come to pass We have heard with our ears O God! Our Fathers have told us what Work thou didst in their days in the Time of old (o) Ps xliv 1. Now the best Use that we can make of this Discourse is to be confirm'd by it in the Belief of Christianity that Blessed Religion by which alone we can hope to be Eternally Saved That is to say in the Belief of Jesus his Life his Death his Doctrine his Miracles his Resurrection his Ascension into Heaven the Power he has now over the Quick and the Dead and the Final Judgment he will accordingly pass and execute on All at the Last Day when he shall come to reward every Man according to his Works (p) Matt. xvi 27. For these are the Things that I call Christianity all others being but Superstructures on this Great Foundation The World can have now no Plea for its Infidelity if it does not believe in this Jesus and in this Religion after the Truth of it has been attested by so many Instances of a Divine Power going along with it and setting it up against all Oppositions of Devils and of Men. And this I mention because I know how many there are who do really question the Truth of our most Holy Faith in this Sceptical and Degenerate Age. We abound with certain Vain and Frothy Men who are not afraid to Scoff openly at Christianity and These would pass in the World for the Great Masters of Reason Men of true Latitude of Thought who will not be enslav'd by Opinions grounded only on the Report of Priests that tell them I know not what Stories of one Jesus and the Mighty Works done by him because 't is their Trade to Preach up these Things and their Interest to have them Believ'd 'T is strange indeed that this Spirit of Infidelity should still possess the World after all that God hath done to Convince it and to ascertain the Truth of Our Holy Religion God no sooner made Man but he Reveal'd himself to him He appear'd frequently to the Patriarchs in the First Ages of the World Under the Law he gave a very clear Knowledge of himself to Mankind inspiring Prophets and sending them in his Name But in these last Days he has spoken unto us by his own Son who being the Brightness of his Glory and the express Image of his Person (q) Heb. i. 2 3. came down on the Earth and made himself like unto one of us that he might more familiarly converse among Men. He fulfill'd all the Prophecies that had been given many Ages before as Marks to know him by when he came He spake so as no Man ever spake (r) Joh. vii 46. And he seal'd the Truth of his Doctrine by such Miracles as none could do but He that had all the Powers of Nature subject to his Command And when he had finish'd what he came to do on the Earth when by a Free and Voluntary Oblation of himself upon the Cross he had made Atonement for the Sins of the whole World he rose gloriously from the Dead and in the Sight of many Withnesses was taken up into Heaven Presently after his Ascension he sent the PARACLET to confirm all that he had said or done before That Blessed Spirit came down and wrought New Signs and Wonders by the hands of his Apostles They spake with Tongues and in the Name of Jesus they cast out Devils They were endued with such Wisdom and Vertue from above that they drew after them the Admiration of the World the Heathens crying out That the Gods were come down on the Earth in the likeness of Men (Å¿) Acts xiv 11. The Effects of this Miraculous Power of the H. Ghost accompanying them were in very little time seen throughout all the World The Devil's Kingdom was overthrown his Oracles were silenc'd the Temples of the Idols were demolished Paganism was beat down and Christianity prevail'd wherever it appear'd These are plain Matters of Fact delivered down to us by Credible History and by the Constant and Universal Tradition of all Ages Now if Men will not be Convinc'd by these Things what can God do more to Convince them They that can doubt after this neither would they be perswaded I do not say though one rose from the Dead (t) Luk. xvi 31. for That our Lord hath done and a great deal more for their Conviction but thô a Voice should speak unto them from Heaven And here I cannot conceal my Thoughts that Infidelity or a Denial of the Truths of Christianity now that is since the Descent of the H. Ghost I very much suspect to be that tremendous Sin and Blasphemy against the H. Ghost which our Lord pronounces to be Unpardonable in this World and in that which is to come I am confident that if That Sin can be committed now it must be This or I know not what it is I say unto you all manner of Sin and Blasphemy shall be forgiven unto Men says our B. Saviour But the Blasphemy against the H. Ghost shall not be forgiven unto Men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of Man it shall be forgiven him but whosoever speaketh against the H. Ghost it shall not be forgiven him neither in this World neither in the World to come (u) Mat. xii 31 32. Our Lord here states a Difference betwixt Sinning against the Son of Man that is against himself and Sinning against the H. Ghost They that were Guilty of Sin against the Son of Man were the Jews who liv'd in our Saviour's time saw his Miracles and yet did not believe on him And thô this no doubt was a very great Sin nevertheless upon Supposition of the 〈…〉 and Acknowledgment of him which 〈…〉 sonably be expected from those furâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 that God was yet to make use of 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—iction had still room left for Pardon For when the Lord said this he was not yet Risen he was not yet Ascended into his Glory and the PARACLET was not yet come down All these Great Evidences of Christianity were still wanting to leave them without excuse And doubtless many were Convinc'd by them that did not at first believe But They are Guilty of Sin and Blasphemy against the H. Ghost who have liv'd since the Manifestation of that Blessed Spirit and have heard of all the Mighty Things he has wrought in the World to attest the Truths of Christianity and yet continue in their Unbelief This our Lord declares to be Unpardonable because Pardon presupposeth Repentance and Faith in our Saviour but Faith must proceed from a Conviction of the Mind and They whom these Things will not Convince can never be Convinc'd Because since the Descent of the H. Ghost no New Revelation is to be look'd for all Extraordinary Dispensations are ceas'd The Sending of the H. Ghost was the Last that God had resolv'd to use for the Conviction of Men and we must expect no other * Cameron Myrothec Evang in Loc. supr Alloquitur Dominus Pharisaeos qui Patris Oeconomiam quae antè Christi Adventum vigebat insuper habuerant suamitem Blasphemantes spreverant Ait ergò licet Oeconomias illas quamdiù duravere contempserint esse tamen spem veniae sub Tertiâ quae Spiritui Sancto tribuitur Sancti verò Spiritûs Oeconomiam si prosequantur odio sublatam esse omnem veniaespem quia Quarta Oeconomia minimè expectari debet Therefore They that doubt still after this must doubt on for ever Their Case is desperate and they must be abandon'd to their own perverse and Reprobate Sense GOD in his Infinit Mercy preserve us all from Hardness of Heart and from doing despite unto the Spirit of Grace (x) Heb. x. 29. AMEN THE END
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Forense est conveniens Personae causarum actori Grot. who pleads the Cause of his Client with such Force of Argument and such Evidence of Truth that he confounds the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Adversary Silences him that pleads on the opposite side The Word is us'd in this Sense by St. Paul (k) Tit. i. 9. when he says that the Duty of a Christian Bishop is to hold fast the faithfull Word as he has been taught that he may be able by sound Doctrine both to Exhort 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to Convince the Gainsayers That is so to plead the Cause of God and Religion that he may stop the Mouths of all that speak against them These Remarks may not possibly seem so proper in a Discourse of this Nature but they were necessary to clear the Text. And now we may understand the words of our B. Saviour as if he had spoke to his Disciples in this manner The H. Ghost whom I must go away to send down upon Earth besides what he will do more immediately for you My Friends whom he will never leave as I must leave you now will be my PARACLET my Advocate against the World when he comes He will plead and he will defend my Cause and he will lay in Three Actions against it in my Name The First will be concerning Sin * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The World you know has rejected me as a Blasphemer (l) Mat. ix 3. and xxvi 65. and a Seducer and a False Prophet and a Sinner against God But when the H. Ghost comes down he will charge the World with Infidelity at my Suit for not Believing on me * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He will demonstrate that I am the Christ the anointed of God promised to the Fathers foretold by the Scriptures and so long expected by all the Nations of the Earth and therefore that 't is not I but they viz. the World that is guilty of Sin and Blasphemy against God for refusing to believe on him whom he has sent Another Action which the H. Ghost my PARACLET will put in against the World on my behalf will be concerning Righteousness * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The World has treated me as the most flagitious Malefactor I have been tax'd of some of the blackest and foulest Crimes I have been traduc'd for a Sabbath-Breaker (m) Luke vi 1. c. xiii 14. a Glutton a Wine-Bibber a friend of Publicans and Sinners (n) vii 34. and in few days ye shall see me put to Death as a Robber and a Thief (o) Matt. xxvi 55 c. But when the H. Ghost my PARACLET comes down he will assert my Innocency against the unjust Calumnies of the World He will convince it of my Righteousness He will shew the wrong that has been done me and how undeservedly it is that I have suffer'd all these things from the hands of sinfull and ungratefull Men. If you ask how the H. Ghost will do this that will be by publishing at his Descent how God has glorified me * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rais'd me from the Grave where the Malice and Cruelty of the World had laid me restor'd me to a Life Glorious and Immortal taken me up into the Mansions of the Blessed above so that from hence forth ye see me no more * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exalted me at his Right Hand and on his own Throne resign'd the Soveraignty and the Empire of the Universe into my hands and given me all Power in Heaven and in Earth (p) Mat. xxviii 18. This will be a clear Proof of my Innocency since 't is not to be suppos'd that the most Holy and Just God would reward my Sufferings with so great a Glory if I were a wicked Man and a Sinner He would leave me in my Grave and under the Power of Death if the World had justly condemn'd me ‖ Fatebitur Mundus me verè justum fuisse qui ex hoc mundo discedens non fuerim dâ—mnatus à Patre Beza Now who fitter to convince the World of this New Glorious Life of mine and Exaltation at the Right Hand of my Father than the H. Ghost who coming down from Heaven ought best to know what has been done there and is best able to declare it to the World One Action more which the H. Ghost my PARACLET will put in against the World on my behalf will be concerning Judgment * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He will demand Vengeance and urge the Great Law of Retaliation against it You have seen how the World has us'd me 'T is but just it suffer the Punishment due to its Unbelief and Cruelty towards Me and that it will most eminently do when the H. Ghost comes down For he will avenge me on all mine Enemies those that triumph and rejoyce now in my Shame and in my Sufferings He will avenge me especially on the Devil the Prince of this World * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the chief Author and contriver of my Death He will destroy his Kingdom and execute so remarkable a Judgment upon him that the whole World shall be astonish'd at it and my Name shall be glorified among Men. This will the H. Ghost do All these mighty Things will he bring to pass at his Coming Therefore when I say unto you that I go to send him if ye loved me ye would rejoyce (q) Joh. xiv 28. and not mourn at my Departure And when he is come he will reprove the World of Sin and of Righteousness and of Judgment Of Sin because they believe not on me Of Righteousness because I go to my Father and ye see me no more Of Judgment because the Prince of this World is judged This I take to be the meaning of these Words which I shall now apply my self to consider more particularly I. The First Thing that Our B. Saviour tells his Disciples the H. Ghost his PARACLET would reprove or convince the World of at his Coming is Sin for not believing on him When the Son of God came into the World though all the Characters that had been given of the Messiah in the Books and Oracles of the ancient Prophets were most exactly fulfill'd in his Person he was nevertheless rejected by the World as tho' he had been a Deceiver (r) Matt. xxvii 63. and had design'd to put a Trick upon it The Miracles which he wrought were the great Evidences that he brought to prove the Divine Authority of his Mission and he frequently appeals to them in the Gospel If I do not the Works of my Father believe me not But if I do though you believe not me believe the Works (Å¿) Joh. x. 37 38. But what effect had these Miracles upon the World Some indeed confess'd that no man could do them except God were with him (t) Joh. iii. 2. but Others turn'd the Argument
was indeed for a while of no reputation says St. Paul (b) Phil. ii 7. and took upon him the form of a Servant and was made in the likeness of Men And being found in fashion as a Man 8. he humbled himself and became Obedient unto Death even the Death of the Cross 9. Wherefore God also hath highly Exalted him and given him a Name which is above every Name That at the Name of Jesus every Knee should bow of things in Heaven and things in Earth 10. and things under the Earth And that every Tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is the Lord 11. to the Glory of God the Father III. The Third and Last Thing that our B. Saviour tells his Disciples the H. Ghost his PARACLET would reprove or convince the World of at his Coming is Judgment because the Prince of this World is judged Nothing had expos'd the Son of God more to the Scorn and Derision of the World than that Unexampled Patience and Meekness with which he suffer'd all the Indignities that were cast upon him never making any other Returns than Kindness to his greatest Enemies and Prayers unto God for them When he was reviled he reviled not again When he suffered he threatned not (c) 1 Pet. ii 23. He was oppressed and he was afflicted yet he opened not his Mouth He was brought as a Lamb to the Slaughter and as a Sheep before her shearers is dumb so he opened not his Mouth (d) Isa liii 7. Acts viii 32. He did not strive nor cry neither did any man hear his voice in the Streets (e) Mat. xii 19. Isa xlii 2. This the base and degenerous World imputed to his Impotence and made it an Argument of his Guilt which was rather an Instance of his Love and Goodness and Compassion to Men. Thou that destroyest the Temple and buildest it in three daies save thy self If thou be the Son of God come down from the Cross (f) Matt. xxvii 40. were the insulting words of the Jews mocking him whilst he lay labouring under the Throws and the Agonies of Death The Time of his Abode upon Earth was indeed a Time of Sufferings 'T was the Hour of his Enemies and the Power of Darkness (g) Luk. xxii 53. But when once God had exalted him and taken him up unto himself it was then fit he should assert his Power and Godhead by his Judgments on the World and that being sate down at the Right Hand of God his Enemies should be now made his Footstool (h) Psal cx 2 Matt. xxii 44. But the Heavens being to contain him until the Times of the Restitution of all things (i) Acts iii. 21. he could not come down presently again on the Earth to execute Judgment in Person upon the World that had rejected him Therefore he sends the H. Ghost who as his PARACLET his Great Representative on Earth †PARACLETUS Vicarius Christi Tertul. advers Valent. Cap. xvi avenges him on the Authors and Instruments of his Sufferings Not one of them escap'd the Vengeance they deserv'd Judas who betray'd him had some time before with unconceivable Horrour and Anguish of Mind ended his wretched days (k) Mat. xxvii 3. Acts i. 18. Herod lost his Tetrarchy and with his Incestuous Herodias died in Banishment ‖ Joseph Antiq Jud. lib. xviii cap. 9. Pilate was put out of his Government grew weary of his Life and became his own Murderer * Euseb Hist Eccl. lib. ii cap. 7. Nicâ—ph Callist Eccl. Hist lib ii cap. 10. Vid quae â—bidem resert de Annâ Calphâ aliisque qui ipsi ut loquitur dignas variasque dederunt paenas ejus quam Christo intulerunt iniquae injustae Necis But not to insist on Judgments upon Particular Persons to whom God's afflicting Providences are so variously and so unaccountably administred in this World what became rather of the Jews and Romans those two great Nations that had combin'd to put him to Death They were destroyed by the Sword of his Mouth (l) Rev. xix 15. and by the mighty Power of his Spirit (m) 2 Thes ii 8. The Jews were his most deadly Enemies but they soon felt the terrible Effects of that direfull Imprecation which they made upon themselves and their Posterity when they cried out at his Crucifixion His Blood be on us and on our Children (n) Mat. xxvii 25. No sooner was the Lord ascended unto his Glory and the PARACLET came down but the Christian Church prevail'd o'er the Jewish Synagogue Their Pompous Temple was destroy'd the daily Oblation ceas'd (o) Dan. ix 27. The Abomination of Desolation stood in their Holy Place (p) Matt. xxiv 15. and the Divine Justice left not pursuing them till they were no longer a Nation As for the Romans never was the Hand of God more remarkably seen in any thing than in the Overthrow of their Empire †Vid. D. August de Civit. Dei Osor adv Paganos qui Argumentum hoc fuse operatò prosequuntur which at the Birth of our Saviour was at the Height and Top of all its Glory All the Mighty Nations of the Earth were Tributary to it and there was an Universal Peace in all its Provinces But after his Ascension and the Descent of the PARACLET it began visibly to decline The Rhine the Danub and the Euphrates which were before the Bounds of its Greatness and over which it was certain Death for any Barbarous Nation to pass saw their Banks cover'd with Swarms of a Savage and Unknown People that spred over it like Locusts Rome it self which was call'd the Eternal City ‖ Romulus Aeternae nondum fundaverat Urbis Marnia Tib. lib. ii Eleg. 5. Inter haec Orphitus praefecti potestate regebat Urbem Aeternam Amm. Marcellin lib. xiv that Name of Blasphemy * Roma Aeterna cum dicitur quae Temporalis est nomen est Blasphemiae Prosper mention'd by St. John in his Revelation (q) xiii 1. which said I sit a Queen I shall see no sorrow I shall never be moved (r) xviii 7. That proud City the Mother of Spiritual Whoredoms the Seat of all the Idolatries and Abominations of the Earth Drunk with the Blood of the Saints and of the Martyrs of Jesus (Å¿) xvii 5 6. was sack't by the Goths and Vandals But I hasten to that Judgment which our Lord tells his Disciples the H. Ghost his PARACLET would more particularly execute on the Devil the Chief Author of his Death and of his Sufferings For it was he that had most bitterly Persecuted him in the whole Course of his Life tempting Judas to betray him animating Herod and Pilate the Jews and Romans to his Destruction Our Lord calls him here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Prince of this World So he had call'd him twice before Now is the Judgment of this World Now shall the
Table where they feasted after those Sacrifices in honour of their Gods the Table of Devils (h) Ibid. Vers 21. But what is now become of all those False Divinities which swarm'd in the World when Our Saviour came in it They are gone They are perish'd from the Earth The Coming of the H. Ghost and the Preaching of the Gospel has convinc'd the World that they were indeed but Devils and the Nations who once worship'd them We among the rest worship now the Great God the Creator of Heaven and Earth and bow the Knees before the Lord Jesus the Saviour and the Redeemer of the World * Mr. Mede Disc on Jerem. x. 11. pag. 193. How successfully did the Holy Apostles †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. D. Crysost de Sto. Paulo Apostolo Hom. xxxii in Epist ad Rom. and the First Preachers of Christianity assisted by the Spirit of God go up and down the World erecting Churches on the Ruins of Idolatry How did they every-where by the Mighty Power that went along with them shake the Foundations of the Devil's Kingdom How did they expose to view the Impious Cheats the Obscene Mysteries the Ridiculous Pomps and Pageantries of his Religion How did they confound the Wisdom of the Philosophers and triumph'd over all the Ministers of Paganism In less than Forty Years time there was no Part of the then known and Habitable Earth where the Gospel was not Preach'd and in few Years more the whole World in a manner became Christian Where-ever Christianity appear'd the Devil was forc'd to quit his Idolatrous Temples He was aw'd by the Presence of the meanest Christian coming into them ‖ Cùm Diis suis immolant si assistat aliquis Signatamfrontem gerens sacra nullo modo litant Cùm enim quidam nostrorum sacrificantibus Dominis assisterent imposito frontibus Signo Deos eorum fugaverunt Lactant Divin Instit lib. iv cap. 27. His Service and Sacrifices grew into Contempt His Priests withdrew into Corners and Villages * Inde Religio Pagana Vid. Cl. Sarravij Epist Posthum pag. 90. Superstitio ultima resedit in Pagis ubi tenaciâ—re cultu Rustici sua Numina adorabant Certè Religio Pagana indè appellata quod in Pagis adhuc perseveraret cùm ab Urbibuâ— jam esset exterminata His forsaken Oratories were raz'd or fell of themselves to the Ground and if some for the Beauty or Conveniency of their Structure were thought worthy to be preserv'd they became the Mansions of the H. Ghost and the Name of Jesus was Invocated in them When a Strong Man armed keepeth his Palace his Goods are in Peace says our B. Saviour foretelling this Destruction of the Devils Temples But when a Stronger than he shall come upon him and overcome him he taketh from him all his Armour wherein he trusted and divideth his Spoils (i) Luk. xi 21 22. The Ceasing of Oracles which at the time of our Saviour's appearance began to be very rare but were not perfectly Silenc'd till the Descent of the PARACLET and in proportion to the Progress which Christianity made in the World is a Famous Instance of what the H. Ghost did then in it Viz. scatter'd those Evil Spirits that abus'd the Credulity and Simplicity of Mankind chac'd away the Father of Lies (k) Joh. viii 44. that he should deceive the Nations no more (l) Rev. xx 3. This I observe again because it was then much taken notice of not only by Christians †Vid. suprà but by the very Heathens themselves ‖ Cicer. de Divinat Lib. ii Porphyr apud Euseb Praep. Ev. Lib. V. passim who were amaz'd at that unusual Silence and wonder'd the Gods did not answer their Worshippers as formerly Plutarch we know wrote a Book about it * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Inter Opusc Moral Now how the World has been convinc'd by this remarkable Judgment which our Lord after his Ascension executed on the Devil the Prince of this World by sending the PARACLET I think I need not lose time to shew you It being That which has most evidently demonstrated that That Jesus must needs be a Great and a Mighty God who has thus overcome the Devil by the Force of his Spirit and has wrested the Worldly Power and Empire out of his hands 'T is that which has opened the Eyes of Men that were before blinded with Ignorance and Prejudice and turned them from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan unto God (m) Acts xxvi 18. 'T is That which has set up Christ's Throne in the World and made those that were before the Devil 's most Zealous Votaries become Converts renounce him as we do still at the Sacred Fonts and Profess themselves the faithfull Soldiers and Servants of our Lord †The Ancient Form of Baptism Whereby you see how exactly our Saviour's Promise to his Disciples has been fulfilled Nevertheless I tell you the Truth It is expedient for you that I go away For if I go not away the PARACLET will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you And when he is come he will reprove the World of Sin and of Righteousness and of Judgment Of Sin because they believe not on me Of Righteousness because I go to my Father and yet see me no more Of Judgment because the Prince of this World is judged The Consideration of these Things I fear has carried me too far For who can sufficiently repeat the Mighty Changes which the H. Ghost wrought in the World at his Coming the Glorious Triumphs of our Lord over all his Enemies on Earth after his Exaltation at the Right Hand of his Father But I must forbear Therefore to Conclude You have heard that the End of the Coming of the PARACLET was to do these Three Things I. To Vindicate the Truth of our Saviour's Mission as to his Office and to shew that he was the very Christ sent from God and therefore that 't is a very great Sin not to believe on him II. To Vindicate his Righteousness or Innocency as to his Life and Conversation among Men from the unjust Calumnies and Reproaches of the World and That by shewing how God had raised him from the Dead taken him up from the Earth and seated him next to his Divine Majesty in Heavenly Places which 't is not conceivable God would have done had he deserv'd the ill Usage he receiv'd among Men. III. To avenge him on all his Enemies bring them like so many condemn'd Captives at the Foot of his Throne and slay them before his face who would not have this Great King to Reign over them (n) Luk. xix 27 especially to avenge him on the Devil The Prince of this World by overthrowing his Kingdom casting him out of his Idolatrous Temples and causing the Name of Jesus to be Magnified in the World You have heard how eminently All these Things have