472 CHRIST warns his Difciples to expect Perfecution. Sect. 176.be more apparent! And may Divine Grace convince thofe, who now reject and oppose it, that in the midst of fuch various Evidence of his having come and spoken to them, they have no Cloak for their Sin! but with whatever fond Excufes they may amufe themselves and others, it will quickly appear, that the Bed is too short to ftretch themselves on it, and the Covering too narrow to wrap themselves in. (Ifa. xxviii. 20.) Ver. 22. Se&t. 177. John XVI. 1. SECT. CLXXVII. CHRIST warns his Difciples of the Sufferings they must expect, and labours to reconcile them to the Thoughts of his Remove, as what would on the whole be advantagious to them, as the Occafion of fending the Spirit, which would be fo great a Support to them and their Caufe. John XVI. 1,-----1 5. C JOHN XVI. I. HRIST farther added in his Difcourfe to his Difciples, Thefe Things I have spoken to you, concerning the Oppofition which you are to expect from the World, and the proportionable Supports you will receive from the Spirit, that when the Storm arifes, you may not be offended and difcouraged, and much less be drawn to renounce your Profeffion, in order to avoid the 2 Danger. They fhall indeed excommunicate, or caft you out of the Synagogues; yea, that is not all, for the Hour is fhortly coming, that whofoever killeth you, shall think that he offers [an acceptable] Service to GOD (a): To fo mad a Rage fhall their JOHN XVI. 1. THESE Things have I fpoken unto you, that ye fhould not be offended. 2 They fhall put you out of the Synagogues: yea, the Time cometh, that whofothat he doth GOD Service. ever killeth you, will think (a) Whofoever killeth you, &c.] As the lower Kinds of Excommunication among the Jews were attended only with Separation from Synagogue-Worship, and from familiar Converfe; (Luke vi. 22.) or in Cafes of greater Guilt, with Confifcation of Goods, and Forfeiture of all their Subftance: (Ezra x. 8.) The highest Kind of it was a Capital Sentence; (Lev. xxvii. 29.) the Execution of which, when regularly pronounced, was indeed an Act of Duty and Obedience to God, while they had the Power of Life and Death in their Hands: But after it was wrefted from them, fome might, perhaps, think it an Act of very acceptable Piety and Zeal, to attempt fuch Executions, tho' at the Hazard of their own Lives; (of which the Forty Confpirators against Paul do therefore fo boldly avow a Defign, even to the High-Prieft, as if it were meritorious, rather than criminal: Acts xxiii, 14, 15.) And to fuch They lamented his Going, but it was for their Advantage. 3 And thefe Things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me. 4 But these Things have I told you, that when the Time hall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these Things faid not unto you at the Beginning, because I was with you. 473 John XVI. 3. their Zeal arise, and fo thick is the Darkness Sect. 177. with which their Minds are vailed. And all these cruel Things they will do unto you, because they have not known, either the Father, or me; which if they had done, instead of injuring me, and exercifing such Inhumanities towards you, my Apostles, they would have received us with the greatest Pleasure and Thankfulness. But, as 4 I faid before, I have now spoken thefe Things to you, that when the Seafon comes in which they I fhall happen, you may remember that I told you of them; and fo may turn what has fo difcouraging an Aspect into a further Confirmation of your Faith. And I did not indeed fay thefe Things to you from the Beginning of my Miniftry, because I was then with you, and could eafily fuggeft proper Inftructions and Confolations, as new Circumftances of Difficulty arofe: But now I fpeak them, 5 because I am departing from you for a while, and am going away to him that fent me into the World; and yet none of you afketh me, Whither doft thou go? nor is concerned to make thofe Enquiries, about that better World where we are to dwell together, which furely might well become you 6 But because I have faid in fuch a Circumftance. But because I have 6 thefe Things unto you, Sorrow hath filled your Heart. Spoken thefe Things unto you, and talked of leaving you for a Time, your natural Affections have been greatly moved, and Sorrow has filled and pierced your very Hearts, so that you seem almost ftupefied with it. 5 But now I go my Way to him that fent me, and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou? 7 Nevertheless, I tell you the Truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if 1 But I tell you the exact Truth of the Cafe, 7 the fuch fort of Facts thefe Words of our Lord may peculiarly relate.Permit me to difgrefs fo far as to add, that I apprehend, in other Cafes, after they were thus difarmed of the Power of Life and Death, they had (as I may elsewhere prove,) a Dépendance upon the Interpofition of Providence, to add that Efficacy to their Cenfures, which their Power, infringed as it was, could not give: In Reference to which, this bigheft Sentence ef Excommunication was in the Decline of their State called Anathema Maran-atha, or a Sentence which the Lord would remarkably come to execute, tho' they themselves could not carry it into Effect. St. Paul therefore, with a peculiar Beauty and Propriety, (but never, fo far as I can find, fully explained,) applies it to a Crime not capable of Conviction before any Human Judges; even the Want of a fincere Love to Chrift, tho' under a Chriftian Profet fion. See I Cor. xvi. 22. (b) He John XVI. 7. 8 474 Sect. 177. the Father and me in the Counfel of Peace between us; for if I do not go away, and appear in Heaven under the Character of the great HighPrieft, the Comforter will not come to you, fince the Gift of the Spirit is the Fruit of my Purchase, and is appointed to be confequent upon my being glorified; (John vii. 39. Sect. 101.) but when I am gone I will not fail to fend him to you. away, And when he comes, he will abundantly difplay the Efficacy of his Grace, not only in the Comforts he will give you under all your Troubles, but in the wonderful Succefs with which he will enable you to carry on my Caufe; and will effectually convince the World by your Ministry, of Sin, and of 9 Righteoufness, and of Judgment (b). He will convince the World of that aggravated Sin which they are guilty of, because they do not believe in me; to the Truth of whofe Miffion he will bear an unanswerable Teftimony by his enlightening 10 Influences and miraculous Operations. He will convince them of my Righteoufnefs and Innocence; because it will evidently appear, that I go to my Father, and am accepted of him, when I fend the Spirit from him in fo glorious a Manner; (compare Acts ii. 33. and Rom. i, 4.) and that my Righteoufnefs may therefore be relied on for the Juftification and Acceptance of my People, fince you fee me no more appearing among you in the Form of a Servant; but are affured, that having finished what I was to do on Earth, I am taken up to Heaven, and received into 11 Glory. And he will convince them of my being invested with the Power of executing Judg ment; because the Prince of this World, the great Head of the Apoftacy, is now as it were already judged and condemned, and fhall then be triumphed over in a very remarkable Manner, when his Oracles are filenced, and he is caft out from many Perfons, and Countries too; which he before poffeffed: (Compare John xii. 31. Sect. 148.) And The Spirit would convince of Sin, Righteousness, and Judgment. Satan if I go not away, the Comyou; but if I depart, I will you; but if I depart, I will forter will not come unto fend him unto you. 8 And when he is come, he will reprove the World of Sin, and of Righteousness, and of Judgment: 9 Of Sin, because they believe not on me ; 10 Of Righteoufnefs, becaufe I go to my Father, and fee me no more; ye II Of Judgment, because the Prince of this World is judged. (b) He will convince the World, &c.] So the Word λes properly fignifies. Compare John viii. 9, 46. 1 Cor. xiv. 24. Tit. i. 9. and 7am. ii. 9.For the Illustration of this, and the following Verses, see Archbishop Tillotson's Works, Vol. iii. pag. 287,-289. (c) But He would take of the Things of CHRIST, and fhew to them. 12 I have yet many Things to fay unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. 13 Howbeit, when he the Spirit of Truth is come, he will guide you into all fpeak of himself; but what foever he shall hear, that fhall he speak: and he will fhew you Things to come. Truth: for he fhall not 14 He fhall glorify me: for he fhall receive of mine, and fhall fhew it unto you. 15 All Things that the Father hath, are mine: therefore said I, that he fhall take of mine, and fhall fhew it unto you. 16. p.477 475 John XVI. Satan being thus divested of his Power, my Gospel Sect. 177. II. I have yet many other Things to say to you, 12 with Relation to Matters of confiderable Moment in the Settlement of my Church; but I wave them at prefent, because I know, that you are not able to bear [them] now, and are not yet prepared to receive them (c). But when be, [even] 13 the Spirit of Truth, is come, according to the Promife I have given you, he, as a faithful Guide, will lead you into all neceflary Truth: For be will not exceed his Commiffion, and like a careless or unfaithful Meffenger fpeak merely of himself; but like a wife and good Embaffador, whatsoever he shall hear and receive in Charge, [that] will be speak; and he will fhew you Things to come, as far as may be neceffary to prepare and qualify you for the great Work you fhall be called to; and will acquaint you with future Events, the Prediction of which, as delivered by you, may be a lafting Testimony to the Truth of my Gospel. And be hall indeed glorify 14 me in the moft fignal Manner; for he will take of mine, or of thofe Doctrines which relate to me, and those Benefits which I procure and beftow, and will reveal and fhew [it] to you in the most clear and attractive Light. And indeed all Things whatsoever the Father bath, are mine; and therefore, to exprefs the whole System of Evangelical Truth, I faid unto you, that he will take of mine, and will fhew [it] to you; fince whatsoever he reveals to you in the Name of GOD, may be called mine, as all Truth proceeds from me, and all real Goodness is my Cause and Intereft in the World. 1 (c) But you are not able to bear them now.] Thofe other Things to which our Lord refers, might probably relate to the Abrogation of the Ceremonial Law, to the Doctrine of Justification by Faith, the Rejection of the Jews, the Calling of the Gentiles, and the like; which might have given fome Offence to the Difciples, till their remaining Prejudices were removed. However, the Prudence of Christ in this Refpect is an excellent Pattern for Minifters; and we had need to pray earnestly for the Inftructions and Affiftances of the Spirit of GOD, that we may neither forget, not abufe it. 0002 IMPROVE 15 476 Ver. 3. Reflections on the End for which the Spirit fhould be fent. HR IMPROVEMENT. Se&t. 177: WOW great is the Ignorance and Folly of them, that perfecute their ཀའདུ Brethren in the Name of the Lord, and kill his dear Children John xvi. 2. under the Pretence of offering him an acceptable Sacrifice! Thus were the Apostles treated by thofe, that knew not the GOD, for whom they profeffed all this burning Zeal. Let us blefs GOD, that we are providentially theltered from those Effects of it, which might otherwife bear so hard upon us: And let us diligently watch over our Hearts, that no irregular Affections may work there, and no uncharitable Sentiments be Ver. 5, 6. harboured. When, like the Apostles, our Hearts are filled with Sorrow, let us be cautious, that they may not be ftupefied by it, fo that any Call of Duty should pafs unheard, or any Opportunity of religious Advancement unimproved: And let us not be indolent in our Enquiries into the Meaning of thofe Difpenfations, that we do not understand; but ferioufly confider, whether we are not forrowful for that, which is indeed defigned for our Advantage, and in the Iffue will be Matter of rejoicing to us. Ver. 7. Ver. 8. We hear to what Purposes the Comforter was fent. His Coming was defigned in a peculiar Manner for the Advantage of the Apostles, and was of greater Service to them, than the Continuance of Chrift's Prefence with them in the Body would have been, not only to fupport and comfort them under all their Trials, but to acquaint them with all neceffary Truth, and fully to inftruct them in the Mysteries of Godlinefs. And he came alfo for the Conviction of an Apoftate World; for the important Errand he was fent upon, was to awaken Men's Minds, V.9, 10, 11. and to convince them of their own Guilt, and of Chrift's Righteousness, and of that awful Judgment which should be executed on the moft inveterate of his Enemies. Let us often think of the Force of the Spirit's Teftimony to the Truth of Chriftianity, and endeavour to underftand it in all its Extent. Let us blefs GoD, that the Gofpel, and the Character of his Son, were thus vindicated; and rejoice in the Views of that compleat Conqueft, to which Satan is already adjudged. In the mean Time, let us earnestly pray, that the Influences of the Holy Spirit may be communicated to us in fuch a Manner, that Chrift Ver. 14, 15. may be glorified in us, and we in him; and that the Things of Chrift may be taken, and fhewn to us by that Spirit, which can only be done by Means of his Influence and Operations. Ver. 13. |