after he hath so 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 forsake our Sins, and to devote ourselves entirely to God's Service; and to follicite him moit earnestly 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 shall allure the good Spirit of God to take up his Lodging in our Hearts. And when once it is our Happiness to have received so illustrious a Guest; oh! with what Zeal should we endeavour to preserve him! How careful should 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 Conscience! 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 Sensuality! because these are the Things that

of all others do most defile our Bodies, and 1 Cor. 6. render them unfit for the Spirit of Purity to 15-20. dwell in, as the Apostle often tells us. Lastly, Lastly, how industrious should we be to take all Occasions of improving every Grace and every Virtue with which God hath adorned our Souls: And in order to that, to make use of all those Means that our Lord Jesus has appointed for that purpose; amongst which the frequent Receivings of the blessed Sacrament is a principal one.

These are the Methods by which we may secure 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 constant 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 unspeakable Glory in the World to come.

!

DISCOURSE II.

Concerning the Advocateship of the Holy Spirit, and the proper DiStinctions between that and the Advocateship of our Saviour,

[Deliver'd in Three Sermons.]

JOHN XIV. 16.

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.

Or thus:

I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Advocate, that he may abide with you for ever.

T

HE Word in the Original is, παράκλητα, 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

26. and

15.

Advocate: and therefore for Sureness fake so also in they put in both the Words; the one in John the Text, and the other in the Margin of 16. 7. and our Bibles.

But undoubtedly παράκλη here hath the Signification of an Advocate, and not of a Comforter, as I shall shew by and by: And therefore I shall 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 seasonable to his Apostles, 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 Reason) filled their Hearts, John 16.6. and they could not but look upon themselves in a most 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, so now he more especially fets himself to ease their troubled Minds, and to fortify them against the approaching Disasters. Many excellent Confiderations he proposeth to this Purpose: But three Things especially he insists on in this

Chapter; which, if they were well confidered,

dered, would afford them unspeakable Confolation, by letting them see that it was much better for them that he should leave them, than that he should stay any longer with them. The first 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 also in me. In my Father's

reading.

ddo, af

c. See

House are many Mansions: If it were not fo, I would have told you. I go to prepare a + Edy wo Place for you: And having gone and prefer I shall pared a Place for you, I will come again, have gone, and receive you to myself, that where I am, Grot. there you may be also. Secondly, This further eminent Advantage they should receive from his going to his Father, that thereby they should be secure 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 so great from henceforward should his Authority be with his Father, and so powerful his Interceffion, that they should ask nothing in his Name, (if it was for the Interest of the Church) but it should

V. 12, 13, be granted. Because I go unto my Father, fays