292 Of the coming of theHoly Ghof, Vo1.II, fpirit of Grace! It is a fearful thing, to fall into the hands of the livingGod. But, Beloved, I hope better things of you, and things that accompany Salvation, tho' I thus )(peak, and that you are not of the number of thofe, who draw back unto Perdition, but of them that believe to the Pavingofyour Souls. S R M O N CXLV. Of the coming of the Holy Ghoft, as a Guide to the Apoi}les. JOHN XVI. 12, 13. I have yet many things to fay unto you, but you cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of Truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth. OUR Saviour having before declared to his Difciples the great Expediency of his leaving theWorld, in order to the coming of the Holy Ghoft, ver. 7. he tells them in the next place, what the Office of the Holy Ghoft fhould be In reference to Chrift, he fhould be an Advocate : and in reference to them, he fhould be a Guide or Teacher. I. In reference to Chrift, he fhould be anAdvocate to plead the Caufe ofChrift and of his Doctrine, and to vindicate them to the World, ver. 8, g, rn, II. And when he is come, he will convince the worldoffin, and of righteoufnefs, andofjudg- ment Offin, becaufe they believe not in me: Of righteoufnefs, becaufe Igo to my Father, and ye fee me no more: Of judgment, becaufe the Prince of this world is judged. All which I have formerly handled and explained at large. 2. In regard to the Apoflles; the Holy Ghoft is promis'd to be a Guide and Teacher, to reveal to them, and inftrud them in fome Truths which our Saviour, whilft he was with them, had not fo fully acquainted them withal, becaufe of their prefent incapacity and unfitnefs at that time to receive them. I have many things to fay onto you, but youcannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of Truth, is come, he willguide you into all truth. In the handling of thefe words, I (hall do thefe two things. Firfi, I {hall endeavour to explain the meaning of them. Secondly, I {hail draw fome Inferences from them. Firfl, 1(hall begin with the Explication of them ; in order whereunto, it will be requifite toenquire into thefe two things. I. What thofe things probably were, which our Saviour did not reveal and de- clare to his Difciples, becaufe they could not then bear them. II!What is the meaning of this Promife, that the Spirit of Truth fhallguide them into all truth. I. What thofe things probably were, which our Saviour did not reveal and de- clare to his Difciples, becaufe they could not then bear them. Our Saviour does not exprefs particularly what thofe things were, nor can it be expeled he fhould have done fo; for then he had declared them to them, which he tells us he would not do: but theText gives us twomarks to dire( our Inquiry concerning them. a. That they were fuch things as the Difciples at that time were incapable of: I have many things yet to fay unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. So that it feems they were fuchTruths, as the Difciples were prejudic'd againft upon fome account or other i moft probably by reafon of their Education in the Jewi(h Reli- gion, 4
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