Jesus and the Resurrection Justified by Witnesses in Heaven and Earth, Part 1 · Chapter 4

Jesus and the Resurrection Justified by Witnesses in Heaven and Earth · Part 1 · Chapter 4

p. 147CHAP. IV. Concerning the Teſtimony of the HOLY GHOST.

WE have heard the WORD ſpeak enough in his own behalf; and I do not think it needful to hear that Witneſs any further. Let us attend now to the Teſtimony of the third perſon in the holy Trinity, and hear what the HOLY GHOST ſaith; who we ſhall find, upon due examination, agrees perfectly in the ſame thing, and declares that Jeſus is the Son of God. Witneſs that glorious appearance of the Divine Spirit upon him when he was baptized, and the great gifts and endowments thereof, wherewith ever after that he was filled himſelf and filled others. For here we may note three things, as we did in the opening of the teſtimony of the other two Witneſſes.

p. 148I.

The firſt is that when the Spirit of God deſcended upon him, immediately after his Baptiſm, and in an illuſtrious manner remained on him (as S. John Baptiſt teſtifies it did, i. John 32, 33.) then the Holy Ghoſt bare witneſs of him, that he was the Son of God. In our reflections upon which, we are to conſider diſtinctly firſt how it deſcended, and then that it remained and abode upon him.

And for the better underſtanding of both theſe we muſt know, that when the Jews would expreſs any viſible appearance of the Majeſty and glory of God, they call it the SCHEKINAH, that is, the Habitation or dwelling; becauſe God ſhowed himſelf thereby to be extraordinarily preſent, and that he did, as it were, dwell in that place, to afford thoſe, to whom he ſo manifeſted himſelf, his gracious help, comfort, or inſtruction. This is the name they give even to that Preſence of God which was in the moſt holy place [the Glory of the Lord which appeared upon the Cherubims] becauſe He dwelt there, and took up his reſt p. 149among them, by this token of his preſence with them. So He himſelf had ſpoken, xxv. Exod. 8. Let them make me a Sanctuary, that I may DWELL among them. That is, the Glory of the Lord, which ABODE upon mount Sinai (xxiv. 16.) came and took up its reſidence there in the Sanctuary. From theſe two places, they gave it the name of dwelling or abode. And tell us, that from the day that this Schekinah, as they ſpeak, or Divine preſence dwelling among them, reſted on mount Sinai at the giving of the Law; it never departed from Iſrael, till the deſtruction of the houſe of the firſt Sanctuary by the King of Babylon: after that the Divinity or this glorious token of the Divine preſence did not dwell among them. They are the words of R. Bechai upon Gen. xlv.

But that which had been ſo long abſent, returned now in a far more glorious manner than ever: not to dwell in an houſe of ſtone; but in the Temple of our Saviours body, as he calls, ii. John 21. For when Jeſus was baptized, Lo, the Heavens were opened unto him, and he ſaw the Spirit of God deſcending like a Dove, and lighting upon him, iii. Matth. 16. Every word of p. 150this verſe is very obſervable. For the opening of the Heavens in the prophetical writings (as Grotius hath obſerved upon xix. Revel. 11.) ſtill precedes ſome great Viſion. And that which he with John Baptiſt now ſaw, was the Spirit of God; that is, ſuch a glorious appearance of the Divine majeſty, as I before mentioned. For the Rabbins often call the Ruach Hakkodeſh, or the HOLY GHOST by the name of Schekinah, or the Divine preſence, gloriouſly appearing among them. So Elias expreſly tells us in his Tisbi **Vocab. foreign, and gives this reaſon for it, becauſe it reſted or dwelt upon the Prophets, and was a great token (I may add) of God's preſence with them. Whence it is, that where the Hebrew Text (as he goes on) ſaith, The ſpirit of Jacob revived, xlv. Gen. 27. R. Solomon expounds it thus, the Schekinah, or the HOLY GHOST reſted on him; which was departed, and, as it were, extinct before, becauſe of the grief and ſorrow wherein he had been drown'd. For the Holy Ghoſt, ſay they, reſts not upon the melancholy, but only on thoſe who are of a chearful ſpirit. Thus when Hannah ſaid to Eli, who fancied ſhe was drunk, No, my Lord, I am a woman of a ſorrowful ſpirit; the Talmud expounds it in p. 151this manner, Thou art not to govern in this caſe, the Schekinah and the Holy Ghoſt is not upon thee, as appears by this, that thou haſt judged me guilty when I am innocent.

It is all one then in their Language (as I obſerved alſo before, in the concluſion of the ſecond Chapter) to ſay that the Divine Majeſty, or that the Holy Ghoſt is upon any perſon. And therefore I doubt not but there was a glorious appearance of the Majeſty of God at our Saviours Baptiſm; ſome great unuſual brightneſs, ſignifying the Divine preſence and the Spirit of God coming to dwell in him. It is not indeed mentioned in expreſs words, that there was ſuch a Schekinah or Majeſtical appearance of the Glory of the Lord; but it muſt be underſtood to be meant by the foreign, Spirit of God. According to the dialect of that Nation, who call the Holy Ghoſt, as I ſaid, by the name of the Divine Majeſty or Preſence; and ſo might call that Majeſty, by the name of the Holy Ghoſt or ſpirit of God. And Juſtin Martyr ſaith expreſly, in his diſputation with the Jew, that at our Saviours Baptiſm, foreign, A fire was lighted in Jordan. That is, as I underſtand it, ſuch a Divine glory appeared as there was p. 152among the ancient Iſraelites, which had, I told you, the reſemblance of a very bright fire. Which ſo good a man would not have had the boldneſs to affirm, if it had not been the conſtant tradition which paſſed among them; or rather the conſtant ſence they put upon this place. Juſt as when the Apoſtles were baptized with the Holy Ghoſt, a fiery ſubſtance gathered it ſelf about their heads, in token of a Divine preſence among them; ſo when our Lord himſelf was baptized with water, there was the like but far more glorious appearance: which ſpreading it ſelf from his head round about, made the River out of which he was newly come, look as if it were on a flame, as a ſign that he ſhould baptize, not with water, but with the Holy Ghoſt and with fire. And ſo Grotius hath obſerved, that in the Goſpel of the Nazarens, there were theſe words, foreign, straight-way a great light ſhone round about the place: which the Syrian Churches alſo acknowledge in their Liturgy. All which make it apparent, that Holy men thus underſtood the deſcent of the Holy Ghoſt, as I have explained it. And indeed S. Luke tells us, iii. 22. that it deſcended, foreign, in a bodily form or appearance. There was p. 153ſome viſible matter broke out of the Heavens, which being the place of light and glory, we can expound to be nothing elſe but ſome very ſplendid body, a bright ſhining Light, formed by the Spirit of God, which came down from above, juſt as a Dove with wings ſpread is obſerved to do, and lighted upon our Saviours head.

Theſe three laſt phraſes are remarkable. For when the Evangeliſts ſay it came down, they ſpeak in the conſtant ſtile of the holy language concerning the appearance of the Majeſty of God, xix. Exod. 11, 20. Of whom, as Maimonides adds, the Scripture ſpeaks in the ſame manner, when it deſcribes his beſtowing any gifts, or vouchlaſing any ſpecial token of his favour upon men. For we **Mors Novoch. Part. 1. Cap. 10.being in a low condition in reſpect of him, who is the most high, not in reſpect of place, but of his eſſence, majeſty and power; whenſoever He is pleaſed to give wiſdom to any one, or to pour down the gift of prophecy upon him, that abode of the ſpirit of prophecy, or the habitation of the majeſty and preſence of God in any place is called his COMING DOWN; and the taking away of prophecy, or the receſſion of the Divine majesty, is called his GOING UP: For which he cites xi. Numb. 17. xxxv. p. 154Gen. 13. In this language the Holy writers of the New Teſtament here ſpeak: who knew very well that the Divine Spirit is every where, and doth not move from place to place; but ſay it came down, becauſe there was an outward viſible appearance of a great glory, which indeed deſcended from above, and declared him, on whom ſuch a majeſty dwelt, to be filled with the gifts of wiſdom and prophecie, and all other powers of the Holy Ghoſt. And in the ſame manner they expreſs the unexpected communication of Divine gifts to the Gentiles, on whom the Holy Ghoſt fell or came down, as they heard the word, x. Acts 45. xi. 15. That is, there was a ſenſible token of the Divine preſence among them, though no viſible majeſty deſcended; for they heard them ſpeak with tongues and magnifie God.

But here, there were both all the gifts of the Holy Ghost beſtowed, and alſo ſuch a viſible glorious Majeſty, as there was at the giving of the Law: which not only came down, but light upon our Saviour, as that glory did on the top of mount Sinai, xix. Exod. 18, 20. This was a thing, as you ſhall hear, which was never known before, that the glory of the Lord ſhould p. 155come and reſt upon any perſon. It could denote him to be no leſs than the Holy one of God: From whom, as from Gods moſt holy place, he would hereafter communicate all his bleſſings to men.

And the more fully to expreſs this, it is very obſervable, that the glory which now appeared came down as a Dove doth: which is the very manner wherein R. Solomon deſcribes the deſcent of the Divine majeſty in former times. The Throne of God (ſaith he, upon thoſe words, i. Gen. 2. The Spirit of God moved, &c.) stood in the air, and hovered over the face of the waters, by the Spirit of his mouth who is moſt bleſſed, and by his Word, just AS A DOVE stretches her wings over her Neſt. For it is not certain whether this glorious appearance had the form of a Dove, or only deſcended in the ſame manner as a Dove doth, when it came upon our Saviour, and encircled his head.

But that there was ſuch a glorious Majesty appeared and lighted on him, ought not to ſeem incredible to any man that believes the Holy Books of the Old Teſtament; as Origen **Lib. 1.ſhows againſt Celſus, who fooliſhly brings in a Jew ſpeaking p. 156againſt this apparition. If he had made an Epicuraean, ſaith He, deride this report, there had been ſome congruity in it: but it is ridiculous to pin ſuch words upon a Jew, who believes things altogether as ſtrange, nay, far more wonderful. To paſs by what we read that God ſaid to Adam, Noah, Abraham and others, what doth he think concerning Ezekiel? who ſays that the Heavens were opened, and he ſaw Viſions of God, i. 1. and ver. 28. That this was the appearance of the likeneſs of the glory of the Lord. And the ſame Iſaiah reports concerning himſelf, I ſaw the Lord ſitting upon a Throne, &c. vi. 1. Which of theſe are more to be credited; Ezekiel who ſays the Heavens were opened, &c. and Iſaiah, who writes that he ſaw the Lord, &c. or Jeſus, who ſays that the Heavens were opened to him, and he ſaw the Spirit of God deſcending like a Dove, and lighting upon him? This is enough to ſtop the mouth of any Jew, eſpecially ſince the power of Jeſus (as Origen proceeds) not only then when he was on earth far excelled theirs: but ſtill remains now that he is in Heaven, for the converſion and betterment of thoſe, who by him believe in God.

p. 157And as for others, He tells Celſus, that all thoſe who admit Providence, confeſs that God hath ſometimes forewarned men in their ſleep, of things which much concerned their ſafety. And therefore it is no ſuch ſtrange thing, if that power which figures the mind in a dream, ſhould impreſs the ſame or the like form upon it, when a man is awake: and repreſent things as ſenſibly to him, as if he ſaw them with his eyes and heard them with his ears. And why that ſhould not be as really ſeen, if God pleaſe, which is repreſented to a man in his imagination; no body can give any reaſon.

As for that which Celſus objects, that the Goſpel never tells us, our Saviour was wont to mention this and appeal to it, in his preaching to the people; He tells him that he did not mind how unſeemly it was for our Saviour to divulge himſelf what was ſeen and heard at Jordan, who forbad his Diſciples to publiſh that which they beheld and heard on the holy Mount. There was a fit time for the open proclaiming of both, by others, not by himſelf. For the manners of our Saviour were far from that foreign, vain oſtentation p. 158and much talk of himſelf, which ſuch a man as Celſus might be guilty of. He choſe by his works, rather than by his words, to tell them that he was the Chriſt. Which made the Jews ſay, How long doſt thou hold us in ſuſpence? If thou be the Chriſt, tell us plainly, x. John 24. So he did, but it was by that which was more convincing than his teſtimony of himſelf could then be. I told you and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Fathers name, they bear witneſs of me, ver. 25. That one work which he had wrought juſt before, was ſo miraculous, that the like had not been heard of ſince the world began, ix. 32. For he had opened the eyes of a man who was born blind; as they themſelves could not deny; for the mans Parents teſtified that he could never ſee till now; and he affirmed it was Jeſus who had given him his ſight. If they had not been blinder than He, this might have opened their eyes to ſee who our Saviour was without any further telling. For what could He ſay of himſelf more than this Miracle ſpake: which others reported, not He? It told them loudly enough, would they have heard, that he had the power of God in him; one of whoſe prerogatives it is (cxlvi. Pſal. 8.) to open the p. 159eyes of the blind. And John Baptiſt alſo had told them plainly, that he ſaw the Spirit deſcending from Heaven, like a Dove, and it abode upon him, i. 32. Here was an unexceptionable witneſs of the truth of this ſtory, which John preſently publiſhed. And they had reaſon to believe him, becauſe he that authorized him to adminiſter that Baptiſm, which they received, gave him this for a ſign whereby he ſhould know the Chriſt when he ſaw him; Upon whom thou ſhalt ſee the Spirit deſcending and remaining on him, the ſame is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghoſt. And I ſaw, and bare record, that this is the Son of God, ver. 33, 34.

He could be no leſs, on whom ſuch a Divine Glory, not only deſcended, but alſo remained and took up its abode with him. That's the laſt thing to be conſidered, and the chiefeſt of all. He had not a mere glance of this viſible Majeſty, which did not make a tranſient appearance: but he ſaw it remaining on him. It ſtaid for ſome time there, as if it intended to make him its habitation and dwelling place. And ſo it did; for as He ſaw the viſible Divine majeſty or glory remaining on him then; ſo the thing ſignified by it continued p. 160alway; and made all ſee, if they would attend, that he was the Sanctuary or moſt holy Place, in which God was, and had taken up his reſidence for ever. The body of Jeſus, as I ſaid before, is now become the Temple of God; not made by man, but by God himſelf in the Virgins womb. There God manifeſted himſelf perpetually by ſenſible effects, as I ſhall ſhow you preſently; declaring Jeſus to be his Son, in whom the fulneſs of the Godhead dwelt bodily.

After this viſible Majeſty diſappeared, the preſence of God within him was very apparent. For he came away from Jordan, ſaith S. Luke, full of the Holy Ghoſt, iv. 1. And having been tempted a while in the wilderneſs, he returned from thence, in the power of the Spirit into Galilee, ver. 14. There he taught in his own City, and opened the Book at that very place of Iſaiah, where he ſaid, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me: which Scripture was that day fulfilled in their ears, ver. 18, 21. And at Cana, in that Country he began to work miracles, and manifeſted forth his glory, ii. John 11. That is ſhowed indeed that the Divine Majeſty ſpoken of before, remained in him. Of which glory they did p. 161not ſee ſo little as a flaſh or two, but they beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, i. 14. He caſt about every where ſuch rays of glory and majeſty as declared him to be no leſs perſon than God's only begotten Son: and theſe they beheld, and were conſtant eye-witneſſes of, to the end of his life. For he went about doing good, and healing all that were oppreſſed of the Devil; for God was with him, x. Acts 38. This was all his buſineſs, to beſtow benefits upon mankind, and to relieve thoſe who were otherways helpleſs, but only by a Divine power. As was notorious in his frequent diſpoſſeſſion of Devils, and opening the eyes of him who was blind from his birth; and after that, raiſing Lazarus from the dead, in which great work they ſaw the glory of God, xi. John 40. Who did not give the Spirit by meaſure to him; that is, with ſuch reſtriction as he himſelf gave it to his Apoſtles at the firſt: But the Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hands, as the Baptiſt ſpeaks, iii. Joh. 34, 35. It pleaſed the Father, that in him ſhould all fulneſs dwell, i. Coloſſ. 19. So that none could have any thing of the Spirit, but from his hands, and he could communicate what he pleaſed. Which is a ſign p. 162that he was the place, where the Divine majeſty and the Holy Spirit now dwelt, and had taken up its reſidence among men; who muſt all repair to him, if they would receive the Holy Ghoſt, or any bleſſing from above.

What greater argument could there be, that he was the Son of God, than this, that he had all things now put into his hands, to do what he pleaſed on Earth: and received the Holy Ghost in ſuch a viſible Majeſty, as a pledge that he ſhould ſhortly have all power in Heaven too, at the right hand of God? It was fit that this glorious teſtimony of the Holy Ghoſt to him ſhould be accompanied with the voice of God, which came out of that or the like cloud, ſaying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleaſed. So we ſhall have ſtill farther reaſons to acknowledge him, if we do but make theſe following Reflections upon what hath been here diſcourſed.

One is, that here was not ſo little as the appearance of an Angel to him, by whom God declared his will to the Prophets: but a far more illuſtrious manifeſtation of the Divine Glory, which came down upon p. 163him and declared him more than a Prophet. Maimonides doubts not to ſay **More Nevoch. Part. 3. cap. 45.that all Prophecy was by the mediation of Angels, xvi. Gen. 9. xxii. 15. Moſes himſelf began to be a Prophet by this means, iii. Exod. 2. The Angel of the Lord appeared to him, in a flame of fire in the Buſh. For which cauſe, he thinks, God afterward appointed two Cherubims to cover the Ark, that the people might be bred up in the belief of Angels. And God is ſaid to dwell between them, and to ride upon them; becauſe all Prophecy was carried by them from God to men. But here is ſomething far beyond this way of communication between God and Men. For not an Angel appeared or ſpake unto him: But that Divine Glory which dwelt between the Cherubims, deſcends upon him and makes him its reſting place; and God himſelf ſpeaks to him at the ſame time out of that Glory, calling him his Son, and bidding all hear him. This was a manifeſt declaration of his high and ſingular prerogative; and a ſign that no leſs than the fulneſs of the Godhead dwelt in him: So that he knew, as I ſaid before, the mind of God, not by Viſions and Dreams, or by mediation of Angels, but by a more intimate familiarity with God, dwelling and reſiding in him.

p. 164For you may obſerve further (which is another thing very remarkable) that though there had been formerly an appearance of a Schekinah, of the Divine preſence, that is, or glory of God, when the gifts of the Holy Ghoſt were imparted to ſome perſons: Yet we never read that this Schekinah came down upon any man, much leſs that it remained on him, but upon Jeſus only. When the LXX. Elders were to receive a portion of Moſes his Spirit, God ordered them to be brought unto the Tabernacle of the Congregation, and ſays, he would come down and talk with Moſes there, and take of the Spirit which was upon him, and put it upon them, xi. Numb. 16, 17. Accordingly you read (ver. 24.) that as they ſtood round about the Tabernacle, the Lord came down in a cloud (ver. 25.) that is, in ſuch a manner as now the Holy Ghoſt deſcended at our Lord's Baptiſm: But He came not down upon them, who were about the Tabernacle; but rather (as in the next ſtory, xii. 5. and at other times) stood in the door of the Tabernacle; from whence he ſpake to Moſes and took of the Spirit which was on him, and gave it to the ſeventy Elders. Whereas here the Holy Ghost came down p. 165in a viſible glory, and pitched upon Jeſus himſelf: who was the Tabernacle now, where God choſe to dwell. For this Schekinah, as you have heard, or Divine majeſty, not only lighted on him, but reſted there and remained in him: as if God had told him who ſaw it both deſcend and abide on him; Here will I dwell for ever, for therein do I delight. This demonſtrated him to be more than any ever was; not merely a great Prophet, but the very Son of God. Never was there ſuch a Crown prepared for any mans head, but his. Never before did the hand of Heaven put ſuch a Diadem of Glory upon any perſon, as this which encircled, and, as I may ſay, was bound about our Saviour. This can be accounted nothing leſs than the teſtimony of the HOLY GHOST to him; that he was the Holy one of God, the anointed from above, the King of God's people, and the heir of all things.

Thus S. Peter you know expreſſes the honour which was now done him, when he tells Cornelius and his company, x. Acts 38. that God ANOINTED him with the Holy Ghost, and with power. The HOLY GHOST came down as an holy oil from the Heavenly Sanctuary, p. 166which being poured on him, in ſuch a glorious Majeſty, gave him authority to be called the Son of God, and made him his King. So John Baptiſt acknowledged him, you remember, as ſoon as he beheld this ſtrange ſight, and bare record of it unto others, that this perſon (thus anointed) was the Son of God, i. John 34. He was now inveſted with a royal power (for that's the meaning of his being ANOINTED) and we ought, I ſhall ſhow you, to look upon this as a ſolemn inauguration of him in his Kingdom: to which he had now a title given him, together with ſome part of a Kingly Authority. And if there be any truth in the Traditions of the Hebrews concerning their own Ceremonies, there was ſomething remarkable in it that this ANOINTING him with the holy oil from above, was immediately after he came up out of the waters of Jordan. For Maimonides and the Doctors in the Talmud tell us, that they never anointed a King of the houſe of David, but at the ſide of a Fountain, or of a River of water. Which was the reaſon that David commanded his ſervants, to bring his ſon Solomon down to GIHON, 1 Kings i. 33. and there anoint him King over Iſrael. For this GIHON was a little River, as p. 167R. Solomon there notes, or the head of a River nigh Jeruſalem, which diſcharged it ſelf into the brook Kidron, and in the Chaldee Paraphraſe is called by the newer name of Siloah. It was made very famous afterward by that memorable work of Hezekiah (2 Chron. xxxii. 30.) who to take away the advantage any Enemy might make of it in a ſiege, ſtopt up the courſe of its water, and brought it by Chanels under-ground into the City of David. At this place without the walls of Jeruſalem, not in the City, Zadok and Nathan anointed King Solomon. That is, one of them poured out the oil, and the other anointed his head; drawing a circle with the oil upon it. For ſo they all ſay, that Kings were anointed in the form of a Crown, to denote the royal dignity. Which if it be true, and that they made choice of ſuch a place to ſhow (as they will have it) the perpetuity of their Kingdom; becauſe Rivers run alway, though the Cities which ſtand by them decay and may be demoliſhed: then it is very obſervable that our Lord was ANOINTED or Crowned with the Holy Ghoſt by the River JORDAN, rather than in any other place, to denote him indeed to be the King of Iſrael, who ſhould ſit upon the throne of his p. 168Father David, as the Angel ſaid, for ever and ever.

But this I mention only by the way. The chief thing to be noted is, that now he began to reign, and entred upon his Kingdom, called the Kingdom of God, and the Kingdom of Heaven: which John Baptiſt told them was at hand. For this deſcent of the HOLY GHOST in ſuch a viſible majeſty did not merely give him a title to the Divine Kingdom which was to be erected by him in the world; and aſſured him that he was God's Chriſt, or ANOINTED, that is, his King; and endued him with ſuch royal qualities, as fitted him for that office: But it made him a King by conferring ſeveral branches of the Regal power on him, and by giving him authority to exerciſe them in the world. It is true indeed, he did not actually take poſſeſſion of his Kingdom, nor exerciſe his royal power completely, and the time of his inthroning was deferred, till he had accompliſhed the will of God other ways, and by the ſuffering of death was crowned with glory and honour in the Heavens. But that he did not act only as a Prophet all his life-time, but likewiſe took upon him the perſon of a King (or p. 169acted as a Royal Prophet) doing many things which only the royal Authority could do, is a moſt manifeſt Truth in the Holy ſtory.

Which cannot be better explained than by the parallel caſe of his Father David, who was the exact type and figure of him. He was anointed by Samuel ſome years before he ſate upon the throne of the Lord. But as that Unction was the deſignation of him to the royal dignity, and a pawn or pledge of the poſſeſſion of it in due time: ſo ever after he atchieved very great things which ſpoke him to be the perſon deſigned by God for his Kingdom (as it is called, I told you, 2 Chron. ix. 8.) and he alſo received ſome portion of it, before he enjoyed it all entirely, 2 Sam. ii. 4.9. v. 3. Juſt thus did our bleſſed Saviour, after he was ANOINTED with the Holy Ghost, give ſeveral proofs that he was a King (which is the meaning, you have heard, of the word CHRIST) and had received ſome of the power belonging to that high office. For firſt he caſt out Devils and cured all diſeaſes, at any time, when he pleaſed, only with his powerful word, and for nothing. Which were Acts of ſuch royal bounty, that he had p. 170reaſon to ſay, xi. Luke 20. If I by the finger of God caſt out Devils, no doubt the KINGDOM of God is come upon you. And ſecondly, over and above this, he forgave mens ſins, and remitted their offences, by releaſing many from the puniſhment of them (v. Luke 20.) which every one knows is a power wherewith only Kings and Sovereign Princes are inveſted. And thirdly, He raiſed a man from the dead, and releaſed him even from the priſon of the grave. Which certainly was the act of a King; and of that King who had power over all fleſh. So Martha her ſelf underſtood it, when ſhe makes it all one, to raiſe the dead, and to be that King whom God promiſed to ſend them. For when our Saviour ſaith to her, I am the reſurrection and the life, &c. believest thou this? Her anſwer follows in theſe terms, Yea, Lord, I believe that thou art the CHRIST the Son of God which ſhould come into the world, xi. John 27. And laſtly, the very preaching the mind of God, and publiſhing the Goſpel of the Kingdom, with ſuch authority as he did, was the part of a King. For ſo he interprets the word Kingdom, when he ſtood before Pilate, xviii. John 37. Where you may learn, that all this is not the mere collection of reaſon, from p. 171the obſervations we make as we read the Holy ſtory; but that which our Lord himſelf affirms in expreſs words, when he was examined by Pilate upon this very point. For our Lord ſeeming to grant that he had a Kingdom, though not of this world, but Heavenly, ver. 36. the Governour asks him again, Art thou a KING then? To which he anſwers him roundly, Thou ſayest that I am a KING, i.e. yes, I am; it is as thou ſayeſt. So the reſt of the Evangeliſts report his Anſwer; Thou ſayest it, xxvii. Matth. 11. xv. Mark 2. xxiii. Luke 3. which is as much, in their Language, as to ſay, it is ſo; thou haſt ſaid right, I am a King. This is that GOOD CONFESSION which he witneſſed before Pontius Pilate, which the Apoſtle propounds to Timothy's imitation, 1 Tim. vi. 13. He now openly owned, with the danger of his life, that, as mean as he appeared at preſent, he was appointed by God to be his Vicegerent, the King of the world: which he had manifeſted by ſeveral acts of Kingly power ever ſince he was anointed with the Holy Ghost.

And he had ſaid the ſame before, when he was brought to anſwer for himſelf in the chief Council of the Jews. Where p. 172the High Prieſt asked him, and ſaid unto him, Art thou the Chriſt, the Son of the Bleſſed? And Jeſus ſaid, I am, xiv. Mark 61, 62. Which words [I am] are the plain interpretation of the other phraſes in the reſt of the Evangeliſts, Thou haſt ſaid, xxvi. Matth. 64. and, ye ſay that I am, xxii. Luke 70. where you read, ver. 71. that hearing this confeſſion, they forbare to produce any more witneſſes, and condemned him out of his own mouth. That is, they paſſed the ſentence of death upon him, as a counterfeit (ſo they pretended) of that royal Prophet, whom they expected to come into the world. Under this character they delivered him to Pilate, hoping that he would likewiſe condemn him for Treaſon againſt Caeſar: whoſe authority they would have him believe our Saviour ſubverted, by ſaying, He himſelf was CHRIST a King, xxiii. Luke 2. So the whole multitude of his Diſciples had a little before proclaimed him (though not ſuch a King as would do Caeſar any harm) when they met him at the foot of the Mount of Olives, and with great joy praiſed God for all the mighty works they had ſeen, ſaying, Bleſſed be the KING that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in Heaven, and glory in the p. 173higheſt; that is, let Heaven proſper his Kingdom, till it be made moſt glorious, xix. Luke 38.

There needs no more be ſaid to ſhew, that he was made a King, by this Unction of the Holy Ghoſt; though the full poſſeſſion of his Kingdom and exerciſe of his whole royal power he did not attain, till he was advanced to his Throne of glory in the Heavens; when he received from the Father the promiſe of the Holy Ghoſt to beſtow upon others (ii. Acts 33.) and poured it down as an holy Oil on their heads, to create them Miniſters in his Kingdom.

That was a further witneſs to our Saviour, as I ſhould now proceed to ſhow you; but that it may be fit, before I part with this, to take notice, that this teſtimony which the HOLY GHOST now gave to him, when it anointed him at his Baptiſm, was ſo remarkable, that Mahomet hath not forgot to leave a remembrance of it in his Alcoran. Where he brings in God ſpeaking after this manner; **Vid. Seld. de Synedr. Lib. 2. C. 4. n. 4.We have already ſent a Book (i. e. the Law) to Moſes, and afterward we ſent the Prophets; and to Jeſus the Son of Mary p. 174we have ſent most known (or eminent) vertues, and we gave him a TESTIMONY, and strengthened him with the HOLY GHOST. In which words, a great Paraphraſt of theirs upon the Alcoran, by known vertues or powers given to our Saviour, underſtands the gift of working miracles; as opening the eyes of the blind, cleanſing lepers and raiſing the dead. Though by the Holy Ghoſt, they generally underſtand no more than the Angel Gabriel, who for the manifeſtation of him (as that Paraphraſt ſpeaks) was ſent a-long with him, as his companion, whitherſoever he went. Which notion, I imagine, they drew out of the Jewiſh writers, who ſay that ſuch glorious apparitions, as that at Chriſt's baptiſm, were made by the miniſtry of Angels, who were the Chariot of God, in which he was ſaid to come down to men.

But whatſoever Mahomets meaning was, when he ſays God strengthened him with the Holy Ghost, it is an open acknowledgment of that which the Divine writers have recorded; which was ſo famous and notorious, that Infidels could not deny it. Nay, ſome of that falſe Prophets followers have ſaid expreſly, that the p. 175Holy-Ghost is no Creature, Vid. Ib. pag. 127.but hath a ſingular production proper to it ſelf. For it is not a ſpirit after the manner of other ſpirits, becauſe it is the ſpirit of God. The ſpirit of a Man is a Creature, but the ſpirit of God is not. It was more than an Angelical preſence then that was in our Saviour: of whoſe birth indeed the Angel Gabriel brought the news to his Mother, but he did not pretend that ſhe ſhould conceive by his power; no, he ſayes expreſly, The HOLY GHOST ſhall come upon thee, and the power of the higheſt ſhall overſhaddow thee. And therefore at his new-birth, as I may call it, to the office of a King, it was the very ſame power of the higheſt, which in a viſible manner then overſhaddowed him and remained on him; to teſtify that he was as the Angel ſaid, the Son of God. To conclude this; the Angelical Salutation to the bleſſed Virgin, is after this manner recited in the Alcoran, in the next Chapter to that before named. O Mary, God ſends thee a good Meſſenger, by his WORD which is out of himſelf. His Name is Meſſias, or Jeſus Christ the Son of Mary, powerful in this preſent World, and in the World to come. Where the forenamed Paraphraſt ſays, he was powerful in the preſent World by Prophecy, and in the p. 176World to come, by Interceſſion, and Celeſtial preparation. He ſhould have added alſo, what he ſaid before, that he was powerful here by that which is properly called power, the healing Diſeaſes, opening blind Mens eyes, and ſuch like works of wonders: the Divine Majeſty reſting on him and abiding in him, in ſo glorious a manner, that he might properly be called the Temple of God.

For whatſoever demonſtrations there were of Gods preſence in the Tabernacle of Moſes, or in the Temple of Solomon (which were alike filled with the glory of the Lord, xl. Exod. 34, 35. 2 Chron. v. 13, 14.) the very ſame tokens there were of his preſence in our Saviour. Nay, it is eaſie to ſhow that he manifeſted himſelf, in all his glorious Attributes, more in our Saviours Perſon, than ever he did in either of thoſe places. And it will be ſuch an evident demonſtration of the truth I am aſſerting, and give ſuch light to this teſtimony of the Holy-Ghoſt, who appeared in that excellent Majeſty which deſcended on him; that I think it will be worth my pains to make good the Parallel in ſome inſtances.

p. 177I. And firſt you may obſerve that from the holy place in the Tabernacle, God declared his mind and will; and made known to his People what he would have done. There God told Moſes, he would meet and commune with him, of all things which he would give him in commandment to the Children of Iſrael, xxv. Exod. 22. And we are told the manner of it, vii. Num. 89. When he was gone into the Tabernacle, he heard the voice of one ſpeaking to him from off the Mercy ſeat, that was upon the Ark, from between the two Cherubims. From thence God gave out to Moſes his foreign (as the Apoſtle calls them, iii. Rom. 2.) Oracles, or ſuch words of direction and command, as were neceſſary for the good Government and preſervation of his People: whoſe Laws, Statutes and Judgments, came from the holy Oracle in the Sanctuary of God. This was a marvellous favour of Heaven to them; though nothing comparable to the manifeſtation of the wiſdome and counſel and will of God by our bleſſed Saviour. Who not only revealed his Mind more clearly and abundantly; thereby ſhowing he is the Temple of God: but told us ſuch things as never came from the former holy place; things which eye hath not ſeen, nor ear heard, neither did they enter p. 178into the heart of man to conceive. He was the foreign, or WORD of GOD, in this ſence as well as any other; becauſe he acquaints us with Gods mind, and declares to all Mankind his ſacred will; and, as from an holy Oracle, utters things ſecret from the foundation of the World. For the Word was made Fleſh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth, i. Joh. 14. The word full relates to foreign the WORD, in the beginning of the Verſe (the other part of the Verſe being inſerted between in a Parentheſis) and carries this ſence in it, that Jeſus being fully acquainted with all the gracious counſels of God concerning Men, hath declared them to us, and made us alſo acquainted with them. He was ſo full of truth that he calls himſelf foreign the truth it ſelf, xiv. Joh. 6. No man hath ſeen God at any time; the onelyonly begotten Son, he hath declared him, i. 18. That is, he hath made God viſible to us: he as an foreign, expounder or interpreter of anothers mind, hath opened to us all his ſecrets concerning our Salvation; and thereby declared that he is no leſs than the Wiſdom of God. When he appeared in the World, then Wiſdome built her ſelf an houſe, as Solomon ſpeaks, ix. Prov. 1. Which words **Orat. 3. contra Arrian.Athanaſius not unfitly accommodates p. 179to our Lord Chriſt, Whoſe body is the houſe of Wiſdome. And a moſt holy houſe, the dwelling place of God; from whence he hath revealed himſelf not to ſo few as one Nation, but to all the World: whom, if they would open their eyes, he hath illuminated with his Wiſdome.

R. Bechai I remember will have the Ark from whence Moſes heard God ſpeaking to him, to be called in their Language by the name of foreign, from foreign; as much as to ſay, becauſe of the light which was there. Which he will have to be the Law (preſerved in the Ark) which was the Light of Iſrael. And juſt thus writes S. John concerning this WORD of God, 1.4. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. That was the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the World, v. 9. For ſo Jeſus proclaimed himſelf, ſaying, viii. 12. I am the LIGHT of the World. And ſuch a Light he was, that all the wiſdome which was diſcovered before from the Sanctuary of God; was but Clouds and darkneſs, in compare with that which was made manifeſt by our Saviour. The beſt knowledge they had was covered and wrapt up in types and figures, till God appeared in Jeſus, and rent thoſe clouds in p. 180pieces, by the brightneſs of his beams. They had but ſuch a confuſed apprehenſion of things in former times, that S. Paul compares this diſcovery of God in Chriſt, to the breaking forth of light, out of the rude Chaos, in the beginning of the world, 2 Corinth. iv. 6. For God who commanded light to ſhine out of darkneſs (i. Gen. 2, 3.) hath ſhined in our hearts (the hearts of the Apoſtles) to give the light of the knowledge of the GLORY OF GOD, in the face of Jeſus Chriſt. Some flaſhes of which light and majeſty of God in him, came from his face; not long after he entred into the World. When he was but a Childe, they wondred at his wiſdome; and were aſtoniſhed at his underſtanding and anſwers, ii. Luk. 47. But when he was grown up and the Holy Ghoſt came down from Heaven upon him, like the Glory of the Lord which filled the Tabernacle and Temple; then his Wiſdome appeared the more illuſtriouſly. And was the more amazing; becauſe they knew he was not trained up in the Schools of Learning, nor had any better breeding than a Carpenter's ſhop could give him. For ſo his Countrymen ſay, in S. Mark, vi. 2, 3. Is not this the Carpenter, the Son of Mary? How comes he by theſe things? and what wiſdome is this p. 181which is given unto him? They were aſtoniſhed at his Doctrine, and as S. Luke tells us, iv. 22. Wondred at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. For beſides the Divinity of the matter which he ſpake, and the mighty works which accompanied it; there was a certain majeſty in the manner of its delivery. For he taught as one having authority, vii. Matth. 29. That is, as one who had power to enact and ordain new Laws (and thoſe much ſuperiour to the old) and not only to explain thoſe which were already written. He plainly alſo diſcovered a power to reward the faithful and to puniſh the diſobedient; which was ſo aſtoniſhing, that in the judgment even of thoſe who were ſent to apprehend him, Never man ſpake like unto him, vii. Joh. 46. He opened to them the Kingdom of Heaven; he revealed to them Immortal Life; he gave them Manna, of which if a Man did eat, he aſſured them he ſhould never dye: and he promiſed (which is the thing they chiefly refer to in that ſpeech) that Whoſoever believed in him, out of his belly ſhould flow rivers of living water; which he ſpake concerning the ſpirit, which they that believed on him ſhould receive, v. 38, 39. When this promiſe was fulfilled, then p. 182that which Moſes did but wiſh for, was actually done, All the Lords people became Prophets. He made the gifts of Prophecy, and wiſdome, and knowledge, as common as ordinary diſcourſe was before. Which ſhowed that indeed God dwelt in him; elſe he could not have had all this wiſdome, much leſs communicated ſo much to others.

II. But it will not be fit to proſecute theſe things too largely; therefore let us paſs to the conſideration of the mighty power of God manifeſted from the place where he was ſaid to dwell; which was an evidence that he was there. And this you ſhall ſee appeared no leſs in our Saviour, as a token that God dwelt in him, and that he was become his Temple. All their help you know of old is ſaid to come from the Sanctuary, where God inhabitated, and he is ſaid to strengthen them out of Sion, xx. Pſal. 2. Thence the Ark, upon the Cover of which the Divine Glory ſate, is called The Ark of his strength, cxxxii. Pſal. 8. Nay, it is often called ſimply by the name of his strength, Pſal. lxix. 61. He delivered his STRENGTH into captivity, and his Glory into the Enemies hand. And Pſal. cv. 4. Seek the Lord and his STRENGTH; p. 183that is, the Lord before the Ark of his preſence, from whence their help and ſuccour came. For whether this went, God was ſaid to go along with them to deliver them. As the Philiſtins themſelves had learnt; who hearing the Iſraelites had brought the Ark into the Field, began to be afraid and ſaid, GOD is come into the Camp. Wo be to us: for there hath not been ſuch a thing heretofore, 1 Sam. iv. 7, 8. That is, we fought with Men hitherto, now with God. And this is the meaning of thoſe words, lxxx. Pſal. 2. Before Ephraim, Benjamin and Manaſſeh, stir up thy STRENGTH, and come and ſave us. Thoſe three Tribes marching immediately after the Ark (for their quarter was on the Weſt of the Tabernacle, in which part was the moſt holy place, and the Ark in it, ii. Numb. 17, 18, &c.) it is as much as if he had ſaid, make thy ſelf ſenſibly preſent now to thy People; manifeſt thy favour towards them from thy Mercy ſeat; ſhew that thou art among us, and give us a ſign and token of thy preſence and power, by overcoming and treading down our enemies.

Now, as then he gave proof that he dwelt there, by thoſe acts of power and p. 184might: ſo he made it manifeſt by all the wonderful things which Jeſus did, that he was the Sanctuary wherein he dwelt among men. From him there were ſuch emanations of power, as never flowed from the Ark it ſelf. He stirred up his ſtrength indeed (that I may borrow the ancient Language) when Jeſus appeared, and came and ſaved them in a diviner manner. Whenſoever he healed any deſperate Diſeaſe, it was an act of Salvation and deliverance; which told them there was a gracious preſence of God among them. When he caſt out a Devil; it was the vanquiſhing of a dreadful Enemy. And when he threw out a whole Legion, it was a glorious victory over a more powerful Army, than ever the Iſraelites by the STRENGTH of God among them, had overcome. To ſay nothing of his commanding the Winds and the boiſterous Waves, which as readily obeyed him; as the red Sea fled when Judah was Gods Sanctuary, cxiv. Pſal. 2. (the Divine preſence not having ſetled it ſelf then among them in any certain place) and Jordan was driven back before the Ark of his ſtrength. By theſe acts it plainly appeared that all things were under his Authority; not only Men and other Creatures here below; p. 185but alſo Angels, Principalities and Powers: over whom he as eaſily triumphed, as the Iſraelites had heretofore done, by the power of God among them, over the Philiſtins, or ſuch like adverſaries. Nay, he gave his Apoſtles ſuch a power over them, that they were ready to triumph too much in theſe conqueſts. He is fain to repreſs the joy wherewith they were tranſported; and to bid them not rejoyce ſo much that the Devils were made ſubject to them, as that they themſelves were become the ſubjects of his Kingdom, and their Names written in Heaven, x. Luk. 20. And ſo eminent was this manifeſtation of the Divine power in him, that he did but ſpeak a word, and any thing was done that he required. In ſo much that the People were amazed, to hear him only ſay to a Devil, Come out, and inſtantly he left the Man and hurt him not. What a word is this? for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean ſpirits, and they come out, iv. Luk. 37. And upon another occaſion of the like nature, you read the ſame again, that They were all amazed at the mighty power of God, ix. 43. And acknowledged with juſt admiration at ſuch another ſight, that, It was never ſo ſeen in Iſrael, ix. Matth. 33. Among all the marvellous works of former p. 186times, even thoſe done by Moſes himſelf, when the Divine Glory viſibly appeared on ſeveral occaſions to them, there never was any thing like to that which our Saviour now wrought; ſo quickly, without ſo much as the pains of a bare touch, by his Word only, and in all ſorts of Diſeaſes, none excepted. For at his firſt entrance upon his office, after he was anointed with the Holy-Ghoſt, he healed all manner of ſickneſs, and all manner of diſeaſe, throughout the whole Region of Galilee, and the adjoyning Countries, iv. Matth. 23, 24, 25.

III. Nor was the kindneſs and good will of God to them more plainly manifeſted from the Tabernacle and Temple, than it is to us more abundantly declared in Jeſus Christ. The Ark, the place of God's preſence, is called the TESTIMONY, xvi. Exod. 34. for this reaſon as well as others; becauſe it was a token of God's great love to them, and care over them; teſtifying that he dwelt among them. And out of SION, where the Houſe of his Glory, and the Ark of his Preſence was, he is ſaid, to bleſs his people, cxxxiv. Pſal. 3. and to give them the bleſſing of life, cxxxiii. 4. which may be p. 187more truly ſaid of Jeſus Christ, from whom now the LORD hath commanded the bleſſing, even life for evermore, iii. Act. 26. xi. Joh. 25, 26. In him he ſhowed himſelf moſt propitious to Mankind, and ſet him forth as his foreign, or mercy ſeat; iii. Rom. 25. from whence he will diſpenſe his Divine favours towards us. We need not doubt of it, for he is the foreign, or TESTIMONY alſo, in the moſt proper ſeaſons, of the greateſt love and kindneſs that ever was, 1 Tim. ii. 6. This he teſtified indeed moſt of all by his Death and giving himſelf a ranſome for us (which the Apoſtle is there ſpeaking of, and which Polycarp calls in his Epiſtle to the Philippians, foreign, the teſtimony of the Croſs) But it was apparent likewiſe by all the actions of his life. Which teſtified how full, he was, of GRACE, as well as of Truth: for he went about about doing good, x. Act. 38. The very name that Philo gives the Tabernacle, which he calls **L. 3. de vita Moſis.foreign, exactly belongs to him; who was a moveable Temple, a walking mercy ſeat, an Holy place, which went about; and carried God's bleſſings to all that drew nigh unto him. All the Power he had, was uſed, not to the harm of any man living; but to the benefit, relief and p. 188comfort, of every one that came to him. Whom did he ever refuſe, that intreated his help? What ſuitor did he turn away, that came to beg his charitable aſſiſtance? He never excuſed himſelf, either from the multitude of buſineſs, or the diſtance of the place, or the greatneſs of the thing they askt, or the many courteſies he had done to them already, or upon any other account whatſoever; but willingly went to do them ſervice: or, which is more, ſent his Divine influences afar off, to teſtifie his omnipreſent power, for the reſcuing of ſuch, as were at the point of death. And as for his Doctrine, you remember it was ſo ſweetly perſwaſive, that all the People wondred at the words of grace, which proceeded out of his mouth, iv. Luk. 22. So full of mercy it was, that he publiſhed a Jubilee (as you there read, v. 18.) to the miſerable World. So rich in love, that S. John could do no leſs than ſay, 1. iv. 9. That in this was manifeſted the love of God towards us, becauſe that God ſent his onelyonly begotten Son into the World, that we might live through him.

VI. And as the Sanctuary was a place ſeparate from all others for this purpoſe, that God might dwell in it; and from p. 189thence ſend them the tokens of his powerful love: even ſo was Jeſus alſo ſeparated after a ſpecial manner, to be the Tabernacle of GOD among Men. The place where the Divine Glory made its reſidence was called the Moſt Holy. And the Hill on which it ſtood is called the Mountain of his HOLINESS, xlviii. Pſal. 1. And the Ark which was the peculiar ſeat of God in the moſt holy place, is called the Throne of his HOLINESS, xlvii. 8. and the HOLY Ark, 2 Chron. xxxv. 3. Nay, it is called by the Name of HOLINESS, iv. Num. 20. as all the Hebrews interpret the place: and with great reaſon, for that which in one place, 1 King. viii. 8. is called the HOLINESS, is in another, where the ſame thing is deſcribed, 2 Chron. v. 9. called the ARK.

The ground of all which was, that theſe were ſeparated by Gods ſpecial command for his uſes and ſervice alone. And the Tabernacle was built by peculiar directions which he himſelf gave, and by a Divine art and skill, wherewith the workmen were inſpired, and no other. And juſt thus was the Temple of our Saviour's Body likewiſe ſet apart and ſeparated from all common fleſh, to be the dwelling place p. 190of God. Man had no hand in the making of it; but it was formed in the Womb of a pure Virgin by the power of the Holy Ghoſt. Upon which ſcore, the Angel calls him before he was conceived, foreign, i. Luke 35. that HOLY thing, we render it (but it is the very Name of the Temple) which had not an original like other Men, being made by God alone. Nor did the good Angels only acknowledge this, but the Evil alſo call him the HOLY one of God, i. Mark 24. For he was again ſeparated from all other by a voice from Heaven, and by the anointing of the Holy Ghoſt, and by many other things not now to be mentioned, which declared him to be the MOST HOLY or Holy of Holies, ſpoken of by Daniel the Prophet, ix. 24. which Abenezra expounds to be meant of Christ. And the unſpotted Holineſs that was both in his Doctrine and in his life (as you ſhall hear afterward) and the innocency and purity likewiſe of his followers and attendants, were no ſmall Teſtimony added to the reſt, that God was in him. For he did no ſin, as S. Peter ſpeaks, neither was guile found in his mouth. And all they that came to him (v. 4, 5.) as unto a living stone, or Temple, rejected indeed of men, but choſen of God and precious, foreign, even they p. 191themſelves became living stones, a ſpiritual houſe, or Temple, an holy Prieſthood, to offer up ſpiritual Sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jeſus Chriſt. But it would be too long to note all that the holy Scriptures ſpeak of this. Therefore,

V. Let us briefly obſerve how the Omniſcience of God which appeared in our Saviour declared that He dwelt in him, as the punctual prediction of many things formerly declared his preſence at the Tabernacle. There Moſes you know made his enquiries upon all occaſions. And from thence in after Ages God gave them anſwers concerning things unknown; when the High-Prieſt ſtood before the moſt holy place, with the Urim and Thummim on his breaſt. And therefore that the World might ſee God had chang'd his Seat, and now dwelt here, in his Holy Child Jeſus, He declared things ſecret; and not onelyonly foretold a number of things, both concerning himſelf and others, but manifeſted that he knew even the thoughts and purpoſes of Mens hearts, ii. Joh. 23, 24. And underſtood what was done at a diſtance from him, i. Joh. 47, 48. Which was ſo demonſtrative a proof to the true Iſraelite of the preſence of God in him; that immediately p. 192he cries out, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God, thou art the King of Iſrael.

But the manner of his knowing what was in man and all other things, was the moſt admirable. For whereas Moſes was fain ſtill to repair to one place, and inquire at the Mercy ſeat, before he could tell the mind of God: And could not ſo much as reſolve a difficult caſe about the obſervation of a Law, till he went to hear what the Lord would command concerning the perſons who were in doubt, ix. Numb. 8. Our Lord had no need at all to go any whither to make ſuch enquiries; but in every place, even in Samaria, knew the greateſt ſecrets, iv. Joh. 18, 19. For he himſelf was the Tabernacle of God. He was the Tent which God had pitched among Men: ſeparated unto him, as the Tabernacle and Temple were, by the viſible deſcent of the Divine Glory upon him, and by its reſiding in him. So that whereſoever he was, he had an Oracle continually within himſelf: and without any addreſſes to the moſt Holy place, or any other; knew all things, and revealed the mind of God to Men. And all this was ſo conſpicuous, that it was far better known than the preſence of the Lord upon the p. 193Ark. For that was confined to one place, whereas Jeſus went about doing good. Which may be the meaning of that famous Prophecy, iii. Jer. 16, 17. Where he ſays, they ſhould not make mention of the Ark any more; that is, worſhip God before that, as the only place; But Jeruſalem ſhould be the THRONE OF THE LORD; to which all Nations ſhould be gathered: that is, in every part of the City (and Country too) he would appear as gloriouſly, as he had done formerly in the moſt holy place of the Temple, which could be at no other time, but when Jeſus appeared among them, and ſent (by his Apoſtles) the Law out of Zion, and the Word of the Lord from Jeruſalem, to all Nations. ii. Iſa. 3, 4. The THRONE OF THE LORD, I have told you already, is in their Language, as Maimonides teaches us, Every place which God ſeparates for the manifeſtation of his Divine glory. So the Heaven is called his Throne, lxvi. Iſa. 1. And by that name Jeremiah calls their Sanctuary, xvii. Jer. 12. A glorious high Throne from the beginning, is the place of our Sanctuary. And ſo I told you the Ark is called; becauſe that was the peculiar place in the Sanctuary where he reſided. But at laſt you ſee all Jeruſalem (by which we may p. 194underſtand the whole Nation) was to become the THRONE of the LORD. As it did when Jeſus appeared (who in perſon was ſent to that Nation alone) in whom the Divine glory ſhone illuſtriouſly in all places, whereſoever he came. They beheld the Wiſdome, the Power, the Love of God in him; not only in the Temple, where he oft appeared, but in every part of the holy City. In the ſtreets, nay in the high wayes, in the fields, in the wilderneſs, upon the ſea, there was a moſt glorious appearance of God; ſuch as never was when the Ark alone was the THRONE of the LORD.

VI. Which puts me in mind, and then I ſhall end this; that the Unity of God is as much, nay more, diſcovered in our bleſſed Saviour, as it was at the Tabernacle or Temple in former times. As there was but one place where. God put his Name among the Children of Iſrael, and they were all to go to the very ſame Oracle; whereby they were preſerved in the belief and worſhip of one God: So now God hath manifeſted that this is his ONLY begotten Son; and that there is no name given under Heaven whereby we can be ſaved, but only His; and that we muſt ſeek to p. 195no other Mediator, but this One; in whom now God appears in ſuch a glory, as he never did any where elſe. And this is alſo to keep us in the belief that God is one: which may hence alſo appear by this manifeſtation of God in the fleſh. For whereas we call God by ſeveral attributes, the moſt holy, the moſt wiſe, the moſt powerful, and the like; yet we ſee all theſe were in one perſon Chriſt Jeſus. Which may well inſtruct us, that they all together are but One God; and that it is one eternal Majeſty, who is ſo holy, wiſe, powerful and good.

But, as I ſaid, this was better made known by our Saviour, than by the Divine Majeſty reſiding at the Temple. For during all the time that the Holy Oracle of God ſtood at Jeruſalem: there were alſo Oracles, which pretended gods maintained among the Gentiles. This upheld the Opinion concerning a multitude of gods: And all that Moſes or the Prophets could do, did not deſtroy this belief in the World; no, not root it out of Iſrael; till God appeared in our Lord and Saviour. Then theſe other Oracles grew mute; and it was held ridiculous to believe any more Gods than One. The Devils loſt all their p. 196power, foreign, after the coming of our Saviour among Men. They are the words of Euſebius, who produces a ſworn enemy of Chriſtianity to avouch what he delivers, Porphyry by name, who makes this ingenuous confeſſion, **Lib. V. Praepar. Cap. 1.that foreign &c. ever ſince JESUS was honoured, none ever perceived any publick help and ſuccour from the Gods. Aeſculapius and the reſt of the Gods have withdrawn themſelves from men, and do not converſe with them. From whence Euſebius argues very rationally on this manner. How come you to know, thoſe whom you worſhip, to be gods? Why did not Aeſculapius and the reſt of his Companions overthrow the power of Jeſus, and make it of none effect? If he be a mortal Man, as you ſay (nay, perhaps you call him a jugler and a deceiver) and they indeed be Saviours and gods; What is the matter that they flee before him, and turn their backs of one that is ſo inconſiderable? Why do they yield up all the World to his power; and abandon all their ſubjects, in this ſhameful manner? If you have any ſence, you muſt conclude, that he is ſtronger than they; and that what he ſpeaks is true. For though he be but one, and as, one would ſuppoſe, alone; yet He hath p. 197driven away a vaſt number of gods, and made them leave the World. He hath aboliſhed their worſhip and ſervice, and expoſed them to ſuch contempt; that as they appear no longer gods, ſo they can do juſt nothing. They are not able ſo much as to ſhow themſelves, as they were wont, to their followers: But plainly diſcover that they were Daemons, not Gods.

But on the contrary the worſhip of this JESUS, and that ONE GOD, who, he ſaith, ſent him into the World, is every day more and more propagated; and takes deeper root in the minds of all People. One would have thought that theſe gods, ſhould have beſtirred themſelves at his coming, more than ever. They ſhould have made combinations, and joyned all their forces againſt him. Their Oracles which were ſo famous, ſhould now, above all other times, have been frequented; and ſpoken moſt loudly, ſo that all the World might hear them, againſt this perſon, who came to deſtroy that Religion, and take away all that reverence which was paid them. Or if one Oracle had been dumb upon any particular cauſe; yet all of them together, one would think, ſhould not have loſt their voice and their credit, p. 198in this faſhion. Theſe gods ſhould have had more care of their reputation, and authority; than to let this ſingle perſon, whom they pretended alſo to be ſo mean, to prevail thus mightily againſt them. For as Plutarch tells us, in thoſe very places where there was in times paſt, foreign, a great glory of the Divinity; there was nothing to do in his days, but all was vaniſht. A ſign that indeed God was more in our Saviour, than he ever had been in any other perſon or place; and that he was no where elſe; and that he would be worſhipped only in that way, which he taught and preſcribed. For they ſaw his GLORY, the GLORY as OF THE ONLY BEGOTTEN Son, (i. Joh. 14.) who had thoſe marks of a Divine Majeſty reſiding in him, that none ever had; and from whom we may expect all that the wiſdom, power, and love of God can do for us.

What ſhould we do then, but after ſuch evident proofs that God is in him; fall down, and with the moſt humble and joyful reverence worſhip him, who, as it there follows, is full of grace and truth? Becauſe he is full of TRUTH we ought to reſign and ſubmit our ſelves to his government; p. 199and becauſe he is full of GRACE we ſhould always rejoyce to think that we are under his care, and we ſhould put our truſt under the ſhaddow of his wings. And that he is ſo full of both, that we may with great ſatisfaction commit our ſelves to his guidance, confide and rejoyce in him; will appear ſtill more evidently by the next Teſtimony which he received from the HOLY GHOST.

II.

Which was upon the day of Pentecoſt, ten days after he left this world; When it gave a more publick teſtimony to him, than it had done at his Baptiſm, that he was the Son of God, exalted to ſit on the right hand of the Majeſty on high. For his Apoſtles being then aſſembled together in one place, on a ſudden there came ſuch a mighty inſpiration from him, who a little before he parted with them, breathed on them and ſaid, Receive the Holy Ghost; that the ſound of it was like that of a violent blaſt of wind, when it is a coming. Which was anciently a token of a Divine preſence approaching (iii. Gen. 8.) and now was a ſign that by the power of this ſpirit, p. 200they ſhould carry all before them. For it filled all the houſe where they were ſitting, as they did all the World, e're long, by their preaching. And immediately a glimpſe of that Divine Majeſty or Glory appeared on them, which came down upon our Saviour at his Baptiſm, and ever after dwelt in him; Who now ſent the Apoſtles juſt as the Father had ſent him. For a bright flame was ſeen upon their Heads, and they were baptized with the Holy Ghost and with fire.

So S. Luke reports, ii. Act. 3, 4. That there appeared unto them cloven tongues, like as of fire; and it SATE upon each of them: a ſign that this power ſhould abide with them alway, and accompany them every where; though this viſible flame vaniſhed. The effect of which was notorious to all, even as it was apparent that Jeſus was full of the Holy Ghoſt, though none but John Baptiſt ſaw it coming down upon him: For they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to ſpeak with tongues: Of which all Jeruſalem (as it there follows) yea men of all Nations were witneſſes; who heard them ſpeak in their own tongues, the wonderful works of God, verſ. 11. They proclaimed, that is, to all the People, whom p. 201the report of this ſtrange news had brought together, what wonders God had wrought by Jeſus, and what he had now done for him; having raiſed him from the dead, verſ. 24. and exalted him by his right hand, verſ. 33. and made him, both LORD and CHRIST, verſ. 36. That is, He was, now they might ſee if they would not ſhut their eyes, inthroned by God in the Heavens, and compleatly inveſted with that royal power, of which he had received ſome portion before; being now made LORD of all things, and the KING of God's People. Of which, we, ſay the Apoſtles, v. 32. are his Witneſſes (who ſaw him after he roſe again, and beheld him aſcend into Heaven) and ſo is the Holy Ghost, which he ſent from thence, as they all now ſaw and heard in divers ſenſible effects, which teſtified that he was at the right hand of God.

And here it will be fit to obſerve three things,

First, That the HOLY GHOST was his WITNESS, (as the Apoſtles you ſee call Him) as the coming of it, was the fulfilling of what he had predicted and promiſed, a little before his going away from them. At the very mention of that word, p. 202they were very diſconſolate; and ſorrow filled their heart. Whereupon he chears them up with this aſſurance that he would not leave them comfortleſs, like ſo many fatherleſs Children, but pray the Father, and he would give them another Comforter, who ſhould abide with them for ever; and never go away from them, as he was about to do, xiv. Joh. 16. This he tells them was the ſpirit of truth, verſ. 17. whom the Father would ſend in his Name, verſ. 26. where he repeats this over again, and tells them what the Holy Ghost would do for them. And therefore charges them not to be troubled or afraid, but rather rejoyce to hear him ſay he was going to the Father, who was Greater than he; and therefore would give him power, when he went to him, to do more for them, than he could do now, verſ. 28. And then he adds the reaſon why he ſaid all this, verſ. 29. Now I have told you before it come to paſs; that when it is come to paſs, you might believe. That is, be confirmed in the belief of all that I have ſaid, and fully perſwaded I have not boaſted of a power and authority, which doth not belong to me. They might well be confident of it themſelves, and bid all the Houſe of Iſrael know aſſuredly that God had made the ſame. Jeſus whom they p. 203crucified, both Lord and Chriſt; when they ſaw this come to paſs, which he had foretold and promiſed ſo often: Before his Death, xv. Joh. 26, 27. xvi. 7. After his Reſurrection, xxiv. Luke 49. Juſt before his Aſcenſion, i. Act. 4.8. Where he bids them not ſtir from Jeruſalem, but wait for the promiſe of the Father, which they had heard of him, and which would give them Power to be his Witneſſes every where.

It was an evident argument, when they received it, of theſe two Divine Properties in Him; Foreknowledge, and Omnipotence. They had reaſon to believe there was a Divine Majeſty in him, when he was with them on Earth; and to truſt to all he had ſaid either of himſelf, or them, or thoſe that ſhould believe on his Name; and to look upon Him now as the King of Glory, with all power in Heaven and Earth. For how could he have taken the boldneſs to foretell and promiſe ſuch a thing as this from God the Father, what hope had he to make it good; if he had not been ſure that the Father and He were one; (as he ſpeaks verſ. 20. of that xiv. Joh.) and that what He ſaid was by his Authority, who would juſtifie his word? Nothing p. 204could have been more vain, or done him greater diſcredit after all the glory he had got, than to give this as a ſign of his truth; if he himſelf had not been ſure that God had given all things into his hand, and that he came out from God, and was going unto God, as it is xiii. Joh. 3. And what greater argument could there be, that he did not aſſume a Dignity or Title, which he had no right unto; than the verifying his word in ſo hard and difficult a caſe as this, even then when his Enemies thought he could do nothing, becauſe he was dead and buried? This muſt needs make the Apoſtles as ſure as he was; (for his confident belief could not work belief in them) and therefore He did fulfil his promiſe; and indued them with ſuch power from on high, that in a moment He brought all things which he had taught them to their remembrance; enabled them to ſpeak with all manner of Tongues, to make a Man whole with ſpeaking a word, nay to raiſe the Dead, and to give the Holy Ghost likewiſe to others who believed their word.

How came He by this power, if indeed He was not the Lord of all? Why did nor his Word dye with Himſelf and fall to the p. 205ground, if he uſurped upon the prerogative of God, and laid claim to a glory which was none of his? How could it come into any Mans mind, let me ask again, to promiſe ſuch a thing as this; if he did not know what he could do? And could any man do ſuch a thing, if he were not more than a man; even the King of infinite power at the right hand of God? So the Apoſtles could not but conclude when they felt the effects of his royal power in their own hearts; and when they could make others feel them, by innumerable benefits which they beſtowed, both on their Souls and Bodies. To be able to do ſuch things on Earth as he had done, ſhewed plainly what He was: but to be able to make others do more wonderful things, when He had left the World; was ſtill a more convincing Argument, that all things were put in ſubjection under his Feet. Nothing now was more evident to them than this great Truth; whatſoever diſtruſt of it they might have before. With this mighty Inſpiration all their doubts were blown away, like the Duſt before the Wind. This fire which appeared on their Heads, purged their Souls quite from all the reliques of Infidelity; if there were any remaining. They could do nothing p. 206now but ſpeak the praiſes of Jeſus, and proclaim Him with theſe Tongues to all the world to be the Lord; with a zeal as hot as fire.

The People indeed, it may be ſaid, did not hear him foretell this glorious day, and make any ſuch promiſe of the Holy Ghoſt, and therefore how could it convince them? I anſwer, it is confeſſed that He did not ſpeak of this ſo plainly to them, as He did to the Apoſtles; and therefore I have not alledged it all this time for that purpoſe: but only to ſhow that they to whom he ſo often gave hopes of the coming of the Holy Ghoſt upon them, had reaſon to rely upon its Teſtimony when it came; even upon this account, that it was the performance of his gracious promiſe to them. There are many proofs which we produce, ſeem to carry leſs force in them than really they have; when careleſs minds ſtretch them too far, to prove more than was intended. The Jews were to be convinced by it upon another ſcore, not by the fulfilling of his particular promiſes to the Apoſtles; which could work no further upon the People, than they believed their teſtimony who came with ſuch power from Jeſus to them. But I muſt add p. 207alſo, that our Saviour had ſaid ſomething of this to all the people at a publick Feaſt, vii. John 38, 39. And when he was arraigned he openly declared to the High Prieſt and the whole Senate, that they ſhould preſently receive ſenſible tokens of his Majeſty, which now they ſo affronted. For when they adjured him to tell them whether he was the Chriſt the Son of God, xxvi. Matth. 63. though he knew they would neither believe him, if he told them, nor give him a good reaſon, if he argued with them, why they did not believe (xxii. Luke 67, 68.) yet he told them in expreſs terms, that he was, ver. 64. And then adds theſe remarkable words; Nevertheleſs, I ſay unto you (i. e. though now you do not believe what I have told you, yet mind what I ſay) hereafter (from this moment, foreign, xxii. Luke 69. or very few days hence) you ſhall ſee the Son of man ſitting on the right hand of power. Which can refer to nothing but the miſſion of the Holy Ghoſt, which preſently enſued, and was a certain argument that he was at God's right hand, ii. Acts 33. When this came they could not but ſee, unleſs they would be wilfully blind, that he was poſſeſſed of the Kingdom, he had ſo much ſpoken of. p. 208It was an irrefragable teſtimony that he was the Son of the Bleſſed, and could the leſs be gain ſaid, becauſe he told them before-hand they ſhould ſee what they would not then believe. That is, have a manifeſt demonſtration of his glorious Majeſty in the Heavens. Which if it would not move them, nothing remained but to ſee him, after another faſhion, coming in the clouds of Heaven, as it there follows. To deſtroy, that is, ſuch incredulous wretches, who killed their King, and perſiſted ſo obſtinately in their rebellion, that they reſiſted the Holy Ghoſt, whom he ſent to convince them of their crime, and convert them to his obedience. So it is interpreted, xxii. Luke 27, 31.

II. For the power of it was ſo great, that ſetting aſide this conſideration, if he had ſaid nothing at all to them or his Apoſtles of his ſending the Holy Ghoſt; yet its coming in this manner, was an evident teſtimony both to them and all others, that he made a juſt claim to be their King. He could not elſe have ſcattered ſuch royal gifts ſo bountifully among them, as the manner of Emperors was in their Triumphs, and of Kings at their Coronation. This ſhowed that indeed he p. 209had the power, which the Jews denied him. It vindicated his rights, which they would have taken from him. It made it appear, he was what he pretended; and that not He, but they were the guilty perſons; who had condemned him, for ſaying, he was the Son of God. This was the very end of its coming, as our Saviour alſo told his Apoſtles a little before his death, xvi. John 7, 8, 9. where He ſaith, that if he went away he would ſend the PARACLETE, that is, his Advocate unto them; whoſe office it ſhould be, to convince the World of Sin, of Righteouſneſs, and of Judgment. Of this place I ſhall be able, I hope, to give a full account hereafter, together with all thoſe that relate to the Holy Ghoſt; and therefore I ſhall ſay no more of it now than this: That the end of the PARACLETE'S coming was to plead the Cauſe of our Saviour; to maintain his innocence; and to prove againſt all accuſers, that though he was condemned by men, yet he was acquitted by God, and had ſaid nothing but the truth.

For obſerve but the crime whereof he was accuſed, and for which he was ſentenced by the Jews, and you will ſoon ſee p. 210that nothing could clear him ſo much as this. The great thing they laid to his charge, as you have heard already, was that he affirmed, when they adjured him to ſpeak his thought, that he was the Chriſt the Son of the Bleſſed. This was the blaſphemy, which they pretended wounded their hearts with grief when they heard it, and for which they adjudged him to be worthy of death. Now what could demonſtrate the vileneſs of this calumny, and prove him not guilty, more than ſuch a power poſſeſſing his followers even after he was dead, as they ſaw in himſelf when he was alive? Nay, a far greater, which declared, as they truly ſaid, that he was Lord of all? x. Acts 36. He could not have done ſuch things, as they beheld were wrought at the invoking of his Name, if he were not truly the Son of God. The Apoſtles might have called long enough upon him, before they had made a man lame from his Mother's womb, walk up and down and leap and praiſe God; if he whom they crucified, were not exalted by God's right hand, to be a Prince and a Saviour. And it had been the vaineſt thing of all, for the Apoſtles to go and preach up the authority of a dead man, and who was ignominiouſly crucified, p. 211as a great Malefactor; if they had not known that the Holy Ghoſt from him was ready at hand in every place and time, to be his ADVOCATE, and take his part againſt all gain-ſayers.

This Heavenly Witneſs never failed to appear when there was need of him, to juſtifie our Saviour, and to ſet all things right in the opinion of the World; by reverſing their falſe judgment, and by eſtabliſhing and verifying the ſentence he had paſſed on himſelf; when he ſaid that he was the Son of God. The Tables were now turned by the appearance of this PARACLETE, who pleaded ſo ſtrongly and convincingly, that many who had before accounted him an evil doer, were now forced to alter their mind and confeſs him to be a righteous perſon. They who had reviled him, now gave him worſhip and honour. They that cried Crucifie him, ſaid as the Centurion, when they heard the HOLY GHOST ſpeak on his behalf, Sure this was the Son of God. And all thoſe who were ſo hardy as to reſiſt the Holy Ghoſt (vii. Acts 51.) were fain to oppoſe it with rage and throwing ſtones; for in any other manner they were not able to reſiſt the wiſdom and the p. 212ſpirit, whereby S. Steven (a man full of the Holy Ghoſt) ſpake to them and reaſoned with them, vi. Acts 9, 10.

So great a teſtimony was this of the HOLY GHOST to Jeſus, that the Apoſtles were not fit to be his Witneſſes, till they had received it, xxiv. Luke 48. i. Acts 8. But after it came upon them and joyned its teſtimony with theirs, then they defended his cauſe ſo ſucceſsfully, that a great company of the Prieſts, the greateſt enemies to it, yielded themſelves and became obedient to the faith, vi. Acts 7. Then if any one asked, how dare you contradict the ſentence of the High Court, to which all men are bound upon pain of death to ſubmit (xvii. Deut. 9, 12.) what can you ſay to juſtifie this preſumption, in maintaining his Righteouſneſs, whom the Grand Council of the Nation hath condemned to ſuffer death? They could ſoon make this reply, Let the HOLY GHOST anſwer you; hear what he ſays to you: If He do not ſpeak enough for us and for Jeſus to ſatisfie you, then we refuſe not to die; you may deal with us as the deſpiſers of God and his Law. And ſo mightily were they aſtoniſhed and perplexed by the pleadings of the HOLY p. 213GHOST, that the Sanhedrim (the Supreme Court of Judicature among them) knew not what to ſay to the Apoſtles, nor what to do with them. They only clapt them in priſon for preaching Jeſus (iv. Acts 3.) and threatned farther ſeverity if they did not deſiſt (ver. 21.) but they durſt not proceed to paſs the ſentence of death upon them, according as the Law directed; the people glorifying God ſo heartily for what they ſaw them do by the power of the Holy Ghoſt. Nay, ſo much were ſome of this great Council ſtaggered, that according to the perſwaſion of Gamaliel, a great Maſter among them, they let the Apoſtles go free, after a ſecond impriſonment, leſt perhaps they ſhould be found fighters againſt God, ver. 39. If this be an humane project, ſays that wiſe man, do not trouble your ſelves about it; for it will come to naught, as the vain attempts of others have done, who at the firſt drew much people after them. But if theſe men prove to be authorized by God, and he will have it ſo; who can overthrow it? We had beſt take heed how we proceed in a buſineſs, wherein we may chance to have God againſt us. It is better in my judgment to be quiet, and ſee what the iſſue will be, leſt in ſtead of contending p. 214with men, we be found to oppoſe God Almighty himſelf.

III. And the iſſue was this (which is the laſt thing) that by the power of this Advocate alone, and no other, our Lord Jeſus actually obtained a Kingdom in ſpite of all the oppoſition that could be made againſt him. This was the greateſt teſtimony of the Holy Ghoſt to him, which effectually proved him to be a King, by winning him a Kingdom; and perſwading men to ſubmit unto him, though he was inviſible, and not like to reward their ſervices in this World at all, but only in another. It proclaimed him all abroad in the World to be the Lord of life and glory, and by the mere preaching of the Goſpel with the Holy Ghoſt ſent down from Heaven (as S. Peter ſpeaks, 1 i. 12.) the Nations were ſubdued to him and acknowledged him for their Sovereign.

The High Prieſt and Council of Jeruſalem, as it there follows in v. Acts 40. deſiring to diſcourage the Apoſtles in this preaching, ordered them to be beaten, and then commanded them to ſpeak no more in the name of Jeſus, for fear of a worſe puniſhment that might follow. p. 215Alas! vain men, that thought to choak this Truth, and bury this report concerning Jeſus. Did they think it was in their power to murder his Name, as they had done Him? and by ſuch means as theſe prevent his Faith from ſpreading it ſelf any further? They were mightily miſtaken in the courage of theſe Twelve men, who rejoyced that they were counted worthy to ſuffer ſhame for his Name: and as unlearned and ignorant as they found them (iv. Acts 13.) not only perſwaded many in that Country to believe Jeſus to be the Lord, but carried the fame of him to all Nations. For they received another kind of Mandate from him, which they were reſolved to obey; nothing doubting but the power of the Holy Ghoſt would go along with them to proſper their attempt. The Jewiſh Rulers ſaid, Speak not at all, nor teach in the name of Jeſus, iv. Acts 18. But Jeſus their Maſter had ſaid, Go ye into all the World, and preach the Goſpel to every Creature, xvi. Mark 15. Or as it is in S. Matthew xxviii. 19, 20. Go ye and teach all Nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoſt: Teaching them to obſerve all things whatſoever I have commanded you. They durſt not therefore but go, eſpecially when p. 216the power of the Holy Ghoſt came down upon them on purpoſe, that they might be able to ſpeak in his name, and win him ſubjects in all the world, by proving that he was perfectly Lord and Chriſt. And ſo you read in S. Luke xxiv. 47.48, 49. It behoved Chriſt to die and riſe again, that repentance and forgiveneſs of ſins ſhould be preached in his name among all Nations. And ye are witneſſes of theſe things. And behold I ſend you the promiſe of my Father: but tarry ye at Jeruſalem (that is, before you go about this buſineſs) until ye be indued with power from on high.

Now here do but conſider with me, theſe three things. Firſt, the vaſtneſs of this deſign; Secondly, the poorneſs of the means; and thirdly, the weakneſs and ineptitude of the Inſtruments which were to be imployed by him: and you will ſoon ſee what ſervice the Holy Ghoſt did him; without whoſe power he would never have attempted ſuch things, or never have atchieved them. They are all in that place now mentioned, xxviii. Matth. 19. Go and teach all Nations, &c. See here what a compaſs he takes for his Kingdom, no leſs than all the World. Wherein he intends to ſettle new Laws, and advance p. 217a government proper to himſelf, eſtabliſhed upon a Doctrine not at all taking with fleſh and bloud. Who is there that ever went about any ſuch thing, or had ſuch a thought in his mind? not only to conquer, but to change the Religion of all the world, and aboliſh thoſe Laws and Cuſtoms which had ſtood for ſo many Ages? What Arms or Ammunition did he provide them withal for this purpoſe? With what forces did he ſend them? Or by what means did he hope to win Kings and Princes to reſign their Crowns to him, and ſubmit themſelves to his Orders?

Behold, here a new wonder, which is the ſecond thing I now named: He bid them go and PREACH. How could any one fancy he ſhould overcome Nations with his breath? Could he take words to have ſuch force in them, as to perſwade whole Countries that never ſaw him to become his ſubjects? What ſtrange Orators muſt theſe be, who could draw men of ſuch different languages, natures and inclinations, in all the world after them? Where were they bred to learn ſuch powerful Rhetorick, as ſhould charm the hearts of all that heard them? From what School did they come, or by whom p. 218were they inſtructed in the art of catching Souls? Alas! they were very illiterate and ignorant men, Fiſhermen and ſuch like ruſtick people, whom Chriſt called to be Fiſhers for Souls, and ſent to draw hearts to him. And I remember, Plato in his Phaedrus, when he would expreſs a block, a rude and unbred fellow, ſays he was foreign, bred up among Mariners. Very unlikely Inſtruments theſe were for his purpoſe; if he had been to take counſel of Philoſophers, and intended to teach men by no ſtronger arguments than theirs. They were the moſt unfit men that could be choſen to be his Embaſſadors; if he had not been another kind of Lord and Maſter, and they had not gone with other kind of inſtructions, than the world had known before.

And that is the third wonder, enough to aſtoniſh any conſidering man, that they who, as Euſebius notes, could ſcarce ſpeak their own language well, but were mockt for Galileans, whoſe dialect was the moſt broad and ungentile of all the Nation; that theſe, I ſay, ſhould go to ſpeak to all the Nations of the World, with hope to perſwade them. Alas! they were not fit to be Maſters to ſo much as one ſingle perſon, p. 219much leſs to teach a Country School; how then could they undertake to teach the whole World? What King, what Law-giver, what Philoſopher, either Greek or Barbarian, as the ſame Euſebius proceeds **Lib. 3. demonſtr. Evang., ever dreamt of any ſuch deſign as this? They held their labour well beſtow'd, if they could eſtabliſh their Doctrine and Laws in one City, or perhaps in one Country; but never thought themſelves able to ſpread them any further. Whereas Jeſus foreign, meditating nothing that was common to mortal men, nothing that was merely humane; ſays confidently to theſe contemptible men whom he had choſen to be his Emiſſaries; Go, now that I bid you, and teach all Nations.

But ſuppoſe the Diſciples ſhould have ſaid to him, as well they might; Though we are ready to do any thing for thy ſake, yet how ſhall we accompliſh this? How for example ſhall we ſpeak to the Romans, of whoſe language we are ignorant? Or how ſhall we teach the Egyptians, and the Indians, and the Scythians; who have but one tongue which we learnt of our Mothers, and that but a rude one neither? We ſhall ſtand dumb before them and ſay p. 220nothing. They will take us for a company of fools, and we ſhall look like mere ſtatues and images of men. Or if we could ſpeak their languages, what hope have we to prevail with them? Who will be perſwaded by ſuch as we, to forſake the Religion of their Countrie, and to embrace thine who art a ſtranger to them? Truly this had been but a rational queſtion; if our Saviour had not taken care to prevent it, by adding thoſe words to his Mandate; Lo, I am with you alway to the end of the world. He had ſaid a little before, ver. 18. All power in Heaven and Earth is given to me. Go therefore and teach all Nations; advance my authority, and ſpread my Kingdom; and do not doubt but you ſhall effect the buſineſs; for I who have all power will be with you. And ſo he was, by the power of the Holy Ghoſt who was his Advocate; for he gave them, preſently after, the gift of tongues; he accompanied them every where, if they did but mention his Name, with ſigns and miracles; yea the very ſhadow of ſome of them did more than all the power of Medicines. This was a very great demonſtration of his ſupreme dominion over all Creatures. Nothing could be more effectual to induce men to obey him, p. 221to whom they ſaw every thing elſe was ſubject. Without this they could never have moved men to believe that he was the Lord; but this gave it ſufficient credit.

For ſuppoſe they had ſtood up in the places of popular concourſe, and ſaid, We come to preach to you in the name of Jeſus, and require you to ſubmit your ſelves to him, whom God hath made the Lord of all. He was born of the ſeed of David, a great King in Iſrael, did many wonders in that Nation, though he was hated and rejected by them, and delivered to Pontius Pilate; by whom he was crucified; but God raiſed him out of his grave, and we ſaw him go to Heaven, where he is inthroned in the moſt glorious Majeſty, and reigns over all Angels, as well as mankind. Caſt away therefore your ancient Gods, who are his ſubjects. Forſake preſently all your ſuperſtitious Rites and Ceremonies. Believe on this perſon; ſubmit to his government, and obey his commands. Though you get nothing in this world by it, but perhaps may loſe all you have; he will reward you for it in his Pleavenly Kingdom. What force do you think there would have been in ſuch a p. 222ſpeech, to perſwade the Nations far diſtant from Jeruſalem, to fall down before him as their Sovereign? Would they not have ſmiled and ſaid, What do theſe bablers mean to bring us theſe ſtrange ſtories from a foreign land? Why ſhould we acknowledge him to be our King, whom his own Country-men would not ſuffer to reign over them? Shall we become the ſubjects of one whom we never ſaw, nor heard of until now? and venture the loſs of all our liberties, and perchance of our lives, for one whom they confeſs to be crucified and dead? What likelihood is there, that he ſhould riſe again from the dead, who could not keep himſelf, when he was alive, from being put to death?

Truly, ſaith Euſebius, when I conſider the mere doctrine they were to preach, I cannot ſee how they could hope to draw the people to their belief. But then when I conſider how they did prevail every where, at Rome, at Alexandria, at Antioch, in all other places; I muſt have recourſe to a Divine power, which ſucceeded this Doctrine. Jeſus plainly declared by putting them upon the attempt, that he was confident he had all power to get himſelf a Kingdom by this preaching. p. 223And by the iſſue it appeared that it was no preſumption wherewith he was poſſeſſed, inſtead of a well grounded confidence. They preached, as he bad them; but it was not with ſuch Rhetorick, as is in uſe among us: not with the enticing words of mans wiſdom, with eloquent expreſſions, enchanting language, or mere plauſible arguments; but in the demonſtration of the Spirit, and of power, 1 Cor. ii. 4. The HOLY GHOST from Heaven preſently appeared whereſoever they preached, to juſtifie their words, and to teſtifie, by many miraculous operations, that Jeſus was no leſs than they affirmed. This evident demonſtration perſwaded mens minds. This was ſuch a power, that the people were ready to take them for Gods; and imagined that Mercury and Jupiter were come down from Heaven to them: and thereupon prepared publick ſacrifices, to be offered in their honour, xiv. Acts 13. Natural reaſon told them that ſuch things could not be done by mortal nature; but they muſt be concluded to be the works of ſome God, though no body told them that they were. And therefore this was all they had to do, for their own ſatisfaction, to enquire by what power and authority the Apoſtles did theſe wonders, ſince they p. 224themſelves confeſſed that they were but men. And here now they took occaſion to let them know, that it was Jeſus who did theſe Miracles. Him they preached; and him they hereby proved to be the Lords ANOINTED; who by this power would prevail, notwithſtanding the fierce oppoſition that was made againſt his authority.

For, as you read in a devout addreſs which the whole company of believers made to God, the Rulers were gathered together, and the Kings of the Earth stood up againſt the Lord and againſt his Chriſt. At their firſt entrance upon this work, there were mighty endeavours to overthrow it; juſt as there had been againſt his holy child Jeſus, whom he had ANOINTED, that is, promoted to a greater glory than he had on Earth. And therefore they deſire God to go along with them, and stretch forth his hand to heal; and that ſigns and wonders might be done by the name of his holy child Jeſus; for the propagating of this Religion, which it was not in their own power to advance, iv. Acts 26, 27, 30. Now this was a further teſtimony of the power and glory of Jeſus, that when a ſolemn addreſs was made to God, and they repreſented to p. 225him their deſign; they were ſo far from receiving any diſcountenance from him, that he incouraged and promoted this undertaking. For the place where they prayed was ſhaken, by a powerful inſpiration which came upon them all, as it had done upon the Apoſtles: And they were ALL filled with the Holy Ghoſt, and they ſpake the word of God with boldneſs, ver. 31.

III.

And this leads me to the laſt Teſtimony which the HOLY GHOST gave to him, by deſcending upon other perſons as well as upon the Apoſtles; though not in ſuch a viſible form as it did on the day of Pentecoſt. The place indeed was SHAKEN where theſe believers were aſſembled, by the like mighty wind I ſuppoſe as filled the houſe where the Apoſtles received the Holy Ghoſt, ii. Acts 2. But there were no fiery tongues now appeared, as there did then: Nor do we afterwards read of any ſuch ſenſible ſign of an inviſible power coming upon them, as this ſhaking of the place was, when the Holy Ghoſt firſt deſcended upon the body of the Church. But whenſoever the Apoſtles laid their hands upon any perſon who believed p. 226in Jeſus and was baptized; preſently the Holy Ghoſt fell down upon them, and they ſpake with tongues and propheſied, viii. Acts 15, 17. xix. 6. This laying on of their hands, was ever after the only external ſign of the Divine power (for that's the meaning of stretching out the hand, in the place juſt before named, iv. Acts 30.) wherewith they ſhould be endued at the requeſt of the Apoſtles. Which was a plain demonſtration of the royal Majeſty and munificence of Jeſus, whoſe Servants and Miniſters theſe were: and hereby the HOLY GHOST bare record to him, that he was the Son of God.

So this very Apoſtle teaches us in the ſecond Chapter of this Epiſtle, where he tells them to whom he writes, that he need not be very ſolicitous to preſcribe them Antidotes againſt thoſe Antichriſtian doctrines, which then began to poiſon the Church: becauſe they had an Unction from the holy One, and knew all things, 1 John ii. 20. The HOLY GHOST, that is, was their ſecurity from infection; which is here called the UNCTION or anointing, ^1. becauſe by the coming down of this upon our Saviour, He was made the CHRIST or anointed of God, x. Acts p. 22738. And ^2. the Apoſtles when they received it were made the principal Officers in his Kingdom, and endued with ſuch a power to remit ſins and unlooſe men from the puniſhment of them as he had, xx. Joh. 22, 23. And ^3. all others to whom they imparted this gift were openly declared the children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joynt-heirs with Chriſt, viii. Rom. 16, 17. This UNCTION made them all Kings and Prieſts unto God, and they reigned with him on Earth, v. Rev. 10. Enjoyed, that is, many royal priviledges and liberties at preſent, for which they were bound perpetually to praiſe him; beſide the right it gave them to an Heavenly Kingdom, where they ſhould ſit down with him in his Throne, as He was in the Throne of his Father, iii. Rev. 21. For the Thrones of the Eaſtern Princes were wide and large, as I told you before, where others might ſit down by them, if they pleaſed to admit any to that high honour, which this King of Kings promiſes to grant to his faithful followers.

No wonder then that they who were deſigned to ſo great glory, were alſo made partaker of the Earneſt of it, as this Unction p. 228by the Holy Spirit is called, 2 Cor. i. 22. After God had filled the Apoſtles and other Apoſtolical men with the Holy Ghoſt, who were ready to guide and direct all Chriſtian people while they lived: There were great numbers alſo in the Body of the Church, who received ſo many of its gifts from the HOLY one (that is, God, 2 Cor. i. 21.) that it enabled them to diſcern truth from falſhood; and diſcover all thoſe cheats and impoſtures which ſome went about to put upon them, under the name of Chriſtian Doctrine. A very great Doctor the Holy Ghoſt was, when they were anointed with it; for thereby they KNEW ALL THINGS: that is, their whole Religion, in which it made them ſo perfect, that thoſe pretenders to new Revelations could teach them nothing which they knew not already. For it taught them that Jeſus from whom it came, was the Son of God, and had revealed all God's will plainly and fully to them. So S. John tells them in the following verſes, 21, 22. I have not written unto you, becauſe ye know not the truth; but becauſe ye know it, and that no lye is of the truth. Who is a lyar, but he that denieth that Jeſus is the Chriſt? &c. That is, I do not ſpeak of this, becauſe you are ignorant of Chriſtianity, but becauſe p. 229you are well acquainted with it; and thereby able to judge when any body contradicts it, and to reject all thoſe as lyars, who deny Jeſus to be anointed by God, the Lord of all. I know you are well principled in this truth by the UNCTION which he hath given you from the Father: All that I deſire is (as he adds, ver. 24.) that you would ſuffer that Truth which you have heard from the beginning, to abide in you. And indeed it was very unreaſonable to ſtart from that which had ever been acknowledged ſince the Holy Ghoſt firſt deſcended on Jeſus himſelf; and which the ſame UNCTION ſtill teſtified, whenſoever the Apoſtles, who preached Jeſus, did but lay their hands on any bodies head, and pray to Jeſus that he would beſtow it on them. They could not be ſeduced if they did but attend, as he ſays, ver. 26, 27. to this anointing which they had received, and which was yet among them. There was no need of any other teacher, but this to inſtruct them. Which gave ſuch an evident demonſtration of the power and glory of the Lord Jeſus, and was ſo far from being a lye or deceiving them, that if they did but do it as it taught them, they muſt needs abide in him.

p. 230This you ſee was accounted and that juſtly, an infallible witneſs to him. He could never have ſent ſuch an UNCTION, nor would the Holy Ghoſt have ever come in his Name, if he had not been the King of Heaven. They that received this had an invincible proof of his glory and majeſty within themſelves. They could not doubt of it any more than they could of what they felt. Which proved likewiſe ſo convincing to others, that it made unbelievers fall down on their faces and worſhip God; and report that God was in them of a truth, 1 Cor. xiv. 25. For by this the Divine Majeſty did in a proper ſence DWELL among Chriſtian people, and walk with them, as it did among the ancient Iſraelites, 2 Cor. vi. 16. This was a glorious Divine Preſence in the Church, whereby God and our Saviour made their ABODE with them, xiv. John 23. and they became the HABITATION of God (or his Dwelling place) through the Spirit, ii. Epheſ. 22.

Which ſo conſtantly bare witneſs to him, that no man who had this Spirit could poſſibly deny him; but every one that ſpake by the Holy Ghoſt acknowledged p. 231Jeſus to be the LORD, 1 Cor. xii. 3. And they were no ſmall number, who were made partakers of it. For S. Peter promiſes it at the very firſt deſcent of it, to all that would repent and be baptized in the name of Jeſus: at which word three thouſand Souls were added to them, ii. Acts 38, 41. And afterwards a vaſt company more, as you may read in the firſt Epiſtle to the Corinthians. Where ſome were endued with one power of the Holy Ghoſt, ſome with another (Chap. xii.) but in every thing they were enriched by him, ſo that they came behind in NO GIFT, Chap. i. 5, 7. Wherein our Lord far excelled Moſes who could not give his Spirit unto others, much leſs unto the Gentiles: whereas Jeſus ſent great abundance of his Spirit, as you ſee upon his Diſciples, and gave even to the Gentiles the like gift as he did unto them, xi. Acts 17. For as S. Peter was preaching to Cornelius and his friends, the Holy Ghoſt fell on all them which heard the word, to the great aſtoniſhment of the Jewiſh Chriſtians, who wondred to hear them ſpeak with tongues, and magnifie God, x. Acts 44, 45, 46. But they ſhould have conſidered that now he began to fulfil completely that prophecy of Joel (mentioned ii. Acts 17.) which promiſed p. 232that God would pour out of his Spirit upon ALL fleſh. Now the incloſures were firſt broken down, and that Divine Preſence which had hitherto been confined to one Nation, appeared in a moſt amazing luſtre to the reſt of the World. In ſo much that in a little time great multitudes of all nations, and kindred, and people, and tongues joyned their hearts and voices with the Heavenly Quire, ſaying, Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of Hoſts: the whole Earth is full of his GLORY. Thus Eſaias heard the Angels ſing, vi. 3. when he beheld our Saviours glory and ſpake of him, xii. John 39. And the Church of Chriſt from the beginning hath taken theſe words from their mouths, and made them their own; (iv. Rev. 8.) when they actually ſaw this GLORY OF THE LORD filling the Earth, with its moſt holy Preſence. For our Lord did not ceaſe to pour out more and more of his Spirit on all fleſh, even after the Apoſtles were dead: But as Juſtin Martyr tells the Jew, in his time (which was above an hundred years after this) foreign **Dial. cum Tryph., &c. One might have ſeen among Chriſtians both women and men, who had gifts from the Spirit of God. And ſo one might in the days of Origen **Lib. 1. contr. Celſ.(who lived as many years after p. 233that) who to convince Celſus, that it was no Fable which was reported of the deſcent of the Holy Ghoſt on our Saviour, affirms that foreign, &c. There were still remaining among them ſome footſteps of that Holy Spirit, which was ſeen in the form of a Dove. For they diſpoſſeſſed Devils, performed many cures, and foreſaw ſome things, according to the will and pleaſure of the WORD, concerning what was to come. Nay, it were eaſie to ſhow that this Heavenly power deſcended ſtill much lower, and did not quite leave the World in theſe Ages: and that it did not work in ſome obſcure corners only, but in the moſt noted places in the World. For the ſame Juſtin ſays in his firſt Apology, that there were many healed by the Name of Jeſus Chriſt in the City of Rome; whom no other perſon could heal. So that look how many Souls there were full of the Holy Ghoſt, ſo many laſting Witneſſes there were to our Saviour of his power and glory in every place.

But intending hereafter to treat of all theſe gifts of the Holy Ghoſt alone by themſelves; I ſhay ſay no more of them now: having ſufficiently ſhown, how they were his Teſtimony to our Saviour. p. 234It is poſſible, I confeſs, that there may be another thing included in the name of the HOLY GHOST; and that is the old Prophets, who received gifts from Heaven, whereby they ſometimes ſpake of the Meſſiah. So the HOLY GHOST is ſaid in the x. Hebr. 15. to be a witneſs of the perfection of our Saviours oblation; and for a proof of it the teſtimony of the Prophet Jeremiah is alledged, whoſe words are called the witneſs of the Holy Ghoſt. From whence I might take occaſion to ſhow that all the predictions of the Prophets do ſo exactly agree to Jeſus, and are ſo perfectly fulfilled in him, that we muſt needs grant him (if we receive this teſtimony of the Holy Ghost, and take them to have been inſpired thereby) to be the Son of God, the King of Iſrael, who they had long put that Nation in hope, ſhould come and reign over them. But this would be a work of too great length, and my intention is not to ſwell this Treatiſe into an huge Volume; which makes me only mention this notion, that you may conſider with your ſelves, as you have occaſion, what a reſemblance there is between Jeſus and that perſon whom the Prophets deſcribe unto us. For this will prove a great confirmation of your faith in p. 235him; there being no doubt in the minds of the bittereſt enemies of our Saviour, but that thoſe Holy men of God ſpake as they were moved by the Holy Ghoſt.

I have done now with theſe witneſſes, who ſpeak unto us from Heaven; and who are one, you ſee, in their teſtimony, as well as in their nature. They all agree in this, that Jeſus is the Son of God. There is not the leaſt difference between them; no doubtfulneſs in their teſtimony; no backwardneſs to give it; no obſcurity that ſhould make it difficult for us to underſtand it: But with one mouth (as we ſay) they unanimouſly, plainly, readily and clearly pronounce him to be ſuch a Divine perſon, that if we ſhould not hear him, and obey him, and depend upon him, I know not what we ſhall be able to ſay to ſo many Witneſſes, who will be ready to appear againſt us; whoſe teſtimony without any cauſe was ſlighted by us. Look how many voices have been heard from Heaven; how many witneſſes have openly appeared in his behalf: ſo many Divine reaſons you are to conceive your ſelf to be provided withall, for every word that Jeſus hath ſpoken. Which you are therefore to take for infallible, and to keep, as the p. 236Apoſtle ſpeaks (1 Tim. vi: 14.) without ſpot and unrebukeable, until his ſecond appearing. Liſten to thoſe words of grace which come out of his mouth. Abandon thoſe ſins which he requires you to forſake; and betake your ſelves to the practice of thoſe vertues which he ſo ſtrictly injoyns: For the FATHER, the WORD, and the HOLY GHOST declare that this is the Will of Heaven; And what is there in this world ſo conſiderable as to perſwade the contrary? If he be not the Son of God, if he do not prove it by undeniable arguments, then do as you liſt: But if he be, then you are bound to yield him the humbleſt ſubjection, and it will be a ſtrange ſtupidity to diſpute the matter with him. There can be no colour for your refuſal, ſhould you deny to be governed by him, who comes with ſuch Authority; that the fulneſs of the Godhead, as you have heard, dwells in him bodily.

O what an honour hath God Almighty hereby done our nature! how highly hath he advanced and dignified it, by this ſtrange and unexpected favour, which he hath conferred on it, in making it his Holy place! Conſider but what I have now ſaid, of the Teſtimony of the HOLY p. 237GHOST to Jeſus; which was an illuſtrious token likewiſe of Gods wonderful love to us. Is it nothing that God ſhould be manifeſted in our fleſh; that he ſhould DWELL in us, and make his abode with us, and that we ſhould become the habitation of God through the Spirit? Look upon the Temple of old, and ſee how it glittered with Gold; how it was adorned with Cherubims and Seraphims, which were an emblem of the Angelical attendance in that place; but eſpecially how it ſhined with the Glory of the Lord, which appeared upon the mercy-ſeat: And then reflect how precious, how dear mankind are to Almighty God, into whoſe Nature this Glory is tranſlated; whom he hath beautified with greater excellencies, and made more ſplendid by a more intimate conjunction with it. Could any man then, after he had conſidered this, profane that Nature which God hath ſo ſanctified and ſeparated to himſelf? Could he find in his heart to proſtitute himſelf to any of thoſe baſe and filthy actions; that are below the dignity of humane nature nakedly conſidered, without ſuch a preſence of God in it? None can ſubmit ſure to the government of any fleſhly luſt, but he muſt firſt forget that he is a man, created p. 238after the Image of God. And there is none can continue in this unworthy ſlavery, but he muſt lay aſide theſe thoughts alſo; that the WORD was made fleſh, and the Image of the inviſible God hath taken up his abode in our Nature. By this he hath called us to the greateſt ſanctity. He remembers us what excellent Creatures we are, and how Glorious he is deſirous to make us. And who is there that need deſpair of recovering himſelf by the grace of God, though he be ſunk never ſo much below himſelf; now that God is come on purpoſe to lift him up? He hath ſent Salvation to us, by one that is mighty to ſave. He hath revealed himſelf ſo graciouſly, and made ſuch diſcoveries of his Love and Power and Glory to all mankind, that they may confidently hope, if they will not caſt away all care of themſelves, to be reſtored to the image and likeneſs of God again.

But this Diſcourſe will come in more ſeaſonably, when we have joyned the ſtrength of the other three Witneſſes to theſe, and heard them all together, ſome from Heaven, others from Earth, proclaiming this in our ears; Behold the Son of God: Jeſus is your Lord; for he is the p. 239Lord of all things. And we ſhall be the more ready for a ſurrender to him, when we ſee withall, how much we are beholden to God Almighty for his marvellous, inconceiveable love, in calling us ſo many ways, by ſo many arguments, to Repentance, Faith, Obedience and Everlaſting Salvation. That which I have now explained, deſerves to be remembred with the moſt affectionate acknowledgments, and we ſhall be better diſpoſed to hearken to the reſt, if we give him hearty thanks for what we underſtand already, and ſay;

A PRAYER.

ADored be thy ineſtimable love, O thou Holy Spirit of Grace and Truth, the mighty Power of God; who haſt given ſuch gifts unto men, even to the rebellious alſo; that the LORD God might DWELL among them. Bleſſed be thy Goodneſs, who didſt anoint our Lord with that oil of gladneſs, which hath run down to the meanneſt of his ſubjects. Great and wonderful was that Heavenly Power and Love, which appeared in ſuch viſible Majeſty p. 240upon him, and filled him with the Holy Gheſt; ſo that he went about doing good, and healing all that were oppreſſed of the Devil. And much more marvellous was that Almighty Goodneſs, which promoted him to the throne of Glory in the Heavens, that he might fill all things.

Praiſed be that astoniſhing Love, which first filled the Apostles minds with ſuch Heavenly light, and inflamed their wills with ſuch fervent heat, that they boldly preached the Goſpel to all the world. For ever magnified be that diffuſive Grace, which afterwards ſpread it ſelf in ſuch variety of gifts; wrought by one and the ſelf ſame Spirit, dividing to every man ſeverally, as he pleaſed. Let the whole Church be giving continual thanks to thee, O Lord, for stretching forth thy hand in ſuch ſigns and wonders, to glorifie thy holy child Jeſus; for giving by the Spirit, to ſome a gift of wiſdom, to others a gift of healing, to others divers kind of tongues, to others prophecy; and for making ſome Apostles, ſome Prophets, ſome Evangelists, ſome Pastors and Teachers; that every knee might bow to Jeſus, and every tongue confeſs that he is the Lord.

I confeſs him with all my Soul; I honour p. 241him as my Dearest Lord. I ſee thy Glory, O bleſſed Jeſus, by the light of the Holy Ghost, which hath ſhone ſo oft from Heaven upon us. I ſee the Power thou hast at Gods right hand. I ſee the royal bounty of thy love. Now I know that thou knowest all things; and believe that thou art the faithful and the true, whoſe words ſhall never fail. O how much ought I and every Christian Soul, to rejoyce in the conſolations of the Holy Ghost! which hath brought us new aſſurances from Heaven, that our Saviour lives, and reigns, and ſits inthroned at the right hand of God, in incomparable majesty and glory. Inſpire all our minds and hearts, O thou quickning Spirit, inſpire them, O Lord and Giver of Life, with ſuch ardent love and devotion towards him, that we may hope to reign with him, and then ſhall we rejoyce before-hand in this hope, with joy unſpeakable and full of glory.

Do not wholly abſent they ſelf from us, O thou Guide and Comforter of our Souls (though we have not been ſo grateful to thee, nor followed thy directions and counſels as we ought) but still let thy gracious preſence fill every part of the Christian Church. Though we have not that UNCTION from above, which endued them heretofore with the gifts p. 242of tongues, and prophecy, and healing, and working of miracles: Yet pour down every where, much of the ſpirit of knowledge, and love, and devotion, and purity, and fortitude, and undaunted reſolution, and fervent Zeal; which may be ever glorifying the great God and our Saviour Christ Jeſus. O thou who didst open the eyes of the blind, and looſe the tongue of the dumb, enlighten our minds to ſee more of thoſe wonders, which may inflame our love, and incourage our hope; and open our lips, that our mouths may ſhew forth thy Praiſe. Still let there be hearts full of Faith in the bleſſed Jeſus; full of love to all mankind; full of ardent deſire to ſee his Kingdom come; full of wiſdom to open the myſteries of Salvation, to inſtruct men in the truth as it is in Jeſus, and to convince them mightily, and perſwade them to be obedient to it. That ſo by the ſame Heavenly power whereby the Faith of Chriſt was planted in the world, it may be graciouſly preſerved and promoted: and we may ſee it go forward and advance more and more, till every Nation now on Earth ſpeak in their own tongues the wonderful works of God.

Let all the people praiſe thee, O God; Let all the people praiſe thee. Kindle in them ſuch devout affections, as may offer up continually p. 243the ſacrifice of praiſe to thee. Let them praiſe thee with pure minds, and upright hearts, and unſpotted lives: and in perfect unity and godly love ſay every where,

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghoſt.

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever ſhall be, world without end. Amen.