The work of the Holy Spirit - pagina 323

—

UbirD (Tbaptcr.

PREPARATORY GRACE. XVII.

What

Is It ? "

We know that we death unto

have passed from because

life,

He

the brethren.

we

love

that loveth not

his brother abideth in death."

\John\\\.

14.

It is unnecessary to say that the scope of these discussions does

not include the redemptive work as a whole, which in sense

is

its

choicest

not of the Holy Spirit alone, but of the Triune God whose

royal majesty shines and sparkles in

it

with excellent glory.

It

includes not only the work of the Holy Spirit, but even more that of the Father

and of the Son.

And in

these three

we

see the triune

activity of the tender mercies of the Triune God.

These discussions

treat only that part of the

work which reveals

the operation of the Holy Spirit,

The grace."

first

question in order

This

is

is

that of the so-called

"

preparatory

a question of surpassing importance, since Method-

ism * neglects it and modern orthodoxy abuses it, in order to make the determining choice in the work of grace once more to depend upon man's free will. Regarding the principal point, it must be conceded that there is a "gratia prieparans," as our old theologians used to call it, i.e., a preparatory grace not a preparation of grace, but a grace which ;

its preparatory workings real grace, undoubted and unadulterated. The Church has always maintained this confession by its soundest interpreters and noblest confessors. It could

prepares, which is in

*See the author's explanation of Methodism, section

5

of the Prefaco.

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