V.13.

beyond all Contradiction, that this must be fpoken to the Apostles only, who heard what he had faid, and could not poffibly relate to any that came after them.

Thirdly, The Holy Ghoft did not only bring all Things to their Remembrance, but furnished them with a Power of judging unerringly as to Matters of Faith. So that they should not only remember the Doctrine of our Saviour, but rightly understand it; and be able, without any Miftake, to propofe it to others. (And certainly this was a Privilege which no particular Man, and no particular Church, fince the Apostle's Time, could with any Reafon pretend to.) Every Chriftian Truth that was neceffary or expedient to be known in the Church, the Apoftles were made acquainted with, and could certainly and infallibly distinguish it from what was Error: This is another Effect which is attributed to the Advocate when he should come; thus in the forementioned Verfe, when the Advocate shall come, he shall teach you all Things: And again, in the 16th Chapter of this Gospel, when the Spirit of Truth is come, he shall guide you into all Truth.

Now by virtue of thofe three before-. named Powers which were conferred by the Advocate upon the Apoftles, they were not only furnished compleatly for the Preaching of the Gospel, but alfo for the putting it into Writing, (that it might be faithfully

and

and entirely tranfmitted to all fucceeding Times,) or, at leaft, taking Care that others fhould do it for them. And accordingly to these Effects of the Holy Spirit's Advocateship, to this extraordinary Affiftance that went along with the Apoftles, we owe all the Books of the New Teftament. Which now are, and muft for ever be, the Rule and Standard of our Faith.

Fourthly and Laftly, The Holy Ghost appeared as an Advocate for the Chriftian Cause, in furnishing the Apostles, and other firft Converts to Christianity, with fuch extraordinary miraculous Powers, as could not fail to procure Credit to their Doctrine and Preaching; and speedily to bring off the World from Judaism and Heathenism to the Belief of Jefus Chrift, notwithstanding all the Oppofition that was made thereto by the Powers of the World, and Kingdom of Darkness. We all know what a Divine Power our Saviour was acted with, and what aftonishing Works he wrought among the Jews for the proving himself to be fent from God; yet, fays he, Verily, verily, IJohn 14. Jay unto you, He that believeth on me the Works that I do, he shall do alfo; and greater Works than thefe fhall be do, because I go to my Father. And this Promife of his he made good to a Tittle after his Afcenfion into Heaven, not only to the Apostles, but to all those Believers on whom they laid their Hands, as we have abundant Evidence E 2

from

12.

8.

from feveral Places in the New Teftament. And here indeed, in thefe extraordinary Manifeftations of himself for the Propagation of the Chriftian Doctrine, did the Holy Spirit moft vifibly and illuftrioufly fhew himfelf a Patron of the Caufe of Chrift.

To reckon up the feveral Powers of this Nature that were beftowed upon the first Chriftians, will be a hard Task at this Dif. tance of Time. Nine of them St. Paul has joined together in one Text: To one, fays I Cor. 12. he, is given the Word of Wisdom by the Spirit; to another the Word of Knowledge by V.9. the fame Spirit; to another Faith by the fame Spirit; (that is, fuch Faith as our Saviour fpeaks of, when he fays, If ye have Faith as a Grain of Mustard-feed, ye shall fay unto this Mountain, Remove hence to yonder Place, and it shall remove; and nothing shall be imv.9. poffible to you, Mat. 17. 20.) To another the Gifts of Healing by the fame Spirit ; to another the Working of Miracles, to another Prophecy, or foretelling Things to come; to another difcerning of Spirits, or knowing People's Hearts; tn another divers Kinds of Tongues; to another the Interpretation of Tongues. All thefe, faith he, worketh that one and the felf fame Spirit, dividing to every Man feverally as he will. Thefe were the P.68.18. Gifts which our Lord Jefus, when he afcended up on high, received for Men. These were the Gifts that his Vicegerent, and our Advocate upon Earth, bestowed upon the

10.

II.

Apo

Apoftles, and they to others, both Clergy and Laity, both Men and Women, fo long as there was Occafion for them.

What now was the Refult; what was the Success of these ftrange Things? Why, it is notorious to all the World; a Religion that had nothing of any external Charms in it ; a Religion, whofe principal Article was to believe in a crucified Saviour; and the principal Reward of owning it was, in this World, only a Crown of Martyrdom; a Religion that was preached only by poor and contemptible Perfons, Men of no Learning, no Education; a Religion that was oppofed with the greatest Malice and Violence imaginable, and against which the whole Power of the Empire did fet its felf, endea vouring by all manner of Arts, all manner of Cruelties, to extirpate it out of the World; yet this Religion, through the uncontroulable Power of the Spirit, broke thro' all Oppofition, bore down all before it, fpread like Lightning thro' all Places, and gained Entertainment where-ever it came, till, at laft, it became the Religion of the Empire, and Kings and Princes were Nurfing Fathers to it..

Thus powerful an Advocate did the Holy Ghoft fhew himself for the Chriftian Caufe; and thus effectually did he make good what our Saviour had foretold of him, that he fhould convince the World of Sin, of Righteousness, and of Judgment.

E 3

2. But

2. But all this while we do not deny, nay we earnestly contend, that the Holy Ghoft is ftill with us, as well as he was with the Apostles. He ftill is the Church's Advocate, now that Chriftianity is planted, and there is no need of thofe extraordinary Affiftances we before fpoke of: Present ftill he is with his Church, and ever will be, to all Purposes that are needful, either for the Glory of God, or the Prefervation of the Church, or the Salvation of any Man's Soul.

Now, tho' I dare not be nice and particular in giving an Account of this Matter, yet thefe four Things I dare fay we may always expect and promise to our felves from him, even to the End of the World. shall be very brief in speaking to them.

I

First of all, We may be fure that as by his Power and Influence the Church of Chrift was firft effectually planted in the World; fo he will always take care that the Church built upon the Foundation of Chrift and his Apoftles, fhall in all Times and Ages be continued and preferved: And in order to that, that there shall be always a Succeffion of Paftors and Minifters in the Church, who shall always teach all neceffary fundamental Truths, and be furnished with fufficient Powers and Abilities for the Discharge of their Function, viz. for the begetting Souls to Jefus Chrift; and by the Administration of the Word and Sacraments, putting them