The Formation of Christendom, Volume IIAllies, T. W. (Thomas William)
Religion
The Formation of Christendom, Volume II
Allies, T. W. (Thomas William)
Christianity; Christianity -- Miscellanea
Truth, to Himself as the Vine, and so that root of grace which should
communicate its sap to the branches, and to His Spirit, who should take of
His and give it to them; uniting both ideas of Truth and Grace in that one
word, “Sanctify them in thy Truth,” that is by incorporation with me, who
am the Truth, in my Spirit, who is the Truth. And so the eternal Word,
having assumed a human Body, when He withdraws His corporal presence,
proceeds to form that other human Body, the dwelling-place of His Spirit,
in which His Truth and Grace are to become visible.
Thus the transfusion of Truth and Grace from the Incarnate Word to His
mystical Body is the generic character of the Giving of the Spirit.
Two differential marks distinguish this giving from any which preceded the
coming of our Lord.
First, the Spirit should come upon them, but should never depart from
them. “He shall give you another Comforter, to abide with you for ever,
the Spirit of Truth.” This giving was not an intermittent operation,
whether extraordinary, such as had shown itself in Moses and the Prophets,
for their inspiration in writing, or their guidance in particular trials,
nor that ordinary one whereby from the beginning He had enabled all the
good and just to lead a life acceptable to Him. It was a far higher
gift,(95) wherein, as S. Augustine says, by the very presence of His
majesty no longer the mere odour of the balsam, but the substance itself
of the sacred unguent was poured into those vessels, making them His
temple, and conveying that adoption in virtue of which they should not be
left orphans, but have their Father invisibly with them for ever. No
intermittent operation, and no presence less than that of His substance,
would reach the force of the words used by our Lord, “I will ask the
Father, and He shall send you another Paraclete, the Spirit of Truth, to
abide with you for ever;” for that word “other” conveys a comparison with
Himself, from whom they had never been separated since He had called them,
in whose continuance with them alone was their strength, their unity,
their joint existence and mission, without whom they could do nothing. All
this to them that “other” Paraclete was to be, in order that the departure
of the Former Paraclete should be expedient for them. For in this
continuity of His presence was involved the further gift that the
Paraclete was to come to them as a Body, and because of this manner of
coming He replaced the Former. Had He come to them only as individuals,
they would have suffered a grievous loss, the loss of the Head who made
them one. But He came to them as the Body of Christ, and by coming made
them that Body, being the Spirit of the Head. That rushing mighty wind
filled the whole house in which they were sitting, and they all were
filled together with the presence; and as a sign that the old confusion
and separation of mankind were in them to be done away, speaking in one
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account