[C] "Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away."—Cant. ii. 10; "Come with Me from Lebanon, My spouse."—Cant. iv. 8.
THE LORD, THE SPIRIT.
We have considered the bountiful overflow of the Father's love; and our hearts have burned within us as we dwelt upon and felt the glow of the love of the Son. Now, as we think of the blessing of the Lord, the Spirit, may He reveal Himself to us through these holy Words, which were written by His inspiration and which can never be fully understood and enjoyed save by His own illumination. The Bible is a supernatural book, a divine revelation: the Holy Spirit is the supernatural, the divine Guide to its meaning. From the "wise and prudent" its teachings are hidden;—hence the questionings of some of the learned only confirm its truth; but to "babes"—to all those, whether learned or unlearned, in whom the Holy Ghost has wrought the child-like spirit, it is an opened book: they love it, and feast upon it, and grow thereby.
It is very important to have clear thoughts about the third person of the Trinity. Many Christians fail in this respect, and lose much in consequence. He has as distinct personality as has the Son of God; and we must not think or speak of Him vaguely, as though He were an influence merely and not a person. Our Saviour teaches us that we should know Him, "for He abideth with you, and shall be in you." But are there not many of the Lord's people to whom He is not yet "a living, bright Reality"?
So important are the presence and the work of the Holy Ghost, that our Lord assured His disciples that it was expedient for them that He should go away, in order that the Comforter should come. And we see the mighty change that was wrought in the disciples when the outpouring of the Spirit actually took place at Pentecost. The timid became courageous; the scattered and persecuted disciples went everywhere preaching the Word; the Holy Spirit wrought conviction of sin, and revealed the risen Saviour as the object of faith; and many were added to the Lord. The same Spirit is still present with us; may we too be filled, and largely used as channels of blessing.
THE BLESSING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
"Jehovah, the Spirit, lift up His countenance upon thee, and give thee peace."
The blessing of the Spirit is essential to the completeness of the benediction. We are struck, however, with the similarity of this blessing to that which precedes it; nor is the similarity surprising. For, as the Son came to reveal the Father, so the Spirit has come to reveal the Son. Christ was a true Comforter; but His personal work on earth being finished, He ascended on high to minister for His people as their High Priest in the presence of God. The Holy Spirit is the other Comforter, sent by the Father in Christ's name, that He might abide with the Church for ever. Christ is the indwelling Saviour: the Holy Spirit the indwelling Comforter. On whomsoever Christ makes His face to shine, the Holy Spirit will surely lift up