the great Inspirer, which
He has not made known, and could not make known, if
He were to be intelligible to men of every age. It is,
on an infinitely greater scale, like writing present-day
science for children; how little can be told ! How much
that is known to him must be held back by the nar
rator! and how many traces will be found by those who
themselves are acquainted with the subject, that he
knows much more than he has said!
8. But there is another thought with regard to the
Spirit in the book which must be mentioned. There is
perhaps no other book which is dependent on moral
conditions for being understood to anything like the
same extent as this. An evil, impure, or selfish heart
cannot comprehend the meaning of Holy Scripture.
To express this in its own language: — "The natural man
receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they
are foolishness unto him ; and He cannot know them,
because they are spiritually judged" (1 Corinthians ii.
14). There are certain spiritual elements in character,
which a natural man cannot believe to be possible, and
which, therefore, he sets down to pretense and hypoc-

THE SPIRIT IN THE WORD 61
risy. The rewarding of good for evil, love for enemies,
disinterested kindness at the cost of personal suffering
— these things are deemed impossible. When a mission
is begun in a heathen country it is often years before
the people can understand the object which the visitors
have in view. A love for souls is something unintelli
gible. So page after page of Scripture is dark to men
who cannot see. And thus over and over again the
message finds a limitation — "He that hath ears to hear,
let him hear."
This is what is meant by "spiritual discernment."
The Spirit who inspired must interpret the Word. An
irresistible evidence of His inspiration is furnished
when He, dwelling in us, makes us understand it as we
never did before. Indeed, it is through the concurrence
of these two — tbe Word and the Spirit — that we learn.
When they are separated, error and disaster are the re
sult. And, alas! they often are separated, to the grief
of many, and the darkness of many more. The Word,
without the Spirit, does not yield its meaning, is as an
ordinary book, seems full of mistakes and half-truths.
Interpreted by learning, acumen, logic, study, alone,
we have all seen the results — in barren treatises, full
of the pride and the error of man ; lasting for a third
of a generation, to be succeeded and overthrown by
other treatises, going farther into darkness and nearer
to despair !
But the Spirit, without the Word! That, too, is pos
sible. A ship without ballast, without anchor, and
without a chart! It has been the secret of fanaticism,
folly, error, and sin. Beginning with devotion, it has

62 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
ended surely in rebellion. It has placed man in the
seat of God, and has made the whispers of human fancy
to be the only oracles that carry authority. There is
no more certain forerunner of spiritual shipwreck than
the neglect of the written Word of God. The Holy
Ghost is — not honored — He is dishonored — by turning
away from those teachings which He has Himself given
to be the perpetual light and guide of men.
We assert and prize, as of inestimable value, the voice
of the Holy Spirit in the heart, the "guidance" by
which He still leads His own ; but that voice never
turns us away from the sacred page of His Word. We
are deceived and deluded by a Satanic mimicry of His
voice whenever we are so led away.
Which error is the greater is difficult to say. The
one which takes the bare book, and has no teaching of
the Spirit to interpret it, leaves us in darkness; the
other, which cares nothing for the book, is led by an
ignis fatuus, which ends in death. The undervaluing
of Holy Writ has come, because men have read it with
the light of their own candles, and could see nothing
beyond the mere letter of the text, with its tenses and
moods; what they need is to be under the influence of
the Holy Ghost, and then everything is changed. But
to assert that the "inward light" is our only guide, and
that the book is but paper and print, is to begin a ca
reer which is as fatal to us as it is dishonoring to God.
The true and only safe course is thankfully to ac
knowledge the double source of Divine light, the Spirit
in the Word! Whoever rightly grasps the thought that
it is the Holy Ghost who has given us Holy Scripture,

THE SPIRIT IN THE WORD 63
and is responsible for it, in all its parts; who has used
men as His instruments to indite it; has used their
peculiarities, their idiosyncrasies, their poetic gifts,
their logical acumen, their scholarly training, their
stores of learning, even their weaknesses and imperfec
tions; never so overlaying the human medium as to
obliterate it as a conscious and intelligent agent, but
always so guiding it in its depths, and even to lip and
pen, as to make Himself responsible for the result —
that man will know better than any how near, how dear
is this Divine Person to us; how intimate and blessed
is the communion we may have with Him both in the
Word and in the secret thoughts of daily life. I am
persuaded, too, that we are not done with the Word of
God when we have closed the few years of our earthly
course, but that that Divine work is a perpetual mon
ument, which in other ages and scenes we shall still
possess, and shall value more highly than we do now.
It is a witness for God's dealings in the past which
shall be needed so long as the glory of God is dear to
His people; one that contains very much that is un
decipherable till the event has come. New meanings
are possible for every book and page; books like Ruth,
and Esther, and Ezra, seem susceptible of endless illu
mination; and I anticipate that after the Advent of the
Lord one great part of the manifested glory of the Holy
Ghost will be found in this Despised Book of Holy
Writ. Meanwhile, it is the sole light which we have
on the life after death, and the all but solitary light
on spiritual things for the present life; and we are in
debted for it to the Holy Ghost.

CHAPTER V.
THE RELATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT TO THE OTHER PERSONS
OF THE GODHEAD, AND TO THE MEDIATOR.
THIS work is not intended to be a theological trea
tise on the Being of the Holy Spirit, but a practical
and spiritual treatise on His work, specially in sancti
fying the believer; and it is only in connection with
this object that questions regarding His essential being
are touched on at all. It is, then, to clear the ground
for dealing with our own subject that we speak, shortly
and without argument, on one or two of the secret
things which belong to "the Lord the Spirit."
PART I.— HIS RELATION TO GOD THE FATHER.
Basing our remarks entirely on the teaching of Scrip
ture, and asking no other testimony than is to be found
there, we learn the following truths regarding this rela
tion: —
1. The Holy Spirit is not a mere influence of the
Father, nor a description of the Father's mind, but as
real a Person as the Father Himself. And (without
attempting to define what is implied, or at least all
that is implied, in Personality, and in Divine Person
ality) we are taught that the Holy Spirit is in posses
sion of Intelligence and Will. "All these worketh the
one and the same Spirit, dividing to each one severally
even as He will" (1 Cor. xii. 11).
64

RELA TION OF THE HOL Y SPIRIT TO THE GODHEAD 65
Possibly many have beeu led to doubts as to the Per
sonality of the Holy Spirit by the fact that the Greek
word which designates "Spirit" is neuter, and that our
Authorized Version in most cases uses the pronoun
"It" rather than "He" or "Him," in reference to the
Spirit, The rendering is unfortunate, and has been
remedied in the Revised Version. For while the word
is neuter, our Lord uses the masculine pronoun when
referring to the Holy Spirit. "He (tzeivo?) shall teach
you," "He, when He is come, will convict the world"
(John xiv. 26; xvi. 8).
2. This Person is represented as very God. "The
Eternal Spirit" (Heb. ix. 14). We do not multiply
passages; for one clear and unmistakable verse is as
good as twenty. There is but one Eternal Being, that
is, God. The Spirit who is Eternal is God.
Possibly one difficulty in the minds of many as to
the Deity of the Holy Ghost is the absence in the New
Testament of direct prayer to Him. And we are not
concerned to deny that the offering of prayer to the
Holy Spirit proceeds on inference rather than on the
express and open teaching of the Word. The word
"Paraclete" (the Advocate who is called in to plead
our cause), to some extent at least, conveys the thought.
The threefold Benediction partakes of the nature of
prayer, and may be said to be offered to each of the
Three Persons. The Name into which believers are to
be baptized — the One Name — deals with each Person
as equally sacred and Divine. And wherever prayer in
Scripture is offered up to God, without such contextual
distinction as marks out the Father only, it may be

66 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
said that prayer is presented to the Holy Spirit, as
well as to the Father or the Son. But, in any case, the
question whether Scripture by example warrants direct
prayer to the Holy Spirit is quite distinct from the
question whether it teaches His essential Deity, as to
which we have no doubt.
3. We are taught that the Holy Spirit "proceedeth
from the Father" (John xv. 26). By this is meant
that God the Father is the Source whence the Spirit
issues; and yet not in such a sense that He ever began
to proceed from Him, or that there ever was a moment
in which He was not so proceeding. It is not only
Procession, but Eternal Procession, that is true of Him.
And it refers not to an action which can be dated, but
to a Mode of Being which has ever been. It is to be
noted that this "Proceeding" is something different
from the being "sent" of the same verse (John xv. 26),
which latter denotes an action connected with the Medi
atorial work of Redemption.
4. The Holy Spirit is reveaied in Scripture as the
Medium of the Father's work in Creation and in Prov
idence. This is done chiefly (strange to say) in the Old
Testament. In Creation, "By His Spirit the heavens
are garnished" (Job xxvi. 13); "The Spirit of God
moved upon the face of the waters" (Gen. i. 2). And
in Providence, "Thou sendest forth Thy Spirit, they
are created" (Ps. civ. 30); "The Spirit of God hath
made me, and the breath of the Almighty giveth me
life" (Job xxxiii. 4).
5. The Holy Spirit is also revealed as the Medium of
the Father's work on the spirits of men. "My Spirit

RELATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT TO THE GODHEAD 67
shall not strive with man for ever" (Gen. vi. 3); "He,
when He is come, will convict the world in respect of
sin" (John xvi. 8); "They that are after the Spirit
(mind) the things of the Spirit" (Rom. viii. 5); "If
any man hath not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of
His" (ver. 9); "If by the Spirit ye mortify the deeds
of the body" (ver. 13).
These are a few of many passages which seem to
teach that, both as regards sinful men without, and
believers within the Church, God reaches men through
the medium of the Holy Spirit.
This head of our inquiry, then, we may sum up in a
sentence: — The Holy Spirit is that Person of the God
head, proceeding from the Father, who is the medium
through whom the Father's work is done in Creation and
Providence, and by whom He reaches and acts on the
spirits of men.
PART IL— THE HOLY SPIRIT'S RELATION TO
GOD THE SON.
1. Here, too, we must recognize His very Godhead.
And it may be sufficient to point to the passage in which
tha Lord warns men of the blasphemy against the Holy
Ghost — "I say unto you, Every sin and blasphemy shall
be forgiven unto men ; but the blasphemy against the
Spirit shall not be forgiven. And whosoever shall speak
a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven
him; but whosoever shall speak against the Holy
Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this
world, nor in that which is to come" (Matt. xii. 31,
32). We may not pause here to interpret so solemn
and critical a passage of Holy Writ , but whatever it

68 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
does not mean, it seems to point unmistakably to the
very Deity of the Holy Spirit, and to His honor and
glory as equal to that of God the Son.
2. It is also true that the Holy Spirit "proceeds
from" the Son, and is sent by Him. He "proceeds"
from Him equally as from the Father, though possibly
not entirely in the same sense. The word is not ex
pressly found in Scripture applied to the Son, but is
held to be implied in the names which are given, in the
relation of the Spirit to the Son's work, and in the
essential Deity of the Son equally with the Father.
Into all which we do not here enter.
He is "sent" by Jesus Christ in virtue of His position
as a Mediator, but also, no doubt, in virtue of His
Godhead. And so —
3. He becomes a Witness of Jesus Christ, testify
ing of Him and of His glory. In some senses it is
specially to do this that the Holy Spirit has come into
the world; and it is this work which, above all others,
He is doing. But it is difficult, probably impossible,
to distinguish here the glory of the Only Begotten
Son which is witnessed to, from His glory in connec
tion with the work of redemption.
To sum up, then, in a single sentence, we may say
that the relation of the Holy Spirit, to God the Son is
that of equal and veritable Godhead, proceeding from
the Son and sent by Him into the world to bear witness
of Him before men.
PART IIL— THE RELATION OF THE HOLY
SPIRIT TO JESUS CHRIST AS MEDIATOR.
This is a most interesting field of inquiry, but like

RELA TION OF THE HOL Y SPIRIT TO THE GODHEAD 69
„all the other sides of this great theme, it demands
great caution, delicacy, and accuracy of thought.
There are two passages of Scripture between which (as
we may say) the truth lies. Of the Lord's Incarnation
St. Paul says that He "emptied Himself, taking the
form of a servant" (Phillip, ii. 7); and, again, "In
Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily"
(Col. ii. 9). The former passage describing the empty
ing (xsvmai<s) refers to glory, or "reputation," the mani
festation openly of what God is; the latter asserts that
in the bodily frame of Jesus there "dwelt" or "taber
nacled" the very "Fullness of the Godhead" itself.
The former passage cannot mean that the Godhead did
not "dwell" in Jesus, for God cannot cease to be God;
neither can it mean that the glory of God was entirely
hidden in Him, for then it could not have been said
that "we beheld His glory, glory as of the Only Be
gotten from the Father" (John i. 14). That is Divine
glory. Is not the truth this, that the Godhead dwelt
in Jesus; but that He did not show it forth, save in so
far as the Holy Spirit dwelling in Him showed it? He
retained His Godhead, but emptied Himself of its
glory; the Holy Spirit dwelt in Him as the Fullness of
the Godhead bodily, and "manifested forth His
glory. " Whatever may be said as to this matter, which
probably evades the resources of language to define and
measure it, we learn in many passages how the Holy
Spirit did dwell in Jesus Christ.
1. The first general statement on this subject is to
be found in John iii. 34, where, speaking of the Son,
it is said, "He whom God hath sent speaketh the words

70 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
of God: for He giveth not the Spirit by measure." It
is with reference to Christ that the words are used.
He had the Spirit given Him, "not by measure," but
in His fullness, such fullness that the very words of
Jesus belonged to the Holy Ghost.
2. We have next the Birth or Generation of Messiah
(Matt. i. 18, 20; Luke i. 35), which took place through
the Holy Spirit; yet not so that the Lord ever called
the Holy Spirit Father, which name He reserved for
the First Person of the Godhead; but as the Medium
or Agent through whom the event took place.
3. Between the Birth and the Baptism of Jesus,
there is absolute silence as to the relation of the Holy
Spirit to Him. But at the Baptism there is a fourfold
declaration — i. e.,a declaration in each of the Gospels,
telling us that the Spirit descended from heaven ; took
a visible shape in doing so — "like a dove;" was seen
by Jesus and by John the Baptist; rested or "abode"
upon Him; and that this was the "sign" appointed
by God to show to the Baptist that Jesus was the Mes
siah, the Son of God. St. Matthew narrates this in
iii. 16, 17; St. Mark in i. 10, 11; St. Luke in iii. 21,
22; and St. John more elaborate!}', and through the
mouth of the Baptist, in i. 32, 33. This scene was
probably the formal investiture of Jesus as the Christ
or Messiah; in which He stepped out from the bounds
of private life, as a citizen of Nazareth, to the position
of the Representative Man, the Second Adam, in His
public office. The acceptance of the Baptism of Re
pentance was not for Himself, but as standing for oth
ers, and the record of the Baptist's protest against the
act calls special attention to it.

RELA TION OF THE HOL Y SPIRIT TO THE GODHEAD 71
4. The Spirit who so descended upon Christ "abode
upon Him" and never departed; and immediately after
the Baptism we see the Spirit leading Him up into the
scene of Temptation, as a post which He had to occupy
as Messiah. In reference to this it is written that He
was "full of the Holy Spirit;" and so was "led" (Luke
iv. 1), "led up" (Matt. iv. 1), "driven" (Mark i. 12)
"into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil."
Note the following aspects of the Temptation in this
connection: — (1) Its significance for Him as "full of
the Holy Spirit;" (2) its significance for Him as rep
resentative Man, like Adam ; (3) the prevision of Sa
tanic attack which He had ; (4) the pain and reluctance
with which He must have gone when "driven;" (5) the
sweet and gentle constraint under which He was "led;"
(6) the height, possibly of place, certainly of experi
ence, "up" to which He was taken; and (7) the power
under which His life was to be spent, moved and led
by Another.
5. After Temptation the ordinary life of the Mes
siah was to begin, and that in Galilee, His own country,
the most trying and most discouraging place possible.
And it is written that He "returned in the power of
the Spirit" (Luke iv. 14); no longer merely "led" or
"driven," but in "power" (86va/j.i?, not iSouir(a); not a
question of authority, but of spiritual force; a distinct
result of temptation resisted and the great enemy over
come. The impression produced was such that in the
synagogues He was "glorified of all" (Luke iv. 15).
6. This leads us to the discovery that the "teach
ing" of Christ is attributed, not to Himself, either in

72 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
His human or Divine nature, but to the Holy Spirit in
Him. He Himself said (Luke iv. 18), "The Spirit of
the Lord is upon Me, because He anointed Me to preach."
In Acts i. 2, we find Luke using these words, "After
that He had given commandment through the Holy
Ghost unto the Apostles;" and in Actsx. 38, the Apos
tle Peter declares, regarding Christ, that "God anointed
Him with the Holy Ghost and with power." To these
correspond the negative statements of the Lord: — "The
words that I say unto you, I speak not from Myself;"
and "The word which ye hear is not Mine" (John xiv.
10, 24). We therefore believe that the whole teaching
of Christ was not simply His own, but the "anointing"
which "abode" on Him, the inspiration of the Holy
Ghost. 7. His miracles were done by the same power. "If
I by the Spirit of God (iv meo/Mart 0eub) cast out devils."
(He says in Matt. xii. 28), "then is the kingdom of
God come upon you." The parallel passage is Luke xi.
20, "If I by the finger of God (iv daxrbXm 8eud) cast out
devils." The one passage seems to speak of the power
by which the works were done, and the other of the
outward bodily sign or gesture which accompanied
them 8. If the R. V. text of Luke x. 21 be the true one,*
we have a very deep glimpse into the relation of the
Holy Ghost to the inmost soul of Jesus Christ. "In
the same hour He rejoiced in the Holy Spirit, and said,
I thank Thee, 0 Father!" It tells us that the joy of
* The MS. evidence is strongly in favor of this text, except
the weighty authority of Codex A, which lean never treat
lightly.

RELA TION OF THE HOL Y SPIRIT TO THE GODHEAD 73
the Lord came from the Holy Spirit, which we may
take as indicating that the holiness of soul possessed
by Him was the "fruit" of the Spirit.
9. It is perhaps still more surprising than anything
yet adverted to that the great act of the Lord's life on
earth, His yielding up His soul unto death, is ascribed
to the Spirit of God. Yet this is the revelation made
to us in Heb. ix. 14, "Who through the Eternal Spirit
offered Himself without blemish unto God" — a passage
which ascribes to the Holy Ghost (1) The fact of
Christ's consent to be crucified ; (2) The motive of that
consent, to become an "offering" to God; and (3) The
spotlessness of the offering so rendered, "without blem
ish. " In connection with what has just been remarked
(in sect. 8), it is not too much to say that the virtue,
holiness, and obedience of Jesus Christ are ascribed to
the presence and indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
10. His resurrection from the dead is recorded as
wrought by the Spirit of God. He "was declared to be
the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of
Holiness, by the resurrection of the dead" (Rom. i. 4).
If, however, there be any doubt as to the meaning here,
we have this other verse (Rom. viii. 11), "If the Spirit
of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwelleth in
you, He that raised up Christ Jesus from the dead shall
quicken also your mortal bodies through Pits Spirit that
dwelleth in you." The Agent in quickening our mortal
bodies shall be the same as quickened the body of Christ
Jesus — the Spirit of God.
11. The relation of the Holy Ghost to Jesus Christ
is also seen in this, that it, is the Lord Jesus who is to

74 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
"baptize" the Church with the Holy Ghost. In Luke
xxiv. 49; John xvi. 7; xx. 22; Actsii. 33, this is plainly
affirmed. But the important place which this fact
holds in the Redemptive and Mediatorial work of the
Lord is perhaps best seen in the prominence given to
it in the Baptist's testimony. "He shall baptize you
with the Holy Ghost, and with fire" (Matt. iii. 11);
"He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost" (Mark i.
8); "He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and
with fire" (Luke iii. 16); "The same is He that bap-
tizeth with the Holy Spirit" (John i. 33). This, then,
must be an eminently prominent fact in the relation of
the Holy Spirit to Jesus Christ, and in His Mediatorial
work. 12. An interesting view has been propounded by
Dr. Milligan of Aberdeen, in his "Baird Lectures"
(Lecture IV.), as to the special nature of the gift of
Pentecost. He seeks to establish the following posi
tions:— (1) That the Lord in His glorified humanity
still retains the fullness of the Spirit which He possessed
on earth; (2) That the Spirit which was sent at Pente
cost was not simply the Spirit "in His absolute and
normal Being," but the Spirit as indwelling the hu
manity of the Son, and therefore peculiarly "the Spirit
of Jesus;" and (3) That the Spirit is given "not in an
outward, but in an inward and experimental way, " so
as to form with the believer "a union of the closest
and most interpenetrative kind."
Writing as I do, while as yet these lectures have not
been published in their completed and formal shape, it
would be obviously improper to offer any positive, or at

RELATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT TO THE GODHEAD 75
least any minute, criticism upon the view above de
scribed; but it may be said in a word, that what is val
uable and suggestive in it appears to be its recognition
of the close connection of the Holy Spirit in the be
liever with the glorified humanity of the Lord, "dwell
ing in the heart by faith ;" and that what seems doubtful
in it, and probably goes beyond anything for which
we have Scripture warrant, is the attempt to negative
the ordinary view, that the Holy Ghost dwells in the
Christian in His simple and absolute Deity. This I
could by no means admit; and, without denying that
the positive side of the view proposed has much to rec
ommend it, jret the indwelling of the Spirit in the be
liever is not, so far as I can judge, to be regarded only
as one of the results of the indwelling of Christ; it is
rather the indwelling of the Spirit which makes Christ's
indwelling possible and real (see Ephes. iii. 17). But
there is much in Dr. Milligan's general view* which is
important, and it casts light upon the relations of doc
trines which have proved mysterious to many.
13. Such being the intimate relation of the Holy
Spirit to the Lord during His earthly abode, and as
Mediator, it is natural that the Lord should teach us
much concerning Him. This teaching must now en
gage our attention.
* For a similar view, see Olshausen's Commentary on John,
vii. 39.

CHAPTER VI.
TEACHING OF THE LORD CONCERNING THE HOLY GHOST.
THERE are three things regarding the Lord's own
teaching on the subject of the Holy Spirit which
make it needful to treat this separately. First, the
teaching is His. Whereas it is the special office of the
Holy Spirit to testify of Jesus, this only makes it the
more interesting to know the special testimony which
Jesus gave of Him. And be it remembered that this is
the only testimony regarding the Holy Spirit which does
not come from Himself. Even this is recorded by
Himself; but whereas all other such testimony is both
revealed by Him and recorded by Him, this is revealed
by the Lord and simply recorded by the Spirit — "Yea
and in your law it is written that the witness of two
men is true. I am He that beareth witness of Myself,
and the Father that sent Me beareth witness of Me"
(John viii. 17, 18). So here. The Spirit beareth wit
ness of Himself, and the Lord who sent Him beareth
witness of Him.
A second thing about the Lord's teaching concerning
the Holy Ghost which makes it most important, is,
that it is the first definite teaching concerning Him in
Scripture. Yet it was spokeD before Pentecost, and
this fact must be specially borne in mind if we wish to
estimate our Lord's teaching aright.
76

TEACHING OF THE LORD 77
And the third fact bearing on this question is that,
as we shall see, His teaching on the subject is so full
and varied.
Seeking not to preserve chronological order, but aim
ing at some order of doctrine, and attempting little
more than a mere indication of the various matters
dealt with, I notice the following points: —
1. The Lord claimed that He was Himself influ
enced and taught by the Holy Spirit in all that He
did, and had the fullness of the Holy Spirit for all the
declarations which He made. In His opening sermon
He said, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because
He anointed Me to preach" (Luke iv. 18). In John
iii. 34 it is declared as at least an echo of His own
statements, that "He whom God hath sent speaketh
the words of God : for He giveth not the Spirit by meas
ure. " This, then, is the starting-point, with its double
aspect, toward the Spirit and toward Christ Himself.
2. He taught that the Holy Spirit spoke in the Old
Testament, and was the real Author of those words of
David in which the position and dignity of the Messiah
were indicated — "He saith unto them, How then doth
David in the Spirit (iv nveu/ian) call Him Lord, saying,
The Lord said unto my Lord?" (Matt. xxii. 43, 44; see
also Mark xii. 36). He speaks here, no doubt, of an in
dividual instance, and has immediate regard only to
the 110th Psalm; but the principle which underlies
the statement is a very wide one, and goes the length
of affirming that the Old Testament Scriptures are the
Word of the Holy Ghost, and that the Messianic pre
dictions and promises there come from Him.

78 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
3. He teaches that the salvation of every man is
due to the work of the Holy Ghost in his soul, in vir
tue of which he is "born again," and that without this
there is no salvation. This is a cardinal point in the
teaching of Christ, and it seems to have been one of
His earliest teachings — "Except a man be born of
water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom
of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and
that which is born of the Spirit is spirit" (John iii.
5, 6).
4. He teaches that there is, or may be, in the soul
of every one of His disciples not merely a little life,
but a full and overflowing life of faith, which shall
reach out to others and greatly bless them. "He that
believeth on Me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his
belly shall flow rivers of living water. But this spake
He of the Spirit, which they that believed on Him
were to receive: for the Spirit was not yet given, be
cause Jesus was not yet glorified" (John vii. 38, 39).
It is a question to what passage of Scripture our Lord
refers in this statement. There are two which occur to
me as meeting all the conditions — the twin passages in
Ezekiel and Zechariah, in which "rivers" or "living
waters" are described as going forth from God's throne,
flowing forth one towards the east and the other to the
west, carrying fertility and abundance to the desert
places. This is the "Life more abundant," to come
from the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, after He has
been "given."
5. The Lord taught again the quickening power of
the Spirit (John vi. 63). "It is the Spirit that quick-

TEA CHING OF THE LORD 79
eneth; the flesh profiteth nothing; the words that I have
spoken unto you are Spirit, and are life." I do not
doubt that it is the Holy Spirit who is there referred
to. The words are more literally and forcibly to be
rendered, "The Spirit is the Life-Giver;" and the con
nection with the previous verse seems to be, that those
who are now "offended" at Christ will have the oppor
tunity of seeing Him after He has ascended; what will
they do then? But the thought of the Ascension also
brings to the Lord the thought of the Spirit's coming,
and He therefore adds in effect: "It is not of My flesh
that I speak; the Spirit is the Life-Giver; the Spirit
and the Life which He gives are in the words which I
speak." Such seems the line of thought in the passage;
and the great truth is that for the vitalizing of all op
portunity and privilege, the Holy Spirit is the only
power. He gives life at first; He gives the "more
abundant" life; He also, and He alone, brings life out
of all things, "quickening" the believer step by step.
6. The Lord teaches that there are grievous offenses
against the Holy Ghost, against which men must be
warned. Of these He specifies only two, or possibly
only one; such "speaking against Him" as constitutes
blasphemy — "The blasphemy against the Spirit shall
not be forgiven" (Matt. xii. 31). It is the unpardonable
sin. This is not the place to discuss what this sin is
(see chap. XXV. ) It obviously contains many elements
which combine to make it without parallel. It is the
turning God into a devil, so far as we can do that, and
it includes Final Impenitence — probably makes that
inevitable. We may depend upon it, that the warning

80 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
of Jesus Christ was not an unnecessary one, else it
would not have been given.
7. Another part of the teaching of the Lord is that
we must ask for the Holy Spirit, and that we shall re
ceive Him if we do. This was uttered before Pentecost,
no doubt, and hence some have said that it has been
superseded by that event. But it was not recorded until
after Pentecost by the Holy Spirit Himself, and this
without any indication that the time for asking was
now over. Here are the words; few more beautiful
stand in the sacred page. Let him who will, persuade
himself that they are of no use now, and were of use
only between the time they were uttered and the Day
of Pentecost — a few months in all: — "If ye then, being
evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children,
how much more shall your Heavenly Father give the
Holy Spirit to them that ask Him!" (Luke xi. 13).
Does Pentecost bar the way between us and these words?
Does the Father give now the Holy Spirit to them that
ask? oris God's answer this: "He has come; ask no
more?" That question falls to be discussed in a sub
sequent chapter; but surely the reader already discerns
to what the Word tends.
8. The Lord again teaches how the Holy Ghost is to
be obtained — "Jesus therefore said to them again,Peace
be unto you: as the Father hath sent Me, even so send
I you. And when He had said this, He breathed on
them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
whose soever sins ye forgive, they are forgiven unto
them; whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained"
(John xx. 21-23). I quote the three verses, because prob-

TEACHING OF THE LORD 81
ably they must be read as one if we are to understand at
once their force and their limitation. The Lord pro
nounces on the eleven the gift of peace, as a spiritual
and personal qualification for their office. He then
adds their great commission. He "sends" them, as
the Father had sent Him. Then, partly by symbol,
partly by command, He grants to them the possession
of the Holy Ghost. And He tells how this would affect
their ministry in dealing with the sins of men, and
their forgiveness.
He "breathed on them" — to signify that the Holy
Ghost had been the Breath of His life, physically, but
still more spiritually: He had lived "in" and "by"
the Spirit. He said, "Receive ye" (Adhere), The word
has generally,* if not always, an active signification,
It means Take, or Accept. There is something on their
part to receive, as well as something on His part to give.
And probably it is this element in the word which an
swers the question — whether they received the Holy
Ghost then or only at Pentecost. He was offered then,
and as soon as they were ready to "take" He was ready
to come. They were ready to "take" by the hand of
faith on the morning of Pentecost; not before. It is
* Compare the following passages, all from John's Gos
pel: —
xviii. 31, "Take Him . . . and judge Him"(A«/?£re);
xix. 6, "Take Him . . . and crucify Him" (XdfteTe);
xix. 30, "When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar"
(i'Xafiev); xix. 40, "They look the body of Jesus" (eXafiov);
xxi. 13, "And taketh the bread" (Xaiipdvei); also,
iii. 32, 33, "No man receiveth His witness: he that hath re
ceived His witness hath set his seal to this, that God is true"
(Aanfidvst — Xoflmv),

82 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
this giving and taking which is the means of our "re
ceiving" the Holy Ghost.
9. The Lord also taught us concerning the Holy
Ghost that His is part of the Sacred Name of God;
that it is so essentially and prominently a part of it,
that no Christian is ever to be left without this knowl
edge; and that one of the conditions of a man's being
received as a Christian is, that he shall know and admit
this. "Make disciples of all the nations, baptizing
them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and
of the Holy Ghost" (Matt, xxviii. 19). We have no
authority to receive a disciple on any other terms; and
these terms imply a full recognition of the Deity of the
Holy Ghost.
10. The Lord promised the disciples the presence
and help of the Holy Spirit in their work; and He ex
plained to them what a wonderful blessing this was to
be, far beyond their — or our — conception. "And when
they lead you to judgment, and deliver you up, be not
anxious beforehand what ye shall speak: but whatso
ever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye; for
it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost" (Mark
xiii. 11). The very "icords which the Holy Ghost
teacheth!" It was with reference to such a blessing as
this (though they go farther) that the Lord spake some
of His most incredible words (incredible at the time to
His followers)— "I tell you the truth: it is expedient
for you that I go away : for if I go not away, the Com
forter will not come unto you; but if I go, I will send
Him unto you" (John xvi. 7). How much these words
imply as to the Blessed Holy Ghost!

TEACHING OF THE LORD 83
11. And, still further, the Lord taught, in a some
what more lengthened and formal way than was His
wont, what the Holy Spirit should be, and do, after He
had come; reverting to the subject more than once,
and speaking pregnant words in some detail. He kept
these for the closing hours of His life and teaching, the
last words before His death ; and so they form the
climax of all that He told His disciples, and the best
preparation for what was before them.
It is not needful at present to enter minutely into
the exposition of these passages, because the substance
of them must necessarily come before us when dealing
with our subject at a subsequent stage. But something
must be said here, which will not be repeated. The
promise which the Lord made to the Apostles was that
when He departed He would "send" to them One,
whom He called "Another" as distinguished from
Himself, and whom he described as having the Name
of God, even as He had. In John xvi. 8-11, we find the
fullest teaching by the Lord as to what the Holy Ghost
would be both to the world without and to the Church.
As to the former, it is said, "He, when He is come,
will convict the world in respect of sin, and of right
eousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they believe
not on Me; of righteousness, because I go to the Father,
and ye behold Me no more; of judgment, because the
prince of this world hath been judged." These three
great subjects, which are the testimony of the Spirit,
are the themes of the preacher also. What are they?
The "Sin" of which men have been guilty; the "Right
eousness" which God requires, which God has mani-

84 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
fested, and which God has offered; the "Judgment"
already declared upon the cross, where sin, and the
world, and its ruler Satan, have been condemned. My
Sin — Christ's Righteousness — God's Judgment! This
is the truth by which the Holy Ghost convicts the
world. But He has a message to the Church — not to the
eleven who stood round their Lord only, but to the
Church for which they stood, and which was to follow
them. Here is the message: — "When He, the Spirit of
Truth, is come, He shall guide you into all the truth;
for He shall not speak from Himself; but what things
soever He shall hear, these shall He speak; and He
shall declare unto you the things that are to come. He
shall glorify Me: for He shall take of Mine, and shall
declare it unto you. All things whatsoever the Father
hath are Mine; therefore said I, that He taketh of
Mine, and shall declare it unto you" (John xvi. 13-16).
Here, then, we have (1) His Name — "the Spirit of
Truth" — therefore the ultimate authority as to all spir
itual truth. Christ adds His seal !
(2) There is the promise of teaching, and teaching in
such a way that we shall be "guided" into the truth.
(a) We know how often we learn spiritual things not
by study, but by experience; sometimes by suffering,
sometimes by "doing the will" of God. The Holy
Ghost has the power to lead, in order that He may
teach us. (b) "All the truth!" nothing to be learned
save from Him on these subjects! No other teacher!
All is committed into His hand.
(3) What the Holy Spirit teaohes oomes from an-

TEACHING OF THE LORD 85
other. He carries the messages of God 'the Father; He
sees, and "hears" what the Father says; and these are
the things which He tells.
(4) He will show the future things 1 How this word
rested on the mind of St. John, who repeats it to us,
not knowing at the time of writing this Gospel what
was yet to be shown him in the solitudes of Patmos.
To us all, through the Apostle, the Holy Spirit hath
shown the things that are to come!
(5) He is a witness who "shall glorify" Christ. This
was to be His highest function here; the aim of His
work, in order to join the Lord in glorifying our Father
in heaven I And the way in which He is to glorify
Christ is bjT showing us the glory which belongs to Him.
He who knows the mind of the Lord is to take some of
the "all things" which belong to Christ as well as to the
Father, and to show them to us, that we may form
some conception of the glory of our Master, and may
glorify Him! This is to be the great work of the Holy
Ghost on earth, His own glory being mingled with that
of the Son, and not regarded by Him save in that light.
As the Son spent His earthly life in seeking to glorify
the Father, so the Holy Ghost spends His time on earth
in seeking to glorify the Son. All this the Lord says
He is to do, "when He is come."
And this brings us to Pentecost.

CHAPTER VII.
PENTECOST.
WHAT IT WAS, AND WHAT IT DID.
PENTECOST was one of the three great Jewish
feasts, and held the central place between the Pass
over and the Feast of Tabernacles, which signified the
completion of harvest and the wilderness life in booths.
As a Jewish feast, the characteristics of Pentecost
were, — (1) It was dependent on the Passover. It dated
only from it, so that, were there no Passover, there
could be no Pentecost, the appointment of the one
being for the fiftieth day after the other. (2) It was
ahoays supposed to mark the giving of the Law from
Sinai, which took place on this day, though this signifi
cance is not expressly given to it in Scripture. (3) It
was the dedication of all the fruit of the land to the
Lord; two loaves, as first fruits of the harvest, being
then presented unto Him, waved before Him, and laid
at His feet. (4) Whereas in the other offerings (with
one exception) nothing that was imperfect, or defect
ive, or symbolical of sin, was on any account to be
offered to God, at Pentecost (as in the Thanksgiving
offering), leaven was always to be mingled with the
loaves which were waved before the Lord, and this al
though leaven was the special symbol and type of sin.
86

PENTECOST 87
If, in the light of the observances of old, we ask why
Pentecost should be chosen for the Descent of the Holy
Spirit, we may perhaps reply: — (1) It was the Jubilee
day after the Paschal Sacrifice and the Resurrection — the
Day of joy, of freedom, and of proclaiming the good
tidings. (2) It was the day on which the giving of the
Law took place, according to the new Covenant, "I will
put My law in their inward parts, and in their heart
will I write it" (Jer. xxxi. 33). (3) It was the day on
which the Lord accepted by fire the offerings of the
people, unworthy as they were: the first fruits of the
great harvest, and ensured the possession of that har
vest itself.
Toward the close of our Lord's earthly life, and dur
ing the forty days on which He appeared to His disci
ples after the resurrection, He had given them the
assurance that the Father would send unto them the
Spirit of Truth, who was to guide them into all truth,
and to be to them "Another Paraclete." For the fulfill
ment of this promise they were to "wait" at Jerusalem.
After His ascension, they obeyed his word and "waited."
They passed their days and evenings together, assem
bled in the same "upper room" in which they had
partaken of the Passover, spending their time in prayer.
For ten days they waited without event or sign , the
eleven Apostles, the "women," Mary, and "His breth
ren." They were "of one accord;" they were "stead
fast;" they were "in prayer." First, they would
earnestly desire the gift, and plead the word of prom
ise; then would come memories of the Lord, and of His
teachings; then would arise the keen compunctions of

88 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
regret and shame for what they had been and what
they had done. Then would come a sense of utter
weakness, helplessness, nothingness, without the Mas
ter; emptied of self, like the prophet's vessel which he
held upside down till every drop had fallen from it;
then possibly disappointment at God's delay, and shame
at their disappointment; and then — a willingness to
wait God's time, and to accept God's way.
Possibly in the heart of some of them the thought
had risen : — The great feast of Israel is at hand, will
the Father fulfill His promise upon that day? The
day came, beginning with the evening twilight of the
fiftieth day after Passover — and after Calvary, or rather
after the Resurrection. The night was spent by the
Apostles and their company in watching, praising, and
entreating God. At length the morning of the first
day of the week began to dawn: "the Day of Pentecost
had fully come!"
"Suddenly" — a sound! It was as when a great wind
rises, and draws nearer, waving trees, rustling leaves,
rushing over the housetops; and it seemed to fill the
house where they were: not a wind, but the sound of
one! The ear testified to some Presence!
Then therS "appeared" tongues; divided, forked, of
the color and consistency of fire — not fire, but "like
as of fire;" and a Tongue "sat upon" each one! Visi
ble to his neighbor; not to himself. The eye joiped the
ear in testimony to a Presence among them.
Something happened within, of which we presume
they were conscious; at all events, the record, "They
were filled with the Holy Spirit" (iizX-rjae-rjaav anavren

PENTECOST 89
meuiiaros dyioo). But on this they had no time to
dwell, or exchange many thoughts; for they "began to
speak with other tongues" — tongues which they had not
known. The marvel was not in the meantime what
they said, but the fact that they spoke at all in
these tongues. And this was done, not according to
their own will, or mind, but as "the Spirit," with
whom they were filled, "gave them utterance:" the
words, the sound, the thoughts were "given," and
they repeated what they received!
The marvel could not be concealed. It was "noised
abroad." Not the "sound" (17x09, as the R. V. has it),
but the "voice" (<pu>vi;?)l Not the loud rushing as of
the wind; but the "voice" which articulately spoke;
and all Jerusalem, with its thousands of strangers,
gathered to hear. From all countries of the Disper
sion, from Babylon in the east to Asia Minor and Libya,
Jews who spoke in divers tongues crowded together;
and they heard these Galilean Apostles speak — "every
man in our own language, wherein we were born!"
The results on the crowd were amazement, perplexity,
mockery. Some felt that God was working; others
were hopelessly at a loss, without opinion; others
thought the speakers were the worseforwine. All Jeru
salem was in an uproar.
To how many the forked tongues had been given, and
the "other tongues," it is not easy to say. Looking at
one part of the narrative, we should say the hundred
and twenty disciples; and having regard to the quota
tion made from the Prophet Joel, we should say the
"women" also; but, again, looking at the verse which

90 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
tells us that "Peter stood up with the eleven" (Acts
ii. 14), and at verse 37, which tells how the multitude
came for direction to him. "and the rest of the Apos
tles," we should say that the miraculous gift was con
fined to them. Probability on either hand has no place
here, and we must be content to leave the question un
decided. As to the character of the miracle, there does not
seem room to doubt that the narrative describes an
immediate gift — for the time — of the power to speak in
foreign languages hitherto unknown. But it is worthy
of remark and meditation, that the miracle only paved
the way for the spiritual teaching of Peter. The effect
on souls was marvelous; but it was the Gospel, it was
the Spirit — not the miracle — that produced it. The
miracle resulted (as we have said) in amazement, per
plexity, and mockery; the address, in the power of the
Spirit, resulted in the conversion and baptism of three
thousand souls.
This was the beginning of an altogether new order of
things— what we call A New Dispensation. Pentecost,
as dating from Calvary and the Resurrection (and not
to be regarded apart from these), is the starting-point
of that part of God's Church which we call distinct
ively the Church of Christ.

CHAPTER VIII.
PENTECOST IN RELATION TO FORMER DISPENSATIONS.
WHAT shall we say, then, that Pentecost was in re
lation to the past Revelation and working of God?
What changes were introduced by it? What new thing
came which had before been wanting? If it be true
that it was an event so important in its significance,
it should not be difficult to vindicate this importance
by defining it. And yet we find the confession made
by most of those who have written on this subject that
such definition is critical and hazardous on all sides.
I. Let us seek to clear the ground by some consid
erations of a negative kind.
i. It cannot be maintained that, in respect of per
sonal holiness, there is any radical difference between
the saints of Old Testament and New Testament times.
The best men of the older economy have no reason to
fear comparison in that respect with the best of the
later. Abraham is surely at no disadvantage as com
pared with St. Paul; David with St. Peter; Enoch with
St. John; while for Moses, Joseph, Daniel, Samuel,
Joshua, we fail to find New Testament characters whom
we may set beside them. What the Spirit of God did
in those men of old was a work not less gracious than
that which He did in men of New Testament times.
91

92 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
2. Nor can we say that in the Inspiration of Scrip
ture there is such a distinction to be seen as shall en
able us to divide the less from the greater by means of
Pentecost. For though unquestionably there is a de
velopment of Truth from Genesis to Revelation, an in
crease of the Light which shineth more and more unto
the perfect day; yet the Inspiration which gave us the
Decalogue, and the Psalms, and Isaiah, amid the dark
ness of those early days, is manifestly as Divine (could
such words be used) as that which recorded the sayings
of the Lord and the visions of Patmos. The New Tes
tament is a Book oi fuller teaching, but not of greater
inspiration than the Old. The difference that Pente
cost made does not lie here.
3. Nor is it sufficient to say that the Pentecostal
blessing is larger in measure and degree than that
which preceded it. For unless it be meant that the
difference of degree is overwhelming (in which case it
must be traceable to a more radical distinction), it is
surely not a worthy explanation of the need of a Per
sonal Coming of the Holy Spirit to abide in the Church
— that it would improve and make better what had been
before.* 4. It is impossible to settle the question by main
taining that the Old Testament blessings had always
been exceptional, marking out one in an age, or two or
three at a certain epoch; as when Enoch stood alone,
and Noah was solitary, and Abraham and Melchizedek
and Lot were the only men of God in their day; while
in New Testament times this state of things was to be
* Hare's Mission of the Comforter, Note II. ; and Professor
Smeaton's Doctrine of the, Spirit, Lecture VI. (a laborious and
able book).

PENTECOST AND FORMER DISPENSATIONS 93
— dare we, in the face of history, say? — the rule rather
than the exception. Nay, neither is the fact so; nor,
if it were, could it furnish an explanation large enough
or deep enough of what Pentecost was.
II. May I now venture to offer some other sugges
tions as to the relation which Pentecost bore to Old Tes
tament men and times?
1. Is it not so, then, that owing to the Pentecostal
effusion, all disciples are meant to be apostles to the
world, and are furnished with, or at least offered, the
means of being so? No trace of this, as a universal mis
sion, is to be found either in patriarchal or Mosaic
days. A few men under the Old Dispensation were
selected as Prophets of God, and had Divine messages
entrusted to them: the Elijahs and Jeremiahs, who
could not but deliver them at all costs. But no such
commission was laid on every man of the favored na
tion of God. In the case of the New Testament follow
ers of the Lord, the duty is universal. Every one who
has the light is bound, under solemn command and
responsibility, to let that light shine. And the prom
ise of the Lord ere He ascended was, that at Pentecost,
and through it, every one who sought to obey His word
would receive "power," in which to become the "wit
ness of Jesus Christ." This commission, and the means
of fulfilling it, are traceable to Pentecost.
2. Again, just as Christ came to the world in Old
Testament times, as the Angel of the Lord, before
His Incarnation : so the Holy Spirit came in those times
before Pentecost. The one came by anticipation as
truly as the other, and for the same reason. Still
rcore, juat as the efficacy of Christ's atonement was es-

94 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
ercised beforehand in those Old Testament times —
through the typical sacrifices of the Lord, saving then
all the faithful, who could not otherwise have been
saved at all : so the power of the Holy Spirit was known
by anticipation among the faithful, whom it made wise,
mighty, devoted, pure, and who could not otherwise
have been made meet for the inheritance. Calvary ex
erted a saving power over the past; and so Pentecost
exerted a sanctifying power over it. It is no diminu
tion of the wondrous influence of the Cross of Christ,
that it saved in Abraham's day; why should it be
thought a diminution of the influence of Pentecost,
that the Spirit of God came upon Moses and Joshua?
There was indeed but one way to save, and but one way
to sanctify; and though these were made plain through
events which could only take place in "the fullness of
time," yet they stretched back to ages and generations
which as yet knew them not, and blessed them. To
find the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament, then, is
not to lessen the significance of Pentecost; it is only
to show how wide and long its range of blessing is.
3. It may be observed again that the doctrine of
the Holy Trinity, though implied, was not clearly and
explicitly revealed in the Old Testament. It is the
special care of the New Testament to unfold it. And
the work, therefore, of the Holy Spirit is here shown
as was never before possible, so that, for the first time,
men could labor consciously under Him. Or, to ex
press the same thing otherwise, in Old Testament times
faith had for its object God in His Unity; in the New
Testament Dispensation, faith has each of the Persons

PENTECOST AND FORMER DISPENSA TIONS 95
of the Holy Trinity for its object. "Ye believe in God:
believe also" (or, ye believe also,) "in Me" (John xiv.
1). There, during the ministry of the Lord, and as
its result, is the unveiling to faith of two of the Holy
Persons. At Pentecost, the Third was brought within
the horizon of consciously exercised faith. And now,
and ever since, and until this Dispensation is over, we
"believe in God the Father Almighty, and in Jesus
Christ His only Son our Lord," and we also "believe
in the Holy Ghost."
4. Once more, the distinction between the Ante-
Pentecostal and the Pentecostal ages implies a distinc
tion as to the Covenants of God, and the seals by which
they are confirmed. We speak familiarly of "the
Old and New Testaments;" buthowfew seem to under
stand what is meant by the phrase! How many labor
under the mistake, that it refers to the covenant of
Works and the Covenant of Grace ! Think for a moment
what it would involve if the Old Testament were the
Dispensation of the Covenant of Works! "If Abraham
was justified by works, he hath whereof to glory!"
(Rom. iv. 2). But "we say, To Abraham hia faith :.was
reckoned for righteousness" (verse 9). Abraham was
"justified by faith," then, as much as we are. And it
was "of faith, that it might be by grace" (verse 16, A.
V.). He lived, and he died, under the Covenant of
Grace. This Covenant began when the first promise of
a Redeemer was made known to fallen Adam at the gate
of Paradise, and it has been running ever since. That
is not what distinguishes the Old Covenant, or Old Tes
tament, of which we speak, from the New.

96 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
What then? Does not the Epistle to the Hebrews
tell us, in so many words (viii. 8-10, 13)?— "Behold,
the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a New
Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house
of Judah; not according to the Covenant that I made
with their fathers in the day that I took them by the
hand to lead them forth out of the land of Egypt; for
they continued not in My Covenant, and I regarded
them not, saith the Lord. For this is the Covenant
that I will make with the house of Israel after those
days, saith the Lord; I will put My laws into their
mind, and on their heart also will I write them; and I
will be to them a God, and they shall be to Me a peo
ple. ... In that He saith, A New Covenant, He
hath made the first Old." The ninth chapter of He
brews then goes onto show what "ordinances" the first
Covenant had in the Tabernacle and its furniture; and
explains that "Christ having come," He became "the
Mediator of a New Covenant"* (verse 15); and that
* While, however, the Covenant made with the Jewish
people at the Exodus was one covered by the Covenant of
Grace (if I may use the expression), it is needful to add that
the spirit in which it was received and acted on by the bulk
of the nation always was, to a large extent, what we call a
legal spirit; and that is essentially the spirit of the Covenant
of Works. Men tried to keep the Law (and the laws) of
God in their own strength; and wherever they do that they
are acting as if the Covenant of Works were still in force,
and are putting themselves, so far as that is possible, under
the old Adamic Covenant again. Probably this is what
Paul means in the tenth chapter of Romans'when he quotes
Moses (Lev. xviii. 5) as describing the righteousness of the
Law, "If a man do [My statutes and My judgments] he
shall live in them." That would be righteousness by the
Law, which no man has ever attained to. And the 'Law
was not meant to give us righteousness, but to show us
what it is, and that we cannot attain it ; and to shut us up
to the righteousness of faith, which is also described in the Old
Testament as the righteousness of Abraham, the righteous
ness of David, and the righteousness spoken of by the
Prophet Habakkuk (ii. 4), "The just shall live by his faith."

PENTECOST AND FORMER DIS PENS A TIONS 97
"by one offering He hath perfected for ever them that
are sanctified" (x. 14). It seems only needful to place
beside these words what our Lord said on a memorable
occasion: — "This cup is the New Covenant in My
blood, even that which is poured out for you" (Luke
xxii. 20).
The Old Covenant, therefore, is not the Covenant of
Works entered into with Adam while unfallen, but the
Covenant entered into with Israel when leaving Egypt;
and the New Covenant is distinguished chiefly ov two
things — (1) It rests on the Blood of Christ; and (2) It
contains the promise of the Indwelling Spirit to "write
God's Law in our hearts." In other words, it is a Cov
enant whose two chief works are Calvary and Pente
cost. Both Covenants have had Seals or Sacraments. The
Old Covenant seals were typical, and the New are memo
rial. The former were two: Circumcision and Pass
over, typical respectively (it seems to me) of the Incarna
tion and the Death of Christ. The seals of the New
Covenant are also two: Baptism and the Lord's Supper.
And they seem to be memorials, (1) Of the "Ingrafting
into Christ;" and (2) Of Union with the Ascended
Christ. The four points of difference, then, on which we have
thus shortly touched, seem to discriminate Ante-Pen
tecostal from Pentecostal times ; and the more we med
itate on these, the more it will, I think, appear that
the differences are fundamental, and that Calvary and
Pentecost, considered together, and not separated
(united, shall we say, through the Resurrection of
Christ?) form the great line dividing the Church of
the Past from that of the Present.

CHAPTER IX.
WHAT PENTECOST WAS FOR THE CHURCH.
PERHAPS the most satisfactory idea of what Pente
cost was for the Church may be gathered from the
events which are recorded as happening immediately
after it. What was the state of the Church just after
the Holy Ghost came, when the full effects of His
Presence had developed, and when other influences had
not yet entered to mingle with these? A very short
statement will be sufficient in reply to this inquiry, as
the facts themselves are well known, and all that is
needed here is to present them in their connection with
the great day that so influenced them.
1. The effect on the Apostles was mo3t marked.
The eleven men, who are the Divinely chosen witnesses
for Jesus Christ, are no longer what they were. Self-
consciousness, self-questioning, self-doubting, and self-
glorying, seem to have fled as by a stroke. They are
new men. Not in the sense of having for the first time
passed into the Christian life, being "born again-" for
assuredly they had all known that change already.
But a change, as immediate as it was complete, from a
comparatively low type of Christian character to the
very highest, had taken place. Their spiritual condi
tion was totally different from what it had been. No
enemies could now treat them with contempt. Men
98

WHA T PENTECOST WAS FOR THE CHURCH 99
began to look on them with awe, and to think it not
strange that the world should be moved by them.
This spiritual change is visible at least in these direc
tions: in wisdom, in courage, and in a nameless power.
They deal with difficulties as soon as they arise, and
always well. They face the greatest dangers as mere
matters of course. And whatever they say or do tells,
till men wonder and tremble at the sight of them. And
along with this spiritual change is another kind of
power, which had been seen only in the hands of Jesus
Himself: the power of miracles — beneficent and mer
ciful — done by them in the Master's name. The Tem
ple-gate cripple, known to all Jerusalem, is leaping and
dancing around them, praising God. And the "speak
ing with tongues" has confounded gainsayers, and
silenced opposition.
2. The Spiritual effect on sinners outside the Church
is not less manifest or surprising. Then first, on that
Pentecost afternoon, a crowd of Gospel hearers are
found crying for mercy on their souls; and the news
that God will have mercy is a true Gospel for them.
They are ready to accept the most shameful position
possible at the time — to become open and confessed
disciples of the crucified Galilean; and publicly to
accept baptism in token of the fact. There were 3000
who did this on that day. Nor is it a solitary instance.
A few days more, amid many marvels, and with threat
ening outbursts of anger from the authorities, 5000
more men (not to mention women) cast in their lot
with the Apostles. No preaching ever had such spirit
ual results — not even that of the Lord Himself — as the

100 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
preaching which followed, and issued from, Pentecost.
3. The effect on the converts and disciples, after
they had entered the Church, was likewise notable.
The new life stood the test of daily duties, petty cares,
and real sacrifices. The Holy Spirit had come into the
home as well as into the upper room and the Temple
court. Great grace, gladness, singleness of heart, stead
fastness, liberality, sacrificing all they had and giving
up their possessions — these were the features which
marked the actions of the converts in daily life. To
this high level all were then expected to attain. A mis
erable couple, husband and wife, who thought they must
make "a fair show" before the Church, sought to do
so by a sham surrender. An awful judgment followed,
which terrified hypocrites and half-hearted ones, and
doubtless largely served to keep the Church pure from
mere professors. God was not to be trifled with — the
God of Pentecost!
4, We see next the effect of a missionary effort on a
whole city (Acts viii.) In the exercise of a love which
made nothing of Jewish prejudices, one of the Chris
tian teachers went down to Samaria with the news of
salvation. The whole city was stirred with wonder
and conviction. Sick were healed, demoniacs were
delivered, sinners were forgiven; "there was great joy
in that city." Pentecost was able to save! Following
these lessons, two of the Apostles went down; and in
reply to their prayers, "the Holy Ghost fell" upon the
converts, and these also became in a sense apostles to
spread the good tidings. Pentecost was able to sanctify
as well as to save!

WHAT PENTECOST WAS FOR THE CHURCH 101
5. Then we have three typical conversions of indi
viduals, in successive chapters — a proselyte, a Jew, and
a Gentile — all of them persons of excellent character
before men, and all representing classes of great im
portance for the future : the Eunuch, Saul of Tarsus,
and Cornelius the centurion. It is not without inten
tion that these are grouped together in the Sth, 9th,
and 10th chapters of the book of Acts.
The lessons taught by these chapters are, (1) The
need of the Holy Spirit ere even the best natural men
can be saved ("Except a man be born ... of the
Spirit"); (2) The power of the Holy Spirit to save in
face of deepest prejudice and life-long habits; (3) The
universality of the Gospel call to all classes of men ; and
possibly, (4) The same spiritual gifts open to all
("which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we,"
Acts x. 47).
6. The last of the great results of Pentecost which
we can notice here is one to which we have been brought
near by one of those conversions just spoken of. It is
the opening of the door of faith to the Gentiles — the
first unmistakable manifestation of the purpose of God
that the Gospel of Christ and the power of the Spirit
were not exclusively or chiefly for the favored nation ;
but that all nations of men dwelling on the face of
the earth were equally free to receive them, were equally
included in the Divine Covenant, and were called of
God. All these were immediate results of the great day on
which the Spirit of God descended on the Apostles, and
made "a new thing" on the earth. If now we seek to

102 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
gather up the great principles involved in them, there
are three which seem of greater importance than the
rest. 1. Henceforth the Holy Spirit was to exert, not an
occasional, but a permanent influence on the Church
¦ — not for a day, but for an age; not on a few, but on
all (subject to spiritual conditions which must always
prevail). The book of the Acts of the Apostles (the
npaSi?, or practice, of their lives) shows how the same
power went on from year to year, from city to city;
and that book was meant to be the introductory chap
ter to the history of the Church.
2. The second great principle which we learn con
cerning Pentecost and the Church is, that that day was
the Installation of the Holy Ghost as the Administra
tor of the Church in all things, which office He is to
exercise, according to circumstances, at His discretion.
It is as vested with such authority that He gives His
name to this Dispensation. We do not, however, dwell
on this part of the subject now, as it demands treat
ment in a separate chapter.
3. One other great principle concerning Pentecost
is that it can never be repeated. The Holy Spirit came
then, not to depart again, but to abide. "He shall give
you another Comforter, that He may be with you for
ever" (d$ tov almva, for the age). Nothing can be more
directly contrary to the intention and teaching of the
Word than to expect a "second Pentecost." I would
as soon look for a second Calvary. But this does not
imply that the experience of the disciples at Pentecost
is not to be known again. On the contrary, it is be-

WHAT PENTECOST WAS FOR THE CHURCH 103
cause the Spirit, who then began His special work, is
still present in the Church to continue it, that Pente
cost admits of no repetition. Whether the miraculous
results may once more be seen in the latter days of the
Church yet to come, we know not certainly; though
the Book of Revelation seems to lead us to expect this.
But the spiritual results have continued in greater or
less measure, and among more or fewer of the people
of God; and they are to be looked for, desired, asked,
and by faith attained. These have of late years again
become remarkable, and they show no tendency to dis
appear, but rather seem annually to increase. There
is but One Other Great Event for which Scripture di
rects us to look, and that is the second coming of the
lord. Till then, we live in the Pentecostal age, and
under the rule of the Holy Ghost.

CHAPTER X.
PENTECOST IN ITS RELATION TO INDIVIDUAL BELIEVERS NOW.
SEVERAL interesting and important questions arise
as to how believers individually stand related to the
great event at Pentecost; and especially there are two
opposing views which call for attention.
According to one view, the Holy Spirit having come
already to the Church and never departed, each soul
who is a member of Christ is already in possession —
not only of the Spirit, but also of all that He has come
to be and to give. By the Spirit He has been brought
to Christ, and by the Spirit he is kept in Christ. This
must be true of all; for "if any man hath not the
Spirit of Christ, he is none of His" (Rom. viii. 9).
From this it seems to some to follow that it is in vain
to ask for the Spirit — He is already ours; that it is in
vain to ask for more of the Spirit — whatever He is or
has to give is ours already. All that is permissible is
that we should give Him more of ourselves, make more
room for Him, give Him entrance to, and possession
of, the whole heart. It will then be as when the dock
gates are opened at full tide; there will be no effort
needed to flood the whole place with the seething and
rejoicing water. In addition to this "making room,"
it is needful to believe that the Spirit is within; that
104

Pentecost and individual believers 105
He has been quiescent only because we would not,
through ignorance, or prejudice, or unwillingness, have
it otherwise; and that now, through our willingness
and thankfulness, He will be to us all that He has been
to others, and that He is described to be in Holy Writ.
To quote words in which this view is maintained: —
"Believers (all believers?) converted after Pentecost,
and living in other localities, are just as really endowed
with the Indwelling Spirit as those who actually par
took of the Pentecostal blessing at Jerusalem" (Boys'
"Filled with the Spirit," p. 87). "Nor are we to un
derstand this" (the gift of the Spirit) "as any excep
tional, occasional, special, or more advanced experience;
but simply the condition of every one who is a child
of God  In no single passage in the New
Testament, subsequent to Pentecost, is there any hint
that a true Christian is to seek the Holy Spirit as not
yet received, or as having been received and subse
quently lost" (pp. 88, 89). "A careful study of the
New Testament leads us to the conclusion that every
true believer is not to wait to enjoy the possession of
the Holy Spirit in His fullness and power, but is en
titled to believe that he already enjoys this glorious priv
ilege, and is to act accordingly." (p. 12).*
The other view as to the relation of Pentecost to
individual believers now is, that, while all Christians
are under the Pentecostal Dispensation, yet the special
spiritual blessing which then came to the Apostles does
not belong to all Christians, but only to a few; and
that they for the most part go through an experience
* This is the view held for the most part by "the Breth
ren."

106 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
similar to that of the Apostles, first being converted to
Christ, and then — it may be long afterwards — brought
to know "the fullness of the Spirit." According to this
view, it is one thing to be a Christian, and quite an
other to be a Christian in whom the Holy Ghost is
dwelling abundantly in power and grace. It is admitted
that all Christians have the Spirit, that is, are not
utterly without Him and His influence; but it is argued
that this is quite different from having Him fully, and
being possessed by Him. It is maintained that the ex
perience of Pentecost is being ever renewed in the case
of individual believers, and that each may enter into it
for himself. It is held that Pentecost is not merely a
Day, but a Dispensation, in which we are living still.
Many who hold this view speak of the new experience
not only as "Pentecostal," but, in the words of Scrip
ture, as "the Baptism of the Holy Ghost." They
maintain that this phrase, so frequently and emphat
ically used by the Lord and by others, is not to be
confined to those of the Apostolic age, at and after
Pentecost, of whom it is used in Scripture, but is the
best and most authentic term by which to designate
the fuller and deeper experience into which a Christian
may enter. And they also hold that, so far from its
being true that we should not "ask for" the Holy
Spirit, it is the special privilege and obligation of the
Christian to ask and believe for this as the crowning
blessing of his life.
Some of the writers who take this view have ex
pressed it in the following terms: —
"We must recognize the act that to have the Spirit

PENTECOST AND INDIVIDUAL BELIEVERS 107
is one thing, but to be filled with the Spirit is quite
another thing. We know from what is recorded in St.
John's Gospel that even before the Ascension the Holy
Ghost had actually been given to the disciples, that
Christ breathed upon them the Holy Ghost. But in
the Day of Pentecost they were filled with the Holy
Gho3t" (Hopkins, Law of Liberty, p. 205).
"All of every age, who have shown by their fruits
that they had the Apostolic endowment of spiritual
power, came into it by an experimental reception of
the Spirit not essentially different from that of the
Apostlea and Evangelists" (Boardman, In, the Power
of the Spirit, p. 2.)
"Why should we not have a perpetual Pentecost?
The Holy Ghost is not withdrawn; but there are few
men who are empty enough of self to go all lengths
with the Holy Ghost, without diverging into the self
of fanaticism" (Baxter, Holy Ghost Days, p. 12).
"The believer may ask and expect what may be termed
a Baptism of the Spirit. Praying to the Father, . .
. he may receive such an inflow of the Holy Spirit as
shall consciously lift him to a different level from the
one on which he had hitherto lived. The way in which
the Baptism comes may be different. ... In the
midst of weakness they know that the Power is resting
on them. Such Baptism is specially given as power
for work. . . . The desire is growing among God's
people to have nothing less than what God meant by
His promise of Baptism with the Holy Ghost and with
fire" (Andrew Murray, The Spirit of Christ, pp. 323-325).
"The promise of the Spirit does not pertain merely to

108 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
the Apostles, the Primitive Church, or a favored few in
subsequent ages. It is, on the other hand, the common
gift to all who believe in Christ, the least as well as the
greatest, to the end of time. . . . Neither is there
any gift He is more willing to bestow upon believers
than this Divine Baptism. . . . This baptism is the
noblest blessing of Christianity, and no other can fill
its place" (A. Mahan, Baptism of the Holy Ghost, pp.
48, 49).
"The Apostle in effect calls upon the believer to
yield himself unto God the Holy Ghost as to a Power
and Presence already dwelling within him, but waiting,
as it were, for the welcome of the soul to come from
within, and take entire possession of the whole circle
and range of life. . . . Nowhere in the Epistles
does the precise phrase 'Baptism of the Spirit' occur.
Are we not thus led to the conclusion that the Baptism
is not to be identified with the 'Filling,' and is not,
like the 'filling,' presented to us as a blessing for which
the Christian is to seek? . . . We are to be filled,
and to be full of Him, as those who have already re
ceived Him from the height which knows no measure"
(H. C. G. Moule,* Veni Creator, pp. 221, 222).
In attempting to hold the balance between these two
views, and to determine which of them seems to accord
best with the language of Holy Scripture, there are sev
eral points which it is important to note.
x Mr. Moule's view is almost to be regarded as a third,
designed to combine the other two, and possibly Mr.
Murray's may be regarded in a similar light. The import
ant thing in the case of both of these writers is, that they
admit the immense difference in experience bet ween the two
stages of Christian life, and that the latter is something
which must be sought and obtained.

PENTECOST AND INDIVIDUAL BELIEVERS 109
1. It is admitted by all that there is a great differ
ence in experience between a Christian who merely has
the "new life" and one who has it "more abundantly."
The former may not even be sure that he is a Chris
tian at all, and his friends may also doubt it; but the
latter is full of joy, and overflows with blessing. The
former is merely a converted man, the latter is a sanc
tified man, and there is a gulf between them.
2. Now this difference of experience exactly corre
sponds with what we observe in the Apostles before and
after Pentecost. While Christ was yet with them they
were feeble, cowardly, full of fears and mistakes, and
often of self; after Pentecost they were new men.
They were believers in Christ before, but they are
hardly to be recognized as the same men after the
change came upon them in one day. And this is the
sort of change that often comes upon Christians now,
long after they have been converted. It generally
comes quite suddenly, though this is not always re
membered and noted. And it makes the same sort of
difference in them and their lives that was made for
Peter and the rest by the Day of Pentecost.
3. This change in the Apostles is described in Scrip
ture as being the result of the Spirit of God "coming
upon" them, and "filling them." "They were all filled
with the Holy Spirit." "Then Peter, filled with the
Holy Ghost. " Long after they had believed for the
first time, and had therefore, in a sense, possessed the
Spirit, this new blessing came which transformed them.
The natural conclusion is that, when the same change
takes place in Christians now, it is to be ascribed to the
same cause, and to be described in the same words,

110 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
4. Much of the language employed in the New Tes
tament seems to be inconsistent with any other view.
This is almost admitted with regard to what happened
at Samaria and at Caesarea, which are alleged to be
exceptional cases. But they do not stand alone. Let
us look at them.
At Samaria, long after Pentecost, the Apostles "sent
unto them Peter and John : who, when they were come
clown, prayed for them, that they might receive the
Holy Ghost: for as yet He was fallen upon none of
them : only they had been baptized into the Name of
the Lord Jesus. Then laid they their hands on them,
and they received the Holy Ghost" (Acts viii. 14-17).
Yet these people had "believed," and had been bap
tized, and therefore they had the Holy Ghost, else they
were none of Christ's. If, therefore, the view of Mr.
Boys and others were the true one, Peter and John
ought to have thanked God that the people had "re
ceived the Holy Ghost;" that He had "fallen upon
them," though they did not know it; and that they
had only to yield to Him in order to be fully blessed.
It is not surprising, therefore, that this should be re
garded as an exception to the rule, and virtually asserted
to be Pentecost No. II. , or The Samaritan Pentecost.
So at Caesarea, in the house of Cornelius, "The Holy
Ghost fell on all them which heard the Word." "On
the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy
Ghost." They "have received the Holy Ghost as well
as we." "The Holy Ghost fell on them, even as on
us at the beginning. " "And I remembered the word of
the Lord, how that He said, John indeed baptized with

PENTECOST AND INDIVIDUAL BELIEVERS 111
water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost"
(Acts x. 44, 45, 47; xi. 15, 16). In this case also ad
mission is made that the language of the Apostle is
quite at variance with the theory advocated; but it is
contended that "these were special circumstances,"
and that "special cases must not be mistaken for the
rule" (Boys, "Filled with the Spirit," -p. 73). In other
words, this was another repetition of the Advent of the
Holy Spirit; it was Pentecost No. IIL, or The Gentile
Pentecost. Is it not obvious that the whole case breaks down
under such admissions? If the Holy Ghost came once
for all, so that we must not pray for His coming to any
one now; if He is already "received" at conversion, in
such a sense that He cannot be "received" again; if all
Christians have Him entirely, and "enjoy the posses
sion of the Spirit in His fullness" (Boys, p. 12) from
the moment of conversion; was this not also the case
with Samaritan and Gentile converts? If it were possi
ble for Him to be "received" at Samaria and Caesarea,
why should the same thing not be possible still?
But the language employed in other parts of Scrip
ture is equally inconsistent with the same theory.
Take, for instance, the appointment of deacons in the
early Church (Acts vi.). "Look ye out, therefore, breth
ren, from among you seven men of good report, full of
the Spirit and of wisdom." Must not the language be
changed, in order to agree with the views laid down,
to something like this — "Look ye out from among you
seven men of good report, who, because they are brethren,
must enjoy the possession of the Spirit in His fullness f"

112 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
Take St. Paul's question to the men at Ephesus (Acts
xix. 2), "Did ye receive the Holy Ghost when ye be
lieved?" Of course they did, if the Holy Ghost is al
ways "received" at conversion. How could Paul ask?
And if he were testing the reality of their conversion,
would he not have said, "Did ye receive the Holy Ghost,
when ye thought ye believed?"
Or take St. Paul's prayer for the Christians at Ephe
sus, that they "may be strengthened with power through
His Spirit in the inward man; that Christ may dwell
in your hearts through faith . . . that ye may be
filled unto all the fullness of God" (Eph. iii. 16, 17, 19).
Would it not be necessary to rewrite the words of this
prayer, in view of the theory in question, that it might
mean this — "I thank God that ye have been strength
ened with power through the Spirit in the inward man;
and that Christ already dwells in your hearts through
faith; and that ye have already been filled unto all the
fullness of God?"
Or take Paul's exhortation to the sameEphesians(v,
18), "Be filled with the Spirit." Surely it must have
run, "Acknowledge and recognize that ye do already
enjoy the possession of the Holy Spirit in His fullness."
5. Other expressions in the New Testament certainly
fall in with those which have been already quoted — (1)
In the same Epistle to the Ephesians (i. 13, A. V.) Paul
says, "After that ye believed, ye were sealed with that
Holy Spirit of promise." The rendering of the R. V.,
"having believed," does not alter the sense, though it
expresses it less forcibly, that the believing and the
sealing are separate things — separate in thought and

PENTECOST AND INDIVIDUAL BELIEVERS 113
(generally) separate in time. What the "sealing" is
has been much questioned. May I venture the sug
gestion that it includes the two thoughts of making
sure and of stamping God's own image on the soul?
In any case, it is more than believing. Now "believ
ing" is the work of the Holy Ghost in the soul; faith
is "the gift of God." Sealing is therefore a second
gift, another gift (at all events), corresponding more
or less fully to the Pentecostal gift.
(2) Then we have our Lord's assurance (Luke xi.
13), "How much more shall your Heavenly Father
give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him!" Is not
that a warrant for the believer to ask this great gift
of the Father? It is said that this was an Ante-Pente
costal saying, superseded by the great gift which came
then once for all. But St. Luke's Gospel was written
long after Pentecost; and are we to conclude that this
beautiful promise of the Lord was made known to the
Church only when it was no longer to hold true? We
may surely take for granted that it was recorded for the
use and benefit of Christians still. But it can refer to
nothing else than the fullness of the Spirit. It is im
possible to suppose that it refers to conversion. The
direction how to be saved is to believe in the Lord
Jesus; it is not to ask for the Spirit. We conclude,
therefore, that this passage is inconsistent with any
other view of the Holy Spirit's work, than that He
rnajT now be entreated for, as a special gift — in His
fullness — to the child of God.
(3) Not to dwell on other passages, the account given
us of St. Paul after his conversion is decisive. He

114 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
was told to go into Damascus, where it would be told
him what he should do. Meantime Ananias was sent
to baptize him, and to lay his hands upon him, and he
was actually "filled with the Holy Ghost." Was Paul's
conversion not complete when he reached Damascus?
Or is this "filling with the Holy Ghost" something
which often comes after conversion is over?
6. It seems to me beyond question, as a matter of
experience, both of Christians in the present day, and
of the early Church as recorded by Inspiration, thai
in addition to the gift of the Spirit received at conver
sion, there is another blessing, corresponding in itti
signs and effects to the blessing received by the Apostles
at Pentecost; a blessing to be asked for and expected
by Christians still, and to be described in language
similar to that employed in the book of Acts. What
ever that blessing may be, it is in immediate connection
with the Holy Ghost; and one of the terms by which
we may designate it is to "be filled with the Spirit."
As with the early Christians, so with us now: the "fill
ing" comes when there is special need for it, work to
be done, services rendered; and it comes again with the
next need, which implies that it had departed when the
previous occasion had passed.
And there is an occasion when that blessing comes
to a man for the first time. That first time is a spir
itual crisis from which his future life must be dated.
There may be a question as to what it is to be called,
or at least by what name we are authorized in Scripture
to call it. And there are other interesting questions
regarding it,— how it is related to the definite act of
surrender to God, for instance. As to these, it may be)

PENTECOST AND INDIVIDUAL BELIEVERS 115
said generally, that the entrance on the "life more
abundant" has various aspects, one or other of which
becomes prominent according to the circumstances of
the soul. Whether consciously or not, it is to the fact
of the Holy Spirit coming in new power to the soul
that all new life is due; and the more that this is con
sciously understood, the more is the Holy Ghost in
His due place in our hearts. It is only when He is con
sciously accepted in all His power that we can be said
to be either "baptized" or "filled with the Holy Ghost."
I should like to add that it is possible to maintain that
God from the first offered to His own people a higher po
sition in this matter than they have been generally
able to occupy, in that the fullness of the Spirit was,
and is, offered to each soul at conversion ; and that it
is only from want of faith that subsequent outpourings
of the Holy Ghost become needful. There is much to
countenance this view in the book of Acts. St. Peter
declared at Pentecost that whosoever should repent
and be baptized, should "receive the gift of the Holy
Ghost" (Acts ii. 38). Yet note that the gift of the Holy
Ghost had been bestowed some hours before on the
Apostles, and that here again He is to be "received"
by individual believers. Note also, that those who have
been sinners are invited to enter at once on the double
gift — conversion and Pentecostal blessing — all in one.
So it was with the household of Cornelius. Why may
it not be so also with Christians now? "Because of
our unbelief I" Would that souls more frequently en
tered thus at once into all their heritage! Perhaps if
the possibility were more generally taught, more would
obtain the experience.

CHAPTER XI.
THE "BAPTISM OF* THE SPIRIT;" HIS BEING "RECEIVED;" HIS
"FALLING ON" MEN; AND OTHER EXPRESSIONS.
THERE still remains for us, before passing to other
portions of our subject, the consideration of certain
terms employed in the New Testament with reference
to the Coming of the Holy Spirit, and the application
of these to believers now.
I. TLIE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY GHOST.
The phrase* is used six times in the New Testament
— five times before Pentecost. In each of the four Gos
pels there is recorded the testimony of John the Baptist
to the Lord Jesus, that He shall "baptize with the Holy
Ghost;" and in Acts i. 5, the Lord, just before His
Ascension, promises to the eleven that they "shall be
baptized with the Holy Ghost, not many days hence."
Then (in Acts xi. 15, 16) St. Peter quotes this promise
of the Lord, indicates the fulfillment on Pentecost Day,
and likewise declares that it was fulfilled again in what
happened to the household of Cornelius when the Holy
Ghost "fell on them."
«• The phrase "Baptism of," in the title and other parts of
this chapter, is intended to cover the three meanings put on
the preposition which in Greek follows the word translated
"baptized." These are "with," "in," and "by;" for each
of which translations there is some authority.
116

THE BAPTISM OF THE HOL Y GHOST 117
The next fact connected with this expression is that
the phrase is never used in any of the Epistles; that
Christians are not urged to ask for the blessing; nor is
it indicated that they receive it. One passage seems
to be an exception, namely, 1 Cor. xii. 13, "For in One
Spirit were we all baptized into One Body, whether
Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free," I am not sure
that it is an exception. The object of the Apostle here
is to insist on the unity of all believers, and he does so
by showing that the Body of Christ is "One," and that
the Spirit by whom the Body is formed is also "One."
Baptism was the initial rite, which was the sign of be
ing joined to that Body — the baptism of water; and
so, when accompanied by faith, it was the sign of the
new^birth that had really taken place. It seems to me
that this is what is referred to; and, inasmuch as the
Holy Spirit is the Agent by whom the conversion takes
place, the baptism is said to be by Him. But this is
the baptism of water, accepted in faith.* It is not
what happened to the Apostles at Pentecost, both be
cause they were not then baptized with water, and be
cause they "received" the Holy Ghost as something
additional to what had come at their conversion. There
is a manifest distinction between the Spirit baptizing
men into Christ and Christ baptizing men with the
Holy Ghost. And the verse (though confessedly a diffi
cult one), probably contains in its two parts a reference
to conversion and to the Pentecostal blessing, "In One
* Compare Gal. iii. 27, eh Xpiardv ifiairrt^Te :— " As many
of you as were baptized into Christ did put on Christ."
And note also the parallel expression to that in the text
(John iii. 5), "Born of water and the Spirit," where it can
not refer to the Pentecostal gift.

118 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
Spirit were we all baptized into One Body" (that is,
being "born of water and the Spirit"), "and were all
made to drink of One Spirit" (or, as the Speaker's
Commentary gives it, " Were all drenched with one
Spirit," — which is the Pentecostal gift).
What, then, are we to understand by the absence of
allusion to the phrase, "The Baptism of the Holy
Ghost," in the Epistles? We may reach our answer
best perhaps by inquiring first, What is intended by
the figure used in the phrase? What is the full import
of the figure, "Baptism of the Holy Ghost?"
1. It must signify, for one thing, the Beginning of
a Purifying process; or at least the fact of purifying is
symbolized. Outward baptism was the application of
water to a body which was impure, and one thought
conveyed by the phrase in question was, that God was
able to cleanse the soul even as thus the water could
cleanse the body.
2. There was also implied a Confession of Sin, and
a Change of Mind and of Life. It was as needing to be
cleansed that the subject of baptism made application
for the rite; and as engaging to lead a new life in fu
ture, because a new heart inwardly had been given.
This, too,is implied in the Baptism of the Holy Ghost.
The Ante-Pentecostal days of the Apostles had been
much stained with evil — fear, selfishness,disobedience,
willfulness. These things they confessed; they were
brought to that state of heart-confession before God
during their "waiting" for Pentecost; and the Lord
baptized them with the Holy Ghost as a token that
they were to be set free from these things in the new
life that was before them.

THE BAPTISM OF THE HOL Y GHOST 119
3. There was also in this "Baptism of the Holy
Ghost" an outward testimony. It had immediate effect,
and the effect was manifest to all men. It was known
to Jerusalem an hour after it had taken place.
4. It was something not to be repeated in the indi
vidual experience of the man who received it. This is
surely a very important point. One leading distinction
between the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's
Supper is, that the one is to be administered once only,
the other frequently. Who dreams of being baptized
with water, say every year? It was the same in the
Old Testament. Circumcision was only once; Passover
was annual. There can be only one beginning. And
baptism is a beginning. But of what? The baptism
of water represents the new birth of the Christian life,
when the name of Christ is accepted, in token of hav
ing been "born again." So the baptism of the Spirit
is the beginning of the full life of Christian experience,
in which for the first time a change comes over the
Christian similar to that which came over the Apostles
at Pentecost; and that never can be repeated. Some
of the results of it come and go, such as the "Filling
of the Spirit," and Mr. Moule is clearly right in point
ing out (p. 222, Veni Creator) that there is a manifest
and radical difference between the Baptism of the Spirit
and the Filling with the Spirit. But of this fuller ex
perience, which has many aspects, and results, and
characteristics, there is but one beginning, and there
fore there is but one baptism. The phrase implies that
in the experience of the individual Christian the thing
signified takes place only once.

120 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
5. Does the phrase signify anything as to the mode
of receiving? The question has a much deeper import
ance than any bearing on the mode of water baptism.
The image is employed with reference to the death
of self and the beginning of resurrection life. "Buried
with Christ through baptism" (Rom. vi. 4). "Few,
that is, eight souls, were saved through water: which
also after a true likeness doth now save you, even bap
tism, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but
the interrogation of a good conscience toward God"
(1 Peter iii. 20, 21).
Now what does the image of baptism mean in such
passages? I reply (1) negatively, not immersion in
water, or burial in the earth after our mode of sepul
ture. Such burial as ours was unknown to the Jews;
nor was there anything in their mode that could be
likened to it. They hewed out, or found, a cave in a
hill-side; and bringing in the body (generally on level
ground) laid it on a shelf, leaving it there. Neither,
therefore, in water baptism, nor in the baptism of the
Spirit, was there anything like plunging the body or
soul into the depths of the sea, or burying it under
ground. But (2) the facts of death and burial were
apparently signified by baptism : that the "old man "had
"died with Christ" (see 2 Cor. v. 14, 15) and had been
put away, as in burial, to go to corruption and be left
in forgetfulness— this is taught us; that is, being "bur
ied in Baptism." It is true at the new birth, and the
baptism with water represents it; it is true at the
"baptism" of the Holy Ghost.
a. And now having seen what were the things signi-

THE BAPTISM OF THE HOL Y GHOST ] 21
fied by the image used in the phrase, "The Baptism of
the Spirit," can we discern any reasons why it should
not continue to be applied to the case of individual
believers in New Testament times? For one thing, it
would seem that there was less necessity for the use of
such a phrase after the Church had fairly entered on
its course. When the miraculous accompaniments of
Apostolic ministry were disappearing, and the provi
dential guidance of the Lord was taking their place,
then the thing to be looked and hoped for was, not a
childhood of Christian life, such as the Apostles had
before Pentecost, but a life which had the fullness of
blessing from the beginning, and did not need a crisis
such as the Apostles subsequently found. And as the
Epistles set before us the high, the ideal standard of
life, they do not propose that we should aim at such
marked crises of experience as would be indicated by
expecting a subsequent baptism of the Holy Spirit. I
do not mean in the least to give the impression either
that such a thing does not take place, or that we should
not expect it; but that the highest thing is that it
should come to Christians at the beginning of their
new life, and that this is the aim which the Apostles
keep in view.
b. Another reason for the disuse of the phrase may
possibly be found in the desire that this Baptism of
the Spirit shall not be confounded with the Baptism of
Water. The Church of Christ has suffered too much
from the undue and untrue importance given to this
rite not to make probable great care on the part of the
Spirit in the Word lest any encouragement should be

122 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
given to such error. On the one hand, the assertion of
what is called "Baptismal Regeneration," and, on the
other, the questions raised about what is called "Be
lievers' Baptism," were doubtless only too good rea
sons, in the prevision of the Spirit of Wisdom, why so
little should be said in the New Testament of a baptism
which was not the baptism of water, but might be mis
taken for it, and which was linked to everything that
was most precious in Christian life.
The conclusion, therefore, to which we come is that,
while the absence of the phrase, "The Baptism of the
Holy Ghost," in the Epistles may not be fully explained
by such considerations, yet we can see that it was neither
needful to be used nor in the circumstances expedient;
and it is for Christian writers still to determine whether
it is expedient to use it largely now. The same thing
as is signified by it may be dwelt on in language to
which no such objections can be taken.
II. THE RECEPTION OF THE SPIRIT.
1. In a previous chapter this phrase has been al
luded to in connection with the teaching of the Lord
as to the Holy Ghost, and it was there shown in a note
that it had an active sense, and referred not merely to
the "gift" of the Spirit by God, but to the acceptance
of that gift by faith. This thought it will be well for
us to keep in view as we now look at the passages which
in the Acts and the Epistles speak of the "Reception"
of the Spirit.
2. There are, then, eleven passages in the New Tes
tament in which this phrase occurs (with the same
Greek verb) with special reference to the Holy Ghost.

THE RECEPTION OF THE SPIRIT 123
Three are in the Gospel of St. John. One is chap. vii.
39, "This spake He of the Spirit, which they that be
lieved on Him were to receive" — a verse which refers
to Pentecost. A second is chap. xiv. 17, "The Spirit
of Truth: whom the world cannot receive," v/hich must
have a wider reference. The third is the well-known
verse dealt with before, chap. xx. 22, where the Lord
says to the eleven, "Receive ye the Holy Ghost:" this,
it may be conceded, refers to Pentecost.
The book of Acts has seven passages. The first of
these, which differs from all the others, is chap. i. 8,
"Ye shall receive power, when the Holy Ghost is come
upon you." In chap. ii. 38 Peter promises the multi
tude that, if they repent and are baptized, they "shall
receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." These words, be
it observed, were spoken by the Apostle after the de
scent of the Spirit upon himself, and must therefore
refer to a new gift of the Spirit separate from that
which had been already "received" by others. In chap.
viii. 15, 17, 19, we have the case of the people of Sama
ria, when Peter prayed "that they might receive the
Holy Ghost," when they did "receive" Him, and when
Simon Magus asked that he might have the power of
being the medium through whom others might "re
ceive. " In chap. x. 47, we have the statement that
the household of Cornelius had "received the Holy
Ghost as well as" the Apostles. And in chap xix. 2
Paul asks certain disciples, "Did ye receive the Holy
Ghost when ye believed?" which indicates that he
thought it possible that they had believed and yet had
not "received" Him.

124 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
In Galatians there are two passages. In chap. iii. 2
Paul asks, "Received ye the Spirit by the works of the
law, or by the hearing of faith?" and in verse 14 of the
same chapter he says that Christ redeemed us "that we
might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith."
Such reception, in verse 2 especially, is quite distinct
from that of Pentecost, both in respect of time and
place; yet the "reception" is declared to be true of the
Galatian Christians, and (if it be thought worthy of
special notice) the article appears in this passage
(ro TTvsufia iXdftsre) as well as in verse 14. (See Appendix
II.) 3. The conclusion to which our examination of these
passages leads us is (1) that the phrase is one which is
specially used of the event which took place at Pente
cost; (2) that it continued to be used by the inspired
writers with reference to believers since; and (3) that
there is no reason for asserting that it applies only to
the case of conversion among men now any more than it
did at Pentecost among the Apostles.
4. Much weight has been laid by some on the connec
tion between the reception of the Holy Spirit, and "the
laying on of hands. "
There are certainly two passages, possibly three, in
which such a connection may be traced. At Samaria
(Acts viii. 17), "Then laid they their hands on them,
and they received the Holy Ghost;" this is empha
sized by the request of Simon Magus, already referred
to, "Give me also this power, that on whomsoever
I lay my hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost"
(ver. 19). The second passage is Acts xix. 6, "And

THE SPIRIT "FALLING UPON" MEN 125
when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy
Ghost came on them." And the third passage which
may be understood in the same sense is 2 Tim. i. 6,
"Stir up the gift of God" (the "charism") "which is
in thee through the laying on of my hands" (see also
1 Tim. iv. 14). Are we then to suppose that the recep
tion of the Holy Ghost came through, and always by,
the imposition of hands? Certainly not. At Pentecost
no one laid his hands on the Apostles. When the dea
cons were appointed (Acts vi. ) the only one of whom it
is expressly said that he was "full of the Holy Ghost"
was so before he was ordained as a deacon. At Caesarea
(Acts x. 44, 47) Cornelius and his company received the
Holy Ghost before they were even baptized, and did
so while Peter was preaching to them. The "laying
on of hands" either was from the beginning, or very
soon came to be, confined to those who were appointed
to "office" in the church. But, whether the custom
extended beyond officials or not, it seems clear that
the fullness of the Spirit was not regulated by its pres
ence or absence.
III.— THE SPIRIT "FALLING UPON" MEN, OR
"COMING UPON" THEM.
These are expressions similar in meaning, which may
be noted in passing as bearing on the question, whether
the gift at Pentecost to the Church is the same in
character as the individual gifts which are now be
stowed on believers, and whether these come now of
necessit}' at the entrance into the Christian life, or at
the entrance into a special stage of that life.
The phrase "descending" and "coming upon"

126 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
(xarajSahnv xai ipyo/ievov iiti)\s used of our Lord in Matt. iii.
16; "descending upon" is used in Mark i. 10 and Luke
iii. 22; "descending and abiding upon" is the phrase
used in John i. 33. The phrase "falling upon" is used
in the Acts three times (viii. 16; x. 44; xi. 15), once
with regard to the Samaritan Christians, and twice
with regard to the household of Cornelius. The phrase
"coming upon," with reference to the Holy Spirit, is
used in the case of Mary (Luke i, 35), in that of the
Apostles (Acts i. 8), and, les3 emphatically, in reference
to the disciples at Ephesus (Acts xix. 6).
Four of these expressions are used in allusion to
events subsequent to Pentecost; in three of them, the
blessing which came is distinguished in time from the
baptism of the converts; and in one of them, the allu
sion is to something which occurred after conversion,
some days or possibly weeks. They cannot mean that
after Pentecost the Holy Spirit returned to heaven,
and needed to be given from heaven again as on the
first great distinctive bestowal; but they do probably
mean that, when He comes on men, He comes — not
merely from man to man, as residing in the individual
members of the Church and passing on through it, but
—from God direct; and it does not seem possible, con
sistently with Scripture, to confine the gift of the Spirit
to a believer to that first moment in which He comes
to convict and convert.
IV.— THE BAPTISM OF FIRE.
Only in two places do we find this expression em
ployed; in St. Matthew's (iii. 11) and St. Luke's (iii

THE BAPTISM OF FIRE 127
16) reports of the Baptist's declaration, "He shall bap
tize you with (iv) the Holy Ghost, and — fire;" but its
position and connection are such as to attach great
importance to the thought, and to suggest many ques
tions. The difficulty of satisfactorily answering these
must be admitted, and has been practically admitted,
by the subject having been generally passed without
discussion. The following are some of the questions which nat
urally occur: — (1) Is the Baptism of Fire part of the
Baptism of the Holy Ghost, or is it to be distinguished
from it as something more? (2) Was it fulfilled at
Pentecost? (3) Was it exhausted then? (4) Is it a
personal experience still; and if so, (5) What are its
conditions? 1. Occurring only in the two verses just mentioned,
coupled in both of these with the Baptism of the Holy
Ghost, and that without the repetition of the preposi
tion (for the with in the A. V. and R. V. are supplied),
it would naturally seem, as it were, only a portion of
the larger baptism which came at Pentecost. On the
other hand, what is there in this baptism of "Fire" that
John should single it out with such marked emphasis
as one of the two things that the Messiah was to do,
and as worthy to stand side by side with the gift of
Pentecost itself? Why should he not have said, "He
shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost — and with
power," or "and with courage," or "and with holiness?"
Must not the "fire" referred to stand on a different
footing altogether from such accompaniments or results
of the descent of the Spirit?

128 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
2. Is it correct to suppose that the reference in
John's words was to the "tongues of fire " which sat
upon the disciples on the Day of Pentecost? We have
already called attention to the fact that the record says,
"Tongues, like as of fire" (Acts ii. 2, A. V. and R V.)
(euo-a Trtyo;); and throughout the rest of the description
there is no allusion of any sort to "fire" save in verse
19— "Blood, and fire and vapor of smoke," signs of "the
great and notable day," which apparently are to be
fulfilled only in the future. Is it possible, then, that
the Baptist, in his use of the solemn and remarkable
words already quoted, should be referring to an appear
ance of fire only — "He shall baptize you with the Holy
Ghost and — ivith the likeness of fire?"
3. Even were this unlikely supposition to hold good,
it would still remain a question whether there is not a
farther fulfillment in the Church of the words with
which John so startlingly characterizes the work of
Messiah. Did the disciples know in after years of a
"Baptism of Fire?" Was it seen, for instance, in Sa
maria? Was it found in the house of Cornelius? Or,
when the disciples were enabled to "speak with
tongues," was there the same "Baptism of Fire" as at
Pentecost? 4. When we turn to the various passages in the New
Testament in which the use of "fire" by God is referred
to, we find them divisible into two classes. The larger
number speak of Purification by fire: a few speak of
Punishment by fire. It is with the former that we
have to do. In 1 Pet. i. 7, we read: "That the proof
of your faith, being more precious than gold tbit per-

THE BAPTISM OF FIRE 129
isheth, though it is proved by fire, might be found
unto praise and glory and honor at the revelation of
Jesus Christ." Is it the "gold" only that is "proved
by fire?" Surely it is the faith also. In 1 Cor. iii. 13
there is a remarkable passage which tells us that "each
man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall
declare it, because it is revealed in fire; and the fire
itself shall prove each man's work of what sort it is."
And still more remarkably this is followed up in the
15th verse by the statement, "If any man's work shall
be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be
saved; yet so as through fire." The fire, then, tries
and approves the work; and though it burns up much,
it yet "saves" the Christian man himself.
In 1 Peter iv. 12, 13, we have another trial by fire,
"Think it not strange concerning the fiery trial (rij
¦Kupwcrei npos Tzetpaa-fidv) among you, which cometh upon you
to prove you . . . , but insomuch as ye are par
takers of Christ's sufferings, rejoice."
And in Rev. iii. 18, we have the words, "I counsel thee
to buy of Me gold refined by fire " where the reference
apparently must be to the purifying effect of suffering
and trial on the Christian.
Two other passages should possibly be connected
with these — (1) John xv. 6, "And they gather them,
and cast them into the fire, and they are burned."
The parable concerns those who belong to Christ and
are "in Him," and who cannot be finally lost, though
they may be burned here in the fire. And (2) there may
here be a reference to the Baptism of Fire in Luke xii.
49, 50, where the Lord says, "I came to cast fire upon

130 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
the earth; and what will I, if it is already kindled?
But I have a Baptism to be baptized with." It isa
very obscure passage, no doubt. May it not mean, "I
am come to cast fire on the earth; but if I see it al
ready burning for Myself, what then? I have that Bap
tism to pass through, and am straitened till it is done. "
If we take the above passages together, they all seem
to point to a purifying by fire ( probably called a "Bap
tism" by our Lord in the last case), which was to be
the portion of the disciples. Pain and persecution
were to be their portion; yet these were to purify them
for the Lord's presence. Hitherto they had been un
harmed; on the very night of the betrayal Jesus had
interfered for their protection — "Let these go their
way" (John xviii. 8). It seemed that they needed
Pentecost to enable them to bear this species of puri
fying, and that the Baptism of the Spirit was to be
followed by a Baptism of Fire. The 2nd chapter of
Acts tells us of the one; the 4th chapter tells us of the
beginning of the other.
5. Is there any such experience for Christians now?
Obviously there is, in "the tribulation," through
which all the people of God must pass.
But there are many other and most interesting ques
tions concerning this Baptism of Fire.
Is it to be distinguished from the ordinary discipline
of trial? We answer, Yes: in so far as it is consciously
accepted by faith, and its nature and purpose recog
nized, as well as its connection with the Baptism of
the Holy Ghost. Trial, in itself, is probably never to
be asked; but may there not be something akin to the

THE MIRACULOUS RESULTS AT PENTECOST 131
Lord's own attitude, where there is a "straitening" till
the inevitable "Baptism" comes that shall set the soul
free? It has reference not merely to personal purify
ing, but to personal purity in relation to God's work.
Why is it called a "Baptism?" Possibly because
there are certain kinds of service that are never possi
ble till we accept of it and pass through it, and of
which it is made the necessary condition and begin
ning. Is it of the nature of a crisis? I am inclined to an
swer that it is sometimes so, and that it is not always
so. Sometimes the fire is like that of a furnace, into
which we seem to be thrown; and this, lasting for a
day, or a week, often culminates in bodily illness, pos
sibly like Paul's "thorn in the flesh," which seems to
have come as a result of the vision near Damascus, and
was to prepare him for his future Apostleship. Such
cases are known in the secret experience of some of the
servants of God still.
More frequently, I think, it is a slow fire which God
appoints to His people who are so "baptized, "in which
they have the opportunity of withdrawing their consent,
if they wish to do so, from the fiery test, or of contin
uing to accept it, as His Spirit goes on to apply the
fire. There are various aspects of all God's spiritual deal
ings, and this is no exception.
V.— THE MIRACULOUS RESULTS AT PENTECOST.
This is a subject so large and difficult that obviously
it cannot here be dealt with fully; but it is not possi
ble to pass it without some slight examination.

132 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
1. That miracles were done by the Apostles of
Christ must be admitted by all who accept the state
ments of the Word. One of the statements is a re
markable verse by St. Paul (Rom. xv. 18, 19), "Those
(things) which Christ wrought through me, for the
obedience of the Gentiles, by word and deed, in the
power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Holy
Ghost." The meaning is not open to question. We
have it, therefore, on record, from St. Paul's own pen,
that he wrought "signs and wonders" of a miraculous
sort in the course of his ministry. An equally strong
and clear general statement is made concerning St. Peter
(Acts v. 15, 16). The miracle wrought upon the crip
ple at the gate of the temple (Acts iii. ), the cure of
iEneas (ix. 34), and the raising of Tabitha from the
dead (ix. 40), are detailed instances of some of the
more striking works of wonder which St. Peter did.
Less known, but not less remarkable, are the details
given about the marvels done by Philip in Samaria
(viii. 6, 7, 13).
2. Our Lord during His lifetime gave certain mirac
ulous powers to the disciples (Luke ix. 1, 2; x. 17-20),
and ere He departed promised to all His Apostles that
they should have such powers. (Mark xvi. 17, 18*).
3. In perfect accord with these facts, we find that
Pentecost was immediately followed by a great miracle.
It is, in my opinion, impossible to read the second
chapter of the Acts of the Apostles without admitting
that the speaking with tongues there described is rep-
* I take for granted that the genuineness of these verses
has been sufficiently demonstrated by the late Dean Burgon
and others.

THE MIRACULOUS RESULTS AT PENTECOST 133
resented as the miraculous gift of the power of speak
ing in foreign languages which the speakers had not
learned, and up till then had not known. In view of
Acts x. 46, xi. 15, xix. 6, the same conclusion is at
least the natural one, and probably it would not have
been questioned but for certain difficulties arising from
expressions used in the first Epistle to the Corinthians.
4. It would serve little purpose to enter here on
a discussion of the expressions which have just been
referred to. Whether the speaking with tongues, so com
mon in Corinth (called, I observe, Glossolalia by some,
though the word is no gain to our literature!), was the
same as the miracle of Pentecost, or whether it was the
rapturous outburst of an ecstatic spiritual state, and
inarticulate, this at least is certain, that it leaves the
Pentecostal gift of language as it was, a miraculous aid
bestowed for the time upon the witnesses of Christ.
5. Were these, and other miraculous gifts — such as
healing diseases and casting out devils — intended to
disappear from the Church, or were they meant to be
come her perpetual possession? There is not a little to
encourage the thought that God was willing to continue
them, that their use was dependent on the spiritual
preparation of believers to "receive" them, and that
they have been lost owing to a great decay in the spir
itual life and power of the Church of Christ. This, how
ever, we do not have the means of determining with
certainty. The fact remains that these gifts did not
outlast the Apostolic period. It is true that ever and
again sporadic cases of alleged cures or marvels have
been heard of, but always in circumstances which sug-

134 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
gest the lack of reliable evidence, or of an alliance, not
with the Spirit of judgment, but with outbursts of fa
natical feeling. There are, however, indications in the
book of Revelation, and perhaps in other portions of
the Word, that miraculous gifts may again appear in
the Church before the end. Wherever Satanic influences
come to the surface, the Spirit raises up a standard.
In the latter days it is apparently to be so. There are
portions of the prophecy of Joel, applied by St. Peter
to Pentecost, which still remain waiting for a future
and farther fulfillment; and these indicate wonderful
signs both in heaven and earth.
6. But it is a great mistake, into which some have
fallen, to suppose that the results of Pentecost were
chiefly miraculous and temporary. The effect of such
a view is to keep the spiritual influences out of sight;
and it will be well ever to hold fast the assurance, that
a wide, deep, and perpetual spiritual blessing in the
Church is that which above all things else was secured
by the descent of the Spirit after Christ was glorified.
(See Hare's Mission of the Comforter, Plumptre's edi
tion, note H., specially p. 229.)

CHAPTER XII.
THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE AFFAIRS OF THE CHURCH.
IN previous chapters we have seen that the gift the
Holy Ghost bestowed upon the Church at Pentecost
is to continue till "the end of the age," and have dis
cussed most of those questions which have been raised
concerning His relation to it as a whole, and to the
individual believers who constitute it. We now turn
to an exposition of the various offices which He exe
cutes in the Church, and of the gifts and graces which
He bestows on the people of Christ
The Holy Ghost, from the Day of Pentecost, has oc
cupied an entirely new position. The whole adminis
tration of the affairs of the Church of Christ has since
that day devolved upon Him. He is the medium of
communication through whom the Mediatorial work is
carried on. This is "the Dispensationof the Fullness, "
which has been committed unto Him. And this prob
ably is the corner-stone of the teaching of the New
Testament upon our subject. It is, however, to be
noted that the word translated "dispensation" (ob.ovnp.ia)
rather means stewardship, and is not applied separately
to any of the Persons of the Trinity. It occurs five
times; once (Ephes. i. 10) quite generally; once (Ephes.
iii. 2) as "the dispensation of grace;" once (1 Cor. ix.
17) as a "stewardship" given to Paul; once (Col. i. 25,
135

136 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
see R. V. margin) as a "stewardship of God" given to
Paul; and once (1 Timothy i. 4, see R. V. margin) as
a "stewardship of God which is in faith." The word
employed for "the ministration" (the ministry and
the administration) "of the Spirit" is quite different
(Siaxovta, 2 Corinthians iii. 8).
When the Lord declared that it was expedient for the
disciples that He should go away, for otherwise the
Paraclete could not come, He intended to direct atten
tion to the important office which the Holy Ghost was
to occupy; and He spoke of that office as one not merely
for the Twelve, but for the Church which they repre
sented. The Spirit's presence in the Church was to be
perpetual. "The Father . . . shall give you another
Comforter [Paraclete], that He may be with you for
ever" (John xiv. 16), and the office which He was thus
perpetually to fill was that of Administrator of the
Church of Christ (1 Corinthians xii. 11).
The subject, as unfolded by the New Testament, is
a much larger one than is understood by many, and may
perhaps be best condensed by looking at four great
subjects of the administration of the Spirit.
I. First — though this may perhaps be regarded as
indicating not so much a separate subject, as rather a
characteristic of His dealing with all — we remark that
everything in the Church is to be subject to the Will of
the Holy Spieit. "All these" (the gifts, workings,
and ministries — the xaPlff,'J-aTa, the iveprijpara, and the
Siaxoviat) "worketh" (ivsprei— all the power that is in
them is His!) "the one and the same Spirit, dividing"
(Stacpouv) "to each one severally even as He will"
(xaOd)<$ fioukerai).

THE AFFAIRS OF THE CHURCH 137
I think we may discern here a characteristic of the
Holy Spirit's working in New Testament as -distin
guished from Old Testament times, and it lies in the
difference between Law and Grace. The Spirit is not
the Law-giver but He is the Wilier (if I may coin
a word). No doubt there is a phrase used, "The Law
of the Spirit of Life" (Romans viii. 2), but that
means the law of His own working, the method in
which He is accustomed to work. But though He
works according to a certain method, yet He has not
laid down any law according to which He must work;
and so far as we see, He has, so to speak, left Himself
free to deal separately with each individual case. In
other words, His dealing with souls is always personal
and direct. This is the first leading thought about His
administration of the Church. He does all Himself,
in Person, without intervention, "even as He will."
What a fruitful source of meditation and of practical
usefulness lies in that consideration, and how little has
the Church availed herself of the privilege implied in
it, or even shown that it was hers, and that of every
member of her body!
II. The second element in the Administration of the
Kingdom is connected with the Record. This is the
work of the Spirit, and is under His special and per
sonal care. Having already dealt with the subject of
the Spirit in the Word, we only touch now on the re
lation of the record to the administration of the Church.
It is thus that He beareth witness, both in the Old
Testament (Hebrews x. 15) and in the New. "It is
the Spirit that beareth witness" (of the coming of

138 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
Jesus Christ), "because the Spirit is the truth" (I John
v. 7). He has Himself declared the record closed. If
the book of the Revelation of St. John be last in date
(which I believe) as it is last in place in Scripture, the
warning of chapter xxii. 18, 19, is a significant finale
to the completed canon. At all events, in that Apos
tolic age we have the last of the Spirit's utterances in
the written Word. And in the repeated language of
our Lord,recorded in the Gospels,wehave,Idare to say,
a perfect guarantee of the Old Testament record as
also complete.
This record in its entirety, then, is of the last import
ance in the administration of the Church as being — (1),
Its law-book and code; (2), its history, with all the lessons
contained in that ; (3), the authoritative revelation of
God's person, character and will; (4), the statement
of the way of salvation; (5), the method of sanctifica
tion (John xvii. 17); and (6), the weapon which the
Spirit uses in resisting attacks and overcoming the
enemy (Ephesians vi. 17). All this is due to the Holy
Ghost, from whom it came. And, in addition He holds
in His hand the interpretation of the Word from time
to time, without which it would be of little or no avail.
III. We pass, in the next place, to speak of the actual
Rule of the Holy Ghost within the Church, which is
under His control. And here a wide field for thought at
once opens up regarding what we might call the Busi
ness oj the Church.
1. There is, for one thing, the question of its gov
ernment. Speaking to the elders of Ephesus, Paul says
(Acts xx. 28, A. V.) "The Holy Ghost hath made you

THE AFFAIRS OF THE CHURCH 139
overseers." In Ephes. iv. 8-12, referring to the Ascen
sion of the Lord,and declaring that He then "gave gifts
unto men" (the first and chief of which, as we learn
from Acts i.4, 5, was the gift of the Holy Ghost), the
Apostle gives us a list of office-bearers, who were in
cluded in the chief gift as bestowed upon the Church :
"He gave some to be apostles ; and some, prophets; and
some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers."
All these are "governments" set over the Church by
the authority and decision of the Holy Ghost.
2. These office-bearers needed certain qualifications,
not their own, but from the Lord, to fit them for their
duties in the Church, and these are carefully set before
us, as given by the Holy Ghost. Some of them were
temporary and miraculous. There were wonders — signs
— and tongues (TipaTa,o-i]pela, yXMoaat) ; "the power of signs
and wonders. . . the power of the Holy Ghost" (Rom.
xv. 19). There was the power (which might or might
not be miraculous) of defense before tribunals, as in
the case of Stephen: for "it is not ye that speak, but
the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you" (Matt.
x. 20) — the very words "which the Spirit teacheth"
(1 Cor. ii. 13).
But the Spirit also has in His own gift the perma
nent qualifications of the rulers of the Church. There
is a remarkable passage in 1 Corinthians xii. 8-11, in
which all these gifts, alike for temporary and for per
manent use, are classed together, in three triads (like
the fruit of the Spirit in Gal v. 22, 23).

140 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
"To one is given through the Spirit the word of wis
dom. "And to another the word of knowledge, according
to the same Spirit.
"To another faith, in the same Spirit.
"And to another gifts of healings, in the one Spirit.
"And to another workings of miracles.
"And to another prophecy.
"And to another discerning of spirits.
"To another divers kinds of tongues.
"And to another the interpretation of tongues."
The anxiety of the Apostle is manifestly to make it
plain that these are all in and under the Spirit of God.
(See verse 11, which follows this enumeration.)
Other passing but suggestive notices of the governing
powers in the early Church are found in the New Testa
ment: — in Philip, i. 1, "The bishops and deacons;" 1
Tim. v. 17, "Let the elders that rule well be counted
worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in
the Word and in teaching;" Rev. i. 20, "The seven
stars are the angels of the seven Churches;" Rev. ii. 1,
"To the angel of the Church in Ephesus;" of all which
ministries (Smxovlat, compare 2 Tim. iv. 5) St. Paul de
clares (in 1 Cor. xii. ) that they are ordered at the will
and discretion of the Holy Ghost. So much with re
gard to the rulers of the Church, and their qualifica
tions as under His control.
3. We come now to the direction of affairs in the
Kingdom, which also is kept by the Spirit in His own
power. The appointments of the Church are by Him.
He offers to take charge of these, and, where permitted
to do so, carries out His own purposes. Among other

THE AFFAIRS OF THE CHURCH ]41
Scriptures which tell us this is the remarkable passage
in Acts (xiii. 2), "As they ministered to the Lord and
fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate Me Barnabas and
Saul for the work whereunto I have called them."'1'
The precious truth involved here is that we have but to
commit such appointments to the Holy Ghost, to ask
His will, to put ourselves under His direction, and then
we shall find the men appointed by Himself and after
His mind. These are vital questions for all who have
part in the labor of the Lord's vineyard.
And the duties of those who are in office are to be
discharged under the care and charge of the great Ad
ministrator. The first great Synod of the Church at
Jerusalem, called to consider the question of Jewish
rites and ordinances, closes with a decree which none
can read without thankful wonder. "It seemed good"
(say the Apostles, Acts xv. 28) — "it seemed good to
the Holy Ghost, and to us." There was one council of
the Church which knew where to get guidance, and
whom to choose as President and Head! The Holy
Ghost took charge, and the decree which settled the
hard question came from Him.
4. The increase and extension of the Church itself
are also part of His care. The increase of this family
of God takes place through new births into it. And
this is described in the Word as having (so to speak)
two stages.
One is conviction of sin, leading a soul to cry out for
salvation and the Saviour. This is what our Lord means
* The word used is a very strong one, meaning, "I have
called them to Myself," the middle voice only of this verb
being used in the New Testament. (See Grimm's Lexicon.)

142 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
in saying (John xvi. 8 ) that, when the Paraclete "is
come, He will convict* the world" (the word is iX£r£et,
which means literally, shut them up to it, as in argu
ment) "of sin, of righte ousness, and of judgment. " It
is the sin of unbelief in Christ that is the subject of
the first convicting work of the Spirit who leads men
to be born again.
The second stage is that of conversion, the actual
turning to God, after men have been convicted and
brought to their knees. This is the work of the Holy
Ghost. "Every one that is born of the Spirit" (John
iii. 8); "That which is born of the Spirit is spirit (verse
6); "Having begun in the Spirit" (Gal. iii. 3); "Of
His own will He brought us forth" ("begat He us,"
A.V.) "by the Word of truth" (James i. 18). He is,
for every member of the Church, though, no doubt, in
a different sense, what He was for the Messiah. Every
soul brought into the family of God is so brought by
the Holy Ghost.
5. But the growth of the children of God after they
are born again is equally His concern, and subject to
His will and power. He is the Teacher of the child,
both in its earlier and later stages. "He shall take of
Mine, and shall declare it unto you" (John xvi. 14).
"He shall teach you all things, and bring to your
remembrance all that I said unto you" (John xiv. 26).
"He shall guide you into all the truth" (John xvi.
13). "Ye have an anointing from the Holy One, and
ye know all things. . . . The anointing which ye
received of Him abideth in you, and ye need not that any
* See Hare's Mission of tive. Comforter, Note L.

THE AFFAIRS OF THE CHURCH 143
one teach you ; but as His anointing teacheth you con
cerning all things" (1 John ii. 20, 27).
He is the Sanctifier, separating the children 'of God
by holiness and for holiness from all others. "The love
of God hath been shed abroad in our hearts through
the Holy Ghost which was given unto us" (Rom. v.
5). "Salvation in sanctification of the Spiri? and be
lief of the truth" (2 Thess. ii. 13). "God . . .
giving them the Holy Ghost, even as He did unto us,
. . . . cleansing their hearts by faith" (Acts xv.
8, 9). This blessed work, then, of purifying the be
liever is done by the Spirit of God.
He builds up all Christians into one Body, which is
another part of the growth of the souls of those who
are the children of God. "Each several building, fitly
framed together, groweth into a holy temple in the
Lord; in whom ye also are builded together for a habi
tation of God in the Spirit" (Ephes. ii. 21, 22).
He thus becomes the Uniter, or the Uniting Power
in all Christian brethren, so that in the same Epistle
(Ephes. iv. 3) we read of "the unity of the Spir& in
the bond of peace."
And He is also what sounds at first as if it were the
reverse of this — He is the Divider, but that only in
the sense of "dividing" (apportioning) "to each one
severally even as He will" (1 Cor. xii. 11) — a word
which, simple as it appears, yet carries the infinitely
wide thought, that the whole economy of grace is under
His hand. The grace in which we are to "grow," and
which is only another name for the power of growth
and the vitality of the soul, is bestowed by the Holy
Spirit as His special gift.

144 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
And so also strength of soul, that inmost strength
which reaches down to the very root of all that is with
in us, is His gift, for as to this St. Paul prays that the
converts at Ephesus may be "strengthened with power
through His Spirit in the inward man" (Ephe3. iii.
16). ,
What I have called the business of the Church in all
its departments is thus under the management of the
Holy Ghost.
IV. There remains one other truth concerning His
administration of the affairs of the Kingdom, which,
however, may be stated in a word: the duration of His
dispensation. If the relation of Pentecost to the New Covenant,
as explained in Chapter IX., be correct, then the dura
tion of the sign of that covenant is the duration of the
dispensation of Pentecost. And that is, "Till He come. "
As Christ shall ultimately give up His kingdom to the
Father (1 Cor. xv. 24-28), so the Holy Ghost shall give
up His administration to the Son, when He comes in
glory and all His holy angels with Him.

CHAPTER XIII.
THE SPIRIT GLORIFYING CHRIST.
"He shall glorify Me." — John xvi. 14.
IN the practical work of administering the affairs of
the Church, the Holy Ghost has to deal with believers
personally; and the first place must be given to His
work of "glorifying Christ."
It was not in an incidental way that this was to be:
not as if the work of the Holy Ghost, done with a
different object in view, was also to shed light upon
Christ, and bring honor to Him. It is set forth as one
of the great objects for which He was to come: if in
deed our Lord does not here mean that it was, in the
view of the Holy Ghost Himself, the chief object for
which He was to labor.
1. Our Lord tells us, "If I bear witness of Myself,
My witness is not true" (John v. 31). The meaning
probably is, that if His case rested entirely on His
own testimony, then He could not claim from men that
they should believe it as true; and that just as in a
court of justice the Jews did not allow a man to give
evidence in his own favor, so the Lord did not claim
that His own testimony should be taken. But on the
same occasion He also disclaims all human testimony,
and rests His case on something entirely different
(verse 34), "But. the witness which I receive is not from
145

146 THRO UGH THE E TERNAL SPIRIT
man." What, then, is that other testimony for which
He dispenses with anything that men can say? It is
THE WITNESS OF THE HOLY GHOST.
2. Each Person of the Holy Trinity is found glorify
ing, not Himself, but Another. Thus Christ "glorified
not Himself" (see Heb. v. 5). "If I glorify Myself,
My glory is nothing" (John viii. 54). But His life was
spent in giving glory to the Father. This is His own
summing up of it all, "That the Son may glorify Thee"
(John xvii. 1). "I glorified Thee on the earth" (verse
4). So the Spirit glorifies Christ (John xvi. 14), The
Holy Ghost gives the glory to Christ, He passes it on
to the Father, and the Father again "glorifies the
Son!" 3. What a wonderful declaration the Lord made to
His disciples, when He sought to comfort them in view
of His approaching death! "Nevertheless I tell you the
truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I
go not away, the Comforter" (Paraclete) "will not
come unto you; but if I go, I will send Him unto you"
(John xvi. 7). This means that when Jesus should go
away, the Holy Ghost would supply His place; it means,
however, even more than that — it signifies that He
would more than supply the place of Christ. The dis
ciples might well have been tempted to say, "That is
impossible! Nothing can do more than make the loss
less, and therefore make our grief tolerable!" But they
dared not, and we dare not, deny, or even lessen and
weaken, the express declaration of the Lord. "Never
theless, He told us the truth! It was expedient for usl"
Was it not? Always present: could Christ have been

THE SPIRIT GLORIFYING CHRIST 147
that? Everywhere present: not so long as He had a
body like ours could He have been that. Present within
the heart, by a personal indwelling, Christ could not
have been, till He ascended, and was made to "dwell
in the heart" by the Holy Ghost. Wonderful words!
And they are true. Such is the glory given by Jesus
to the Spirit! Yet He gives it all back. "He shall
glorify Me!"
4. How did the Father glorify Christ? (1). By His
Resurrection — "God raised Him from the dead" (Acts
xiii. 30) to show that His sacrifice for sin was accepted
of the Father. (2). By His Ascension into the heavens
— "The Lord saith unto my Lord, Sit Thou at My right
hand, until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool"
(Psalm ex. 1, quoted Hebrews x. 13). (3). By bestow
ing on Him gifts for men — as a reward of His work on
the earth. "When He ascended on high, He led cap
tivity captive, and gave gifts unto men" (Psalm
lxviii. 18, as quoted in Ephesians iv. 8). (4). By giv
ing Him the inheritance of His people — "His reward is
with Him" (Isaiah xl. 10, compare Rev. xxii. 12).
And the Spirit also glorifies Christ. Let it be re
membered that the glorification of Christ is the condi
tion on which alone the Spirit's presence in the Church
rests. "The Spirit was not yet given; because Jesus
was not yet glorified" (John vii. 39). Hence, then,
the very basis on which the Holy Ghost's work here is
founded is that Christ is glorified. The fact is so.
Pentecost is the witness to the Ascension and the en
throning of Christ as a "Prince and a Saviour." And
what the Spirit was to tbe whole Church at Pentecost

148 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
He is also to individual believers. It is still on condi
tion that Christ is glorified in their eyes that the Spirit
is theirs to fill and bless them.
5. Possibly we shall understand this subject better
if we inquire for a little what object the Spirit has in
view in "glorifying Christ."
(1) Is it not, then, largely to redress the wrong that
was done to the Lord when on earth that He is to be
thus glorified? What has been called "poetical justice"
is really, after all, the justice of God, seen in a com
pleted state. So here, where the indignity and shame
were offered to the Son of God, where He knelt in agony
and hung on the cross; here the honor must be paid
that shall testify to what He was and what He deserved.
Nowhere else would the glorifying of Him in this sense
have been sufficient. It would not have been enough
to have had heaven filled with His praise; for heaven
is far away, and is unseen of many. On earth, and
even at Jerusalem, on Isaac's hill of Moriah, He must
be seen, acknowledged, and glorified as King. God will
"set His King upon His Holy Hill of Zion." And,
meantime, to forecast and anticipate that honor, the
Spirit glorifies Christ here.
(2) May we not also say, that it is to gratify His
own love for the Son of God that the Holy Ghost so
glorifies Him? Let us remember His true (and intense)
personality; and let us also remember that, when the
Lamb of God submitted to death, not only did the
Father make the sacrifice of His Son, to which the New
Testament continually points as the marvelous deed
of love, but the Holy Spirit made the sacrifice of see-

THE SPIRIT GLORIFYING CHRIST 149
ing One, who was more than a Brother, subjected to
all this. Hence, to have an opportunity of letting His
love go forth towards Him,in an exuberance of joy and
affection, is only what we might expect. He glorifies
Christ. (3) But for men's sakes also this is done. The hu
miliation of the Son of God has left its stamp still upon
the whole Church, and on every member of it, — never
to be effaced till the Lord returns. There is, perhaps,
no fact in Apostolic history more striking than that the
beloved disciple, on his first sight of the Lord in heav
enly vision, "fell at His feet as dead." Left to our
own thoughts, we should have imagined any other re
sult of the meeting rather than that. Joy, thanks
giving, confidence, rapture: but to be overwhelmed
with amazement and "fear"! Yet so it was; and the
lesson to be learned is that the thing of which St. John
had had absolutely no conception, was the unspeakable
glory of his old Master! I suppose this is perhaps the
hardest lesson for us all to learn. To cease to "know
Christ after the flesh 1" To cease, in a sense, to look
upon His mere humanity! To see the Godhead in Him!
Yet, for our own sakes, how needful to come to the
heavenly view of Christ, and let it take the place of the
earthly one! In a word, to "behold His glory," not
as the Apostle did before Calvary, but as he did at Pat
mos! This is the work, at once so important and so
needful for us, which the Holy Ghost does in "glorify
ing Christ."
(4) And again, the great purpose of God is only so
to be carried out. At once the saving and the sanctify-

150 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
ing of souls is done by the believing sight of Christ;
and every sight of Him is one of glory. However near
a sinner may be brought to salvation, he never passes
over into that faith which "justifies" till he has seen
Christ, and, as it were, dealtpersonally with Him about
his sin and ruin. It is thus, when the Spirit glorifies
Christ in a sinner's heart, that another soul is added
to the kingdom. And it is equally true that every step
which a forgiven sinner takes in purity and progress
is due to another sight of Christ; to a sight of some
thing in Him, unseen or unappreciated before, that
precisely meets his need at that moment, and gives new
strength and new grace to move forward. Now that
sight of faith is in every case given by the Spirit. His
is the preparation. His it is to produce the hunger of
soul and the thirst for righteousness, and His to satisfy
both by making Christ known. Thus by glorifying
Christ does He carry out the eternal purpose of God,
Now let us consider for a little how the Spirit glori
fies Christ.
(1) Let us at the outset clear our minds of the idea
that anything can be added to the Lord that was not
His before. Even ere He left the world He could say,
"All things whatsoever the Father hath are Mine"
(John xvi. 15). To give Him glory does not mean any
addition to the possessions of Him who already has
"all things." Nor does it mean anything like what we
call, in the language of men, reputation — "I receive not
glory from men" (John v. 41. Let the reader observe
how almost all this teaching has to be sought in St.
John's Gospel). Still less has it any relation to any

THE SPIRIT GLORIFYING CHRIST 151
outward material splendor, or effulgence, such as the
sun carries in its light. The only glory of Christ is to
be what He is.
(2) And what, then, is it for the Holy Ghost to
"glorify Christ?" It is, in few words, to remove the
veils and coverings which have prevented Him, as He
is, from being seen or known. "Blindness in part," or
in whole, had fallen on men with regard to Jesus
Christ in His threefold capacity as God, Man, and
Mediator. To remove this spiritual blindness from their
souls is to glorify Him whom then they can see. And
this is precisely what the Holy Ghost does. He does it
in the case of the sinner when He reveals the Lord
Jesus as the only possible Saviour, and His death as the
way of acceptance with the Holy God. Perhaps, after
all, there is nothing in the work of the Spirit which
is so glorifying to Christ as the sight of Him present
ed to a soul "ready to perish," which leads to new life
and salvation. But to the believer after conversion,
and increasingly until the land of heaven is reached,
the Spirit is revealing the glory of Christ as Keeper,
Example, Power, "All in all." "To open the blind
eyes" — that is the Spirit's work in glorifying Him.
(3) But it is not only in Himself that the glory of
Christ is seen; this is visible also in His people. The
power to save is seen in the saved, even more, in a
sense, than in the Saviour. They are the purchase of
His blood and the fruit of His passion. What the
prophet calls "the travail of His soul," which seeing,
"He shall be satisfied" — the sight of a ransomed man
before the throne of God — that is the mirror oi the

152 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
glory of Christ. It is all there. All Christ was needed
(and that, I say it reverently, is both God and Man)
to produce that sight. "All . . . Mine are Thine,
and Thine are Mine: and I am glorified in them" (John
xvii. 10). And that is the sight which the Spirit of
God is laboring to show, and does show to heaven and
to the Father.
(4) Once more, there is a Revelation of God in Re
demption which there has been nowhere else, and
which, so far as we know, was possible nowhere else.
What we may now call one side of the character of
God could never have come into view of His creatures
but for the mysteries connected with sin and with re
demption — all this is wrapt up with the thought of
Forgiveness. Have we ever sat down to meditate on
all that is involved in this? and have we ever dared
(shall I say?) to pursue the thought to some of its re
sults? How entirely does the range of considerations
affecting the redemption of man seem to engross our
view of God's character! God, out of Christ, is to us
little more than a name. He dwells in a background
of darkness and eternity of which we know next to
nothing. Every one of His attributes is best known to
us in the Gospel. Not even the Omnipotence of Deity
can be called an exception to this remark, for the power
of God to deal with the morally impossible (Matt. xix.
26) is something higher than the power which created
all. Nay, even creation, let us remember, is the work
of the Son, for "without Him was not anything made
that hath been made." Christ is the Revealer of God's
Creative Energy. All which brings us back to the

THE SPIRIT GLORIFYING CHRIST 153
truth, that the Gospel is the fullest and highest revela
tion of Him — the Gospel, that is, of Jesus Christ.
But who has made that known? In every sense of the
word, it is the Holy Ghost. By Him promised; by Him
predicted; by Him heralded; by Him begotten; by Him
accredited; by Him indwelt; by Him empowered; by
Him led to Calvary; by Him raised from the dead;
"justified in the Spirit;" by Him magnified in Scrip
ture; by Him revealed in the heart; by Him "formed
in you, the hope of glory." This is only "taking of
Christ's, and showing it." It is bringing Christ near;
purging the sightless eyes; and bidding men "look on
Him whom they have pierced." It is God made known,
in all that side of His character which could not have
been known had there been no sinners to forgive, no
souls to save, no Incarnation needed, and no Cross
erected. Could Eternity have been understood had
there been no death by which to measure it? Could
holiness have been appreciated had there been no sin to
stand beside it? Could the love of God have been
manifested had there been no "unspeakable gift" of
His only Son? "No man hath seen God at any time;
the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the
Father, He hath declared Him" (John i. 18). And
who hath declared the Son, and, in declaring, hath
glorified both Him and the Father?— The Holy Ghost!

CHAPTER XIV.
THE SECRET OF SANCTIFICATION.
"The law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus made me free
from the law of sin and of death." — Bom. viii. 2.
NEXT to the work of glorifying Christ, the Sancti
fication of Believers must be regarded as having
the chief place in the administration of the Church by
the Spirit of God.
1. The text at the head of this chapter speaks ap
parently only of freedom as given by the Holy Ghost.
But it is freedom from the law of sin, under which,
in chapter vii. 23, Paul represents himself as having once
been in "captivity." It stands here for the whole work
of Sanctification, at least on its negative side, which
consists in being set free from the dominion of sin, by
the power of the Spirit, to serve God in newness of heart
and life.
2. Many misapprehensions have gathered round the
question, What is Sanctification? and how is it to be
accomplished in the soul? Some of these we must deal
with ere we go on to the more direct exposition of the
subject of this chapter.
(1) It is, then, a grievous mistake to suppose that the
sanctification of the believer is a matter of course, as
to which he need not trouble himself, but which will
come, of necessity, as the inevitable result of what has
154

THE SECRET OF SANCTIFICA TION 155
gone before. It might be sufficient to reply to this no
tion, that it ignores the whole question of backsliding,
which is not only a possible thing, but one of the most
common and grievous facts of Christian experience.
It may even be said that the course of some believers
is little more than backsliding from the time of their
conversion, so that their light becomes dim as the glow
worm's spark, or even as "the smoking flax;" and the
only comfort one has regarding them is in falling back
on the thought that they "shall be saved, "though "so
as through fire."
So far from encouraging us to think that the new life
of the soul in us will go on of itself, and of necessity,
the New Testament continually warns Christians to
"give all diligence" to "make their calling and election
sure," to "watch and pray," to "give earnest heed" to
the things that they have heard, to "hold fast that
which they have, that no man take their crown;" and
to "fear lest haply a promise being left of entering into
His rest, any one should seem to have come short of
it." Let every Christian beware of the folly of sitting
down in unconcern, and leaving his renewed soul to
take care of itself! The "lusting of the flesh" will in
that case soon assert itself to his downfall.
(2) It is another and a more common mistake to
suppose that the method of sanctification is to be simply
that of gradual growth. This mistake tells against a
Christian in two ways: it leads him to expect no posi
tive holiness for a long period of years allowed for the
growth in question; and it prevents him from taking
any definite step towards holiness, so leading him back

156 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
into the state of heedlessness and unconcern which has
been already described. If the view which is at the
root of this mistake were correct, no young Christian
could be holy, — contrary to the blessed fact that "grace
abounding" is to be found in some of them which puts
the oldest to shame. And what is to be said of the
painful fact, far more common- than is supposed, of no
growth of holy character in men who have long been
Christians? How many are forced to confess that they
have been either standing still or positively going back!
And how many must the Lord address as He did the
Church at Ephesus — "I have this against thee, that
thou didst leave thy first love. Remember therefore
from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the
first works" (Rev. ii. 4, 5).
As to gradual growth, moreover, there are two things
to be said. The one is, that the growth of vegetable
and animal life, if carefully looked at, is by no means
the gradual and slow process which is often supposed.
Take a tree, for instance. For a great part of the
year its growth is stopped entirely; for another part its
progress has become slow and insensible; while in a
third part it shoots up with remarkable speed. In some
years it grows only a little, in others a great deal. In
other words, there are long periods in which nothing
comparatively is gained; again, there are sudden out
bursts of life, and it is a delusion to think only of a
steady, slow process. So is it— though to an extent
even more marked— in the Christian life. The growth
is broken into stages, which are quite recognizable, as
well as their causes.

THE SECRET OF SANCTIFICATION 157
The second remark to be made about growth is that
it depends greatly on health. Sickness stops it. And
such arrested growth is to be restored only by the cure
of the disease which has brought it on the system. It
is exactly so with the soul. When the soul is making
no progress in holiness, or very little, delay is no rem
edy. The cause of arrest must be removed, if the growth
is to be resumed.
These are, no doubt, very elementary truths; yet,
such has been the neglect of the subject, that they
seem to be discoveries to many who are taught them.
(3) A third misapprehension about sanctification is
that it is to be gained by our own personal efforts — by
working for it. We make it our aim. We do all we
can to bring it about. We use the means, and it does
not come. Great is the bondage into which many fall,
and in which they continue for years, by this unceasing
effort to become godly, and by its fruitiessness. No
amount of anxiety spent upon the question of growth
will enable us to grow. And no anxiety about it is
needful, if we will only fulfill the conditions and re
move the hindrances. "Which of you by being anx
ious can add one cubit unto his stature?" (Matthew vi.
27). Growth is not the product of effort, but of life.
Neither a tree nor a man grows by effort. "Taking
thought" and spending anxiety about it is not the way
to grow. If we but take the hindrances out of the road,
the life will and must grow of itself. And that, little
as many seem to think or know it, is specially true in
spiritual things, in the growth of the Christian soul.
(4) One more mistake into which men fall is to sup-

158 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
pose that the work of sanctification must be shared
between God and them. We make the effort, and we
ask God to bless it. Nay, we go a step farther, and re
quest God to help us to be holy, which obviously means
that we should do part, and that God should come in
to complete the work, and do that part of it which we
cannot fully do. And it is true that in Scripture we have
many inspired prayers for the help of God; but these
are confined to outward work or defense against foes,
where it is our duty to labor, and where God's bless
ing is to be looked for upon our obedience. This is a
different case from growing in holiness, where God
must do the whole or nothing; where He will not share
the work with us, much less do the smaller part of it.
3. In contradistinction to these and similar mistakes,
the Scriptural method of sanctification is being made
free from the law of sin by the Spirit of Life. The
personal Agent in the work is "the Spirit" — "the
Spirit of Life." It is God's work, done by the Holy
Ghosts and tbe way in which He does it is to "make
Christ our Sanctification" (1 Cor. i. 30). There is great
variety in the modes of His working, as in all God's
works; and the order in which the steps are taken
differs greatly, according to circumstances, thereby
largely modifying the results. In describing these steps
according to what seems to me the normal order, it
must not therefore be understood that they always
come so, and no otherwise. "Where the Spirit of the
Lord is, there is liberty."
(1) First, then, when the Holy Ghost would lead the
Christian soul into fuller holipess. He begins by con-

THE SECRE T OF SANCTIFICA TION 159
victing it of the sin of thepoorlife it has hitherto been
leading. There is a sense in which all unsanctified
Christians are ready enough to acknowledge that they
are "far from what they should be." But then they
take refuge in the thought of their natural sinfulness
and imperfection — that they cannot be otherwise than
imperfect here, and are anxious to guard against the
errors of those who advocate "sinlessness:" in fine,
they comfort themselves in their lives of sinful temper,
or selfish ease, or pride, or covetousness, and are con
tented to live on as they have been doing. All which
is sin. And the Holy Ghost lays upon them the pain
ful conviction that it is so — that they should be mis
erably ashamed of their present life as Christians, and
should seek deliverance from it. This is far from being
a happy or cheerful condition of soul; but it is thus
that the Spirit usually begins His work of further sanc
tifying the believer.
(2) Next the Spirit brings home to the soul a very
deep and awful sense of its own helplessness to make
itself holy. He brings us, as it has been put, to the
end of self— to something like self-despair — to the
same condition as to holiness which we formerly knew
as to conversion and the new life. Strange as it sounds,
we never make much progress in holiness till we find
that we can do nothing to produce it. Indeed, so
needful is it to come to this that God often lets the
soul go on for a time making its vain efforts, because
nothing else will teach it that there is a better way.
(3) But with all these things, there is within the soul
of the believer so dealt with an ever-growing hunger

160 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
after righteousness, which cannot be appeased till he
receives the desire of his heart. When the "sacred
thirst" for God Himself comes into a man, it perhaps
never departs till it is satisfied. We can see how God
has been leading up to it for months, and even years,
beforehand; but the Holy Ghost bestows it at last as a
"gift." This is the meaning of that benediction of the
Lord which meets the Christian at one of his lowest
levels, and which promises to him that he shall be
"filled." (4) These are steps which more or less fulfill what is
known as the "emptying" of the soul in preparation
for the reception of what God is ready to give. Then
there comes the cry thus expressed by St. Paul: "0
wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me out of
the body of this death?" And the answer: "I thank
God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (Rom vii. 24,
25). Here are two steps in one — the renunciation of
self in the matter, and the casting of the soul upon
God in Christ to do the work for us. Saying No to
self, and Yes to God. The denial of self, and the ac
ceptance of God's power in faith. The whole attitude
of the soul towards God in sanctification has been
changed. And this is the turning-point of the future.
(5) So then a crisis has come in which a mighty step
has been taken. Some have called this crisis by one
name, some by another, all these being more or less ob
jectionable, such as "the Second Conversion," "the
Entrance into Fullness of Blessing," "Perfect Love."
I call it nothing but a very critical moment in the
Christian life, somewhat answering to the words of St,

THE SECRE T OF SANCTIFICA TION 161
Paul in Col. iii. 9, 10, which indicate a definite "put
ting off" of "the old man," and "putting on" of "the
new man." But whether we seek to give it a new name
or avoid giving it one, it is a moment to which we must
come, consciously or unconsciously, and more or less de
cidedly, as the turning-point of the Christian life in
the matter of sanctification.
(6) There comes next the assurance that God has ac
cepted the soul in this new and definite yielding of
itself to Him to be made holy. This is a most impor
tant step. God's acceptance is the seal of our contin
uance; and our knowledge of it the pledge of our
comfort and peace. Wherever this is wanting, there is
instability; wherever this is present, there is great
security. I have given; God has accepted; and, because
I am His altogether, He is now concerned to keep me,
and will keep.
(7) This all issues in a state of trust — "I am per
suaded that He is able to guard that which I have com
mitted unto Him" (2 Timothy i. 12). I trust Him for
this thing; I have laid this burden upon Him; I will
not fear, He can do all; He will do all! I am safe!
Safe, however, only in Him!
(8) And then there is progress. Plenty of growth,
because the life is unhindered, and is free to act accord
ing to its own laws. There is "freedom from the law"
(the continuous prevalence of the power) "of sin ^'free
dom to serve God; freedom to yield to God; freedom
to rejoice in God. We are no longer driven to say, I
cannot; "when I would do good, evil is present with
me: the things that I would I cannot do, and the evil

162 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRI1
that I would not that I do." No. Now we say, "God
can; Christ can do it in me; I trust Him; I abide in
Him; I look to Him for this." And it comes; it is
done; yet "it is no more I that do it, but" Christ that
"dwelleth in me. " "I live, and yet no longer I, but
Christ liveth in me."
(9) The progress is perpetual. The way in which it
goes on is by new discoveries, through the Holy Ghost,
of things to be surrendered to God, and of things to be
accepted from Him. We thought that all was given
up, when, lo! a new something appears, and we discover
how far we are from being perfect. But so soon as it
is seen, it is yielded. We do not strive against God.
We do not keep it from Him. It is His, and we gladly
make it over to Him. That is how the Christian learns
obedience, and goes on.
(10) Now, all this is the work of the Holy Ghost,
even where His name is not mentioned ; and when the
names of Father and Son are prominently brought for
ward, the Spirit in the background is energizing all.
He is convicting; He is humbling; He is discovering;
He is leading on. And then there are, last of all, —
(11) The blessings concerned directly with the Per
sonal Holy Ghost — such as being filled with Him. It
is often, probably generally, only after His work in the
soul has somewhat advanced that we are encouraged to
direct our eye to Himself. This seems the law of His
work. And in many ways we can see how good it is,
how needful for the soul's welfare, how steadying in
its effect. A great many of the extravagances in the
Christian life of which we read and hear are due to the

THE SECRET OF SANCTIFICATION 163
attention being absorbed in the Holy Spirit Himself
and His work, before the heart has been fully yielded
to God. He does not make Himself, but Christ, "our
Life." He is the Sanctifier, but Christ is the "Sancti
fication." It is when we have learned the distinction
between these two, that we have come to discern the
secret of sanctification.

CHAPTER XV.
THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT.
" Fruit unto God." — Bom. vii. 4.
THERE is an important sense in which the holiness
of a Christian means the fruitfulness of his life.
Now, if we remember that "bearing fruit unto God"
is necessarily figurative language, some lines of thought
will naturally be suggested to us which we might be
apt otherwise to overlook. There are three leading pas
sages of the New Testament which bring this subject
before us. One is the remarkable declaration of the
Lord as to the vine and the branches; another is- St.
Paul's catalogue of the "fruit of the Spirit;" the third
is St. Peter's list of Christian graces which he regards
as the "fruit" of the life of Christ within. Besides
these, there are, as we shall see, quite a host of passages
setting forth what may be regarded as the Spirit's
fruit. 1. The figure of fruit, then, leads us to think of a
tree which is fruitful, and we are at once brought by
it to the teaching of the Lord in St. John xv. 1-16. In
that passage the Spirit of God is not mentioned; but
by comparing it with Galatians v. 22 we see that it is
He whose the fruit is. Christ is speaking of His body
the Church under the image of a tree. The thought He
is expressing is the union of Himself and His people,
164

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT 16?
and that which underlies and sustains the union is il
lustrated by the life of the tree. He Himself is the
tree, and the life of it is His life. It is possible that
the life, however full in itself, might yet not flow out
to, or dwell in, every part of the tree. This corre
sponds to being out of Him, "not abiding in Him. "
Something has prevented the life from going into a
branch; the sap, which is the medium of conveying it,
has been arrested in some way. The immediate result
of this arrest, if not set right, is the "withering" of
the branch; and the consequence of this is that it is
removed from the body of the tree, and has no longer
any place in it. Now Christ Himself is the tree; the
sap is that which conveys the life outwards, and may
be compared to the grace of the Spirit. The diffusion
of life to every part is the work of the Holy Ghost,
which may be resisted by something in the branches,
large or small, even in the twigs, even in a solitary
twig. But the truth for us now to remember is, that
it is the Holy Ghost who diffuses the life of Christ
among the members of His body; and hence "the fruit"
produced is "the fruit of the Spirit."
2. Observe how our Lord dwells upon it, not speci
fying indeed what the fruit is; but insisting that it is
fruit and fruit directly from Himself. What a striking
and beautiful gradation is found in His words! Some
branches (John xv. 2) have no fruit; some (verse 4)
"cannot bear fruit;" some (verse 2) have "fruit;"
some (verse 2) have "more fruit;" some (verses 5, 8,
twice dwelt on) have "much fruit;" and some (verse 16)
have "fruit" that shall "abide." And the conditions

166 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
of this fruit-bearing are — (1) Being in Christ (verse 2);
(2) Being purged ("cleansed") by the Father (verse 2,
xaOaipei); (3) Abiding in Christ (verse 5); and (4) Having
Christ abiding in us (verse 5). All which is possible
if, and when, the "life-giving Spirit" supplies and
distributes the sap, which is the medium of the life of
Christ, to every little branch and twig.
3. St. Paul takes up the parable (Gal. v. 22), con
densing the figurative (after his manner) into a word —
" The Fruit of the Spirit. " But even in that word there
is a great lesson. He expressly contrasts it with "the
works of the flesh" (verse 19). What is the distinction
between "works" (rd epya) and "fruit"(or xap-Ko^ff Surely
this: that there are many "works" of ours which are
not the true outcome of our "life." Evil works, for
instance, in the Christian, are, thank God, but the fit
ful results of temptation and momentary weakness;
"it is no more I that do it, but sin which dwelleth in
me" (Rom. vii. 20). That is true of the Christian
who has got down into that low state described in
Romans vii., and who is doing evil against his better
judgment, and against his true life. But the "love,
joy, peace," etc., are the outcome of the life of Christ
in the soul, its growth and ripe products; therefore
they are not spoken of as "works," but as "fruit." In
another sense the same distinction holds. Much of
the labor done by Christian men is of the flesh, done
for their own objects, not for God's glory — something
put on, and not naturally springing out of their lives.
These are works; they are not fruit.
4. Observe the list of graces which are the "fruit

THE FR UIT OF THE SPIRIT 167
of the Spirit" (Gal. v. 22, A.V.). They are nine in
number, possibly arranged in three triads, or sets of
three. "Love, Joy, Peace:" the law kept; joy in God; per
fect peace.
"Longsuffering, Gentleness, Goodness:" the Christ
like graces, under suffering and provocation.
"Faith, Meekness, Temperance:" God trusted; self
dead; the body kept under.
It is difficult to give any account of the order. But
two things are significant: the wonderful experiences
of a surrendered life come at the beginning; the mas
tery and subjugation of self, within and without, come
last of all. Is not that the story of many a beautiful
Christian life? And is there not in it a wonderful
lesson for us, if we have ears to hear?
Take, again, each initial member of these triads in
order: Love, Longsuffering, Faith — that is Christian
life! Take the final members of the triads in order:
Peace, Goodness, Temperance — that is another picture
of it. Take once more the middle members in order:
Joy, Gentleness, Meekness— that is yet one more type
of Christian character. What variety, and, we may
add, variety of order also — just as we have it in life I
5. But St. Peter also has his list of fruit or fruits
of the Spirit (2 Peter i. 5-8); things which, if we have,
he says we shall not be "unfruitful." The list is very
different from St. Paul's, both in its contents and in
its order. It has only two elements in common with
it; and with one of these ("love" or "charity") St.
Paul begins, and St. Peter ends. St, Paul gives us the

168 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
result, what a Christian has become; St. Peter dwells
on the process through which he becomes so. St. Paul
stands looking at the harvest; St. Peter goes through
the seasons of spring, summer, and autumn. St. Peter
tells us what he founds upon: a converted soul, already
so far sanctified as to "have escaped the corruption
that is in the world:" and now he says, "Besides this"
(verse 5, A.V.), "or for this very cause" (R.V.), build
ing upon this, "give" and "add" (A.V.) The regula
tive condition is diligence — "all diligence" — which
must itself be regarded as a "fruit of the Spirit."
Next comes the basis of Christian character — "Faith."
"Add to your faith" — build on it (verse 5, A.V. ). First,
courage, ("virtue" A.V. and R.V. ), be not "fearful"
— not a coward, but have the courage of conviction and
faith. Next "knowledge," to correct and guide, that
the believing and brave soul may know what it is do
ing and what God wills. Then reasonableness ("tem
perance" in A.V. and R.V. ), the being "temperate in
all things" — not the spirit of the heated partisan. Then
the patience which "makes no haste," which is able to
wait, without the fever or the flush of hurry — breath
ing the deep air of eternity. Then godliness, a man's
being like God in character. Next, there is the love
of brethren — Christ's new commandment, the family
bond. And then love, which is "the bond of perfec
tion. " Such is "the fruit;" or, if you will have it, such
are "the fruits of the Spirit;" and the Apostle desires
that these should "abound in us" — overflow, so that
we cannot contain them. What a breadth, variety, and
strength of Christian character!

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT 169
6. How significant, too, the order in which these
fruits are presented, though, be it said, the order con
tinually varies, and each development is individual.
There is not bondage, but "liberty," "where the Spirit
of the Lord is." All the Apostle does here is to point
out what may be called the natural order, considering
the needs of Christians as a whole.
But let us note what seems rather are markable feature
in this order. Is there not manifest in it a softening
and elevating process, such as the dear old fisher
man of Galilee himself must have passed through?
What should we say were the distinguishing charac
teristics of the Lord Himself? Godliness, for one thing;
love of the brethren, for a second; Divine love for all,
as a third. Now, these are the last three in this enu
meration. The list, which begins with faith, ends with
love. And this is an order especially seen in all strong
characters. At first there is in them a certain rough
ness of texture, almost a coarseness of grain, which it
takes long to subdue, and then to refine. It was so
with Peter, who was first impetuous, then brave, after
wards gentle. And so with Paul, whose early zeal
passed into constraining love, and made him "such a
one as Paul the aged." And so, one by one, the old
hardness of character, and even of feature, the readi
ness to be angry, and the proneness to indignation, —
these go, and in their place come the meekness and
gentleness of Christ. Such is the process through which
the Spirit brings us: Blossom, Berry, Fruit, Ripeness,
Vintage — "complete in Christ."
7. Passing now from these special passages to the

170 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
many in which the life of the Spirit in the soul of the
Christian is described as manifesting itself outwardly
in what is thus called "fruit," we can only glance at
them, they are so numerous; and for convenience we
do so in alphabetical order. But they exceed the let
ters of the alphabet in number, being thirty-five in all.
The Fruit of the Spieit is Access to C?od,(Eph. ii. 18).
"We have our access in one Spirit unto the Father,"
led up by Him to the Father's throne, there to speak
and to listen.
It is Comfort. "The Church . . . walking in
the comfort (^apaxX-^aet) of the Holy Ghost, was multi
plied" (Acts ix. 31). Surely a beautiful description of
the happy souls who passed through "much tribula
tion" and yet were not left "orphans."
It is Communion (2 Cor. xiii. 14), His Communion
with us, and the beginning of ours with Him (see Chap
ter XVII.).
It is the child's Cry, "Abba, Father." "God sent
forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying,
Abba, Father" (Gal. iv. 6). That is the Spirit's own
cry in us, given us in two languages, Aramaic and
Greek, as if to suggest the world-wide spread of the cry.
But it is Christ's cry also; no doubt it was the very
word "Abba" which He always used in speaking of
the Father, and it was therefore sacred in the memory
of the disciples. (See Meyer, in loco.)
It is the "Earnest" of Heaven and Glory. "God .
. . gave us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts"
(2 Cor. i. 22), — the early fruits of the harvest of life in
the glory; heaven already begun, because the Spirit is
already within.

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT 171
It is the Epistle of the Spirit in our Lives. "The
Epistle of Christ, . . . written . . . with the
Spirit of the Living God" (2 Cor. iii. 3), averse which
instantly recalls the promise, "In their heart will I
write (My Law)" (Jer. xxxi. 33).
It is the Firsi-Fruits. We "have the first-fruits of
the Spirit" (Rom. viii. 23) — true of the early Chris
tians especially, who first received and tasted of that
"heavenly gift;" but all Christians possess and enjoy
it now, as with reference to the eternal ages; nay, they
themselves also become, as St. James puts it, "a kind
of first-fruits of His creatures" (James i. 18).
It is the "Fellowship of the Spirit" (Philip, ii. 1),
the same word in Greek as "communion."
It is the Gospel coming to us "in the Holy Ghost,
and in much assurance"(l Thessalonians i. 5); we have
grace so to receive it.
It is Help for our infirmities, and
It is "Intercession" in our need (Romans viii. 26),
though this is often made, not in words, but in broken
cries. How seldom we remember that the Spirit of
God is an Intercessor for us!
It is "Joy" (I Thessalonians 1. 6), when "in much
affliction;" there being a sweet and silent conviction
that this also is a "gift" of God.
It is "Keeping" (2 Timothy i. 14, A. V.), by the in
dwelling Holy Spirit, of "that good thing" which has
been put into our charge, includingthe name and honor
of the Lord Jesus.
Tt is "Life" (Romans viii. 10); life in "righteous
ness."

172 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
It is "Life" (Galatians v. 25) in the Spirit Himself.
It is "Love" (Colossians i. 8)— "your love in the
Spirit." It is "Lust"— that is, strong desire (txtOufiia) (Ga
latians v.17) after all good, and against all evil of the
flesh. It is "Liberty" (2 Corinthians iii. 17) wherever
He is.
It makes us "free" (Romans viii. 2) "from the law
of sin" that has hitherto crippled and bound us.
It is to be in the "Mind of the Spirit" (Romans viii.
6), which means "life and peace."
It is Mortifying to the body (Romans viii. 13) and
"its deeds."
It is "Obedience" (1 Peter i. 22) to the truth, which
brings purity to the mind.
It is "Partaking" of the Spirit (Hebrews vi. 4)
(pero^ow; — joint-holders).
It is the Power of Hope abounding in us (Romans xv.
13), with"all joy and peace in believing," the "God
of hope" so working in us by the Spirit.
It is Prayer (Jude 20, "Praying in the Holy Spirit;"
Ephesians vi. 18, "With all prayer and supplication,
praying at all seasons in the Spirit"), which is a secret
that many might be glad to learn.
It is a Renewing of the Soul (Titus iii. 5, "The wash
ing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost"),
"all things made new" by Him.
It is a Reaping (Galatians vi. 8) of what has long
been sown, and what shall endure for ever.
It is "Sanctification" (1 Peter i. 2) of the chosen ones
of God.

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT 173
It is a Strengthening (Ephesians iii. 16) in the deep
inner man with all "power" for spiritual progress.
It is a "Supply" (Philippians i. 19) of what is need
ful to turn opposition and affliction into blessing.
It puts a "Sword" into our hand (Ephesians vi. 17),
with which we are enabled to fight the battles of the
Lord, as David was.
It is the Spirit of Unity (Ephesians iv. 3), beneath
and through all the sad divisions of Christ's Church,
and amid the wonderful varieties of Christian charac
ter and life.
It is a Spirit of Waiting (Galatians v. 5), through
which the Church of Christ has been enabled all these
centuries to wait, while longing, for the return of the
Master. It is a Walking by the Spirit (Galatians v. 16, 25) in
a double meaning, answering to the two words employed
by the Apostle — nepntare'iTe — walking about, going round
our daily tasks, embracing all we are accustomed to
do; and aroi^mpev — walking according to rule, almost in
the sense of keeping step, in the Holy Spirit.
And the fruit of the Spirit is, finally, a Walking after
(Romans viii. 4, also verse 1, A.V.)— "Who walk not
after the flesh, but after the Spirit." The word trans
lated "after" means according to (xard), and gives the
thought of a life guided by, and under the continued
control of, the Holy Ghost.
Though it might appear, on the one hand, that the
image of fruit-bearing is somewhat strained when made
to apply to some of the passages above quoted, yet, on
the other, when we remember that all the results of

174 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
the Holy Spirit's dwelling in a Christian are repre
sented as the outcome of His life within, in contra
distinction to "works" (see §3 in this chapter), it seems
possible to justify our classification. Even should judg
ment go against me, however, in this particular, the
study at one time of so many blessed results of the in
dwelling of the Spirit should surely, of itself, be no
common blessing to those who desire to be led of Him.

CHAPTER XVI.
THE LOVE OF THE HOLY GHOST.
"The Spirit of Love."— 2 Tim. i.7 (A. V.).
WE come now to some parts of the work of the
Spirit of God in a believer, in which He shows
forth His own character, as well as blesses us. This
portion of our subject is less thought of than others,
and especially perhaps the subject of this chapter must
be regarded as one which is not practically known by
many. For that very reason, it deserves more than pass
ing consideration. But how important also are the
other reasons which crowd upon the mind as we pause
to take in the meaning of the theme, and the words in
which it is expressed! If it be true, how shameful it is
not to know, not to prize, not to delight in the personal
love of the Spirit! Is it true that the Holy Ghost loves,
and loves us, with unbounded Divine love?
1. There is one, and probably only one, passage
which directly teaches us "the love of the Spirit" (Rom.
xv. 30). Of this verse there are two interpretations,
the one referring it to the love which the Spirit pro
duces in us; and the other to the personal love of the
Holy Spirit Himself. The tendency of the commen
tators is no doubt in favor of the former meaning. In
that case, the sense of the verse would be as follows—
175

176 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
"I beseech you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ,
and by your love to me, that ye strive together with me
in your prayers." A natural petition naturally ex
pressed! But whj' "your love to me" should be ex
pressed, not naturally, but in a phrase at once so vague
from this point of view, and so suggestive of other
thoughts, as "the love of the Spirit," is not easily seen.
The love to Christ, which is the first argument of the
entreaty, is as much produced by the Spirit as the "love
to me" in what would then be the second. Why
should the one only be so designated? And how enig
matical the phrase "the love of the Spirit" (drdxys zuo
Tivevparoi), if by it is meant the love which the Spirit
gives 1 Then observe the construction of the whole
verse — "I beseech you by (Sid) the Lord Jesus Christ,
and by the love of the Spirit, that ye strive ....
in your prayers to God" — one of the many instances in
which the Holy Trinity is named, and silently asserted,
in the writings of St. Paul, and which, when observed,
give such additional beauty to his writings.* The en
treaty of Paul seems to be — "For the Lord Jesus
Christ's sake (dwelling on all His names), and by the
love of that Spirit whom He hath given us, I beseech
you to pray for me and with me now." If this be
granted, not merely is the meaning a fuller and richer
one, but there are many other passages in which simi
lar references may be traced to the personal love of the
Holy Ghost. But yet, after all, whatever may be the
real meaning of the verse just expounded, it is on less
* See Philip, ii. l(where "the consolation of love" refers to the
Father) and 2 Thess. iii. 5 (where "the Lord" means the
Holy Ghost).

THE LOVE OF THE HOL Y GHOS T 177
direct, but quite unmistakable teaching of the Word,
that we take our stand in dealing with this important
and interesting theme.
2. In the same Epistle to the Romans we read (v. 5),
"The love of God hath been shed abroad in our hearts
through the Holy Ghost, which was given unto us."
There is now a general consent on the part of commen
tators that this must mean the love of God to us, that
this is shed abroad in our hearts. But how? "Through
the Holy Ghost. " Then does He come down and be
stow this as a gift, which we may obtain and hold sep
arate from God? Or, is it not that His own Divine
love, which is the love of God, is shed abroad in our
hearts, when He Himself is given us? He brings His
own love with Him, and that is the love which is so be
stowed. It is to be noted that the "shedding abroad"
of God's love, in this verse, is the same word that is
used for the "pouring forth" of God's Spirit in Acts
ii. 33.
3. Of all the "fruits" of the Spirit mentioned by
the Apostle in Gal. v. 22, the first is said to be "love."
Now if it be remembered that His "fruit" is spoken of
in distinction from "works"(as already stated in Chap
ter XV.), it will be seen what a bearing this has on our
present subject. The "love" which the Spirit produces
in us is "the fruit" of Christ's life, and of His own
life; not something different from it, which He can
bestow upon us as a gift, but something of His own
which springs up in us, because He is living within.
This shows us that the first, the chief, the most nota
ble thing in the Holy Ghost, when He dwells in us, is
His love.

178 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
4. So there occurs in Colossians i. 8 a notable pas
sage, the meaning of which, if indirect, yet seems per
fectly clear: "Who also declared unto us your love in
the Spirit." Would this have meant the same thing,
without the last three words? or would it be the same
if we weakened the words to mean "your Spiritual
love?" If not, then what does the addition convey?
Surely this, that the life of the Spirit within us is love;
that the "love for the brethren" is not ours, but the
love of God in the heart; and specially here, the love
of the Spirit of God.
5. So, too, we have the remarkable passage in 2
Timothy i. 7, part of which is quoted at the head of
this chapter, and which can hardly fail to be recog
nized as a description of the Holy Ghost, having so
many parallels in the language of Scripture. "For God
gave us not a spirit of tearfulness ; but of power and
love and discipline. " So runs the R. V. But better
is the A. V., "God hath not given us the spirit of fear,
but (the Spirit) of power, and of love, and of a sound
mind." Compare this with Rom. viii. 15, "Ye have
not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but
ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we
cry, Abba, Father." (In Timothy, the spirit oi fear-
fulness, or fear, -xveuua Sedlas; in Romans, the spirit of
bondage, nveupa douXetas; in Timothy, the Spirit of power
and of love, nvevpa 8uvdp.em<s xai a^ajnjj; in Romans, the
spirit of adoption, r.veupa ulodeo-ia^). "The Spirit of power,"
answering to the promise in Acts i. 8, "Ye shall re
ceive power" (the same word) "when the Holy Ghost
is come upon you." And so the Spirit of love — a beau-

THE LOVE OF THE HOL Y GHOST 179
tiful name for the Holy Ghost, and one which we can
see to be entirely justified by all that we know of Him
and His work in us.
6. In like manner, to put together a string of pas
sages all bearing on the same matter, and which can
only be judged truly by their cumulative force, observe
the collocation of Apostolic graces in 2 Cor. vi. 4, 6,
7: — "In everything commending ourselves as ministers
of God, ... in longsuffering, in kindness, in the
Holy Ghost, in love unfeigned;" and note where Paul
places the Holy Spirit here between kindness and love.
In the Old Testament, even, the same thought is found
in the words of the Psalmist (Psalm cxliii. 10), "Thy
Spirit is good;" and in Nehemiah ix. 20, "Thy good
Spirit." In Acts ix. 31, a Church which is "edified"
and is "multiplied" is described as "walking in the
fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost,"
where the loving aspect of the Spirit towards men that
are tried and in affliction is specially indicated. Thus
also in "the beginning of the Gospel" we have an al
lusion which is unmistakable in Luke ii. 25. A man
is named and characterized as "righteous and devout,
looking for the consolation of Israel" in all its troubles
under the hard rule of contemptuous Rome; and this
man meets with the Consoler, for "the Holy Spirit was
upon him. And it had been revealed unto him by
the Holy Spirit, that he should not see death, before
he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came in the
Spirit into the Temple." So the heart of devout,
afflicted Israel finds consolation in the loving Spirit of
God. It is exactly in the same sense that the Lord

180 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
speaks of Him whom He promises to be with the dis
ciples — "I will pray the Father, and He shall give you
another Comforter" (John xiv. 16). Granted that the
word "Comforter" means more, does it not also mean
as much?" It is " Paraclete," a person who is called
in — sometimes to act as advocate, sometimes to bring
comfort, sometimes to give help. In the case before
us He is called in to act in place of Him who is being
taken away, and who says even in these verses, "I will
not leave you desolate (orphans)." As the orphan fam
ily, in the day of the parents' death, need some friend
who shall lighten the sense of their loss and need by
his own presence with them, so the Spirit of God is
called in to supply the present love and help which
the Twelve are losing in the death of Jesus. Nay, a
still stronger word is used by the Lord in a subsequent
passage (John xvi. 7), "It is expedient for you that I
go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not
come unto you; but if I go, I will send Him unto you."
Think of a mother speaking on her dying bed to the
children she was about to leave, and saying to them,
"It is better that I should die and leave you, for then
some one else, who will be more to you than I have
been, will come." Would not the children's hearts
rebel, saying, "There can be none better, none half so
good, none with a mother's love?" But who dares chal
lenge the Lord's saying? Is it not — must it not be true?
And if true, can the Holy Ghost love us less than Jesus
did? 7. If these passages, then, be held to establish the
fact of the love of the Spirit, what shall we say as to

THE LOVE OF THE HOL Y GHOST 181
its importance and its preciousness? Does it not cast
a new light on what we may call the sacrifices which
the Holy Ghost makes for the Christian when He comes
down to dwell in his heart? Have any of us understood
either the closeness of the contact with our spirits in
volved in His indwelling, or what it must be to Him?
Take the best of the children of God, and measure his
purity by that of God Himself. We know what the
sight of God made Job feel— "I abhor myself!" (Job
xiii 6). We know what the Psalmist felt, loathing his
own soul, when he saw it in the light of the holiness of
God: — "I was as a beast before Thee!" (Psalm Ixxiii.
22). And Isaiah's exclamation, as he fell on the ground
(Isaiah vi. 5) — "Woe is me! for I am undone; because
I am a man of unclean lips!" Yet what must it be for
the Spirit of God to come so infinitely near to such a
man as to occupy the very seat and center of his heart!
Compare, if we dare do it, the position of Jesus Christ
in the world, and that of the Holy Ghost in the soul!
"I am not worthy" (said the Centurion) "that Thou
shouldest come under my roof." Are we worthy that
He should come into our heart? And can anything
explain His readiness to come there, and to "abide"
there (John xiv. 16) for twenty or thirty years, but
the "love of the Spirit?" These are His sacrifices for
us! 8. Are we not also helped to understand His love
by what we know of the sensitiveness of the Holy
Ghost? The word is a poor one, hardly an appropriate
one; I wish I could find a better. But what is meant
by it is, that He shrinks from the least opposition or

1S2 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
unwillingness in those whom He is guiding; that it is
only with the full consent of the heart that He can work
in us. Even coldness of heart brings a chill, which
hinders Him. No one, in dealing with us, can show
himself to be in this way so sensitive (if I must use
this word) to indifference or alienation. And in like
manner, the word usedby God Himself, "For I the
Lord thy God am a Jealous God" (Exod. xx. 5) — an
awful, yet a precious word, when we understand it — is
specially true of the Holy Ghost. It is a precious word ;
for it means that God's love is set upon us, and that He
cannot bear that our hearts should be given to another;
and it is specially true of the Holy Ghost, because from
His dwelling in the heart of the Christian, He is con
cerned with the deepest feelings of our being, which
there touch Him very closely. He could not dwell
there in His love, and yet fiud an alien love in pos
session, without holy, Divine jealousy!
9. We may now understand somewhat better the
patience shown by the Holy Spirit in dealing with us,
who are so slow to learn, so apt to backslide, and so
persistent in old habits of evil. For love is the teacher
of patience, and its source; and those petty but innu
merable trials which assail it hour by hour can only
be met by love!
So, too, bearing in mind the passage already quoted,
which speaks of "the comfort (or consolation) of the
Holy Ghost," we read, with a new light upon them,
other passages, precious in any case, but doubly pre
vious as we see Him in them.
"As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I com-

THE LOVE OF THE HOL Y GHOST 183
fort you; and ye shall be comforted" (Isaiah lxvi. 13).
"Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should
not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea,
these may forget, yet will not I forget thee" (Isaiah
xlix. 15). "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all
comfort; who comforteth us in all our affliction, that
we may be able to comfort them that are in any afflic
tion, through the comfort wherewith we ourselves are
comforted of God" (2 Cor. i. 3, 4). (The Greek words
h.QYe,r:apaxX-qaew;, itapaxaXwv, TtapaxaXeXv , remind U8,at every
turn of the verse, of the Paraclete, through whom it is
that the Father's comfort comes to His children).
10. Once more, it must be evident how intimately
the love of the Holy Ghost is connected with the truth
of His Personality. It also suggests to us a question,
how far we may personally know him, as one of the
three Persons of the Holy Trinity. The subject is one
of which we do not find much said in the lives of even
the holiest servants of God. But there is something
to be found in certain of these, which is well worth the
study and prayerful consideration of those who wish
to be taught "the deep things of God." The Memoir
and Letters of Lady Maxwell make frequent references
to it.* John Wesley's Testimony (p. 67) is to the
effect that some can say with M. de Renty, "I bear
with me an experimental verity, and a plentitude of
the Presence of the ever-blessed Trinity." Lady Max
well says (p. 216), "My former visitations from on
* Ed., London. J. Mason, 1863. See pp. 220, 216, 214, 290,
249, 221, 236, 255, 259, 275, 294, 297, 303, 305, 308.

184 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
high were either from God the Father alone, or from
God the Son alone, or from both together; on this
happy occasion they were from God the Father, God
the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. . . . Hitherto I
have been led to view the Holy Ghost chiefly as an
Agent; now I behold Him distinctly as the Third Per
son of the Holy Trinity." There is in these expressions
(to quote no more) much that is to be very cautiously
approached, and there is also probably considerable
imperfection of language; but certainly there is an ex
perimental knowledge lying beneath. And the more
that we dwell upon, rejoice in, and seek to understand
the love of the Holy Ghost, the more may we expect to
enter into such blessed communion as some saint3 have
known, with and in "the Spirit of Love!"
What, then, is this "Communion of the Holy Ghost?"

CHAPTER XVII.
THE COMMUNION OF THE HOLY GHOST.
"And the Communion of the Holy Ghost be with you
all."— 2 Coe. xiii. 14.
1. r I ''HE word in the New Testament which is trans-
1 lated Communion or Fellowship has various
shades of meaning, which are perhaps best summed up in
the English word partnership, with the explanation that,
whereas the latter word usually denotes fellowship in
outward business, the fellowship or communion of the
Holy Ghost chiefly concerns spiritual things. The
thought, then, to be conveyed is, that the Holy Ghost
enters, as it were, into partnership with us; and we
have here, therefore, not the utterance of a feeling,
but of a great fact in the spiritual life of the Christian.
2. I have advisedly employed the phrase that the
Spirit "enters into partnership with us" rather than
that He takes us into partnership with Him, because
He does the former first, with a view to the latter.
And this seems one of the points of difference between
His communion and that of the Father and Son which
we also possess. The same word (xoivmvia) is used in 1
John i. 3 — "Our fellowship is with the Father, and
with His Son Jesus Christ." One striking difficulty
about this passage is the absence of any reference to
185

186 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
the fellowship of the Holy Ghost, which is possibly to
be explained on the ground (1) That He generally di
rects attention away from Himself, and (2) That His
fellowship is of a different kind, and not to be con
fused with the other. Observe how the language differs:
it is "onr fellowship with the Father," but it is "the
communion of the Holy Ghost with us." In the one
case we are partakers with Christ; in the other the
Holy Ghost is partaker with us. This may possibly
be connected with the special intimacy of His commu
nion, by which He as a Spirit enters into the deepest
and closest relation with our spirits. That is the first
form in which we know it; but thereafter there is a
reflex fellowship which we come to have with Him.
He enters at first into our position, because he fills our
heart and sympathizes in all our need. He then leads
us and trains us to enter into His position ; but that is
a higher thing.
3. Are we to believe that the communion of the
Holy Ghost is one of His special blessings, and there
fore not possessed by every Christian, or at least not
fully so? If there be any difficulty in answering that
question, we may ask ourselves whether it is possible
that the Holy Spirit can enter into partnership with
all Christians in the greater part of their work and
lives? Can He continue, for instance, to have a share
in that business which is not only full of direct temp
tation, but which is to others hurtful and a snare? Is
not the scheme of life prosecuted by many a Christian
such that the Holy Spirit can have no sympathy with
it whatever, and that He will have no part in it? If

THE COMMUNION OF THE HOLY GHOST 187
so, it is evident that the blessing of His communion
with us must be reserved, in large measure, for those
whose lives are pleasing in His sight.
4. The first thing, then, that is implied in this com
munion is the conscious dealing with the Spirit as a
Person. We cannot go far in such a "partnership" as
we have spoken of without discovering that there is
a Partner. We cannot enjoy sympathy without recog
nizing the Sympathizer. The comfort leads us to the
Comforter. Here, then, we come to one of the deep
and blessed mysteries of the Christian life, the realized
Personality of the Holy Spirit. This is something
quite distinct from the theological tenet held by us
that He is a Person; it has entered the reign of prac
tical experience; He is a Person whom we know! It is
not the many, but the few, who have any such experi
ence. We have already referred in the last chapter to
the correspondence of Lady Maxwell with John Wesley,
in which they discuss the possibility of knowing each
of the Three Persons of the sacred Trinity "as distinct
Persons." In Dr. Owen's Treatise on Communion with
God this possibility is recognized in the very frame
work of the book, which is divided into these three
parts: — Our Communion with the Father, with the Son,
and with the Holy Ghost. But we must not linger here
on this holy theme, inviting and profitable as it is. It
is easy to speak, or write, or read about such things,
but verily to know them is not common ; yet it is with
in the shadow of such an experience that we are brought
when we deal with the Communion of the Holy Ghost.
5. Let us try to describe a little more fully, if we

188 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
cannot define, what we mean by these words, or what
the Spirit Himself means by them. Shall we not say
that they indicate, for one thing, that the Holy Spirit
occupies a common ground with us? Communion rises
out of Union; and the "Union" in question is the
Union of the Believer with Christ. Now that is com
mon ground to the Holy Ghost and to us. We remem
ber how our Lord spoke of our relation to the Father
through Himself — "As Thou, Father, art in Me, and I
in Thee, that they also may be one in Us" (John xvii.
21, A. V.).* How blessed it is to have the completion
of that thought — the Spirit in Christ and the Spirit in
us! This inexpressible union is the common ground of
the Holy Ghost's Communion with us. It is the back
ground of it, in which the Cross looms in the shadow.
It is the basis of it: where the Spirit finds Christ in
us, He finds the root of communion.
6. Does not this communion, again, imply a com
mon character? I am not insensible to the awful
meaning that lies in words such as these, which may
yet be written very lightly. A common character be
tween us and the Holy Ghost! Do we know what we
are saying? What is His character? — holiness, love,
tenderest sympathy, sweetest grace! And ours! Yet
just in so far as these approximate and become one,
by the assimilating power of His Indwelling, do we
have, in less or more of perfection, His communion.
* Observe the three aspects of this union between the
believer and Christ: — ¦
1. Union to Christ, personal and individual;
2. Union in Christ of all believers;
3. Union with Christ (in the Father), of God and Christ and
believers all in one This is the "coming to the Father" of
which Jesus spoke, completed and fulfilled— "one in Us."

THE COMMUNION OF THE HOL Y GHOST 189
7. Does it not imply a common interest, or perhaps
I should say common interests? And if any ask what
these are, the answer comes in one word — Christ. A
common love for Christ! Is it not so? We have that
if we are Christians at all: "We love Him, because
He first loved us!" And the Holy Ghost! His love
for Jesus! What must it be? Veiled in the sacred si
lence of the Word, and to be known only by what is
there said of Jesus: "Chiefest among ten thousand"
— "Altogether lovely!" These are words spoken,
remember, by the Holy Ghost; are they not the words
of love Divine? And if we both love Christ (again the
words are awful!) then all things that are dear to Christ
must be also dear to the Holy Ghost, and to us. We
have communion about them. The Spirit finds com
munion in our hearts. Christ's people, Christ's desires,
Christ's glory! Common interests indeed!
8. Does not communion also imply a common work?
What, then, are we laboring for? Not merely "for the
meat that perisheth, but for the meat which abideth
unto eternal life." But if so, that is the work of the
Holy Spirit upon earth — the very object which He has
come to pursue. He can have partnership in that just
in proportion as it follows in the line which Christ has
thus prescribed. Even in the work of our sanctification
it is so. I say, even in that work, for in another Chap
ter it has been argued that in sanctifying us, the Holy
Spirit will not have our help, and will not give us His,
but that He undertakes and carries out the work Him
self. It is all His. But while this is so, He makes it
ours by doing it in us, and using every part and fac-

190 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
ulty in us, so that none is left idle or unemployed.
And He is so entirely one with us that He can do so,
and can find the deepest communion with us in that
very work.
9. Once more, does not this communion imply a
common issue of our life and labor, to which we look
forward? The issue, namely, when the believer is laid
down before the throne of God the Father, as a ran
somed soul for which Christ has all the glory. To that
we look forward as "the end of our faith." And to
that also the Holy Ghost looks as the close of His
earthly indwelling and work in us. One end, one aim,
one joy.
10. All this which has been said imperfectly may
perhaps find another line of illustration in what is
told us through the Emblems of the Holy Ghost in the
Scriptures, and especially in the New Testament. These
all express, more or less fully and beautifully, His com
munion with us, and what it may be.
There are in Scripture six leading emblems of the
Holy Ghost, which we have direct warrant to recognize
as such. These are — the Wind, Water, Fire, a Seal,
Oil, and the Dove. Let us look at the separate thoughts
conveyed by each of these.
(1) By the Wind the Lord taught the mysteriousness,
the penetration, and the variety of the work of the
Holy Ghost. Coming, we know not whence, and going
we know not whither; in itself viewless, but in its in
fluence and effects most manifest; filling and pervad
ing the air, as if it were but one and the same with it,
and using it for its purposes absolutely ; ranging in

THE COMMUNION OF THE HOL Y GHOST 191
character from the zephyr which plays with the flowers,
to the tornado which uproots the oak, and from the hot
breath of summer, to the icy chill of Death; so myste
rious, so penetrating, so various, are the presence and
the work of the Holy Ghost. "So is every one that is
born of the Spirit." In every mood that is sinless; in
all labor which falls to us; in gentleness and in storm,
in sweetness and power, — we know not how, — the Spirit
may have communion with Christ's own.
(2) The emblem of Water is largely employed both
in the Old Testament and in the New for the Holy
Spirit. In the "sprinkling" of Ezekiel xxxvi. 25-27,'
in the river that rushed from the smitten rock in the
wilderness (Exodus xvii. 6); in the night mist or "dew"
of Hosea (xiv. 5); in the waters that issued from be
neath the threshold of the Temple (Ezekiel xlvii. 1); in
the rain that came in "showers of blessing" (Ezekiel
xxxiv. 26); and, above all, in the water of baptism,
the Holy Ghost and His work are strikingly set forth,
showing us how He cleanses the "inward parts" (as
the sacrifices of old were washed); doing this that He
may have communion with us in our inmost thoughts.
Thus, too, He makes us fruitful, turning the dry ground
into water-springs, and the wilderness of the heart into
a garden of the Lord, into which He comes to rejoice,
to breathe the odors, and to eat of the fruit of His own
hands. (3) Fire is the next emblem — an awful, but a very
blessed one, when understood. There are things which
water cannot cleanse, but which fire does; and there
are things which cannot be cleansed, but must be done

J 92 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
away with, and nothing but fire can do that. So in
the fire which touched Isaiah's lips, doing its double
work of "taking away" the iniquity and "purging" the
sin (Isaiah vi. 7); so in the baptism of fire (Matthew
iii. 11), which was to be one of the great offices per
formed by the Lord when He came; and in the "tongues
as of fire," with which the Spirit descended at Pente
cost, we find this emblem set before us. Here we find
the application of the mysterious words, "Our God is
a consuming fire," one aspect of which was seen at
Calvary and the other at Pentecost.
By this emblem of fire which shrinks not from doing
its work, however painful it may be, and which goes
through and through in its searching operation, the
Spirit has "communion" with us.
(4) The Seal is another emblem: the seal which was
set upon Christ (John vi. 27); which is set also upon
the people of Christ (Ephes. i. 13; iv. 30), and which
represents the Holy Spirit Himself. It brings security
in the certainty of God'3 promise; He finds commun
ion in that certainty and the rest which it gives. It
brings secrecy, for none can break the seal of God, and
read what is within; but the Spirit in the communion
of the soul knows it — it is His and our secret. It brings
holiness, for the very image of Christ is on the seal,
and therefore on our hearts, and He has communion
with us in that. It brings heaven to us here, for He
is "the earnest of our inheritance" (the dppajdmv, the
little portion of our inheritance put into our hand
now), the beginning of heaven for us. What commuiv
ion there!

THE COMMUNION OF THE HOLY GHOST 193
(5) The Oil is one of the most characteristic of all
the emblems of the Holy Ghost — "God anointed Jesus
of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost" (Acts x. 38). And
we, too, have "an anointing from the Holy One" (1
John ii. 20). On this we shall not at present dwell,
because it must come before us at some length in a sub
sequent chapter. But it is the preparation of the house,
or the decoration of it, for His own indwelling; or it
is the token of His own presence which fills it with His
fragrance. It is the odor of His communion with us.
(6) And, last of all, there is the emblem of the Dove,
so patent at the baptism of Jesus — but restricted in
the meantime to Him. Of that emblem the twofold
meaning seems to be purity and peace; or more fully,
the purity and peace of heaven. "Descending from
heaven and lighting upon" Jesus. The Holy Ghost
found nothing but perfect purity in Him, and there
fore brought nothing but perfect peace to Him. No
fire there, because there was nothing to destroy, save
when on Calvary He bore the sin of others, and then
the fire fell. Perfect communion there, for the Spirit
"abode," "remained," continued with Him in fullness
ever. In proportion as He can find such communion
in us — purity, which does not grieve Him (and which He
gives); peace, which does not disturb Him (in which
He can keep us) — in that proportion will the Spirit
come to us as a dove, and remain upon us.
With a deep and well-nigh overwhelming sense of the
blessedness signified by the Apostolic wish and prayer,
I venture to offer it for all the readers of this book —
"The Communion of the Holy Ghost be with you!"
Amen.

CHAPTER XVIII.
THE GUIDANCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
"As many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons
of God." — Romans viii. 14.
AS communion is for the heart, guidance is for the
feet, and those who have received the former, as
we have seen in the chapter just closed, may well look
for the latter.
1. But what are we to understand by the "leading"
or guidance of the Spirit? Is there something substan
tial and real signified by the term, which we cannot
comprehend under other experiences of the Christian
life? We read in 2 Peter i. 21 (A.V.) that of old "holy
men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy
Ghost." Has this "moving" been confined to them
and to what we call the "inspiration of Holy Wiit?"
Or is there any sense in which it is true that Chris
tians are still "moved" by the Holy Spirit, though of
course in a different manner, for a different purpose,
and with a different result?
2. It is remarkable how one of the earliest things
told us as to the public ministry of our Lord is that He
"was led by the Spirit into the wilderness" (Luke iv.
1, A. V.). St. Matthew varies the phrase slightly — •
"Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilder
ness to be tempted of the devil" (Matt. iv. 1). And
194

THE GUIDANCE OF THE HOL Y SPIRIT 195
St. Mark gives us the very striking alteration, "Straight
way the Spirit driveth Him forth into the wilderness"
(Mark i. 12).
The three words are yjyero dv-jx^, ixjSdXX.ec. The distinc
tive meanings of the three are — The Spirit leadeth Him;
the Spirit carrieth Him away (see Alford, in loco); the
Spirit casteth Him out into the wilderness. There is
no divergence in the statements. The first refers to
the action on the soul of Christ which induced Him to
go; the second to the actual guidance on the journey
up to the wilderness, which lay higher than the Jordan;
and the third, though it does not signify any resistance
on the part of Jesus, yet does very forcibly remind us
of the abhorrence by His pure soul of that personal
contact with the enemy He was about to encounter.
He who entered the garden with "amazement" was
"driven forth" into the wilderness. If He, then, who
was "full of the Holy Spirit" was so led by Him, we
are prepared to find that the people of God have, in
their measure, a similar experience.
3. Accordingly we read that there is such a "lead
ing" for Christians. In the beautiful parable of the
Good Shepherd (John x. 3) we are told, "He calleth
His own sheep by name, and leadeth them out," which
refers, of course, to Jesus Christ, But in Rom. viii. 14,
we have "Led by the Spirit of God;" and in Gal. v.
18, "If ye are led by the Spirit, ye are not under the
Law." The former passage intimates that the leading
of the Spirit is a mark of God's children which cannot
be mistaken, and the latter indicates that those who
submit to the leading of the Spirit are delivered from
the bondage and power of the legal mind.

196 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
4. In order more fully to understand what is meant
by the two leading passages on the subject, we naturally
turn to the Apostolic history in the New Testament to
see whether any light is cast upon the subject there,
and we find, at all events, three chapters in the Acts
of the Apostles which give us very interesting explana
tions. 5. One of these is Acts xvi., which narrates how St.
Paul and his companions were induced to pass beyond
the bounds of Asia, and to set foot for the first time
on the European shore. The story is familiar, but will
have to be looked at in connection with our subject.
Paul, Silas, and Timothy made a tour through the dis
tricts of Phrygia and Galatia, and, as we gather, pro
posed to continue in Asia Minor, when something
occurred which St. Luke describes in these words —
"Having been forbidden of the Holy Ghost to speak
the word in Asia" (Acts xvi. 6). The phrase signifies
a definite command, but, so far, we know not in what
manner it was given, whether by an audible voice, or
a distinct revelation from the Lord, or how. In the
next verse we read that they "came over against Mysia, "
and "assayed to go into Bithynia: and the Spirit of Jesus
suffered them not" (verse 7). Here we have a clearer
indication as to the mind of the missionaries — they "as
sayed," made an effort, attempted (sneipaZov), possibly
even were tempted to turn into Bithynia; but the Spirit
of Jesus did not give permission to do so. Here, on the
other hand, the word as to the Spirit's leading isnot so
definite as in the former verse. It is only that He with
held sanction— they had no clear leading from Him ;

THE G UIDANCE OF THE HOL Y SPIRIT 197
He gave no permission. In this uncertainty they con
tinued their journey through Mysia (probably not
preaching there, as being in Asia), and arrived in Troas.
There Paul had "a vision in the night" (verse 9). A
man, who was a Macedonian, and known by him to be
so, stood appealing to him to go over into his country,
and to help them. Then there occur the remarkable
words (verse 10), "Straightway we sought to go forth
into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us
for to preach the Gospel unto them" (o-upPtpdZovres, put
ting things together, and so coming to this conclusion).
They were left, then, to interpret the guidance they
were receiving. The prohibition at first was definite
(although we know not how given); the withholding of
permission seems to have been less so; the mode of de
scribing the conclusion come to after the vision of the
night still less suggests a distinct command; but Paul
and his companions had no doubt that the Spirit of
Jesus had so indicated His mind, and that they had
correctly gathered it. God, they concluded, had
"called" them (verse 10). The leading of the Spirit of
God was itself quite clear, but it had to be gathered
by them in their own Christian experience.
6. The chapters in the book of Acts which tell of
St. Paul's visit to Jerusalem (xix.-xxi. ) also cast light
on such movements of the Spirit within men, and are
in this, as in other respects, very interesting, as part
of the spiritual story of the great Apostle. Luke be
gins (Acts xix. 21) by telling us that "Paul purposed
in the Spirit" (laid it down, planned it beforehand,
the word means) ". . . to go to Jerusalem, saying,

198 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
After I have been there, I must also see Rome," a verse
which may be considered by those who think that all
plans of ours are to be avoided, and that it is the duty
of Christians to live only from day to day. This was
Paul's "purpose," and he believed that he had come to
it through the leading of the Holy Ghost, We then
read, in what follows in the 19th chapter, that he did
go through other parts, as he had planned, and in chap
ter xx. there is an account of his voyage to Cesarea,
At verse 22 there is a re-statement of Paul's purpose,as
led of the Spirit — "bound" (that is, in bonds, as a
captive) by the Spirit's power; and he declares that he
has a strong premonition that there is trial in store —
"not knowing the things that shall befall me there,
save that the Holy Ghost testifieth unto me in every
city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me." He
was thus led of the Spirit, and yet warned by Him of
troubles, In chapter xxi. the leading becomes more definite,
yet at first sight perplexing. In verse 4, certain dis
ciples at Tyre "said to Paul through the Spirit, that
he should not set foot in Jerusalem." Here we have
what looks like a contradiction: the Spirit telling Paul
to go, and telling these disciples that he should not go.
But the explanation almost certainly is, that the Spirit
had led the disciples at Tyre to know that he would be
in danger at Jerusalem, and „bat, acting on their own
judgment, they had therefore entreated him not to go;
a consideration which reminds us how, even when the
Spirit speaks, we may make a mistaken use of what
He says, by not waiting on Him farther to guide ua

THE GUIDANCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT 199
to the right use of His instructions or warnings. The
same thing is still more clearly seen at Cesarea, where
Agabus, a "prophet," tells of the miraculous prophetic
intimation given him by the Holy Ghost (verse 11),
"Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jeru
salem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall
deliver him into the hands ofthe Gentiles." So far the
prophetic utterance, given no doubt to prepare the
Church in both places for the event which was to come.
With strange inconsistency, the Cesarean Christians,
and the apostle's own companions also, St. Luke among
the rest, tried to prevent the journey, and so render
the prophecy untrue. "And when we heard these things,
both we and they of that place besought him not to go
up to Jerusalem." But Paul knew better than to resist
the leading of the Holy Ghost. "What do ye, weep
ing and breaking my heart? for I am ready not to be
bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name
of the Lord Jesus. And when he would not be persuaded,
we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done"
(verses 13, 14). That will, which we have done our
utmost to resist, which now we accept as a necessity;
and only because Paul will not join us in resisting God !
So distinct, on the one hand, is the leading of the Spir
it; and so apt are Christian men, on the other, to deal
with it in a wrong way!
The concluding part of the story is to be found in a
following chapter (xxiii. 11), where we read that in a
vision by night, the Lord Jesus "stood by Paul, and
said, Be of good cheer; for as thou hast testified con
cerning Me at Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness

200 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
also at Rome." This is the indication that the "pur
pose in the Spirit"(xix. 21) was to be carried out, and
that he would be "led" to the end.
7. One other passage in Apostolic story may be ad
duced to show how the miraculous and the spiritual
were interlaced and interwoven in the life of St. Peter.
In Acts x. 5, 6, we read of the angel's directions to Cor
nelius to send for the Apostle from Joppa, who would
teach him what to do. In verse 9 we see how the Spirit
deals with Peter to prepare him for the duty. He leads
him first of all to spend the time of waiting for the
mid-day meal in prayer. How many Christians have
discovered that such delays in life are the opportuni
ties of prayer? It is a happy experience. But alas I
the Apostle grows weary, and "falls into a trance"
(the Greek says an ecstasy fell upon him). It certainly
appears to have begun in sleep. The well-known vis
ion of the "sheet" from heaven follows; and Peter,
awakened, is doubting what it means. Meantime
the messengers of Cornelius are drawing near, have
reached the gate, and their knocking may possibly have
been heard from the house-top. Then the Spirit speaks,
telling Peter that three men have come at His instance,
and that he is to go with them. The Apostle brings
them in for the night, and goes to Cassarea next morn
ing in their company, the meaning of the heavenly vis
ion growing clearer to him at every step. In verse 28
we mark that he sees one part of its meaning — that he
is not "to call any man common or unclean." Inverses
34, 35, we see how he is further taught; and when the
Holy Spirit falls upon the household of Cornelius, he

THE G UIDANCE OF THE HOL Y SPIRIT 201
is ready (verse 47) to step out into the full light of
what God has made known to him. "Who was I," he
asks (see chapter xi. 17), "that I could withstand
God?" 8. If now we seek to sum up the teaching as to this
leading of the Holy Spirit, we shall, I think, be justified
in asserting that there is such a thing, real and defi
nite, in the experience of Christians; that it is very
blessed for the man who enjoys it; but that it needs
much care and much wisdom to read it aright.
(1) It is not always understood, and we must be
watchful against error in interpreting it; we must be
specially dependent on further leading with regard to
it, and we must not be too positive in maintaining that
in every respect we are guided of the Spirit.
(2) Such guidance of the Spirit will be tested, and
many things will occur in connection with it which
may be a great trial to faith, for this is part of the
deeper experience of the believer.
(3) If encouraged on our part, the leading of the
Spirit will distinctly increase and grow into a very
definite and blessed habit of soul; but if He be vexed,
it will cease to move and to perplex us. In all such
matters God blesses us only with our full consent.
(4) For once more the Holy Spirit demands obedi
ence, instant and complete, to His guidance.
What such obedience means we must, however, con
sider more minutely.

CHAPTER XIX.
OBEDIENCE TO THE HOLY CHOST.
"Obedience of faith."— Romans i. 5.
IN some senses we may be said to come in this chapter
to the very kernel of our subject ou its practical
side. 1. Granted that there is such a thing as the Voice
of the Spirit of God in the heart; granted that it may
be recognized and positively known; it follows that
obedience to the dictates of that Voice is our absolute
duty, and walking by it is the distinctive mark of the
Spiritual man. That there may be mistakes in its in
terpretation is true, and therefore there are temptations
to be watched for and prayed over, while God is trusted
for deliverance from error and sin; but the fact that a
path is a difficult one does not prove it to be less a path
for us; and there are some who are called to walk just
in it, and not elsewhere.
2. That all will not do so is certain enough, so long
as the present state of things continues. The Church
has fallen far short of her privilege before God, and has
lost light, power, and joy; she has come to walk — if
not in the steps of Samaria, at least in those of Israel
of old, which were generally a grief to the Spirit of
God. The present worship of God does not shut out
the worship of golden calves. But amid the degeneracy
202

OBEDIENCE TO THE HOLY GHOST 203
of the larger portion of the Church there will always
be a few who protest against "the down grade," both
in doctrine and in life ; and it is these who seek to know,
that they may obey the Holy Ghost.
3. Taking for granted that a foundation has already
been laid sufficiently broad for the doctrine that there
is within the Christian an "Inward Light" (as it has
sometimes been called) and an Inward Voice — the for
mer meaning rather a power to see the truth, and the
latter a call to duty — let us go on to consider now, first,
the reality of such a thing in the Christian experience
of to-day. God does not leave the Christian to himself,
but does direct him, and is willing to do so more and
more if he be desirous, willing, and obedient. Like
most of the deeper and more spiritual experiences of
the Blessed Life, this aspect of it, while open to all,
is not equally known to all; and therefore, though
every Christian ought to be able to recognize the ground
work of such an experience in himself, he may not be
acquainted with its details.
For instance, how often is it true that, when about
to proceed to a certain duty which we have considered
and planned out, we have been suddenly stopped, as
by a voice within, in order that we may do something
else instead ! A course is followed for which at first
we saw no definite reason, and which we felt rather in
disposed to take, if for no other cause than that it would
disturb the plans already laid down. And we have
known in our experience both what it is to refuse obe
dience to such a voice and also what it is to obey. In
the case of refusal, we have found that an opportunity

204 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
has been missed of which we had no expectation, and
which is now gone for ever; and we have wondered
whether God had not spoken the word which we put
away. In the case of obedience, some distinct blessing
has come, also unexpectedly, which could have reached
us at the time in no other way; and we thus began to
wonder whether it was not God's voice. In one case,
or in two, we were not perhaps much moved, at least
we were not satisfied. But when these cases became
frequent, when the thought of God came regularly with
the inward voice at the time, and the unexpected result
aways followed, we changed our attitude, — we believed,
we watched for, and we welcomed the sound of i,he
voice within. And the results answered to the moni
tion; and this became part of our life.
It seems a small thing by which road we go on an
errand to the city, turning to the right, or holding on;
yet even in a worldly sense, how much may depend on
our missing an accident upon the way, or meeting with
an opportunity! If at a certain point, when about to
turn, a voice seems to say, "This is the way; walk in
it," we proceed as it indicates, wondering whether this
is the Lord's voice, and, if so, what He means by it.
What if, a few steps farther on, while the thought is
still in the mind, we meet a friend, and the sight sug
gests that we have been desirous to send a message:
what if the message brings a soul to us a few hours
afterwards, and the interview ends apparently in the
turning of a careless man to God? Is it to be put aside
as a mere coincidence?
Well, then, suppose another case, in which the busi-

OBEDIENCE TO THE HOLY GHOST 205
ness of the day, when nearly over, is suspended as by the
sound of a voice within, directing that the remaining
business be left aside, and something else done which
was not thought of. Suppose, further, that there was
a temptation to say No to the suggestion, as inconveni
ent, and to go on with the previous arrangement; but
that, in obedience to the inward direction, the change
is made, and with much difficulty, that seemed almost
insuperable, the commanded thing is done; what if the
obedience results, then and there, in the saving of a
soul, which is followed within a week by the saving of
a second soul, and these testified to by years of obser
vation following — what then? Is this another coinci
dence only?
Let us take another case. An interval, a gap in a
day, has to be filled up. It is too soon for an engage
ment, and what is to be done in the meantime? The
Lord is asked to guide; no answer comes at first. He
is asked again, and willingness is expressed to do what
ever He may desire. At length an answer comes, guid
ance is given, first for one duty and then for another.
There is much difficulty in making it possible to do
what is thus indicated. It means trouble, effort, fatigue;
but it is done, and apparently a soul is gained by the
message that is carried to a garret in consequence.
The second step is taken, and there (unmistakably ac
cording to the testimony given often and long after
wards) another soul is brought into the fold. And then
the interval is not much more than over, and the en
gagement after all is kept. Is this another coincidence?
Again, a list has been made up for the day, and in

206 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
going forth to begin, the voice within says, "Not here,
but there, in the opposite direction." But it will break
up the day's work. Still, let it be done. It is done,
with the result that a mother and son are both on their
knees, and both professing to accept Christ!
Another case occurs. Two friends kneel one morning
in prayer before they — one of them a visitor — go forth
to the city. The other is "led" to ask that they may
each be blessed to bring a soul to the Lord that day.
Of the visitor we cannot speak. But as the other shows
his friend out, and sees him away, he finds that two
people are waiting for an interview. They are young
friends — they have come on ordinary business. Mind
ful of the prayer, an opportunity is taken to lead the
conversation. One of the young people is already a
Christian, the other is not. Before the interview ends,
and within half an hour of the prayer of the morning,
another soul isgatheredin. Only a coincidence again?
Once more. — The instances are many indeed, but it is
impossible to give all, and a few are sufficient if we are
willing to be taught. — A pause occurs in the midst of
work, with the strange suggestion that, regarding two
visits to be next made, there has been no definite re
quest to be told which should be made first. The request
is presented. The answer does not come at once; after
a time it does come. When the direction is taken, it
is baffling to discover that the sick-room is not open on
that occasion, and possibly because the visit was earlier
than usual. But in leaving, the thought comes of an
other visit, made possible by the failure of this one.
And in that supplementary visit a rare opportunity is

OBEDIENCE TO THE HOLY GHOST 207
given (for the first time, and never again) for speaking
to a scul. Leaving that house, one is asked, pressed,
pressed again, to go elsewhere, but refuses, under a dim
sense that there is something more to be done, though
what is not clear. Again the pressure, and again it is
refused. Another indication from within, and, in no
long space from the time of the temptation, a soul much
grieved and troubled pushes impediments aside, sees
the truth, and accepts the Saviour!
When life is crowded with such cases — as for a time
the experience has been — is it possible for the Chris
tian to doubt that he is "led of the Spirit?"
4. But be it remarked, everything seems to depend
on obedience to the Voice which speaks at the time. I
say Obedience, for it is not a question of what we think
the best arrangement, or even the wisest. We may
even have made our own plans according to our judg
ment. These are apparently taken out of our hands,
and something, for which we cannot see much reason,
save for the monition which comes, is offered us. If
it be a fancy of our own, we had better pay no atten
tion to it, but if we believe it to be the Voice of the
Spirit within, offering us guidance, then obedience is
the word for our compliance with it. And this practical
obedience may become the habit of our life, nay, may
become itself our life from day to day.
5. If we should be asked, How is the Voice to be
known? an answer has to some extent been given al
ready. The results of such obedience, which are in the
hands of God only, are so marked and so frequent as
to leave no doubt. But there comes to be a better an-

208 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
swer than that, to the man himself, only it cannot be
conveyed to another. It cannot be made a matter of
argument. It will only be believed in experience. And
this answer is, that the Voice is known. "The sheep
follow Him, for they know His voice" (John x. 4).
How do we know the voice of any friend? Because
there is something in it different from all others, though
it cannot be defined or explained. The child, even the
infant, knows the mother's voice in the dark, and it
cannot be deceived. We can only say that the Holy
Spirit's voice in the soul is "known" to those who
obey. The consequence of not obeying it is that it ceases,
and comes not again. At least not for a time. It is
an offer of a great privilege, and if refused or neglected
the offer is not repeated, at least till we have had an
opportunity of coming to a better mind. This is con
tinually occurring in the history of the Christian.
Christ stands with open hand — the Spirit is ever
pleading — to be permitted to do more for us; and there
is no man who has not often and often — to the grief
of the Holy Ghost — turned away. This is what the
Apostle seems to refer to in those solemn words which
he has quoted from a Psalm, with slight modification,
"The Holy Ghost saith, To-day if ye shall hear His
voice, harden not your hearts" (Hebrews iii. 7, 8): In
other words, when the voice of the Spirit of God is heard
within, obey it; do not put it aside; do not harden the
heart against it. Such "hardening" leads to "provo
cation" of the Spirit; to "tempting of God;" to "griev
ing" of the Spirit; and then to God's awful oath, "I

OBEDIENCE TO THE HOL Y GHOST 209
sware in My wrath, they shall not enter into My rest."
Then comes that other awful word, "Let him alone"
(Hosea iv. 17). The Spirit ceases to speak, and the soul
knows the inner voice only as a faint remembrance,
or as a matter of general belief.
One has known of a soul so guided of God applying
for a post in the mission field, and being confronted
with the difficulty of accepting the orders of the
committee at home as to how the work is to be carried
on. On the one hand, the committee could not depart
from its responsibility, and cease to exercise authority;
on the other hand, it did not seem to the applicant
that any one could be allowed to come between the soul
and God. A practical difficulty indeed, the solution
of which probably was, that neither party was in the
wrong. But there are a few, only a few, whom God
will from this point of view guide personally, and will
not leave to work under any human orders. For them
He marks out a separate course.
6. But is there no danger of mistaking our own
thoughts and impulses for the commands of the Holy
Ghost? Yes, there is, no doubt. There can be no as
surance here on earth that we shall never fall into mis
takes, and we must always in our own minds make
allowance, as Oliver Cromwell used to say, "for the
possibility that we are mistaken;" just as we found that
the friends of Paul drew false inferences as to what
God's will was about his going up to Jerusalem. Yet
are we not liable to err in everything, in understanding
the Word, for instance, or in our view of what we ought
to do in the difficulties of life generally? Mistakes are

210 THROUGH 'THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
possible on every hand; this calls for care and caution,
but not for inaction. That would certainly be the
greatest mistake of all. For the avoidance of mistakes
in knowing "the mind of the Spirit," there is no better
rule than to pray much about it; to wait for an answer;
to ask for purity of motive; to seek to hear the Spirit's
voice, only in order to do God's will. We are never
infallible, but we may be certain, and with that must
be content.
7. What is the relation of the Spirit's voice within
to our conscience? Some have spoken as if conscience
had no place in the guidance of the spiritual man, and
others as if the Spirit were not needed because we have
conscience. But there is no opposition or contest be
tween the two. On the contrary, it is conscience which
the Holy Spirit takes and uses as His instrument in
;the soul. It becomes His agent, the channel through
!which He flows. In the natural man conscience is
always stern, and almost always negative. "Thou shalt
not!" Its office has come to be the utterance of a con
stant series of prohibitions. Hence it is hated, and
partially feared. It is the messenger of law, and of law
only. But when the man becomes the Christian, the
tone of conscience changes. It represents something
else than law. It represents a Father. It says, "Thou
shalt!" It even says, "Thou mayest love!" Just in
proportion as the Christian becomes transformed, con
science softens and is spiritualized; and as the Holy
Ghost is more yielded to, and occupies the heart more
entirely, He finds in conscience a ready-made instru
ment through which He can speak, move, and work in

OBEDIENCE TO THE HOLY GHOST 211
the soul. Then, too, men find that duty is not a past
word with the Christian. It expresses his need to do
that which is right in the sight of God.
8. And what is the relation of the Spirit's voice
within to the Word of God? Never to supersede it,
never to lessen its importance, its necessity, its abso
lute authority in all things. Alas for the delusions
which some good men have entertained on this subject!
"Is God divided?" Could God in the heart oppose God
in the Word? Is there anything which God's voice
within would so readily do as to exalt God's Word in
the Book, from which no man can take, and to which
no man dare add? When it is really the Spirit whose
voice we hear, He explains, interprets, applies the Word
in the Scripture, and teaches us to reverence it ever.
9. Whenever the pretension is set up for the Church
with its authority, for tradition with its great names,
or for the individual with his private judgment, to sit
side by side with Holy Scripture as the authority in
spiritualibus, there is grievous error, disclosing the
temptation which lies beneath the experience of the
inner voice of the Spirit of God. For there is tempta
tion here too, as in the case of all spiritual blessing:
the temptation to be "exalted above measure," to think
we are "better" than others, to be self-sufficient. This
danger needs to be clearly recognized, and to be zeal
ously watched against, otherwise the "spiritual" man
will not be, as he ought to be, the lowliest and the
meekest of the servants of God!
In this as in other things he needs to be taught of
God, and this special teaching St. John calls the anoint
ing which we have from qxx high.

CHAPTER XX.
THE ANOINTING OF THE HOLY GHOST.
"The anointing which ye received of Him." — 1 John ii. 27-
IS this a figure only for some of the truths already
touched on? or does it convey some definite truth
about the Holy Spirit's work which we should not
otherwise know? That the latter is the case we shall
soon suspect, from the many times in which the
language is employed in Scripture; and a little more
study will make known that there is much very
precious truth crystallized in the figure.
1. "Ye have an anointing (xplapa) from the Holy
One," says St. John (1 John ii. 20). And farther down
in the same chapter (verse 27) he explains, "The anoint
ing which ye received of Him abideth in you; and ye
need not that any one teach you; but as His anointing
teacheth you concerning all things, and is true, and is
no lie, and even as it taught you, ye abide in Him."
Whatever else this anointing, this "Chrism" of the Holy
Ghost, is and does, here are five things attributed to
it — (1) It is abiding; (2) It makes us independent of
the teaching of man; (3) It teaches us of "all things;"
(4) It is absolutely true; and (5) Even according as it
teacheth us so is our abiding in Christ. Most blessed
word, most fruitful word, were there no other in Holy
212

THE ANOINTING OF THE HOL Y GHOS T 213
Writ! So elsewhere this anointing is spoken of as one
of two great characteristics of the Christian (2 Cor. i.
21), "Now He that stablisheth us with you in Christ,
and anointed us, is God."
2. But we go for further light to what is said of the
Lord Himself when on earth. The prophet predicted
what He claimed as true of Himself at Nazareth —
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He anoint
ed Me;" and when we ask, "Why? and for what ends?"
the reply is, "To preach good tidings" (margin, "the
Gospel") "to the poor ... to proclaim release to
the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind. To
set at liberty them that are bruised, to proclaim the
acceptable year of the Lord." "To-day hath this Scrip
ture been fulfilled in your ears," is our Lord's commen
tary upon the prophet's words (Isaiah lxi. 1, 2; Luke
iv. 18, 19, 21).
Following up these, His own words, St. Peter in the
book of Acts (x. 38) preached "Jesus of Nazareth: how
that God anointed Him with the Holy Ghost and with
power : who went about doing good, and healing all that
were oppressed of the devil." And once more, the
Epistle to the Hebrews (i. 8, 9), quoting from Psalm
xiv. 6, 7, says, "But of the Son He saith, . . .
Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity;
therefore God, Thy God, hath anointed Thee with the
oil of gladness above Thy fellows."
3. Let us observe that the thought conveyed in these
passages is that the anointing is The Holy Ghost
Himself. It is not that He is the Agent in giving it,
not that He gives us something that belongs to Him,
and which He makes over to us, in the sense of a bless-

214 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
ing or a power, which we may take and hold apart
from Him; it is, that He comes to be the Anointing
Oil upon us and within us. Jesus of Nazareth was
anointed — not by Him, but with Him. The Holy
Ghost was poured upon Christ; and so He was poured
out on the Church at Pentecost, and is poured out on
us now, who receive the unction from the Holy One.
He becomes as the oil unto Israel, to do those blessed
things of which we shall have to speak. The anoint
ing is not a blessing, a gift, such as grace or peace or
power, but is a Person, the Indwelling of a Person with
all His influence; in a word, is none else than the Holy
Ghost Himself.
4. What, then, does this anointing mean?
(1) Generally, it seems to put the Christian into tha
same position as Christ Himself occupied, though not,
of course, to make atonement.
One distinctive name for Him in the Old Testament
was The Messiah; and it means The Anointed One.
The designation is often used in the Old Testament to
signify "chosen men of God." Hannah applies it to
Samuel (1 Samuel ii. 10); David to Saul the King
(1 Samuel xxiv. 6); the Psalmist to the people of God as
a whole (Psalm cv. 15); and Jeremiah to the captive
king of Judah (Lamentations iv. 20).
In the New Testament the corresponding name of the
Lord is Christ. That, too, means "the Anointed One."*
* Startling it surely is, beyond measure, to find in that
Septuagint Version, which was the common Bible of most
of the Jews of the Lord's own day, that the very name—
Christ— occurs in it again and again. Thus, 1 Samuel ii. 10,
xipa? Xptarou abrou — as applied to the Messiah that was to
come

THE ANOINTING OF THE HOL Y GHOST 215
The Hebrew Messiah is the Greek Christ. This fact is
the more full of suggestion when we remember such
passages as that in St. John (xx. 31), "These are writ
ten that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ" — i. e.,
The Anointed One (see Professor Smeaton, Doctrine of
the Spirit, Lecture II. ). This, then, is what God selects
as the chosen name of the Lord, and, no doubt, for
the reason that the Divine Man, so anointed with the
Holy Ghost, must have all those other things added to
Him which are announced in Scripture. He must be
crucified, and must rise from the dead. How striking,
then, is the thought that we also are the anointed ones
oi God! Messiahs of the New Dispensation! Christs of
God! "Ye have an anointing;" the same anointing as
the Lord had. And we bear it in our names, as He did.
He was called Christ, and we are called Christians, the
anointed followers of the Anointed One.
(2) The anointing of the Christian means also that
he is separated unto God. Whatever was anointed with
the holy oil of old was given up to the Lord and be
longed to Him only. This was the last touch, complet
ing the consecration. As with the leper, who was first
sprinkled with blood, and then touched with oil; as
with the Tabernacle and the altar, which, after they
were prepared for the sacrifices to be offered, were an
ointed with the holy oil; as with Aaron and his sons,
who were washed, clothed, atoned for, and anointed
with oil; so with the Christian. He must be touched
with the blood, and forgiven; he must be cleansed and
washed with the water of the Word, and then anointed
with the Spirit of God. Separation is here the special
thought.

216 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
(3) The anointing is the mark of the chosen of God.
Five classes of persons are noted in Scripture as
those who were anointed with oil : the sick, that they
might be healed; the guest, that he might be honored;
the special prophet, like Elisha, that he might be
claimed for God; the priest, that he might be "sancti
fied;" and the king, that he might be God's sacred serv
ant. Is it not so that all these characteristics are
true of, and to be seen in, the Christian who is anointed
of the Holy Ghost? Is he not a sick man, healed of his
sin and plague; a guest at God's table, in God's house;
a prophet, whom Jesus Christ sends forth into the
world; a priest, to offer up spiritual sacrifices unto
God; and a king, son of the King of kings? "Ye have
an anointing" — "the anointing."
5. From whom does this anointing come? Who is
"the Holy One" of 1 John ii. 20 (dxd rod 'Artou)? It is
not the Holy Ghost Himself, as at first sight we are
apt to suppose. The Holy Ghost is the Anointing, who
comes upon us as He did on the disciples at Pentecost;
and just as we cannot say th-at He sent Himself on that
great occasion, eo we cannot say that He sends Himself
now. Who is it that anoints us with the Holy Ghost?
The answer is, "He that anointed us is God" (2 Cor.
i. 21). "God anointed" (Jesus of Nazareth) "with the
Holy Ghost" (Acts x. 38). The Father anointed Jesus
with the Holy Spirit to be the Christ. Probably He
does this for us through the agency of Christ Himself.
"The Holy One" is a special title of Jesus Christ in
the New Testament ("The Holy One," Acts ii. 27; xiii.
35; "The Holy One," Acts iii. 14; "The Holy One of

THE ANOINTING OF THE HOL Y GHOST 217
God," Mark i. 24; Lukeiv. 34). The Lord claimed for
Himself this office. — "The Comforter . . . whom J
will send unto you" (John xv. 26). St. Peter at Pen
tecost traces the gift to Him: "Having received of the
Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, He hath poured
forth this, which ye see and hear" (Acts ii. 33). He,
then, who was anointed with the Holy Ghost, anoints
us now. He who is the Christ makes us Christians.
The oil which was poured upon His head hath flowed
down His garments even to His feet, for are not we
"members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones"
— part of the feet of the Lord? We have the anoint
ing "from the Holy One" of God.
6. We have now to ask, What will this anointing
do for the Christian? what results come from it? what
change does it make in him?
(1) Something in regard to his attitude towards God,
for one thing. It is not every Christian who has re
ceived this anointing, or perhaps it would be truer to
say, who has received it in so large a measure as to make
its effects observable. But where this last result has
been obtained, the man is now consecrated to God, set
apart for a special purpose. He may say, "Thy vows
are upon me, O God!" The Holy Spirit has Himself
laid hands on the man, that his life may be devoted to
a sacred purpose, wholly given up to God. The atti
tude towards God has been changed.
(2) Another thing which St. John makes very prom
inent as resulting from the anointing, is knowledge of
God and of His will. Two remarkable phrases are used
of this — one in 1 John ii. 20, "Ye know all things;"

218 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
another in verse 27, "His anointing teacheth you con
cerning all things." Our Lord used almost the same
language when He promised the Holy Ghost to His
Apostles, "He shall teach you all things, and bring to
your remembrance all that I said unto you" (John xiv.
26). The Spirit is to teach all things; the Spirit is
Himself the Anointing, and the Anointing teacheth of
all things: the correspondence is complete. All the
spiritual truth we have comes from Him; we have none
of ourselves. "The natural man receiveth not the
things of the Spirit of God .... because they
are spiritually judged" (1 Cor. ii. 14). Just as the holy
place in the Tabernacle of old had no light save from
the golden candlestick which was ever burning, so our
only knowledge of God is from the anointing of the Holy
Ghost. He teaches us all things.
(3) Along with this goes another remarkable result
of the anointing. We henceforth get, or may get, our
teaching straight from God Himself. "Ye need not
that any one teach you, . . . His anointing teacheth
you" (1 John ii. 27) What does this mean? Does it
mean that we never get anything from a teacher? that
we do not need to read books, or hear sermons or list
en to addresses, or go to conventions? No. It means
that in proportion as we have this anointing, we have
our teaching from God. That gives us direct access to
Him. That leads Him to speak to our hearts and in
our hearts. When anointed, we hear His voice; then
He is our teacher, and the more of the anointing that
comes to us, the more frequently and plainly do we
hear and understand Him.

THE ANOINTING OF THE HOLY GHOST 219
(4) Another thing coming from the anointing of the
Holy Ghost is what may be called the holy fragrance
of a Christian character. The evangelist who was pres
ent when Mary brokeher alabaster box at Bethany tells
us that the house was filled with the odor of the oint
ment. He spoke from memory; he was there. Now
when of old the Pligh Priest came from the Tabernacle
bearing on his hand, his beard, and his garments, the
holy oil which was poured upon him, could any one
pass him as he went out without smelling the fragrance?
It was an ointment "of a sweet savor," both toward
God and toward men. With the Lord Himself, who
was "anointed with the oil of gladness above His fel
lows," this was also true. What a savor of holiness
followed Him, — surrounded Him, as He passed through
life! And if the Christian has the same anointing as
the Lord Jesus had — in his measure — he can be traced
and recognized by "the odor of the ointment." He
carries in his garments the fragrance of the sanctuary,
of the holy oil, of the sweet spices of the garden of
Christ, of the flowers of grace, the Rose of Sharon and
the Lily of the Valley! The scent of the Rose follows
his footsteps. The ointment of his secret soul bewray-
eth itself. As the incense at Mecca clings to the pil
grim when he passes through the street, so it is with
him who has been with the Lord. "All thy garments
smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia." He has the
unction from the Holy One.
(5) Need I speak of the nameless gentleness, both of
speech and conduct, which comes from the Holy Oil?
a something which is felt in a moment, though not al-

220 THRO UGH THE E TERNAL SPIRIT
ways at once recognized; which tells lovingly that story
of Jove; which teaches even rebuke to be kind; which
disarms prejudice, and lends attraction to truth. Some
thing which takes the sternness out of the strong man,
and the bitterness out of the indignant man; which
teaches us how to be firm and yet gentle; how to make
"No" sound kinder than many a "Yes." It is the
result of the Anointing of the Holy Ghost.
(6) And once more, let us not forget that the same
oil used for anointing is also used for burning in the
lamp. Not quite so in the Old Dispensation, where pure
oil was burned for a light, and where it was mixed with
spices for anointing. And even in our Pentecostal time
there is no doubt a difference; for "the anointing" is
different from, and more than, the shining. There is
more than oil in the ointment, but the oil must be
there, the oil that shines and burns. Every man that
would give light to others must first have oil poured
into his own soul; and where the cup is to be fragrant
and pleasant, the oil must be mingled with the spices
of God. Let us see that we have the anointing — with
all its blessings — of the Holy Ghost.
And this will lead on to something more. "Thy gen
tleness hath mad9 me great." The anointing will bring
us to the power of God the Holy Ghost.

CHAPTER XXI.
POWER.
"In the power of the Spirit."— Luke iv. 14.
1. "PROBABLY there is no craving of the heart so
1 strong as that for power; and this is as true in
the spiritual as in the secular sphere. It is the Divine
attribute which all are qualified to understand and ad
mire, the power which can create a world or destroy a
foe. The desire to possess it finds a hundred motives
to persuade itself of its own nobleness and purity; but
it may be either Divine or devilish. There are two words
in Greek which are both translated "Power" in our A.
V., and the confusion of which has done much mischief.
(I wish the R.V. had been consistent in distinguishing
them; but see John x. 18.) Of these the one means
Authority or Privilege, and the other Power or Force.
The craving of which I have spoken above is largely
confined to the second of these, and it is of this that
we treat in the present chapter.
2. The danger of such a craving is manifest both
from the motives out of which it may spring, and from
the many uses to which it may be put. The desire of
secular power is the ambition which has climbed to the
high places of the world, and its pursuit or possession
has been the source of half the bloodshed of history.
221

222 THRO UGH THE E TERNAL SPIRIT
The craving for power in the spiritual sphere was prob
ably the turning-point in the story of Satan ; at least
it was part of his crime. Simon Magus is another in
stance of this sin, though in his case, strangely enough,
it is the authority (i^oua(a) that he is said to have cov
eted (Acts viii. 19). In the case of Christians now it is
rarely other than a desire for selfish aggrandizement,
the food of pride or vanity, and springing out of a de
ceitful and "sick" heart, which the man himself knows
uot. Even where power comes as God's gift, without a
craving for it beforehand, there exists a strong tempta
tion to use it for the gratification of some selfish end.
So strong is this temptation that it seems to have been
that on which Satan founded his first attempt against
the purity and obedience of our Lord. No wonder,
therefore, that the gift of Power is closely guarded and
watched over by God.
3. Yet it is unmistakably promised, because it is
certainly needed in the work which the Church has to
do. "Ye shall receive power when the Holy Ghost is
come upon you" (Acts i.8), is the assurance of the Lord
to the Apostles; and all attempts to soften the transla
tion (as if it could mean, "Ye shall receive the power
of the Holy Ghost coming upon you") are in vain.
We accept the word — one of the strongest and fullest
words — spoken by the Lord to His own; and when we
think of the work, more than herculean, that was be
fore these fishermen, it is not too strong. To them,
indeed, at an earlier stage, and to the different disci
ples, a similar promise had been given. "He called the
twelve together, and gave them power and authority"

POWER 223
(note both words here) "over all devils, and to cure
diseases" (Luke ix. 1). "And the seventy returned
with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto
us in Thy name" (Luke x. 17). "Behold I have given
you authority .... over all the powers of the
enemy" (verse 19).
Once the power which was given failed in the hands
of the Apostles. The same chapter which tells us of
this endowment of power, tells how the demoniac boy
was brought to the nine who were not taken up to the
Mount of Transfiguration, and how "they could not"
cast out the devil (Luke ix. 40). To the Lord this was
a matter of grief and shame. "0 faithless and perverse
generation, how long shall I be with you, and bear with
you?" (verse 41). And the Gospel tells us (Matt. xvii.
19) that the Apostles, themselves surprised that they
could not exercise the power which had been promised,
asked Jesus, "Why could not we cast it out?" The
reply was, "Because of your little faith." So that the
use of the promised power depended on the faith of
those who received it.
4, Obviously, therefore, there is a preparation nec
essary before the Holy Ghost can bestow on us the
power which He came to bestow. What is that prep
aration? To this question there is a threefold reply.
(1) The "vessel" must be "cleansed" before God
uses it. "If a man therefore purge himself" (the word
is ixxaddprj — purge himself right out, as to the bottom)
. . . "he shall be a vessel . . . meet for the
Master's use" (2 Tim. ii. 21). This deep cleansing, of
which Paul speaks so strongly in 2 Cor. vii. 1, "from

224 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
all defilement of flesh and spirit," is a necessary
preparation before the Master can use us in His power.
(2) Another step in the preparation regards the ob
ject for which we desire power, and the use we would
make of it. If we seek it for ourselves; if the desire
of vanity or self-aggrandizement enter into our motives;
if there be any sectarian or sectional object prominent
in our minds, such as to promote the influence or cause
of the Church to which we belong, — then we cannot
expect God to entrust power to us on any such terms.
For His glory, not for ours: that is His condition.
(3) A third preparatory step is, that we be willing to
take God Himself, as well as His power, into our hearts.
We cannot have the power alone; there is no separation
between it and Him. "Power belongeth unto God;"
it is inherent in Him. To have the power within, we
must have Christ within. But that means many things.
It means something much more than having the power
alone, to do with it as we will It means, among other
things, this, — that we be emptied of all power, and so
become helpless, in order that God within us may be
free to use His power through us.
Such, then, is the "preparation of heart" through
which the promise of power can be "obtained" by any
of us.
5. Let us dwell for a little longer on the thought
that the power cannot be divorced from God Himself,
and that He alone can wield it. Suppose you are a
worker in agreat factory, every part of which is worked
by steam, the smallest movement as well as the great
est; it is natural for the thought to enter the heart,—

POWER 225
Would that I were able to use that enormous power ! But
the answer is, Nothing is easier, if only you are content
to use it for the purposes which it is meant to serve;
make the connection, and keep it, and your portion of
the whole will go equally with the rest. Difficulty
would of course come in if you attempted to detach
your loom from the others, and make it serve your own
ends, irrespective of those for which the whole was
working. That indeed would be impossible. You could
not have the power, unless you submitted yourself to
the person who was guiding and superintending it. Just
so, we cannot take God's power out of His own hand,
separate it from His one great purpose, and detach it
from the movements of His will, in order to make it
draw our special train, and exalt our own name. You
can have God's power, for God's work, in God's own
way — not otherwise.
I fear that this is not what most Christians mean
when they long for, or ask for, the power of the Holy
Spirit in their life and teaching. Probably this is the
explanation of the long delay before an answer comes
to the prayer they present. Have we not all known of
good souls who have gone on crying for years for the
Holy Ghost to come in His fullness and power into their
hearts, but who have no more, perhaps even less now,
than they had years ago, and who would be amazed be
yond measure if the prayer were answered and the gift
bestowed? In how many instances are the words of the
Saviour appropriate — "Ye know not what ye ask!"
6. In the event of the power of the Spirit being
given, what of the success which would then attend our
labors?

226 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
In reply to this question, which is often asked in se
cret, we must carefully remember the different ways,
estimates, and measurements of God and man, other
wise we might be grievously disappointed. There are
two things which do not always follow the power of the
Holy Ghost. It does not alwaj^s produce great visible
results in the world, and it rarely wins the homage of
worldly or half-hearted men.
We have in Scripture a series of pictures of men who
have been more or less endued with this Divine power
— some of them in the Old Testament Dispensation, and
some in the Dispensation of Pentecost; but in both
classes the same truth is clearly to be seen, that the
power of the Spirit does not accomplish everything
that we might expect. Elijah on Carmel is a figure of
splendid achievement, but it is the same Elijah who is
found lying beneath the juniper bush. Jonah brings
Nineveh to its knees in a cry for mercy; but the petu
lant prophet fights with God over the decay of his ar
bor, and over the anticipated loss of his reputation.
And when we come to the New Testament heroes, what
do we say to Peter at Antioch? to Paul in the dungeon,
cloakless and cold? to John the Beloved, disregarded
and banished? Where is the power of the Spirit? Where
is the arm of the Lord? Does it slumber?
These no doubt give us but the one side of the pic
ture, for Peter at Pentecost is seen wielding Divine
power, or rather submitting to the Holy One, who uses
it by his words and lips. Paul writing his Roman Epis
tles is submitting to be used by One who knows what
these broken lines, penned by an amanuensis, will be

POWER 227
to future generations. And even the aged seer in ban
ishment, weak beyond words in the sight of men, is
partaker of "the victory that overcometh the world."
But the power is unseen; it is used for God's purposes;
its results are not always visible; and they are not to
be measured or estimated by us.
So, too, as to the direction of our labor for God.
John the Baptist, shaking the very foundations of so
ciety in Palestine, has but six months given him to
herald the Messiah; Stephen, that most eloquent ex
pounder of the faith, is removed almost as soon as he
begins to speak for Jesus, and James, the son of Zeb
edee, one of the chosen "three, " is cutoff by Herod
at the beginning of his career, and leaves nothing but
a name behind. Yet these men lived "in the power of
the Spirit."
7. The same thing is even more fully taught in the
story of the Lord's own life. Whatever may be the
special import of the descent of the Holy Ghost at His
baptism, we may well beljeve that the Spirit was al
ways upon Jesus during His whole abode on earth. But
the result for eighteen years — between the age of twelve
and that of thirty — was, so far as we read, silence. A
holy example and its power, at home and in His neigh
borhood, no doubt; but nothing is said. How mysteri
ous the presence of power all the time, and silent results
only produced by it! Even when we come to the three
wonderful years of public ministry and Messiahship,
when the Power of the Spirit was upon Him to the full,
what did it achieve? What opposition! what disap
pointment! what alienation! what persecution! what

228 THROUGH THE E TERNAL SPIRIT
want of outward and apparent success! There are not
many Christian writers who would dare to enter on a
full comparison of the visible fruitof the labors of John
the Baptist and of the Lord Himself. But the lesson
is invaluable, however difficult to learn; the Power of
the Spirit is used by Himself as He will ; He gives no
account of it; it often disappoints men; but He knows
best. 8. Should we not be spared much sinking of heart,
much distress and trouble, many fears, and much mis
chief, if we could learn these things from the Word,
without having to be taught them in the experience of
life? When child or wife, filled with the Power of the
Spirit, is soon and unexpectedly taken away ; when we
ourselves are laid on the sick-bed, or prostrated by
weakness in the midst of our labors for Christ; still
more, when our labors seem to bear little fruit, to raise
opposition, to have slight acknowledgment, as if God
would not use us — is it because the power is not with
us? is it that God in anger has taken it away? or is
this the use which God the Spirit is Himself making
of it, how, and how far, we do not see?
9. The duty which falls on the possessor of the Pow
er of the Spirit is that of "witnessing." "Ye shall be
My witnesses," a testimony for Christ which cannot
be given fully till the power has come, and which will
be given in many ways after it has been received. A
testimony to facts, out of personal knowledge and ex
perience, and with all the certainty which such knowl
edge brings. A testimony which the Lord specially
values above other Apostolic qualifications, and before

POWER 229
which all these pass into silence — this alone being worth
considering and recording (Acts i. 8, 22). The power
of such witnessing is one of the leading indications of
the power of the Spirit,
But the result even of that, be it remembered, is to
be left with God. It is to us surprising, disappointing,
baffling, when we first discover that even such preach
ing of the Gospel is not to save the world, but to testi
fy to it, "whether it will hear or whether it will forbear. "
"This Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in
the whole world for a testimony unto all the nations;
and then shall the end come" (Matt.xxiv. 14). The end,
that is to find men unprepared; the world in opposition
and unbelief; the Church cold, loveless, and faithless;
all, save a few, who shall be found watching and wait
ing! Yet the Power of the Spirit of God shall be upon
these faithful ones, and their testimony shall be heard
throughout the earth, though disregarded. Such is the
forecast of the last days of this Dispensation. The
result of the testimony in the power of the Holy Ghost
shall not be to convert the world, but to hasten the
coming of the Lord.

CHAPTER XXII.
BEING FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT.
WE have now seen some of the results of that fuller
gift of the Spirit which is possible for the people
of God — such as communion, guidance, anointing,
power; but is there no more general blessing in which
these are for the most part contained? There is such a
blessing, already designated on this page, to be "filled
with the Spirit."
I. The first thing to which attention is called in
dealing with the subject, is the distinction between be
ing "full of the Holy Ghost," and being "filled with"
the Holy Ghost. In the former phrase the adjective
(7iX-ijp7}<;) is used, in the latter the participle (Tr^c-feV).
The former refers to the habit of the soul, the latter to
occasional experiences. It is possible to conceive of the
" being filled" as being a more abundant blessing for the
time than the "fullness," which is habitual; and there
fore it is also possible for the man who is habitually
"full" to be "filled" to overflowing on special occasions.
The Lord Himself is declared to be "full of the Holy
Spirit" (Luke iv. 1), and to have the Spirit given Him
without measure (John iii. 34), The only men of whom
the same is said are Barnabas, of whom we read in
Acts xi. 24, "He was a good man, and full of the Holy
230

BEING FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT 231
Ghost and of faith;" and Stephen, of whom it is twice
said — in Acts vi. 5, "They chose Stephen, a man full
. . . of the Holy Spirit;" and in vii. 55, "He, be
ing full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into
heaven."* These, then, are the only occasions on which the
adjective "full" is employed to designate (as we have
said ) the habitual fullness of the Spirit. And the silence
of Scripture is sometimes as expressive as its words. It
is not said that others did not know this experience,
nor are Christians now forbidden to seek it; but we
may draw our own conclusions. There are, however,
many cases in which the people of God are said to have
been "filled with the Spirit:" that is, as we believe,
"filled" for the occasion and service to which they were
called. There are ten such passages, three referring to
a period before Pentecost, and seven to Pentecost or a
period after it.
The three passages in the Gospels speak in this way
of John the Baptist and his parents. Of the child John
it is predicted by the angel Gabriel (Luke i. 15), "He
* In Acts vi. 3, the Apostles charge the disciples : — "Look
ye out therefore, brethren, from among you seven men of
good report, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we
may appoint over this business." They did look out, and
presented seven men, whose characters are not described.
But an exception is made of Stephen, of whom we are told
that he was "full of faith and of the Holy Spirit " Taking into
account that this is never said of the others, is it not a fair
inference that they could find only one among them who
was "full of the Holy Ghost;" and that the others were
good men, full of wisdom and of good report, but could not
be designated as Stephen was? Philip seems, no doubt, an
exceptionally spiritual man from what we hear of him after
wards ; but how much of his blessing is subsequent to the
time of Acts vi. we do not know. It may be noted that in
the Old Testament Joshua is said (Deuteronomy xxxiv. 9)
to be "full of the Spirit of Wisdom."

232 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
shall be filled with the Holy Ghost even from his
mother's womb;" of Elisabeth it is said (Luke i. 41),
"And Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost, and
she lifted up her voice;" and of Zacharias (Luke i. 67),
"His father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost,
and prophesied."
Referring to Pentecost, and times subsequent to that
day, there are six passages in this connection in the
book of Acts and one in Ephesians. At Pentecost we
read (Acts ii. 4), "And the}' were all filled with the
Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as
the Spirit gave them utterance. " In Acts iv. 8 Peter
is again said to be "filled with the Holy Ghost." In
Acts iv. 31 we read, "When they had prayed,* the place
was shaken wherein they were gathered together; and
they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they
spake the Word of God with boldness." The "all" in
this passage is "their own company" (verse 23), com
prising the rest of the Apostles, at least, who were
gathered, praying for Peter and John, In Acts ix 17,
Ananias says he has been sent to Saul (Paul), "that
thou mayest receive thy sight, and be filled with the
Holy Ghost." In Acts xiii. 9 we have these words,
"Paul, filled with the Holy Ghost, fastened his eyes
on him." In Acts xiii. 52, "The disciples were filled
with joy and with the Holy Ghost;" and in Ephes. v.
18, "Be not drunken with wine, wherein is riot, but be
filled with the Spirit."
* A very interesting question arises as to the author of
the striking prayer of verses 24-30. Being one of the "rest of
the Apostles," who so likely as James the son of Zebedee,
not yet put to death? If so, it is the only word of his
which has been preserved to us. Compare verse 29 with
chapter xii. 2.

BEING FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT 233
It is to be remarked as an interesting fact, that all
these ten passages, save the last, occur in the writings
of St. Luke, and the last in the writing of Luke's mas
ter, Paul. The five passage which speak of being "full
of the Spirit," are all also in St. Luke. But though
we are bound to record such facts, and seek to know
their bearing, it is enough for us that the passages are
in the Word, and therefore have the sanction of the
Holy Ghost Himself. It is also to be noted that the
passage in Ephesians has a different construction in
Greek from the others. All the others, whether they
refer to being "full" or "filled" (that is, whether ad
jective or participle is used), have no preposition, but
have the noun in the genitive (rtveuparos) ; the verse in
Ephesians has the preposition iv, which may signify in,
or by, or with. This change of construction, it will be
remembered, goes with a change of author (from Luke
to Paul). It does not seem to me to indicate any change
of meaning. No meaning is admissible save "Be filled
with the Spirit:" "Be filled in the Spirit" — in the
sense of a pitcher sunk in a well, being filled in the
well — would signify both that the soul is filled, and
that it is "in the Spirit " The important thing is that
it is filled with the water, as well as in it. It might be
filled with cement, though sunk in surrounding water.
And surely it is no blessing to be merely "full," which
might mean full of self or sin; the real blessing, and
that which was in the Apostle's view, must be held to
be the fullness of the Spirit.
Observe, then, what is said o this point.
1. Probably the first thought which strikes all who

234 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
read the verse is the singular conjunction of the idea of
being "drunken with wine" and that of being "filled
with the Spirit." The idea of excess in anything, as
in itself changing good into evil, may have been in the
Apostle's mind; but surely his chief reference at least
is to the reproach at Pentecost — "They are filled with
new wine!" From the preceding context to the verse in
Ephesians just quoted, we see that the follies and excite
ments of that Ephesian populace had led Paul to rec
ommend holy wisdom and quiet accuracy both of judg
ment and life, "not as fools" and not as unwise. But
there is a "fullness" of joy and activity which is not to
be avoided, but sought for, and that is — to be "filled
with the Spirit."
2. It is again to be noted that although the parti
ciple "filled" is found in this passage, and not the
adjective "full," yet St. Paul is not contemplating a
single occasion only on which the Ephesians were to
obtain this blessing, but was urging upon them what
would become a frequent possession, even a habitual
one. The distinction between "full" and "filled"
would still hold — the filling might come and go, with
its need in service; yet the need might come daily, and
the blessing with it. And this experience would be
different from that of the martyr or Apostle who was
brought before rulers, and was "filled with the Spirit,"
that is, with the power of reply and defense at the time.
3. Then how remarkable is the manner in which the
Apostle makes his recommendation here! — (1) It isa
call to receive something— in the passive, not the active
voice; (2) It is a command; then (3) It is a distinct

BEING FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT 235
duty. Not a privilege merely, not an enjoyment, not
a distinction or an honor, but something which we
ought to have and to be, implying that it is wrong for
a Christian to know nothing of this in his experience.
And, therefore, over this point I ask every believing
reader to ponder till he comes to be in harmony with
St. Paul, and is ready to confess that his state has been
and is a sinful one, if he is not "filled with the Spirit."
(4) The command is not (as has been said) to do
anything, nor is it to refrain from anything, but, as it
were, to suffer or permit something to be done to us —
"Be ye filled. " So that we have apparently only to
consent to its being done, or to take the right attitude
about it before God. God is waiting to "fill us with
the Holy Spirit." But all Christians are not filled;
these "faithful saints" at Ephesus were not filled
already; Paul commanded them to be so now.
There were, then, hindrances. No doubt they were
full of something else, for the heart, like Nature, "ab
hors a vacuum" — full of self, full of preconceived ideas
and prejudices, full of the world, full of folly. And
the preparation for being "filled with the Spirit" is to
be emptied of these things.
(5) But how? This is the point that distresses the
anxious soul, and over which many painful hours are
spent in vain. How to be emptied and so made ready?
Here we come again (as so often) to that border line
between God's work in the soul and the soul's own
movement, which can never here be made perfectly
distinct. But one thing is abundantly clear: we must
consent to our being emptied of anything that stands

236 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
in the soul's way. We must be "willing, " and must
go to God in our willingness for Him to do what we
cannot do. Whenever we are willing, and confess it in
prayer, God takes us at our word; He empties us, and
so prepares, often to our own suffering; but that also
we must accept. The preparation must be made; when
made, we are ready to receive the "filling."
4. And our true attitude in presence of a command
like that in the text is (be it remembered) not merely
to ask, but to accept. The act of faith is here to be
distinguished from the request of prayer. God says,
"Be filled" — accept this blessing. We reply, "Yes,
Lord, I do accept this gift from Thy hand." Then we
are ready for thanksgiving on account of what has
come, in the faithfulness of God. We are not to wait
for feeling, for overflowing joy, for any special con
sciousness that the blessing has reached us; but to
thank God in faith, assured that His promise has been
fulfilled whenever His conditions have been observed.
Thanksgiving so offered is the Seal of the Blessing.
Feeling will come, according to God's pleasure, sooner
or later, much or little. But the blessing is much more
than emotion, and is independent of it.
II. Such, then, being the command of the Apostle,
we naturally ask, In what condition is the soul which
has been so "filled with the Spirit?" and what are the
results to be? The rest of the Epistle to the Ephesians
is occupied with replying to these two questions. The
same questions are also answered by that portion of
the book of Acts which follows upon the narrative of
Pentecost (say from chapter ii. to chapter vi.); and it

BEING FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT 237
is most interesting to compare the record of facts there
with St. Paul's description of what the experience of a
Christian may be. In a former chapter the story of
the Book of Acts was examined; at present we are spec
ially concerned with St. Paul's statement of the eesults
of being filled with the Spirit.
1. There is suggested, first of all, though not here
expressed, the likeness to Christ — in whom it pleased
the Father that "all the fullness" should dwell (Colos
sians i. 19). This is the state of the Christian, who
may be "filled unto all the fullness of God" (Ephesians
iii. 19). The same words are found in both passages
(¦xdv rd -KX-qpwpa [rob 6eou\). This is something very won
derful, and "to be thought upon."
2. The second result of being "filled with the Spir
it" is the song in the heart — "Singing and making
melody with your heart (iv) to the Lord" (Ephesians
v. 19) — which means a holy joy that can find vent for
itself no otherwise than in the music of a secret inner
song, which is of the same strain as the songs of heaven.
3. There is next a spirit of thanksgiving, which em
braces every event and change in life, "Giving thanks
always for all things, in the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ to God, even the Father" (Ephesians v. 20). This
means that under the influence of the Holy Ghost we
have seen that God takes charge of what is to happen
to us, and that what we call adverse circumstances are
chosen by Him as our portion, just as our blessings are.
In so choosing them, God is showing His love and His
wisdom, and making "all things work together" for
our good. Even though they are painful, therefore, we

238 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
are able to thank Him for sending them. Often, I grant,
it is with a sore heart, which does not feel the grati
tude; but there is such a thing as thanking from the
soul and the will, even where feeling has not come:
thanking in faith; "always, for all things."
4. Then there is the subjugation of self which fol
lows; and that not merely to God, which is an easier
thing, but to our neighbor, which is often a harder.
"Subjecting yourselves one to another in the fear of
Christ" (Ephesians v. 21). This is a wonderful vic
tory, which nothing but the fullness of the Holy Ghost
can give a man.
5. And then, in St. Paul's beautiful way, we have
him setting forth how these great and heavenly princi
ples come down to the level of our common life, and
are "worked out" in the plainest and poorest circum
stances. Here (Ephes. v. 22) is the spring of the wife's
subjection of self to the husband as her "head;" and
here (verse 25) the source of the husband's sacrifice of
self for the wife, following in the steps of Christ, "who
loved me, and gave Himself for me." Here (Ephes. vi.
1) is the secret of the obedience and respect of chil
dren for their parents — such children as are "filled
with the Spirit." Here is the melting tenderness of
the father's heart (Ephes, vi. 4), ruling his household
in the Spirit. Here (verse 5) is the true obedience of
the servant (at that time even of the slave, "not now
as a servant, but as a brother beloved"); and here
(verse 9) the development of a new character in the
master, who sees in his dependent a fellow-servant with
himself of the One Master in heaven. How wonderful

BEING FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT 239
is the humbleness which has found its root in this full
ness of the Spirit of God in a Christian's soul!
6. But the results are not yet complete. From the
lower ground the Apostle again rises to the higher.
Here comes in his "Finally," with its many applica
tions. There is then (Ephes. vi. 10) new strength —
"Be strong in the Lord" (ivdovapobade, "be endued with
strength" — "filled with power"), the same thing, no
doubt, as, in a previous chapter of the Epistle (iii. 16),
is called "strengthened with power through His Spirit
in the inward man."
7. Next there is the "whole armor of God" at the
disposal of the Christian (vi. 11). Only now is that
available, for only now is he able to wear it or use it.
Of what use is it to clothe a feeble and delicate man
with armor? He would only sink beneath its weight.
He could hardly swing the sword, much less cleave his
way through the fight with it. But in that he is "endy-
namited" with the strength of the Spirit, let him put
on the "whole armor" of God — girdle, breast-plate,
sandals, helmet, and take both sword and shield.
8. Another result is the special battle with Satan.
The Christian's battle was once against himself, and
he could hardly spare time, strength, or thought for
the enemies of God; but now, whole-hearted, he goes
out against them, standing, and withstanding, in the
evil day.
9. Another result of being "filled with the Spirit"
is prayer— "All prayer and supplication," "praying at
all seasons in the Spirit, and watching thereunto in all
perseverance and supplication for all the saints" (vi,

240 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
18). Personal prayer is not wanting; but this is spec
ially intercessory prayer. Only now is this possible to
any extent; but the man who is "filled with the Spirit"
pours out his heart for others in the glorious way de
scribed by Paul.
10. Still further, this "fullness" does for every be
liever what it did (vi. 19) for Paul — "opening his
mouth, that he may make known with boldness the
mystery of the Gospel. " The tongue-tied Christian is
at length delivered; "the dumb devil is cast out;" and
there is a bold testimony for Christ, which cannot but
be heard by men.
11. Once more: the last in the great list of results
which come directly from being "filled with the Spirit"
is taking the place of God's "ambassador" (vi. 20),
even though it be sometimes, as in Paul's case, "in
chains." The man stands forth in the position, in
the spirit, ay, and in the dignity of an "ambassador"
who comes from God, and communicates God's demand
to a miserable and sin-stricken world.
When this whole passage is examined, there cannot,
I think, be a doubt that the true interpretation is, that
it is one long description of the influence which the
Spirit of God has on a believer, when, and so long as,
he is "filled" with Him.
With what force, then, does, the Apostle urge his com
mand to "be so filled!" If, for God's glory, ye would
have such a train of blessings, transforming, nay, trans
figuring your souls, then obey, and prove the faithful
ness of God. And if the practical question be put —
"But how is this possible, how can I be 'filled'?" — I

BEING FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT 241
recur to the answer already given on a former page.
We must go to God to be emptied of everything that
hinders; willing to be emptied; offering our consent to
His doing so; shrinking not, though the pain be for the
moment sharp, and though the sacrifice seems great;
and ourselves faithfully turning our backs on anything
in our life which God shows us to be wrong. Then,
when all that we know to be hindrances have been put
away, and when our consent has been freely given,
then we must in faith accept the gift, and thank God
for it. We are "filled." Afterwards the amount of
the "fullness" will come and go, according to our
need; regulated for the service asked of us; so that we
are fitted for each duty as we come to it. Whenever
called on for a new task of difficulty or danger, we
accept jor it afresh the "filling" of God's Spirit, and
receive it. And so, from step to step, from strength
to strength, from faith to faith, the life goes on —
growing humbler, sweeter, more surrendered, and yet
ever more "filled with the Holy Ghost."

CHAPTER XX111.
TEMPLES OF THE HOLY GHOST.
WHAT then shall we say of the believer who has re
ceived the various gifts and influences of the Holy
Ghost which in previous chapters we have endeavored
to describe? Our reply is that now we begin to under
stand what is meant by calling such a one the Temple
of the Holy Ghost.
1. There is no doubt that in at least one passage of
Holy Writ all believers are represented as forming a
temple, with Christ as the chief corner-stone, built on
prophets and apostles, to be a habitation of God through
the Spirit: One Temple of the Holy Ghost (Ephesians
ii. 20-22) And there is no doubt that in at least one other
passage the individual body* of a Christian is called "a
temple of the Ploly Ghost who is in you" (1 Corin
thians vi. 19). The different applications of the image
are remarkable, and may be compared with the differ
ence between the solitary candlestick of the Tabernacle
of Moses and the ten candlesticks of the Temple of
Solomon. (In the Apocalypse there is another differ
ence, the Church being represented by the seven golden
candlesticks of the vision. )
2. What was the meaning and purpose of a temple?
Two things were embraced in this. One, which we may
* The preceding context forces us to admit that the in
dividual body is spoken of, and not as elsewhere the body
of Christians as a whole. 242

TEMPLES OF THE HOL Y GHOST 243
call (is it permissible?) the localization of God. That
was absolutely so with the heathen gods, to whom vari
ous temples were dedicated, in each of which the god
was supposed to be personally present. In the case of
the "Temple" of Jehovah, the meaning is that the
manifestation of His presence was localized in the
Temple, which was built by His direction. He took
the name of "Jehovah-Shammah;" and the Lord was
there! The other object served by the temple followed
upon this, and was the worship of the god who was
present. This was no less true of the living God than
of the idol; for the spirit of the devout through all the
Old Dispensation was that expressed in the words of
the Psalmist: — "I will worship toward Thy Holy Tem
ple." Hence, even when absent, they turned to it, and
like Daniel, opened their "windows towards Jerusalem. "
The command was, — "The place which the Lord your
God shall choose to cause His name to dwell there,
thither shall ye bring all that I command you" (Deut.
xii. 11). In these two thoughts, then — the localization of
the manifested presence of God, and the worship of God
there — we find the Scripture idea of a temple of God.
3. The image of the Church at large as the Temple
of the Holy Ghost (1 Corinthians iii. 16, 17) is one that
approximates to the thought of the Administrator of
the Church, with which we have already dealt; only
adding to it here the aspect of the affairs of a large
Temple which are carried on under the direction of the
Holy Ghost. But it is still in the process of being built;
and the worship is already proceeding amid the noise
and confusion of the workmen.

244 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
Many important lessons might be learned from the
image could we linger upon it; such as the quarrying of
each stone, the hewing and polishing and placing of
each, the confusion necessary in the whole process of
building, the temporary scaffoldings, the workmen at
work, etc. But it is necessary to leave these details,
with the thankful reflection that the Lord, the Spirit,
is "building the house," and that He does all things
well. 4. It is to the individual temples of the Holy Spirit
that we must now specially attend in connection with
our subject. And here let us not pass by the fact, the
strange fact, which the Apostle emphasizes, that it is
the body which he calls the "temple" — the body, not
the spirit. A similar figure is employed by the same
Apostle, and with similarly striking emphasis, when
he calls on us to present our bodies — not our spirits^-
as living sacrifices to God. Both images concern the
body; both are taken from the Jewish service of wor
ship; and (it may be added) they seem to conflict with
each other. That a body should be at once the sacri
fice offered and the temple in which it is offered seems
impossible. And yet it is but something like the same
difficulty which meets us when we find Jesus Christ de
scribed at once as the Sacrifice offered, as the Altar on
which it is offered, and as the High Priest who offers
it. There are certain material facts which find their
unity in a spiritual truth lying behind.
The image is used first of, and by, the Lord Himself,
as recorded by St. John, "He spake of the temple of
His body" (John ii. 21); and while the immediate al-

TEMPLES OF THE HOL Y GHOST 245
lusion in the figure was to the outward Temple of
Herod, it was applicable to Himself only on the con
dition that His own body was "a temple of the Holy
Ghost." Let us take this word with us, then, as
no doubt the origin of the language used on the subject
in the New Testament.
The body is selected by St. Paul for the figure of the
temple, probably to show that he means a temple which
shall be visible to others here, and whoEe services will
reach to the outer world and those who dwell therein.
He knew well that where the body is dwelt in by the
Holy Ghost, there is implied a Fullness of Indwelling
on His part in the inner man also, and that as the body
is the last portion of the man to be brought entirely
under the influence of the Spirit's power, just as the
twigs and leaves are the last parts of the plant to be
energized by the sap, so the bodily temple presents to
us the complete picture of the fully consecrated man.
5. What, then, are the truths involved in this im
age of the body as the temple of the Holy Ghost? The
first of these is that the body has been made for the
purpose. It was the intention and purpose of the
Builder that it should be so. It is no mere adaptation
of the secular to the sacred. If I may use a somewhat
vulgar, but expressive, illustration, it must not be sec
ond-hand. The reader will remember how it enters in
to the nature of a Sacrament, that it must be instituted
for that very purpose, not adapted from its own pre
vious end and meaning. We receive a shock when we
first learn that some of the great Roman churches (the
Pantheon, for instance) were, in the olden time, build
ings for the worship of heathen idols, a feeling which

246 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
is only mitigated as we remember that they were tem
ples then, and are not temples now. But it is impossi
ble to conceive that an old tent of Moses could have
been used as the Tabernacle in the wilderness, or that
David's palace on Zion could have been converted into
a temple for Jehovah. God insists that the original
purpose of the builder must have been to raise the Tem
ple of tha Lord; and it is therefore to be taken into our
hearts as a very solemn teaching of God, that this body
of ours, the body "of our humiliation," "humbled,"
indeed, now beyond expression, was intended by its
"Maker and Builder" to be for Himself, and to be a
Temple for Himself. That is the solemn, the awful
lesson of 1 Cor. vi. 19.
6. After being built, a temple is consecrated, for
mally made over and dedicated to God and His service,
its original object recognized, and God called to witness
to this fact. If we look at such consecrations as are
recorded in Scripture we shall see that there was first
to be purifying from pollution by blood and fire,
through an atoning sacrifice. Then there was the idea
of full surrender of the building and its contents to the
service of the one God; and then there was the anoint
ing with oil to signify the touch of the Holy Ghost.
And this is true of His own temple, which He built for
Himself. Atonement first, pardon, cleansing, surren
der, and then the Fullness of the Indwelling and the
Anointing Oil. All this, besides, took place at a defi
nite time, a date that was fixed.
And so it is still. The body is not merely built as a
temple, but it is consecrated also; fully consecrated,
not merely restored, not merely cleansed.

TEMPLES OF THE HOL Y GHOST 247
7. We come now to remember what we would fain
forget, — that the temple so built, and so consecrated,
may be desecrated. The image in the case of the Chris
tian has a double application here. After it was built,
and before being consecrated, every man's body has
suffered desecration, and been turned from God's pur
pose to that of sin. If baptism in infancy could be
held to fulfill in any degree the thought of consecration,
it would still be only to a limited extent. Even in
the case of souls brought very early to the Lord, before
they can remember, yet there was a time when sin had
dominion, and the temple was not kept sacred to God.
In other cases, even for the Christian who has given
himself to the Lord, in the full surrender of his heart
and life, it is possible for a period of backsliding to
ensue. This is no uncommon story. It has been pain
fully frequent. Every sin of a Christian is a backslid
ing in a certain degree. Every chill caught by his
soul means something given to the world and stolen
away from Christ. Every secular pleasure which shuts
out the thought of God (which shuts Him out, I say,
and to which the presence of God is unwelcome, not
asked, and not desired) is enjoyed in the Solemn Tem
ple of the Holy Ghost. A desecration of the temple is
thus only too possible.
8. But it may be restored. The restoration of a lost
man is a thought of which the Bible is full. It is an
other name for redemption. "He restoreth my soul,"
is the song of the Christian in all generations. And
whether it be the grace vouchsafed at conversion, or
in return from backsliding, it is the bringing back of

248 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
the temple from desecration to the purpose for which it
was erected by God. All Christians are not so brought
back; that is, they sometimes remain in a cold, broken
down, and secular state; they are still temples, but
they are not filled with the presence of the Holy Spirit.
9. If now it is asked what "the Temple of the body"
forbids for the Christian, I answer (1) everything at
which we cannot invoke God's presence, asking Him
to be with us while we are engaged in it. Necessary
labor is not forbidden; poor and mean details are nec
essary; the temple needs to be washed, dusted, arranged;
"the priests in the Temple profane the Sabbath and
are guiltless;" God may be present at all such things
and the heart may welcome Him. In this connection
remember the Lord's own life on the earth. And again
(2) we venture to say, anything which implies the mas
tership of man or self in God's temple is forbidden.
The Spirit alone is master there — we are but servants.
10. On the other hand, what does the temple of the
body demand from the Christian? Here surely the
answer must be, Everything for God! Everything held
as coming from God, possessed in God, put at the dis
posal of God, and employed for God.
This is the real meaning of a "consecrated life." It
is a life in which we have nothing our own; we have
ceased to be able to hold property, so entirely do we
belong to Another; we are His property. The only
possession we have is Christ, and in Him, but only in
Him, we have all things. The Master is ours, and all
that is His. As the late"Rabbi" Duncan quaintly put it
—"I have married the Merchant, and all His wealth

TEMPLES OF THE HOL Y GHOST 249
is mine. " But the correlative of this is, that I have
now nothing of my own, I have given over all to God,
I belong absolutely, with all I once had, to the Holy
Ghost. My body is His temple, and everything is His.
So this goes down into all my work. My time is His,
and not merely is it to be put at His disposal if He asks
it, but He is to be asked before I use it for anything.
My health is His, to be taken care of for Him, and as
He shall direct. My pleasure is His, just as fully as
my occupation or my sorrow, and He must not be ex
cluded from it at any time.
No corner of the temple is to keep out God. Noth
ing but what is a sacred vessel is to enter it. Indeed,
whatever comes into it, becomes, from that very fact,
His. If there be anything in the temple of the Holy
Ghost that is not connected with His service and glory,
it is inconsistent with the body's being His temple.
All work becomes already in a manner worship. The
priests take their rest there. And the food which they
eat is the will of God.
11. If, now, it be asked further what the temple
service of life implies, there are probably three things
of which we must think. One is, mystery. All temples
were full of that. There was a region of mystery into
which all priests entered; there was a veil which hid
the Unseen from the outer world. In the Jewish Tem
ple so concealed was its mysterious Most Holy Place
that only one person was allowed to enter, and he only
once a year! One of the titles for Christians which has
come from David's time is "The hidden ones of God"
(Psalm Ixxxiii. 3). The explanation is given by Paul,

250 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
"Your life is hid with Christ in God" (Col. iii. 3). And
there is one mystery of which he tells us, that it was
"hid from all ages and generations"(Col. i. 26). There
are many mysteries still in the Christian life, which
are in large measure hidden from the sight of men,
transacted entirely between the soul and God. Every
temple of the body has one secret place into which no
one enters save the Holy Ghost and the priest who
stands ministering there. "No one knoweth but he
that receiveth it" (Rev. ii. 17).
The second element in the temple service of life is
sacrifice — the living sacrifice, which is "holy" and
"acceptable to God" (Rom. xii. 1). The temple is itself
consecrated with blood — the ear, the hand, the foot,
touched with the blood of Christ; so that, with purged
ear, God's teachings may be heard — the hand which
touches holy things may be holy — and the foot which
treads the world may be kept clean, so as to stand in
the presence of God.
These things are implied in the Consecration of the
Temple and the Priest; but the sacrifices in the temple
are those of daily life; the "spiritual sacrifices" of
which St. Peter writes. The Burnt-offering is the sur
render of all the heart, and the Meat-offering the sur
render of all the property, so that all is given to the
Lord from hour to hour. A life of sacrifice cannot be
lived without pain, however unwilling we are to think
it: it is "through many tribulations" that we "enter
into the kingdom" (Acts xiv. 22).
May I note as a third part of the temple service of
life, music or song? Was there ever a temple in which

TEMPLES OF THE HOL Y GHOST 251
this did not have part? Is it possible that it should
have no part in that temple which is a foreshadowing
of heaven itself? The Apostle calls the whole Chris
tian life "a poem" (Eph. ii. 10, literally, "Ye. are His
poem," abrob rcoi-qpa), and in another place he comes near
to calling it a "song" (Eph. v. 20).* The universal
thanksgiving for all things and at all times looks like
setting our lives to music. So gladness, and thanks
giving, and praise, are elements of Christian service,
which make most of the temple music of life, not unac
companied sometimes with the minor songs of patience
and submission. There is a Book of Psalms in every
Christian's Bible, and there must be a choir in every
temple of the Holy Ghost. The songs of heaven have
already begun. Some
" . . . Carry music in their heart
Through dusky lane and wrangling mart,
Plying their daily task with busier feet,
Because their secret souls a holy strain repeat."
Ought it not to be so with all the people of God? Is
not the Holy Ghost life a life of thankfulness and holy
joy, which sings "all the day?"
On this note of true gladness I gladly leave the expo
sition of what the Holy Ghost is — dwelling in fullness
in His Temple upon earth.
* St. Peter calls the Christian's entrance into glory a
choral dance — ixcxoprjyvjdTJo-erat (2 Peter i. 11).

CHAPTER XXIV.
THE HOLY GHOST IN THE MISSION FIELD.
"When the Holy Ghost is come upon you; . . . ye shall
be My witnesses . • . unto the uttermost part of the
earth."— Acts i. 8.
WE have been engaged hitherto in examining the
various stages and aspects of life in the Spirit,
But there is perhaps no lesson which God would teach
us more fully than that such spiritual blessings are not
given us for our personal enjoyment or benefit, but that
by means of them we may glorify God and help man.
We turn now, therefore, to the great duty laid upon the
Church and the Christian to carry the Gospel to all na
tions. 1. And this duty cannot be done save by, and in,
the Holy Spirit. Christ has redeemed; we have to
evangelize the world; and the Holy Ghost is the only
power by which that can be done. In the Acts of the
Apostles this is clearly recognized; stage by stage, He
is there seen guiding the work in the mission field.
This has not been understood fully by the Church,
at least not as a practical truth ; and it is to this cause,
possibly, that a large part of the want of success in
mission work has been due. The whole story of the
Acts of the Apostles, from the narrative of Pentecost
onwards, is that of missions to Jews and to the heath-
252

THE HOL Y GHOS T IN THE MISSION FIELD 253
en; and the characteristic of that book is, that every
thing is attributed to the Holy Ghost.
2. It has been said by some one (in one of those
semi-articulate utterances in which the power of expres
sion has failed to keep pace with the vigor of the
thought) that a Christian needs to be converted again
to an interest in missions. The thought is substan
tially true, though very inaccurately put. A passion
for missions is the result of a special conviction, a new
inward work of the Holy Ghost. Just as the Church
after the Reformation took some 200 years to learn the
lesson of evangelizing the world, so a man may be
converted, and may live as a Christian for some years,
without ever having the state of Jew or heathen laid
upon his heart. Can we conceive anything in a Chris
tian more unworthy, more unbecoming, more careless as
to God's word or God's honor, more selfish in its spirit,
more indicative of indifference to the welfare of his
fellow-men? He breaks both tables of the Law at
once; for the love of God does not constrain him, and
there is no love for his neighbor's highest interests
within him. Can there be anything more unlike Christ
than the state of such a man? For let each of us learn
the lesson — if a man now would have real fellowship
with Christ in His life and sufferings, the best way is
to do for the heathen what He did for the world, — to
leave his father's house and go and save it. Only the
Holy Ghost can put that within his heart.
3. It is clear that if the Agent in mission work is
the Holy Spirit, He can only work by means. Invisible
and unheard by the world, He speaks through others,

254 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
and "effectually works" by them. Thus we have at
this stage to consider what are the means through which
He carries on this work, the great work of the Church
of Christ.
These are chiefly two, of which the first is, ihe Word.
This is the great instrumentality for evangelizing men.
It contains in itself all the truth to be told; to it we
can add nothing. Everything that God has thought
necessary to be set forth for the salvation of the lost is
there. It were alike vain and impious to seek to sup
plement the teaching of God. The images in Scripture
itself show how it is to be used.
(1) It is a sword — "the sword of the Spirit;" there
fore it contemplates battle, and ends in victory. The
work involved in redemption is one long conflict to dis
possess Satan of his dominion here, part of which he
has forfeited, and part of which he has usurped. The
title, " Prince of this World," is one which he originally
possessed, but he forfeited it when he rebelled against
God ; and he has to be cast out from it step by step.
The title, "God of this World," is one which he usurped
in pride, and now holds on to it in every soul whom he
can influence to join him in resistance to Jehovah. In
this long and deadly conflict, to "bring to nought him
that had the power of death, that is the devil," the
Holy Ghost wages war, and uses the Word as His sword.
Sometimes He uses it as did the Lord in His own temp
tation, when He met every inducement to evil by the
truth of God set forth in some passage of the Word.
Strange to say, the devil, having discovered the force
and temper of this sword, tries it himselt He, too,

THE HOL Y GHOST IN THE MISSION FIELD 255
quotes Scripture (incorrectly), and seeks to turn its
edge against righteousness. The Lord used no other
weapon — this was enough; and in the book of Revela
tion we read that the saints, "our brethren," are
content with it likewise. They overcome the accuser
(Revelation xii. 11, A.V.) "by the Blood of the Lamb"
(there is deliverance from hell), "and by the word of
their testimony" (there is their safety in temptation).
The Word is a sword, and it brings victory in the bat
tle waged by the Holy Ghost.
(2) But it is also described as seed, which, being
sown, brings forth a harvest. "The Sower soweth the
Word" (Mark iv. 14); "The Seed is the Word of God"
(Luke viii. 11). This does not contemplate a conflict,
but a labor — the quiet work of the husbandman, scat
tering seed in the field. It is received in silence; it is
covered up; it seems to be lost; it is not heard of for
a time; but it comes to life in secret; it springs up; it
ripens; and it bears fruit in what is "God's Harvest."
And this, too, is the work of the Holy Ghost. His is
"the fruit." "He that soweth unto the Spirit shall of
(out of, ix) the Spirit reap eternal life" (Gal. vi. 8).
4. It is in connection with this that we look to the
agency of what are known aB Bible Societies, whose
work is to translate and to circulate the Holy Scriptures,
as a most important and, indeed, necessary part of
missionary work. No one disputes that it is so; but
various questions have risen up in connection with it.
Controversies have taken place: whether the Word can
be understood in itself, apart from notes and comments;
whether the Word should be freely given or sold to those
who will buy; whether it should go before the mission-

256 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
ary, or always accompany him, or follow him. These
and similar questions have been and are still discussed.
But the Holy Ghost seems to use all such methods, none
of which are in themselves perfect in different places;
He wields a sword which, thanks to our mistakes, is
sometimes blunt, and notched, or even broken; and
He brings to maturity a few grains of seed, scattered
so irregularly and fitfully that they seem to be lost.
The best way need not be the only way. He may be
trusted to direct in each individual case.
5. But there is another instrumentality which is
employed by the Spirit of God in the mission field; and
that is, the agency of the Church, or, we should rather
say, of believers — the members of the Church of Christ,
either in churches, or in societies, or as individuals. It
is noteworthy that of two parables which are placed
side by side in the Gospels, the parable of the Sower
and that of the Tare3, the former represents the seed
as the Word, and the latter represents the seed as be
lievers. "The good seed, these are the sons of the king
dom" (Matt. xiii. 38). The thought set forth in this
text is, that when the Holy Ghost would raise a harvest
in a land, He sows Christians there as the seed of it;
and these, if the soil be good, bring forth much fruit.
It may be said that they do this in four ways: — (a)
By preaching the Gospel, making known the love of
God, the death of Christ, the freeness of salvation, and
the offer of eternal life; (6) By conversing with individ
uals, explaining, testifying, and enforcing on such by
personal dealing the Truth of God in Christ; (c) By
their writings, in tracts, commentaries, and books,

THE HOL Y GHOS T IN THE MISSION FIELD 257
raising up what we call a Christian literature in a
heathen land; and (d) By their prayers, which prevail,
making "openings" for the truth, overcoming difficul
ties, removing obstacles, and bringing down blessing
upon all the work.
6. In applying these means in the field of missions,
the Holy Ghost carries on a work which is exclusively
His own, adapting it in each case to special circum
stances. Thus in the early chapters of the Acts we
see how He dealt with the Jews, using the Old Testa
ment Scriptures, with their promises and predictions,
making the whole history of Israel an armory for weap
ons in the holy war, as in the address of Stephen. That
was the case of those who already possessed the Scrip
tures, those "who knew the law." In the case of the
heathen we see how Paul dealt with those at Athens,
finding his text on a heathen altar; and those who read
the chapter (Acts xvii.) carefully will see how he was
not content with the truths of natural religion, but
"preached Jesus and the Resurrection" (verse 18), and
was interrupted at Mars' Hill, when he came to the
subject again. In the present day, one of the themes
which seem to be most blessed is the unrest and misery
of the soul which does not know God; the want of
peace, and the cry for it, which God offers to satisfy,
through His Son. There is also something, even in the
"savage breast," which recognizes the truth of One
Holy God, Maker and Lord of all, of love as the su
preme need and the supreme law, and which answers
to the offer of mercy with a ready Yes.
But perhaps the deepest and most fruitful teaching

258 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
for the heathen is that which strikes at the sense of
sin, lying unformed and unconscious in the soul, wait
ing, as it were, to be brought out into light. And this
is the line of truth indicated by the Lord when He
speaks of the Holy Ghost's work upon the world: "He,
when He is come, will convict the world in respect of
(¦xep\) sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment" (John
xvi. 8). Now it must often have struck the reader that
our Lord in this passage speaks only of one sin, and
that one of the very last we should have thought of.
We are inclined to go over one by one the sins pointed
out in the decalogue, and remembering how guilty the
heathen are before God of all of them, to think that
these are the awful deeds which must be brought up
against them. Yet the only sin Christ mentions here
is the sin of not believing on him, a sin of which we
think the heathen, through ignorance, cannot be guilty.
But we may understand what the meaning is by re
flecting that when once the offer of the Gospel has been
made to the heathen, the pardon of all their past sins is
held out to them on the one condition of believing on
Jesus Christ. If they believe, all their sins are for
given; if they "believe not, " then this and all their
other sins fall upon their heads. This sin, then, is the
turning point of their souls, and when the Holy Spirit
convicts them, with a view to salvation, it is enough
to do so for the sin on which all must turn.
On the other two truths which the Holy Spirit uses
in convicting men, we need not dwell.* There is
* The whole passage in question is the subject of Arch
deacon Hare's Mission, of the Comforter (last edit., edited by
Plumptre. Macmillan & Co., London). To a striking text
the author added voluminous and learned notes in an
appendix, which, to a student, constitutes the chief value of
the work.

THE HOL Y GHOST IN THE MISSION FIELD 259
"Righteousness" — the righteousness of Christ, made
manifest by His resurrection from the dead and ascen
sion to the Father. And there is the "judgment of the
world" and of "the prince of this world, " which has
already taken place on the cross, where he was exposed,
tried, and condemned.
The whole plea, then, which the Spirit presents is
summed up in this : — He holds forth Christ as the offered
Saviour, to reject whom is final ruin; Christ in His
righteousness as satisfying and perfect in the sight of
God; and Christ crucified as condemning sin and Satan
upon the cross.
7. Does the Holy Ghost also undertake the supply
of missionaries in the great field which is before the
Church? Undoubtedly. "Separate Me Barnabas and
Saul for the work whereunto I have called them" (Acts
xiii. 2). And herein lies a great part of the work which
He undertakes to do in the Church by making it a great
aggressive agency for the world. On the one hand He
seeks to convict the world outside the Church, and on
the other He seeks to thrust out (shall I say?) the la
borers from within to the field that awaits them.
(1) To each believer He assigns a specific duty. "To
every man his work." No man liveth to himself; and
no man is saved for himself. There is a special sphere
for each one, which no one else can fill so well, and
part of which no one else can fill at all. Of course,
every man's post is not in the field of the heathen ; but
if the Spirit has undertaken this work we may be sure
that He has assigned a sufficient number of men to do
it; and if these are not in the field, it must be because

260 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
some have disobeyed Him and taken up another post
instead of the one which He appointed them.
(2) Each believer has had a special call from the
Spirit. Not merely a call to embrace Christ, but a call
to work, and to the proper place for work. In His deal
ings with His people He makes known what He desires;
and for the most part every Christian knows, or did
once know, what the Spirit of God wished him to do
and to be in the army of the faithful.
(3) For this post there is also a special preparation
and fitness given. He knows what i% wanted as well
as who; and though it might be surprising, and almost
incredible to us, it is often the want of human greatness
that He desires — the want of strength, the want of wis
dom — simply an empty soul which He may fill with
Himself. He who chose fishermen and tax-gatherers to
be His Apostles has often places for the "weak," and
the "despised," and the "foolish" in the very fore
front of the battle. But in each case there is a special
fitness, and He takes care to give it.
(4) But how many a lost opportunity has to be re
corded in the annals of the spiritual life! Lost for us,
and lost also by our neglect to the Spirit of God! When
He inwardly speaks to a soul, and issues His commands
to it to go forth to labor, and when that word is not
obeyed, there is a loss for which nothing can make up.
A golden opportunity indeed has gone for ever!
And so (5) there is many a wasted life, the secret of
which is not known on earth, but is sadly written in
the great Book of Remembrance. Whatever else is
done, whatever ambition is satisfied, or pleasure gained,

THE HOL Y GHOST IN THE MISSION FIELD 261
the life which He has asked for the honor of Christ is
not lived. Alas! alas! for the wasted lives of Christian
men and women!
But (6) when His prompting is met by a glad response
in the soul, then what a blessed, though often mysteri
ous, guidance takes place. The Spirit chooses the
place of labor, chooses time and circumstances. Every
thing may be left to Him, and every step may be
taken under Him. All human calculations are at a
loss. The unexpected occurs every day. It is soon
felt that a Divine Hand is holding the helm, and that
there must be no interference with it.
Yet (7) it is by no means certain that what we call
success will overwhelmingly attend such a mission.
Stephen's was a Divine mission no less than Paul's.
He spoke by the Holy Ghost no less; yet his words
only seemed to cut his hearers to the heart, and hurried
him to the grave. Sometimes the Spirit calls for silence
rather than speech. Sometimes He seems to push the
agent to one side, as if there were no use for him.
Sometimes there is a period of waiting, of testing, which
calls for patience — it is the time of the silent germina
tion of the seed. To one agent thousands of converts
are given, to another scores, units, or hardly one. An
evangelist, who turned a great part of Scotland upside
down, is taken away; sent out to China; and for years
sees not a soul brought into the fold. God is sovereign.
The Holy Ghost works "as Pie will," and He is always
right. 8. Is anything to be said here of the methods by
which the Spirit would have mission work done in the

262 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
present day? In these there has been great variety, and
about them has gathered the din of discussion and con
troversy. One of the earliest methods adopted by the Church
was what is called the educational, embracing the two
fold idea that we must begin with the young, and that
the way must be prepared before the heathen could un
derstand the Gospel. And this method still holds the
field in many places, where schools, institutions, and
colleges on a large scale have been carried on, with great
indirect benefits to the surrounding population, but
with few conversions or baptisms.
Medical Missions have also been widely established
in various countries, with the idea of following in some
measure the example of the Lord Himself; and, while
conferring an inestimable boon on the sick and their
families, seeking to enter at the door thus opened. The
science of the West has thus been called in as a hand
maid to that Gospel with which it has so often been in
conflict. Sometimes the missionaries have been on a much
higher social level than the people, and have lent all
the aid of their influence to press home the truth upon
them. Sometimes it has been their desire to identify
themselves with those to whom they ministered; to
adopt their dress, their food, their mode of living; to
be sharers in their sorrows and trials; and so find an
opening for the consolations of the Gospel. Of late
years the ideal picture of a missionary has been drawn
after the lines of the Apostolic laborers, and the Church
has been impressively assured that just in proportion

THE HOL Y GHOST IN THE MISSION FIELD 203
as we adopt "Holy Ghost methods" are we likely to
meet with success. To go forth at His call, without
being careful for that of Church or society; to ask for
no preparation of school or college, but for the Fullness
of the Spirit himself ; to go as the Seventy, sent of Christ
without purse or scrip, or a second coat, or an "outfit,"
or a promised salary, or a committee in the back
ground; but assured that God will provide; and then
to move from place to place as the way is opened, hear
ing the call to duty, and lying down in peace, knowing
that the call will come to-morrow: this, it is said, is a
picture of the true missionary of Christ.
Such is the ideal of some. That of others has been
to begin by solitary prayer which asks a great thing, a
whole land for Christ; then to go out almost alone in
obedience to the Spirit's direction ; to ask for further
guidance, and to walk by it when it comes; to beg that
more men be sent, and that the provision for their
needs should come with them; to see first a little band
come together and then to see it become "a thousand."
This has been the story of one of the greatest missions
in the field, whose date is but of yesterday.
The story of another is different still. To begin with
the poorest and most unlearned as agents to work among
the poor; to bear without complaint, and almost to ex-
pect the opposition of authority and respectability; to
endure the taunts and disapproval of the Church ; but
to go on living a life of sacrifice at the bidding of God's
Spirit, and as the result to count hundreds of thousands
as converts at home and abroad — such has been the
record of this modern mission.

264 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
At the same time, with deep conviction, earnest
voices have been declaring that this work of evangeliz
ing the Jews and the heathen is not the work of a few
who may be "sent" out from the body of the Church,
hut is the work of the Church itself; that every Chris
tian is, in the intention of the Holy Ghost, a mission
ary, wherever his station may be; that colonies of
Christian men should themselves go and take up their
residence abroad, where the field is wide, self-support
ing and self-governing, their chief object being to make
known tbe riches of Christ. Not a few have reminded
us that this was done in Apostolic days, when the dis
ciples were scattered abroad by persecution, taking
their Christianity with them, and they are urging that
till the Church becomes the mission, the heart of Christ
will not be satisfied, nor the coming of Christ prepared!
What shall we say to these things? What but that
God has many plans, many agencies, many servants,
and that, all His instruments being at the best imper
fect, He finds something in each that He may use, so
that there is work for all ! The Holy Spirit will hear
every cry for service, and accept every willing worker
— this being the sole condition, that they shall go where
He sends, and do as He directs. "Separate Me Barna
bas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called
them. ... So they, being sent forth by the Holy
Ghost, went  Saul, who is also called Paul,
filled with the Holy Ghost ..." (Acts xiii. 2, 4,
9). In these words we have the whole story. (1) The
inward call of the Holy Ghost to the men whom He has
chosen; (2) the best men in all the Church for the pur-

THE HOL Y GHOS T IN THE MISSION FIELD 265
pose, who must be spared for the mission ; (3) the sep
aration from everything else to the one work which He
lays upon them; (4) going forth as His Apostles, "sent
forth" by Him ; and (5) then when the difficulty arises,
He "fills with" Himself the man who has to meet it.
"So it was in the beginning" of the Church, "so it is
now," and "so it ever shall be" till the work of missions
is dcja

CHAPTER XXV.
OFFENSES AGAINST THE HOLY GHOST.
T is a subject of peculiar solemnity to whicn we
have now come,and which is to close our study. It is
the more solemn because of the mystery which sur
rounds it in the sacred page. Just enough is revealed
to teach us that there is much unsaid; in tenderness
to us much is left in silence; and yet how much has
been revealed!
1. Some of the offenses specified in the Word as
done against the Holy Ghost are committed by sinners
only; others are common to sinners and Christians;
some are at the hands of Christians alone. It is im
possible to discriminate exactly between these classes,
but for the most part sins belonging to the first stand
by themselves.
2. The offenses which can only be committed by
sinners, with an exception to be noted, are those which
come together under the head of Blasphemy against the
Holy Ghost. The word translated blasphemy originally
means only injurious talk, and is used to signify various
degrees of evil, rising up to the well-understood sin of
blasphemy against God, which, under the Jewish law,
was punishable with stoning,as we learn from Leviticus
xxiv. 10-23. "He that nameth the name of the Lord,
let him die the death" is the Septuagint rendering in
266

OFFENSES A GAINST THE HOL Y CHOST 267
verse 16; "He that blasphemeth the name of the Lord,
he shall surely be put to death" is the Revised Version.
It was under this law that Stephen was stoned by the
Sanhedrim; and under this law the Lord Jesus would
have suffered had the Jewish authorities sentenced Him
(Matthew xxvi. 65, 66), instead of the Roman, whose
punishment for treason against Cxsar was crucifixion.
Three degrees of blasphemous language against the
Holy Ghost may be discerned in the Gospels — all of
them concentrated in one chapter (in Mark iii. 21, 22,
30). "And when His friends heard it, they went out
to lay hold on Him : for they said, He is beside Him
self." The charge of madness against Jesus was a charge
against the Spirit who "filled" Him to do those things
which the Spirit led Him to do. Risking His life,
bringing shame on His name, appearing to cast aside
His usefulness, opposing the authorities in Church and
State — it was "madness, " they said. That is blasphemy
(railing) against the Spirit in the first degree. His
friends were guilty of this, and the Jews also (John
x. 20).
The evangelist goes on to say (Mark iii. 22), "And
the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He
hath Beelzebub, and, By the prince of the devils casteth
He out the devils." That is a charge of demoniacal
possession, which means that the power of the Spirit
within Him was ascribed to Satan. (Compare, "If I
by the Spirit of God cast out devils, " Matthew xii. 28.)
That, then, was blasphemy against the Spirit in the
second degree.
But there is a worse, given us only by St. Mark (iii.

268 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
30), "Because they said, He hath AN UNCLEAN
SPIRIT"— the imputation of impurity, concealed away, but
lying beneath, and wearing a cloak in order to gratify itself.
That was the most awful iniquity of all — to charge that
against the Spirit who was in Jesus Christ. And it is
of it that the Lord says (verse 29), "Whosoever shall
blaspheme against the Holy Spirit hath never forgive
ness, but is guilty of an eternal sin: because thej said,
He hath an unclean spirit" (R.V.). That is the Unpar
donable Sin.
3. Other offenses against the Holy Ghost may be
gathered from many parts of Scripture. One of these
is suggested by the reply to a question asked by the
Apostle Paul: — "Did ye receive the Holy Spirit when
ye believed?" (Acts xix. 2). "We have not so much
as heard that there is a Holy Spirit" is the answer as
translated in the A. V. The offense in question is that
of Ignoring the ' Holy Spirit. No doubt the disciples
in this case were entirely ignorant, having been imper
fectly taught, which is precisely the case with many in
our day, who, through the fault of their teachers partly,
but also through their sinful neglect of the Word, are
ignorant of this great theme. But there is often more
than ignorance at the root of this evil which cannot be
too much deplored. For there are Christians who in
early years were brought under His Divine influence,
and who have not continued to subject themselves to
Him. These are they of whom Paul elsewhere asks,
"Having begun in the Spirit, are ye now perfected in
the flesh?" (Gal. iii 3). Two classes are comprehended
— those who have ceased to regard the Holy Ghost as a

OFFENSES AGAINST THE HOL Y GHOST 269
Being present to them in any part of their spiritual
life, who ignore Him in all; and those whose condition
is that more especially in the view of the Apostle, -who
think that sanctification is a work which they must
perform themselves, in the power of "the flesh," and
forget that it is as truly a work of the Spirit as conver
sion was. What a treatment this is of the Holy Ghost,
ignoring Him as if He were not, or were nothing to
us! 4. A lower deep is to be found in Despising the Holy
Spirit. But is that a possible thing — attested by
Scripture? Read what is said of the "willful" sinner —
that he "hath done despite" (ivuftpio-as, a stronger word
than that elsewhere translated "entreated them shame-
fuly") "unto the Spirit of grace" (Heb. x. 29). This,
too, is the meaning of what is said of Simon Magus
(Acts viii. 20), "Thou hast thought to obtain the gift
of God with money." It was to despise the Holy Ghost
to suppose that such a thing could be done. I fear
that there are many in the present day who, consciously
or not, do not treat the Blessed Spirit as on a level
with, equally Divine with, the other Persons of the Holy
Trinity; and I do not know any word with which to
describe such want of reverence to Him other than that
which is the subject of this paragraph.
5. Another offense more sharply defined, and more
frequently pointed out in Scripture, is Resisting the
Holy Ghost. This is sometimes done openly; some
times discovered in most unexpected places, persons,
and times. The passage which most readily comes to
the mind as to this offense is that in Stephen's defense

270 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
— "Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and
ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers
did, so do ye!" (Acts vii. 51). But other passages are
not wanting. Of the enemies of this same Stephen it
is said (Acts vi. 10), "They were not able to withstand
. . . the Spirit by which he spake" — as if they had
tried to do so, but in vain. In allusion to the antedi
luvians, God said (Gen. vi. 3), "My Spirit shall not
strive with man for ever;" showing that they had been
resisting His striving with them till the Divine pa
tience would bear no longer. And there is an element
even in a Christian which often, if not always, is found
in the same attitude against the Holy Ghost. "The
flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against
the flesh; for these are contrary the one to the other;
that ye may not do the things that ye would" (Gal. v.
17) — a verse which must be taken in both its applica
tions if we would understand it fully. There is in the
Christian a "flesh" which "lusteth" (<rdp£ ixiOopeT — the
translation is surely an unfortunate one, though sanc
tioned by the R. V., for the word extends to a great
deal more, and is warranted by a great deal less, than
the term "lust"), But in the Christian there is also the
Spirit of God, who longeth, desireth, seeketh (it is the
same verb which is implied), against the old flesh, and
does so victoriously, not suffering him to do what he
otherwise would. But there is in him, all the same,
the root of resistance to the Holy Ghost. And this ap
pears sometimes where it might least of all be expected.
Who would suspect it at Peniel? in the breast of him
who was a "prince with God?" Yet what means a wrest-

OFFENSES A GAINST THE HOL Y GHOST 271
ling but a resistance? Wrestling with God is surely
resisting Him; and that for a whole night long, till
God's finger had to be laid on the strong point, making
it weak; till the wrestling heart broke down. Then,
when it was weak it became strong; and in its weak
ness, crying and clinging, it prevailed with God. It
was the wrestling of the flesh against the Spirit; and
these "are contrary the one to the other." In Jacob's
fear of Esau; his failure to trust God; his utter inabil
ity to leave himself and his family in the hands of
God; his cry for deliverance and peace all night long,
do we not discern the feeble, discontented flesh "lust
ing" against the Spirit of God? Yes; how often, and
in what strange places, does He find resistance to His
will! 6. One result of such an offense is to "flea;" the Spirit.
Thus we read in Isaiah Ixiii. 10 (A. V.), "they rebelled
and vexed His Holy Spirit." In theR. V. the word is
translated "grieved;" but it seems to contain rather
the thought of anger, as in Psalm Ixxviii. 40 (A. V.),
"How oft did they provoke Him in the wilderness,
and grieve Him" (make Him angry) "in the desert!"
We take it, then, rather to signify that the people "dis
obeyed and made angry the Spirit of God" (as the Sep
tuagint renders it), to vex as with a small trouble, and
to provoke to holy anger with their disobedience. Is
it not true that many Christian people are without
thought doing this every day, and that the Spirit of
God is vexed and angry with them?
7. But there is something beyond this. There is
real "grief" caused to the Holy Ghost, and that by His

272 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
people. "Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, in Whom
ye were sealed unto the day of redemption" (Eph. iv.
30). So that even the "sealed ones," who are safe and
kept by Him, cause Him deep sorrow — such sorrow as
is indicated by the very word that is employed to sig
nify the Lord's own suffering in Gethsemane — He "be
gan to be sorrowful" (Xu-Keiadai) "and sore troubled.
Think of it — the sorrow of Gethsemane suffered by the
Holy Ghost, through the conduct of His own "sealed
onesl" How often may this have been true of some of
us! 8. The disobedience that provokes, and the conduct
that grieves the Holy Spirit, are not so bad as the hard
ening of the heart against Him; and of this He Him
self breaks silence to warn us, in a very solemn passage
(Hebrews iii. 7), "Wherefore, even as the Holy Ghost
saith, To-day if ye shall hear His voice, harden not
your hearts, as in the provocation, " and (iv. 7), "Saying
in David, after so long a time, To-day, as it hath been
before said, To-day if ye shall hear His voice, harden
not your hearts." Note the repetition, the emphasis,
the manifest anxiety, the solemnity of the warning.
The people of God, redeemed from Egypt, hearing the
voice of the Holy Spirit; yet refusing to listen, shutting
their ears, and hardening their hearts against Him.
And this is not a past thing, which does not recur. The
word, which above all is made to reverberate in the
verses quoted, is To-day, To-day, To-day; and who can
doubt the warning and the object of the strangely re
peated word? He that hath ears to hear, let him hear;
and let him hear To-day!

OFFENSES A GAINST THE HOL Y GHOST 273
6. " Tempting" the Holy Spirit is another of the
long list of offenses recorded, as being committed
against Him, and that from within the Church. It was
Sapphira's sin 1 Think of the Church, which had all
things common; on which "great grace" had come;
which was "of one heart and of one soul ;" the Church
which filled the Apostles with praise, and the city of
Jerusalem with wonder; think of it giving birth to an
action which "tempted" the Holy Ghost! "Tempted
Him" to what? Not merely to smite the pretender; not
merely to an act of judgment; but to desert the Church
as His dwelling-place, and resign His task. Yet this was
the woman's act (shall we say the wife's act?) who had
an opportunity of repentance given her; who was
challenged to say whether the whole price had been laid
at the Apostles' feet; whose soul, as it were, hung upon
a word; and who cast it awayl Have none since, have
none of the readers of this chapter followed in her foot
steps? — whose sin has been not the less that no miracle
of judgment followed on the sin. God keep us from
"tempting" the Holy Ghost to desert us and our com
pany! 10. The husband's offense is called "Lying to the
Holy Ghost," an attempt to deceive Him, or an at
tempt to make Him a party to deceiving others. What
is called "Consecration, " the giving up of everything for
Christ, had become popular; it had become the rule in
a certain portion of the Church; not to do so was to be
an exception, marked, noted, and peculiar, as showing
less of the power of Christ; and being less prepared for
glory. A man there was, in whom the love of "honor"

274 THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT
from hi3 brethren was so strong that he would pay a
large price for it, but in whom the love for money was
also strong, and trust in God was sadly imperfect. He
fell upon the plan of selling his property, handing over
a part of it to the common fund, and keeping the rest
to himself; but professing that he had given up every
thing, and was as good as any — a consecrated man. In
this pretense he had persuaded his wife to take
part. Did he think that the Holy Ghost did not know
the cheat? or did he not care whether He knew it or
not? It was the honor of men that he was seeking,
and he was "lying" to the Spirit of God. If ever the
time shall come again when what is called "Consecra
tion" is popular, or general, or the rule, in any part of
the Church, — then, let every Christian be watchful,
lest he fall into the snare of the devil.
11. One other, a last offense against the Holy Spirit
of God, is called — Quenching the Spirit. "Quench not
the Spirit" (1 Thess. v. 19). The word means to put out
fire, and is twice used in St. Matthew: "Smoking flax
shall He not quench" (xii. 20); "Our lamps are going
out" (xxv. 8). It also occurs in one passage of St. Mark
(ix. [44, 46] 48): "Where the fire is not quenched;"
and in one passage of Ehesians (vi. 16) : "able to quench
all the fiery darts" (darts that are ignited and burning)
"of the evil one." We have it also in Heb. xi. 34:
"quenched the power of fire." All these passages cast
light upon the offense of "quenching"— putting out the
fire of the Holy Ghost in the heart!
The offense seems a double one. We may help to put
out that fire in another's heart. tThe following context

OFFENSES A GAINST THE HOL Y GHOST 275
(1 Thess. v. 20), warning Christians not to "despise
prophesyings," points to what will happen if we make a
soul ashamed of the working of the Spirit within it. It
will keep silent. It will not exercise the gift. It will
not confess. And so we "quench the Spirit" in an
other. And we may do this in our own case! By disobedi
ence, by fear, by aversion to His will, by desire of some
evil thing, by persistent disregard or dislike, by saying
No, by continuing not to say Yes to the Spirit, by com
promise with the world, by preferring the honor of
men, and the place of dignity, or ease, or power, or
fame, we may — and we do — "quench the Spirit," and
put out the fire of God in the heart!
Then what remains? Ashes; the ashes of the fire
that was there, once!
And what more? "Saved, yet so as by fire:" and that
not the fire of the Spirit, but the fire of "the day" that
is coming to try and to burn up whatever may not bear
the flame.
God keep us, writer and readers. May He keep our
hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God,
and of Christ, and of the Holy Ghost! He can, if we
will!
"Now unto Him that is able to keep us from
falling, and to present us faultless before the
presence of his glory with exceeding joy; to the
only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty,
DOMINION AND POWER, BOTH NOW AND EVER. Amen!"

APPENDIX 1.
VIDIMUS OF SCRIPTURE TEACHING CONCERNING THE
HOLY GHOST.
I. His Names or Appellatives:
See Chapter III., where they are given in full,
with references.
II. His Relation to Holy Scripture :
1. Inspiration in general, as giving
(1) Wisdom, etc. — Genesis xii. 38; Exodus
xxviii. 3, xxxi. 3, xxxv. 31; Numbers,
xxvii. 18; Deuteronomy xxxiv. 9; Nehe
miah ix. 20; Proverbs i. 23; Isaiah lix.
21.
(2) Courage, etc. — Judges iii. 10, vi. 34, xi. 29,
xiii. 25, xiv. 6, 19, xv. 14.
2. Inspiration of the Word, including Messages
from God, and Teaching — Numbers xi.
17, 25, 26, 29, xxiv. 2; 1 Samuel x. 6, 10,
xi. 6, xvi. 13, 14, xix. 20, 23; 2 Samuel
xxiii. 1, 2;1 Chronicles xii. 18; 2 Chron
icles xv. 1, xx. 14, xxiv. 20; Ezekiel ii. 2,
iii. 24, xi. 5; Micah iii. 8; Zechariah vii.
12; Matthew x. 20, xxii. 43; Mark xii.
36, xiii. 11; Acts i. 16, viii. 29, x. 19,
xi. 17, 28, xiii. 2, xxi. 4, 11, xxviii. 25; 1
Corinthians xii. 3; 1 Timothy iv. 1; John
xvi. 13; 1 Corinthians ii. 13, ii. 4; Luke ii.
277

278 APPENDIX I.
26, xii. 12; 1 Corinthians ii. 10; Acts ii.
4; Galatians iii. 5; 1 Peter i. 12; 2 Peter
i. 21; Hebrews ix. 8; Revelation ii. 7, 11,
17, 29, iii. 6, 13, 22, xiv. 13, xxii. 17.
III. His Relation to Creation and Providence :
Genesis i. 2; Job xxvi. 13, xxxiii. 4; Psalm xxxiii.
6, civ. 30, cxxxix. 7.
IV. His Relation to Jesus Christ:
Christ's Coming as predicted — Isaiah xi. 2,
xlviii. 16, lxi. 1.
2. His Birth— Matthew i. 18, 20; Luke i. 35.
3. His Baptism— Matthew iii. 16; Mark i. 10;
Luke iii. 22; John i. 32, 33.
4. His Temptation — Matthew iv. 1; Marki. 12;
Luke iv. 1.
5. His Teaching, Miracles, Power, etc. — Matthew
xii. 18, 28; Luke iv. 14, 18; John iv. 34.
6. Christ Baptizing with the Spirit — Matthew iii.
11; Mark i. 8.
7. Full of the Spirit— Luke iv. 1, x. 21.
8. The Spirit glorifying Christ— John xvi. 14, 15.
V. In Relation to Pentecost:
1. Promised — Joel ii. ; Luke xxiv. 49; Acts i. 4-8.
2. Bestowed— John xx. 22; Acts ii. 4, 33, iv. 8, viii.
17, x. 44, 47, xi. 12, xiii. 52, xix. 6.
3. A Gift— Luke xi. 13; John iii, 34, vii 39; Acts
viii. 20 (also 18), x. 45, xv. 8; 1 Thessalonians
iv. 8; Uohn iv. 13, iii. 24; Ephesians i. 17.
4. Poured Out, Coming Down, Received— Matthew
xii. 18; Luke ii. 25; Acts viii. 16, x. 44, xi.

APPENDIX I. 279
15, xix. 2, 6; Joel ii. 28, 29; Acts ii. ; also
John xx. 22; Acts viii. 15, 17, 19, x. 47; Ga
latians iii. 2, 14.
5. Baptizing Men — Matthew iii. 11; Luke iii. 16.
6. Emblems— Matthew iii. 16; Mark i. 10; Luke
iii. 22; John i. 32, 33.
VI. Administering the Affairs of the Church:
1. With Reference to the World without: —
(1) Striving with Men — Gen. vi. 3; Neh. ix.
30.
(2) Striving against Foes — Isaiah lix. 19; Acts
vii. 51.
(3) Convicting — John xvi. 8-11.
(4) Converting — John iii. 5, 8; Galatians iv.
29.
(5) In the Mission Field — Acts iii. 2-10; John
xvi. 8-11.
2. As to Believers — John xvi. 13; 1 Corinthians xii.
7, 8, 9, 11; Acts xv. 28; 2 Corinthians iii. 8
18; Acts xx. 28.
(1) Strengthening — Ephesians iii. 16; Micah
iii. 8; Zech. iii. 6; Acts i. 8; 2 Timothy
i. 7.
(2) Resting or Falling Upon — Lukeii. 25; xi.
13.
(3) Searching — 1 Corinthians ii. 10.
(4) Transporting — 1 Kings xviii. 12; 2 Kings
ii. 16; Ezekiel iii. 12, 14, viii. 3, xi. 1, 24,
xxxvii. 1; Acts viii. 39; Revelation xvii.
3, xxi. 10.
(5) Sanctifying — Ezekiel xi. 19, xxxvi. 26,
xxxvii. 14; Zechariah xii. 10; Romans xiv
17, xv. 6.

280 APPENDIX I.
(6) Indwelling, or Dwelling With — John xiv.
17; Romans viii. 9, 11; 1 Corinthians iii.
16, vi. 18; John vii. 39; James iv. 5.
(7) Communing With — 2 Corinthians xiii. 14.
(8) Filling— Luke i. 15, 67, iv. 1 ; Acts ii. 4,
iv. 8, 31, vi. 3, 5, vii. 55, ix. 17, xi. 24,
xiii. 9, 52; Ephesian3 v. 18.
(9) Making Fruitful — John xv. 1-8; Galatians
v. 22, 23; 2 Peter i. 5-8; and the various
texts quoted in Chapter XV.
(10) Guiding — Lukeii. 27; Acts xvi. ; Matthew
iv. 1; Mark i. 12; Luke i v. 1, 14; Romans
viii. 14; Galatians v. 18;1 Kings xxii 24;
2 Chronicles xviii. 23; Psalm li. 11, 12,
cxxxix. 7, cxliii. 10; Isaiah Ixiii. 11, 14;
Haggai ii. 5; Malachi ii. 15.
(11) Commanding — Acts xvi. 6, 7, xx. 22.
(12) Showing Love — Romans v. 5; Acts ix.
31 ; Romans xv. 30.
(13) Anointing — Luke iv. 18; Acts x. 38; 1
John ii. 20.
(14) Making Temples of— 1 Cor. vi. 19, iii. 16.
VII. Offenses Against the Holy Ghost :
Matthew xii. 31, 32; Mark iii. 29; Luke xii. 10; 1
Corinthians ii. 14; Acts vii. 51; Ephesians iv.
30; Acts v. 3, 9; 1 Thessalonians v. 19.

APPENDIX 11.
ON THE USE OF THE GREEK ARTICLE BEFORE THE NAMES OF
THE SPIRIT OF GOD.
The general question of the use of the Greek Article
in the New Testament has been the subject of patient
and learned investigation by Middleton, Green, Butt-
man, Winer, etc. ;* and as it has a somewhat important
bearing on our subject, I append a short summary of
the results of the scholarly researches alluded to. I
make no pretension to be an expert on the question,
and shall give authorities for the various statements
made; but I trust to be pardoned for adding a few gen
eral remarks upon the analysis.
I. The object of the Article in every case is to
GIVE DEFINITENESS TO A NOUN WHICH WOULD OTHER
WISE BE VAGUE ; AND THE NEED FOR IT, THEREFORE,
DEPENDS UPON WHETHER, WITHOUT IT, THE NOUN
would be sufficiently defined. (Winer, ed. by
Moulton p. 131.)
* The following are the Treatises referred to : —
The Grammar of New Testament Dialect, by the Rev. T. S.
Green. (London: Bagster & Sons.)
The Doctrine of the Greek Article, by Kev. T. F. Middleton
(afterwards Bishop Middleton). (London: Cadell & Davies.)
The Grammar of New Testament Greek, by Dr. G. B. Winer;
translated and edited by the Bev. W. F. Moulton, D. D.
(Andover: Draper.)
A. Buttman's work I have also consulted, and also an
interesting but very different sort of work by J. N. Darby,
which is not wanting in ingenuity or scholarship. (London :
G. Morrish.) 281

282 APPENDIX II.
II. The use of the Article before nouns embraces:
1. The Contextual use (including Context of (1)
Place; (2) Mention; (3) Implication; (4) As
sociation).
2. The Intrinsic use (including (1) Abstracts and
Numbers; (2) Natural Objects and Phenom
ena; (3) Entire classes or species; (4) Famil
iar objects. ) (Green, pp. 133-167.)
III. It is Regulated by certain Verbs :
1. It is found after verbs of existence, when it sig
nifies identity of subject and predicate. (Green,
pp. 168-176). (Note that the identity is often
limited by a dependent noun after predicate.)
(Darby, p. 5.)
2. It is generally omitted after verbs of calling
and appointing. (Green, p. 176.)
IV. Its use is Lawful, but not Imperative:
1. When not needed for perspicuity (1) with Ab
stracts, (2) Superlatives, (3) Ordinals, (4) Ad
verbs, and words used as such (Green, pp. 177,
178).
2. In poetry (Green, p. 177).
3. With words of very frequent occurrence, e. g.,
8e6<;, xbpws (Green, pp. 179, 180).
4. With nouns coupled by conjunctions (Green, p.
181), or in close dependence on each other
(Green, p. 182).
5. To enhance an inherent meaning in a noun, e.
g., Heb. i. 1, iv uliS (Green, p. 182).
V. The Absence of the Article after a preposi-

APPENDIX II. 283
tion does not effect the definiteness of the
sense; and "affords no presumption that the
nouns are used indefinitely. "(Middleton, p. 133. )
VI. With respect to PROPER NAMES:
1. The poetical writers, Homer and Aristophanes
especially, omit the Article without scruple,
and very generally, the only exceptions being
(1) names already mentioned, (2) those of
special notoriety. (Middleton, pp. 95-120.)
2. The Article not being needed for precision, is
never used on first mention. (Green, p . 159,
with exceptions, pp. 160, 161.)
3. Is apparently irregular in use. (Green, p. 160. )
4. Is sometimes used with a name made specific by
description (p. 162).
VII. With respect to Appellatives:
1. Appellatives are often without the Article —
(1) When they express objects that are soli
tary, like 0£<5?. (Winer, p. 151.)
(2) When a noun in the genitive follows a
noun without Article and depends on it
(Winer, p. 155).
(3) When nouns follow each other, agreeing
in gender (Winer, p. 157).
(4) When a numeral follows, limiting it to an
individual (Winer, p. 156).
2. These Appellatives (or Divine Names) have no
fixed rule about taking the Article.
(1) "Kuptos, in the sense of the Almighty, takes
or rejects the Article indifferently; and
nearly the same is true of 0£<5?" (Middleton,

284 APPENDIX II.
p. 170). This is "a license which these
words derive from their partaking of the
nature both of appellatives and of proper
names" (Middleton, p. 292).
(2) As to 0£«?, which occurs more than 1300
times, (a) If governed by a noun having the Ar
ticle, it always takes it (Middleton,
p. 292);
(6) In many passages in which it refers to
God it does not take it (Middleton,
p. 293).
(3) Middleton has an elaborate note (p. 272)
to show that -fyioro?, "even during our
Saviour's lifetime, had become a proper
name, though its appellative use was by
much the more frequent. "
VIII. In respect to the Names (or Appellatives )of
the Holy Ghost:
1. The use of the non-contextual Article signifies
(1) The Divine Person ; (2) His gifts in general.
(Green, p. 229. )
2. The absence of the Article denotes a specific
gift or operation of the Holy Spirit, for
"though ayiov ITveupa became virtually a proper
name without the Article at an early period,
yet this is not the case in the New Testament."
(Green, p. 229. )
3. The passages referred to by Mr. Green as bear
ing out these rules are —
(1) The Divine Person (with Article)— Matt.
xii. 32; Acts v. 3; vii. 51.

APPENDIX II. 285
(2) His gifts in general (with Article)— John
iii. 34; Acts ii. 33; v. 32; x. 44, 45, 47;
viii. 18.
(3) A specific gift or operation (without Arti
cle)— Matthew i. 20; Luke ii. 25; iv. 1;
John vii. 39; xx. 22; Acts i. 2; iv. 8, 31;
vii. 55; viii. 15, 17; xi. 24.
(4) Passage where he admits that the absence
of the Article is "remarkable. " Acts x.
38.
Bishop Middleton, in an elaborate statement
about Matthew i. 18, lays down the following
rules : —
(1) After a preposition a noun does not take
the Article, yet it retains its definite mean
ing (pp. 133, 166).
(2) The word Ilvebpa has six senses in the New
Testament —
a. Breath, when it takes or rejects the
Article, according to circumstances.
b. The spiritual part of a man — subject to
same rule.
c. The class of spirits — also subject to this
rule.
d. The Holy Spirit, in Person, which "is
never without" the Article (p. 167).
e. The influence or operation of the Holy
Spirit, which is "always without it"
(p. 168), because "though He be but
One, His influences and operations
may be many."
/. A disposition, taking the Article accord
ing to circumstances.

286 APPENDIX II.
To these rules, however, he acknowl
edges two exceptions — (a) Acts vi. 32,
where the Article is present, though
by rule it should not be; and (b) Acts
vi. 10, where, "though the Article be
prefixed, Tlveupa must be taken for the
influence of the Spirit, or inspiration.
The Article is inserted in reference to
tu IXdXet, immediately subjoined" (Mid
dleton, p. 390).
5. Once more. Winer asserts that appellatives are
often without the Article when they express
objects which are solitary, like 0e«?, and he
specifies (p 151) Ilvebpa aywv as a case in point.
In this connection he refers to a remarkable
quotation in the Acts of Barnabas (p. 74),
where the baptismal formula is quoted with
out the Articles before the Names of the Three
Persons.
He also calls attention to the contrast in meaning
between the phrases —
rd abrb IJvevpa — the same Spirit. Roman ix. 21;
Philippians i. 30; Luke vi. 28; xxiii. 40; 2
Corinthians iv. 13.
abro zd Hveupa — He Himself the Spirit. Romans viii.
26; 1 Corinthians xv. 28; 2 Corinthians xi.
14; John xvi. 27.
Such is a patient and sufficiently laborious summary
of the three chief works on this part of our subject (for
I have failed to find in Buttman anything additional).
May I venture now to call attention to the strangely
vague, arbitrary, and not very consistent rules laid
down?

APPENDIX II. 287
1. Middleton and Green are at variance: the
former declaring (p. 168) that Ilveupa with the
Article never means the influences of the Spirit;
the latter (p. 229) that it often does so.
Mr. Green, again, declares (p. 229) that Ilveupa with
out the Article cannot mean the Person: Bishop Mid
dleton, on the other hand, that, after a preposition,
Ilveupa never takes the Article, and yet has the same
definite meaning as if it did (p. 133).
2. Bishop Middleton more than once rules (pp. 315,
454, 618) that when any act of the Holy Spirit
is spoken of, there is always a preposition be
fore Ilveupa. Yet as, according to another of
his rules, there is no presumption in such a
case against the definiteness of meaning, there
is no ground for denying that the reference is
to the Personal Spirit.
3. I should like to raise definitely the question
whether the Holy Ghost has neither proper
name, nor appellative equivalent, in the Scrip
tures. I have already stated, in the introduc
tory chapter of this book, my conviction that
His own peculiar name as Deity has not been
revealed; but is there nothing which stands
for a name, and is used as such? Mr. Green
admits that ay tov Ilveupa "became virtually a
proper name, without the Article, at an early
period" (p. 229). I venture to plead that
Ilveupa, with or without the Article, is fre
quently, almost generally, used as an appel
lative by the Apostles, and that it is therefore
covered by the rules as to the use or non-use
of the Article before appellatives, as already
given.

288 APPENDIX II.
4 Still further, and apart from such an applica
tion of the word, I plead that it may fairly
be classed with the three words, 0e6?, K6pios.
Ipiczos ; and that on a double ground — that they
each express an object which is solitary, and
so partake of the "general nature" of proper
names, or appellatives; and also that they are
all of such frequent occurrence in the New
Testament.
5. The parallelism with these words or names is
often startling, e. g.,
iv Tlveupan, Eph. i. 18; Rev. i. 10, iv. 2, etc.
iv Xpto-rw, 2 Cor. xii. 2.
Compare, e. g., the following: —
Bed's tjv 6 Xoyog, John i. 1.
Ilveupa 6 8eog, John iv. 24.
'0 Kuptos rb Ilveupa iariv, 2 Cor. iii. 17.
and Aupiou Ilveuparo?, 2 Cor. iii. 18.
6. But, again, I urge that the use of the Article
before nouns in the Septuagint, and especially
before the name or description of the Holy
Spirit, is so indifferent that no rules can be
applied to it, and that this must be allowed
to have had great weight with the writers of
the New Testament.
Here are some of the facts:
Out of the eighty-five cases in which the Spirit is
mentioned in the Old Testament, the Article is used
in twenty-three. In the Book of Psalms all the cases
have the Article; in the Book of Zechariah, none; in
Isaiah eight out of fourteen have it; in Ezekiel only
two out of fifteen. In such remarkable cases as Isaiah

APPENDIX II. 289
xi. 2; lxi. 1; Zech. xii. 10 it is absent. In a single
verse (Numb. xi. 25) there are two clauses. Here they
are — one with and one without the Article ; yet, by
the rules of the authorities, the use should have been
rather the other way: — "The Lord took of the Spirit
that Was Upon Him" (and rou nveuparoi en abrw); "And
when (the) Spirit rested upon them" («*? de inavenabaaro
nvebpa en abrob?). In Ezekiel iii. 12 — "Then (the) Spirit
lifted me up" — without the Article; verse 14, "So
the Spirit lifted me up" — with the Article; verse 24,
"Then the Spirit entered into me" — with the Article;
chap. ii. 2, "And (the) Spirit entered into me" — with
out the Article. Many similar cases might be given,
but these are enough.
7. But in the New Testament — is it not otherwise?
To this, so far as the limited space at my dis
posal will admit, let me attempt a reply.
(1) Let us see, in the first place, whether the
use of the Article before the names of the
Holy Spirit does not largely depend on the
Authorship of the book.
In the four Gospels — St. Matthew has
five passages without the Article, which
are all prepositional clauses, and six in
which it is used; St. Mark has only one
passage, and that is a prepositional clause;
St. John has nine passages without it,
seven of them prepositional, and thirty-
two where it is used.
So that in these three Gospels the Arti
cle is not used before Pneuma, etc., in fif
teen passages; but of these thirteen are
prepositional; and it is found in forty-
three passages.

290 APPENDIX II.
On the other hand, St. Luke has ten
passages without the Article, of which one
is prepositional ; he has only seven where it
is found, and of these seven four are prepo
sitional. And the Acts of the Apostles has
nineteen passages without the Article (of
which two are prepositional ), and thirty-
five where it is found.
Do not these facts suggest an obvious
inference?
(2) Let us note again the relation in which
the name Ilveupa Kywv stands both towards
the authorship of the books and to the use
of the Article. This full appellative is
found, in all, ninety-one times (E.E. ),
out of two hundred and sixty-one, in the
New Testament.
(a) Of these fifty-five passages are in St.
Luke and the Acts, of which twenty-
nine have the Article and twenty -six
have not.
In St. Luke thirteen, four with and
nine without.
In Acts forty-two, twenty-five with
and seventeen without.
(b) In St. Paul's Epistles there are twenty-
one passages, of which eight have the
Article and thirteen have not.
(c) In St. John's writings (Gospels, Epis
tles, and Revelation) the Name only
occurs in three passages, once with
and twice without the Article.
(d) In St. Matthew and St. Mark nine

APPENDIX II. 291
passages, five with and four without.
(e) In St. Peter and St. Jude three pas
sages, all without the Article.
Does not this analysis again throw light upon the
influence of authorship on the question? And does it
not largely destroy the whole theory of distinctive
meaning as to the use of the Article with this special
phrase of Ilveupa ayiov'l
(3) Can we, again, say that the use of the Arti
cle before the Name of the Spirit depends
largely on whether it is the subject or the
predicate of the sentence? I suspect that
this distinction lies largely at the root of
many of the rules which have been formu
lated. It certainly has much to do with
Mr. Darby's leading rule, with which in a
slightly different form I shall deal by and
by. But the reader shall judge whether,
in the face of the following passages (to
quote no others), it is possible to maintain
that such a distinction between subject
and predicate can be allowed any weight.
(a) Here is the name as a predicate, after
the same verb receive: —

With the Article.
Acts x. 47, "Which have
received the Holy Ghost. "
ICor.ii. 12, "We received,
. . . the Spirit which
is of God."

Without the Article.
Acts viii. 15, "Prayed, . .
that they might receive
(the) Holy Ghost."
Acts viii. 17, "They re-
ceived(the) Holy Ghost. "
Acts viii. 19, "He may re
ceive (the) Holy Ghost. "
Acts xix. 2, "Did ye receive
(the) Holy Ghost?"

292

APPENDIX II.

(b) Here is the Name with the same verb
give, first as subject and then as pred
icate, from the same book: —

With the Article.
Acts viii. 18, "Through tbe
laying on of the Apostles'
hands the Holy Ghost
was given."

Also with the Article.
Acts xv. 8, "Giving them
the Holy Ghost."
[Here there should be no Ar
ticle, according to Mr. Darby,
after Sidmpi, p. 15.]

(c) Here are two passages in which the
Name is a predicate: —

With the Article.
Mark xii. 36, "David him
self said in the Holy
Spirit.

Without the Article.
Matt. xxii. 43, "How then
doth David in(the) Spirit
call Him Lord?"

(d) Here are two passages in which the
Name is a subject: —

With the Article.
1 Cor. ii. 10, "The Spirit
searcheth."

Without the Article.
1 Cor. ii 13, (The) Spirit
teacheth."

(4) Is it possible to defend the distinction that
when the Spirit of God is the object which
the writer has in view, the word Ilveupa al
ways takes the Article, and not otherwise?
I offer one verse in reply: — John vii.
39, "This spake He of the Spirit, which
they that believed on Him were to receive :
for (the) Spirit was not yet given, because
Jesus was not yet glorified." Here be it
noted that the Article is used in the first

APPENDIX II.

293

part of the verse, and not in the second;
and this although the former is in a prepo
sitional clause. In explaining the absence
of the Article, Mr. Darby says — "There
was no Holy Ghost yet (not therefore an
object — its presence being denied)," p. 72,
But surely it may be replied that, though
"the Spirit was not yet given," He is
spoken of as an object in the first part of
the verse, and He is still the special object
of thought in the second part.
(5) Can we discover that the distinction be
tween the Holy Spirit viewed objectively,
without us, and in His indwelling, makes
a difference in the use of the Article be
fore Ilveupal
The following passages seem to negative
such an idea : —

With the Article.
(The Holy Spirit within. )
Matt. x. 20, "The Spirit
of your Father that
speaketh in you."
Mark xiii. 11, "It is not
ye that speak, but the
Holy Ghost."
Acts ii. 4, "As the Spirit
gave them utterance."
1 Cor. iii. 16, "The Spirit
of God dwelleth in you. "
Matt. iv. 1, "Jesus led up
of the Spirit."
Luke iv. 1, "Was led by
the Spirit."

Without the Article.
(The Holy Spirit within. )
1 Cor. xii. 3, "No man
speaking in (the) Spirit
of God."
Gal. v. 18, "Led by (the)
Spirit."
Gal. v. 25, "Live by (the)
Spirit. "
Gal. v. 25, "By (the)
Spirit, . . . walk.

294 APPENDIX II.
(6) Once more, can we find in the use of the
Article an indication of the distinction
between the Person of the Holy Ghost and
His influences on the soul?
Again we must answer, No. The use is
so irregular, and so much at the discre
tion of the writer, that no such intention
can be traced.
(a) To begin with, there are two passages
in which Tischendorf retains the
article (and in one of which the R.V.
text follows him), and which at once
negative such a view for those who
admit the readings. In Acts iv. 31,
the R.V. text, on excellent authority,
reads — "They were all filled with the
Holy Ghost;" and I do not know what
can be said to justify the exclusion of
the Article. So in Luke i. 41, Tis
chendorf inserts the Article.
(b) But apart from such verbal questions,
let us look at a few passages.
Should we say that the New Birth
of the soul by the Holy Ghost is
wrought by Him in Person or by His
influence? If the latter, we have John
iii. 6 — "Born of the Spirit;" and
verse 8 — "Born of the Spirit." But
if, forced by these, we acknowledge
that the Spirit as a Person is spoken
of, still we have verse 5 — "Born of .
. . (the) Spirit." Does not that
pretty well overturn the whole theory,
standing alone?

APPENDIX II. 295
When a man is described as doing
certain things through the power of
the Spirit of God, are we to under
stand that it is the influences — not
the Person — that are referred to? But
then we have (Luke ii. 27) the words
used of Simon — "He came in the
Spirit into the Temple;" and of Paul
(Acts xx. 22) — "I go bound in the
Spirit unto Jerusalem;" and of Paul's
friends (Acts xxi. 4) — "These said to
Paul through the Spirit; " and of Paul
and Barnabas (Acts xiii. 4) — "So they,
being sent forth by the Holy Ghost."
Such passages might be multiplied,
but I must not prolong this note un
necessarily, and further evidence
would only be in the same line.
On the whole, therefore, I venture to submit,
in face of the authorities before alluded to, that
there is no such distinctive use of the Article
in the New Testament in connection with the
mention of the Holy Ghost as to warrant us
in finding a theological or spiritual reason for
its presence or absence; and that all such
pressure of classical rules into Septuagint and
New Testament Greek, as has been attempted,
is misleading and unfounded. And in the ap
plication of this conviction to the word Ilveupa,
or Ilveupa aywv, I claim the support of Dean
Alford in regard to one aspect of the question
at least. In his notes on Matt. i. 18, with
reference to the New Testament use of Ilveupa,

296 APPENDIX II.
he says: — "When a word or an expression
came to have a technical conventional meaning,
it was also common to use it without the Article,
as if it were a proper name. "

APPENDIX 111.
The following are extracts from a French work on
"The Holy Ghost," by M. E. Guers,* which has been
kindly brought under my notice by a friend, but too
late to be used otherwise than in this appendix and in
the translation furnished to me by him. They will be
read with much interest, and I can only wish that I
had been able to insert more.
"Spirit of Light, He keeps us from sin and leads us
in the way of truth, teaching us to know better and
better Him in whom are hid all the treasures of wis
dom and knowledge (Col. ii. 3). Spirit of Sanctifica
tion, He works unceasingly to transform us more
completely into the image of Christ. Spirit of Hope,
of Grace, and of Supplication, He sustains us in a pres
ent full of misery by the radiant perspective of a future
full of glory and happiness ; tbe Inspirer and the Divine
Vehicle of prayer, He sighs in the Bible, He sighs in
our hearts and in the hearts of our brethren; the prayers
which He causes them to make for us make equally a
part of His intercession. To console, to succor, such
is His favorite work, which He always accomplishes
unless we oblige Him by our infidelity to do His 'strange
work' (Isaiah xxviii. 21) and to fight against us. If we
wish Him to act freely as the Spirit of Adoption and
Consolation, we must let Him act freely also as the
* Le Saint Esprit, par E. Guers. Toulouse: Societe des IAvres
Religieux, 2865.
297

298 APPENDIX III.
Spirit of Sanctification. We read in Acts ix. 31 that
the Churches walked in the fear of the Lord, and were
multiplied in the comfort of the Holy Ghost; andtheri
is a lesson to be found in this which we must consider
seriously. Finally, let us remember that 'generally, if
not always, the Holy Ghost is our only Comforter in
the absence of earthly comforters.' "

The Wore of the Holy Ghost Consummated by
the Resurrection.
"The resurrection of the Church is a necessary con
sequence of that of Christ. If the Head is raised from
the dead, the Church, which is His body, cannot re
main in the sepulcher; she will emerge from it in her
glory at the voice of her Redeemer, who has become the
first-fruits of them that sleep.
"We learn this in 1 Cor. xv. This beautiful chapter,
which is applied, as a rule, to all men without distinc
tion, to the unconverted as to the regenerate, says noth
ing of the resurrection of the former, because that will
take place in another fashion; it will be simply a man
ifestation of the sovereign power of God acting towards
them as their Creator and their Judge, and not as the
second Adam, the Prince of Life. And not only will
it take place after another fashion, but at another time
— being separated from the first by the whole length of
the theocratic reign of the Messiah (Rev. xx. ). The
cause of this wonderful transformation will be the ex
piatory sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost
will be the instrument of it (Rom. viii. 11; 1 Cor. xv.
45); and if in the Scriptures the resurrection of the

APPENDIX III. 299
Church is attributed to the Father and the Son, as well
as to the Spirit, it is because the Three Persons of the
Holy Trinity are as one in the works they accomplish.
In uniting us to the last Adam the Holy Ghost gives
life, not only to our souls, but to our bodies. He re
vives all that the first Adam had made subject to death ;
He renews, He re-engenders all that was corrupt; there
is a regeneration of the body as well as of the soul (Titus
iii. 5). The Holy Ghost will make perfect, in the day
of the Lord, the splendid work of atonement He has
already begun. The body indeed, says St. Paul, 'is
dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of
righteousness' — the righteousness of Christ, which is
imputed to all who believe; henceforth he (the believer)
lives in God; the body itself will not perish completely,
the Holy Ghost will quicken it also. He 'shall also
quicken your mortal bodies, ' says the Apostle (Rom.
viii. 11); He will then quicken us entirely. The all-
powerful Spirit of Jehovah will raise from the tomb,
and make worthy of Himself, the tabernacle of clay,
which He had honored by dwelling therein in this life.
This will be the new body, like to that of Jesus, prom
ised in the Bible to those who believe; the spiritual
body, that is to say, the body which has the Spirit (1
Cor. xv. 44). Then the Divine work, which was begun
by the redemption of the soul, will be completed by
that of the body (Philip, i. 6); and as we bear the image
of the earthly Adam, so we shall bear the image of the
celestial Adam, in all our being, according to the Divine
decree (Rom. viii. 28; 1 Cor. xv. 49).
"The Holy Ghost dwelling in those who truly belong
to Christ is for them the pledge of this happy trans
formation, as He will be the Agent of it on the last day

300 APPENDIX III.
(Ephes. i. 13, 14; iv. 30). Christ is in them by His
Spirit, the hope of glory (Col. i. 27). Thus the Holy
Ghost is, and will remain to the end, the means by
which Divine life is communicated. This Spirit is
called the Spirit of Glory and the Spirit of God (1
Peter iv. 14). He is in Himself and in His essence
Divine, and He is this also in relation to the work
which He accomplishes in us. He rests on the sons of
God, the inheritors of that glory for which He has
sealed them. He is the pledge, in view of which He
guards and protects them; He prepares them for this
glory by retracing in their hearts the image of God, and
by transforming them day by day to a resemblance of
that image (John xvii. 22; 2 Cor. iii. 18; 2 Thess. ii.
14). He is still more for them the Spirit of Glory and
the Spirit of God in that He must consummate the
Divine work by changing their bodies also into the
resemblance of Christ's body, in order to introduce
them all together into the possession of the heritage of
which they have only a foretaste. He directs their
thoughts towards the patient waiting for Christ and
the love of God the Father (2 Thess. iii. 5). This Spirit,
who animates the Bride, teaches her to say, 'Cornel'
(Rev. xxii. 17). He makes us sigh for adoption, the
redemption of the body, and the revelation of the glory
of the Son of God, which will only be plainly manifested
when the Sons of God His brethren, shall be them
selves revealed (Rom. viii. 23; 2 Cor. v.; 1 John iii.
2). The world may despise and reject them; but the
Holy Ghost will honor them by His habitation. The
world may blaspheme against Him in their persons,
but they will glorify Him in their lives and in their
hearts."

APPENDIX III. 301
"The work which the Holy Ghost accomplishes in
us, with a love never to be repelled, with a patience
which nothing can alter, . . . embraces . . .
the whole development of Divine life in fallen man
from its Alpha to its Omega. This work, which raises
us far above Adam before the Fall, since it raises us to
Christ risen, . . . depends wholly on the all-pow
erful action of the Spirit of God. The Holy Ghost is
the 'soul of our souls, ' . . . without Him there is
no union with Christ, and, consequently, no salvation;
no act of spiritual life can take place in us without the
help of the Spirit. It is by Him that we live (Gal. v.
25). Without the Spirit we can easily be orthodox,
and even of irreproachable life, but we shall not be
quickened Christians; we may easily have the appear
ance of piety, but we shall not have what gives it its
power. Our Christianity, whatever it may do for us,
will always be like the body which appeared to the
prophet in his visions; there will always be something
wanting; everything will be wanting so long as the
Spirit of Life is not there (Ezek. xxxvii. 8). However
well executed a statue may be, it is not a man. It is
the Holy Ghost, it is His presence and His constant
influence in a soul which He has regenerated, which
traces the deep line of demarcation between true relig
ion and formalism."

The Spirit and the Word.
"The means of the Holy Ghost to accomplish His
work in us is the Word of God. The Church, looked
at from one point of view, is a school. In this school,
as in all others, there are two things, — the lesson-book

302 APPENDIX III.
(the Bible), and the Teacher (the Holy Ghost, who
makes us understand and learn the lessons). Or, to
make use of another comparison, the Holy Ghost is
the Heavenly Workman, who wishes to perform a good
work in us — that of our salvation, and the Bible is the
instrument He has prepared to that end; the ministers
whom He has established in the Church are the mon
itors charged with explaining the lessons (Ephes. iv. ;
1 Cor. xii. ). He wishes us to listen to them inasmuch
as they are themselves faithful learners of the Word
He has given us. The Holy Ghost, whether He wishes
to explain, console, or sanctify, does nothing without
the Word; by it we have been born again (1 Peter ii. 2,
3); by it we are nourished (1 Peter ii. 2; compare John
xvii. 17). The Word is called 'the Sword of the Spirit'
(Ephes. vi 17)."

The Spirit Without the Word.
"To take the one without the other is to take the
Teacher without the Book, or the Workman without
His Tool. Unhappily, only too many do this, with evil
consequences — some doctrinal and others simply prac
tical."

"I would here commend to my readers meditation
on the Messianic Psalms. Elsewhere the sacred authors
speak to us of Jesus — of His vicarious sufferings and
His bitter agony; but here it is Himself whom we
hear. It is He who complains, who sighs and groans
beneath the hand of the 'prince of the power of the air'

APPENDIX III. 303
and of his instruments, in His complete abandonment
by His friends and relations; it is He who trembles be
neath the weight of God's anger; it is He, He Himself,
who initiates us into all His fears, all His alarms, all
His terrors, and all His moral and physical tortures.
In the New Testament we only see glimpses of the ter
rible combats of His soul; in the Psalms we see all His
anguish; we see clearly all His troubles, apprehensions,
and torments. In the New Testament we have the outer
life of Jesus; in the Psalms we see rather His inner life
during the days of His humiliation. The Holy Spirit
has willed that this portion of the Bible should be thus
consecrated to showing us all that He has suffered for
us, that we may know at what price He has redeemed
us, and all that we owe Him in return for what He has
shown us. Let us linger over each detail of the Sa
viour's Passion ; over the slightest sufferings He has
endured for us ; let us think of them daily; then be
neath the vivifying action of the Holy Spirit, who shows
us Jesus as if He had been crucified before us (Gal. iii.
1), we shall find ourselves saying once and again, our
eyes bathed in tears, 'Dear Saviour! this, then, is how
Thou hast suffered to save a miserable wretch from
eternal perdition ; this is how Thou hast loved 1 Thou
has given Thyself wholly for me, and I in my turn will
give myself unreservedly to Thee!'"
The Word Without the Spirit.
"The Bible rests solely on two doctrines— the pro
found and unfathomable sinfulness of man, and his re
demption by the blood of Jesus Christ (Ephes. i. 7),
Man, it says, is dead in bis sins; of his nature he is a

304 APPENDIX III.
child of wrath; and while he does 'works' before his
regeneration (Ephes. ii. 9), he can only do really 'good
works' — 'good' according to God — after he has been born
again in Jesus Christ. He can only be saved by the
sacrifice of the God-Man, who has voluntarily charged
Himself with our sins, and who has bought us with a
price. This is the abstract of the Bible, its first and its
last word, the promise of Eden and the song of the
Apocalypse. Redemption by the blood of Christ is the
chief point of revelation, as the altar of sacrifice, which
was the symbol of it, was the center of all theLevitical
worship. "One word summarizes in a manner the Bible, and
gives it its wonderful unity. It is lthe Lamb' — 'The
Lamb of God. ' What we see in its inspired pages is,
first the Lamb pre-ordained before the creation of the
world — then the Lamb promised and announced, now
under the form of prophecy, now as in a tpye,a symbolic
prophecy — then the Lamb sacrificing Himself for us in
the fullness of time — then preached throughout the
world for the salvation of sinners — finally the Lamb
seated on His throne, and adored by His redeemed and
by angels. The Lamb pre-ordained, prophesied, sacri
ficed, proclaimed throughout the universe as the only
source of salvation, glorified in heaven. The Lamb,
always the Lamb — here is the whole of revealed relig
ion. His blood always for the expiation of sin. — This
is what fills the Book from Genesis to the Revelation,
and this also is what is needful for our souls when God
has aroused them.
"'The Bible,' says Calvin, 'is not so much written
with ink as with the blood of the Son of God. ' Take
away the blood, and there is no more pardon, no more

APPENDIX III. 305
rest for the conscience, no more consolation for the
sinner; Redemption is only a word; the Bible no longer
haB any meaning. But this is what the school of phil
osophical Christians will not admit. Its most ad
vanced teachers deny the entire corruption of man and
his state of condemnation. For them Redemption
consists only in a freeing from the tendency to sin by
a proclamation of the pardon and love of God, by pro
ducing a moral reform in which the Holy Ghost plays
no part. This Spirit, though He occupies so large a place
in the Bible, has none in their system. As to the pun
ishment of sin, there is no question of it. Thus the
Divine Law loses its sanction; there is no more justice,
reparation, satisfaction; no more sacrifice or Sacrificer;
no more expiation, no cross; no more appropriation of
the righteousness of Christ by faith; the essential
elements of redemption, according to the Bible, have
disappeared down to the very last (Rom. iii. , Gal. iii.,
Ephes. i., Col. i., etc.)."

"It is, in fact, impossible to possess Christ — the true
Christ — God made manifest in the flesh, whilst you
reject His Word. 'What!' cries Professor Merle; 'they
would have Christ without the Scriptures! They would
keep the Living Water, while breaking the vase con
taining it. We might perhaps understand such a mis
take in the first moment of a new enthusiasm, twelve
years ago, for example; but we cannot understand it
now after so many sad experiences. Ah I those who
deny the Divine inspiration of the Scripture have lost
from year to year and from month to month all that
is to be found there, like a peasant who, having made

306 APPENDIX III.
a hole in his sack of corn in lifting it on to his shoul
ders, has sown his precious grain all along the road,
and finds at the end only an empty sack.'"

"The Spirit and the Word, the Word and the Spirit,
are two things indissolubly united by God. A theology
which separates them is not worthy of the name. 'The
Spirit without the Word' is, with some, personal inspi
ration with all its illusions, or mysticism in its bad
sense, if not fanaticism with all its errors.
"On the other hand, 'the Word without the Spirit'
is for some orthodox intellectualism with its desolat
ing dryness, or, what is still worse, rationalism and its
errors; for others it is a prolongation of their childish
comprehension of the Word, the want of peace and
confidence in the promise of God, of assurance and re
joicing over our reconciliatian with Him through faith
in Jesus Christ, and it also is a delay in sanctification.
Let us avoid these two extremes with equal care; while
we hold the Book let us lift our hearts to Him who
makes us able to read it with profit; in the union of
the Word and the Spirit, and there alone, is there en
tire safety for our souls. There shall we find the bal
ance of the questions, whether of doctrine or religious
practice. To direct our steps in the desert of this world
the Lord has given us both Moses (the Word) and the
Cloud (the Spirit); let us follow both, and we shall
run no risk of going astray."

INDEX OF SUBJECTS.

Administration of the
Church by the Spirit, 135.
144, 42, 102.
Advent, The Second, 103.
Anointing, The.of Christ,213.
Anointing, The, by the Holy
Ghost, 213.
Anointing, What it does for
the Christian, 217-220.
Article, The Greek, before
Names of the Spirit, Ap
pendix II.
Authority of Scripture, 59.
Balance of Teaching, 45.
Baptism by Effusion, 40.
Baptism of Christ, 70.
Baptism of Fire, 126.
Baptism of Holy Ghost, 106,
116-122, 130.
Baxter, Mrs., quoted, 107.
Bible claims to be from God,
54.
Birth of Christ, 70.
Blasphemy against the Holy
Ghost, 266.
Boardman, W. E., D. D.,
quoted, 107.
Boys, Rev. E., quoted, 105,
111.
Breath, Holy Spirit com
pared to, 38.
Burial, Jewish, 120.
Buried, through Baptism,
120.
Carrying away by the Spirit
(Ezekiel, Philip, St. John),
42.
Christ, our Sanctification,
158.

Christ's indwelling and that
of the Spirit, 74, 75.
Christ's offering of Himself
through the Spirit, 73.
Christ's teaching as to the
Spirit, 76-85.
"Clothing," The Spirit's
work described as, 39.
Comforter, 180.
Command to be filled with
the Spirit, 235.
Comments on Scriptura
teaching as a whole (Chap
ter IV.), 54-63.
Commission to all disciples,
93.
Communion, Personal, with
Holy Spirit, 184.
Communion of Holy Ghost,
185-193.
Conscience and the Spirit's
voice, 210.
Consistency of inspiration
with experience, 58.
Conviction of sin by the
Holy Ghost, 258.
Covenants, Old and New, 95.
Creation and Providence,
Holy Spirit in, 67.
Death and Resurrection of
Christ, 73.
Deity of Holy Spirit, 65, 67,
82.
Despising the Holv Spirit,
269.
Dispensation of the Holy
Ghost, 106.
Distinction between inspira
tion of writers and of rec
ord, 57.

307

308

INDEX OF SUBJECTS

Distribution of passages on
the Spirit, 36.
"Driving" of Christ by the
Holy Spirit, 194.
Effect of Pentecost on the
Apostles and the Church,
98, 109, 119.
Emblems of the Holy Ghost,
190.
"Filled with" and "full of"
the Spirit, Distinction be
tween, 230.
Fruit of the Spirit, 164-174.
Fullness of the Spirit, 106,
109, 114, 119, 162, 233.
Glorifying Christ, The Spirit,
147.
Grieving the Spirit, 41, 208,
271.
Grouping of passages, 45.
Growth in Sanctification,
155,
Guers, M., extracts from
work on the Spirit, Appen
dix III.
Hardening the heart against
the Holy Spirit, 272.
Hare, Archdeacon, quoted,
134, 258.
Healing, Gift of, 133.
Hopkins, Rev. Evan H.,
quoted, 107.
Hymnology, on the Holy
Spirit, 12.
Ignoring the Holy Spirit,
268.
Imagery used with regard to
the Spirit, 38.
Inspiration by the Holv
Ghost, 41, 54, 57, 77.
Introductory Chapter on
the State of the Question,
9-15.
Knowledge of the Spirit pre
supposed in the Gospels,
47.

Languages, Gift of, 133.
Leading of the Holy Spirit,
194 ; in the case of Paul,
196-200; of Peter, 200.
Light, Inward, 203.
Love, Divine, 177.
Lying to the Holy Spirit,
273.
Mahan, Dr. Asa, quoted, 108.
Maxwell, Lady, Memoir of,
quoted, 183, 187.
Message to the World and
Church, 83.
Methods of Mission Work,
261.
Milligan 's (Dr.) View, 74.
Miracles of Christ, 72.
Mission Field, The Holy
Spirit in the, 252-265.
Moule, Rev. H. C. G.,
quoted, 108, 119.
Movements, Three great re
ligious, 13.
Moving of the Holy Spirit
in Christians, 194.
Murray, Rev. Andrew,
quoted, 107.
Names of the Holy Spirit, 48.
Neglect of the subject by the
Church, 11.
Offenses against the Holy
Spirit, 79.
Old Testament holiness com
pared with New, 91.
Owen, Dr., quoted, 187.
Partnership of Holy Spirit,
185.
Passages in Old Testament
books, Questions referring
to, 36.
Passages in Old Testament
on the Spirit, 17-24.
Passages in New Testament
on the Spirit, 25-35.
Patience of Holy Spirit, 182.
Pentecost as a Jewish Feast,
86.

INDEX OF SUBJECTS

309

Person, Holy Spirit speaking
in the first, 50.
Personality of Holy Spirit,
50, 64, 183, 187.
"Pouring out," Similitude
of, 40.
Power of the Spirit, 42.
Power promised by Christ,
222.
Prayer to the Holy Ghost, 65.
Prayer for the Holy Ghost,
80, 113.
Preparation needed for gift
of power, 223.
Proceeding from the Father
and the Son, 66-68.
Progress, 161.
Quenching the Spirit, 274.
Quickening power of the
Spirit, 78.
"Receive," Meaning of, in
John xx. 22, 81.
Receiving of the Holy Spirit,
81, 122.
Relation of Holy Spirit to our
Lord when on earth, 68-75.
Resisting the Holy Spirit, 269.
Results of being filled with
the Spirit, 237-241.
Revelation of God in Redemp
tion, 152.
Ruling the Church by the
Holy Ghost, 138.
Rushing wind at Pentecost,
39.
Sacrifices by the Spirit for
us, 181.
Sanctification by the Spirit,
42, 94, 143, 154, 163.
Sealing of the Spirit, 112.
Sensitiveness of the Spirit,181
Separation of Christian, 215.
Signs and Wonders, 132.
Silence, Time of, in Christ's
life, 227.
Smeaton, Prof., quoted, 215.
Spirit, The, and the Word,
54-63, 137, 211, 254.

Spiritual discernment, 61.
Striving of the Spirit with
men, 41, 66, 78, 141.
Success in work, 261.
Sword, The, of theSpirit,254.
Teacher, The Holy Ghost as,
142.
Teaching of Christ concern
ing the Spirit, 71, 76-85.
Temple, Meaning and pur
pose of a, 242.
Temples, Our bodies as, 245-
251.
Temptation of Christ, 71.
Temptingthe Holy Spirit,273
Tongues atPentecost,88, 128.
Trinity, Doctrine of Holy,
94,176.
Union of Christ and His peo
ple, 164, 188.
Unity of the Bible, 57.
Use of Greek Article, 53, App.
II.
Vexing the Holy Spirit, 271.
Vidimus of Scripture teach
ing, Appendix I.
Voice, inward, 203.
Wesley, John, quoted, 183.
Will, The, of the Holy Spirit,
137.
Witness, The Holy Ghost a,
to Jesus Christ, 68, 85, 146.
Witnessing for Christ, 228.
Word, the Spirit in the, 54-
63.
Work, Call to Christians to,
260.
Working, No, for Sanctifica
tion, 157.
Works of the Flesh distin
guished from Fruit of the
Spirit, 166.
Writings, Previous, on the
subject, 9.

INDEX OF PASSAGES OF SCRIPTURE
EXPLAINED OR REFERRED TO.

PAGE

PAGE

Genesis i. 2 - -

18,66

2 Chronicles xv. 1

- 20,41

" vi. 3 18, 41,

67,270

" xviii.

23 - 20

" vii. 22

17

xx. 14 - 20. 41

xii. 38

18

" xxiv.

20 - 20

Exodus xvii. 6
" xx. 5
" xxviii. 3

191182
18,41

Nehemiah ix. 20
" ix. 30

- 21, 179
21,41

" xxxi. 3

18,41

Job xxvi. 13

- 21, 66

xxxv. 31

18

" xxxiii. 4

21, 38, 66

Leviticus xviii. 5

96

" xiii. 6

181

xxiv. 10-23

266

Psalm xxxiii. 6

21,38

Numbers xi. 17

18,41

" xiv. 6, 7

213

xi. 25

18,41

" li. 11, 12 -

21

" xi. 26 -

18,41

" lxviii. 18

148

" xi. 29

18,41

" lxxiii. 22

181

" xxiv. 2-

19

" Ixxviii. 40

271

" xxvii. 18

19

" lxxxiii. 3

249

Deuteronomy xii. 11 -
" xxxiv. 9

243
19, 231

" xcv. 7-11
" civ. 30
" cv. 15

52,5521,66 214

Judges iii. 10

19

" ex. 1

147

vi. 34

19,39

" cxxxix. 7 -

21

" xi. 29

19

" cxliii. 10

21, 179

xiii. 25

19

xiv. 6
19
Proverbs i. 23
21
xiv. 19
" xv. 14
1919
Isaiah vi. 5
181
" vi. 7
192
i Samuel ii. 10
214
" xi. 2
21,49
x. 6
19, 43
" xxx. 1
21
x. 9
43
" xxxii. 15
21
x. 10 -
19
" xxxiv. 16 -
21
" xi 6
19
" xl. 7
22,38
xvi. 13
19
" xl. 10
147
" xvi. 14
19
" xl. 13
22
" xix. 20
20
" xiii. 1
22
xix. 23
20
xiii. 5
17
" xxiv. 6
214
" xliv. 3
22
2 Samuel xxiii. 1, 2
20,41
" xlviii. 16
22
i Kings xviii. 12
" xxii. 24
2020
" xlix. 15
" lix. 19
183
22,38
2 Kings ii. 16
20
" lix. 21
" lxi. 1
22
22, 213
i Chronicles xii. 18
20,39
" lxi. 2
213
" xxviii. 12
20
" lxiii. 10
22, 41, 271
INDEX OF PASSAGES

311

PAGE

PAGE
Isaiah lxiii. 11
22
St.Matthew iv.
1 25, 71, 194
tt
lxiii. 14
22
t
vi.
27 - 157
a
lxvi. 13
183
t
x. 20 25, 48, 139
t
xii.
18 - 25
Jeremiah xxxi. 33
87, 171
t
xii.
20 - 274
Lamentations iv.
20
214
i
xii.xii.
28 25, 72, 267
31 25, 67, 79
Ezekiel ii. 2 -
22
c
xii.
32 25, 67
k
iii. 12
22,39
'
xiii
38 256
a
iii. 14
22
'
xvii. 19 :,
a
iii. 24
22
I
xix
. 26 - 152
a
viii. 3
22
t
xxii. 43 26, 55, 77
((
xi. 1
22
'
xxi
.44 77
tt
xi. 5
22
[
xxiv. 14 - 229
a
xi. 19
- 22, 42
'
xxv
. 8 274
a
xi. 24
22
'
xxvi. 28 ¦ 43
a
xxxiv. 26
191
(
xxvi. 65, 66 267
a
xxxvi. 25
-41, 191
'
xxviii. 19 49, 82
a
xxxvi. 24-32
42
" xxviii. 20 26
a
xxxvi. 26
- 23, 191
St. Mark i. 8
- 26, 74
"
xxxvi. 27
- 23, 191
i. 10
26, 70, 126
t .
xxxvii. 1
23
i. 11
70
*k
xxxvii. 9
38
i. 12
26, 71, 195
a
xxxvii. 13
42
" i. 24
217
kt
xxxvii. 14
23, 38, 42
iii. 21
267
a
xxxix. 29
23
iii. 22
267
i .
xliii. 5
23
iii. 29
- 26, 268
xlvii. 1
191
iii. 30
" iv. 14
267255
Hosea
iv. 17
209
ix. 44-48 274
ti
xiv. 5
191
" xii. 36
26, 77
Joel ii
28,29
23
" xiii. 11
" xvi. 17
26,82
, 18 132
Micah
ii. 7
23,41
St. Luke i. 15
- 26, 231
a
iii. 8
- 23, 42
i. 35
26, 70, 126
Habakkuk ii 4 -
96
i. 41
" i. 67
- 26, 232
- 26, 232
Haggai ii. 5
23
" ii. 25
" ii. 26
26, 40, 179 26
Zechariah iv. 6
23,42
" ii. 27
26
n
vii. 12 -
24
iii. 16
26, 74, 127
tt
xii. 10 -
24, 50
" iii. 21
iii. 22
70
- 26, 70, 126
Malachi ii. 15
24
iv. 1
26,71,194,230
iv. 14
26, 71, 221
St.Mattliewi. IS
25,
46, 49, 70
iv. 15
71
i. 20
- 25, 70
u iv. 18
I 26, 48, 72,
\ 77, 213
i
' iii. 11 25,74,126,192
' iii. 16
25,48,70,326
iv. 19,
21 - 213
" Hi. 17
70
it
iv. 34
- - 217
312

INDEX OF PASSAGES

PAGE
St. Luke viii. 11 - 255
ix. 1, 2 132. 223
ix. 40, 41 - 223
" x. 17-20 132, 223
" x. 21 - 26, 72
xi. 13 26, SO, 113
xi. 20 72
xii. 10 26
xii. 12 - - 26
xii. 49, 50 129
" xxii. 20 43, 97
xxiv. 49 26, 74
St. John i. 14 69
i. 18 153
" i. 32 - - 26, 70
i. 33 27, 70, 74, 126
ii. 21 - 244
iii. 5 27, 78, 117
iii. 6 27, 78, 142
iii. 8 -27,142
iii. 32, 33 - 81
iii. 34 27,69,77,230
" iv. 24 15
v. 31 145
v. 34 145
" v. 41 150
vi. 27 192
" vi. 63 27, 78
" vii. 38 - 78
27, 75, 78,
123, 147
viii. 17, 18 76
" viii. 54 - 146
x. 3 195
" x. 4 208
x. 18 221
x. 20 267
'¦ xiv. 1 95
xiv. 10i- 51, ,2
u x- 16 I 27, 49, 136,
xiv. lt> -j lg0i lgl
xiv. 17 27,40,50,123
" xiv. 24 - - 72
xiv. 26 27,65,142,218
xv. 1-16 164
xv. 2,4,5,8,16 165,166
xv. 6 - 129
xv. 26 27, 66, 217
„ . 7 . j 27, 74, 82,
XA1" ' | 146, 180
XVI. 8 -j 142j 25g

PAGE

vii. 39 |

St

John

xvi.

9 - 27, 83

"

xvi.

10 - 27, 83

,(

xvi.

11 - - 27, 83

( c

xvi

„ (27,50,51,
16 } 84, 142

It

xvi.

14 (27,84,142,
14 ( 145, 146

11

xvi.

15 - 27, 84, 150

it

xvi.

16 - - 84

u

xvii

. 1, 4 146

u

xvii

. 10 152

((

xvii

. 17 138

tt

xvii

. 21 188

( I

xviii. 8 130

Cf

xviii. 31 81

((

xix.

6, 30, 40 81

u

xx.

21 - - 80

((

XX.

79 ( 27, 38, 39, 56,
^ j 74, SO, 123

"

XX.

23 - - 80

"

XX.

31 215

<<

xxi.

13 81

Acts i. 2

- 27, 72

i.4

27, 49, 139

i. 5
- 28, 116, 139
i. 8
1
28, 123, 126, 178,
222, 229, 252
i. 16
- 28, 55
i. 22
229
ii.
-
130, 236
ii. 2
22, 38, 39, 128
ii. 4
- 28, 232
ii. 14
90
ii. 16
23
ii. 17
28
ii. 18
2S
ii. 27
-
216
ii. 33
28
, 40, 74, 177, 217
ii. 37
90
ii. 38
- 28, 115, 123
iii.
-
132, 236
iii. 14
216
iv.
-
- 130, 236
iv. 8
- 28, 232
iv. 2C
-
232
iv. 24-30
232
iv. 25
28,56
iv. 31
- 28, 232
v.
236
v. 3
28
v. 9
-
- 28,48
v. 15
16
132
v. 32
-
28
INDEX OF PASSAGES

313

Acts

vi.
vi. 3
vi. 5
vi. 10
vii. 51
vii. 55
viii.viii. 6, 7, 13
viii. 14-17
viii. 15 -
viii. 16 -
viii. 17 28,
viii. 18
viii. 19 - 28,
viii. 20
viii. 29
viii 39
ix. 17
ix. 31 -
ix. 34-40
x. 5, 6
x. 9
x. 19
x. 20 -
x. 28, 34, 35
x. 38 29,72,
x. 44 29,
x. 45
x. 46
x. 47 |
xi. 12
xi. 15 |
xi. 16
xi. 17 -
xi. 24
xi. 28
xii. 2
xiii. 2 29,51
xiii. 4
xiii. 9
xiii. 10 -
xiii. 30 -
xiii. 35 -
xiii. 52 -
xiv. 22
xv. S
xv. 9
xv. 28
xvi.xvi. 6 -
xvi. 7 -
xvi. 9, 10

PAGE
111, 125, 236
- 28, 231
- 28, 231
- 28, 270
- 28, 270
- 28, 231
100, 101132110
- 28, 123
- 28, 126
110, 123, 124 28
123, 124, 222
- 28, 269 28
29,48
- 29, 232
- 29, 170, 179
132 200200
29, 52
29, 52
200
193, 213, 216
111, 125, 126
- 29, 111
133
29, 101, 111,
123, 125, 201 29
29,111, 116,
126, 133
29, 111, 116201
29, 230 29
232
,141,259, 264
- 29, 264
29, 232, 264 29
147216
- 29, 232250
- 29, 343
143
- 29, 141 196
- 29, 196
.$.49, 196
197

PAGE

Acts xvii.

257

" xvii. 18

257

" xvii. 25

38

" xix.

397

" xix. 2 29, 112, 123, 268

" xix. 6 29, 124, 126, 133

" xix. 21

197, 200

" xx. 22

- 29, 19S

" xx. 23 -

29

" xx. 28

- 29, 138

" xxi. 4

- 29, 198

" xxi. 11 -

- 30, 199

" xxi. 13, 14

199

" xxiii. 11

199

" xxviii. 25

30,56

Romans i. 4

30, 49, 73

i. 5

202

" i. 11

30

iv. 2, 9, 16

95

v. 5-

30, 143, 177

vi. 4

120

" vii. 4

164

" vii. 20

166

" vii. 23 -

154

" vii. 24, 25

160

" viii. 1

-30,373

viii. 2 j

30, 49, 137,

154, 372

" viii. 4 -

- 30, 173

" viii. 5

30,67

" viii. 6 -

172

viii. 9 30

49, 67, 134

" viii. 10

- 30, 171

" viii. 11

- 30, 73

" viii. 13

30, 67, 172

" viii. 14 -

30, 194, 195

" viii. 15 30

34, 50, 178

" viii. 16

30

" viii. 23

- 30, 173

" viii. 26

24, 30, 171

viii- 27

- 24,30

ix. 1

30

" xii. 1

250

" xiii. 14

40

" xiv. 17

30

" xv. 13

- 30, 172

xv. 16

30

xv. 18

132

" xv. 19

30, 132, 139

xv. 30 -

- 30, 175

i Corinthians i. 30

158

" ii. 4

31

314

INDEX OF PASSAGES

PAGE
1 Corinthians ii.
10
-
31
ii.
11
33
ii.
12
31
ii.
13
-33,
139
ii.
14
31,60,218
iii
13,
15
129
iii
16
-31,
243
iii.
17
243
v.
4
31
vi.
11
- 31
, 48
vi.
19 31,242,246
vii
. 40
-
31
ix.
17
-
135
xi:
. 3
-31
140
xi:
.4
31
xi:
. 5
31
xi:
. 7
31
xi:
.8
-31,
139
xii
. 9
- 31
I 31
139 64,
xii
.11
J136, 140,
139, 143
xii
.13 31,41
117
xiv. 2
-
31
XV
.24-28
144
2 Corinthians i.
3,4
_
183
i. 21
213,
216
i. 22
-33,
170
iii.
3 31,48,
171
iii.
6
-
32
iii.
8
-32,
136
iii.
17
32,
372
iii.
18
- 32, 49
iv.
13
32,49
v.
5
32
v.
14,15
320
vi.
4,7
179
vi.
6
-32,
179
vii
. 1
223
xi.
4
32
xii
. 18
32
xiii. 14
(32,
370, 185
Galatians iii
2
-32,
124
iii
3
32, 112,
268
iii.
5
32
iii
14
-32,
124
iii.
27
-40,
117
iv.
6
82,19,
170
iv
29
.
.
32
v.
5
-32,
173
PAGE
Galatians v. 16 -32,173
v. 17 32, 172, 270
v. 18 -32,195
v. 19 166
v 99 ( 32, 139, 164,
Y'zz \ 166, 167, 177
v. 23 - 139
v. 25 32, 172, 173
vi. 8 32,172,255
Ephesians i. 10 - 135
i. 13 32, 112, 192
i. 14 32
i. 17 32, 49
ii. 10 251
ii. 18 -33,170
ii. 20 242
ii. 21 - 143
ii. 22 - 33, 143, 242
iii. 2 - 135
iii. 5 - 33, 56
... 1fi (33,112,144,
1U- lb \ 173, 239
iii. 17 - 75, 112
iii. 19 112, 237
iv. 3 33, 143, 173
" iv. 4 - - 33, 49
iv. 8, 12 139, 147
iv.30 33,41,192,272
" v. 9 - 33
" v. 18 - 33, 112, 232
" v. 19, 20 237, 251
" v. 21, 22, 25 238
vi. 1, 4, 5 238
" vi. 9,10,11 238,239
" vi. 16 - - 274
" vi.17 j 33, 56, 138,
vi. 18 -33, 172, 239
vi. 19, 20 240
Phiiippians i. 1 - 140
i. 19 - 33, 49, 173
" ii. 1 33. 171, 176
ii. 7 69
iii. 3- 33
Colossians i. 8 - 33, 172, 178
" i. 19 - 237
i. 25 135
" i. 26 250
" ii. 9 - - 69
" iii. 3 - 250
iii. 9, 10
161
INDEX OF PASSAGES

315

PAGE
I Thessalonians i. 5 - 33, 171
" i. 6 - 33, 171
" iv. 8 - 33
v. 19 33, 274
v. 20 - 275
2 Thessalonians ii. 33 33, 343
" iii. 5 33, 176
i Timothy i. 4 - 136
iii. 16 - 34
" iv. 1 34, 56
iv. 14 - 34, 125
" v. 17 140
2 Timothy i. 6 - - 125
i. 7 34, 50, 175, 178

i. 12
i. 14
ii. 21
iii. 16
iv. 5

Titus iii.
" iii.

161
- 34, 171223 56
140
34, 172 40

Hebrews i. 8, 9
ii. 4

213 34
iii. 7 34,52,55,208,272
iii. 8 - 208
iii. 9, 10, 11 - 52
iv. 3 - - 34, 55
iv. 4 - 34, 55
iv. 7 34, 55, 272
v. 5 - 146
vi. 4 - 34, 172
viii. 8-10, 13 - 96
ix. 6-8 55
ix. 8 - - 34, 55
ix. 14 34, 49, 65, 73
ix. 15 96
x. 13 147
x. 14 - 97
x. 15 34, 55, 137
x. 16 - 34
x 22 - 43
x. 29 34, 50, 269
xi. 34 - 274

James i. 18
" iv. 5
i Peter i. 2 -
" 1.7 -
" i. 10, 11

142, 171 34
- 34, 172 128
- 34,55

PAGE

1 Peter i. 12

34, 56

" i. 22 -

- 34, 172

" iii. 38

34

" iii. 20, 21 -

120

" iv. 6 -

34

" iv. 32, 13

129

" iv. 14

34, 49, 56

2 Peter i. 5, 8 367, 168
" i. 11- - - 251
i. 21 35, 50, 51, 55, 394

i John i. 3
ii. 20

185
35, 49, 56, 143,
193, 212, 216, 217
ii. 27 35, 343, 212, 218
iii. 24 - - 35
iv. 2, 6, 13 - 35
v. 7 - - 35, 56, 138
v. 8 35
Jude 19 - 35
" 20 35, 172

Revelation i. 4
i. 10
i. 20
ii. 1 -
ii. 4, 5
ii. 7
ii. 11
ii. 17
ii. 29
iii. 1
iii. 6
iii. 13
" iii. 18
" iii. 21
iii. 22
iv. 2
" iv. 5
v. 6
xi. 11
xii. 11
xiv. 13
" xvii. 3
" xxi. 10
xxi. 12
" xxii. 17
" xxii. 18,

- 35,49
35, 39, 56
140 140
356
35,52 35
35, 52, 250 35
35, 4935
35,52 129 52
35, 70
35,57 3535
35,49 255 3535
35
147 35
19 138

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The Be31s of Is; or, Echoes from My Early Pastor
ates. With portrait. 12nio, cloth, 75c.
Prayers for Heart and Home. Morning and Even
ing- Devotions for a Month. 8vo, flexible cloth, 75c.

YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

3 9002 02112 6033

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