cFt:rttaL PRINCIPLES CONCERNING the Stick is called the Spirit of God, because he is so, and proccedeth from him: but the Spirit of Christ, be- cause he is not so, but only treateth of him. The an- swer is ready; namely, because the Father is God, but Christ is not; and therefore could not give the Spirit, when he was not. This is an easy answer; namely, to deny a fundamental truth, and to set up that denial in an opposition unto a clear testimony given unto it. But the truth is, this pretended sense leaves no sense at all in the words. For if the spirit which was in the prophets, be called the Spirit of Christ, only be- cause he did before-hand declare the things of Christ, that is his suffering and the glory that did ensue, and that be the sole reason of that denomination, then the sense or importance of the words is this, searching what, or-what manner of time the Spirit which did signify when it testified before-hand the sufferings of Christ which was in them did signify when he testified before-hand the sufferings of Christ." For, accord- ing to this interpretation, the Spirit of Christ is noth- ing, but the Spirit as testifying before-hand of him, and thence alone is he so called; the absurdity whereof is apparent unto all. Sect. 11. But countenance is endeavoured unto this wresting of the scripture from 1 Johh iv. 8.- i'Every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the,flesh, is not ofGod; and this is that antichrist, whereof you have heard that it should come, and ev- . en now already is it in the world." For, say some, the spirit of antichrist is said to be in the world, when antichrist was not as yet come. But the Spirit herein intended, is not called the spirit of antichrist, because it declared andforetold the things ofantichrist before his coming; on which account, alone, they allow the Spi-- rit of God in the prophets of old to be called the Spirit of Christ. They have therefore no countenance from this place, which fails them in the principal thing they would prove by it. Again, supposing those words, whereofyon have heard ¿h t it should come, and is now in,the world, are to be interpreted of the Spirit men- tioned, and not of antichrist himself; yet no more can be intended, but that the false teachers and seducers, which were then in the world, actuated with the same spirit, as antichrist should do at his coming.. And so there is no conformity between these expressions. Be- sides, the spirit ofantichrist was then in the world, as was antichrist himself; so far as his spirit was in the world, so far was he so also; for antichrist and his spi- rit cannot be separated. Both he and it were then is the world, in their forerunners who opposed the truth of the gospel, about the incarnation of the Son of God and his suffitrings. And indeed the spirit of antichrist, in titis place, is no more but his doctrines; antichristian doctrine, which is to be tried and rejected. Neither is any singular person intended by antichrist, but a myste- rious opposition unto Christ and the gospel, signally headed by a series of men in the latter days. He there- fore, and his spirit, began to be together in the world in the apostlesdays, when the mystery ofiniquity began to work, 2 Thessalonians ii. 7. There is therefore no countenance to be taken from these words, unto the perverting and wresting of that other expression con- cerning the Spirit of Christ in the prophets ofold. This therefore is the formal reason of this appellation. The Holy Spirit is called the Spirit ofthe Son, and the Spi- rit of Christ, upon the account of his procession or e- manation from his person also. Without respect here- unto, he could not be called properly the Spirit of Christ; but on that supposition he may be; he is sode- nominated, from that various relation and respect that he hath unto him in his work and operations. Thus is the Spirit called in the scripture; these are the names whereby the essence and subsistence of the third person in the Holy Trinity are declared. How he is called, on the account of his offices and operations, will be manifested in our progress.
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