So, in the salvation of sinners by Jesus Christ, all the conditions and preparatives were essential to the completeness and glory of the scheme. The Son of God must consent to undertake our cause, and become our substitute—the promise must be given to Adam, and frequently repeated to the patriarchs—bloody sacrifices must be instituted to typify the vicarious sufferings of Messiah—a long line of prophets must foretell his advent, and the glory of his kingdom—he must be born in Bethlehem, crucified on Calvary, and buried in Joseph’s new tomb—must rise from the dead, ascend to the right hand of the Father, and send down the Holy Spirit to guide and sanctify his church. Without all these circumstances, the economy of redemption would have been incomplete and inefficient.
The last link in the chain is the mission and work of the Holy Spirit. This is quite as important as any of the rest. Our Saviour’s heart seems to have been much set upon it during all his ministry, and especially during the last few days before his crucifixion. He spoke of it frequently to his disciples, and told them that he would not leave them comfortless, but would send them “another Comforter,” who should abide with them for ever; and that his own departure was necessary, to prepare the way for the coming of the heavenly Paraclete. In our text, he describes the office of the Holy Spirit, and the specific relation which he sustains to the work of salvation:—“Howbeit, when he, the Spirit of Truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth; for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak; and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me; for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine; therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall show it unto you.”
These words teach us two important truths—first, That the Son is equal with the Father; and secondly, That the Father and the Son are alike glorified in the economy of salvation.
I. The Son claims equality with the Father. “All things that the Father hath are mine.”
This sentence is very comprehensive and sublime—an unquestionable affirmation of Messiah’s “eternal power and Godhead.” The same doctrine is taught us in many other recorded sayings of Christ, and sustained by all the prophets and apostles; and when I consider this declaration in connection with the general strain of the inspired writers on the subject, I seem to hear the Saviour himself addressing the world in the following manner:—
“All things that the Father hath are mine. His names are mine. I am Jehovah—the Mighty God, and the Everlasting Father—the Lord of Hosts—the Living God—the True God, and Eternal Life.
“His works are mine. All things were made by me, and I uphold all things by the word of my power. My Father worketh hitherto, and I work; for as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them, even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. I am the author of universal being, and my hand moves all the machinery of providence.
“His honors are mine. I have an indisputable right to the homage of all created intelligences. I inhabit the praises of eternity. Before the foundation of the world, I was the object of angelic adoration; and when I became incarnate as a Saviour, the Father published his decree in heaven, saying:—‘Let all the angels of God worship him!’ It is his will, also, that all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father—in the same manner, and the same degree. He that honoreth the Son, honoreth the Father; and he that honoreth not the Son, honoreth not the Father: for I and my Father are one—one in honor—possessing joint interest and authority.
“His attributes are mine. Though as man and mediator I am inferior to the Father; yet my nature is no more inferior to his, than the nature of the Prince of Wales is inferior to the nature of the King of England. You see me clothed in humanity; but in my original state, I thought it not robbery to be equal with God. I was in the beginning with God, and possessed the same eternity of being. Like him, I am almighty, omniscient, and immutable; infinite in holiness, justice, goodness, and truth. All these attributes, with every other possible perfection, belong to me in the same sense as they belong to the Father. They are absolute and independent, underived and unoriginated—the essential qualities of my nature.
“His riches of grace are mine. I am the mediator of the new covenant—the channel of my Father’s mercies to mankind. I have the keys of the house of David, and the seal of the kingdom of heaven. I have come from the bosom of the Father, freighted with the precious treasures of his good will to men. I have sailed over the sea of tribulation and death, to bring you the wealth of the other world. I am the Father’s messenger, publishing peace on earth—a peace which I have purchased with my own blood upon the cross. It hath pleased the Father that in me all fulness should dwell—all fulness of wisdom and grace—whatever is necessary for the justification, sanctification, and redemption of them that believe. My Father and I are one in the work of salvation, as in the work of creation. We have the same will, and the same intention of mercy toward the children of the great captivity.