The work of the Holy Spirit - pagina 205

HOLY SCRIPTURES

IN

NEW TESTAMENT

165

full sunshine of grace, and that Christendom should ever surpass no subsequent development of

its

existence

it

should receive the

that of the apostles.

This

is

a very significant

fact.

Indeed, in the course of history there is development, especially in doctrine, which has not yet ceased, and which will continue until the end. The King has cast His Church into the midst of warfare

and trouble He has not permitted it to confess His name in an unmanly and indolent manner, but from age to age He has compelled it to defend that confession against error, misunderstanding, and ;

only in this warfare that it has learned gradually to God shall exhibit every part of its glorious inheritance of truth. rendered the have they mischief, much but, besides judge heretics; It is

hostility.

Church this excellent service of compelling it to wake up from slumbering upon its gold-mines, to explore them, and to open the hidden treasure. Hence our conscious insight into the truth is deeper than that Semper excelsior Ever higher Reof the preceding centuries. search into holy things may never cease even now the Lord ful" Ask, and it shall be fils His promise to every true theologian given you; seek, and ye shall find." And in the development of !

!

;

:

the consciousness of the Church concerning its treasure of truth, the Holy Spirit has a special work, and he who denies it leaves the

and is blind for the word of the Lord. however great its present and future progress, it will never possess a grain of truth more than when the apostolate passed away. Afterward the gold-mine might be explored but when the apostles died the mine itself existed already. Nothing can be added to it or ever will it is complete in itself. For this reason the great men of God, who, in the course of ages, by brave words have animated the Church, have always pointed back to the treasures of the apostles, and without exception told the churches " Your treasure lies not before, but behind you, and dates from the days of the apostles." And herein was mercy any other disposition would have been unmerciful. The people of one or eighteen centuries ago had the same spiritual needs as we have nothing less than we have could Their wounds are ours; the balm of Gilead that suffice for them. Consequently the remedy for has healed us, healed them also. Delay would be cruel. souls must be ready for immediate use. Hence it is not strange and problematic, but perfectly in accord Church

to petrify

Yet,

;

;

:

;

;

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