?'be Life of Faith. 2O3 ofCbriif is it which our:CbriJfian Faith bath fpecial refped to. Without the Spirit of God, as theperfet7ive principle, nature would not have been nature, Gen. a. 2. All things would not have been good, and very good, but by the communication of goodnef7: And without fomcwhat of that Spirit, there would be noMoral Goodnefs in any of mankind : And without tome fpecial operations of that Spirit, the godly before Chrifis com- ing in the fleth, would not have beengodly, nor in any prefent capacityof glory : Therefore there was Come gift of the Spi- rit before. But yet there was an eminent gift ofthe Spirit proper to the Gofpel times, which the former ages did not know; which is fo,mnch above the former gift, that it is fuf lcient to prove the Verity of Chrift. For r. There was ufe for the fp:eiali atteflation of the Father by way of Power, by Miracles, and his Refurredion to own his Son. 2. The Wifdom and Word of God incarnate, muti needs bring a fpecial tneafure ofWijdom to his Difciples; and therefore give a greater meafure of the Spirit for iBumina= tion. 3. The deign ofRedemption being the revelation of the Love of God, and the recovery of our Love to him, there mutt needs be a fpecial meafure of the Spirit of Love (lied abroad uponour hearts. And in all there three refpets, the Spirit was accordingly communicated. Queti. Was it not the Spirit of Chrilf which was in the Prophets, and in all the godly before Cbriffs coming ? Anfw. TheSpirit of Chriti is either that meafure of the Spirit, which was given after the firtl Covenant of Grace, as it differeth from the (late of man in innocency, and from the ¡lateofman in his Apoflacy and condemnation : And thus it was the Spirit of Cbriffwhich was then given, ¡afar as it was the Covenant and Grace of Chrift, by which men were then favcd. But there.was a fuller Covenant tobe made after his coming, and a fuller meafure of Grace to begiven, and a full atteffation of God for the eftablifhment and promulgation of this Covenant : And accordingly a fuller and fpecial gift of the Spirit. And this is called The Spirit of Cbriff, in the pe- culiar Gofpel fenfc. (2,Licfl. Horn is it faíd, job. 7.37. that the Holy Gboff was Dd 2 not
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