that obey him When Peter was accused for transgressing the Jewish Rites by conversing with Cornelius and others uncircumcised Persons he apologizes for himself by saying The Holy Ghost fell upon them 11 Acts 15. as upon us at the beginning and by that fact convinced the Zealots of the Circumcision when the believing Pharisees contended that it was needful to Circumcise the Gentiles and to command them to keep the Law of Moses St. Peter by this Argument confutes them That God who knows the hearts of Men bare witness that though uncircumcised they were accepted with him 15. Acts 8. by giving them the Holy Ghost even as he did to us St. Paul speaks thus to the Church of Corinth My preaching was in demonstration of the Spirit 1 Cor. 2 4. and in power that they had received the Confirmation of the Faith bv the Arrabo the Pledge 2 Cor. 5.5 or earnest of the Spirit by whose Testimony they were abundantly confirmed in the Truth of what they did believe and in the Certainty of what they did expect These Gifts are represented by him as a convincing Motive to the Prophet or spiritual Person to acknowledge that what he wrote was the Commandment of God 1 Cor. 14.3 That the Gospel which he preached was the undoubted Truth and that which was to be retain'd in opposition to the Law he proves to the Galatians because the ministration of the Spirit and the Power of working Miracles was the result not of the Law but of the Gospel-Dispensation For thus he puts the Question to them 3 Gal. 1. 3 Gal. 2 3 Gal. 3 3 Gal. 5. O foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the Truth this only would I learn of you Received you the Spirit by the Works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith Are you so foolish having begun in the Spirit are you made perfect in the Flesh He therefore that ministreth the Spirit and worketh Miracles among you doth be it by the Works of the Law or by the Hearing of Faith In his Epistle to the Thessalonians he argues their Election by God because his Gospel came not to them in Word only 1 Thes 1. v. 5 6. but in Power and in the Holy Ghost and much assurance and they received the Word in much affliction and with joy in the Holy Ghost In his Epistle to the Hebrews he shews the dreadful Issue of the Contemners of the Gospel upon this account that God bare witness to it by Signs 2 〈◊〉 4. and Wonders and divers Miracles and Distributions of the Holy Ghost according to his will Now Arguments of this nature neither could be urg'd by nor being offer'd could prevail upon wise and considering Men had not the Matter of Fact on which they did intirely depend been uncontestible 5. This argument receives yet farther strength from this consideration that those Gifts and powerful Operations of the Holy Spirit were either such of which even Infidels might from the Nature of them be convinced or such as from some outward or sensible Appearance or by their inward Operations and Effects made themselves known to them who had receiv'd them for instance the working of Miracles as the making the Lame to walk the Deaf to hear the Blind to see the Dead to live which were all Miracles of Mercy or the inflicting Blindness upon Elymas or Death on Ananias and Saphira 13 Acts. 11. 5 Acts 5 10. the delivering Men up to Satan the Rod which the Apostle threatens to the Disobedient in the Church of Corinth which were all Miracles of Judgment the casting out Devils by the Name of Jesus the healing the Sick by Imposition of Hands the Gifts of Prophecy and discerning of Spirits the Gifts of Tongues and the Interpretation of them if truly done were things self-evident and could not well be exercis'd without a sensible Demonstration to all that saw perceiv'd heard or felt them that they were perform'd And therefore by enabling his Servants to perform them God gave full testimony to the Word of his Grace Some of these Gifts 1 Cor. 14.22 23. saith the Apostle were signs not to them that believe but to them that believed not and by the Exercise of them he will be convinced and the Secrets of his Heart will be made manifest and he will be induced to consess that God is in you of a Truth and therefore these are fitly styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Manifestation of the Spirit 1 Cor. 12.7 The Baptism of the Spirit was at the first attended with a lambent Fire so he fell on the Apostles in the shape of fiery Tongues 3 Mat. 16. when our Lord Jesus was baptized the Holy Ghost descended on him in the Shape of a Dove say the Evangelists Epiph. Haer. 30. N. 13. 8 Rom. 23. 2 Cor. 1.22 4 Eph. 30. Ch. 1. 13 8 Rom. 15 16. 4 Gal. 6 7. 1 Joh. 5 10. 1 Joh. 4.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Fire was kindled in Jordan saith Justin Martyr Dialcu Tryp p. 315. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a great Light shone upon the Place saith the Gospel of the Nazarens which the Syrian Churches also acknowledge in their Liturgy The Spirit then given to believers is stiled the first Fruits which rais'd an expectation in them of the Redemption of their Bodies ‖ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 1 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 1.21 22. vid. 2 Cor. 5 1-5 5 Gal. 5. 1 Thess 1.5 2 Tim. 1.14 the Earnest of the Spirit in their Hearts the Spirit by which they were sealed up to the Day of Redemption the Earnest of their Inheritance for the buying out of the purchased Possession the Spirit by which they were enabled to cry Abba Father who testified to their Spirits that they were the Sons of God and should be heirs of Glory and the VVitness of God within them Which expressions plainly intimate that they who had this Spirit could certainly know he dwelt in them and could be thence assured of their Relation to God and of the Happiness which he had promised to them according to the saying of St. John hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his Spirit Moreover 6. The Primitive Professors of the Christian Faith afford us a full Testimony of the Continuance of those Gifts and Operations of the Holy Ghost in after Ages St. Clemens the Companion and Fellow-labourer with St. Paul in his Epistle to the (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S S. 2. Church of Corinth saith that they were filled with an insatiable desire of doing good and that there was a full Effusion of the Holy Ghost upon them all Eusebius adds that the first Order of the Succession of the Apostles and the Evangelists which preached the Gospel after them (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hist Eccl. l. 3. c. 37. did many and strange Wonders
A DISCOURSE Confirming the TRUTH and CERTAINTY OF THE Christian Faith From the Extraordinary GIFTS and OPERATIONS OF THE Holy Ghost Vouchsafed to the APOSTLES and PRIMITIVE PROFESSORS of that FAITH By Daniel Whitby D. D. and Chantor of the Church of Sarum LONDON Printed for A. Churchill at the Black Swan in Pater-Noster-Row MDCXCI Imprimatur Geo. Royse R. Rmo. in Christo Patri at Dom. Dom. Johanni Archiep. Cantuar. a Sacris June the 30th 1691. THE PREFACE TO THE READER THAT this Discourse may not seem to take that for granted which cannot be proved and that some Notions in it seemingly new may give the Reader no Offence I crave leave to premise First That the Holy Ghost was certainly designed for a Witness to the Truth of our Lord's Resurrection and Exaltation to the Right-Hand of Majesty and given to confirm the Christian Faith For First Our Saviour doth assure his Disciples that this his Advocate should at his coming convince the World of Sin viz. of the great Sin of Infidelity because they believed not in him 16. Jo. 9 10. and of Righteousness or that He though condemned by the Sanhedrim as a False Prophet and a Deceiver of the People was a just and righteous Person one highly favoured by the God of Heaven because the sending of the Holy Spirit was a full Evidence that he was Gone to the Father that he was exalted to the Right-hand of God and had received from the Father the Promise of the Holy Ghost Secondly St. John the beloved Disciple doth inform us that the Spirit was the great Witness that Jesus was the Son of God Joh. 5.6 8. and that of the three Witnesses on Earth to this great Truth the Holy Spirit was the first Thirdly St. Paul doth frequently declare that by the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. the Gifts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 1.21 22. and Distributions of the Holy Ghost the Testimony of Christ was confirmed to all Christians and that God by giving this Holy Spirit to them did confirm them in Christ And upon this as well as other Accounts he seemeth to be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Advocate of Christ because he was to undertake the Defence of the Ministry and the Prophetick Office of our Lord against the Presidents of the Sinagogue and the great Sanhedrim of the Jews who had condemned him and procur'd his Death as a False Prophet Secondly I premise that the Sin against the Holy Ghost seems best explained by that Notion of the Holy Ghost which I have here espoused to make this as clear as I am able let it be noted First That there is a manifest Distinction in the New Testament betwixt the Power of working Signs and Miracles and the Gifts and Distributions of the Holy Ghost As when St. Paul speaketh of things wrought by him to make the Gentiles obedient in Word and Deed by mighty Signs and Miracles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 15. Rom. 19. and Powers of the Holy Ghost when he speaks of the Gospel preached by him in demonstration of the Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor 2.4.1 and in Power and of the Duty of the Clergy to commend themselves to others by the Holy Ghost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 6.6 7. and by the Power of God VVhen he speaks to his Galathians of him that ministreth the Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3 Gal. 5. and worketh Miracles among them And to his Thessalonians of the Gospel coming to them in Power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Thes 1.5 and in the Holy Ghost And lastly to the Jewish Converts that God bore witness to the Word of his Grace by Signs and Wonders and divers Miracles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Heb 4. and Distributions of the Holy Ghost And that being baptized 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 6 Heb. 4 5. they were made Partakers of the Holy Ghost and had tasted the Powers of the World to come Secondly That the Holy Ghost was sent after our Saviour's Resurrection to bear witness both to the Truth of his Resurrection and of the Doctrine which he taught He giving in his Testimony with the Apostles of these things For when the Advocate cometh 15 Joh. 16 17. which I saith Christ will send you from the Father he shall testifie of me and you also shall bear Witness of me for you have been with me from the beginning Accordingly we saith St. Peter are his Witnesses of these things 5 Act 32 and so is the Holy Ghost which he hath given to those that obey him Thirdly That our Lord Jesus and his Apostles seem plainly to assert the Holy Spirit was to give in his Testimony after his Resurrection and Ascension to the Father This is so evident from the forecited Places and from that Expression of St. John 7 Joh. 39. the Holy Ghost was not yet because that Jesus was not yet glorified that it seems needless to add any thing in farther Confirmation of it Now hence it follows that the Holy Ghost was to be a succeeding Testimony to that of the Miracles wrought by our Saviour upon Earth and consequently that the Sin against the Holy Ghost was a Sin chiefly and compleatly to be committed afterwards which also seemeth probable even from the Tenor of oâ—r Saviours Words 12 Luk. 10. 12 Matt. 24. 3 Mark 29. Whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of Man as you now do who say He hath a Devil and casts out Devils by Beelzebub it shall be forgiven him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but whosever hereafter shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven him Fourthly Observe that this was the last Testimony God would exhibit to the Jews to evidence to them that Jesus was indeed the true Messiah and that on their Rejection of it depended their being given up to judicial Blindness and to utter Desolation and Excision from being any more hiâ— Church and his peculiar People Accordingly after this Blasphemy against our Lord both He and his Disciples sâ—ill call them to that Faith and Repentance which would assuredly procure their Pardon but then He warns them of the Greatness of their Sin as being next to that which was unpardonable informing them that as they had blasphemed the Miracles wrought by he Finger of God or by the Power of the Spirit before their Eyes so if they should add to this the Contempt of those internal Gifts and Operations of the Holy Ghost which were to be vouchsafed after his Resurrection for farther Confirmation that he was the Son of God their Sin should then become unpardonable And the Author to the Hebrews declares it a thing impossible to renew them to Repentance 6 Heb. 5 6. who being made Partakers of the Holy Ghost and having tasted the Powers of the World to come did notwithstanding wilfully apostatize from the Profession of
you so that you are deficient in no Gift He spends his whole Twelfth Chapter in the Enumeration of those Gifts by which the Manifestation of the Spirit was confirmed among them viz. the Gifts of Wisdom 1 Cor. 12 8 9 10 29 30. Knowledge Prophesie and the discerning of the Mind of God the Gift of Miracles of Faith of Healing of divers kinds of Tongues and the Interpretation of them concluding with these Questions Are all Apostles Are all Prophets Are all Teachers Are all Workers of Miracles Have all the Gifts of Healing Do all speak with Tongues Do all interpret but covet earnestly the best Gifts 2 Cor. 8 7. In his Second Epistle he declares that they abounded in Faith in Utterance and Knowledge He chides them for abusing these extraordinary Gifts by making them Occasions of their Boasting in that mistaken Place 1 Cor. 4.7 What hast thou of these Gifts which thou hast not received and if thou hast received them wherefore dost thou boast as if thou hadst not received them and for their using them so as to breed Confusion in the Church 1 Cor. 14 26. saying How is it Brethren that when ye come together every one of you hath a Psalm hath a Doctrine hath a Tongue hath a Revelation hath an Interpretation Let all things be done to edifying His Apostleship being despised or questioned by some or being judg'd inferior to that of others he confirms and justifies it by declaring That his Preaching was not in the enticeing Words of Man's Wisdom 1 Cor. 2.4 but in Demonstration of the Spirit and in Power that they themselves were manifestly declared to be the Epistle of Christ ministred by him written not with Ink 2 Cor. 3.1 3. but with the Spirit of the living God and that he therefore needed no other Letters of Commendation to them that he was not a whit behind the very chief of the Apostles 2 Cor. 11.4 5. and that they had received no other Spirit than what they had received from him that in nothing was he behind the very chief of the Apostles the Signs of an Apostle being wrought among them by him in all Patience in Signs and VVonders 2. Cor. 12.12 13. and mighty Deeds and that in nothing were they inferiour to any other Churches In his Epistle to the Galatians he compares himself with the chief of the Apostles and the Pillars of the Church 2. Cal. 7.8 9. declaring that he who wrought effectually in Peter to the Apostleship of the Circumcision was as efficacious in him towards the Gentiles that these Pillars saw and perceived by the Grace given to him that the Gospel of Uncircumcision was committed to him as the Gospel of the Circumcision was to Peter and therefore gave unto them the Right-hand of Fellowship that he with Barnabas 3. Gal. 13 14. 1. Eph. 3.15 Rom. 29. 6. Heb. 4. should go unto the Gentiles and they unto the Circumcision Adding for Consolation to the Gentiles that Christ had redeemed them from the Curse of the Law that the Blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles that they might receive the Promise of the Spirit through Faith He magnifies the God of Heaven for blessing his Ephesians with all Spiritual Blessings in heavenly things * Note that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be so rendred in this Place is probable 1. From the Phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Gifts of the Holy Ghost are stiled 15. Rom. 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Blessing of the Gospel and the Promise of the Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Blessing of Abraham 3. Gal. 14. 2. Because these Gifts are stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thus when our Saviour had 3. John 12. discoursed of the Spirit received in Baptism he saith he had told them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they who were Partakers of these Gifts are said to have tasted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vis of the heavenly Gift 7. Heb. 4. or Gifts in Christ Jesus he prays that God would farther give unto them the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation for the Acknowledgment of Christ and he exhorts them to be filled with the Spirit speaking one to another in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual Songs The same Exhortation he repeats to his Colossians And a like Prayer he makes for them that they may be filled with the Knowledge of his Will in all Wisdom and spiritual Vnderstanding Two of his Admonitions to the Thessalonians are conceived in these Words quench not the Spirit despise not Prophesies * 5 Eph. 16.17 †3 Col. 16. 1 Col. 9. ‖ 1 Thes 5.19 20. The Author to the Hebrews pronounces it a dreadful thing to fall from the Profession of the Christian Faith 6 Hebr. 4 5. because upon their first embracing of it they had tasted of the heavenly Gift and of the powers of the VVorld to come and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost and therefore by revolting after they had thus received the Knowledge of the Truth chap. 10. vers 29. they did despite to the Spirit of Grace St. Peter advertiseth the same converted Jews that the Gospel was preached to them by the Assistance of the Holy Ghost sent down from Heaven 1 Pet. 1.12 And he gives these instructions to them for the Use of their extraordinary Gifts ch 4. 10 11. As every Man hath received 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Gift so let them minister the same one to another as good Stewards of the manifold Grace of God if any Man sâ—eak let him speak as the Oracles of God if any Man minister let him do it as of the Ability which God giveth that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ St. John informs the Christians 1 John 2.20 27. that they had an Vnction from the Holy one and they knew all things necessary and that the Vnction they had received abiding in them they had no need that any Man should teach them but as the same Anointing taught them all things Moreover saith he c. 3.24 hereby do we know that we abide in Christ by the Spirit which he hath given us and that this was their Preservative against the many Antichrists that were in the World 4. That these extraordinary Operations of the Holy Ghost were thus vouchsafed to confirm the Christian Faith is farther evident from the Consideration that the Apostles do with the greatest Confidence produce this Testimony of the Holy Ghost as a convincing Demonstration of the Resurrection of our Lord and of the Truth of what they had delivered in his Name and as a full justification both of their Office and their Actions The God of our Fathers 5. Acts 30 31 32. saith St. Peter hath raised Jesus to be a Prince and a Saviour to give Repentance unto Israel and we are his Witnesses of these things and so is also the Holy Ghost which he hath given to those
able to attest that they receiv'd not the least Benefit from any of his Balsoms should by this impudene Untruth engage those very Persons he so shamefully bely'd to assert the Soveraign Virtue of them in contradiction to their own Experience Lastly if they who enter these Appeals and by them do endeavour to confirm their Proselytes in the Profession of the Faith they teach have many subtil and industrious Adversaries Men zealous to oppose that Faith and defirous to find Occasions of Advantages over them and apt for want of such Occasions to accuse them falsly and charged by the Apostles with false Accusation and yet these very Persons when these very Arguments and Demonstrations of the spirit are urged in Confirmation of that Faith which these deceitful Workers did gainsay could find no Ground of Cavil against these things or could prevail upon no Persons to believe that they had reason to accuse them of Falshood or Deceit in these Particulars we cannot reasonably suspect they used any Fraud or Falshood in their Words or Writings but this is certainly the Case of these Apostles and more especially of Blessed Paul 1 Cor. 16.9 1 Thes 2.14 1 Tit. 10.2 Tim. 3.2 3. Ep. of Joh. v. 10. 1 Phil. 25 16. 2 Gal. 4. for their Epistles do inform us that they had many Adversaries that they were in continual Perils from the Jews were oft encounter'd by the Philosophers and the Disputers of the World that even among themselves were many vain unruly Talkers and Deceivers which gainsaid their Doctrine many proud Boasters and Corrupters of the Truth which did endeavour to empair their Credit in the Church and who did prate against them with malitious words that there were some who preached Christ only out of a Principle of Strife and Envy that they might add Affliction to their Bonds and some false Brethren who came in privily to spy out thâ—ir Liberty Nor have we reason to suspect that all or any of these Adversaries negelected any Pains or Diligence which ought in reason to be used to search into the Certainty of what they offer'd for Confirmation of this Faith and for Vindication of their Apostleship from these Aspersions which these false Apostles laid upon them Since then we never find the Truth of these Relations question'd by any of their numerous and potent Adversaries the false Apostle or false Brother the inqusitive and learned Precisian or the malicious Jew and since we are assured by the Event that if Attempts of such a Nature have been made they all prov'd ineffectual and insufficient to lessen or take a way the Credit of these Writings in the Christian World I say seeing these things are so it may be certainly concluded that these Writings were not and could not be convinced of Falshood but contained Matter of unquestionable Truth Now hence it clearly follows that this Assistance of the Holy Ghost was a most full and ample Confirmation of the Christian Faith and a sufficient Evidence that it derived from the God of Truth for this they constantly declared 1 Cor. 3.9 1 Rom. 4 that they were Apostles sent from God Co-workers with God and faithful Stewards of his Mysteries that they were Servants and Apostles of that Jesus who was declared to be the Son of God with power and that they preached the Gospel by Virtue of the Holy Ghost sent down from Heaven This then must be a certain Truth or else their Story must be false Moreover from what hath been discoursed I conclude that the Power by which these holy Men were acted could not derive from Satan it therefore must derive from God whence it will follow that what it was design'd to confirm must be certain Truth or God must be supposed to employ his Power to confirm a Lye and stablish an Imposture in the World by the Assistance of his Holy Spirit which is a great Absurdity and very much repugnant to to his Truth and Justice And if these things convince us of the Truth of Christian Faith Hence have we reason to infer That it is very worthy of our Labour and much concerns us to be well acquainted with this Faith God is not busied about Trifles when he is pleased by extraordinary Methods and Transports of Nature to shew the Glory of his Power we may be sure the Doctrine he thus confirms is worthy of all Acceptation of this Salvation saith St. Peter the Prophets have enquired and searched diligently 1 Pet. 1.11 12. because it was that glorious Work of Mercy and of Wisdom to which the Holy Spirit in them gave his Testimony and when we preached the same Gospel by the Assistance of the Holy Ghost sent down from Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Angels presently desired to look into it if then these Sacred Prophets thought it worthy of their Diligence instantly to search till they had found the Time appointed for this Revelation of the Will of Heaven it must be worthy of our Care to search those Scriptures which contain it If blessed Angels who continually behold the Face of God in Glory and who are less concern'd in these glad Tidings than we are thus earnestly desire to view the Mystery which contain it If blessed Angels who continually behold the Face of God in Glory and who are less concern'd in these glad Tidings than we are thus earnestly desire to view the Mystery which the Apostles had discovered by the assistance of the Holy Ghost it must be both our Duty and our Wisdom to be industrious to know it the Speculations of Philosophy may be neglected as being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Socrates but Ethicks well deserve our Study as being purposely design'd for the Improvement of our Souls Wherefore this Wisdom this Demonstration of the Spirit which wholely aims at the eternal Happiness of Man and is designed to make him wise unto Salvation and even advanced to Divine Perfections deserves as much to be prefer'd before all other Wisdom as the Concernments of our Souls deserve to be prefer'd before the Interests of our frail Bodies or our eternal Interests to be regarded more than temporal Inf II. If this Demonstration of the Holy Spirit doth so abundantly confirm the Truth of Christian Faith it must exceedingly concern us in Point of Interest and Wisdom to yield Obedience to all the Precepts of that Faith The Gentiles had the Law of Nature written in their Hearts their Conscience bearing them witness 2 Rom. 14 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Rom 24 26. and their inward Reasonings sometimes accusing and sometimes excusing them and the Result of their Trasgressions against this dim and imperfect Law of Nature was that God gave them up to vile Affections and to a reprobate Mind the Law was given to the Jews by Ministration of holy Angels and therefore every Transgression of it receiv'd a just Reward of Recompence 2 Heb. 3 4. How then saith the Apostle shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation which at the first was spoken by the Lord and was confirm'd by his Apostles God hearing witness to it by divers Distributions of the Holy Ghost Especially if we consider First That by Disobedience to the Christian Precepts we contradict the great Design of all those Demonstrations of the Holy Spirit which were vouchsafed to confirm it the Wonders wrought by the Power of the Spirit being intended 15 Rom. 18. faith St. Paul to make the Gentiles obedient in Word and Deed. Secondly That this great Confirmtion of the Christian Faith doth highly aggravate the Gunt of our Transgressions of the Christian Precepts for the stronger is the Motive to believe the greater is the Guilt of Disobedience because such Motives may be easily discerned and so our Ignorance of them must be less excusable and we cannot resist their Evidence but we must offer violence to the Convictions of our Consciences were Christian Faith confirmed only be probable Inducements to believe it our Disobedience to its Precepts would be most irrational they being in themselves most excellent and such as our own Reason must approve as beneficial to our selves and others the Motives which engage to the Performance of them are infinitely to be prefer'd besore whatever stands in competition with them the Evils which they threaten to the disobedient more terrible and lasting than any we can suffer by being stedfast in this Faith and surely then whoever owns the Certainty of Christian Faith and lives in Contradiction to it or by his Practice gives the Lye to his Profession can have no Shadow of Excuse or Hopes or Mercy at the great Day of his Account In a word seeing this Demonstration of the Holy Spirit doth convince us of the Truth of Christian Faith it must add Strength to all the Motives Engagements and Encouragements to lead a Virtuous and holy Life which this Religion above all others doth afford For ifall that is delivered in these VVriting and Epistles indited by the Apostles and Evangelists be the Revealed VVill of Heaven then all the Promises and comfortable Passages recorded in them will be assuredly made good to all true Christians and the Assurance of these inestimable Blessings must lay upon us strong Engagements to be stedfast immoveable always abounding in the VVork of the Lord as knowing that our Labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. FINIS