pire and Dominion over Mankind, was loth to be thrown out of his Poffeffion; which he was fure to be, as foon as Jefus fhould be believed on in the World. And therefore by procuring that he fhould be thus punished as a Malefactor, thought by this Means to quafh for ever all his Pretences of being a Prophet, and fo to fecure and eftablifh his own Kingdom. This was the Caufe of Chrift which the Holy Ghost came to vindicate.

Now the Queftion comes, What the Holy Ghoft was to do in the Vindication of it? In what Inftances he was to fhew himfelf an Advocate for this Caufe which he had efpoused? In Answer to this Question, if we confider our Saviour's Cafe, we cannot even, according to the Principles of common Reason, and the Use and Practice of Mankind in thefe Matters, defire more to be done by him than these three Things:

Ift, To juftify the Truth of our Saviour's Miffion; to convince the World that Jesus. Christ was that great Prophet which God had promised to fend for the Salvation of Mankind, and that it was a great Sin in thofe to whom he was fent, that they did not believe in him.

2dly, To vindicate the perfonal Innocence and Righteousness of Jefus Chrift, to fhew that he was really a virtuous, holy Perfon, however he was thought of in the World; and at the fame Time to make out the

Equity and Righteoufnefs of God in fuffering him to be fo evil treated.

3dly, To make out the Juftice or the Judgment of God upon thofe that were the Authors of those Injuries that Chrift fuffer'd in the World: To fhew that he was fo far from countenancing or abetting the wicked Confpiracy against Jefus, that he gave a manifeft Evidence of his Juftice by retaliating upon the principal Agent and Contriver of it, what he thought to have done to Jefus: That is, deftroying and cafting him out of all that Power and Dominion which he had hitherto poffeffed in the World.

These three Things, I fay, in common Reason, and according to the Course of Proceedings among Men in like Cafes, were the principal Points which it concerned the Holy Ghoft, as an Advocate, to vindicate the Caufe of Chrift in. And these are the very Things which our Saviour faid he fhould do, when he came into the World; and accordingly. when he came he did them effectually.

First of all, he convinced the World of Sin, because they believed not in Jefus Chrift, viz. He gave a Proof beyond all Exception and Contradiction that Jefus Chrift was the great Prophet sent from God; and that the Jews who did not receive him were guilty of a very great Sin; and ftill a greater in that they crucified him. For let this only

be

v. 9.

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 Ghost being thus vifibly fent down upon the Difciples of Chrift, after fo long an Absence, 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 fhould 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, fays our Saviour, I go to my Father, and ye fee me no more, v. 10. And here the Point is, what Righteousnefs that was that the Advocate fhould convince the World of: Certainly it muft either be Chrift's Righteoufnefs, 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.

For

1.] The Holy Ghoft coming down was a Demonftration 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. 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 respect 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 Circumstances, and undergo fuch unheard-of Sufferings and Perfecutions. For by his appearing with fuch 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

36.

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 speaks.

10, 11.

V. II.

Heb. 2.

14.

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 Fudgment, 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 Deftruction upon Jefus Chrift, and put an End to his Pretences of being the Messiah 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 Jefus Chrift: But now he that had the Power of Death, the Devil himself, was deftroyed. And this our Lord himfelf foretold, when he first fent out his Difciples by

the