THE DIVINE GLORIFIER
by John MacDuff - 1800s
"Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said" —
"He will bring me glory by revealing to you whatever he receives from me." — John 16:14
The Holy Spirit glorifies Jesus in the unfoldings of His person, and character, and work, to His people! The great ministering agent between the Church on earth and its glorified Head in Heaven — carrying up to the Intercessor on the throne, the ever-recurring needs and trials, the perplexities and sins, of believers; and receiving out of His inexhaustible treasury of love — comfort for their sorrows — strength for their tears — fullness for their emptiness — and this the one sublime end and object of His gracious agency — "He shall glorify Me." "He shall not speak of Himself, but whatever He shall hear, that shall He speak." My words of sympathy — My omnipotent pleadings — the tender messages sent from an unchanged Human Heart — all these shall He speak. "He shall tell you," says Goodwin, commenting on this passage, "He shall tell you nothing but stories of My love." He will have an ineffable delight in magnifying Me in the affections of My Church and people, and endearing Me to their hearts; and He is all worthy of credence, for He is "the Spirit of truth."
How faithful has He been in every age to this His great office as "the glorifier of Jesus!" See the first manifestation of His power in the Christian Church at the day of Pentecost. What was the grand truth which forms the focus point of interest in that unparalleled scene, and which brings three thousand stricken penitents to their knees? It is the Spirit's unfolding of Jesus — glorifying Him in eyes that before this, saw in Him no beauty! Hear the keynote of that wondrous sermon, preached "in demonstration of the Spirit, and with power," — "HIM has God exalted to be a Prince and a Savior, to give repentance to His people, and forgiveness of sins."
Ah! it is still the same peerless truth which the Spirit delights to unfold to the stricken sinner, and, in unfolding it, to make it mighty to the pulling down of strongholds. All these glorious inner beauties of Christ's work and character are undiscerned and undiscernible by the natural eye. "It is the Spirit who quickens." "No man can call Jesus Lord, but by the Holy Spirit." He is the great Forerunner — a mightier than the Baptist — proclaiming, "Behold the Lamb of God!"
Reader! any bright and realizing view you have had of the Savior's glory and excellency, is of the Spirit's imparting. When in some hour of sorrow you have been led to cleave with preeminent consolation to the thought of the Redeemer's exalted sympathy — His dying, ever-living love; or in the hour of death, when you feel the sustaining power of His exceeding great precious promises — what is this, but the Holy Spirit, in fulfillment of His all-gracious office, taking of the things of Christ, and showing them unto you; thus enabling you to magnify Him in your body, whether it be by life or death? As your motto should ever be, "None but Christ," and your ever-increasing aspiration, "More of Christ," seek to bear in mind who it is that is alone qualified to impart the "excellency of this knowledge."
"The Spirit of truth which proceeds from the Father, HE shall testify of ME."
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