The work of the Holy Spirit - pagina 135

THE HOLY by communication

SPIRIT IN

to the

human

THE MEDIATOR nature;

and

this

95

should be

thoroughly understood.

However, His human nature did not receive these gifts, powers, and faculties in full operation, but wholly inoperative. As there are in every infant powers and faculties that will remain dormant, some of them for many years, so there were in the human nature of Christ powers and faculties which for a time remained slumbering. The Holy Spirit imparted these endowments to His human nature This has reference to a contrast without measure John iii. 34. between others, whom the Holy Spirit endowed not without measure,

—

but in limited degree according to their individual calling or desand Christ, in whom there is no such distinction or individualtin}^ to whom, therefore, gifts, powers, and faculties are imparted in ity ;

—

such a measure that He never could feel the lack of any gift of the Holy Spirit. He lacked nothing, possessed all; not by virtue of His divine nature, which can not receive anything, being the eternal itself, but by virtue of His human nature, which was endowed with such glorious gifts by the Holy Spirit. However, this was not all. Not only did the Holy Spirit adorn the human nature of Christ with these endowments, but He also

fulness

caused them to be exercised, gradually to enter into full activity. This depended upon the succession of the days and years of the

time of His humiliation. Altho His heart contamed the germ of all wisdom, yet as a child of one year, e.g.. He could not know the Scripture by means of His human understanding. As the Eternal Son He knew it, for He Himself had given it to His Church. But

His human knowledge had no free access to His divine knowledge. On the contrary, while the latter never increased, knowing all things from eternity, the former was to learn everything; it had nothing of itself. This is the increase in wisdom of which St. Luke speaks an increase not of the faculty, but of its exercise. And He this affords us a glimpse into the extent of His humiliation. that knew all things by virtue of His divine nature began as man with knowing nothing; and that which He knew as a man He acquired by learning it under the influence of the Holy Spirit. And the same applies to His increase in stature and in favor

—

with God and men. ding

all that in

adult like

the

Stature refers to His physical growth, inclunature depends upon it. Not created an

human

Adam, but born

a child like each of us, Jesus had to grow

and develop physically; not by magic, but

in reality.

When He

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