of His earthly humiliation. 'Thou hast ascended up on high,' and
therefore 'Thou hast given gifts to men.' We accept the declaration,
not knowing all the deep necessity in the divine Nature on which it
rests, but believing it, because He in whom we have confidence has
declared it to us.

And we are further told--and there our experience may, in some
degree, verify the statement,--that only those, in whose hearts there
is union to Jesus Christ by faith in His completed work and ascended
glory, are capable of receiving that divine gift. So every way, both
as regards the depths of Deity and the processes of revelation, and
as regards the power of the humanity of Christ to impart His Spirit,
and as regards the capacity of us poor recipients to receive it, the
words of my text seem to be confirmed, and we can, though not with
full insight, at any rate with full faith, accept the statement, 'If
I go not away, the Comforter will not come to you.'

That coming is gain. It teaches a deeper knowledge of Him. It teaches
and gives a fuller possession of the life of righteousness which is
like His own. It draws us into the fellowship of the Son.

III. Lastly, note here the threefold conflict of the Spirit through
the Church with the world.

'When He is come He will convict the world' in respect 'of sin and of
righteousness and of judgment.' By the 'reproof,' or rather
'conviction,' which is spoken about here, is meant the process by
which certain facts are borne in upon men's understanding and
consciences, and, along with these facts, the conviction of error and
fault in reference to them. It is no mere process of demonstration of