WITH RESPECT UNTO THE NEW CREATION. ST. his Spirit as his great legacy unto his disciples.. And this he gave unto them as the great pledge of their fu- ture inheritance, 2' Cor. i. 22. which they were to live upon in this world. All other good things he hath in- deed bequeathed unto believers, as he speaks of peace with -God in particular. Peace I leave with you, my peace Igive unto you, John xiv. 27. But he gives par- ticular graces and mercies for particular ends and pur- poses. The Holy Spirit he bequeaths to supply his own absence, John xvi. 17. that is, for all the ends of spiritual and eternal life. Let us therefore consider this gift ofthe Spirit either formally, under this notion that he was the principal legacy left unto the church by our dying Saviour, or materially, as to the ends and purposes for which he is so bequeathed, and it will be evident what valuation we ought to have of him and his work. How would some rejoice, ifthey could pos- sess any relique of any thing that belonged unto our Saviour in the days of his flesh, though of no use or benefit unto them? Yea, how great á part of men cal- led Christians do boast in some pretended parcels of the tree whereon he suffered. Love, abused by supersti- tion, lies at the bottom of this vanity. For they would embrace- any thing left them by their dying Saviour. But he left them no such things, nor did ever bless and sanctify them unto any holy or sacred ends. And therefore bath the abuse of them been punished with blindness and idolatry. But this is openly testified un- to in the gospel, then when his heart was overflowing with love unto his disciples, and care for them, when he took an holy prospect of what would be their condi- tion, their work, duty, and temptations in the world, and thereon made provision of all that they could stand in need of; he promiseth to leave and give unto them his Holy Spirit, to abide with them forever, directing us to look unto him for all our comforts and supplies. According, therefore, unto our valuation and esteem of him, of our satisfaction and acquiescency in him, is our regard to the-love, care, and wisdom of our blessed Saviour to be measured. And, indeed, it is only in Ids word and Spirit wherein we can either honour, or despise him in this world. In his own person he is.ex . aped at the right hand of God, far aboveall principali- ties and powers; so that nothing of ours can immediate- ly reach him, or affect him. But it is in our regard to these that he makes a trial of.our faith, love, and obe- Y dience. And it is a matter of lamentation to consider the contempt and scorn that on various pretences is cast upon this Holy Spirit, and the work whereunto he is sent by God the Father, and by Jesus Christ. For there is included therein a contempt of them also. Nor will a pretence of honouring God, in their own way, secure such persons as shall contract the guilt of this a- bomination. For it is an idol, and not the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who loth not work effectually in the elect by the Holy Ghost, according to the scriptures. And, (2.) if we consider this pro- mise of the Spirit to be given unto us, as to the ends ofit; then, Sect. 7.-6. He is promised and given as the sole . cause and author of all the good that in this * worldwe are or can be made partakers of: For (1.)- there is no good communicated unto us from God, but it is be- stowed on us, or wrought in us by the Holy Ghost. No gift, no grace, no mercy, no privilege, no consola. Lion, do we receive, possess, or use, but it is wrought in us, collated on us, or manifested unto us, by him alone. Nor (2.) is there any good in us towards God, any faith, love, duty, obedience, but what is effectual- ly wrought in us by him, by him alone: For in us, that is in our flesh (and by nature we are but flesh) there dwelleth no good thing. All these things are from him, and by him, as shall, God assisting, be made to appear by instances of all sorts in our ensuing discourse. And these considerations I thought meet to premise unto our entrance into that work which- now lieth before us. Sect. 8.The great work- whereby God designed to glorify himself ultimately in this world, was that of the new creation, or of the recovery and restoration of all things, by Jesus Christ, Heb.. i. 1, 2,, 3. Ephes. i. 10. And, as this is, in general, confessed by all Christians, so I have elsewhere insisted on the demonstration of it. (2 ) That which God ordereth and designeth, as the principal means for the manifestation of his glory, must contain the most perfect and absolute revelation and de- claration of himself, his nature, his being, his exist- ence, and excellencies. For from their discovery and manifestation, with the duties which, as known, they require.from rational.creatures, doth the glory of God Grates ago UM clementissime Deus, quia quod gomsivi,mane prior ipso donasti. Cypri. de Baptism. Christi. 19
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