espeare, and Milton, and Dryden, employ the words
"car" and "engine" and "train" in their writings; but living before the
age of steam and railways they knew nothing of the meaning which these
terms convey to us. And it is possible that Homer and Plato knew as
little of the meaning of such words as _aion_ and _parakletos_, as
found in the revelation of Jesus Christ, by whom "the ages were framed"
and the Comforter sent down.
[9] Dr. R. F. Horton, in "_Verbum Dei_."
[10] The apostle in calling the Old Testament Scriptures the "oracles
of God," clearly recognizes them as divinely inspired books. The
Jewish church was the trustee and guardian of these oracles till the
coming of Christ. Now the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are
committed to the guardianship of the Christian Church.--_Dr. Philip
Schaff_.
{185}
IX
THE CONVICTION OF THE SPIRIT
{186}
"The Comforter in every part of his threefold work glorifies Christ. In
convincing of sin he convinces us of the sin of not believing on Christ.
In convincing us of righteousness, he convinces us of the righteousness
of Christ, of that righteousness which was made manifest in Christ going
to the Father, and which he received to bestow on all such as should
believe in him. And lastly, in convincing of judgment, he convinces us
that the prince of the World was judged in the life and by the death of
Christ. Thus throughout, Christ is glorified; and that which the
Comforter shows to us relates in all its parts to the life and work of
the incarnate Son of God."--_Julius Charles Hare_.
{187}
IX
THE CONVICTION OF THE SPIRIT
"And when he is come _he will convict the world in respect of sin, and of
righteousness, and of judgment_" (John 16: 8, R. V.). It is too large a
conclusion which many seem to draw from these words, that since the day
of Pentecost the Spirit has been universally diffused in the world,
touching hearts everywhere, among Christians and heathen, among the
evangelized and the unevangelized alike, and awakening in them a sense of
sin. Does not our Lord say in this same discourse concerning the
Comforter: "_Whom the world cannot receive_, because it seeth him not
neither knoweth him"? (John 14: 17) With these words should be
associated the limitation which Jesus makes in the gift of the Paraclete:
"If I depart I will send him _unto you_." Christ's disciples were to be
the recipients and distributors of the Holy
|