Son. Why the Holy Ghost should be said to be sent by the Son, and to proceed from the Father, in this verse, we cannot tell. But we may quietly repose our minds in the thought expressed in an ancient creed, that " In this Trinity none is afore or after other : none is greater or less than another." — " Such as the Father is such is the Son, and such is the Holy Ghost." — Above all, we may rest in the comfortable truth that in the salvation of our souls all three Persons in the Trinity equally co-operate. It was God in Trinity who said, "Let us create," and it is God in Trinity who says, " Let us save."
For ever let us take heed to our doctrine about the Holy Spirit. Let us make sure that we hold sound and Scriptural views of His nature. His Person, and His operations. A religion which entirely leaves Him out, and gives Him no place, is far from uncommon. Let us beware that such a religion is not ours. " Where is the Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ ? " should be the first test- ing question about our Christianity. Where is the Holy Ghost ? " should be the second question. Let us take good heed that the work of the Spirit is not so buried under extravagant views of the Church, the min- istry, and the Sacraments, that the real Holy Ghost of Scripture is completely put out of sight. " If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His." (Rom. viii. 9.) No religion deserves to be called Scriptural and apostolic, in which the work of the Spirit does not stand forth prominently, and occupy a principal place.
We should observe lastly, in these verses, how our Lord speaks of the special office of the Ajjostles. They were to be His witnesses in the world. " Ye also shall bear witness."
The expression is singularly instructive and full of meaning. It taught the eleven what they must expect