from Christ resembled that which Christ himself had received from the Father —
[Christ was furnished by the Father for the office that was assigned him. " The Spirit of the Lord God was upon himV' yea, and "was given to him without measure0." "The Spirit of the Lord rested upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord, and made him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lordd." At the time of his baptism, the Holy Spirit was sent down in a visible manner, both to attest his mission, and to qualify him for ite. And this was the way chosen by God for manifesting to the world the commission given to the Apostles, and for imparting to them, at the same time, the qualifications necessary for the discharge of their high office.]
On them the Lord Jesus poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit, to fit and qualify them for their work — [His " breathing on them" was merely an emblematic sign, to shew them that he was empowered to communicate the Holy Spirit to whomsoever he would. He had before told them, that " he would send unto them the Holy Spirit from the Father f :" and he now imparted to them that hea- venly gift ; and assured them, that, within the space of a few days, they should be baptized with the Holy Ghost g," and receive him in that abundant measure which would be neces- sary for the perfect execution of the various duties to whicli they would be called.
But there was, doubtless, an infinite disparity between our Lord and his Disciples, both as to the measure of inspiration with which they were endued, and as to the perfection of holiness which they possessed. The knowledge of our blessed Saviour was co-extensive with the knowledge of his heavenly Father11 ; and in him was not the smallest possible imperfection1: but they were still weak and sinful, and liable to err, except when under the immediate guidance of the Holy Spirit. In acting, we know, in the instance of St. Peter, how fallible they were : and in recording what they had been commissioned to declare, they were left to themselves, to use their own language, and to report what they knew : they were indeed assisted by the Holy Spirit, who " brought all things to their remembrance;" and by the Spirit they were instructed in things which they could not otherwise have known: and by the same Spirit they
b Isai. lxi. 1. c John iii. 34. d Isai. xi. 2, 3.
e Matt. iii. 16, 17. f John xv. 26. and xvi. 7.
e Acts i. 5. >' John. v. 20. x. 15. and xvi. 30. » Heb. vii, 26.