ght be shed upon what He
has done and been, and that the eyes of men be opened to see Him and His
work. The recognition of Christ and of God in Him is the blessedness of
the human race; and to bring this about is the function of the Spirit.
As Jesus Himself had constantly presented Himself as the revealer of the
Father and as speaking His words, so, in "a rivalry of Divine humility,"
the Spirit glorifies the Son and speaks "what He shall hear."

To discharge this function a twofold ministry is undertaken by the
Spirit: He must enlighten the Apostles, and He must convince the world.

He must enlighten the Apostles. From the nature of the case much had to
be left unsaid by Christ. But this would not prevent the Apostles from
understanding what Christ had done, and what applications His work had
to themselves and their fellow-men. "I have yet many things to say unto
you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth,
is come, He will guide you into all the truth." A great untravelled
country lay before them. Their Master had led them across its border,
and set their faces in the right direction; but who was to find a way
for them through all its intricacies and perplexities? The Spirit of
truth, He who is Himself perfect knowledge and absolute light, "will
guide you"; He will go before you and show you your way.[18] There may
be no sudden impartation of truth, no lifting of the mist that hangs on
the horizon, no consciousness that now you have mastered all
difficulties and can see your way to the end; there may be no violation
of the natural and difficult processes by which men arrive at truth; the
road may be slow, and sometimes there may even be an appearance of
ignominious defeat by those who use swifter but more precarious means of
advance; much will depend on your own patience and wakefulness and
docility; but if you admit the Spirit, He will guide you into all the
truth.

This promise does not involve that the Apostles, and through them all
disciples, should know everything. "All the truth" is relative to the
subject taught. All that they need to know regarding Christ and His work
for them they will learn. All that is needed to glorify Christ, to
enable men to recognise Him as the manifestation of God, will be
imparted. To the truth which the Apostles learn, therefore, nothing need
be added. Nothing essential has been added. Time has now been given to
test this promise, and what time has shown i