in Contriving Man's Redemption. ~:£:J ~~r1;th~:c;(~!g~o:: ;,~~t~7o;~d exprefs in our Actions the Vert11cs of him wbo hath ~~ 3 . In order to the refloring of Holinefs to lapfed Man, the Lord Chrif'r purchas'd ~ and conveys the Spirit to them. A flate of Sin includes a total privation of Holmefs, and an ·active contrariety againfl: it. The Sinner is dead as to the Spiritual Life, and as unable to revive himfelf, as a Carcafe is to break the Gates of Dea th and return to the Light of the Word: But he Jives to the. Senjital Life, and expretfes a conf'rant oppofition to the Law of God. He is without flrength as to his Duty, not able to conceive one holy Thought, or to excite a fincere and ardent Defire towards Divine Things; but hath flrong Inclinations of Will, and great Power .for that :vhich i~ ~vi.J. N.ow to r~- flore Life to the dead Soul, and to conquer the ltvmg Enm•ty that IS m 1t agamf'r Hol•- nefs, no lefs than the Divine Power was requifite. And the effelling this is peculiarly attributed to the Spirit. Our Saviour tells Nicodemur, John 3· 5· E..ccept a Man be born ofWater, and of the Holy Ghoft, he cannot fee the Kingdon' of God. And the Apof'rle faith, Tit. ;. 5· That according to his Mercy he faves 111, by the wafhing of Regeneration, and by the renewing of the Holy Ghoft. As in the Creation, where all the Perfons concurred 'twas the motion of the Spirit that conveyed the Life of Nature; [o in the Renovati~n of the World, where they all co-operate, 'tis the powerful working of the Spirit that produces the Life of Grace. He yifits us in the Grave, and infpires the Breath and Flame of Heaven to animate and warm our dead Hearts. 'Twas requifite not only that the Word !bould take Fle!b, but that Fle!b !bould receive the Spirit to quicken and enable it to perform the ACts of the Divine Life. 'Tis for this reafon the third Perfon is frequently f'riled in Script11re the Holy Spirit. That Title bath not an immediate refpect to his Nature, but to the Operations which are affigned to him, in the admirable Oeconomy of our Redemption. Tis not upon the account of his eifential and eternal Purity, which is common to all the Perfons, but in regard of his Office, to infufe Holinefs into the deprav'd Soul, and renew the Divine Image, that he is fo call• ed. Now Jefus Chrif'r purchafed the Spirit by his Humiliation and Sufferings, and conveys Him to us in his Exaltation and Glory. t. He purchafed the Spirit by his Sutferings. For fince Man fell from his Original Innocence, he is juf'rly deprived of fpecial Grace, that is necetfary to heal and recover him. And till by a perfect Sacrifice Divine Juf'rice was appeafed, (that had Omt the Treafure of Heaven) and the Forfeiture taken off, he could not obtain the Eternal Riches. God muf'r be reconciled before he will bef'row the Holy Spirit; a Gift fo great and fo precious, the earnefl of his peculiar Love and fpecial Favour to us. Therefore our Saviour tells his Difciples, John r6. 7· who were extreamly affiiCI:ed for his departure from them, That it WtU expedient he ftJould go away, for otherwife the Spirit wo11ld nOt come; whofe Office was to convince and convert the World. The departure of Chrif'r implied his Death and Afcenfion, hoth which were requiGte in order to the fending of him. If the Blood of Chrifl had not been fhed on the Crofs, the Spirit had not been poured forth from Heaven. The Effufion of the one, was the caufe of the Effufion of the other. The Rock that refre!bed the lfraeliter in the Defert, did not pour forth its Miraculous Waters, till it was flruck by the Rod of Mofes; to inf'rruCI: us, that Chrif'r our Spirit11al Rock muf'r be flruck with the Curfe of the Law, the myjlical Rod of Mofer, to communicate the Waters of Life to us, tlpt is, the Spirit, who is reprefented in Scripture under that Element. o. Our Redeemer confers the Spirit after.his glorious Exaltation: When he afcended on high, he led Captivity captive, and gave Giftr unto Men, Ephef. 4· 8. After hir Tri11mph over Principalities and Powert, Plerdifpens'd his Bounty in this rich Donative. For the !"oly Spirit was firf'r given to Chrif'r, as the Reward of hi• excellent Obedience in dytng, that was infinitely pleafing to God, to be communicated from him to Men. And he received the Spirit in the quality of Mediator upon his entrance into Heaven. The I'falmijl declares this Prophetically, Pfal. 68. r8. Tho11 hajl ofcended on high, tho11 haft led Captivity captive, tho11 hoft received Giftr for Men, yea for the rebelliour alfo, that the Lord God might dweU among them. He acquired a right to thofe Treafures by dying, but he takes poffeffion of them after his Afcenflon. Now he is Crowned, he holds forth the Scepter of his Royalty. Therefore 'tis fa id, that when Chrif'r was upon 1he Earth, t?e Holy Spirit war not given, becaufe Jefor war not glorified. If it be objeCted, that Believers before the Afcenflon of Chrif'r were partakers of the Spirit. The Anfwer is clear; . I. It was upon Chrill:'s interpofing in the beginning as Mediator, and with refpeCI: to hiS future Death and Afcenfion, that the Spirit was given to them. o. The
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