Book 2

Peculiar Operations OF THE HOLY SPIRIT UNDER THE Old Testament Preparatory for The NEW. CHAP. I.

(1.) The Work of the Spirit of God in the New Creation; by some despised. (2.) Works under the Old Testament preparatory to the New Creation. (3, 4.) Distribution of the Works of the Spirit. (5.) The Gift of Prophesie; the Nature, Use, and End of it. (6.) The beginning of Prophesie. (7.) The Holy Spirit the only Author of it. (8.) The Name of a Prophet; its signification, and his Work. (9.) Prophesie by Inspiration; from where so called. (10.) Prophets how acted by the Holy Ghost. (11.) The Adjuncts of Prophesie, or distinct wayes of its Communication. (12.) Of Articulate Voices. (13.) Dreams. (14.) Visions. (15.) Adjuncts of Prophesie. Symbolical Actions. (16.) Local Mutations. (17.) Whether unsanctified Persons might have the Gift of Prophesie. The Case of Baalam. (18.) Answered. (19.) Of writing the Scriptures. (20.) Three things required thereunto. (21.) Of Miracles. (22.) Works of the Spirit of God in the improvement of the Natural Faculties of the Minds of Men in things Political. (23.) In things Moral. (24.) In things Corporeal. (25.) In things Intellectual and Artificial. (26.) In preaching of the Word.

Sect. 1 HAving passed through these general things which are of a necessary previous Consideration to the especial Works of the Holy Ghost, I now proceed to that which is the principal Subject of our present Design. And this is the Dispensation and Work of the Holy Spirit of God, with respect to the New Creation and the Recovery of Mankind or the Church of God thereby. A Matter this is of the highest Importance to them that sincerely believe, but most violently and of late virulently opposed by all the Enemies of the Grace of God and our Lord Jesus Christ. The Weight and Concernment of the Doctrine hereof, have in part been spoken to before. I shall at present add no farther Considerations to the same purpose, but leave all that fear the Name of God to make a Judgment of it by what is revealed concerning it in the Scriptures, and the Uses whereunto it is in them directed. Many we know will not receive these things, but while we keep our selves in the handling of them to that Word whereby one day both we and they must either stand or fall; we need not be moved at their Ignorance, or Pride, nor at the Fruits and Effects of them in Reproaches Contempt and scorn. For [[original in non-Latin script]].

Sect. 2 Now the Works of the Spirit in Reference to the New-Creation are of two sorts. First, Such as were Preparatory to it under the Old Testament. For I reckon that the State of the Old-Creation, as to our Living to God, ended with the Entrance of Sin and giving the First Promise. Whatever ensued thereon, in a Way of Grace, was preparatory for and to the New. 2dly, Such as were actually wrought about it under the New. Those Acts and Workings of his, which are Common to both states of the Church, as is his effectual Dispensation of sanctifying Grace towards the Elect of God, I shall handle in Common under the Second Head. Under the First, I shall only reckon up those that were peculiar to that State. To make way hereunto I shall premise two general Positions.

Sect. 3 1. There is nothing Excellent among Men, whether it be absolutely Extraordinary, and every way above the Production of Natural Principles; or whether it consist in an eminent and peculiar Improvement of those Principles and Abilities, but it is ascribed to the Holy Spirit of God as the immediate Operator and Efficient Cause of it. This we shall afterwards confirm by Instances. Of old he was All; now some would have him nothing.

2. Whatever the Holy Spirit wrought in an eminent manner under the Old Testament, it had generally and for the most part, if not absolutely and always, a Respect to our Lord Jesus Christ and the Gospel, and so was preparatory to the Compleating of the great Work of the New-Creation in and by Him.

And these Works of the Holy Spirit, may be referred to the two sorts mentioned; Namely, (1.) Such as were Extraordinary and exceeding the whole compass of the Abilities of Nature however improved and advanced; and (2.) Those which consist in the Improving and Exaltation of those Abilities, to answer the Occasions of Life, and Use of the Church. Those of the first sort may be reduced to three Heads. (1.) Prophesy. (2.) Inditeing of the Scripture. (3.) Miracles. Those of the other sort we shall find. (1.) In things Political as skill for Government and Rule among Men. (2.) In things Moral, as Fortitude and Courage. (3.) In things Natural as increase of Bodily strength. (4.) Gifts Intellectual; (1.) of things Sacred, as to preach the Word of God, (2.) In things Artificial as in Bezaliel and Aholiab. The Work of Grace on the Hearts of Men being more fully revealed under the New-Testament then before, and of the same Kind and Nature in every state of the Church since the fall, I shall treat of it once for all in its most proper Place.

The first eminent gift and work of the Holy Ghost under the Old Testament, with the most direct and immediate respect unto Jesus Christ, was that of prophecy — its chief and principal end in the Church was to foresignify him, his sufferings, and the glory that should ensue. The best of the old saints had but to contemplate the King of Saints in the land that was yet very far from them — their prospect of Christ which by faith they obtained was their chiefest joy and glory, yet they all ended their days as Moses did, seeing the promised land but not entering. The prophets were searching what manner of time the Spirit of Christ in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow — it was revealed that not unto themselves but unto us they did minister these things. The sum and substance of the prophetical work was to give testimony to the truth of God in the first promise concerning the coming of the blessed Seed — God first gave the promise, then by revelation unto the prophets confirmed it, and then the Lord Christ was sent to make them all good unto the Church.

The gift of prophecy began betimes in the world and continued without any known interruption during the Church's preparatory estate — Adam himself had many things revealed unto him, the prophecy of Enoch is recorded in Jude, and God expressly calls Abraham a prophet. After the finishing of the canon of the Old Testament, prophecy ceased in the Judaical Church until its revival in John the Baptist, who was therefore greater than any prophet that went before, because he made the nearest approach to and clearest discovery of the Lord Jesus Christ, the end of all prophecy.

The gift of prophecy was always the immediate effect of the operation of the Holy Spirit — no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. It was from the Spirit of God alone that the prophets had all their ability for the discharge of their prophetical office — when God would endow seventy elders with a gift of prophecy, he told Moses he would take of the Spirit that was upon him and give unto them. The Spirit spake in the prophets by his holy inspirations, and he spake by them in his effectual infallible guidance of them to utter, declare, and write what they received from him, without mistake or variation. The Spirit of the Lord spake by David — hence the apostle, repeating his words, ascribes them directly to the Holy Ghost, saying, 'As the Holy Ghost saith...'

The Hebrew word for prophet signifies in general to speak out, interpret, and declare the minds or words of another — prophets are the interpreters and declarers of the word, will, mind, or oracles of God unto others. A prophet in common use was called a Seer because of their divine visions, and a Man of God — and the extraordinary gift of prophecy is neither to be confined to the strict notion of prediction and foretelling, nor extended to every true declaration of the mind of God, but only that obtained by immediate revelation.

The gift of prophecy consisted in inspiration — the acting of the Holy Ghost in communicating his mind unto the prophets was called inspiration on account of his name and nature, which signifies breath, and because of the meekness, gentleness, and facility wherewith he works. The Holy Spirit came within the faculties of the souls of men, acting them with a power that was not their own — his inspirations were gentle and placid. When the prophets had been inspired with the mind of God, they had no rest unless they declared it in its proper way and season — Jeremiah declared that God's word was in his heart as a burning fire shut up in his bones, and he was weary with forbearing and could not stay. The trouble and consternation of spirit that sometimes befell the prophets under revelation arose from the dreadful representations of terrible things made unto their fancies in visions, and from the greatness and dread of the things themselves revealed.

The immediate effects of inspiration were that the prophets were moved or acted by the Holy Ghost — he first prepared and elevated their intellectual faculties to receive the impressions he made upon them, and confirmed their memories to retain them. Although the prophets received the clearest revelations concerning Jesus Christ, in their knowledge and understanding of the meaning of those prophecies they were inferior to John the Baptist, as he was to the meanest believer — for there was more in their inspirations than they could search into the bottom of. The difference between the inspirations of the Holy Spirit and those of the devil is that the utmost Satan can do is make strong impressions on the imaginations of men through the organs of the body; the Holy Spirit is in the faculties themselves and uses them as his organs. The Spirit acted and guided the prophets as to the very organs of their bodies whereby they expressed the revelation received — he guided their tongues in the declaration of his revelations as the mind of a man guides his hand in writing; hence David affirmed that his tongue was the pen of a ready writer. God is said to speak by the mouths of the holy prophets, all of whom had but one mouth on account of their absolute consent and agreement in the same predictions — whatever they received by revelation, they were but the pipes through which the waters of it were conveyed, without the least mixture from their frailties or infirmities.

The distinct outward manners and ways of revelation mentioned in Scripture may be reduced unto three heads: voices, dreams, and visions; the accidental adjuncts of prophecy are symbolical actions and local mutations.

God sometimes made use of an articulate voice, speaking out those things he intended to declare in words significant of them — so he revealed himself unto Moses when he spoke to him face to face as a man speaks unto his friend; but this was not the usual way of God's revealing his mind. The phrase 'the word of the Lord came unto me' mostly intends that secret, effectual impression on the mind which was the ordinary way of prophetic revelation; the divine certainty of the minds to whom audible voices were spoken was from an immediate internal work of the Spirit of God upon them.

Dreams were made use of under the Old Testament as the immediate operation of the Holy Ghost as to the divine and infallible impressions they conveyed to the minds of men — in the promise of the plentiful pouring out of the Spirit, mention is made of dreams, visions, and prophecy. The sleep of the prophets was not natural but that which God sent and cast them into, that therein he might represent the image of things unto their imaginations — this way of revelation was so common that false prophets would cry out, 'I have dreamed, I have dreamed.'

God revealed himself in and by visions or representations of things to the inward or outward senses of the prophets — this way was so frequent that it bore the name for a season of all prophetical revelations, which is why prophets were called seers. Prophetical visions were of two sorts: outward representations of things unto the bodily eyes of the prophets, as the three men who appeared to Abraham and the burning bush seen by Moses; and inward representations unto their minds, as Peter's vision of the sheet in a trance. Peter, when actually delivered out of prison, thought for a good while that he had only seen a vision, for he knew how powerfully the mind was wont to be affected by them. Two things were required to render visions direct and complete parts of divine revelation: first, that the minds of the prophets were acted and raised by the Holy Spirit, giving assurance that their visions were from God; and second, his enabling them faithfully to retain and infallibly to declare what was so represented. It seems utterly impossible for the mind of man to conceive and retain at once all the harmonious structure, dimensions, and laws of the fabrick represented in Ezekiel's vision of the temple — to implant and preserve the idea presented on his mind was the peculiar work of the Holy Ghost.

Some prophetic revelations were accompanied by symbolical actions commanded of God — Isaiah was commanded to walk naked and barefoot, Jeremiah to dispose of a linen girdle, Ezekiel to lie in the siege and remove the stuff of his house. Things like Isaiah going naked, containing things against the light of nature and the express law of God, cannot be granted to have been actually done — only these things were represented unto them in visions to take the deeper impression upon them, and what they saw or did in vision they speak positively of.

Some prophetic revelations were accompanied by local mutations — Ezekiel was carried and transported from one place to another in visions of God, his outward senses suspended and his mind carried in a holy rapture to see things done in places from which he was really absent.

Whether the Holy Ghost granted his holy inspirations and the gift of prophecy unto wicked and unsanctified men is a difficulty — Peter says holy men spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, yet true prophecies have been given by men seemingly void of sanctifying grace. Balaam was a sorcerer given to diabolical enchantments, and yet he did actually foretell and prophesy glorious things concerning Christ and his kingdom — whether the Holy Spirit would immix his holy inspirations with the wicked suggestions of the devil in a soothsayer is a great question.

The gift of prophecy is not in itself a sanctifying grace, nor is the inspiration whereby it is wrought — consisting in an affecting of the mind with a transient irradiation of light in hidden things, it neither did nor could of itself produce faith, love, or holiness in the heart.

There is no inconsistency in God granting an immediate inspiration unto some not really sanctified — those established as prophets throughout their lives were all truly sanctified, but others had only occasional discoveries of hidden or future things made unto them for a short season. Wicked Caiaphas is said to prophesy — a sudden impression of the Spirit of God caused him against his intention to utter a sacred truth, and that because he was High Priest whose words were of great reputation with the people. As Balaam was over-ruled to prophesy and speak good of Israel when he really designed to curse them, so Caiaphas designing the destruction of Jesus Christ brought forth those words which expressed the salvation of the world by his death. As for Balaam — the good Spirit of God, without the least reflection on the majesty and purity of his own holiness, may over-rule the power of the devil, cast out his suggestions from a man's mind, and give such an impression of sacred truths as he cannot but utter and declare — taking as it were the instrument out of the hand of Satan and causing it to give a sound according to his mind. No conspiracy of men or devils shall cause God to forego his sovereignty over them, and the using of them to his own glory — as the damsel possessed with a spirit of divination was made to acknowledge Paul and his companions as servants of the most High God. The Spirit of the Lord that departed from Saul was the spirit of wisdom, moderation, and courage to fit him for rule and government — the Holy Spirit might at a season fall upon him so as to cast him into a rapture wherein his mind was acted in an extraordinary manner and himself transported into actions not at all according to his own inclinations.

The writing of Scripture was another effect of the Holy Ghost — many prophets were divinely inspired who yet never wrote any of their prophecies, and many pen-men of Scripture were no prophets in the strict sense; the apostle tells us that the Scripture itself was by inspiration from God. Moses was the first who committed the will of God to writing after God himself who wrote the law in tables of stone, which was the beginning and pattern of the Scriptures. The writers of the historical books of the Old Testament did not write from their own memory, tradition, or records of times, but by the inspiration, guidance, and direction of the Holy Ghost — hence they are called prophets in such a latitude as signifies any divinely inspired.

As to the writing of Scripture, three things concurred: the inspiration of the minds of the prophets with knowledge of the things communicated; the suggestion of words to express what their minds conceived; and the guidance of their hands in setting down the words suggested. If the pen-men of Scripture were left unto themselves in any thing, who can secure us that no human imperfection mixed itself therewithal — the Holy Ghost in his work on the minds of men does not put a force upon them but leads them in paths wherein they are able to walk, suggesting unto them words they are accustomed to. The Holy Spirit is more intimate unto the minds and skill of men than they are themselves, and so guided, acted, and operated in them as that the words they fixed upon were as directly and certainly from him as if they had been spoken by an audible voice. Our Saviour affirms that every apex and iota of the law is under the care of God as that which was given by inspiration from himself.

Miracles of all sorts, frequent under the Old Testament, were all the immediate effects of the divine power of the Holy Ghost — he is the sole author of all real miraculous operations, wrought such effects as are really beyond and above the power of natural causes. The Lord Jesus Christ wrought miracles by the Holy Ghost — how much more must it be granted that the Spirit alone was the power by which miracles were wrought in those who had no personal relation unto the divine nature. The persons by whom miracles were wrought were never the real subjects of the power whereby they were wrought — Joshua had no power to alter the whole frame of nature; he had only a divine warranty to speak that which God himself would effect, whence God is said to have hearkened unto the voice of a man. The gift of tongues was such that those who had it did not speak from any skill or ability residing in them, but they were merely organs of the Holy Ghost which he moved at his pleasure. The end of all miraculous operations was to give reputation to the persons and to confirm the ministry of them by whom they were wrought — such works were called signs because they were tokens and pledges of the presence of the Spirit of God. The gift of miracles was never bestowed on any man alone or for its own sake, but was always subordinate unto the work of revealing or declaring the mind of God.

Government or supreme rule is of great concernment unto the glory of God in the World and of the highest usefulness unto mankind — without it the whole world would be filled with violence and become a stage for all wickedness to act itself upon in disorder and confusion. Because the utmost of what men may obtain by ordinary endeavors is not sufficient for some especial ends which God aimed at in their government, the Holy Ghost did often give an especial improvement unto their abilities of mind by his own immediate and extraordinary operation. In the first institution of the Sanhedrin of seventy elders, the Lord is said to put his Spirit upon them and the Spirit rested on them — he worked the same abilities for government in them as Moses had received: wisdom, righteousness, diligence, courage, that they might judge wisely and look to the execution of the law impartially. When God would erect a kingdom among Israel and designed Saul to reign, he gave him another heart — the Spirit of God came upon him to endow him with wisdom and magnanimity to make him meet for kingly rule, accompanied with a visible sign that the people might acquiesce in his government. God instituted the ceremony of anointing at rulers' inauguration as a token of the communication of the gifts of the Holy Ghost unto them — with respect unto Jesus Christ who was to be anointed with all his fullness, of whom they were types. So great is the burden of just government, so great are the temptations which power invites, that without some especial assistance of the Holy Spirit of God men cannot choose but either sink under the weight of it or wretchedly miscarry in its exercise. God anointed Cyrus and calls him his anointed, for Cyrus had a double work to do for God — to execute his judgments on Babylon and to deliver his people to rebuild the temple — for both of which he received especial aid from the Spirit of God, though the gifts wrought no real holiness in him.

Sect. 23 Secondly; We may add hereunto those especial Endowments with some Moral Vertues which he granted to sundry Persons for the accomplishment of some especial Design. So He came upon Gideon and upon Jeptha to anoint them to the Work of delivering the People from their Adversaries in Battel, Judg. 6. 34. Chap. 11. 29. It is said before of them both, That they were Men of Valour, Chap. 6. 12. Chap. 11. 1. This coming therefore of the Spirit of God upon them and cloathing of them, was his especial Excitation of their Courage, and his fortifying of their Minds against those Dangers they were to conflict withal. And this he did by such an efficacious impression of his Power upon them, as that both themselves received thereby a Confirmation of their Call, and others might discern the presence of God with them. Hence it is said that the Spirit of the Lord cloathed them, they being warmed in themselves, and known to others by his Gifts and Actings of them.

Sect. 24 Thirdly; There are sundry Instances of his adding to the Gifts of the Mind, whereby he qualified Persons for their Duties, even bodily strength When that also was needful for the Work whereunto he called them; Such was his Gift to Sampson. His bodily strength was supernatural, a meer effect of the Power of the Spirit of God, and therefore when he put it forth in his Calling, it is said that the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, Judg. 14. 6. Chap. 15. 14. or wrought powerfully in him. And he gave him this strength in the way of an Ordinance, appointing the growing of his Hair to be the Sign and Pledg of it; the Care whereof being violated by him, he lost for a season the Gift it self.

Sect. 25 Fourthly; He also communicated Gifts intellectual to be exercised in and about things Natural and Artificial. So he endowed Bezaliel and Aholiab with Wisdom and Skill in all manner of curious Workmanship about all sorts of things for the building and beautifying of the Tabernacle, Exod. 31. 2, 3. Whether Bezaliel were a Man that had before given himself to the Acquisition of those Arts and Sciences is altogether uncertain. But certain it is that his present Endowments were extraordinary. The Spirit of God heightned improved and strengthned the Natural Faculties of his Mind, to a Perception and Understanding of all the curious Works mentioned in that place, and to a skill how to contrive and dispose of them into their Order deigned by God himself. And therefore although the skill and wisdom mentioned differed not in the kind of it from that which others attained by industry; yet he received it by an immediate Afflatus or Inspiration of the Holy Ghost, as to that degree at least, which he was made Partaker of.

Sect. 27 Lastly; The Assistance given to Holy Men for the Publishing and Preaching of the Word of God to others, as to Noah who was a Preacher of Righteousness, 2 Pet. 2. 5. for the Conviction of the Word and Conversion of the Elect, wherein the Spirit of God strove with Men, Gen. 6. 3. and preached to them that were Disobedient, 1 Pet. 3. 19, 20. might here also be considered, but that the Explanation of his whole Work in the Particular will occur to us in a more proper place.

Sect. 28 And thus I have briefly passed through the Dispensation of the Spirit of God under the Old Testament. Nor have I aimed therein to gather up his whole Work and all his Actings; for then every thing that is praise-worthy in the Church must have been enquired into; For all without him is Death and Darkness and Sin. All Life Light and Power are from him alone. And the instances of things expresly assigned to him which we have insisted on, are sufficient to manifest that the whole Being and Welfare of the Church depended solely on his Will and his Operation. And this will yet be more evident when we have also considered those other Effects and Operations of his, which being common to both States of the Church under the Old Testament and the New, are purposely here omitted, because the Nature of them is more fully cleared in the Gospel wherein also their Exemplifications are more illustrious. From him therefore was the Word of Promise and the Gift of Prophesie whereon the Church was founded and whereby it was built. From him was the Revelation and Institution of all the Ordinances of Religious Whorship; from him was that Communication of Gifts and Gracious Abilities which any Persons received for the Edification, Rule, Protection, and Deliverance of the Church. All these things were wrought by that one and self-same Spirit, which divides to every Man severally as he will. And if this were the state of things under the Old Testament, a Judgment may from there be made how it is under the New. The principal Advantage of the present State above that which is past next to the coming of Christ in the Flesh, consists in the pouring out of the Holy upon the Disciples of Christ in a larger manner than formerly. And yet I know not how it is come to pass that some Men think that neither He nor his Work are of any great use to us. And whereas we find every thing that is good even under the Old Testament assigned to him as the sole immediate Author of it, it is hard to perswade with many that he continues now to do almost any good at all. And what he is allowed to have any hand in, it is sure to be so stated, as that the principal praise of it may redound to our selves; So diverse, yea so adverse are the thoughts of God and Men in these things, where our Thoughts are not captivated to the Obedience of Faith. But we must shut up this Discourse. It is a common saying among the Jewish Masters, That the Gift of the Holy Ghost ceased under the second Temple or after the finishing of it. Their meaning must be, that it did so as to the Gifts of Ministerial Prophesie, of Miracles, and of Writing the Mind of God by Inspiration for the Use of the Church; Otherwise there is no Truth in their Observation. For there were afterwards especial Revelations of the Holy Ghost granted to many as to Simeon and Anna, Luke 1. And others constantly received of his Gifts and Graces to enable them to Obedience, and fit them for their Employments. For without a continuance of these supplies the Church it self must absolutely cease.

General Dispensation of the HOLY SPIRIT, with respect to the New Creation. CHAP. II.

(1.) The Work of the Spirit of God in the New Creation proposed to Consideration. The Importance of the Doctrine hereof. (2.) The plentiful Effusion of the Spirit the great Promise respecting the Times of the New Testament. (3.) Ministry of Gospel founded in the Promise of the Spirit. (4.) How this Promise is made to all Believers. (5.) Injunction to all to pray for the Spirit of God. (6.) The solemn Promise of Christ to send his Spirit when he left the Word. (7.) The ends for which he promised him. (8.) The Work of the New Creation the principal means of the Revelation of God and his Glory. (9.) How this Revelation is made in particular herein.

Sect. 1 VVE are now arrived at that part of our Work which was principally intended in the Whole; and that because our Faith and Obedience is principally therein concerned. This is the Dispensation and Work of the Holy Ghost with respect to the Gospel, or the New Creation of all things in and by Jesus Christ. And this if any thing in the Scripture is worthy of our most diligent Enquiry and Meditation; nor is there any more important Principle and Head of that Religion which we do profess. The Doctrine of Being and Unity of the Divine Nature is common to us with the rest of Mankind, and has been so from the Foundation of the World; however some like bruit Beasts have herein also corrupted themselves. The Doctrine of the Trinity, or the Subsistence of three Persons in the one Divine Nature or Being, was known to all who enjoyed Divine Revelation even under the Old Testament, though to us it be manifested with more Light and convincing Evidence. The Incarnation of the Son of God was promised and expected from the first entrance of Sin, and received its actual Accomplishment in the fulness of Time, during the continuance of the Mosaical Paedagogie. But this Dispensation of the Holy Ghost whereof we now proceed to treat, is so peculiar to the New Testament, that the Evangelist speaking of it sayes, The Holy Ghost was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified, Joh. 7. 39. And they who were instructed in the Doctrine of John the Bapist only, knew not whether there were any Holy Ghost, Acts 19. 2. Both which saying concerned his Dispensation under the New Testament; for his eternal Being and Existence they were not ignorant of, nor did he then first begin to be as we have fully manifested in our foregoing Discourse. To stir us up therefore to diligence in this Enquiry to what was in general laid down before, I shall add some Considerations evidencing the Greatness and Necessity of this Duty, and then proceed to the Matter it self that we have proposed to handle and explain.

Sect. 2 1. The plentiful Effusion of the Spirit is that which was principally prophesied of, and foretold as the great Priviledg and Pre-eminence of the Gospel-Church State; This was that good Wine which was kept until the last; This all Prophets bear witness to, see Isa. 35. 7. Chap. 44. 3. Joel. 2. 28. Ezek. 11. 19. Chap. 36. 27. with other places innumerable. The great Promise of the Old Testament was that concerning the coming of Christ in the Flesh. But he was so to come as to put an end to that whole Church-State, wherein his coming was expected. To prove this was the principal Design of the Apostle in his Epistle to the Hebrews. But this Promise of the Spirit whose accomplishment was reserved for the Times of the Gospel, was to be the Foundation of another Church-State and the means of its Continuance. If therefore we have any interest in the Gospel it self or desire to have; if we have either Part or Lot in this Matter, or desire to be made Partakers of the Benefits which attend thereon, which are no less than our Acceptation with God here and our Salvation hereafter; it is our Duty to Search the Scriptures and enquire diligently into these things. And let no Man deceive us with vain words, as though the things spoken concerning the Spirit of God and his Work towards them that do believe, are fanatical and unintelligible by rational Men, for because of this contempt of him the Wrath of God will come on the Children of Disobedience. And if the World in Wisdom and their Reason know him not, nor can receive him, yet they who believe do know him, for he dwelles with them and shall be in them, John 14. 17. And the present practice of the World in despising and sleighting the Spirit of God and his Work, gives Light and Evidence to those words of our Saviour, that the World cannot receive him. And it cannot do so because it neither sees him nor knowes him, or has no Experience of his Work in them or of his Power and Grace. Accordingly does it, is it come to pass. Wherefore not to avow the Spirit of God in his Work, is to be ashamed of the Gospel and of the Promise of Christ, as if it were a thing not to be owned in the World.

Sect. 3 2. The Ministry of the Gospel whereby we are begotten again that we should be a kind of first Fruits of his Creatures to God, is from his promised Presence with it and Work in it, called the Ministry of the Spirit, even of the Spirit that gives Life, 2 Cor. 3. 6. And it is so in opposition to the ministration of the Law, wherein yet there were a multitude of Ordinances of Worship and Glorious Ceremonies. And he who knows no more of the Ministry of the Gospel but what consists in an attendance to the Letter of Institutions, and the manner of their performance, knows nothing of it. Nor yet is there any extraordinary Afflatus or Inspiration now intended or attended to, as we are slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we pretend. But there is that present of the Spirit of God with the Ministry of the Gospel, in his Authority, Assistance, Communication of Gifts and Abilities, Guidance and Direction, as without which it will be useless and unprofitable in and to all that take the Work thereof upon them. This will be more fully declared afterwards. For;

The promise and gift of the Spirit under the Gospel is not made unto any peculiar sort of persons only, but unto all believers as their conditions and occasions require — it is the common concern of all Christians, not the especial interest of a few. If men have not the Spirit of Christ they are none of his — the Lord Jesus Christ has promised him as a Comforter to abide with his disciples forever, and by the Spirit he is present with them to the end of the world. Without the Spirit all religion is but a body without a soul, a carcase without an animating spirit — in the continuation of his work he ceases from extraordinary effects, but the whole work of his grace according to the covenant is no less truly and really carried on at this day toward all the elect of God than it was on the day of Pentecost. The owning and avowing the work of the Holy Ghost in the hearts and on the minds of men, according to the tenor of the covenant of grace, is the principal part of that profession which all believers are called unto.

We are taught in an especial manner to pray that God would give his Holy Spirit unto us — our Saviour makes the subject matter of our prayers to be the Holy Spirit, for the heavenly Father shall give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him. God does not bestow any good thing on us but by his Spirit — he who prays not constantly and diligently for the Spirit of God is a stranger from Christ and his Gospel, for this is the matter on which our eternal happiness depends.

When Christ was to leave this world by death and make his testament, he bequeathed his Spirit as his great legacy unto his disciples — the great pledge of their future inheritance, which they were to live upon in this world. Christ promised the Spirit to supply his own absence, for all the ends of spiritual and eternal life — when his heart was overflowing with love unto his disciples and care for them, he promised to leave and give unto them his Holy Spirit to abide with them for ever. It is a matter of lamentation to consider the contempt and scorn cast upon this Holy Spirit and the work whereunto he is sent — included therein is a contempt of the Father and the Son also; for it is an idol and not the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who does not work effectually in the elect by the Holy Ghost.

There is no good communicated unto us from God but it is bestowed on us or wrought in us by the Holy Ghost — no gift, no grace, no mercy, no privilege, no consolation do we receive, possess, or use, but it is collated on us or manifested unto us by him alone. There is no good in us towards God — no faith, love, duty, or obedience — but what is effectually wrought in us by the Spirit alone, for in us that is in our flesh there dwells no good thing.

Sect. 8 The great Work whereby God designed to glorifie himself ultimately in this World, was that of the New Creation or of the Recovery and Restauration of all things by Jesus Christ, Heb. 1. 1, 2, 3. Ephes. 1. 10. And as this is in general confessed by all Christians, so I have elsewhere insisted on the Demonstration of it. (2.) That which God orderes and designes as the principal means for the manifestation of his Glory, must contain the most perfect and absolute Revelation and Declaration of Himself, his Nature, his Being, his Existence and Excellencies. For from their discovery and manifestation, with the Duties which as known they require from rational Creatures, does the Glory of God arise and no otherwise. (3.) This therefore was to be done in this great Work, and it was done accordingly. Hence is the Lord Christ in his Work of Mediation said to be the Image of the Invisible God, Col. 1. 15. The brightness of his Glory, and the express Image of his Person, Heb. 1. 3. in whose Face the Knowledg of the Glory of God shines forth to us, 2 Cor. 4. 6. Because in and by him in his Work of the New Creation all the glorious Properties of the Nature of God are manifested and displayed incomparably above what they were in the Creation of all things in the beginning. I say therefore in the Contrivance, Projection, Production, carrying on, disposal and accomplishment of this great Work, God has made the most eminent and glorious Discovery of himself to Angels and Men, Ephes. 3. 8, 9, 10. 1 Pet. 1. 10, 11, 12. That we may Know, Love, Trust, Honour and Obey him in all things as God and according to his Will. (4.) In particular in this New Creation he has revealed himself in an especial manner as Three in One. There was no one more glorious Mystery brought to Light in and by Jesus Christ than that of the Holy Trinity, or the Subsistence of the Three Persons in the Unity of the same Divine Nature. And this was done not so much in express Propositions or verbal Testimonies to that purpose, which yet is done also, as by the Declaration of the mutual Divine Internal Acts of the Persons towards one another, and the distinct immediate Divine external Actings of each Person in the Work which they did and do perform. For God reveales not himself to us meerly Doctrinally and Dogmatically, but by the Declaration of what he does for us, in us, towards us, in the accomplishment of the Counsel of his Will; see Ephes. 1. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. And this Revelation is made to us, not that our minds might be possessed with the Notions of it, but that we may know aright how to place our Trust in Him, how to Obey him and Live to him, how to obtain and exercise Communion with him, until we come to the enjoyment of him.

Sect. 9 We may make Application of these things to, and exemplifie them yet farther in the Work under Consideration. Three things in general are in it proposed to our Faith. (1.) The Supream Purpose Design Contrivance and Disposal of it. (2.) The Purchasing and Procuring Cause and Means of the Effects of that Design; with its Accomplishment in it Self and with respect to God. (3.) The Application of the Supream Design and actual Accomplishment of it to make it effectual to us. The first of these is absolutely in the Scripture assigned to the Father, and that Uniformely and every where. His Will, His Counsel, His Love, His Grace, His Authority, His Purpose, His Design are constantly proposed as the Foundation of the whole Work, as those which were to be pursued, effected, accomplished; see Isa 42. 1, 2, 3. Psal. 40. 6, 7, 8. John 3. 16. Isa. 53. 10, 11, 12. Ephes. 1. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. and other places innumerable. And on this Account, because the Son undertook to effect what-ever the Father had so designed and purposed, there were many Acts of the Will of the Father towards the Son in sending, giving, appointing of Him, in preparing him a Body, in Comforting and Supporting Him, in rewarding and giving a People to Him which belong to the Father on the account of the Authority, Love and Wisdom that were in them, their actual Operation belonging particularly to another Person. And in these things is the Person of the Father in the Divine Being proposed to us to be known and adored. Secondly; The Son condescendes, consentes, and engages to do and accomplish in his own Person, the whole Work which in the Authority, Counsel and Wisdom of the Father was appointed for him, Phil. 2. 5, 6, 7, 8. And in these Divine Operations is the Person of the Son revealed to us to be honoured even as we honour the Father. Thirdly, The Holy Ghost does immediately Work and Effect what-ever was to be done in reference to the Person of the Son, or the Sons of Men, for the Perfecting and Accomplishment of the Father's Counsel, and the Son's Work, in an especial Application of both to their especial Effects and Ends. Hereby is he made known to us, and hereby our Faith concerning him and in him is directed. And thus in this great Work of the New Creation by Jesus Christ does God cause all his Glory to pass before us, that we may both know him and worship him in a due manner. And what is the peculiar Work of the Holy Ghost herein we shall now declare.

Work of the Holy Spirit with respect to the Head of the New Creation, the Humane Nature of Christ. CHAP. III.

(1.) The especial Works of the Holy Spirit in the New Creation. (2.) His Work on the Humane Nature of Christ. (3.) How this Work could be considering the Union of the Humane Nature to and in the Person of the Son of God. (4.) Assumption of the Humane Nature into Union the only Act of the Person of the Son towards it. (5.) Personal Union the only necessary Consequent of this Assumption. (6.) All other Actings of the Person of the Son in and on the Humane Nature voluntary. (7.) The Holy Spirit the immediate efficient cause of all Divine Operations. (8.) He is the Spirit of the Son or of the Father. (9.) How all the Works of the Trinity are individed. (10.) The Body of Christ formed in the Womb by the Holy Ghost; but of the Substance of the Blessed Virgin; why this was necessary. (11.) Christ not hence the Son of the Holy Ghost according to the Humane Nature. (12.) Difference between the Assumption of the Humane Nature by the Son, and the Creation of it by the Holy Ghost. (13.) The Conception of Christ how ascribed to the Holy Ghost, and how to the Blessed Virgin. Reasons of the Espousal of the Blessed Virgin to Joseph before the Conception of Christ. (14.) The actual Purity and Holiness of the Soul and Body of Christ from his Miraculous Conception.

Sect. 1 THe Dispensation and Work of the Holy Ghost in this New Creation; respect, first the Head of the Church, the Lord Jesus Christ in his Humane Nature, as it was to be and was united to the Person of the Son of God. Secondly, It concerns the Members of that Mystical Body in all that belongs to them as such. And under these two Heads we shall consider them.

Sect. 2 First; Therefore we are to enquire what are the Operations of the Holy Ghost in reference to Jesus Christ the Head of the Church. And these were of two sorts. (1.) Such as whereof the Person of Christ in his Humane Nature was the immediate Object. (2.) Such as he performs towards others on his behalf; that is, with direct respect to his Person and Office.

Sect. 3 But yet before we enter upon the first sort of his Works which we shall begin withal, an Objection of seeming weight and Difficulty must be removed out of our way; which I shall the rather do, because our answer to it will make the whole matter treated of the more plain and familiar to us. It may therefore be, and it is Objected, That whereas the Humane Nature of Christ is assigned as the immediate Object of these Operations of the Holy Ghost, and that Nature was immediately, inseparably, and undividedly united to the Person of the Son of God, there does not seem to be any need, nor indeed room for any such Operations of the Spirit. For could not the Son of God himself in his own Person, perform all things requisite both for the forming, supporting, sanctifying and preserving of his own Nature, without the especial Assistance of the Holy Ghost? Nor is it easy to be understood how an immediate Work of the Holy Ghost should be interposed in the same Person, between the one Nature and the other. And this seeming Difficulty is vehemently pressed by the Socinians, who think to intangle our whole Doctrine of the Blessed Trinity, and Incarnation of the Son of God thereby. But express Testimonies of Scripture, with the clear and evident Analogie of Faith, will carry us easily and safely through this seeming Difficulty. To which End we may Observe; That,

Sect. 4 1. The only singular immediate Act of the Person of the Son on the Humane Nature, was the Assumption of it into Subsistence with Himself. Herein the Father and the Spirit had no Interest nor concurrence, [[original in non-Latin script]], but by Approbation and Consent, as Damascen speaks. For the Father did not assume the Humane Nature; he was not Incarnate; neither did the Holy Spirit do so. But this was the Peculiar Act, and Work of the Son. See Joh. 1. 14. Rom. 1. 4. Gal. 4. 4. Phil. 2. 6, 7. Heb. 2. 14. 17; which Places with many others to the same Purpose, I have elsewhere expounded, and vindicated from the Exceptions of the Socinians.

Sect. 5 2. That the only Necessary Consequent of this Assumption of the Humane Nature, or the Incarnation of the Son of God, is the Personal Union of Christ, or the inseparable Subsistence of the assumed Nature in the Person of the Son. This was necessary, and indissoluble, so that it was not impeached, nor shaken in the least, by the temporary dissolution of that Nature by the separation of the Soul and Body. For the Union of the Soul and Body in Christ did not constitute him a Person, that the Dissolution of them should destroy his Personality. But he was a Person by the Uniting of both to the Son of God.

Sect. 6 3. That all other Actings of God in the Person of the Son towards the Humane Nature were Voluntary, and did not necessarily ensue on the Union mentioned. For there was no Transfusion of the Properties of one Nature into the other, nor real Physical Communication of Divine Essential Excellencies to the Humanity. Those who seem to contend for any such thing, resolve all at last into a true Assignation by way of Predication as necessary on the Union mentioned, but contend not for a real transfusion of the Properties of one Nature into the other. But these Communications were Voluntary. Hence were those temporary Dissations, when under his great trial the Humane Nature complained of its desertion and Dereliction by the Divine, Matth. 27. 46. For this forsaking was not as to Personal Union, or necessary Subsistence and supportment, but as to Voluntary Communications of Light and Consolation. Hence himself declares that the Humane Nature was not the Residential Subject of Omnisciency. For so he speaks, Mark. 13. 32. But of that Day and that hour knowes no Man, no nor the Angels which are in Heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. For the Exposition given by some of the Antients, that the Lord Christ speaks not this absolutely, but only, that he knew it not to declare it to them, is unworthy of him. For no more did the Father so know it, seeing he has not declared it. But this was the Opinion only of some of them, the more advised were otherwise minded. He speaks of himself with respect to his Humane Nature only. And thereunto all Communications were Voluntary. So after his Ascention God gave him that Revelation that he made to the Apostle: Revel. 1. 1. The Humane Nature therefore, however inconceivably advanced, is not the Subject of Infinite Essentially Divine Properties. And the Actings of the Son of God towards it, consequential to its Assumption, and that indissoluble subsistence in its Union which ensued thereon, are Voluntary.

The Holy Ghost is the immediate peculiar efficient cause of all external divine operations — God works by his Spirit, who immediately applies the power and efficacy of the divine excellencies unto their operation; whence the same work is equally the work of each Person.

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of the Son no less than the Spirit of the Father — he proceeds from the Son, as from the Father; and hence is he the immediate operator of all divine acts of the Son himself, even on his own human nature.

Opera Trinitatis ad extra sunt indivisa — there is no such division in the external operations of God that any one of them should be the act of one person without the concurrence of the others, because the nature of God, which is the principle of all divine operations, is one and the same individed in them all. In every divine act, the authority of the Father, the love and wisdom of the Son, with the immediate efficacy and power of the Holy Ghost are to be considered — yet there is such a distinction in their operations that one divine act may produce a peculiar respect and relation unto one person and not unto another, as the assumption of the human nature did to the Son alone.

The framing, forming, and miraculous conception of the body of Christ in the womb of the blessed Virgin was the peculiar and especial work of the Holy Ghost — the Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; therefore also that Holy Thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. The act of the Holy Ghost in forming the body of Christ was a creating act — not like the first creating act out of nothing, but like subsequent acts of creation whereby out of matter before made, things were made what before they were not, having no active disposition toward it; so the body of Christ was formed of the substance of the blessed Virgin. That Christ's body should be formed of the substance of the blessed Virgin was absolutely necessary to accomplish the promises made to Abraham and David, to fulfill the first promise that the seed of the woman should break the serpent's head, and to establish his cognation and alliance unto us as our Saviour suffering in the same nature wherein we have sinned. If Christ had not been partaker of our nature there had been no foundation for the imputing unto us of that which he suffered and wrought — hence these things are accounted unto us and cannot be so unto angels, whose nature he did not take upon him.

The Lord Christ could not on account of the Holy Ghost forming his body be said to be the Son of the Holy Ghost — the relation of filiation depends only on and arises from a perfect generation; the only relation between the Person of the Holy Ghost and the human nature of Christ was that of a Creator and a Creature. The Lord Christ is, and is called, the Son of God with respect only unto the Father and his eternal ineffable generation — filiation is a personal adjunct belonging to Christ as a divine Person, not with respect unto his human nature.

The act of the Holy Ghost in forming the body of Christ differs from the act of the Son in assuming the human nature — the Son's act was not a creating act but an ineffable act of love and wisdom taking the nature so formed to be his own in the instant of its formation, preventing the singular and individual subsistence of that nature in and by itself.

The conception of Christ in the womb, being the effect of a creating act, was perfected in an instant — it was necessary that nothing of the human nature of Christ should exist of itself antecedently unto its union with the Son of God; in the very instant of its formation was the Word made flesh. The Power of the Highest overshadowing the Virgin alludes to the original acting of the Holy Spirit toward the newly produced mass of the old creation — for both words include an allusion unto a covering like that of a fowl over its eggs, communicating by its cognate warmth a principle of life unto their seminal virtue.

Sect. 14 It remaines only that we consider how the same Work of the Conception of Christ, is assigned to the Holy Ghost, and to the Blessed Virgin. For of Her it is said expresly in Prophesie. [[original in non-Latin script]], Isa. 7. 14. A Virgin shall Conceive; the same Word that is used to express the Conception of any other Woman, Gen. 4. 1. Hence She is termed by the Ancients [[original in non-Latin script]], and Dei genetrix, which last at least I wish had been forborn. Compare it with the Scripture and there will appear an unwarrantable [[original in non-Latin script]] in it. So Luk. 1. 31. The words of the Angel to Her are, [[original in non-Latin script]], You shalt Conceive in your Womb and bring forth a Son; where Her Conception of Him is distinguished from her bringing of him forth. And yet in the Ancient Creed commonly called the Apostles, and generally received by all Christians as a Summary of Religion, it is said he was Conceived by the Holy Spirit, and only Born of the Virgin Mary. An. The same Work is assigned to both as Causes of a different kind, to the Holy Spirit as the active efficient Cause, who by his Almighty Power produced the Effect. And the Disputes managed by some of the Ancients about de Spiritu Sancto, and ex Spiritu Sancto, were altogether needless. For it is his Creating Efficiency that is intended. And his Conceiving is ascribed to the Holy Virgin as the passive material Cause; for his Body was formed of her Substance as was before declared. And this Conception of Christ was after her Solemn Espousals to Joseph, and that for sundry Reasons. For (1.) under the Covering of her Marriage to him she was to receive a Protection of her Spotless Innocency. And besides (2.) God provided one that should take care of her and her Child in his infancy. And hereby (3.) also was our Blessed Saviour freed from the imputation of an illegitimate Birth; until by his own Miraculous Operations he should give Testimony to his Miraculous Conception, concerning which before his Mother could not have been believed. (4.) That he might have one on whose account his Genealogie might be recorded, to manifest the accomplishment of the Promise to Abraham & David. For the Line of a Genealogie was not legally continued by the Mother only. Hence Matthew gives us his Genealogie by Joseph, to whom his Mother was legally espoused; And although Luke give us the true Natural Line of his Descent by the Progenitors of the Blessed Virgin, yet he names her not, only mentioning her Espousals, he begins with Heli who was her Father, Chap. 3. 23. And this is the first thing ascribed peculiarly to the Holy Spirit with respect to the Head of the Church Christ Jesus.

Sect. 14 From this Miraculous Creation of the Body of Christ by the immediate Power of the Holy Ghost, did it became a meet Habitation for his Holy Soul, every way ready and complying with all actings of Grace and Vertue. We have not only the Depravation of our Natures in General, but the obliquity of our particular Constitutions to conflict withal. Hence it is that one is disposed to Passion Wrath and Anger, another to Vanity and Lightness, a third of Sensuality and fleshly Pleasures, and so others to Sloth and Idleness. And although this Disposition so far as it is the Result of our especial Constitutions and Complexion is not sin in it self, yet it dwells at the next Door to it, and as it is excited by the Moral Pravity of our Natures, a continual occasion of it. But the Body of Christ being formed pure and exact by the Holy Ghost, there was no Disposition or Tendency in his Constitution to the least Deviation from perfect Holiness in any kind. The exquisite Harmony of his natural temperature, made Love Meekness Gentleness Patience Benignity and Goodness, Natural and Cognate to him, as having an incapacity of such Motions as should be subservient to or complaint with any thing different from them. Hence, 2dly, also; although he took on him those Infirmities which belong to our Humane Nature as such, and are inseparable from it until it be glorified, yet he took none of our particular Infirmities which cleave to our Persons, occasioned either by the Vice of our Constitutions or irregularity in the use of our Bodies. Those natural Passions of our Minds which are capable of being the means of affliction and trouble, as Grief Sorrow and the like, he took upon him; as also those Infirmities of Nature which are troublesome to the Body, as Hunger Thirst Weariness and Pain. Yea, the purity of his Holy Constitution made him more highly sensible of these things than any of the Children of Men. But as to our Bodily Diseases, and Distempers which personally adhere to us upon the Disorder and Vice of our Constitutions, he was absolutely free from.

Work of the HOLY SPIRIT in and on the Humane Nature of Christ. CHAP. IV.

(1.) The actual Sanctification of the Humane Nature of Christ by the Holy Ghost. On what Ground spotless and free from sin. Positively endowed with all Grace. (2.) Original Holiness and Sanctification in Christ how carried on by the Spirit. Exercise of Grace in Christ by the rational Faculties of his Soul. Their Improvement. (3.) Wisdom and Knowledg how increased objectively in the Humane Nature of Christ. (4.) The Anointing of Christ by the Holy Spirit with Power and Gifts. (5.) Collated eminently on him at his Baptism. John 3. 34. explained and vindicated. (6.) Miraculous Works wrought in Christ by the Holy Ghost. (7.) Christ guided, conducted and supported by the Spirit in his whole Work. Mark 1. 11. opened. (8.) How the Lord Christ offered himself to God through the Eternal Spirit. (9.) His Sanctification thereunto. (10.) Graces acting eminently therein. Love, Zeal, Submission, Faith and Truth all exercised therein. (11, 12.) The Work of the Spirit of God towards Christ while he was in the state of the Dead; in his Resurrection and Glorification. (13.) The Office of the Spirit to bear Witness to Christ and its Discharge. (14.) The true Way and Means of coming to the Knowledg of Christ, with the necessity thereof. (15.) Danger of Mistakes herein. (16.) What it is to Love Christ as we ought.

The human nature of Christ, not being begotten by natural generation, derived no taint of original sin or corruption from Adam — all sin was charged on him as our Mediator and Surety, but on his own account he was obnoxious to no charge of sin original or actual. The human nature of Christ was by the Holy Spirit positively endowed with all grace in the instant of its conception — thereafter it was only capable of further degrees as to actual exercise, but not of any new kind of grace. The Spirit of the Lord rested upon Christ — the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, the Spirit of Counsel and Might, the Spirit of Knowledge and of the Fear of the Lord — and shall make him of quick understanding in the Fear of the Lord. The soul of Christ from the first moment of its infusion was a subject capable of a fullness of grace as unto its habitual residence and inbeing — from his conception he was holy, harmless, and undefiled, radically filled with a perfection of grace and wisdom, inasmuch as the Father gave him not the Spirit by measure.

The Lord Christ as man did and was to exercise all grace by the rational faculties and powers of his soul — his divine nature was not unto him in the place of a soul; being a perfect man his rational soul was in him the immediate principle of all his moral operations, even as ours are in us. The child Christ grew and waxed strong in Spirit — he increased in wisdom as in stature, continually filling and filled with new degrees of wisdom as to its exercise, according as the rational faculties of his mind were capable thereof; an increase in these things accompanied his years.

Sect. 3 2. The Humane Nature of Christ was capable of having New Objects proposed to its Mind and Understanding, whereof before it had a simple Nescience. And this is an inseparable adjunct of Humane Nature as such, as it is to be weary or hungry, and no vice or blameable defect. Some have made a great outcry about the ascribing of Ignorance by some Protestant Divines to the Humane Soul of Christ, Bellarm. de Anim. Christi. Take Ignorance for that which is a moral Defect in any kind, or an unacquaintedness with that which any one ought to know, or is necessary to him as to the Perfection of his Condition or his Duty, and it is false that ever any of them ascribed it to him. Take it meerly for a nescience of some things, and there is no more in it but a denial of Infinite Omniscience, nothing inconsistent with the highest Holiness and Purity of Humane Nature. So the Lord Christ sayes of himself, that he knew not the Day and Hour of the End of all things; and our Apostle of him, that he learned Obedience by the things that he suffered, Heb. 5. 8. In the representation then of things anew to the Humane Nature of Christ, the Wisdom and Knowledg of it was objectively increased, and in new Tryals and Temptations he experimentally learned the new Exercise of Grace. And this was the constant Work of the Holy Spirit in the Humane Nature of Christ. He dwelt in him in fulness, for he received him not by measure. And continually upon all occasions he gave out of his unsearchable Treasures, Grace for Exercise in all Duties and Instances of it. From hence was he habitually Holy, and from hence did he exercise Holiness entirely and universally in all things.

Sect. 4 Fourthly; The Holy Spirit in a peculiar manner anointed him with all those extraordinary Powers and Gifts which were necessary for the Exercise and Discharging of his Office on the Earth.Isa. 61. 1. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed me to Preach good Tydings to the Meek; he has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim Liberty to the Captives, and the opening of the Prison to them that are bound. It is the Prophetical Office of Christ and his discharge thereof in his Ministry on the Earth which is intended. And he applies these words to himself with respect to his Preaching of the Gospel, Luke 4. 18. For this was that Office which he principally attended to here in the World, as that whereby he instructed Men in the Nature and Use of his other Offices. For his Kingly Power in his Humane Nature on the Earth he exercised but sparingly. Thereunto indeed belonged his sending forth of Apostles and Evangelists to preach with Authority. And towards the End of his Ministry he instituted Ordinances of Gospel-Worship, and appointed the Order of his Church in the Foundation and Building of it up, which were Acts of Kingly Power. Nor did he perform any Act of his Sacerdotal Office but only at his Death, when he gave himself for us an Offering and a Sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling Savour, Ephes. 5. 2. wherein God smelt a Savour of Rest and was appeased towards us. But the whole course of his Life and Ministry was the Discharge of his Prophetical Office to the Jews, Rom. 15. 8. Which he was to do according to the great Promise. Deut. 18. 18, 19. And on the Acceptance or Refusal of him herein, depended the Life and Death of the Church of Israel, v. 19. Acts 3. 23. Heb. 1. 1. John 8. 44. Hereunto was he fitted by this Unction of the Spirit. And here also is a distinction between the Spirit that was upon him, and his being anointed to Preach, which contains the Communication of the Gifts of that Spirit to him. As it is said, Chap. 11. 3. The Spirit rested on him as a Spirit of Wisdom to make him of quick Understanding in the Fear of the Lord. Now this was in a singular manner and in a measure inexpressible, from where he is said to be anointed with the Oyl of Gladness above his Fellows, or those who were Partakers of the same Spirit with him, Psal. 45. 7. Heb. 1. 8, 9. Although I acknowledg that there was in that Expression a peculiar respect to his Glorious Exaltation which afterwards ensued, as has been declared on that place. And this Collation of Extraordinary Gifts for the discharge of his Prophetical Office was at his Baptism, Matth. 3. They were not bestowed on the Head of the Church, nor are any Gifts of the same Nature in general bestowed on any of his Members, but for Use, Exercise, and Improvement. And that they were then collated appears; For,

Sect. 5 (1.) Then did he receive the Visible Pledge which confirmed him in, and testified to others his calling of God to the Exercise of his Office. For then the Spirit of God descended like a Dove and rested on him, and lo a voice came from Heaven saying, This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, Matth. 3. 16, 17. Hereby was he sealed of God the Father, John 6. 27, in that Visible Pledg of his Vocation setting the great Seal of Heaven to his Commission. And this also was to be a Testimony to others, that they might own him in his Office now he had undertaken to discharge it, John 1. 33.

2. He now entred on his public Ministry and wholly gave himself up to his Work. For before he did only occasionally manifest the Presence of God with him, somewhat to prepare the Minds of Men to attend to his Ministry; as when he filled them with astonishment at his Discourses with the Doctors in the Temple, Luke 2. 46, 47. And although it is probable that he might be acted by the Spirit in and to many such extraordinary Actions during his Course of a Private Life, yet the fulness of Gifts for his Work he received not until the time of his Baptism, and therefore before that, he gave not himself up wholly to his public Ministry.

Immediately after Christ's baptism it is said that he was full of the Holy Ghost — before he was said to wax strong in Spirit, continually filling; but now he is full of the Holy Ghost, actually possessed of and furnished with all that fullness of spiritual gifts which human nature is capable of receiving. God gave not the Spirit unto Christ by measure — his was the fullness from whence we receive grace for grace, and it pleased the Father that in him all fullness should dwell, that he in all things might have the preeminence.

Christ wrought his great and miraculous works by the power of the Holy Spirit — when he cast out devils with a word of command, he affirmed that he did it by the finger of God, by which is meant the infinite divine power of God acting in an especial manner by the Holy Spirit. On the ascription of his mighty works to Beelzebub the prince of devils, Christ let the Jews know that therein they blasphemed the Holy Spirit whose works indeed they were — this was the blasphemy that shall not be forgiven.

Sect. 7 Sixthly; By him was he guided, directed, comforted, supported, in the whole Course of his Ministry, Temptations, Obedience and Sufferings. Some few Instances on this Head may suffice. Presently after his Baptism when he was full of the Holy Ghost, he was led by the Spirit into the Wilderness, Luke 4. 1. The Holy Spirit guided him to begin his Contest and Conquest with the Devil. Hereby he made an entrance into his Ministry; and it teaches us all what we must look for, if we solemnly engage our selves to follow him in the Work of Preaching the Gospel. The word used in Mark to this purpose has occasioned some doubt, what Spirit is intended in those words, [[original in non-Latin script]], Chap. 1. 12. The Spirit drives him into the Wilderness. It is evident that the same Spirit and the same Act is intended in all the Evangelists here and, Mat. 4. 1. Luke 4. 1. But now the Holy Spirit should be said [[original in non-Latin script]]to drive him, is not so easie to be apprehended. But the Word in Luke is [[original in non-Latin script]] which denotes a guiding and rational Conduct. And this cannot be ascribed to any other Spirit with respect to our Lord Jesus but onely the Spirit of God. Matthew expresses the same effect by [[original in non-Latin script]], Chap. 4. 1. he was carried or carried up, or taken away from the midst of the People. And this was [[original in non-Latin script]] of that Spirit, namely which descended on him, and rested on him immediately before, Chap. 3. 17. And the Continuation of the Discourse in Luke will not admit that any other Spirit be intended. And Jesus being full of the Holy Spirit, returned from Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the Wilderness; namely, by that Spirit which he was full of. By [[original in non-Latin script]] therefore in Mark, no more is intended but the sending of him forth by an high and strong impression of the Holy Spirit on his Mind. Hence the same word is used with respect to the sending of others by the powerful impression of the Spirit of God on their Hearts, to the Work of Preaching the Gospel. Matth. 9. 38. Pray you therefore the Lord of the Harvest,[[original in non-Latin script]]. So also, Luk. 10. 2. that he would thrust forth Labourers into his Harvest; namely, by furnishing them with the Gifts of his Spirit, and by the Power of his Grace constraining them to their Duty. So did he enter upon his Preparation to his Work under his Conduct. And it were well if others would endeavour after a conformity to them within the Rules of their Calling. (2.) By his assistance was he carried triumphantly through the course of his Temptations to a perfect Conquest of his Adversary, as to the present Conflict wherein he sought to divert him from his Work, which afterwards he endeavoured by all wayes and means to oppose and hinder. (3.) The Temptation being finished he returned again out of the Wilderness to Preach the Gospel in the Power of the Spirit, Luk. 4. 14. He returned [[original in non-Latin script]], in the Power of the Spirit into Galilee, that is powerfully enabled by the Holy Spirit to the discharge of his Work. And from there is his first Sermon at Nazares he took those Words of the Prophet for his Text; The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because he has anointed me to Preach the Gospel to the Poor, Luke 4. 18. The issue was, That they all bare him Witness, and wondred at the gracious Words that proceeded out of his Mouth, v. 22. And as he thus began his Ministry in the Power of the Spirit, so having received him not by measure, he continually on all occasions put forth his Wisdom, Power, Grace and Knowledg, to the astonishment of all, and the stopping of the Mouths of his Adversaries, shutting them up in their Rage and Unbelief. (4.) By him was he directed strengthned and comforted in his whole Course, in all his Temptations, Troubles and Sufferings from first to last. For we know that there was a confluence of all those upon him in his whole Way and Work, a great part of that whereunto he humbled himself for our sakes consisting in these things. In and under them he stood in need of mighty Supportment and strong Consolation. This God promised to him and this he expected, Isa. 50. 7, 8. & 42. 4, 6. & 49. 5, 6, 7, 8. Now all the voluntary Communications of the Divine Nature to the Humane, were as we have shewed, by the Holy Spirit.

Sect. 8 Seventhly; He offered himself up to God through the Eternal Spirit, Heb. 9. 14. I know many Learned Men do judge that by the Eternal Spirit in that place, not the Third Person is intended, but the Divine Nature of the Son himself. And there is no doubt but that also may properly be called the Eternal Spirit. There is also a Reason in the words themselves strongly inclining to that sense and acceptation of them. For the Apostle does shew from where it was that the Sacrifices of the Lord Christ had an Efficacy beyond and above the Sacrifices of the Law; and from where it would certainly produce that great Effect of purging our Consciences from dead Works. And this was from the Dignity of his Person on the account of his Divine Nature. It arose I say from the Dignity of his Person, his Deity giving sustentation to his Humane Nature in the Sacrifice of himself. For by reason of the indissoluble Union of both his Natures, his Person became the Principle of all his Mediatory Acts, and from from there had they their Dignity and Efficacy. Nor will I oppose this Exposition of the words. But on the other side many Learned Persons, both of the Ancient and Modern Divines, do judg that it is the Person of the Holy Spirit that is intended.

Sect. 9 And because this is a Matter of great Importance, namely how the Lord Christ offered up himself to God as a Sacrifice by the Eternal Spirit, I shall farther explain it though but briefly. Those who look only on the outward part of the Death of Christ can see nothing but suffering in it. The Jews took him, and they with the Souldiers both scourged and slew him, hanging him on the Tree. But the principal Consideration of it, is his own offering himself a Sacrifice to God as the great High Priest of the Church, to make Atonement and Reconciliation for Sinners, which was hid from the World by those outward Acts of Violence which were upon him. And this he did by the Eternal Spirit, wherein we may take notice of the ensuing Instances.

Christ sanctified, consecrated, and dedicated himself unto God for to be an offering or sacrifice — he consecrated himself to be a sacrifice as the beast to be sacrificed of old was first devoted unto that purpose, and this he did through the effectual operation of the Eternal Spirit in him.

Christ went voluntarily and of his own accord to the garden, which answered the adduction of the beast to be sacrificed unto the door of the tabernacle — there he actually entered upon the offering up of himself unto God in his agony, when he offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears.

It is not the death of Christ merely as it was penal and undergone by way of suffering that is the means of our deliverance, but the obedience of Christ therein — his offering of himself through the Eternal Spirit unto God gave efficacy and success unto it.

Love to mankind and compassion toward sinners was the highest and most inconceivable exercise of Christ's holy soul in his offering — this intenseness of love supported his mind under all his sufferings, as he endured the cross and despised the shame for the joy set before him.

The principal grace acting Christ in his whole offering was his unspeakable zeal for and ardency of affection unto the glory of God — his design was to repair the glory of God wherein it had seemed to suffer by sin, to make satisfaction to the justice of God for sin, to be a propitiation to declare his righteousness.

3. His Holy Submission and Obedience to the Will of God, which were now in the height of their Exercise, and Grace advanced to the utmost in them, was another especial part of this his Offering up himself. That this was wrought in him by the Holy or Eternal Spirit was before declared. And it is frequently expressed as that which had an especial Influence into the Efficacy and Merit of his Sacrifice. Psal. 2. 8. He humbled himself, and became Obedient to Death, the Death of the Cross. And when he offered up Prayers and Supplications, though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things that he suffered, Heb. 5. 8. That is, he experienced Obedience in Suffering. It is true, that the Lord Christ in the whole course of his Life yeelded Obedience to God, as he was made of a Woman, made under the Law, Gal. 4. 4. But now he came to the great Tryal of it, with respect to the especial command of the Father, to lay down his Life, and to make his Soul an Offering for sin, Isa. 53. 10. This was the highest Act of Obedience to God that ever was or ever shall be to all Eternity. And therefore does God so express his satisfaction therein and acceptance of it, Isa. 53. 11, 12. Phil. 2. 9, 10. This was wrought in him, this he was wrought to by the Holy Spirit, and therefore by him offered himself to God.

4. There belongs also hereunto that Faith and Trust in God, which with fervent Prayers, Cries & Supplications, he now acted on God and his Promises, both with respect to himself, and to the Covenant which he was sealing with his Blood. This our Apostle represents as an especial Work of his testified to in the Old Testament; Heb. 2. 13. I will put my trust in him. And this (1.) respected himself, namely that he should be supported, assisted, and carried through the Work he had undertaken to a blessed Issue. Herein I confess he was horribly assaulted until he cryed out, My God, my God, why hast you forsaken me? Psal. 22. 1. But yet after and through all his dreadful Tryal, his Faith and Trust in God were Victorious. This he expressed in the Depth and Extremity of his Tryals, Psal. 22. 9, 10, 11. and made such an open Profession of it, that his Enemies when they supposed him lost and defeated, reproached him with it, v. 8. Matth. 27. 43. To this purpose be declared himself at large, Isa. 50. 7, 8, 9. So his Faith and Trust in God, as to his own supportment and deliverance, with the accomplishment of all the Promises that were made to him upon his ingagement into the Work of Mediation, were victorious. (2.) They respected the Covenant and all the Benefits that the Church of the Elect was to be made Partaker of thereby. The Blood that he now shed was the Blood of the Covenant, and it was shed for his Church; namely, that the Blessings of the Covenant might be communicated to them, Gal. 3. 13, 14. With respect hereunto did he also exercise Faith in God, as appears fully in his Prayer which he made when he entred on his Oblation, John 17.

Now concerning these Instances we may observe three Things to our present purpose.

(1.) These and the like gracious Actings of the Soul of Christ, were the Wayes and Means whereby in his Death and Bloodshedding, which was violent and by force inflicted on him as to the outward Instruments, and was penal as to the Sentence of the Law, he voluntarily and freely offered up himself a Sacrifice to God for to make Atonement. And these were the things which from the dignity of his Person became Efficacious and Victorious. Without these his Death and Bloodshedding had been no Oblation.

(2.) These were the things which rendred his Offering of himself, to be a Sacrifice of a sweet sm[•]lling Savour to God, Ephes. 5. 2. God was so absolutely delighted and pleased with these high and glorious Acts of Grace and Obedience in Jesus Christ, that he smelt as it were a Savour of Rest towards Mankind, or those for whom he offered himself; so that he would be angry with them no more, curse them no more: As it is said of the Type of it in the Sacrifice of Noah, Gen. 8. 20, 21. God was more pleased with the Obedience of Christ, than he was displeased with the Sin and Disobedience of Adam, Rom. 5. 17, 18, 19. It was not then the outward suffering of a violent and bloody Death which was inflicted on him, by the most horrible wickedness that ever Humane Nature brake forth into, that God was atoned, Acts 2. 23. Nor yet was it meerly his enduring the Penalty of the Law, that was the means of our Deliverance. But the voluntary giving up of himself to be a Sacrifice in these Holy Acts of Obedience, was that upon which in an especial manner God was reconciled to us.

All these things being wrought in the Humane Nature by the Holy Ghost, who in the time of his Offering acted all his Graces to the utmost; He is said thereon to offer himself to God through the Eternal Spirit, by whom as our High Priest he was Consecrated, Spirited, and Acted thereunto.

Notwithstanding the union of Christ's natures in his person, for his soul or spirit he commended it in an especial manner into the hands of God his Father — who had engaged himself in an eternal covenant to preserve and protect him even in death, and to show him again the way and path of life. The holy body of Christ in the grave continued under the especial care of the Spirit of God, whereby was accomplished the great promise that his soul should not be left in hell, nor the Holy One see corruption. The pure and holy substance of Christ's body was preserved in its integrity by the overshadowing power of the Holy Spirit, without any of those accidents of change which attend the dead bodies of others.

There was a peculiar work of the Holy Spirit in the resurrection of Christ, this being the completing act in laying the foundation of the Church — the great testimony given unto the finishing of the work of redemption, with the satisfaction of God therein and his acceptation of the Person of the Redeemer. The resurrection is ascribed to the Father on account of his authority and the declaration therein of Christ's perfect accomplishment of the work committed unto him — God loosed the pains of death, that is the cords and power it had to bind the Lord Christ under it, when the law being fully satisfied its sentence was taken off. Christ also raised himself — no man could take his life against his will, by power over him; he also took his life again by an act of the love, care, and power of his divine nature. The peculiar efficiency in the reuniting of Christ's most holy soul and body was an effect of the power of the Holy Spirit — he was put to death in the flesh but quickened in the Spirit; and this was that Spirit whereby he preached in Noah unto that disobedient generation. God shall quicken our mortal bodies also by the same Spirit whereby he raised Christ from the dead — the evidence or testimony given unto his being the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead was according to the Spirit of Holiness, or the Holy Spirit. God was manifest in the flesh by his incarnation and passion, and justified in the Spirit by a declaration of his acquitment from the sentence of death through the mighty and effectual working of the Spirit of God.

It was the Holy Spirit that glorified the human nature of Christ and made it every way meet for its eternal residence at the right hand of God — he who first made his nature holy, now made it glorious. As we are made conformable unto Christ in our souls here, his image being renewed in us by the Spirit, so he is in his body now glorified by the effectual operation of the same Spirit — the exemplar and pattern of that glory which in our mortal bodies we shall receive by the same Spirit. If we are his, we are predestinated to be made conformable in all things unto him, and that by the powerful and effectual operation of that Spirit which thus wrought all things in him to the glory of God.

The Holy Spirit was appointed to bear witness unto the Lord Christ — that he was the Son of God, the true Messiah, and that the work which he performed in the world was committed unto him by God the Father; this work he continues to attend unto unto this day and will do so to the consummation of all things. Christ chose twelve apostles to bear testimony unto the holiness of his life, the truth and purity of his doctrine, the accomplishment of the prophecies in his birth, life, work, and death — but the work of bearing witness was also committed to him who is above and over all, who knows how and is able to make his testimony prevalent. When the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of Truth which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me. The first principal end why God gave the Holy Spirit to work all those miraculous effects in them that believed in Jesus was to bear witness unto his person that he was indeed the Son of God, owned and exalted by him. When the Spirit came he would reprove the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment — of sin, because they believe not on Christ; of righteousness, because he went to the Father and was exalted by him; of judgment, because the Prince of this World is judged. By the gospel testified unto by the Spirit, the devil was discovered, convicted, judged, condemned, and cast out of that power and rule in the world which by the darkness of men's minds and idolatry he had obtained and exercised.

The glory of the human nature of Christ, as united unto the Person of the Son of God and engaged in the discharge of his office of Mediator, consists alone in the eminent, peculiar, ineffable communications of the Spirit of God unto him — this is represented unto us in the glass of the Gospel, which we beholding by faith are changed into the same image by the same Spirit. The Papists would learn and teach Christ by images, the work of men's hands and teachers of lies — suited only to ingenerate low and carnal thoughts in depraved superstitious minds, they tend only to knowing after the flesh, which the apostle looked on as no part of his duty.

Christ forewarned that some would say he is in the wilderness — which means the ancient superstitious monks who retired into deserts and solitary places pretending great intercourse with Christ and great visions of him, being variously deluded by Satan and their own imaginations. If they say unto you he is in the secret chambers where bread and wine are stored, believe it not — this means nothing but the popish figment of transubstantiation, that Christ must be in the secret places where their wafer and wine are deposited.

Sect. 16 First; That we may love him with a pure unmixed Love. It is true, it is the Person of Christ as God and Man, that is the Proper and Ultimate Object of our Love towards him. But a clear distinct Consideration of his Natures and their Excellencies is effectual to stir up and draw forth our Love towards him. So the Spouse in the Canticles rendring a Reason of her intense Affections towards him, sayes, That he is White and Ruddy, the chiefest of ten thousand; that is, perfect in the Beauty of the Graces of the Holy Spirit, which rendred him exceeding amiable. So also Psal. 45. 2. Would you therefore propose Christ to your Affections, so as that your Love to him may be sincere and without corruption as it is required to be, Ephes. 6. 24. that you may not lavish away the Actings of your Souls upon a false Object, and think you love Christ, when you love only the Imaginations of your own Breasts; consider his Humane Nature, as it was rendred beautiful and lovely by the Work of the Spirit of God upon it before described. Do you love him because he was and is so full of Grace, so full of Holiness, because in him there was an All-fulness of the Graces of the Spirit of God? Consider aright what has been delivered concerning him, and if you can and do on the account thereof delight in him, and love him, your Love is Genuine and Spiritual. But if your Love be meerly out of an apprehension of his being now Glorious in Heaven, and there able to do you Good or Evil, it differs not much from that of the Papists, whose Love is much regulated in its Actings, by the good or bad painting of the Images whereby they represent him. You are often pressed to direct your Love to the Person of Christ, and it is that which is your principal Duty in this World. But this you cannot do without a distinct Notion and Knowledg of him. There are therefore three things in general that you are to consider to this purpose.

(1.) The Blessed Union of his two Natures in the same Person. Herein he is singular, God having taken that especial State on him, which in no other thing or way had any Consideration; This therefore is to have a specialty in our Divine Love to the Person of Christ.

(2.) The Uncreated Glories of the Divine Nature, from where our Love has the same Object with that which we owe to God absolutely.

(3.) That Perfection and Fulness of Grace which dwelt in his Humane Nature, as communicated to him by the Holy Spirit whereof we have treated.

If you love the Person of Christ, it must be on these Considerations. Which while some have neglected, they have doted on their own Imaginations; and while they have thought themselves even sick of Love for Christ, they have only languished in their own Fancies.

Secondly; We are to know Christ so, as to labour after conformity to him. And this Conformity consists only in a Participation of those Graces whose fulness dwells in him. We can therefore no other way regularly press after it, but by an Acquaintance with, and due Consideration of the Work of the Spirit of God upon his Humane Nature, which is therefore worthy of our most diligent enquiry into.

And so have we given a brief delineation of the Dispensation and Work of the Holy Spirit, in and towards the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church; his preparation of a Mystical Body for him, in his Powerful Gracious Work on the Elect of God, does nextly ensue.

The General Work of the Holy Spirit in the New Creation, with respect to the Members of that Body whereof Christ is the Head. CHAP. V.

(1) Christ the Head of the New Creation. (2.) Things premised in general to the remaining Work of the Spirit. Things presupposed to the Work of the Spirit towards the Church, the Love and Grace of Father and Son. (3.) The whole Work of the building of the Church committed to the Holy Spirit; Acts 2. 33. opened. (4.) The Foundation of the Church in the Promise of the Spirit, and its Building by him alone. (5.) Christ present with his Church only by his Spirit, Mat. 28. 19. Acts 1. 9, 10. Acts 3. 21. Mat. 18. 19. 1 Cor. 6. 16. 1 Cor. 3. 16. compared. (6.) The Holy Spirit works the Work of Christ; John 16. 13, 14, 15. opened. (7.) The Holy Spirit the peculiar Author of all Grace. (8.) The Holy Spirit workes all this according to his own Will. 1. His Will and Pleasure is in all his Works. 2. He works variously as to the Kinds and Degrees of his Operations. How he may be resisted, how not. (9) How the same Work is ascribed to the Spirit distinctly, and to others with him. (10.) The General Heads of his Operations towards the Church.

Sect. 1 VVE have considered the Work of the Spirit of God in his laying the Foundation of the Church of the New Testament, by his Dispensations towards the Head of it, our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Foundation Stone of this Building, with seven Eyes engraven on him, or filled with an absolute perfection of all the Gifts and Graces of the Spirit, Zech. 3. 9. which when he is exalted also as the Head Stone in the Corner, there are shoutings in Heaven and Earth, crying, Grace, Grace to him, Zech. 4. 7. As upon the laying of the Foundation, and placing of the Corner Stones of the Earth in the Old Creation; the Morning Stars sang together, and all the Sons of God shouted for Joy, Job 38. 6, 7. So upon the laying of this Foundation, and placing of this Corner Stone in the New Creation, all things sing together and cry, Grace, Grace to it. The same Hand which laid this Foundation, does also finish the Building. The same Spirit which was given to him, not by Measure, Joh. 3. 34. gives Grace to every one of us, according to the Measure of the Gift of Christ, Ephes. 4. 7. And this falles now under our Consideration; namely, the perfecting the Work of the New Creation by the effectual Operation and Distributions of the Spirit of God. And this belongs to the Establishment of our Faith, that he who Prepared, Sanctified, and Glorified the Humane Nature, the Natural Body of Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church, has undertaken to Prepare, Sanctifie, and Glorifie his Mystical Body, or all the Elect given to him of the Father. Concerning which before we come to consider particular Instances, some things in general must be premised; which are these that follow.

Sect. 2 First; To the Work of the Holy Spirit towards the Church, some things are supposed from where it proceeds, which it is built upon, and resolved into. It is not an Original but a Perfecting Work; some things it supposes, and bringes all things to perfection; And these are,

First; The Love, Grace, Counsel and Eternal Purpose of the Father. (2.) The whole Work of the Mediation of Jesus Christ, which things I have handled elsewhere. For it is the peculiar Work of the Holy Spirit, to make those things of the Father and Son effectual to the Souls of the Elect, to the Praise of the Glory of the Grace of God. God does all things for himself, and his Supream End is the manifestation of his own Glory. And in the Old or First Creation, he seems principally or firstly to intend the Demonstration and Exaltation of the Glorious Essential Properties of his Nature, his Goodness, Power, Wisdom, and the like: as Psal. 19. 1, 2, 3, 4. Rom. 1. 19, 20, 21. Acts 14. 15, 16, 17. Acts 7. 24, 25, 26, 27. leaving only on the Works of his Hands some obscure Impressions of the distinction of Persons, subsisting in the Unity of that Being, whose Properties he had displayed and glorified. But in the Work of the New Creation, God firstly and principally intends the especial Revelation of each Person of the whole Trinity distinctly, in their peculiar distinct Operations; all which tend ultimately to the manifestation of the Glory of his Nature also. And herein consists the principal Advantage of the New Testament above the Old; for although the Work of the New Creation was begun and carried on Secretly and Virtually under the Old Testament; yet they had not a full discovery of the Oeconomy of the Holy Trinity therein, which was not evidently manifest until the whole Work was illustriously brought to Light by the Gospel. Hence although there appear a vigorous acting of Faith, and ardency of Affection in the Approaches of the Saints to God, under the Old Testament; yet as to a clear access to the Father through the Son by the Spirit, as Ephes. 2. 18. wherein the Life and Comfort of our Communion with God does consist, we hear nothing of it. Herein therefore God plainly declares, that the Foundation of the Whole was laid in the Counsel, Will, and Grace of the Father, Ephes. 1. 3 4, 5, 6. Then that the making way for the accomplishing of that Counsel of his, so that it might be brought forth to the praise of his Glory, is by the Mediation of the Son; God having designed in this Work to bring things so about, that all Men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father, John 5. 23. There yet remains the actual Application of all to the Souls of Men, that they may be Partakers of the Grace designed in the Counsel of the Father, and prepared in the Mediation of the Son. And herein is the Holy Spirit to be manifested and glorified, that He also, together with the Father and the Son, may be Known, Adored, Worshipped, according to his own Will. This is the Work that he has undertaken. And hereon upon the solemn Initiation of any Person into the Covenant of God, in answer to this Design and Work, he is Baptized into the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Matth. 28. 18. And these things have been discoursed of before, though necessarily here called over again.

After Christ was ascended, being exalted by the right hand of God, he received of the Father the Promise of the Holy Spirit — he then received the thing promised, having power actually to fulfill and accomplish the promise in the collation of the thing promised. Christ commanded his disciples to wait for the Promise of the Father before engaging in the public work of building the Church — he would have them look neither for assistance in their work nor success unto it but from the promised Spirit alone. The Kingdom of Christ is spiritual — it is not an outward visible ordination by men, but Christ's communication of the Spirit, the everlasting promise whereof he received of the Father, that gives being, life, usefulness, and success to the ministry. Herein lay and herein does lie the foundation of the ministry of the Church, as also its continuance and efficacy — if any are so fond as to expect strength and assistance in the work of the ministry without the Spirit, or such success as shall find acceptance with God, they do but deceive their own souls and others.

The Lord Christ had called his apostles to the great work of building his Church, yet of themselves they were plainly and openly defective in all qualifications that might contribute anything thereunto — whatever was wanting in themselves, whether light, wisdom, authority, knowledge, utterance, or courage, he promised to supply by sending the Holy Spirit. In this promise the Lord Christ founded the Church itself and by it he builds it up — take it away, suppose it to cease as unto a continual accomplishment, and there will be an absolute end of the Church of Christ in this world; no dispensation of the Spirit, no Church. He that would utterly separate the Spirit from the Word had as good burn his Bible — the bare letter of the New Testament will no more engender faith and obedience in the souls of men than the letter of the Old Testament does so at this day among the Jews. If the work of the Spirit of God be disowned or disclaimed by any men, if there be not in them such a work of his as he is promised by our Lord Jesus Christ, there is no church state among them, nor as such is it to be owned or esteemed.

The Holy Spirit supplies the bodily absence of Christ — the ancients call him Vicarium Christi, the Vicar of Christ, who represents his person and discharges his promised work. Christ promised, 'I am with you always, even unto the end of the world' — yet immediately after he was taken up into heaven, and Peter declared the heavens must receive him until the time of the restitution of all things; all these promises are perfectly fulfilled by his sending of the Holy Spirit. Christ's presence alone puts men into the condition of being the people of God and the temple of the living God — 'Know you not that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?' He therefore so represents the person and supplies the bodily absence of Christ, that on his presence the being of the Church and the success of the ministry absolutely depend. The Lord Jesus has told us that his presence with us by his Spirit is better and more expedient for us than the continuance of his bodily presence — if we find not that we really receive grace, assistance, and consolation from this presence of Christ with us, we have no benefit at all by him.

The work of the Holy Spirit is not his own work, but rather the work of the Son by whom he is sent and in whose name he accomplishes it — as the work of the Son was not his own but the work of the Father who sent him. When the Spirit of Truth is come, he will guide you into all Truth — for he shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak; he shall receive of Christ's things and show them unto us. That Spirit which reveals any thing contrary unto, not consonant to, the doctrine, grace, or truth of Christ as now revealed in the Word — that brings any thing new, his own, or of himself — that Spirit is not of God. He shall glorify Christ — this is the design he is sent upon, even as it was the design and work of Jesus Christ to glorify the Father; and those who stand in need of the Spirit's assistance in their work in the Church are to bear this in mind, that he is given them that through him they may give and bring glory to Jesus Christ. The things of Christ that the Spirit shows to us may be referred unto two heads — his truth and his grace: his truth he shows by revelation, the latter by effectual communication; truth by instructing and enlightening our minds, grace by imparting to us sanctification, consolation, and spiritual gifts.

In the order of subsistence within the Holy Trinity, the Person of the Father is the original of all divine works, in the principle and beginning of them — the Son sees what the Father does, which when ascribed to the divine nature is the sign and evidence, not the means, of his knowledge. The things of grace are originally the Father's, made the things of the Son in his disposal on account of his mediation, and actually communicated unto us by the Holy Spirit — we have nothing to do with the Person of the Father immediately; we have access unto him only by the Son, and the Father gives out of his grace unto us only by the Son. The Holy Spirit shows the things of Christ to us, works them in us, and bestows them on us as the fruits of the mediation of Christ — whatever is done by him, it is the same as if it were wrought immediately by the Lord Christ himself in his own person, whereby all his holy promises are fully accomplished toward those that believe.

Sect. 6 And this instructs us in the Way and Manner of that Communion which we have with God by the Gospel. For herein the Life, Power, and Freedom of our Evangelical State does consist, and an acquaintance herewith gives us our Translation out of Darkness into the marvelous Light of God. (1.) The Person of the Father in his Wisdom, Will, and Love, is the Original of all Grace and Glory. But nothing hereof is communicated immediately to us from him. It is the Son whom he loves and has given all things into his hand. He has made way for the Communication of these things to us to the Glory of God. And he does it immediately by the Spirit, as has been declared. Hereby are all our Returns to God to be regulated. The Father who is the Original of all Grace and Glory, is ultimately intended by us in our Faith, Thankfulness, and Obedience; yet not so, but that the Son and Spirit are considered as one God with him. But we cannot address our selves with any of them immediately to him. There is no going to the Father, saith Christ, but by me, John 14. 6. Through him we believe in God, 1 Pet. 1. 21. But yet neither can we do so, unless we are enabled thereunto by the Spirit, the Author in us, of Faith, Prayer, Praise, Obedience, and what-ever our Souls tend to God by. As the descending of God towards us in Love and Grace, issues or ends in the Work of the Spirit in us and on us; so all our ascending towards him begins therein. And as the first Instance of the proceeding of Grace and Love towards us from the Father, is in and by the Son; so the first step that we take towards God, even the Father, is in and by the Son. And these things ought to be explicitly attended to by us, if we intend our Faith, and Love, and Duties of Obedience should be Evangelical. Take an Instance of the Prayer of Wicked Men under their Convictions, or their Fears, Troubles and Dangers; and the Prayers of Believers. The former is meerly, Vox Naturae Clamantis ad Dominum Naturae; an out-cry that distressed Nature makes to the God of it, and as such alone it considers him. But the other is, Vox Spiritus Adoptionis clamantis per Christum, Abba Pater; It is the Voice of the Spirit of Adoption addressing it self in the Hearts of Believers to God as a Father. And a due attendance to this Order of things, gives Life and Spirit to all that we have to do with God. Wo to Professors of the Gospel who shall be seduced, to believe that all they have to do with God, consists in their attendance to Moral Vertue. It is fit for them so to do, who being weary of Christianity, have a mind to turn Pagans. But our Fellowship is in the way described, with the Father and his Son Christ Jesus. It is therefore of the highest importance to us, to enquire into, and secure to our selves the promised workings of the Holy Spirit. For by them alone are the Love of the Father, and the Fruits of the Mediation of the Son communicated to us, without which we have no interest in them. And by them alone are we enabled to make any acceptable Returns of Obedience to God. It is sottish Ignorance and Infidelity to suppose that under the Gospel there is no communication between God and us, but what is on his part in Laws, Commands, and Promises; and on ours by Obedience performed in our own Strength, and upon our Convictions to them. The exclude hence the real internal Operations of the Holy Ghost, is to destroy the Gospel. And as we shall see farther afterwards, this is the true Ground and Reason why there is a sin against the Holy Spirit, that is irremissible; for the coming to us to make Application of the Love of the Father, and Grace of the Son to our Souls; in the contempt of him, there is a contempt of the whole actings of God towards us, in a way of Grace, for which there can be no Remedy.

Sect. 7 Fifthly; Whereas the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Grace, and the immediate Efficient Cause of all Grace, and Gracious Effects in Men; where-ever there is mention made of them, or any fruits of them, it is to be looked on as a part of his Work, though he be not expresly named, or it be not particularly attributed to him. I know not well, or do not well understand what some Men begin to talk about Moral Vertue; Some thing they seem to aim at, (if they would once leave the old Pelagian ambiguous Expressions, and learn to speak clearly and intelligibly) that is in their own Power, and so consequently of all other Men. At least it is so with an ordinary blessing upon their own endeavours, which things we must afterwards enquire into. But for Grace, I think all Men will grant, that as to our participation of it, it is of the Holy Spirit, and of him alone. Now Grace is taken two wayes in the Scripture; (1.) For the gracious free Love and Favour of God towards us: And (2.) for gracious free effectual Operations in us, and upon us. In both senses the Holy Spirit is the Author of it, as to us. In the first as to its manifestation and Application; in the latter, as to the Operation it self. For although he be not the principal Cause, nor procurer of Grace in the first sense, which is the free Act of the Father; yet the Knowledg, Sense, Comfort, and all the Fruits of it are by him alone communicated to us, as we shall see afterwards. And the latter is his proper and peculiar Work. This therefore must be taken for granted, that where-ever any gracious actings of God in or towards Men are mentioned, it is the Holy Spirit who is peculiarly and principally intended.

Sect. 8 Sixthly; It must be duly considered, with reference to the whole Work of the Holy Spirit, that in what-ever he does, he Acts, Works, and Distributes according to his own Will. This our Apostle expresly affirmes. And sundry things of great moment do depend hereon in our walking before God. As;

1. That the Will and Pleasure of the Holy Spirit is in all the Goodness, Grace, Love, and Power, that he either communicates to us, or workes in us. He is not as a meer Instrument or Servant disposing of the things wherein he has no Concern, or over which he has no Power. But in all things he workes towards us according to his own Will. We are therefore in what we receive from him, and by him, no less to acknowledg his Love, Kindness, and Sovereign Grace, than we do to those of the Father, and the Son.

2. That he does not work as a natural Agent, ad ultimum virium, to the utmost of his Power, as though in all he did, he came and did what he could. He moderates all his Operations by his Will and Wisdom. And therefore whereas some are said to resist the Holy Spirit, Acts 7. 51. and so to frustrate his Work towards them, it is not because they can do so absolutely, but only they can do so as to some way, kind, or degree, of his Operations. Men may resist some sort or kind of means that he uses, as to some certain end and purpose; but they cannot resist him as to his purpose and the end he aims at. For he is God, and who has resisted his Will? Rom. 9. 19. Wherefore in any Work of his, two things are to be considered; (1.) What the means he makes use of tend to in their own Nature; And (2.) what he intends by it; The first may be resisted and frustrated, but the latter cannot be so. Sometimes in and by that word which in its own Nature tends to the Conversion of Sinners, he intendes by it only their hardning, Isa. 6. 9, 10. John 12. 40, 41. Acts 18. 26. Rom. 11. 8. And he can, when he pleases, exert that Power and Efficacy in working, as shall take away all Resistance. Sometimes he will only take order for the Preaching and Dispensation of the Word to Men; for this also is his Work, Acts 13. 2. Herein Men may resist his Work, and reject his Counsel concerning themselves. But when he will put forth his Power in and by the Word, to the creating of a new heart in Men, and the opening of the Eyes of them that are blind, he does therein so take away the Principle of Resistance, that he is not, that he cannot be resisted.

Sect. 9 3. Hence also it follows that his Works may be of various kinds, and that those which are of the same kind may yet be carried on unequally as to Degrees. It is so in the Operations of all voluntary Agents, who work by Choice and Judgment. They are not confined to one sort of Works, nor to the Production of the same kind of Effects; and where they design so to do, they moderate them as to degrees according to their Power and pleasure. Thus we shall find some of the Works of the Holy Spirit to be such as may be perfect in their kind, and Men may be made Partakers of the whole End and Intention of them, and yet no saving Grace be wrought in them. Such are his Works of Illumination, Conviction, and sundry others. Men, I say, may have a Work of the Holy Spirit on their Hearts and Minds, and yet not be Sanctified and Converted to God. For the Nature and Kind of his Works are regulated by his own Will and Purpose; if he intends no more but their Conviction and Illumination, no more shall be effected. For he works not by a necessity of Nature, so that all his Operations should be of the same kind, and have their especial Form from his Nature, and not from his Will. So also where he does work the same Effect in the Souls of Men, I mean the same in the kind of it, as in their Regeneration he does; yet he does it by sundry means, and carries it on to a great inequality, as to the strengthening of its Principle, and increase of its Fruits to Holiness; And hence is that great difference as to Light, Holiness, and Fruitfulness, which we find among Believers, although all alike Partakers of the same Grace for the kind thereof. The Holy Spirit workes in all these things according to his own Will; whereof there neither is nor can be any other Rule but his own Infinite Wisdom. And this is that which the Apostle minds the Corinthians of, to take away all Emulation and Envy about Spiritual Gifts, that every one should orderly make use of what he had received to the Profit and Edification of others. They are, saith he, given and distributed by the same Spirit according to his own Will, to one after one manner, to another after another; so that it is an unreasonable thing for any to contend about them.

Sect. 10 But it may be said, that if not only the working of Grace in us, but also the Effects and Fruits of it, in all its variety of Degrees, is to be ascribed to the Holy Spirit, and his Operations in us according to his own Will, then do we signifie nothing our selves; nor is there any need that we should either use our endeavours and diligence, or at all take any care about the furtherance or growth of Holiness in us, or attend to any Duties of Obedience. To what end and purpose then serve all the Commands, Threatnings, Promises, and Exhortations of the Scripture, which are openly designed to excite and draw forth our own Endeavours? And this is indeed the principal Difficulty wherewith some Men seek to intangle and perplex the Grace of God. But I Answer.

(1.) Let Men imagine what absurd Consequences they please thereon, yet that the Spirit of God is the Author and Worker of all Grace in us, and of all the Degrees of it, of all that is spiritually good in us, is a Truth which we must not forgo, unless we intend to part with our Bibles also. For in them we are taught, That in us, that is, in our flesh, there dwelles no good thing, Rom. 7. 18. That we are not sufficient of our selves to think any thing, as of our selves, but our sufficiency is of God, 2 Cor. 3. 5. Who is able to make all Grace abound towards us, that we may alwayes have All-sufficiency in all things abounding to every good work, Chap. 9. 8. But without Christ we can do nothing, John 15. 5. For it is God which workes in us both to Will and to Do of his good Pleasure, Phil. 2. 13. To grant therefore that there is any spiritual good in us, or any Degree of it, that is not wrought in us by the Spirit of God, both overthrows the Grace of the Gospel, and denies God to be the only First, Supream, and chiefest Good; as also the immediate cause of what is so, which is to deny his very Being. It is therefore certain, what-ever any pertend, that nothing can hence ensue, but what is true, and good, and useful to the Souls of Men: For from Truth, especiall such great and important Truths, nothing else will follow.

It is brutish ignorance to argue from the effectual operations of the Spirit unto a sloth and negligence of our own duty — he that does not know that God has promised to work in us what he requires from us has either never read the Bible, or does not believe it.

The Holy Spirit so works in us as that he works by us — what he does in us, is done by us; our duty it is to apply ourselves unto his commands according to the conviction of our minds, and his work it is to enable us to perform them.

He that can indulge unto sloth and negligence on account of the promised working of the Spirit may look upon it as evidence that he has no interest or concern therein — for the Spirit ordinarily gives not out his aids and assistances anywhere but where he prepares the soul with diligence in duty.

The increase and growth of grace and thriving in holiness ordinarily and regularly depends upon the use and improvement of grace received, in a diligent attendance unto all the duties of obedience required of us.

The Spirit's participation of the divine nature is the formal reason of our yielding unto him divine and religious worship in general; but his acting toward us according to the sovereignty of his own will is the especial reason of our particular addresses unto him in the exercise of grace, for we are baptized into his name also.

The Spirit's distinct testimony unto Christ is not apart from but through those in whom he works — he enabled the apostles to bear witness by their preaching, sufferings, and holiness, and he wrought such visible miraculous works by them as evidenced themselves to be effects of his power. The Spirit bears witness with our spirits that we are children of God — if he declares not our sonship in us and to us, we cannot know it; what this distinct testimony is in particular shall be afterwards enquired.

All the works of the Holy Spirit in calling, building, and carrying on the Church unto perfection may be reduced unto three heads: of sanctifying grace, of especial gifts, and of peculiar evangelical privileges.