Imagens das páginas
PDF
ePub

idols, and the church of Chirist at once rose up in all places. All these works of the Spirit were wrought openly and pub

any more than other men. It was not they who did them, but God himself. He made them his messengers to declare his truth, and attended them with his pow-licly in the face of the world. er, in testimony of the gospel which he employed them to publish.

The Holy Spirit also, in an extraordinary manner, taught them what to say he guided them into all truth, opened to them the scriptures of the Old Testament, and revealed by his immediate inspiration such things as were necessary to be done, taught and predicted. And if they were brought before kings and rulers, they were directed never to premeditate their defence, and were assured, that it should be given them from above what they should say; which accordingly took place.

Another thing accomplished by the divine Spirit, was the raising up the church of Christ in one age, nursing and extending it through the whole Roman empire, and far eastward into Asia, and southward into Africa. All this was done without any earthly inducements, without human power, authority or influence, contrary to the will of the kings and magistrates of the earth, and the long established customs, prejudices and education of all people, Jews and Gentiles, and to all the inclinations and passions of the depraved hearts of men. In a short time Jesus, who had been crucified as a malefactor, was adored in almost every city, town and settlement, of any considerable magnitude, through immense regions of the earth. The Jews in great numbers laid aside their itual solemnities, the Gentiles abandoned the altars of their

The world stood, gazed and wondered, and saw all these things taking place. And tho' no means were neglected, either of force or art, to suppress this work, yet it withstood all opposition, and grew and spread and prospered.

Here we might notice how the apostles and other eminent ministers of the gospel, being led on and filled with the Holy Ghost, labored and journeyed; how they were comforted and rejoiced; how the Holy Ghost fell on thousands in his miraculous influences; so that they could speak with tongues, prophesy, interpret and work miracles. But for further particulars, let me refer the reader to the Acts of the apostles, and to many places in their epistles, where these things are incidentally noticed. The gifts of the Spirit were various, and all to profit withal.

Nor ought the awakening, renewing and sanctifying influences of the Holy Spirit, to remain unnoticed in this place. These were the end and design of all the extraordinary operations of the Spirit, and they are continued to the present day. How many cried, "What shall we do to be saved?" How many trembled and turned from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God! And how many-what multitudes, within these more than seventeen hundred years since that time, have been the subjects of the sav ing and comforting influences of the Spirit!

Miracles indeed seem to have | able to consider how the Spirit ceased they have answered has accomplished this predictheir end, in confirming to us, tion.-The wonderful things as well as to those in that day, which the Holy Ghost did, in the truth of Christianity: the the apostolic age, and which he world has now the advantage of all has since done, proved beyond those miracles. Prophecies have all reasonable doubt, that he was ceased; but the accomplish- the Christ. It is true, that men ment of them, which is their may shut their eyes against pergreatest evidence, continues, and fect demonstration; but let canestablishes the truth. The mi- did minds notice all the great raculous gift of tongues has and astonishing events, which ceased; but it has answered its were wrought in the days of the end, and by the providence of apostles, and attend to their tesGod, there is among his people timony and instructions, and conan ability to learn foreign lan- sider how God was with them guages, which may be sufficient in mighty power, and in word; for every purpose, except that of let them survey the whole scene, the miracle, which is already and they must acknowledge that answered. It is no injury to the it was the hand of God, made cause that these, or that imme-visible in support of the cause of diate revelations have ceased, Christ. Well might Gamaliel, for all that is necessary is already declared to us in the word of God. But those things which are now needed, the convincing, renewing, sanctifying and comforting influences of the Holy Ghost remain ; Christ holds the stars in his right hand, imparting gifts and graces to his ministers, according to the work to which he calls them, and he walks in the midst of his churches. These are the ends of all the marvellous things in the first ages of Christianity. Nothing is lost; the world now enjoys the benefits of the Comforter in as high a degree, as in the day of Pentecost. Having noticed a number of things which the Holy Ghost did, in fulfilment of the promises, others which were promised present themselves for our consideration.

though an enemy, and highly dignified in the Jewish council, tremble under an half suppressed conviction of the truth, and give sentence to let the apostles alone, lest haply they should be found to fight even against God; and well might the mad council so shudder, by the terrors of a convicted conscience, as for once to take his prudent advice. The effects wrought by the Holy Ghost made it manifest, that in not believing on Christ, men are guilty of rejecting the most ample testimony of God: that they shut their eyes and harden their hearts, like Pharaoh and the Egyptians, against God himself. This was increased by the influence of the Spirit, in inspiring the apostles to unfold to them the predictions of Moses and the prophets; so that Stephen had Our Lord informed his disci- reason enough to say to them, ples, that when the Comforter" Ye stiff necked and uncircumshould come he would reprove cised in heart and ears, ye do althe world of sin because they be-ways resist the Holy Ghost, as lieve not on him. It will be suit-your fathers did, so do ye.

Which of the prophets have not | Comforter, he gave evidence that

he was enthroned on high-that he had answered the law, and had become the end of the law for righteousness, to all them that believe. And the wonderful things done by the Spirit are sufficient to convince all but the uncandid. God never would have borne such testimony to Christ, had he been deficient or had he abandoned his work unfinished. Men may now be convinced that the righteousness of Christ is complete, that no righteousness of theirs is necessary as the ground of justification, or will be allowed to possess a share with Christ in the glory of their acceptance with God, however important it may be for other purposes.-This should convince Jews, that no ceremonial righteousness will avail them; and all the self-rightcous, that there can be no salvation but by him, who hath finished transgression, made an end of sin, made reconciliation for iniquity, and brought in everlasting righteousness. And this matter of conviction and reproof remains the same to the present time.-After the testi

your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the just One, of whom ye have now been the betrayers and murderers."-Nor are these things restricted to that day. Those now, where the gospel is known, who do not believe on Jesus Christ, sin against the same, if not against greater evidence, given by the Holy Ghost, that Jesus is the Christ. They reject the counsel of God against their own souls. What the Spirit has done therefore reproves them of sin, because they believe not on Christ. If we stand astonished at the Jews, let us take heed, lest we be guilty of the same sin. It was also foretold by our Lord, saying, "When the Comforter is come, he will convince the world of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more." The rightcousness here mentioned, it is believed, is the righteousness of Christ. Not merely his own personal righteousness, though that be necessarily implied, but his righteousness as a Redeemer, in fulfilling all righteousness; so that God for his righteous-mony of the Holy Ghost to the ness' sake may be just, and yet righteousness of Christ, as our the justifier of him that believ- Redeemer, it is vain for the selfeth. Had Christ gone to the righteous to hope for favor on Father and left his work of a- the ground of their own innotonement unfinished, must he cence, morality, reformation, or not have returned to complete even for holy obedience. It is it? But instead of his return, he rejecting the righteousness of .is seen no more, and the Holy Christ as their only hope, and Spirit comes, not to atone, but opposing or discrediting the to bear testimony that Christ is testimony of the Holy Spirit.accepted is raised from the" If righteousness come by the dead has ascended on high-law, then Christ is dead in vain.” is acknowledged of the Father The Spirit has declared that -and is justified as a complete Christ is the only name, giv Redeemer. When Christ, ac- en under heaven among men, cording to his promise, sent the whereby we must be saved,

We may now consider anoth- and Babylon, and all who eser effect, which it was promised, ponse their cause. If Satan is that the Holy Ghost should ac- cast down, his followers may excomplish. It was said that he pect the same. And since the should reprove the world of Spirit sets forth the righteousjudgment, because the prince of ness of Christ as our only hope, this world is judged. The word those who reject him, can have reprove often signifies convince, no defence against everlasting and in the Greek original, the judgment: they must be given word used signifies indefinitely, up to the sentence of the law.― either to reprove or to convince. Let such as are found to fight Satan is the prince of this world; against God, tremble at this ashe is also called the God of this surance, that without repentworld the prince of the power ance, they shall follow their of the air, who ruleth in the prince into everlasting fire, prehearts of the children of diso-pared for the devil and his anbedience. By the wonderful out-gels.

pouring of the Holy Ghost, and We have noticed the wonderthe great events which he has ful works of the Comforter ; brought to pass, he has made it how he reproves the world of manifest to men, that Satan is unbelief; offers men conviction cast down, that his cause is des- of the righteousness of Christ perate, that God himself has de- for the justification of sinners; clared against him with power, and of the judgment or deterand has determined to support mination of God to crush all his his Son. This overthrew the inveterate enemies. He will notion of a ceremonial right- dash them to pieces as a potter's eousness, with which Satan vessel. blinded the Jews, and the credi- The coming and work of bility of the whole heathen my- Christ, and the witness of the thology and Pagan worship. It Holy Ghost to him, in his mardiscovered Christ as superior to vellous effects among men, teach Satan, leading captivity captive, us that Christianity is of infinite and spoiling the powers of hell. importance in the view of God. Accordingly Christianity rose Such astonishing works of God, upon the ruins of heathenism so different from all his other and the kingdom of Satan.-works and administrations of He as lightning fell from heav-government, bespeak its superen, and the truth burst forth lative importance. Friends and upon the world, like a mighty enemies are deeply and eternalstream. And it will prevail, till ly concerned. Satan is bound a thousand years, that he should not go forth to deceive the nations any more, till the thousand years are accomplished. This proves that all the followers of Satan shall be brought down, and that God will execute judgment upon them. Thus the Holy Ghost teaches the judgment of Satan,

How mad then are those, who have this testimony of the Holy Ghost, and yet obstinately persist on the side of Satan by their unbelief. They shut their eyes on the most full and marvellous evidence, or they would see that their cause is desperate―That they fight even against God.Let the potsherds of the earth

strive with the potsherds of the earth; but woe unto him that striveth with his Maker.

thought it plainly revealed, that God did, from the beginning, choose to salvation, all those who Let these considerations per will be saved, through sanctifisuade unbelievers to avoid the cation of the Spirit and belief of terrors of divine wrath, and com- the truth that all those, and fort, encourage and animate the those only, whom he hath thus people of God in faith and holi- chosen, will be effectually called ness; and may they have more and finally saved; whilst all othperfect confidence in him whomers will continue in sin, and lie God hath sanctified and sent in-down in sorrow. to the world, and whom he hath acknowledged with such astonishing evidence.

FIDUCIUS.

But of later years, whilst the doctrine of God's sovereignty and eternal decrees is admitted and strongly asserted, it has been urged, that upon the plan of limited, in opposition to universal salvation, there can be no ground,

The Gospel Warrant for Faith in no foundation, or warrant, for

Christ.

A principal design of the following piece is to show, That there is sufficient ground, foundation, or warrant, for any and every sinner, where the gospel is published, to believe in Christ, even upon the supposition, that numbers of the human race will finally perish.

T has been the general opinion of professing Christians, that a part of mankind, and even a part of those where the gospel is preached, will die in their sins, in impenitence and unbelief, and abide for ever under the wrath of God. It has been thought, that the scriptures teach this in so plain and express a manner, that it cannot be doubted, consistently with admitting the truth and divine authority of those sacred writings.

[ocr errors]

It has, moreover, been generally believed, that God from the beginning knew who would believe and be saved, and who would die in their sins and perish for ever. And many have

[ocr errors]

any sinner to believe in Christ, unless he first knows that he is one of the happy number, whom God hath chosen to salvation. For if he is not of that number, but one that God knows will perish, it is said, there is absolutely no foundation or warrant for him to believe. For faith don't create its own object, or make the truth which is believed, by believing it when it was not true. There can therefore be no warrant for every one, to whom the gospel is preached, to believe in Christ, unless it be already true, that every one is to be and certainly will be saved. Yet every one to whom the gospel is preached, is commanded to believe on the Son of God: and the apostle John says expressly, "He that believeth not God hath made him a lyar ; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life; and this life is in his Son." But if some are not chosen to salvation and never will be saved, instead of making God a lyar by not believing, they would make

« AnteriorContinuar »