410 The trueRemedy algainf Vol. II, depart, I will fend hint unto you. And fo the Evangelift tells us before, Chap. 7. 39. that the fpirit was .not to be given, till fefus was firff gloried. fays he, fpake be of the fpirit, which they that believed on him fhould receive i fir the Holy Ghoft was not yetgiven, becaufe Jefus was not yetglorified ; plain- ly declaring, that according to the wife difpenfation of God, it was fo . ordered, that the fending of the Holy Ghoft for the propagating of the Gofpel, by thofe miraculous Powers which were to be conferred upon the firft Publilhers of ir, and for the fupporting and comforting of Chriftians under the fharp trials and fufferings to which they were to be expofed, was the fruit of Chrifl's Attention in- to Heaven, and his fitting at the right hand of themajefly on high, and the firft boon which he fhould obtain of his Farber, by the virtue and power of his inter- ceffion. I will pray the father, fays he, ver. 16. of this Chap. and he (ball fend you another Advocate, the fpirit of truth, and be pallabide withyou for ever. He fhall fend you another Comforter ; fò our Tranflation renders the word xA.nz®.: but it moft properly lignifies an Advocate or Patron, that undertakes our defence and pleads our caufe for us. And this the Holy Ghoft, in a moft eminent and re- markable manner was to the Apoftles and firft Chriftians, when they were called to anfwer for themfelves before Kings and Governours. They were generally Men of low condition and mean breeding, eafily dafht out of countenance before great Men; and therefore our Saviour promifed that the Holy Ghoft fhould be their Advocate, and fhould prompt and affift them in the pleading of their caufe. Mat. so. i8, 59. Tejball be brought before Governours, and Kings, for my fake: but when they deliveryou up, take no thought how or what ye fhall fpeak: for it (ball be given you in that fame hour what ye fball fpeak : for it is not you that fpeak; but the fpirit ofyour Father which fpeaketh in you. Or as it is inSt. Luke, Chap. 12. ver. 12. The Holy Ghofl (hall teach you in the fame hour, whatye ought to fay. And yet more fully, Chap. 21. ver. 12, 14, 15. where fpeaking again of their being brought before Kings andRulers for his Name's fake, he gives them this charge, Settle it therefore inyour hearts, not to meditate before whatye fhall anfwer; for I will giveyou a mouth and wifdom, which all your Ad- ierfaries fhall not be able togainfay, or refill. And this Promife we find remarkably made good to St. Stephen, Alls 6. so. of whom it is there faid, that his Enemies were not able to refill the wifdom and the fpirit by which he fpake. And to St. Paul likewife, when he was firft called to anfwer for hmfelf at Rome, as he himfelf tells Timothy, 2 Tim. 4. z6,17. At my ítrll anfwer no man flood with me; but all men forfook me: notwithflanding the Lord floodwith me andflrengthnedme. And though this was extraordinary, yet all Chriftians have, by virtue of this Promife, the ordinary afiiftance and comfort ofGod's holy fpirit in all their trou- bles and aflidions. By this Spirit we may in all our diftreffes with confidence make our addreffes to God, having accefs by one fpirit to the Fáther, as St. Paul fpeaks, Ephef: 2.18. By the fame Spirit we are aflifted in our Prayers, and dire- cted many times what to afk of God, fuitable to the condition which his Provi- dence defigns to bring us into; which feems to be theApoftle's meaning, Rom. 8. 26. Likewife the fpirit a fo helpeth our infirmities : for we know not what to pray for as we ought; but the fpirit it felf maketh interceJJion for us ; that is, fuggefis tous fuch requefts as are fit for us to put up to God. By the faine Spirit is fe- cretly infufed into our Souls, Peace and foy in believing, great Confolation and goodHope through Grace. Hence are thofe expreffions in Scripture ofthe confola- tion of thefpirit, and of joy in the Holy Chef, the belt Cordial in the World in all cafes of trouble. And in extraordinary cafes, good Men by virtue of this Promife of the Spirit, may expel to be born up and comforted in a very extraordinary and fupernatural manner, under the greateft tribulations and fuffermgs for righteoufnef fake. This was very fignal and remarkable in the primitive Chriftians,. who were expofed to the molt fierce and cruel perfecutions; and may dill be expelled in like cafes of extraordinary fuffering for the teftimony of God's Truth, Ifye be reproached, faith St. Peter, 1 Pet. 4. 14. for the name of Chrift, happy are ye ; fir the fpirit 2 Of
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