240 TILe NEw and CoMPLETE LIFE of our BLESSED LoRD themfelves wholly up to be governed by worldly a!feaions, pallions, and vices, they fhould aa contrary to all the reafon and evidence in the world : for this is but the natural confequence of obflinate and habi– tual wickednefs ; and hereby is only ful– filled in me, what holy David long Iince prophetically complained of, that they hated him without a caufe. However, notwithflanding all the oppo– fition that wicked and incorrigible men will make againfl my doarine, there will not be wanting powerful promoters of it, who !hall efleaually overcome all oppofition: for the comforter, whom I faid I will fend you from heaven, even that ffiirit rf"truth, which cometh forth, and is fent from the Father, !hall, when he cometh, with won· derful efficacy bear teflimony to the truth of my doarine, and caufe it to fpread through the world with incredible fuccefs; nay, and ye yourfelves alfo, though now fo weak, fearful, and doubting, !hall then very powerfully bear teflimony to the truth of all the things whereof ye have been eye-witneffes from the beginning, having been all along prefent with me. I have thus warned you beforehand, of the oppo!ition and perfecution ye mufl ex– pea to meet with in the world, that when it cometh ye may not be furprifed and ter· rified fo as to be difcouraged thereby from perfifling in the performance of your duty. Ye mufi expea particularly, that the chief priefls and rulers of the Jews, men of great hypocrify and fuperflition, zealous for their ceremonies and ritual traditions, but care– lefs to know and obey the will of Omnipo· tence in matters of great and eternal obli– gation, and invincibly prejudiced againfl the fpiritual holinefs and purity of my doElrine; thefe, I fay, you mufl expea will excommunicate you as apofiates, and cafl you out of all their focieties, as the vilefl of malefaElors ; nay, to fueh an ab– furd height of malice will their fuperflition carry them, that they will even fancy they promote the fervice of God, and the caufe of religion, when they mofl barbarouOy murder and dellroy you : but I have warned you of all this beforehand, that ye may prepare and fortify yourfelves again!l it, that ye may remember I foretold it to you, and that your faith in me may there– by be flrengthened, when it cometh to pafs. Indeed, I did not tell you particularly of thefe things at the beginning, when you firfl followed me and became my difciples, becaufe then I was to continue with you in perfon, and fupport you in all things, by my immediate prefence; but now, be– ing about to leave you, I think it neceffary to acquaint you what things are likely to come upon you after my departu.re, and alfo what comfort you may expea to fup– port you under them, at the fame time. I mufl now mention the melancholy part, namely, that I am going from you, and that great temptations will befall you in my abfence; this, indeed, ye readily apprehend, and fuffer your hearts to be overwhelmed with grief at the thoughts of it: but the comfortable part of my dif– courfe, namely, that my departure is only in order to return to him that fent me, and that I will foon after fend you the Holy Spirit, and the other advantages that will thence refult to you, are neither confidered, nor are you folicitous about them. Never– thelefs, if ye willliflen, I will plainly tell you the truth: ye are fo far from having reafon to be dejeaed at the thoughts of my departure, that, on the contrary, it is really profitable and expedient for you, that I fhould now depart; for fuch is the order and difpenfation of Providence towards _you, and the appointment of my Father's eternal and all-wife council, that before I go and take poffellion of my kingdom, the comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, can– not be fent unto you ; but when I am de– parted from you, and have all power in heaven and earth committed unto me, then I will tend him unto you : and when he cometh he !hall abundantly fupport and comfort you under all your troubles; fhall powerfully plead your caufe againfl your adverfarics;
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