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to him. Where, as the loving of Chrift is the Condition of his giving the Holy Ghoft, fo the keeping of his Commandments is made the moft infallible Sign and Token of our loving of him: for 'tis not he that speaks me fair, and cries Lord, Lord; but he that obferves my Sayings, and makes my Precepts the Rule and Guide of his Actions; he it is that truly loveth me. And to encourage us fo to do, he tells us, that God the Father will love those that thus exprefs their Love to his Son; and Chrift himself will requite their Love to him with the bleffed Fruits and Effects of his Love to them: for he will freely acquaint them with the Secrets of his Heart, and manifeft himself and his Goodnefs to them.

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Upon this Difcourfe of our Saviour's, Judas, not Iscariot, but one of his Difciples, faid unto him, Lord! how is it that thou wilt manifeft thy felf to us, and not unto the World? where he seems defirous to know the reason why he fo freely reveal'd his Mind to them, and not unto others. To which our Saviour gives him no direct Answer, but intimates the Reafon of it to be, because the World neither lov'd his Perfon, nor obey'd his Precepts; for if they did, he would as freely communicate himself to the World as to them: 'tis their Sin and their Difobedience that make them hate me, and that withholds good things from them. If a Man love me (faith Chrift) he will keep my Words: And then, My Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our Abode with him: whereas, on the other hand, He that loveth me not, keepeth not my Sayings, And the Evil thereof is the more heinous and dangerous, because the Word which you hear is not mine, but the Father's that fent me. The Meffage I deliver to the World is from him; and if that be defpis'd, there can be no hopes of Mercy, but a fearful Expectation of Vengeance. These things (faith he) have I spoken unto you, being yet prefent with you, that is, I was willing to let you know thefe things before I leave you, that you may remember and confider them when I am gone, Howbeit, foon after my Departure the Paraclete, or Comforter, will come; that is, the Holy Ghost, which my Father will fend in my Name, as he did this Day: and he at his Coming fhall more fully inftruct you in these and all other Matters; for he hall teach you all things, and bring all things to your Remembrance, whatsoever I have faid unto you. Where, by teaching all things, and leading into all Truth, we must not understand indefinitely all things, Vol. IV. Part 2.

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or

or all Truths of every kind, but only all Divine Truths neceffary to be known in order to Salvation and in thefe the Holy Ghoft hath not been wanting either to the Apoftles or us; having imparted to both the whole Mind and Will of God, fo far as is neceffary to bring us to him which, as it is an ineftimable Favour, fo is it no more than is needful for us; for we of our felves are naturally blind and ignorant, and know nothing as we ought to know. 'Tis the Holy Spirit of God that enlightens our Minds, helps our Infirmities, and guides us in the Way that we fhould go without which we fhould ftumble and fall at Noon-day, and wander in the Paths of Deftruction. But thanks be to God, who hath given us of his Spirit, to direct our Footsteps, and lead us in the Way to everlasting Life.

Again, The Holy Ghoft is faid to bring all things to our Remembrance, whatsoever our Saviour hath faid unto us; and this too is but needful, for we are too apt to forget what we are most concern'd to remember. Our Memories are treacherous and unfaithful, and, like Water, are wont to keep up light and trivial things, and fuffer weightier Matters to fink into Oblivion; and therefore the best of us ftand in need of a Monitor, or Remembrancer, to call to mind thofe faving Truths that are apt to flip from us, and to fasten them upon us by a frequent and feasonable Recollection. This Office the Holy Ghoft ftill does for us, by fecretly moving and inciting us to our Duty, when we are turning from it; by fuggefting Motives of Confolation in Trouble, when we are like to faint under it; and in a word, by calling to mind and applying Paffages of Holy Scripture for our Comfort and Direction, when we ftand in need of it which fhews us the great Ufe and Benefit of this Comforter.

And now our Saviour Chrift, having thus fully declar'd his Mind to the Difciples, and promis'd them another Comforter to fupply his Place, he begins to take his leave of them, faying in the next Verfe, Peace I leave with you, my Peace I give unto you, not as the World giveth, give I unto you, &c. This giving or wifhing of Peace was a Form of Salutation, antiently us'd at the departing of Friends, and implies a Wifh of all kind of Happiness; Peace including in it all manner of Bleffings: And this he twice repeats, to fhew the Heartiness and Sincerity of his Wifh, Peace I leave with you, my Peace I give unto you, not as the World

giveth,

giveth for they do it only formally and heartlefly, with an outward Show of Civility, but without any inward Truth or Sincerity; but I give it to you after another and better manner; that is, cordially, and with the highest Degrees of Love and Affection: I bequeath it to you as a Legacy, to ftand or remain with you. Or elfe, not as the World. giveth, give I unto you, may be meant, because the World cannot give that Peace that it wishes; it can only defire, but cannot perform it: but I give it unto you with a design of doing it, and will effectually perform it for you; and therefore let not your Heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid: be not griev'd at my departing from you, nor be afraid of what may befal you when I am gone, for the Conforter will come, and do all that for you which you can' reafonably defire, or your Neceffities call for fo that your bearing of what I faid unto you, I go away and come again to you, can be no juft caufe of mourning or repining; yea, If you loved me (faid he) you would rejoice rather, because I faid, I go unto the Father, for my Father is greater than 1; for greater is he that fendeth, than he that is fent; and my going to him will be for mine and your Advancement. This I have told you (faith he) before it come to pass, that when it is come to pass, ye may believe, and ftrengthen your Faith in me. I fhall add no more (faith he) but to let you know, That the Prince of the World, or the Accufer of the Brethren, comes and findeth nothing in me, or hath nothing to lay to my Charge; but that the World may know that I love the Father, I have fulfilled his Will, and as the Father gave me Commandment, even fo do 1.

This is the whole Senfe and Subftance of the Gospel for this Day; from which I fhall infer two or three things by way of Application. As,

It, Since Love is the Condition of Chrift's giving us the Holy Ghoft, let us labour to work our Hearts to the Love of God and Chrift; for both concur in conferring upon us this inestimable Gift, and therefore we must extend our Love to both. God the Father fo loved the World, that he gave his only Son to ranfom and redeem it; and God the Son fo loved the World, that he gave his Holy Spirit to fanctify and comfort it; the Senfe whereof ought to inflame our Hearts with the moft ardent Love and Affection to both.

2dly, Since the best Token and Trial of our Love to Chrift, is the keeping his Commandments, let us give him

E a

that

that Teftimony or Demonstration of our true Affection to him one eminent Act or Expreffion of Love to another, is the doing of things grateful and well-pleafing to him, either by promoting his Good, or gratifying his Defires. Now because God is above the receiving any Good from us, our only way of doing things grateful and acceptable to him, is the obferving his Commands, and doing what he requires of us: This our Saviour looks upon as the chief, if not the only Expreffion of our Love to him, as may be feen throout this Chapter. Let us not then fail of giving him this Proof and Demonftration of our Affection; and as we are bid to fhew our Faith, fo let us fhow our Love by our Works, ever obeying and fubmitting to his Will, by doing and fuffering what he would have us.

3dly, Since the Holy Ghost is fent to us as a Comforter, Teacher and Remembrancer, let us thankfully receive and comply with him in all thofe Offices; that is, first, let us not refuse, but chearfully receive his Holy Comforts, that we may be encourag'd by his Joys, and fupported by his Confolations. Next, let us beware of ftifling and fuppreffing his good Motions, or turning the deaf Ear to his Calls, whether publickly or fecretly fuggefted to us. Again, let us take heed of fmothering the Gifts or Graces of the Spirit vouchfafed to us, but rather daily exercife and improve them; and then to him that hath shall be given, and he shall have more abundantly. In fhort, let us not quench the Holy Spirit, that came in the Form of Fire to chear and enliven us, left he come again in flaming Fire to confume and deftroy us; nor let us refufe to hear him speaking to us, who came in the Shape of Tongues to teach and inftruct us, left thofe Tongues open again to accufe and condemn us. The Spirit of God will not always ftrive with us; and therefore let us beware of refifting, grieving, or doing defpight to the Spirit of Grace, which alone can bring us to Glory: To which God of his infinite Mercy bring us all, &c.

DIS

DISCOURSE VII.

The GOSPEL for Monday in Whitfun-Week.

St. John iii. 16

22.

God so loved the World, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting Life: for God fent not his Son into the World to condemn the World, but that the World through him might be faved, &c.

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HE Epiftle for this Day being the fame with that for Eafter-Monday, where it hath been already handled, I fhall not here repeat it, but refer the Reader to it. Only in the Clofe is added an Account of the Holy Ghoft's Defcent on the Gentiles; for which reafon it is appointed to be read again on this Day: for while St. Peter was Speaking to them, the Holy Ghoft fell on all them that heard the Word, either by fome vifible Appearance, as it did on the Apostles; or by fome Effects of it, which they heard or faw at which the Jews, who had receiv'd the Gofpel, marvel'd and magnify'd God, becaufe on the Gentiles alfo was poured out the Gift of the Holy Ghoft, for they heard them peak with Tongues, and magnify God in the feveral Languages of other Nations. Whereupon St. Peter declar'd their Right to Baptifm, and none could forbid Water, that they should not be baptized, who had equally receiv'd the Holy Ghoft with themfelves; and therefore St. Peter commanded them to be baptized in the Name of the Lord, and to be receiv'd into the Congregation of Chrift's Flock; and fo was departing from them, had they not pray'd him to tarry certain Days.

The Gofpel for this Day, of which I am now to fpeak, contains,

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