unto them declares the usefullnesse and pretiousnesse of it to their Soules stirring them up to a desire and valuation of it and lastly effectually bestowes it upon them reckons it unto them as theirs that they should by it for it with it be perfectly accepted with his Father Thus for our Acceptation with God two things are required § 9 1. That Satisfaction be made for our disobedience for whatever we had done which might dammage the justice and Honour of God and that God be attoned towards us which could no otherwise be but by undergoing the penalty of the Law This I have shewed abundantly is done by the death of Christ God made him to be sinne for us 2 Cor. 5. 21. a Curse Gal 3. 13. On this account we have our Absolution our Acquitment from the guilt of sinne the sentence of the Law the wrath of God Rom. 8. 33. 38. We are justified acquitted freed from condemnation because it was Christ that dyed He bare our sins in his body on the tree 1 Pet. 2. 24. 2. That the Righteousnesse of the Law be fulfilled and the obedience performed that is required at our hands and this is § 7 done by the life of Christ Rom. 5. 18 19. So that answerably hereunto according to our state and condition of our Acceptation with God there are two parts 1. Our Absolution from the guilt of sinne that our Disobedience § 8 be not charged upon us This we have by the death of Christ our sinnes being imputed to him shall not be imputed to us 2 Cor. 5. 21. Rom. 4. 25. Isa. 5. 12. 2. Imputation of Righteousnesse that we may be accounted perfectly Righteous before God and this we have by the life of Christ. His Righteousnesse in yeelding obedience to the Law is imputed to us And thus is our Acceptation with God compleated Being discharged from the guilt of our disobedience by the death of Christ and having the Righteousnesse of the Life of Christ imputed to us we have Friendship and Peace with God And this is that which I call our Grace of Acceptation with God wherein we have communion with Jesus Christ. That which remaines for me to doe is to shew how Believers hold distinct communion with Christ in this Grace of Acceptation § 9 and how thereby they keep alive a sense of it the comfort and life of it being to be renewed every day Without this life is an Hell no Peace no Joy can we be made partakers of but what hath its rise from hence Look what grounded perswasion we have of our Acceptation with God that He is at peace with us thereunto is the revenue of our Peace Comfort Joy yea and Holinesse it selfe proportioned But yet before I come in particular to handle our practicall communion with the Lord Jesus in this thing I must remove § 10 two considerable objections the one of them lying against the first part of our Acceptation with God the other against the latter Ob 1. For our Absolution by upon the death of Christ it may be said that if the Elect have their Absolution Reconciliation and Freedome by the Death Blood and Crosse of Christ whence is it then that they are not all Actually absolved at the death of Christ or at least so soon as they are borne but that many of them live a long while under the wrath of God in this world as being Unbelievers under the sentence and condemning power of the Law why are they not immediately freed upon the payment of the price and making Reconciliation for them Ob. 2. If the Obedience of the Life of Christ be imputed unto us and that is our Righteousnesse before God then what need we yeeld any Obedience our selves is not all our praying labouring watching fasting giving almes are not all fruits of Holinesse in purity of heart and usefulnesse of conversation all in vaine and to no purpose and who then will or need take care to be holy humble righteous meeke temperate patient good peaceable or to abound in good works in the World I shall God assisting briefely remove these two Objections and then proceed to carry on the designe in hand about our communion with Christ. 1. Jesus Christ in his undertaking of the work of our Reconciliation with God for which cause he came into the world and § 11 the Accomplishment of it by his death was constituted and considered as a Common publick person in the stead of them for whose Reconciliation to God He suffered Hence He is the Mediatour between God and Man 1 Tim. 2. 5. that is one who undertook to God for us as the next words manifest v. 6. and gave himselfe a Ransome for all And the Surety of the new Covenant Heb. 7. 22. undertaking for and on the behalfe of them with whom that Covenant was made Hence he is said to be given for a Covenant to the people Isa. 42. 6. and a leader 49. 8. He was the second Adam 1 Cor. 15. 45 47. to all Ends and purposes of Righteousnesse to his spirituall seed as the first Adam was of sin to his naturall seed Rom. 5. 15 16 17 18 19. 2. His being thus a Common Person arose chiefely from these things 1. In generall from the Covenant entred into by § 12 himselfe with his Father to this purpose The Termes of this covenant are at large insisted on Isa. 53. summed up Psal. 40. 7 8. Heb 10. 8 9 10. Hence the Father became to be his God which is a Covenant expression Psal. 89. 26. Heb 1. 5. Psal. 22. 1. Psal. 40. 8. Psal. 45. 7. Revel 3. 12. Mich. 5. 4. So was he by his Father on this account designed to this work Isa. 42. 1. ch 6. 1. ch 49. 9. Mal. 3. 1. Zech. 13. 7. Joh. 3. 16. 1 Tim. 1. 15. Thus the Counsell of peace became to be between them both Zech. 6. 13. that is the Father and Son And the Son rejoyces from Eternity in the thought of this undertaking Prov. 8. 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30. The command given him to this purpose the Promises made to him thereon the assistance afforded to him I have elsewhere handled 2. In the Soveraigne Grant Appointment and Designe of the Father giving and delivering the Elect to Jesus Christ in this § 13 Covenant to be redeemed and reonciled to himselfe Joh. 17. 6. thine they were and thou gavest them to me They were Gods by Eternall Designation and Election and He gave them to Christ to be redeemed Hence before their calling or believing He calls them his sheep Joh. 10. 15 16. laying downe his life for them as such And hence are we said to be chosen in Christ Eph. 1. 4. or designed to obtain all the fruits of the Love of God by Christ and committed into his hand for that end and purpose 3. In his undertaking to suffer what was due to them and to doe what was to be done by them that they might be
despise not Prophesying The Light that God hath set up in our hearts say others But where is that called absolutely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spirit It is the Holy Ghost himselfe that is here intended Not immediately in respect of his Person in which regard he is said to be grieved which is a Personall affection but in respect of his motions actings operations The Holy Ghost was typified by the fier that was allways kept alive on the Altar He is also called a Spirit of burning The reasons of that AllusioÌ„ are manifold not now to be insisted on Now the oppositioÌ„ that is made to fier in its acting is by querching Hence the opposition made to the actings of the Holy Ghost are called Quenching of the Spirit as some kind of wet wood will doe when it is cast into the the fire Thence are we said in pursuance of the same metaphor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to stirre up with new fire the gifts that are in us The Holy Ghost is striving with us acting in us moving variously for our growth in grace and bringing forth fruit meet for the principle he hath indued us withall Take heed saith the Apostle least by the power of your lusts and temptations you attend not to his workings but hinder him in his good will towards you that is what in you lyeth This then is the second Generall Rule for our Communion with § 8 the Holy Ghost It respects his gratious operations in us and by us There are severall and various ways whereby the Holy Ghost is sayd to act exâ—rt and put forth his power in us partly by moving upon and stirring up the Grace we have received partly by new supplys of Grace from Jesus Christ falling in with ocasions for their exercise raysing good motions immediately or occasionally within us all tending to our furtherance in obedience and walking with God All these are we carefully to observe and take notice of Consider the Fountaine whence they come the end which they lead us unto Hence have we Communion with the Holy Ghost when we can consider him by faith as the immediate author of all supplys assistances and the whole reliefe we have by Grace of all good actings risings motions in our hearts of all strivings and contendings against sinne When we consider I say all these his actings and workings in their tendencys to our consolation and on that account are carefull and watchfull to improve them all to the end aymed at as coming from him who is so loving and kind and tender to us we have Communion with him This is that which is intended Every gracious acting of § 9 the blessed Spirit in and towards our soules is constantly by Faith to be considered as comming from him in a peculiar manner His minde his good will is to be observed therein Hence care and diligence for the improvement of every motion of his will arise thence reverence of his presence with us with due spirituall regard to his Holinesse doth ensue and our soules are wonted to entercourse with him 3. The third caution concernes him and his worke in the § 10 dispensation of that great ordinance of the Word Stephen tells the Jewes Act. 7. 51. that They resisted the Holy Ghost How did they doe it why as their Fathers did it As your Fathers did so do ye How did their Fathers resist the Holy Ghost vers 52. They persecuted the Prophets and slew them their opposition to the Prophets in preaching the Gospell or their shewing of the coming of the just one was their resisting of the Holy Ghost Now the Holy Ghost is said to be resisted in the contempt of the preaching of the word because the gift of preaching of it is from him The manifestation of the Spirit is given to profit Hence when our Saviour Promiseth the Spirit to his Disciples to be present with them for the conviction of the world he tells them he will give them a mouth and wisedome which their adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist Luk. 20. 16. concerning which in the accomplishment of it in Stephen it is said that they were not able to resist the Spirit by which he spake Act. 6. 10. The Holy Ghost then setting up a ministry in the Church separating men thereto furnishing them with gifts and abilitys for the dispensation of the Word the not obeying of that word opposing of it not falling down before it is called resisting of the Holy Ghost This in the examples of the wickednesse of others are we cautioned against And this enwraps the third generall Rule of our CoÌ„munion with the Holy Ghost in the despensation of the Word of the Gospell the Authority wisdome and goodnesse of the Holy Ghost in furnishing men with gifts for that end and purpose and his presence with them as to the vertue thereof is to be eyed and subjection given unto it on that account On this reason I say on this ground is obedience to be yeilded to the word in the ministeriall dispensation thereof because the Holy Ghost and he alone doth furnish with gifts to that end and purpose When this consideration causeth us to fall low before the word then have we Commuinon with the Holy Ghost in that Ordinance But this is commonly Spoken unto CHAP. VIII Particular Directions for Communion with the Holy Ghost BEfore I name Particular Directions for our Communion with the Holy Ghost I must premise some Cautions as § 1 farre as the directions to be given concern his worship First The Divine Nature is the Reason and cause of all worship so that it is impossible to worship any one person and not worship the whole Trinity It is and that not without ground denyed by the Schoolemen that the formall Reason and object of divine worship is in the persons precisely considered that is under the formally constitutive Reason of their personality which is their Relation to each other But this belongs to the Divine Nature and Essence and to their distinct persons as they are identified with the Essence it selfe Hence is that way of praying to the Trinity by the repetition of the same Petition to the severall persons as in the Letany groundlesse if not impious It supposeth that one person is worshipped and not another when each person is worshipped as God and each person is so As though we first should desire one thing of the Father and be heard and granted by him then aske the same thing of the Son and so of the Holy Ghost And so act as to the same thing three distinct acts of worship and expect to be heard and have the same thing granted three times distinctly when all the workes of the Trinity ad extra are indivisible The proper and peculiar object of divine worship and invocation is the Essence of God in its infinite Excellency dignity Majesty and its causality as the first soveraigne cause of all things Now this is common
Unctions and presse the Allegory in setting out the Excellencys of the Word in allusions to them But I only insist on generalls This is that which the holy Ghost here intends the Word of Christ is sweet Savoury precious unto Believers and they see him to be excellent desireable beautifull in the Precepts Promises Exhortations and the most bitter threats thereof The Spouse addes his hands are as gold Rings set with Beryll the word beryll in the originall is Tarshish which the Septuagint § 43 have retained not restraining it to any peculiar precious stone the onyx say some the Chrysolite say others any precious stone shining with a sea green colour for the word signifies the sea also Gold Rings set with precious glistering stones are both valuable and desireable for profit and ornament so are the hands of Christ that is all his works the Effects by the Cause All his workes are Glorious they are all fruits of Wisedome Love and Bounty and his belly is as bright Ivory over laid with Saphyres the smoothnesse and brightnesse of Ivory the preciousnesse and heavenly Colour of the Saphires are here called in to give some lustre to the excellency of Christ to these is his belly or rather his bowells which takes in the Heart also compared It is the inward bowells and not the outward bulke that is signified Now to shew that by Bowells in the Scripture ascribed either to God or man Affections are intended is needlesse The tender love unspeakable affections and kindnesse of Christ to his Church and people is thus set out What a beautifull sight is it to the eye to see pure pollished Ivory set up and down with heaps of precious Saphires how much more Glorious are the tender Affections Mercys and Compassion of the Lord Jesus unto Believers Vers. 15 The strength of his kingdome the faithfullnesse and § 44 stabillity of his Promises the height and Glory of his person in his Dominion the sweetnesse and excellency of Communion with him is set forth in these words His legs are Pillars of Marble set upon sockets of fine Gold his countenance is as Lebanon excellent as the Cedars his mouth is most sweet When the Spouse hath gon thus farre in the description of him she concludes all in this generall Assertion he is wholly § 35 desireable altogether to be desired or beloved As if she should have said I have thus reckoned up some of the perfections of the Creatures things of most value price usefullnesse Beauty Glory here belowe and Compared some of the Excellencys of my beloved unto them In this way of Allegory I can carry things no higher I find nothing better or more desireable to shaddow out and to present his lovelinesse and desireablenesse but alasse all this comes short of his perfections beauty and comlinesse he is all wholly to be desired to be beloved Lovely in his person in the glorious Alsufficiency of his Deity Gracious purity and holinesse of his Humanity Authority and Majesty Love and Power Lovely in his birth and Incarnation when he was rich for our sakes becomming poore taking part of flesh and blood because we partook of the same being made of a woman that for us he might be made under the Law ever for our sakes Lovely in the whole Course of his life and the more then Angellicall holinesse and obedience which in the depth of poverty and perfection he exercised therein doing good receiving evill blessing and being cursed reviled reproached all his dayes Lovely in his Death yea therein most lovely to sinners never more glorious and desireable then when he came broken dead from the Crosse then had he carryed all our sinnes into a land of forgetfullnesse then had he made peace and reconcilliation for us then had he procured life and immortallity for us Lovely in his whole employment in his great undertaking in his Life Death Resurrection Ascenion being a Mediatour between God and us to recover the glory of Gods Justice and to save our soules to bring us to an enjoyment of God who were set at such an infinite distance from him by sinne Lovely in the glory and majesty wherewith he is Crowned now he is set down at the right hand of Majesty on high where though he be terrible to his enemyes yet he is full of Mercy Love and Compassion towards his beloved ones Lovely in all those supplyes of Grace and Consolations in all the dispensations of his holy Spirit whereof his Saints are made partakers Lovely in all the tender Care Power and wisedome which he exercises in the protection safeguarding and delivery of his Church and people in the midst of all the oppositions and persecutions whereunto they are exposed Lovely in all his Ordinances and the whole of that spiritually glorious Worship which he hath appointed to his people whereby they draw nigh and have Communion with him his Father Lovely and glorious in the vengeance he taketh and will finally execute upon the stubborne enemyes of himselfe and his people Lovely in the pardon he hath purchased and doth dispence in the Reconciliation he hath established in the Grace he Communicates in the Consolations he doth administer in the peace and Joy he gives his Saints in his assured preservation of them unto Glory What shall I say there is noe end of his excellencys and desireablenesse he is altogether Lovely this is our Beloved and this is our Friend oh Daughters of Jerusalem DIGRESSION II. All Solid Wisedome laide up in Christ. True wisedome wherein it consists Knowledge of God in Christ only to be obtained What of God may be known by his workes Some propertyes of God not discovered but in Christ only Love Mercy others not fully but in him as Vindictive Justice Patience Wisedome Alsufficiency No Property of God Savingly known but in Christ. What is required to a Saving Knowledge of the Properties of God No true knowledge of our selves but in Christ. Knowledge of our selves wherein it consisteth Knowledge of Sinne how to be had in Christ. Also of Righteousnesse and of Judgement The wisedome of walking with God hid in Christ. What is required thereunto Other pretenders to the Title of wisedome examined and rejected Christ alone exalted A Second consideration of the Excellencys of Christ serving § 1 to endeare the hearts of them who stand with him in the Relation insisted on arises from that which in the mistaken Apprehension of it is the great darling of men and in its true notion the great ayme of the Saints which is wisedome and knowledge Let it be evinced that all true and solid knowledge is laid up in and is only to be attained from and by the Lord Jesus Christ and the hearts of men if they are but true to themselves and their most predominate principles must needs be engaged to him This is the great designe of all men taken off from professed slavery to the world and the pursuite of sensuall licentious courses that they may
for the Glory of the Sonne we are actually interested according to the tenour of the Covenant at the same instant of time in the blood of Christ as to the Benefits which he hath procured for us thereby Yea this very work of the Spirit it selfe is a fruit and part of the purchase of Christ but we speak of our sense of this thing whereunto the communication of the spirit is antecedent And 3. To the Glory of the Father we are accepted with him justified freed from guilt pardoned and have peace with God Rom. 5. 1. Thus through Christ we have Accesse by one spirit unto the Father 2 Ephes. 2. 18. And thus are both Father and Sonne and the Holy Spirit Glorified in our justification and acceptation with God the Father in his Free Love the Sonne in his Full purchase and the Holy Spirit in his effectuall working 10. All this in all the parts of it is no lesse fully procured for us nor lesse freely bestowed on us for Christs sake and on his § 22 account as part of his purchase and merits then if all of us immediatly upon his death had been translated into Heaven only this way of our deliverance and freedome is fixed on that the whole Trinity may be glorified thereby And this may suffice in answer to the first Objection Though our Reconciliation with God be fully and compleatly procured by the death of Christ and all the ways and meanes whereby it is accomplished yet we are brought unto an Actuall enjoyment thereof by the way and in the order mentioned for the praise of the Glorious Grace of God The second Objection is that if the Righteousnesse and Obedience of Christ to the Law be imputed unto us then what need we yeild Obedience § 23 our selves To this also I shall returne answer as briefely as I can in the ensuing Observations Then 1. The placeing of our Gospell Obedience on the right foot of account that it may neither be exalted into a state condition Use nor End not given it of God nor any Reason Cause Motive end necessity of it on the other hand taken away weakned or impaired is a matter of Great importance Some make our Obedience the workes of Faith our workes the matter or cause of our Justification Some the condition of the Imputation of the Righteousnesse of Christ some the qualification of the Person justifyed on the one hand some exclude all the necessity of them and turne the Grace of God into lasciviousnesse on the other To debate these differences is not my present businesse only I say on this and other accounts the right stating of our Obedience is of great importance as to our walking with God 2. We doe by no meanes assigne the same place condition state and use to the Obedience of Christ imputed to us and § 24 our Obedience performed to God If we did they were really inconsistent And therefore those who affirme that our Obedience is the Condition or Cause of our Justification doe all of them deny the Imputation of the Obedience of Christ unto us The Righteousnesse of Christ is imputed to us as that on the account whereof we are accepted and esteemed Righteous before God and are really so though not inherently We are as truly Righteous with the Obedience of Christ imputed to us as Adam was or could have been by a compleat Righteousnesse of his own performance So Rom. 5. 18. by his Obedience we are made Righteous made so truely and so accepted as by the disobedience of Adam we are truely made Trespassours and so accounted And this is that which the Apostle desires to be found in in opposition to his Own Righteousnesse Phil. 3 9. But our own Obedience is not the Righteousnesse whereupon we are accepted and justifyed before God although it be acceptable to God that we should abound therein And this distinction the Apostle doth evidently deliver and confirme so as nothing can be more cleerly revealed Eph. 2. 8 9 10. For by Grace we are Saved through Faith and this not of our selves It is the guift of God Not of workes least any man should boast For we are his workes manship created in Christ Jesus unto good workes which God hath prepared that we should walke in them We are saved or justifyed for that it is whereof the Apostle treats by Grace through Faith which receives Jesus Christ and his Obedience not of workes least any man should boast but what workes are they that the Apostle intends The workes of Believers as in the very beginning of the next words is manifest for we are we Believers with our Obedience and our workes of whom I speake yea but what need then of workes need still there is we are the workmanship c. Two things the Apostle intimates in these words 1. A Reason why we cannot be saved by workes namely because we doe them not in or by our own strength which is necessary we should doe if we will be saved by them or justifyed by them but this is not so saith the Apostle for we are the workemanship of God c. all our workes are wrought in us by full and Effectuall undeserved Grace 2. An Assertion of the necessity of good workes notwithstanding that we are not saved by them and that is that God has ordained that we shall walke in them which is a sufficient ground of our Obedience what ever be the use of it If you will say then what are the true and proper Gospell § 25 Grounds Reasons Uses and Motives of our Obedience whence the necessity thereof may be demonstrated and our soules be stirred up to abound and be fruitfull therein I say they are so many lye so deep in the Mystery of the Gospell and Dispensation of Grace spread themselves so throughout the whole Revelation of the will of God unto us that to handle them fully and distinctly and to give them their due weight is a thing that I cannot engage in least I should be turned aside from what I principally intend I shall only give you some briefe heads of what might at large be insisted on 1. Our universall Obedience and good workes are indispensably necessary from the soveraigne appointment and will § 26 of God Father Son and Holy Ghost 1. In Generall this is the will of God even our Sanctification or Holinesse 1 Thess. 4. 3. this is that which God wills which he requires of us that we be holy that we be obedient That we do his will as the Angells doe in Heaven The Equity necessity profit and advantage of this ground of our Obedience might at large be insisted on And were there no more this might suffice alone If it be the will of God it is our duty 1. The Father hath ordeined or appointed it it is the will of the Father Ephes. 2. 10. the Father is spoken of personally Christ being mentioned as Mediator 2. The Sonne hath ordained and appointed it as Mediator Joh.
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 passe v. 4. but these things have I told you that when the time shall come you may remember 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 whilest 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 v. 5. And for your parts so are you astonished with sorrow that you doe not aske me whether I goe the consideration whereof would certainly relieve you seeing I goe to take possession of my glory and to carry on the worke of your salvation but your hearts are filled with sorrow and feare and you doe not so much as enquire after reliefe v. 5. 6. whereupon he adjoynes that wonderfull assertion v. 7. Neverthelesse I tell you the truth it is expedient for you that I goe away for if I goe 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 § 5 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 first word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is an adversative not excepting to any thing of what himselfe had spoken before but to their apprehension I know you have sad thoughts of these things but yet neverthelesse 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I tell you the truth The words are exceeding Emphaticall and denote some great thing to be ushered in by them First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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 downe my life for you they are my dying words that you may believe me I who am truth it selfe I tell you and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I tell you the truth you have in your sad misgiving hearts many misapprehensions of things you think if I would abide with you all these evills might be prevented but alasse you know not what is good for you nor what is expedient I tell you the truth this is truth it selfe and quiet your hearts in it There is need of a great deale of evidence of truth to comfort their soules 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 disintangle 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 it selfe followes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 § 6 it is expedient for you that I goe away There are two things in the words Christs departure and the usefulnesse 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 heavens being to receive him untill the time of the restitution of all things For in respect of his Diety and the exercise of Love and care towards them he promised to be with them to the end of the world Mat. 28. last Of this saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it conduceth to your good it is profitable for you it is for your advantage it will answer the end that you aime at that is the sence 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 earnestnesse before mentioned desiring to convince his sorrowfull followers of the truth of it namely that his departure which they so much feared and were troubled to think of would turne to their profit and advantage 3. Now although it might be expected that they should acquiesce § 7 in this asseveration of truth it selfe yet because they were generally concerned in the ground of the truth of it he acquaints them with that also and that we may confesse it to be a great matter that gives certainty and evidence to that proposition he expresses it negatively and positively if I goe 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word being of sundry significations § 8 many Translations have thought fit not to restraine it but doe retaine the Originall word paracletus so the Syriak also and as some think it was a word before in use among the Jewes whence the Chaldee Paraphrast makes use of it Job 16. 20. and among'st 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 an Advocate and a Comforter in the first sence our Saviour is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 John 2. 2. whether it be better rendered here an Advocate or a Comforter may be doubted Look into the foregoing occasion of the words which is the Disciples sorrow and trouble and it seemes to require the Comforter sorrow hath filled your hearts but I will send you the Comforter look into the next words following which containe 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 v. 8. I shall choose rather to interpret the promise by the Occasion of it which was the Sorrow of his Disciples and to retaine the name of the Comforter Who this Comforter is our Blessed Saviour had before declared Chap. 15. 26. he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spirit of § 9 Truth that is the Holy Ghost who revealeth all truth to the Sons of men Now of this Comforter two things are affirmed 1. That He shall come 2. That Christ shall send him 1. That he shall come The Affirmative of his coming on the performance of that condition of it of Christs going away is included in the negation of his comming without its accomplishment If I goe not away he will not come if I doe goe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he will come so that there is not only the mission of Christ but the will