made our Nature fo indigent as the general Practice fuppofes: Let us diftinguish between our real and pretended Neceffities; and regulate our Defires accordingly : That is, in the Apostle's Language, baving Food and Raiment, let us be therewith content. Now to God the Father, €5c.

SERMON XI

S. JOHN xiv. 16.

And I will pray the Father, and be Shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.

T

HE Difciples of our Bleffed Saviour being acquainted that their Mafter was about to retire from this World, and withdraw the Pleasure and Protection of his Company; they had Reason to believe, that fevere Ufage our Saviour foretold, was shortly to be expected: That they were to be hated by all Men for his Name fake; to

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be caft out of the Synagogues, and that those who killed them Jhould think they did God good fervice. Thus, when this Sun of Righteousness was fet, they Mal. iv, might eafily foresee the Sky would be overcaft, and the Weather grow tempeftuous. That in Cafe they proclaim'd their Mafter's Character, their Enemies would exert their Malice, and mark them for Perfecution. Thus, had they been left to themselves, their Aim would have ftopp'd at Security, neither would they have projected any farther than Shelter and Retirement. Now, to fupport their Spirits under this gloomy Profpect, and encourage them both to Publishing and Practice, our Saviour affures them, that the Dangers and Difficulties they were to encounter, fhould not be over-proportioned to their Strength; but as the one was extraordinary, the other fhould be much more fo. For, notwithstanding his visible Prefence should be taken from them, they fhould not be destitute of a Divine Power: A Power which fhould atteft the Truth of their Doctrine by Signs and Wonders, and every way fit them for the Difcharge of their Office. A Power that fhould plead their Caufe before Princes and Governors, help them to recollect their

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Duty,

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Duty, and encourage to Perfeverance. Thefe Affiftances are partly implied in the Word Paraclete or Comforter, and all of them promis'd in the fending the Holy Mat. xx. Ghoft: The Holy Ghoft, who was to vindicate their Innocence, and maintain their Commiffion; to raise their Courage, and make them proof against Danger, and put them into the Poffeffion of fuch lafting Pleasures, which fhould be above the Power of their Enemies to deprive John them of. Your Joy, fays our Saviour, no Man taketh from you.

XVI. 22.

xvii. 20

And here we are not to fuppofe these Gifts of the Holy Ghoft, confin'd to the Apoftles, but were to defcend likewise upon their Succeffors, and upon all other fincere Profeffors of the Chriftian ReliJohn gion. For, our Saviour affures usd, that he did not pray only for his Difciples, but for all those who should believe in his Name through their Word. For, notwithstanding the particular Exigence of Times, and the Office of Perfons, may require different Proportions of this heavenly Affiftance, yet 'tis in fome measure neceffary to enable us to perform our Duty. This I fhall endeavour to prove both from the Doctrine of the Scriptures, and likewife from the Confideration of

Our

our own Nature, and the Circumstances we are plac'd in.

I. That the extraordinary Affistance of the Holy Ghoft was neceffary for the planting Chriflianity at first.

II. That a fupernatural Affistance, tho' not in fo illuftrious a Manner, is still neceffary to enable us to perform the Conditions of the Gospel.

I. The extraordinary Affiftance of the Holy Ghoft was neceffary for the planting Christianity at first.

In all human Probability, the Chriftian Religion had never been fpread without the Luftre and Force of Miracles; which will appear from thefe following Confiderations.

1. We know our Saviour promis'd the fending the Holy Ghoft; fo that if this Comforter had not been fent, our Saviour's Prediction had been unfulfill'd ; for then he would have fail'd in what he had fo folemnly promis'd. Now this, in all likelyhood, might have fo fhaken the Faith of his Difciples, that they would not have thought themselves oblig'd to defend his Doctrine against fo great Oppofition as they were menac'd with. But admitting the Apoftles had continu'd stedfaft in the Belief of our Saviour's being

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the