The work of the Holy Spirit - pagina 196

THE APOSTOLATE

156

wrong views, which are Romish, clerical same time strongly tending to rationalism, we maintain the ancient confession of the Christian Church which In opposition to these

in principle,

and

at the

declares that, as the ambassadors extraordinary of Christ, the apostles

occupied a unique position in the race, in the Church, and in

the history of the world, and were clothed with extraordinary pow-

Holy Spirit. But we do not deny that these men were bom again and partakers of the heavenly illumination so that the man of sin was driven back, and the new man was powerfully revealed in them. But their personal state and condition was the cause of their continued sinfulness until the hour of their death; hence their infallible authority could never spring from the fallible condition of their hearts. Even tho they had been less sinful, such power could not be thus accounted for. And if they had fallen more deeply into sin, it would not have hindered the Holy Spirit's operation with reference to the exercise of this authority. It is remarkable that Peter, who was clothed with the highest power, fell again and again into great sin. They were saints because they were hid in Christ like other Christians but they were holy apostles not on the ground of their spiritual state and condition, but only by virtue of their holy calling and the working of the Holy Spirit that was promised and given unto them. Finally, the question arises, whether there was a difference between the operation of the Holy Spirit in the pi'ophets and in the apostles. We answer in the affirmative. Ezekiel's oracles are different from St. John's Gospel. The Epistle to the Romans bears witness to a different inspiration from that of the prophecies of Zacharias. Undoubtedly the book of Revelation proves that the apostles were also susceptible to inspiration by visions; the book of the Acts is evidence that in those days there were also wonderful signs; and St. Paul speaks of visions and ecstasies. And yet the collective treasure that came down to us under the apostles* name bears evidence that the inspiration of the New Testament has aners that required an extraordinary operation of the

;

;

other character than that of the Old.

And

the principal difference

mighty fact of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The prophets were inspired before Pentecost, and the apostles after it. This fact is so strongly marked in the history of their mission that before it the apostles sit still, while immediately

consists in the

after

it

they appear in their apostolic character before the world.

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