OENERAL PRINCIPLES CONCERNYNO times ofthe restitution of all things, Acts iii. 21. And this one consideration is sufficient to evince the, import- ance of the doctrine, and things which concern the Holy Spirit. For is it possible that any Christian should be so supinely negligent and careless, so uncon- cerned in the things whereon his present comforts and future happiness do absolutely depend, as not to think it his duty to inquire, with the greatest care and dili- gence, into what our Lord Jesus Christ bath left unto us to supply his absence, and at length tobring us unto himself? He by whom these things are despised, hath neither part nor lot in Christ himself. For if anyman kath not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. Rom. viii. 9. Sect. 11.Secondly; The great work of the Holy Ghost, in the dispensation and e ministration of the gospel unto all the ends of it, is another evidence unto the same purpose. Hence the gospel itself is called the ministration of the Spirit, in opposition to that of the law, which is called the ministration of the letter, and ofcondemnation, 2 Cor. iii. 8. A ao,raa et arsemic,,, the ministryofthe Spirit, is either that ministry which the Spirit makes effectuai, or that ministry whereby the Spirit in his gifts and graces is communicated unto men. And that is that which gives unto the ministry of the gospel both its glory and it efficacy. Take away the Spirit from the gospel, and you render it a dead letter, asid leave the New Testament of no more use unto Christians than the Old Testament is of unto the Jews. It is therefore a mischievous imagination, pro ceeding from ignorance, blindness, and unbelief, that there is no more in the gospel, but what is contained under any other doctrine or declaration of truth; that it is nothing but a book for men to exercise their reason in and upon, and to improve the things of it by the same faculty, For this is to separate the Spirit or the dispensation of the Spirit from it, which is, in truth, to destroy it. And therewith is the covenant ofGod .re- iected, which is, that his word and Spirit shall go to- gether, Isa. lix. ver. 20, 21. We shall therefore, God assisting, manifest, in our progress, that the Iiicest qui Prophetas iu Eceleaia enastltait, magistras souda, lin- gnas dirigiti, votantes et sanetitates faci,, opera mirabiliageri,, discretion Spirituum porrigit, gubereationes contribuir, tonsilla suggerit, queque stia aunt Charismatum dona componit et digerir, of ideo Ecctesiam Da- winsantique st in omnibus censummatam et perfectumTacit Tertul. whole ministry of the gospel, the whole use and efficacy of it, do depend on that ministration of the tesrit wherewith, according to the promise of God, it is ac- companied. If therefore we have any concernment in, or have ever received anybenefit by the gospel, or the ministration of it, we have a signal duty lying before us in the matter in hand. Sect. 12.Thirdly; There is not any spiritual or saving good, from first to last, communicated unto us, or that we are from and by the grace of God made p$rtakers of, but it is revealed to us, and bestowed on tes by the Holy Ghost. He who bath not an immediate and especial work of the Spirit of God upon him, and towards him, did never receive any especial love, grace, or mercy from God. For how should he so do? What- ever God works in us, and upon us, he doth it by his. Spirit. He therefore, who bath no work of the Spirit of God upon his heart, did never receive either mercy or grace from God. For God giveth them not but by his Spirit. A disclaimure therefore of any work of the Spirit of God in us or upon us, is a disclaimure of all interest-in his grace and mercy. And they may do well to consider it, with whom the work of the Spirit of God is a reproach. When they can tell us of any o- ther way whereby a man may be made partaker of mer- cy and grace, we will attend unto it; in the meantime, we shall prove from the scripture, this to be the way of God. Sect. 18.Fourthly; There is not any thing done in us, or by us, that is holy and acceptable unto God, but it is an effect of the Holy Spirit, it is of bis operation in us, and by us. Without him tee can do nothing. For, without Christ, we cannot, John Rv. 5. And by him alone is the grace of Christ communicated unto us, and wrought in us. *By him we are regenerated; by him we are sanctified; by him are we cleansed; by him are we assisted in and unto every good work. Particular instances to this purpose will be afterwards insisted on, and proved. And it is our unquestionable concern- ment to inquire into the cause and spring of all that is Hic est qui operator ex =Luis, secnndam Nativitatem, semer quod- damdivini generis, et consecrator calestis Nativitatis; Pignus promisse hiereditatiset quasi chirographum quoddam eterne salons; qui nos Dei faciat Templum et nos eEciat domum, qui interpeilat diurna aunespro nubia gemitibus ineloquacibus, advocatioois officia, et desensionis exhibera munera, inhabitator corporibusnostris dueto,, et Sanctitatis effector; Nie est qui inexplebiles cupiditates coereet&c.Navet de Trouent.
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