THE HOLY SPHITT, AND HIS wont:. .i tfbelievers. Hereby he sets up the kingdom of God " thought howor what ye shall speak, for it shall be in them, which is righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, Rom. xiv. 17. And in nothing doth he so evidence his presence in the hearts and spi- rits of any, as by the disposal of them unto spiritual love and joy, for sheddingabroad the love ofGod in our hearts, as Rom. v. 5. He produceth a principle and frame of divine love in oursouls, and fills us with joy unspeakable and full of glory. The attribution there, fore of this name unto him, the Comforter, evidenceth that he performs this work in the way of an office. Neither, (5.) Is the signification of an advocate to be omitted, seeing what he doeth as such tendeth also to the consolation of the church. And we must first observe, that the Holy Spirit is not our Advocate with God. This belongs alone unto Jesus Christ, and is a part of his office. I-Ie is said indeed to stoke intercession toith.groans that cannot be uttered, Ilom. viii. 26, But this he doth not immediately, nor in his own person. He no otherwise maketh intercession for us, but by enabling us to make intercession according unto the mind of God. For to make intercession formally is utterly inconsistent with the divine nature, and his person, who hails no other nature but that which is divine. He is therefore incapable of being our Advo- cate with God: The Lord Christ is so alone, and that on the account of his precedent propitiation made for us. But he is an Advocate for the church, in, with, and against the world. Such an advocate is one that undertaketh the protection and defence of another, as to any cause wherein be is engaged, The cause where- in the disciples of Christ are engageddnand against the world, is the truth ofthe gospel, the power andkingdom of their Lord and Master. This they testify unto; this is opposed by the world, and this under various fbrms, appearances, and pretences, is that which they suffer repoaches and persecutions for in every generation. In this cause the Holy Spirit is their Advocate, justifying Jesus Christ and the gospel against the world. And this he doth three ways: (1.) By suggesting an- te, and furnishing the witnesses of Christ with pleas and arguments to the conviction of gainsayers. So it is promised that he should do, Matth. x. 18, 19, 20. as And-ye shall be brought before governors and kings a for my sake, for a testimony against them and the " Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, take no B "givers you in that sanie hour what ye shall speak. " For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your as Father which speaketh in you." They were to be given up, that is, delivered pp as malefactors unto kings and rulers for their faith in Christ, and the testi- mony they gave unto him. In this condition the best of men are apt to be solicitous about their answers, and the plea they are to make in the defence of themselves and their cause. Our Saviour therefore gives them en- couragement not only from the truth and goodness of their cause, but also from the ability they should have in pleading for it unto the conviction or confusion of their adversaries. And this he tells them should come to pass not by any power or faculty in themselves, but by the aid and supply they should receive from this Advo- cate, who in themwould speak by them. This was that mouth and wisdom which he promised unto them, which all their adversaries should not be able to gainsay or resist, Luke xxi. 15. A present supply of courage, boldness, and liberty of speech above and beyond their natural temper and abilities, immediately upon their receiving of the Holy Ghost. And their very enemies saw the effects Of it unto their astonishment. Upon the plea they made before the council at Jerusalem, it is said, that when they saws the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were ignorant and un- learned men, they marvelled, Acts iv. 13. They saw their outward condition, that they were poor and of the meanest of the people, yet carried it with courage and boldness before this great Sanhedrin, with whose authority and unusual appearance in grandner, all per- sons of that sort were wont to be .abashed and tremble at them. 'l'hey found them ignorant and unlearned in that skill and learning which the world admired, yet plead their cause unto their confusion. They could not therefore but discern and acknowledge that there was a divine power present with them, which acted them above themselves, their state, their natural or acquired abilities. This was the work of this .Advocate in them who had undertaken the defence of their cause. So when Paul- pleaded the same cause before Agrippa and Felix, one of them confessed his conviction, and the other trembled in his judgment-seat. Neither hath he been wanting unto the defence of the 'same cause in the same manner in succeeding gene. 36
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