304 woltg OF THE HOLY was in this world, andhow ignominiously he was sent out of it by death. Hereon a great contest ensued amongst mankind, wherein heaven and hell were deeply engaged. The greatest part of the world, the princes, rulers, and wise men of it, affirmed, that he was an impostor, a seducer, a malefactor, justly punished for his evil deeds. He, on the other side, chose twelve apostles to bear tes- timony unto the holiness of his life, the truth and purity ofhis doctrine, the accomplishmentof the prophecies of the Old Testament in his birth, life, work, and death; and in especial unto his resurrection from the dead, whereby he was justified and acquitted from all the re- proaches of hell and the world, and their calumnies re- pelled. But what could the testimony of twelve poor men, though never so honest, prevail against the con- fronting suffrage of the world? Wherefore this work of bearing witness unto the Lord Christ, was committed unto him who is above and over all, who knoweth how, and is able to make his testimony prevalent; John xv. 26. " But when the Comforter is come, whom I will " send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of " truth which proceeddth from the Father, he shall "testify of me." Accordingly thy apostles plead his concurring testimony; Acts v. 32. " And we are his "witnesses of these things, and so also is the Holy Spi- rit, whom God bath given to them that obey him." And how he thus gave his testimony our apostle de- clares, Heb. ii. 4. " God also bearing witness with "them, (that is the apostles) both with signs and won- " ders, and with divers miracles, andgifts of the Holy r' Spirit, according to his will." The first principal end why God gave the Holy Spirit to work all those mira- culous effects in them that believed in Jesus, was to bear witness unto his person, that he was indeed the Son of God, owned and exalted by him. For no man, not utterly forsaken of all reason and understanding, not utterly blinded, would once imagine that the Holy Spi- rit of God would work such marvelous operations, in and by them who believed on him, if he designed not to justify his person, work, and doctrine thereby. And this in a short time, together with that effectual power which he put forth in and by the preaching of the word, carried not only his vindication against all the machina- tions of Satan, and his instruments throughout the world, but also subdued the generality of mankind unto faith in him and obedience unto him, 1 Cor. x. 4, 5. SPIRIT IN AND ON And upon this testimony it is, that there is real faith in him yet maintained in the world. This is that which he promised unto his disciples whilst he was yet with them in the world, when their hearts were solicitous how they should bear up against their adversaries ppan his absence. " I will," saith he, " send the Comforter " unto you, and when he is come he will reprove the " world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment; " of sin, because they believe not on me; of righteous. " ness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no " more; of judgment, because the prince of this world " is judged," John xvi. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. The reason why the world believed not on Christ, was because they believed not that he was sent of God, John ix. 29. By his testimony the Spirit was to reprove the world of their infidelity, and to convince them of it by evidenc- ing the truth of his mission. For hereon the whole issue of the controversy betweenhim and the worlddid depend. Whether he was righteous or a deceiver, was to be determined, by his being sent, or not sent of God, and consequently God's acceptance or disappro- bation of him. That he was so sent, no approved, the Holy Spirit convinced the world by his testimony, manifesting that he went to the Father, and was exalted by him; for it was upon his ascension and exaltation that he received and poured out the promise of the Spirit to this purpose, Acts ii. 33. Moreover, whilst he was in the world, there was anunrighteous judgment by the instigation of Satan passed upon him. On this testimony of the Spirit, that judgmentwas to be revers- ed, and a contrary sentence passed on the author of it, the prince of the world. For, by the gospel so testified unto, was he discovered, convicted, judged, condemned, and cast out of that power and rule in the world, which by the darkness of the minds of men within, and idola- try without, he had obtained and exercised. And that the Holy Spirit continuetit to do the same work, though not absolutely by the same means unto this very day, shall be afterwards declared. And by these considerations may we be led into that knowledge of, and acquaintance with our Lord Jesus Christ, which is so necessary, so useful, and so much re- commended unto us in the scripture. And the utter neglect of learning the knowledge of Christ, and of the truth as it is in him, is not more pernicious unto the souls of men, than is the learningof it by undue means,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=