is; but also, that they have even laid their hands upon the creatures of God, and kept them from them for whose sakes alone they are preserved from destruction. When the God of glory shall come home to any of them, either in their consciences here, or in the judgment that is for to come, and speak with the terror of a revengeful judge, "I have suffered you to enjoy corn, wine, and oil,—a great portion of my creatures; you have rolled yourselves in wealth and prosperity, when the right heirs of these things lived poor, and low, and mean, at the next doors;-give in now an answer what and how you have used these things. What have you laid out for the service and advancement of the gospel? What have you given unto them for whom nothing was provided? what contribution have you made for the poor saints? Have you had a ready hand, and willing mind, to lay down all for my sake?"—when they shall be compelled to answer, as the truth is, Lord, we had, indeed, a large portion in the world; but we took it to be our own, and thought we might have done what we would with our own. We have ate the fat, and drank the sweet, and left the rest of our substance for our babes: we have spent somewhat upon our lusts, somewhat upon our friends; but the truth is, we cannot say that we made friends of this unrighteous mammon,—that we used it to the advancement of the gospel, or for ministering unto thy poor saints: and now, behold, we must die," etc. :—so also, when the Lord shall proceed farther, and question not only the use of these things, but also their title to them, and tell them, "The earth is mine, and the fulness thereof. I did, indeed, make an original grant of these things to man; but that is lost by sin: I have restored it only for my saints. Why have you laid, then, your fingers of prey upon that which was not yours? why have you compelled my creatures to serve you and your lusts, which I had set loose from under your dominion? Give me my flax, my wine, and wool; I will set you naked as in the day of your birth, and revenge upon you your rapine, and unjust possession of that which was not yours:"-I say, at such a time, what will men do?

(3.)1 Boldness with God by Christ is another privilege of our adoption. But hereof I have spoken at large before, in treating of the excellency of Christ in respect of our approach to God by him; so that I shall not re-assume the consideration of it.

(4.) Affliction, also, as proceeding from love, as leading to spiritual advantages, as conforming unto Christ, as sweetened with his presence, is the privilege of children, Heb. xii. 3-6; but on these particulars I must not insist.

This, I say, is the head and source of all the privileges which Christ hath purchased for us, wherein also we have fellowship with

'See division, p. 211.

1.

him: fellowship in name; we are (as he is) sons of God: fellowship in title and right; we are heirs, co-heirs with Christ: fellowship in likeness and conformity; we are predestinated to be like the firstborn of the family: fellowship in honour; he is not ashamed to call us brethren: fellowship in sufferings; he learned obedience by what he suffered, and every son is to be scourged that is received: fellowship in his kingdom; we shall reign with him. Of all which I must speak peculiarly in another place, and so shall not here draw out the discourse concerning them any farther.

PART III.

CHAPTER I.

OF COMMUNION WITH THE HOLY GHOST.

The foundation of our communion with the Holy Ghost (John xvi. 1–7) opened at large-Hagázλntos, a Comforter; who he is-The Holy Ghost; his own will in his coming to us; sent also by Christ-The Spirit sent as a sanctifier and as a comforter-The adjuncts of his mission considered-The foundation of his mission, John xv. 26-His procession from the Father twofold; as to personality, or to office-Things considerable in his procession as to office -The manner of his collation-He is given freely; sent authoritatively— The sin against the Holy Ghost, whence. unpardonable-How we ask the Spirit of the Father-To grieve the Spirit, what-Poured out-How the Holy Ghost is received; by faith-Faith's actings in receiving the Holy Ghost-His abode with us, how declared-How we may lose our comfort whilst the Comforter abides with us.

THE foundation of all our communion with the Holy Ghost consisting in his mission, or sending to be our comforter, by Jesus Christ, the whole matter of that economy or dispensation is firstly to be proposed and considered, that so we may have a right understanding of the truth inquired after. Now, the main promise hereof, and the chief considerations of it, with the good received and evil prevented thereby, being given and declared in the beginning of the 16th chapter of John, I shall take a view of the state of it as there proposed.

Our blessed Saviour being to leave the world, having acquainted his disciples, among other things, what entertainment in general they were like to find in it and meet withal, gives the reason why he now gave them the doleful tidings of it, considering how sad and dispirited they were upon the mention of his departure from them. Verse 1, "These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be of

fended.""I have," saith he, "given you an acquaintance with these things (that is, the things which will come upon you, which you are to suffer) beforehand, lest you who, poor souls! have entertained expectations of another state of affairs, should be surprised, so as to be offended at me and my doctrine, and fall away from me. You are now forewarned, and know what you have to look for. Yea," saith he, verse 2, "having acquainted you in general that you shall be persecuted, I tell you plainly that there shall be a combination of all men against you, and all sorts of men will put forth their power for your ruin."-"They shall cast you out of the synagogues; yea, the time cometh that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service."-"The ecclesiastical power shall excommunicate you,-they shall put you out of their synagogues: and that you may not expect relief from the power of the magistrate against their perversity, they will kill you: and that you may know that they will do it to the purpose, without check or control, they will think that in killing you they do God good service; which will cause them to act rigorously, and to the utmost."

"But this is a shaking trial," might they reply: "is our condition such, that men, in killing us, will think to approve their consciences to God?" "Yea, they will," saith our Saviour; "but yet, that you be not mistaken, nor trouble your consciences about their confidences, know that their blind and desperate ignorance is the cause of their fury and persuasion," verse 3, "These things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.'

This, then, was to be the state with the disciples. But why did our Saviour tell it them at this season, to add fear and perplexities to their grief and sorrow? what advantage should they obtain thereby? Saith their blessed Master, verse 4, "There are weighty reasons why I should tell you these things; chiefly, that as you may be provided for them, so, when they do befall you, you may be supported with the consideration of my Deity and omniscience, who told you all these things before they came to pass," verse 4, "But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them." "But if they be so necessary, whence is it that thou hast not acquainted us with it all this while? why not in the beginning, at our first calling?" "Even," saith our Saviour, "because there was no need of any such thing; for whilst I was with you, you had protection and direction at hand."-"And these things I said not at the beginning, because I was present with you:' but now the state of things is altered; I must leave you," verse 4. "And for your parts, so are you astonished with sorrow, that you do not ask me 'whither I go;' the consideration whereof would certainly relieve you, seeing I go to take possession of my glory, and to carry on the work of

your salvation: but your hearts are filled with sorrow and fears, and you do not so much as inquire after relief," verses 5, 6. Whereupon he adjoins that wonderful assertion, verse 7, "Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you."

This verse, then, being the peculiar foundation of what shall afterward be declared, must particularly be considered, as to the words of it and their interpretation; and that both with respect to the preface of them and the asseveration in them, with the reason annexed thereunto.

1. The preface to them:

(1.) The first word, άλλά, is an adversative, not excepting to any thing of what himself had spoken before, but to their apprehension: "I know you have sad thoughts of these things; but yet, nevertheless."

(2.) 'Eyà rv áλdelav Kéуw iμñ—"I tell you the truth." The words are exceedingly emphatical, and denote some great thing to be ushered in by them. First, 'Eyú,-"I tell it you, this that shall now be spoken; I who love you, who take care of you, who am now about to lay down my life for you; they are my dying words, that you may believe me; I who am truth itself, I tell you." And,—

'Eyà sàv åλýberav λéyw," I tell you the truth." "You have in your τὴν ἀλήθειαν λέγω, sad, misgiving hearts many misapprehensions of things. You think if I would abide with you, all these evils might be prevented; but, alas! you know not what is good for you, nor what is expedient. 'I tell you the truth;' this is truth itself, and quiet your hearts in it." There is need of a great deal of evidence of truth, to comfort their souls that are dejected and disconsolate under an apprehension of the absence of Christ from them, be the apprehension true or false.

And this is the first part of the words of our Saviour, the preface to what he was to deliver to them, by way of a weighty, convincing asseveration, to disentangle thereby the thoughts of his disciples from prejudice, and to prepare them for the receiving of that great truth which he was to deliver.

2. The assertion itself follows: Συμφέρει ὑμῖν, ἵνα ἐγὼ ἀπέλθω,-“ It is expedient for you that I go away."

There are two things in the words:-Christ's departure; and the usefulness of it to his disciples:

For his departure, it is known what is intended by it; the withdrawing his bodily presence from the earth after his resurrection, the "heaven being to receive him, until the times of the restitution of all things," Acts iii. 21; for in respect of his Deity, and the exercise of love and care towards them, he promised to be with them to

the end of the world, Matt. xxviii. 20. Of this saith he, Zuupper ÙμÑv, Συμφέρει ὑμῖν, "It conduceth to your good; it is profitable for you; it is for your advantage; it will answer the end that you aim at." That is the sense of the word which we have translated "expedient;"-" It is for your profit and advantage." This, then, is that which our Saviour asserts, and that with the earnestness before mentioned, desiring to convince his sorrowful followers of the truth of it,—namely, that his departure, which they so much feared and were troubled to think of, would turn to their profit and advantage.

3. Now, although it might be expected that they should acquiesce in this asseveration of truth itself, yet because they were generally concerned in the ground of the truth of it, he acquaints them with that also; and, that we may confess it to be a great matter, that gives certainty and evidence to that proposition, he expresses it negatively and positively: " If I go not away, he will not come; but if I depart, I will send him." Concerning the going away of Christ I have spoken before; of the Comforter, his coming and sending, I shall now treat, as being the thing aimed at.

'O Tapáxλnros: the word being of sundry significations, many translations have thought fit not to restrain it, but do retain the original word "paracletus;" so the Syriac also: and, as some think, it was a word before in use among the Jews (whence the Chaldee paraphrast makes use of it, Job xvi. 201); and amongst them it signifies one that so taught others as to delight them also in his teaching, that is, to be their comforter. In Scripture it hath two eminent significations,— advocate" and a comforter;" in the first sense our Saviour is called Tapáxλnros, 1 John ii. 1. Whether it be better rendered here an advocate or a comforter may be doubted.

an

Look into the foregoing occasion of the words, which is the disciples' sorrow and trouble, and it seems to require the Comforter: "Sorrow hath filled your hearts; but I will send you the Comforter;"look into the next words following, which contain his peculiar work for which he is now promised to be sent, and they require he should be an Advocate, to plead the cause of Christ against the world, verse 8. I shall choose rather to interpret the promise by the occasion of it, which was the sorrow of his disciples, and to retain the name of the Comforter.

Who this Comforter is, our blessed Saviour had before declared, chap. xv. 26. He is Пveμα тñç åλesías," the Spirit of truth;" that is, the Holy Ghost, who revealeth all truth to the sons of men. Now,

1, rendered in our translation," My friends scorn me," is in the Targum, to which Owen alludes, ", "My advocates are my friends.” The word is the Greek wagázλnto in Hebrew characters.—ED.

VOL. II.

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