the Spirit of God did outwardly tefti fie concerning Jefus, that he was the Sermon Meffias, and came from God; and V. that the Doctrine which he taught was Divine. 1. In the Voice from Heaven, which accompanied the defcending of the Spirit upon him, in the form of a Dove, faying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleafed, Mat. 3. 17. 2. In thofe Miracles which Chrift himself wrought by the Spirit of God; which was fo eminent a Teftimony of the Spirit of God, that the refifting of the Evidence of thofe Miracles, and the attributing of them to the Devil, is by our Saviour call'd a Blafphemy against the Holy Ghost, and such a Sin as fhall never be pardoned; because Miracles being the highest Atteftation that can be given to the Divinity of any Perfon, or his Do&trine; whoever refifts this Evidence, resists his last remedy; and fuch a Perfon must needs remain in his Infidelity, because there is nothing more that can be done for his Conviction. 3. The Volume 3. The third eminent Testimony XII. which the Holy Spirit gave to Chrift, was in the great Miracle of his Refurrection from the dead; and hence it is that the great Miracle of Christ's Refurrection, which was the highest Atteftation to the Divinity of his Perfon, and the grand Confirmation to his Doctrine, is frequently in Scripture, in a moft peculiar manner, afcribed to the Spirit of God. Rom. 1. 4. and was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of Holiness, that is, by thofe Miracles which he wrought by the Holy Ghost, and by his Refurrection from the dead. And fo Rom. 8. 11. The Spirit of him that rais'd up Chrift from the dead. I Pet. 3. 18. Being put to death in the flesh: but quickned by the Spirit. 4. In the Effufion of 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 those who were to be the Publifhers of it; by which Spirit they were your were endued with feveral miraculous Powers and Gifts, to convince the Sermon World of the truth of the Doctrine which they Preached. And with relation to this, I think, it is that the Apostle faith, I Cor. 2. 4, 5. And my Speech, and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom; but in demonftration of the Spirit, and of Power: That faith should not stand in the wisdom of men; but in the power of God; that is, they did not use human Eloquence to perfwade men, but deliver'd the Gospel with all plainness: And that which made those plain Discourses fo powerful,were thofe powerful demonftrations of the Divine Spirit, which appear'd in those miraculous Gifts wherewith they were endowed. Iam fure Origen understands this Text fo. And fo likewife the Apostle 1 Theff. 1. 5. fpeaks to the fame purpose, that the Gospel came not unto you in word only: but also in power, and in the holy Ghoft, and in much affurance; that is, they did not only fpeak words to men, but the Doctrine which they Preached, was attefted in a powerful manner by the Holy Ghoft, in those extraordinary Gifts which were be ftowed ftowed upon them, which was a great Volume evidence to their hearers, and gave XII. them great affurance of the truth of what they delivered. I think this is the meaning of thofe two places; but I will mention two other which are more unquestionable, Acts 5. 32. where Peter, and the rest of the Apoftles tell the high Priests and their Officers, what Evidence they had for what they Preached, concerning the Refurrection and Afcenfion of Chrift. We are his witneffes of thefe things; and fo is also the holy Ghost whom God hath given to them that obey him. Not only they themselves had feen what they preached but to confirm their Teftimony, the Holy Ghost was poured forth upon them in Miraculous gifts. And Heb. 2. 3, 4. How shall we efcape, if we neglect fo great falvation, which at the first began to be Spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him, God also bearing them witnefs, both with figns and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the holy Ghoft, according to his own will? So the Holy Ghost gave Testimony to the truth of the Doctrine which the Apostles Preached, by thofe gifts which he endowed them withal, and thofe Miracles which he enabled them Sermon to work. And I doubt not but with relation to the Testimony which the Spirit of God gave to Chrift by the Miracles he wrought by Chrift and his Apostles, I fay I doubt not, but that with relation to this testimony it is, that the Apoftle faith he was juftified in the Spirit, 1 Tim. 3. 16. Great is the mystery of Godliness: God was manifeft in the flesh, juftified in the Spirit. That is, the miraculous Power of the Spirit which appeared in him, and did accompany his Doctrine, did juftifie him to the World, and vindicate him from being an impoftor and deceiver. From all which it appears, that the Teftimony which the Holy Spirit gives to Chrift and his Doctrine, was the Miracles which he and his Apoftles wrought by the Spirit of God: and if we will take our forms of fpeaking from Scripture; this is that which may moft properly be call'd the Teftimony of the Spirit to the truth of the Gofpel. But I deny not but befides IV. |