Spirit and did not in these Epistles and Discourses boast of that which they had not performed or which those Churches to which these Writings were directed had not experienced And first That these Writings were composed and sent unto these Churches in that very Age in which the Apostles lived and propagated the Christian Faith throughout the World may be concluded 1. Because they bear the Names of the Apostles and Evangelists for no Man could pretend they were so had they not really been such but they must put a Cheat upon the World and substitute their own inventions for the Word of God Moreover they have been handed down for such by a more general Tradition and of a firmer Credit than any of the Books of Cicero or Virgil which we indisputably own as theirs for it was a Tradition of the whole Christian World which owned cited read and receiv'd them as such from the Apostles days as is apparent from the Epistle of St. Clement Barnabas Ignatius and Polycarp whilst others which pretended to the same Original were universally rejected by them Besides they did attest them so to be by many sufferings which they had no temptation to endure besides the Truth of their assertion 't was a Tradition which concerned things of the highest moment and which it was their greatest interest to be well assured of they being the sole Ground of their support at present under the sharpest Tryals and of their future hopes and therefore Writings which they were concerned to get hear read and keep they were Books written to whole Churches and Nations yea the whole World of Christians who could not have receivâ—d them easily had the Apostles by whom they were converted given no intimations of them Books of the greatest Opposition to the Superstitions both of Jews and Heathen and which denounced upon them the greatest Plagues and Judgments such as obliged them to search as much as possible into the Truth of what they said and yet these Books were by them not denied to be the Works of those Apostles and Evangelists whose names they bare they were Books which could not be spread abroad in the Apostles days and in their names unless the Apostles had indited them nor be esteemed as the great Characters of the Christian Faith if the Apostles were so forgetful of them as not to let those Persons for whose sake they were written know it they were Books which pretended to a Commission from the Holy Jesus to leave a Rule of Life and Doctrine to Mankind which was intrusted only in the Hands of the Apostles all others still pretending to deliver only what they receiv'd from them they were indited partly to confirm the Christian Faith and to engage Men to believe it partly to put an end to the Contentions and rectify the Errors which had crept into the Church in the Apostles days and needed speedy reformation partly to justisy themselves against false Brethren and to assert the Truth of their Apostleship and partly to preserve their Proselytes from such as did pervert the Faith and partly to instruct them how to bear up in fiery tryals and to support the Souls of Christians under the Miseries they suffered from a persecuting World and therefore they were written on such Grounds as did require a quick dispatch upon these errands to the Churches for which they were intended and so the Apostles must be supposed to give early notice of them and to divulge them to the Christian World whilst they to whom they were committed were able to disprove them if they had been false In a Word The Epistle to the Romans must be false or else it must be sent by the Apostle before he had seen Rome 1. Rom. 11 15 28. for it containeth an intimation that he had not seen them a desire to see them and a Promise to come to them The first Epistle to the Corinthians must be indited whilst the Contentions and Disorders touching the Exercise of their spiritual Gifts continued because it was design'd to correct them and whilst St. Paul was in a Capacity to be in Person with them because he saith 1 Coâ— 11 34. Ch. 8 9. the rest will I set in order when I come The second Epistle must be written when the great Famine hapned in Judaea of which Agabus foretold because two Chapters of it are spent in exhortation to a liberal Contribution to it 2 Cor 8.4.11 Acts 30. and St. Paul was himself the Messenger by whom that Charity was sent The Epistle to the Galatians must be indited whilst the Controversie touching Justification by the Law or by the hearing of Faith was hot amongst them whilst their dissatisfactions touching the Apostleship of St. Paul continued and whilst he lived for I Paul saith he 5. Gal. 2. 1 Gal. 2â— Ch. 6.17 testify to yoâ— thus and thus the Truth of what I write I confirm to you by the Oath of God and he concludeth his Epistle thus henceforth let no Man trouble me for I bear in my Body the Mark of the Lord Jesus In his Epistle to the Ephesians he strengthens his exhortation with the Consideration of his Bonds 3. Eph. 1.4.1 1 Phil. 13 19 23 25 27. ‑ 2.12 24. 1 Col. 24 29 ‑ 2.1.4.18.9.10 1 Thes 2.17 ‑ 3.10.5.6 2 Thes 3 2.17 13. Heb. 18 19 23. saying I Paul the Prisoner of the Lord beseech you In that to the Philippians he mentions his Bonds his expectation of deliverance from them by their Prayers his desire to dye his assurance he should live to serve the Church his absence from them and confidence that he should come to them In that to the Colossians he speaks of his present joy his sufferings his labours for the Church his sollicitude for them and those of Laodicea his salutation with his own hand his sending Tychicus and Onesimus to give them an account of his Affairs In his Epistles to the Thessalonians he speaks of his absence from them of his great desire to see them his sollicitude for their stedfastness under the Sufferings they endured for the Faith his comfort when he heard that they stood firm he desires their Prayers that he may be delivered from evil Men and concludes with the Salutation of his own hand In the Epistle to the Hebrews he begs their Prayers that he may be the sooner with them and promises to come with Timothy as for those writ to Timothy Titus and Philemon I hope 't is needless to prove that they were written whilst they lived and were not sent unto them in another World In a Word all or most of these Epistles carry his Name before them his Mark or Token in the Close they mention the Brethren then living and speak of Salutation from or to them in them he is still praying for them or begging the Assistance of their Prayers to omit many other things which are most certain Indications of the Time when they were written 2dly That the
the Council of Christ Jesus of the Bishops Presbyters and Deacons that they were assigned by the Sentence of Christ Jesus that they were sent by the Father of the Family of Onesimus Bishop of Ephesus that he was given them by God of Polycarp Bishop of Smyrna that he was made Bishop by God the Father and Christ Jesus and of the Bishop of Philadelpha that he received the Office not by himself nor by Man St. Cyprian saith of the Bishops and Priests in general that they were constituted such not only by the Suffrage of the People and the Consent of their Fellow bishops Copr Ep. 55. Edw. Ox. Ap. 69. p. but also judicio Divino that he did make them Priests and Bishops that thâ—y had Dei testimonium and that it was a great Absurdity to think that Bishops were not constituted in the Church by God which if true is certainly a Demonstration not only of the â—postolical but the Divine Original of Episcopacy But 3dly Of those Gifts which shew the Power of the Holy Ghost engaged to promote the Christian Faith that of Tongues is most illustrious for the Spirit which fell upon the Christian Converts opened their silent Mouths and made them speak the proper Dialect of every Nation under Heaven 2 Acts 5 No sooner did an Apostle lay his hands on an illiterate Person but he spake with Tongues this was a thing exceeding requisite to the speedy Propagations of the Gospel which in the space of Forty Years was to disperse it self throughout the World according to our Lord's Prediction it therefore was a thing publick 24 Mat. 14. and notorious to all the World it was daily exercised among the Heathens by others to convert them and by themselves when they embraced the Christian Faith as we are frequently inform'd by the History of the Acts of the Apostles and the Epistle to the Church of Corinth among whose Gifts are reckoned divers kinds of Tongues 1 Cor. 12.10 and the Interpretation oâ— them to whom St. Paul even objecteth this amongst their Crimes that when they came together every one had his Tongue Chap. 14.26 and that if they proceeded thus to speak with Tongues they would be the Authors of Confusion and cause the Heathens who came to their Assemblies to say that they were mad Vers 23 and then adviseth that when they spake with Tongues Vers 27 care should be taken that there be some Interpreter concluding that order being thus observ'd no Man should forbid to speak with Tongues Vers 39 and if this Gift was so abundantly conferr'd upon that Church in which the Apostle found so great Divisions Errors and Miscarriages and of which the Apostle saith only 2 Cor. 8.7 that they came behind the other Churches in no Gifts we may then reasonably suppose others and better Churches had at least an equal share in this miraculous Endowment This is that signal Demonstration of the Spirit which becomes more convincing from the exceeding firvolousness of those exceptions which are made against it by Men who want no subtility or wisdom to suggest Evasions where they may be found For 1. To assert that at the laying on of the Apostles Hands the Preaching of a Sermon the rushing of a mighty VVind so strange a Fit of Melancholy such unaccountable Diseases should seize upon so many thousand Christians and should direct each Motion of their Tongues to think that this effect should be so proper and peculiar to the Christian Temper as that no other Persons should pretend unto it that it should naturally cease when once the Christian Faith had spread it self throughout all Nations and never give the World one fresh experience of its efficacy that we know of after the second Century is sure a Symptom of a distemper'd Fancy and the deepest Melancholy 2dly Others who ascribe the Gift of Tongues to the Assistance of the Evil one seem yet more palpably absurd seeing the Doctrine which was promoted by this Gift is pure and peaceable and highly instrumental to advance God's Glory and to direct Mankind to the Enjoyment both of present and eternal Happiness and therefore cannot reasonably be supposed to derive from that impure mischievous Spirit who labours after nothing more than the Dishonour of the God of Heaven and the Destruction of Mankind This Doctrine was design'd to overturn the Devil's Kingdom 26. Acts 18. to turn Men from the Power of Satan unto God and to deliver the deluded World from that Idolatry those barbarous and inhuman Rites and those ridiculous and filthy Ceremonies which he had taught the World to practice and espouse as part of that devotion which was due to what they called God Moreover this Doctrine silenc'd all the Devil's Oracles it forced his Legions to quit those seats they had so long and quietly enjoy'd before our Saviour's coming and to a Nesi se Da monas confessi fucrint Christiano mentiri non audentes ibidem illius Christiani prâ—â—acissmi sanguinem fundite Tertul. Apol. c. 23. Haee omnia sciunt plerique pars vestrum ipsos Daemâ—nas de semetipsis confiteri quoties à nobis tormentis verborum crationis incendiâ— de corporilus exiguntur ipsis testibus esse eos Daemonâ—s de se verâ—m confiâ—entibus credite Minut. p. 31. Cyptian Ep. ad Demetr Lactan. l. 2. c. 15. l. 4. c. 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Porphyrius apud Euseb praepar Evang. l. 5. c. 1. confess they were but Devils and could do nothing when the Name of Christ was mention'd Now sure it is irrational to think Satan should thus contend with Satan that he should destroy the very Kingdom he himself erected or that he should concern himself to propagate and to confirm that Faith which bears the greatest Opposition both to his Nature and Designs Obj. I know not any thing which can with any colour of pretence be offer'd to invalidate the Strength of this plain demonstration of the Truth of Christian Faith but this surmise that these things are recorded only by the Apostles and Evangelists and Primitive Professors of that Faith and so the Truth of what they say only depends upon their testimony deliver'd in their own cause now this exception will be fully obviated by these Two Considerations Ans 1. That these Writings must be sent unto the Churches to which they were directed these Histories of the Acts of the Apostles composed in those very Ages when Christianity by the Apostles was propagated through the World and therefore whilst all Persons concern'd in the things delivered by them might be certain of the Truth or Falsehood of what they did affirm touching these Gifts and Operations of the Holy Ghost vouchsafed to them or exercised among them 2. That we have many strong and convincing Reasons to believe that these Apostles and sacred Writers spake forth the words of truth and soberness in that which they deliver'd in these Writings touching these Gifts and Operations of the Holy
the Christian Faith for that by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that Expression we are to understand miraculous Powers may be concluded not only from the like Vse of the Word in this Epistle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Hebr. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Act. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 .4 Act. 33. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 8 Act. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 19 Act. 10. See 15. Rom. 19. 1 Cor. 2.4 2 Cor. 6.7 3 Gal. 5. 1 Thes 1.5 but also in many other Places of the New Testament 2. That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the World to come denotes the Times of the Messiah cannot be reasonably doubted by him who well considers that Christ himself according to the Translation 9 Esa 6. or Exposition of the Septuagint is stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Father of the future Age and that the Apostle writes to the Jews in whose Account there were two Ages the one before the other after the coming of our Saviour which they constantly stiled Holam Habba the future Age or the World to come 2 Heb. 5. as the Apostle intimates in that Expression For unto Angels hath he not put into Subjection the World to come that is whereas the World before Christ was chiefly governed by Angels the Almighty having divided the Nations 32 Deut. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the Number of the Angels which were to preside over them 17 Eccl. 17. saith the Septuagint and Set of them a Ruler over every People saith the Son of Syrach according to the constant Doctrine of the Jews embraced also generally by the * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Just M. Apol. P. 44. vid. Athenag â—g pro Christian P. 27. c. Clem. Recogn l. 4. c. 4.2 Euseb Demonst Evang. l. 4. Antient Fathers the World to come or Christian State is not thus put in Subjection to them but to one far exceeding the Angels even the only begotten Son of God A Discourse tending to evince the Truth of Christian Faith from the extraordinary Gifts and Operations of the Holy Ghost by which it was at first confirmed WHosoever well considers the admirable Perfection of the Christian Faith how far the Doctrines and Precepts of it do excell all other Doctrines and Precepts which either in pretence or truly have been revealed to the World will find sufficient Reason to believe that such an excellent Dispensation took it's rise from the most excellent of Beings For it is 1. A Revelation which represents God to us such in all Respects as Men of Wisdom and Discretion would desire to be their Governor viz. a God of infinite Power to protect of infinite Wisdom to direct us and of the greatest Goodness Love and Compassion to design and to promote our Happiness and Welfare 2. It prescribes such Laws as every wise Man would chuse to live by they being Holy Just and Good 7 Rom. 12. 12. Rom. 1. and Obedience they require being our reasonable Service that is such Service as our own Reason cannot but approve of as fit and proper to be done 3. It is a Dispensation which propounds such Arguments to perswade us to yield Obedience to these Laws as no Man who regardeth his own Interest and truly loves himself can resist they being the most admirable Blessings promised to the Obedient and the most direful and lasting Evils threatned to the Disobedient 4. It is a Revelation which affords us good Assurance of the most powerful Assistance to perform this Duty even the Aids of Divine Grace Now that such a Revelation hath in it the true Characters of a Divine Religion that it contains a Doctrine worthy of God and therefore worthy of all Acceptation and cannot reasonably be thought a politick Contrivance of the Wit of Man much less the Product of wicked and deluding Spirits will appear evident to any who hath Ability and Opportunity to compare it with all pretended Doctrines and Religions which either the Wit of Man or Craft of Satan had before brought into the World Let any Person who thinks otherwise produce any Religion which doth so naturally tend to render Men truly devout and pious towards God Chast and Temperate Patient and Contented under all Conditions more Just and Honest Kind and Peaceable and Fruitful in good Offices towards all Men and which affords more solid Comforts and Supports under the Miseries of human Life let him produce one Book besides the Holy Scriptures composed before they were written which gives us such a clear and true Idea of the Attributes and Works of God prescribeth a more rational Service of him hath Rules of Life more equal in themselves more beneficial to Mankind which doth more fully tend to make Men better in all Respects Relations and Conditions and which doth offer more powerful Enducements to perswade them to be so and then he may have reason to prefer what he hath thus produced before the Pandects of the Christian Faith but if no other Book can vie with the New Testament no other Religion can compare with that which is contained in it then must we either say with Epicurus that God is not concerned to be obeyed and worshipby the Sons of Men or with the Infidel discard all Revelations of his Will as false or grant that this above all others deserves to be embraced as the must true and perfect Revelation of the Will of God But this Argument hath by much better Pens been handled and improved into so clear a Demonstration of the Truth of Christian Faith that nothing but the disagreeing Lives of Christians which generally fall so exceeding short of what this perfect Rule prescribes or run so counter to it could make Men to suspect the shining Evidence of it I therefore have chosen to insist upon another Argument arising from the Extraordinary Gifts and Distributions of the Holy Ghost by which this Doctrine was at first confirmed in which I hope to make some small addition to the Performances of others and which I shall endeavor to confirm by proving the ensuing Propositions I. That the Gifts and powerful Operations of the Holy Ghost were most assuredly vouchsafed to propagate and confirm the Christian Faith II. That the Assistance of the Holy Ghost vouchsafed to our Lords Apostles and to the Primitive Professors of the Christian Faith are a most full and ample Confirmation of it and a convincing Evidence that it is derived from the God of Truth Now that the Gifts and powerful Operations of the Holy Ghost were thus engaged to confirm and propagate the Christian Faith will be apparent 1. From the Assurance which the Baptist gave 44 Isa 3. 36 Ez. 27. 2 Joel 28. both to the Jews in general and to the Pharisees and Sadducees in particular that the Messiah would suddenly baptize those who believed in him with the Holy Ghost 3 Mat. 7.11 2. From a like Promise which our Saviour made to his Disciples that he would
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
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
Apostles in these Writings speak the Words of Truth and Soberness in that which they deliver'd touching these Gifts and Operations of the Holy Ghost and did not boast of that which they had not performed in those Churches or of that of which those Churches had no experience will be evident from these Considerations 1. That they suffer'd loss of Goods Life Credit and of all that could be counted dear unto them to confirm the Truth of what they taught and they perswaded Myriads in all those places to which these Writings were directed by them to follow the Example of their Sufferings propounding to them only the first Fruits the Earnest the Comfort of the Holy Spirit here the Joys of Heaven hereafter as the true Motive and Engagement to endure all these dreadful things Now if Persons void of Subtilty and human Artifices as the Apostles were deliver to the World a Doctrine which is according to Godliness and worthy of the God of Heaven as is the Christian Faith if they declare they had Commission from Heaven to divulge that Doctrine and that they expected at present no advantage by it but only the most dreadful Sufferings this being what their Master had foretold and that to which they were appointed 16. Joh. 2 33. 1 Thes 3.3 4. as we read in their Epistles if accordingly they did suffer all that Wit and Malice could inflict upon them and sealed their Doctrine with their Blood I say when all these Circumstances concur what reason can we have to dispute their testimony or think they could be acted by any Motive in the Publication of the Christian Faith but the Conviction of the Truth of what they published Again since Men who are convinced of a future Happiness are naturally so unwilling to quit the Pleasures and the Enjoyments of the World in Prosecution of that Happiness can it be thought that many Myriads who could have no conviction of it if these things were false should with the greatest Joy and Freedom part with Life and all the sweet Enjoyments of it to promote a known Delusion and in defence of those Epistles which made a frequent mention of Gifts and Miracles imparted to them when they had no experience of them especially if thirdly we consider that the Assistance and Comforts of the Holy Ghost were promised to all Christian sufferers and they were told that as their troubles did abound 2 Cor 15. 1. Pet. 4 14. their comforts should abound much more that when they were reproached and exercis'd with fiery Tryals they were happy People because the Spirit of Glory and of God would rest upon them this the Apostles taught them to expect and this say the Apostles ye have found for ye became Followers of the Lord and of us 1 Thes 1â— 6 having receiv'd the Word with much affliction and joy of the Holy Ghost Now if this promise was sensibly made good unto them they receiv'd the Earnest of the Truth of Christian Faith and an assurance of God's concernment to encourage and reward the faithful Christian but if they found no sensible experience of this Pledge and Earnest of these Consolations what reason had they to expect the Blessings of another World or to continue to take joyfully the spoiling of their Goods the Loss of Credit Life and all their worldly Comforts in propagation of that Faith which had so palpably deceiv'd them and to establish the Belief of those Epistles which contained these apparent Falsehoods Secondly If Men in their Epistles to their Proselytes speak largely of the Gifts which they have exercised and of the mighty Works they have performed among them and also of the Power conferr'd upon those very Proselytes to exercise those Gifts and do those Wondrous Works if in those very Writings they appeal to the Senses and the Consciences of those to whom they write and boldly tell them that their Eyes have seen and their own Consciences bear Witness to the Truth of what they say and if those very Writings which contain these bold Appeals are by those very Men to whom they do appeal received and embraced as Divine Epistles there can remain when all these Circumstances do concur no place for doubting of the Truth of this Appeal Now that this was most certainly the Case of our Apostles cannot be reasonably denyed if you admit that they then writ when what they said might easily have been confuted if it had been false for they with the greatest Confidence assert That God confirm'd the Word of his Grace by doing Signs and Wonders by their Hands that he bare witness to it by mighty Signs and Wonders 2 Heb 4. and Distributions of the Holy Ghost as hath been prov'd already Thirdly You have heard them also frequently asserting and testifying that the like Gifts and Operations were vouchsafed to those Churches to which these Letters were directed and that they were all Partakers of this Grace Fourthly For Confirmation of these Sayings they appeal unto the Searcher of all Hearts and to the Consciences of those to whom these Writings were directed even you your selves say they 1 Thes 2.10 11. are Witnsses and God also how holily justly and urâ—â—lâ—mably we behaved our selves among you for neither at any time used we flattering Words as you know nor a Cloak of Covetousnes God is witness Vers 3 4. our Exhortation was not of Deceit or Guile we have not followed curiniâ—â—gly devised Fibles we have not walk'd in Craftinefs nor hundled the word of God deceitfully 2 Cor. 4.2 but do by manifestation of the Truth commend our selves to every Man's Conscience in the sight of God Now these Considerations do mightily confirm the truth of what they have deliver'd in these Books for can it rationally be be conceiv'd that Men of such Abilities to write the deepest Mysteries and the exactest Precepts of Morality should be so strangely foolish as to confirm them chiefly by an Appeal to the Sences and Experiences of those Men who as themselves were well assured had never seen or done or found the least Experience of any of those things they mentioned but if we could suppose that the Apostles had been so strangely inconsiderate can we believe those Writings which contain'd an Appeal of so great Falshood and Hypocrisie and only were confirm'd by Perjury and impudent Appeals unto the Conscience of those Men who never found those Comforts of the Holy Ghost who never had these Gifts of Tongues Interpretation Healing Prophesie c. which these Epistles tell us were their daily Exercise I say can we believe that such Epistles should obtain to be embraced by those Churches to which they were indited and by all other Christians as the Word of God May we not with like Reason think a Mountebank who should in Commendation of his Balsoms pretend that he had wrought great Cures by them upon many Persons present and before their Eyes when both his Conscience and their Mouths were
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