As to the second power enumerated, viz.: the power to bring all things to the recollection, I maintain that it would be impossible for man to live the law of the gospel without some such grace being conferred upon him by the Lord. The law of the gospel requires men not only to do good to those who do good to them, but to do good to those who despitefully use them; not only to lend to those who lend to them, but to lend to those of whom they can hope to receive nothing in return; to revile not those who may revile them—in a word, the law of the gospel is summed up in this: "Be ye not overcome of evil; but overcome evil with good."[E]
[Footnote E: Romans xii: 21. See also Matt. v, vi.]
However fine this may be in theory, or however beautiful it may look on paper, to carry it practically into the affairs of life is difficult.
When reviled it seems but natural to answer railing with railing, blows with blows, and for injury inflicted, return as much in kind as is within one's power to inflict. And unless in possession of this grace bestowed by the Holy Ghost, viz., having brought to one's recollection the things of Christ's gospel, being reminded in the very moment of temptation of these laws— when smarting under a sense of injustice, or suffering under wrongs heaped upon one—it would be difficult if not impossible to live up to these heavenly precepts. But by having the Holy Spirit as one's prompter in the moments of temptation, and by cultivating the Christian virtue of patience, this law of the gospel, so contrary to the natural disposition, may be complied with, and the follower of Christ, like his Master, may be able to say for those who inflict injury upon him, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."
Thirdly, "He will show you things to come." In other words, the Holy Ghost is the spirit of prophecy, for by it the future has been unfolded to the minds of the prophets; and by it the scriptures were given. In proof of this I quote the apostle Peter: "The prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost,"[F] and that which they spake was written and became scripture.
[Footnote F: II. Peter i: 21.]
When an angel visited John on Patmos and that apostle fell at his feet to worship him, the angel said: "See thou do it not: I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus" [which is the Holy Ghost]: "worship God, for the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy."[G]
[Footnote G: Rev. xix: 10.]
These facts will exhibit the inconsistency, nay, I may say, the absolutely erroneous position of those who insist that while the Holy Ghost has continued with men, prophecy and revelation have ceased.
The very fact, as stated in the fourth item taken from these passages under consideration, viz., that the Holy Ghost will take of the things of the Lord and show them unto men, also proves that this Spirit is one of revelation, and is in harmony with the scripture—"The Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. What man knoweth the things of man, but the spirit of a man which is in him? Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God."[H]