The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1877-05-17


Luke xi: lS.-If ye then being evil know how to
give good gifts unto your children, how much more
shall Lyourl Tor the Heavenly Father, give the
Hoy Spirit to them that ask Him
And John xvi S-1l.-And when he is come he
viii reprove eonvince] the world of sin, of right
eousness and of judgment of sin because z at
they believe not on me; of righteousness because
that l go to the Father and ye see me no more /;
OF judgment because hatl the prince of this world
is Judged.
These are the words of our Lord. The
first passage is an " exceeding great and pre-
ciOus promise. Though it is not our province
to institute comparisons among the Divine
promises, which al exceed, as well our sbil
ity Of ourselves to ask, as our worthiness to
receive, yet it is not presumption to term this
"THE exceeding great and precious promise. i"
This language is substantially that which we
6nd in Matthew viz: IL, part of the Sermon
on the Mount, addressed to His disciples
Besides few unimportsnt verbal differences,
We find in Matthews record "good things"
for Holy Spirit in the passage before rs.
IL is not pertinent to the present discussion,
to consider whether the portion of Luke'S
gospel, in which the passage is found, must
be regarded as designed to be his version Of
the Sermon on the Mount. The context both
in Matthew and in Luke, presents 8 series
of encouraging instructions on the subject of
prayer, and, in Luke, is preceded by para
bolie illustration of the duty to be importu-
nate. 1t is no impeachment of our Lords
wisdom, as Teacher, to regard the passages
in Luke as repetitions of instructions in the
"Sermon on the Mount" given on a differ
ent occasion. But the promise is evidently,
in its fundamental proposition, the same in
both gospels, for "good things" must in
clude the bestowsl of the "Holy Spirit" and
the gifs of the " Holy Spirit involves that
of all good "goOd things"
The reader of the passage will observe,
that in our version the word "your' is in
serted before s. Heavenly Father" evidently
supplied from the text in Matthew. Lite
rally we must read, show much more shall
the Father, the (One) from Heaven" Emf
nent Greek authorities teach as, that '' from
HEAVIER" is contraction, by combining two
local propositions, Sin" and 'sfrOm" in one
phrase, I" The Father the (one) GR heaven,
from heaven shall give the Holy Spirit" be-
ing the full phraseOlogy; by which we read,
"The Father the (One) from heaven shall
give the Holy Spirit ''The Father is
cOntrasted with "yOu being evil Holy
Spirit as proper name, is without the ar
ticle, By very common usage. The phrases
"His Holy Spirit, "the Spirit of God" or
''of Christ" and His Spirit, are less fire.
quently used and may, perhaps, be used as
formal recognitions of our Lords teaching of
the ministration of the third person of the
Trinity, as proceeding from the first or sec
ohd. Of His distinct personality and equal
ity, in nature and attributes, with the Father
and the Son, there is 40 cali for discussion
st this time. The writer's of the gospels,
both in narratives and didsctie teachings
constantly recognize this truth.
/. Our Lord thus speaks of the Holy
Spirit" as well known to his hearers, in His
distinct personality and divine attributes and
work. 1t may be we'll for our clear sppre-
hension Of the fulness of the blessing prom
ised, first to give brief summary of the
teachings of the Old Testament Scriptures,
and the consequent knowledge possessed by
from their divine Teacher. Moses, Gen. /:
2, intimates the presence and influence of
the Spirit in creation, and Job XVI: IL, as
cribes to Him the garnishiDg" or fitting up
in splendor, "the heavens" God conde
scendsd by the Spirit, to endue Bezaleel and
others with wisdom and skill, for preparing
materials of "Gold and silver, of brass. and
stones for the structure of the Tabernacle.
Agencies affecting mans spiritual interests
are sscribed more frequently to the Spirit
in STRIVING" with man, Gen. vi: 3; IN the
gifts of inspiration, Job xxi 8; especially
of prophecy, as in the case of the elders,
Nun. xi: 7, 26, &c. He sent His words in
His Spirit, by the prophets, Zaeh. vii: II,
also Nsh. tx: 80, and "Ssmuel and all the
prophets who followed after, attest the same
facts. By the same divine agent, even wicked
men, as Baalsm and Saul, were made spokes-
men of the truth of God Especially are we
informed, that the promised Messiah would
be qualified for His work, by the Holy Spirit,
Is. kin l Xxi: !. The great work of mans
spiritual renovation is ascribed to the Holy
Spirit. This is promised of the Church, un-
der the new dispensstion, by Is. xiv: 3,
where His agency is illustrated by the re-
dry land, the same figure used by our Lord,
on " the last great day of the feast, in His
gracious inVitation-JOhn vii: 81, and not
only was this promised for che " seed and
"offspring" Of Israel, but Is ix. q, sets
forth Gods dealings, as in accordance with
an irreVocable dispensaiOn of His Spirit and
His truth, to be granted to his "seed's seed
from hencefOrth and forever" Nor was this
all. By Joel ii: 28, 10. W God says, l
will pour out my Spirit upon ALL flesh,
which Peter, Acts ii /: II, Is, cites, and de-
eares was fulfilled on the day of PentecOst,
the beginning of the period, called by Joel
afterwards" Tor the last days" in Peter s
quotation in reference to the old dispense
tion, period, recognized by Paul, ii Cor.
iii: 8, as that of the Z" ministration Of the
Spirit" David, in his prayer, Pa. Ii: IL,
had implored God stake not thy Holy Spirit
from me-" and Zeeharish sttested, iV: 3,
that Gods dealings with His afflicted people,
in their pious efforts to restore His worship
were "nOt by might nor by power" but BY
His Spirit.
This agency of the Holy Spirit, is reeog
nized by the writer's of the New Testament II
the earlier narratives, in accordance with th,
facts now adduced from the Old Testament
The preparation of John the Baptist for Hi
work, the miraculous birth of our Saviour
the inspiration of Zachsrish, Elizabeth an
Simeon, the Inauguration of our Lord 70
His work, as Priest and King, by His bap
tism and His temptation, and His induction
into the Office of teacher, or prophet, by Hi
conscious and avOged ful6lment of Isaiah
prediction, Xxi: 1, in his first public preach