after he hath fo done, to be careful that we do not by our ill Treatment of him give him Cause to depart from us. Would we invite and prevail with the Holy Spirit to come and dwell within us? The Way is, to forfake our Sins, and to devote ourselves entirely to God's Service; and to follicite him moft earneftly with our daily Prayers, that he would purify our Hearts, that they may become a Temple fit for him to dwell in; and withal to encourage and improve every good Motion and every Opportunity that he puts into our Hands of growing in Virtue and Goodness. By this Means we fhall allure the good Spirit of God to take up his Lodging in our Hearts. And when once it is our Happiness to have received fo illuftrious a Gueft; oh! with what Zeal fhould we endeavour to preferve him! How careful fhould we be, not to admit any Thing into our Hearts that may grieve him, or give him Occafion of Difpleasure! How watchful ought we to be over ourselves, that we do not engage in any unlawful Course, any Sin againft Confcience! for that is directly to affront him, and to take part with his Enemies. With what Diligence ought we to guard ourfelves from all forts of Impurity and Senfuality! because these are the Things that of all others do moft defile our Bodies, and 1 Cor. 6. render them unfit for the Spirit of Purity to 13-20. dwell in, as the Apoftle often tells us. Laftly, Laftly, how induftrious fhould we be to take all Occafions of improving every Grace and every Virtue with which God hath adorned our Souls: And in order to that, to make ufe of all thofe Means that our Lord Jefus has appointed for that purpofe; amongst which the frequent Receivings of the bleffed Sacrament is a principal one. These are the Methods by which we may fecure the Holy Spirit to ourselves. This is the Way to make him dwell with us for evermore And never to leave us, never to quit his Habitation; but to be our conftant Guide here, and our Rewarder hereafter: To be in us a conftant Principle of Grace in this World, and to raise us up to an eternal and unfpeakable Glory in the World to come. DISCOURSE II. Concerning the Advocateship of the Holy Spirit, and the proper Diftinctions between that and the Advocateship of our Saviour. [Deliver'd in Three Sermons.] JOHN XIV. 16. And I will pray the Father, and he fhall give you another Comforter, that he may you for ever. abide with Or thus: I will pray the Father, and he fhall give you another Advocate, that he may abide with you for ever. HE Word in the Original is, wagdnan, which, because it comes from a Word that hath a double Signification, our Tranflators made a Doubt, whether they should render a Comforter, or an John 15. Advocate and therefore for Surenefs fake So alfo in they put in both the Words; the one in 26. and the Text, and the other in the Margin of 16. 7. and our Bibles. here hath But undoubtedly waganλn the Signification of an Advocate, and not of a Comforter, as I fhall fhew by and by: And therefore I fhall all along follow the latter Tranflation. verf.26. of this ch. The Words are part of the last Sermon that our Saviour made to his Difciples, immediately before his Paffion. And indeed a very comfortable Sermon it was, and very feasonable to his Apoftles, who at that Time stood in great need of Comfort. They now faw their dear Lord and Master was to be taken from them, and to be delivered into the Hands of wicked Men, and Mat.26. 2. to be crucified. Upon this, Sorrow (as there was great Reafon) filled their Hearts, John 16.6. and they could not but look upon themfelves in a moft deplorable and defolate Condition. Our merciful Saviour was not wanting to them upon this fad Occafion; but as he had always treated them with the greatest Kindness and Tenderness in the World, fo now he more especially fets himself to cafe their troubled Minds, and to fortify them against the approaching Difafters. Many excellent Confiderations he propofeth to this Purpose: But three Things efpecially he infifts on in this Chapter; which, if they were well confi dered, dered, would afford them unspeakable Confolation, by letting them fee that it was much better for them that he fhould leave them, than that he should stay any longer with them. The firft Thing was, that he did not mean to leave them with a Design of returning no more to them, but he only went as an Harbinger before them, to prepare them Places in his heavenly Kingdom. And he would in due Time come again and fetch them, and bring them thither, where they should for ever enjoy him, withv. 1, 2, 3.out Fear of parting any more. Let not, *It is the faith he, your Hearts be troubled; * believe marginal in God, believe alfo in me. In Father's Houfe are many Manfions: If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare à + iar o Place for you: And having gone and preedro, after I mall pared a Place for you, I will come again, have gone, and receive you to myself, that where I Grot. there you may be alfo. Secondly, This fur reading. &c. See my am, ther eminent Advantage they should receive from his going to his Father, that thereby they should be fecure of a Friend and a Patron in the Court of Heaven. Hereby he should be put into a Capacity of doing every Thing for them that they defired: For fo great from henceforward fhould his Authority be with his Father, and fo powerful his Interceffion, that they fhould ask nothing in his Name, (if it was for the Intereft of the Church) but it should v. 12, 13, be granted. Because I go unto my Father, 14. fays |