Imágenes de página
PDF
ePub

1

forming our Petitions, and infpiring us with thofe holy Af fections, that render them acceptable unto God. This St. Paul tells us, Rom. 8. 26. The Spirit also helpeth our Infir mities, for we know not what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit it felf maketh interceffion for us, with Groanings that cannot be utter'd. Again,

The Holy Spirit is our Advocate to plead our Caufe before Men, fo our Saviour told his Difclples, Mat. 10. 19, 20. When ye are brought before Governours and Kings for my fake, take no thought how or what ye fhall Speak, for it shall be given you in that fame hour what ye shall speak, for it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father that fpeaketh in you. Furthermore,

This Holy Spirit is an Advocate or Actor of Chrift's Cause against the World; fo he here told them, when he is come, he shall testify of me and John 16.8,9, 10. He fall reprove the World of Sin, of Righteoufnefs, and of Judgment: the three forts of Caufes ufually try'd in the Jewish Courts; for which fee the Gofpel for the fourth Sunday after Eafter.

3dly, The word Paraclete fignifies a Teacher or Remembrancer; for ev, from whence 'tis deriv'd, is to exhort, admonish, and call to mind. This Office the Holy Spirit executed for the Apoftles, by leading them into all Truth, by teaching and bringing all things to remembrance, which Chrift had faid unto them; as we read, John 14. 26. & Chap. 16. 13. And this Office he ftill does for us, by inftructing us out of the Holy Scriptures, the Dictates of the fame Spirit, and by bringing to mind all neceffary Truths for our Benefit and Confolation, as Occafions fhall require.

Thus we see who and what this Paraclete is, and how he executes the Offices of a Comforter, an Advocate, and Inftructor in the Church of Chrift; all which are imply'd in that Word, and ought to be understood in that Latitude, as to comprehend them all. For to them that are opprefs'd with Grief and Sorrow, 'tis a Comforter to chear and revive them: to them that are in Error, 'tis a Spirit of Truth, to guide and direct them in the right way to them that are affaulted with Temptations to Sin, 'tis a Spirit of Holinefs, to fupport and fanctify them. In a word, 'tis a Spirit of Grace and Supplication, to help all our Infirmi ties, and to carry us through all the Doubts and Difficulties that we meet with in this prefent Life.

Now

3

[ocr errors]

Now this Comforter was here promis'd to come; When the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father which words fuppofe his Coming, and that fuddenly too, and fo it foon after came to pafs, as we shall have occafion to fhew in our next. In the mean time we may obferve, that Chrift here promis'd to fend this Spirit of Truth from the Father: and in the next words it is faid to proceed from the Father. From which the Creeds and Confeffions of the Chriftian Church have taught us to believe, that he proceedeth from both.

Having told them these things, he proceeds, in the next place, to let them know the End of this Comforter's Coming: which, among other things, was to bear testimony of him; He shall teftify of me. And this he did feveral ways:

as,

(1.) By his inward Inspirations, whereby he enlighten'd Mens Minds, and gave them a right Understanding of Chrift, as the promis'd Meffias and Saviour of the World; which, without the Light of God's Holy Spirit, had never been fo clearly known: for no Man, Speaking by the Spirit of God, calleth Jefus accurfed, and no Man can fay, that Jefus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghoft. 1 Cor. 12. 3.

(2.) The Spirit bears witnefs of Chrift, by inditing the Holy Scriptures, which reveal him to the World, and convey the Knowledg of him to all Nations. Hence we find our Saviour fending the Jews to the Holy Scriptures for a Teftimony of him, faying, Search the Scriptures, for they are they that teftify of me; John 5.39.

(3.) The Spirit bore witness of Chrift, by the many Miracles and mighty Works wrought by him, for the Confirmation of Chrift's Doctrine. So the Author to the He brews tells us, that the Word which firft began to be Spoken by the Lord, was after confirm'd by them that heard him; God alfo bearing witnefs by Signs and Wonders, and divers Miracles, and Gifts of the Holy Ghoft, according to his Will, Heb. 2. 3,4. And St. Peter in his Sermon to the Jews declar'd, that Jefus of Nazareth was a Man approv'd of God among them by Miracles, Wonders, and Signs, which God did in the midst of them, as they themselves alfo knew; Acts 2. 22. Which Miracles being done by the Divine Spirit for the honour of Chrift, was the Teftimony he is here faid to bear of him.

To

To which may be added, the Holy Ghoft's conftituting and confecrating an Order of Men to publish Chrift's Doctrine and Miracles to all the World, as a farther Inftance of the witness he gave to him: which occafion'd thofe next words of Chrift to his Apoftles; And ye alfo fhall bear witnefs, because ye have been with me from the beginning: that is, you that have been Eye and Ear-witneffes of all that I have faid or done, having been with me at the first, and continu'd with me ever fince, are fittest to bear witness of me; and this must be the Employment of all that fucceed in your Office to the World's end. So we read, 1 John 1.

1, 2, 3.

These things (faith our Saviour) have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended: that is, I have told you of mine and your Sufferings, and likewife promis'd you fufficient Comforts and Supports under them, merely to pre vent Surprize, and to keep you from being offended at the Extremity of any Affliction that may happen unto you. By being offended here is meant not barely a being difpleas'd, or conceiving of fome Dislike, but fuch a Displeasure and Dislike as carry Men on to the falling from, and utter forfaking of Chrift, to the denying of him, and cafting off all Profeffion of Faith and Hope in him: And this hath been often occafion'd by the Difficulties and Hazards that attend his Service. The Scandal of the Crofs prov'd a great Offence to Peter and the reft of the Apostles, for it made the one to deny him, and the other to forfake him: Chrift crucify'd was a Stumbling-block to the Jews, and to the Greeks Foolishness; I Cor. 1.23. And many have made the Sufferings of Chrift an Occafion of relinquishing him. The Prophet Ifaiah foretold, that he should be a Stone of Stumbling, and a Rock of Offence to the House of Ifrael, a Gin and a Snare to the Inhabitants of Jerufalem; and many should ftumble and fall, and be broken in pieces: Ifa. 8.14,15. And good old Simeon declar'd at our Saviour's Birth, that this Child was fet for the fall, as well as the rifing again of many in Is. rael, and for a Sign that shall be spoken against; Luke 2. 34. Accordingly we read in the Gofpel, that many were offended in him; that is, many took occafion to fpurn and fall at him, and even to dafh against the Rock of their Salvation : and all this by reafon of the Sufferings that befel our Saviour, and that after happen'd to thofe that adher'd to him; for many stick to him in the Sunshine of Profperity, who in the time of Temptation and Trouble fall away. So

Chrift himself declares, that when Tribulation or Perfecution arifeth by reafon of the Word, by and by they are offended; Mat. 13. 21. Now to prevent this Evil, and to fortify his Followers againft all future Trials, he here tells them before-hand what was like to befal him and them, and withal adds thofe Arguments of Confolation that may well enough arm and fortify them against them.

[ocr errors]

But our Saviour does not here reft in Generals, but proceeds to fome particular Inftances of the evil and barbarous Treatment they were like to meet with from the World: As,

[ocr errors]

Ac

(1.) They shall put you out of the Synagogues; that is, they fhall caft you out of all their Affemblies, both Sacred and Civil, and not admit you either into their religious or common Converfation, and thereby fet fuch a Mark of Reproach upon you, that you shall not be familiarly convers'd with by any. This fame Evangelift tells us, that the Fews bad agreed already, that whofoever should confefs Jefus to be the Chrift, he fhould be put out of the Synagogue, John 9. 22. cordingly the blind Man, to whom he reftor'd his Sight, confeffing of him, was caft out, as we read ver. 35, 36. & Chap. 12.42. We are told of others that believed on him, but because of the Pharifees were afraid to confefs him, left they should be put out of the Synagogue. Now this cafting out of the Synagogue was done with all manner of contumelious Ufage, the Officers of the Court taking the condemn'd Perfon, and thrufting him with Shame and Difgrace out of the Affembly; and if he had any Place of Rule or Government, he was to be depriv'd of his Office or Dignity, which made the Rulers afraid to confefs him, John 12. 42. To this reproachful Ufage our Saviour alludes, when he faid, Bleffed are ye when Men shall hate you, and feparate you from their Company, and fhall reproach you, and caft out your Name as evil, for the Son of Man's fake, Luke 6. 22. Upon this account it was, that St. Paul, fpeaking of the Chriftians in his time, faid, We are made as the Filth of the World, and the Off-fcouring of all things to this day; 1 Cor. 4. 13.

But this putting out of the Synagogue fignify'd not only the excluding Men from civil Commerce and Converfation, but likewife from the facred and religious Affemblies; and fo 'twas the fame with Excommunication among the Jews. Hence St. Chryfoftom expounds this putting out of the Synagogue by cafting out of the Temple, and others by driving out of the House of God, as Perfons unworthy of the facted or

civil Society of God's People. But befide this contumelious and reproachful Usage of their Names, our Saviour forewarns them,

(2.) Of greater Hardships and Violences that fhould be offer'd to their Perfons; for the time cometh (faith he) that whoever killeth you, will think that he doth God fervice: that is, fome Perfons would arife, who would be fo far from fparing or faving your Lives, that they would think the flaying of you not only lawful, but an acceptable Sacrifice unto God. So it happen'd to many of theni in Jerufalem, which made our Saviour upbraid and lament over that unhappy City, for killing the Prophets, and toning of them that were fent unto it; Mat. 23. 37. And in this fome think our Saviour refer'd to the Sect of the Zealots among the Jews, who from Elias's calling for Fire from Heaven to confume the Enemy, and Phineas's Act of fudden Juftice upon Zimri and Cosbi, both done by a Divine Impulfe, took occafion to commit many Outrages, Cruelties and Murders without any due Courfe or Form of Law; their fiery and intemperate Zeal leading them on to a great Rigor and Extravagance of Action, under a Miftake or Mask of Religion: which fhews the Sinfulness and Danger of a furious and mistaken Zeal, and what bloody and violent Attempts it runs Men upon. Of fuch kind of Zealots we have had fad Experience in our Days, who have committed Treafon, Sacrilege and Rebellion, under Pretences of Reformation; and both Church and State groan under the direful Effects of fuch a mad and miftaken Zeal to this day."

Others again fuppofe thefe Words of our Saviour to relate to the many heavy Perfecutions that foon after befel the Christians under their Heathen Governours, who fought to root out Christianity, by putting to death all that were call'd by, or call'd upon the Name of Chrift: Pilate mingled the Blood of fome with their Sacrifices, and we read of others flain at the Altar, taking it for a grateful Offering unto the Lord. St. Paul himself, before his Conversion, breath'd out Threatnings and Slaughter against the Difciples of the Lord; and being exceedingly mad against them, perfecuted them from City to City: Acts 9. 1. & Chap. 26. 11. In all which he thought he did God good Service: he did it, as himfelf tells us, in all good Confcience, for he verily thought with himself, that he ought to do many things contrary to the Name of Jefus of Nazareth; Acts 23. 1. & Chap. 26. 9. which fhews what great care is to be taken to inform our Vol. IV. Part 2.

D

Con

« AnteriorContinuar »