ç¢ Of the Tefiiimony,of the 4irit, `'Q X be fo called. Now the Spirit of God did outwardly teflìfie concerning jefus, that he was the Melbas, and came from God ;,and that the Doettine which he taught was Divine. T. In the Voice from Heaven, which accompanied the defcending of the Spirit upon him, in the form of a Dove, Paying, This is my beloved Son, in whore 1. art well pleafed, Matt, 3.17. z. In thofe Miracles which Chrift himfelf wrought by the Spirit of God ; which was fb eminent a Teflimony of the Spirit of God, that the refitting of the Evidence of thofe Miracles, and the attributing of them to the Devil, is by. our Saviour call'd a ftlafphemy againft the Holy Ghoft, and fuch a Sin as lhall never be pardoned 5 becaufe Miracles being the higheft Attejtation that can be given to the Divinity of any Perlon, or his IYohtrine ; whóever re(fts this Evidence, re- lifts his 1aft Remedy g and Poch a Perlon mutt needs remain in his Infidelity, be taufe there is nothing more that can be done for his Conviction. 3. The third eminent Teftimony which the Holy Spirit gave to Chrift, was in the great Miracle of his Refurretlionfrom the Dead ; and hence it is that the great Miracleof Chritt's Refurretlion, which was the higheft Atteftation to the Divinity- of his Perlon, and the grand Confirmation to his DoEtrine, is frequently in Scrip- ture, in a moft peculiar manner, aferibed to the Spirit of God. Rom. t. g. and war declared to be the Son of Godwith power, according to the Spirit of Holinefi, that is, by thole Miracles which he wrought by the Holy Ghoft, and by his Refurretlioa from the dead. And fo Rom. 8, it. The Spirit of him that rais'd up Chriltfrom the dead. r Pet. 3. 18. Being put to death in the Flefh : hit quickned by the Spirit. 4. In the Elutionof the Spirit upon the Apoftles, who were to preach Chrift and his Doctrine to the World and that it might carry its Evidence along with it, God poured forth. his Spirit upon thofe who were to be the Publilhers of it 5 by which Spirit they were endued with feveral Miraculous Powers and Gifts, to` con- vine,. the World of the truth of the Doctrine which they Preached. And with relation to this, i think, it is that the Apoftie faith; t Cor. z. q, S. Andmy fpeech, andmy preaching was not with enticing words of M'an's Wifdom. ; but indemonftration of the Spirit, andof Power t That your faith Jbouldnotpod in the wifdom of Mesh, but in thepower of God 5 that is,,, theydid not ufe humane Eloquence to perfwade Men, but deliver'd the Gofpel with all plainnefs And that which' made thofe plain t ifcourfes fo Powerful, were thole powerful demonftrations of the. Divine Spirira which appear'd in chafe miraculous Gifts wherewith they were endowed. I am lure Origen underftands this Text fo, And fo likewife the Apoftle, t Theft: t. g. (peaks to the fame purpofe, that the Gofpel came not untoyou in word only: but alfa in power, andin the Holy Ghofl, and in much affurance ; that is, theydid not only peak words to Men, but the Doctrine which they Preached, was actefled in a powerful Manner by the Holy Ghott, in thole extraordinary Gifts which were be- flow'd upon them, which was a great Evidence to their Hearers, and gave them great aflurance of the truth of what they delivered. I think this is the meaning of thofe two places ; but I will mention two others which are more unqueflionable, Ails S. 32- where Peter, and the rat of the Apoftles tell the High Priefts and their Officers, wh,:c Evidence they had for what they Preached, concerning the Refurredion and Afcenfion of Chrift. We arekis witneffer of theft things; andJo it alto the Holy Gbofl whom God kath given to them that obey him. Not only they themfelves bad feen what they. Preached : but to .confirm their Teflimony, the Holy Ghoft was poured forth upon them in Miraculous Gifts. And Rel. z. 3, 4. How (hall we efcape, if we negleel fo great Salvation, which at the ftr(1 began to be fpoken by the Lord, and vvas confirmed unto to by them that heard him ; God a1,.'a bearing them witnefs, both with fgns and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghoft, according to his own will ? So the Holy Ghoft gave Tetli- mony to the truth of the Do&rine which the Apoftles Preached, by thofe Gifts which he endowed them withal, and thofe Miracles which he enabled them to work. And I doubt not but with relation to the. Teflimony which the Spirit of God gave to Chrift by the Miracles he wrought by Chrift and his Apoftles, I fay f doubt
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