AND SPIRIT that therein he must leave and depart from them, John xvi. 5, 6, 7, 8. whereon. they were filled with sorrow and trouble, until they knew how he would make good the promise ofhis presence with them; and who or what it was that should unto their advantage supply his bodi- ly absence. And this he did in hisvisible ascension, when he was taken erp, anda cloud received him out of their sight, Acts i. 9. when also it was given in charge unto them, not to expect his return until his coming unto judg- ment, ver. 11. And accordingly Peter tells us, that the heavens must receive kiss lento the time of the restitution ofall things, Acts iii. 21. token he will appear again in the glory ofhis Father, Mattb. xvi. 27. even that glory which the Father gave him 'upon his exaltation, 2 Peter i. 17. joined unto that glory which he had with him be- fore the world teas, John xvii. 5. In and upon this his departure from them, he taught his disciples how they should understand his promise ofbeingpresent, and abid- ing with themunto the endof the world. And this was by sending of his Holy Spirit in his name, place, and stead, to do all to them, and for them, which be hadyet to do with them, and for them. See John xiv. 16, 17, 18, 26, 27, 26. chap. xv. 26. chap. xvi. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 11, Anti other vicar in the church Christ hall none, nor sloth stand in need of any; nor can any mor- tal man supply that charge and office: or was any such ever thought of in the world, until men grew weary of the conduct and rule of the Holy Spirit, by various ways taking his work out of his hand, leaving him no- thing to do in that which they called the church. Bat I suppose 1 need not handle this principle as a thing in dispute or controversy. IfI greatly mistake not, this pre- sence of Christ in his church by hisSpirit, is an articleof faith unto the catholic church, and such a fundamental truth, as whoever denies it, overthrows the whole gos- pel. And I have so confirmed itin our formerdiscourses concerning the dispensation and operations of the Holy Ghost, as that I fear not, nor expect any direct opposi- tion thereunto. But yet I acknowledge, that some be- gin to talk, as if they owned no other presence of Christ but by the word and sacraments. Whatever else remains to be done lies wholly in ourselves. It is acknowledged, that the Lord Christ is present in and by his word and or- dinances; but if he be no otherwise present, or be pre- sent only by their external administration, there willno more church-state amongmoleensue thereon, than there UAL GIFTS. S7 ~is among the Jews, who enjoy tite letter of the Old Tes- tament, and the institutions of Moses. But when men rise up in express contradiction unto the promises of Christ, and the faith of the catholic church in all ages, we shall not contend with them. But, 4. Selly, This presence of the Spirit is secured unto the church by en everlasting unchangeable covenant, Isa. fix. 21. " As for me, this is my covenant with them, " saith the Lord, my Spirit that is upon them, and my " wordswhich I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart " out of thymouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, " nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed, saith theLord, " from henceforth and for ever." This is God's cove= leant with the gospel church, to be erected then when the Redeemer should come out of Zion, and unto them that tarnfrom transgression in Jacob, ver. 20. This is a part of the covenant that God hath made in Christ the Redeemer. And as the continuance of the word unto the church in all ages is by this promise secured, with- out which it would cease and come to nothing, seeing it is built on the foundationof theapostles and prophets, $ph, H. 20. so is the presence of the Spirit in like man- ner secured unto it, and that on the same terms with theword, so as that if he be not present with it, all covenant relationbetween God and it doth cease; where this promise doth not take place, there is no church, no ordinance, no acceptable worship, because no covenant relation. In brief then, where there is no participa- tion of the promise of Christ to send the Spirit to abide with us always, no interest in that covenant, wherein God engageth that bis Spirit shall not depart front no for ever; and so no presence of Christ to make the word and ordinances of worship living, useful, effectual in their administration unto their proper ends, there is no church-state, whatever outward order there may be. 5. And hereon, (4th/y,) Is the gospelcalled the min- istration of the Spirit, and the ministers of it the mini- sters of the Spirit, 2 Cor. iii. 6. Whobath also stade us able ministers ofthe New Testassent, not of the letter, but of the Spirit, not the ministration of death, but that of the Spirit, which isglorious, ver. 7, 8. There never was nor ever shall be any, but these two ministrations in the church; that of the letter and of death; and that of the Spirit and oflife. Ifthere be a ministration in any church, it must belong to one of these, and all ministers must be so, either of the letter or of the Spirit. If there be a
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