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be confidered, that the Jews had now been four hundred Years without the Holy Spirit; fo long, at least, had the Gifts of Prophecy, and all other miraculous Powers been abfent from them; and all this Time they were expecting the Meffiah. Now certainly the Holy Ghoft being thus vifibly fent down upon the Difciples of Chrift, after fo long an Abfence, and manifefting himself to their Eyes, to their Ears, to all their Senfes in fo illuftrious a Manner, by the mighty Works that he wrought, and the wonderful Gifts that he bestowed, could not but be an Argument beyond all Contradiction, that Jefus was from God, and confequently that the Jews, in not believing on him, were guilty of a very great Sin. For thefe being Things which it was not poffible should be brought about by human Arts or Devices, nor by the Power of the Devil, because they evidently tended to the Deftruction of his Kingdom, muft neceffarily be from God; and confequently Jefus Chrift was own'd by him as a true Prophet, which was a plain and fufficient Conviction of the Sin of the Jews in rejecting him.

Secondly, He convinced the World of Righteousness, Because, says our Saviour, I go to my Father, and ye fee me no more, v. 10. And here the Point is, what Righteousness that was that the Advocate fhould convince the World of: Certainly it muft either be Chrift's Righteousness, or God's Righteouf

nefs.

nefs. The Senfe is good either way; and the Reason here annexed is as applicable to the one Senfe, as to the other.

[1.] The Holy Ghoft coming down was a Demonstration of Chrift's Righteousness, viz. that he was in his own Perfon very Innocent, no ways a Criminal as the Jews had accounted him, and accordingly, in purfuance thereof, had condemned him.

For

had he been a wicked, flagitious Perfon God could never have owned him for his Son, and exalted him to that high Power and Dignity in Heaven and in Earth, that it was apparent and evident he was exalted to, by his having Power to fend down the Holy Ghoft, and by him to atchieve fuch wonderful Things as proclaimed Jefus Chrift to all the World to be the very Son of God, and that he was gone to his Father.

[2. Again, the Holy Spirit's coming down was likewife a Means to convince the World of Righteousness with refpect to God; that is to to fay, to take off the Objection that might have been made against the Equity of God's dealing with Jefus Chrift, to fuffer him, who was fo innocent a Perfon, to fall into fuch hard Circumftances, and undergo fuch unheard-of Sufferings and Perfecutions. For by his appearing with such mighty Signs and Wonders for the Maintenance and Juftification of the Caufe of Chrift, he fhewed clearly to all the World that God had made a fufficient Compenfation to our

Lord

Lord Jefus for all that he underwent, having exalted him to his own Right-hand, and for the fuffering of Death made him Acts 2. both Lord and Chrift, and given him a Name above every Name, fo that every Knee should bow, and every Tongue confefs to him, both Phil. 2. 9 of Things in Heaven and Things in Earth, as the Apostle fpeaks.

36.

10, 11.

V. 11.

But [3dly] There is another Point mentioned with reference to which the Holy Ghost should convince the World, and that is in Point of Judgment. The Advocate when he cometh fhall convince the World of Judgment, because the Prince of this World is judged. By Judgment, here is plainly meant God's punitive Juftice. The Devil, or Prince of the World, had by his Inftruments, as he thought, effectually brought Destruction upon Jefus Chrift, and put an End to his Pretences of being the Meffiah that was to rule the World. It therefore concerned the Juftice of God's Providence to retaliate upon the Devil this Mischief which he had wrought; and by fending down the Holy Ghoft, the Advocate, he effectually did it; for by this Means the Devil was brought to fuffer that Judgment and Condemnation which he meant to have brought upon our Saviour. He meant to destroy Heb. 2. Jefus Chrift: But now he that had the 14. Power of Death, the Devil himself, was de

stroyed. And this our Lord himself foretold, when he first fent out his Difciples by

the

18.

the Power of the Spirit to preach the Gospel; Ibeheld Satan, fays he, as Lightning fall from Luk. 10. Heaven. And indeed he fell unexpectedly from all that Power and Authority which he had fo long exercised among the Nations. For no fooner did the Holy Ghost come upon the Disciples, but they converted Mankind, where-ever they came, from the Slavery of the Devil, to the Liberty of the Sons of God. The Effects of which, with reference to our Purpofe, were two :

[1.] All the Oracles which had been fo frequent, and made fo great a Noise in all Parts of the World, were ftruck dumb: And this we have not only from the Authority of the primitive Christian Fathers, who made use of this as a great Argument (and indeed it was fo) for the Truth of Christianity; but alfo from the Acknowledgment of the Pagans themselves. Porphyry confeffes that after the Time that the Religion of Jefus was preached in the World, they had no Benefit by their Oracles, or by their Sacrifices, but they feemed to be forfaken by their Gods. And Plutarch hath left us a Book upon Record of the ceafing of the Oracles in all Places; of which he can give no Account; but we Christians can.

The

[2.] The other Effect was the throwing out Idolatry in all Places, where-ever the Chriftian Religion was entertained. Devil, in all Pagan Countries before our Saviour's Time, had his Temples, Sacri

fices, Myfteries, and all the Inftances of Divine Worship paid unto him. And indeed he might, in a proper Senfe enough, 2 Cor.4.4 at that Time be ftiled the God of this World, for all Mankind, but the Jews, did pay him Homage. But upon the coming of the Advocate after our Saviour's Afcenfion, and the mighty Evidence that he gave of the Truth of the Chriftian Religion for near three hundred Years together, all those Idolatries wore off; and the World was no longer fubject to the Prince of Darkness, but became Worshippers of the only true God, and of Jefus Christ whom he had fent. The Heathenish Temples were demolished, their Sacrifices turned out of Doors, their Idols broken down, and where-ever Chriftianity prevailed there were no other Gods but one: And it did prevail over all the Roman Empire, which was then the moft confiderable Part of the known World. And God be thanked, it doth prevail at this Day, and ever will do fo thro' the Power of the Bleffed Spirit, its Patron and Defender, who manages the Affairs of it, and of every particular Chriftian fo, that at length all the true Members of the Church may attain to that eternal Inheritance that Chrift purchafed for them.

Having fhewed then the different Nature and Effects of the Advocateship of Jefus Chrift in Heaven, and that of the Bleffed Spirit upon Earth; I now proceed to my

3

third

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