6 GENERAL PRINCIPLES CONCERNING trineof the Spirit of God, his work and grace, is the unto the accomplishment of his part of that great work second great head or principle of those gospel- truths which God had designed. Hence the Holy Ghost, the wherein the glory of God, and the good of the souls of doctrine concerning his person, his work, his grace, is men are most eminently concerned. And such also it the most peculiar and principal subject of the scriptures is, that without it, without the knowledge of it in its of the New Testament, and a most eminent immediate truth, and the improvement of itin its power, the other object of the faith of them that do believe. And this will be useless unto those ends. Forwhen God design- must be further cleared, seeing we have to deal with ed the great and glorious work of recovering fallen some who will scarce allow him to be of any considers. man, and the saving of sinners, to the praise of theglo- tion in these matters at all. But I shallbe brief in these ry of Lis grace, he appointed, in his infinite wisdom, previous testimonies hereunto, because the wholeensu- two great means thereof. The one was the giving of ing discourse is designed to the demonstration of the his Sou for them, and the other was the giving of his truth of this assertion. Spirit unto them. And hereby was way made for the Sect. 10.First, It is of great moment, and sufficient manifestation of the glory of the whole blessed Trinity, of itself to maintain the cause, as proposed, that when which is the utmost end of all the works of God. Here- our Lord Jesus Christ was to leave the world, he pro- by, were the love, grace, and wisdom of the Father in mised to send his Holy Spirit unto his disciples, to sup- the design and projection of the whole; the love, grace, ply his absence. Of what use the presence of Christ and condescension of the Son, in the execution, pur- was unto his disciples we may, in some measure, con- chase, and procurement of grace and salvation for sin- ceive; they knew full well whose hearts were filled with ners, with the love, grace, and power of theHoly Spi- sorrow upon the mention of his leaving of them, John rit in the effectual application of all unto the souls of xvi. 5, 6. Designing to relieve them in this great dis- men, made gloriously conspicuous. Hence, from the tress, which drew out the highest expressions of love, first entrance of sin, there were two general heads of tenderness, compassion and care towards them, heBoth the promises of God unto men, concerning the means - it principally by this promise; which he assures them of their recovery and salvation. The one was that con- shall be to their greater advantage than any they could cerning the sending of his Son to be incarnate, to take receive by the continuance of his bodily presence s- our nature upon him, and to suffer for us therein; the mongst them. And to secure them hereof, as also to other concerning the giving of his Spirit, to make the inform them of its great importance, he repeats it fre. effects -arid fruits of the incarnation, obedience, and quently unto them, and inculcates it upon them. Con- suffering of his -Son, effectual in us and towards us. ¡ slider somewhat of what he says to this purpose in his To these heads may all the promises of God be reduced. j last discourse with them, John xiv. 16, 17, 18. a 1 will Now, because the former was to be the foundation of " pray the Father, and he shall give you another Corn- the latter, that was first to be laid down, and most in- " forter, that he may abide with you for ever; even the listed on, until it was actually accomplished. Hence " Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, be- the great promise of the Old Testament, the principal " cause it seeth him not, neither knoweth him; but ye object of the faith, hope, and expectation of believers, " know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in was that concerning the coming of the Son of God in "you. I will not leave you comfortless, I will come (he flesh, and the work which he was to perform. Yet " unto you; that is in and by this Holy Spirit. And, was this also, as we shall see inour progress, accompan- " ver. 25, 26, 27. These things I have spoken unto ied with a great intermixture of promises concerning " you, being present with you; but the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, to render his coming and work effec- " who is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send tuai unto us. But when once that first work was fully " in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring accomplished, when the Son of God was come, and " all things to your remembrance, whatever I have said had destroyed the works of the devil, the principal re. " unto you. Peace 1 leave with you, &c. And chap. rosining promise of the New Testament, the spring of " xv. 25. But when the Comforter is come, whom I all the rest, concerneth the sending of the Holy Spirit to will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit
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