SERMON XVII, The Miffion of the Holy Ghost. JOHN xiv. 26. But the Comforter, which is the Holy unto you. O UR Saviour Chrift, knowing, SERM. that his Hour was come, that XVII. be should depart out of this World I. to his Father, prepares the John xiii. Minds of his Difciples before-hand, that they might bear the Lofs of him the better, by telling them what must happen; that he must shortly leave the World and be taken away from them; and therefore he exhorts them to remember those Things he had taught them, to conti SERM. nue ftedfaft in his Doctrine, to practise XVII. his Precepts, to live in the ftricteft Bonds of Love and Friendship one with another, and not to be dejected or caft down for the Lofs of their Mafter; and that he might the better fupport their drooping Spirits, and comfort them, he affures them that he will come again, and, in the mean While, will fend the Comforter, who fhall fupply all their Wants, answer all their Neceffities, and enable them to perform their Duty; for, though it was abfolutely neceffary that he fhould go away, yet he affures them that the Comforter who is the Holy Ghoft, whom the Father will fend in my Name, he fhall teach you all Things, and bring all Things to your Remembrance, what foever I have faid unto you. In which Words are contained, J. A PROMISE of fending the Holy Spi rit. II. A DESCRIPTION of his Perfon; he I. HERE I. HERE is a Promife of fending the SERM, Holy Spirit, whom the Father will fend in XVII. my Name; i. e. that upon his Prayers and Interceffion, and for the Sake of his Merits, he would make a more plentiful Effufion of his Holy Spirit, upon the Hearts and Souls of fuch Perfons, who were fitly prepared and difpofed for the receiving of it, than hitherto he had done; that this fhould be tranfacted in a folemn and open Manner, and continue with his Church until his fecond Coming; which Promife was performed forty Days after his Refurrection, and ten Days after his Afcenfion. And when the Day of Pentecoft Acts ii. was fully come, they were all with one Ac-1 and 9. cord in one Place: And fuddenly there came a Sound from Heaven, as of a rushing mighty Wind, and it filled all the Houje. where they were fitting; and there appeared unto them cloven Tongues, like as of Fire, and it fat upon each of them; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other Tongues, as the Spirit gave them Utterance. The rushing Wind and the fiery Tongues were the fenfible Symbols, by which God declared, that this was the Time when the Holy Ghoft would take upon him, in a more peculiar Manner, the Government and SERM, and Guidance of the Church, and what XVII. would be the Effects of his Coming a 22. mongst us, what those Gifts and Graces were, which he would beftow upon the Sons of Men. Ir must be confeffed, that the Holy Spirit was always prefent with the Church, even from the Beginning of the World; Gen. i. 2. he is said to move upon the Face of the ib. vi. 3. Waters, and to ftrive with Mankind. Our Saviour Chrift was conceived of the HoJohn xx. ly Ghost, and he breathed the Spirit upon the Apostles; but yet the more vifible and glorious Communication of the Holy Spirit, the more plentiful Effufion of his Gifts and Graces, was referved to the Day of Pentecoft, at which Time that Joel ii. 28. Prophecy of Joel was fulfilled: And it fball come to pass afterwards, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all Flesh, &c. This was the Time when the Holy Ghoft the third Perfon in the Trinity, made his glorious Appearance amongst the Sons of Men, giving them a more clear and high Idea of their Duty, and more powerful Affistances toperform it, hereby engaging them to the Obfervance of his Laws. UNDER the Law, God the Father manifefted himself to the World, the Jews Jews were then under a Theocracy, the SERM. Law was delivered from Mount Sinai XVII in Thunderings and Lightnings; thus he governed them for many Years, he was their God and their King; he went before them in all their Enterprizes, and gave them Victory over all their Enemies; but when they had forgot the God which brought them out of the Land of Egypt, with so many Signs and Wonders; when not only the whole Heathen World, but even God's peculiar People had corrupted themselves, and became grofly ignorant of their Duty, and endaved to Vice, and thereby obnoxious to the woeful Confequences of it, severe Punishment and extreme Mifery; when Things were brought to this Pafs, by making the Traditions of their Elders of equal Authority with the Holy Scriptures, that they came to place Holiness in the Circumcifion of the Flesh, clean Hands and a decent Attire, and were so far debauched in their Principles, as to think the Dedicating their Subftance to God, or to declare their Intention of doing fo, would excuse them from Works of Charity, or Giving Relief even to their languishing and diftreffed Parents. When the Heathens Mat. xv. came to err fo grofly concerning the Ob- 5, 6. ject |