he is absent in heaven; only during the time of his conversation here below in the days of his flesh, his holy disciples looked on him as the only spring and foundation of all their consolation, their only support, guide, and protector, as they had just cause to do. They had yet no insight into the mys tery of the dispensation of the Spirit, nor was he yet so given or poured out, as to evidence himself and his operation unto their souls. Wherefore, they looked on themselves as utterly undone when their Lord and Master began to acquaint them with his leaving of them. No sooner did he tell them of it, but sorrow filled their hearts;' John xvi. 6. Wherefore, he immediately lets them know, that this great work of relieving them from all their sorrows and fears, of dispelling their disconsolations, and supporting them under their trouble, was committed to the Holy Ghost, and would by him be performed in so eminent a manner, as that his departure from them would be unto their advantage; ver. 7. Wherefore, the Holy Spirit did not then first begin really and effectually to be the Comforter of believers upon the departure of Christ from his disciples, but he is then first promised so to be upon a double account. (1.) Of the full declaration and manifestation of it. So things are often said in the Scripture then to be, when they do appear and are made manifest. An eminent instance hereof we have in this case; John vii. 38, 39. The disciples had hitherto looked for all immediately from Christ in the flesh, the dispensation of the Spirit being hid from them. But now this also was to be manifested unto them. Hence, the apostle affirms, that ' though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet henceforth we know him no more;' 2 Cor. i. 16. that is, so as to look for grace and consolation immediately from him in the flesh, as it is evident the apostles did, before they were instructed in this unknown office of the Holy Ghost. (2.) Of the full exhibition and eminent communication of him unto this end. This, in every kind, was reserved for the exaltation of Christ, when he received the promise of the Spirit from the Father, and poured it out upon his disciples.

2. The Lord Christ doth not hereby cease to be the Comforter of his church. For what he doth by his Spirit, he doth by himself. He is with us unto the end of the world by his Spirit being with us, and he dwelleth in us by the Spi

rit dwelling in us; and whatever else is done by the Spirit, is done by him. And it is so upon a threefold account: For, (1.) the Lord Christ, as Mediator, is God and man in one person, and the divine nature is to be considered in all his mediatory operations. For he who worketh them is God, and he worketh them all as God-man, whence they are Theandrical. And this is proposed unto us in the greatest acts of his humiliation, which the divine nature in itself is not formally capable of. So God redeemed his church with his own blood; Acts xx. 28. Inasmuch, as he who was in the form of God, and thought it no robbery to be equal with God, humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, the death of the cross;' Phil. ii. 6-8. Now in this respect the Lord Christ and the Holy Spirit are one in nature, essence, will, and power. As he said of the Father, I and my Father are one;' John x. 30. So it is with the Spirit, he and the Spirit are one. Hence all the works of the Holy Spirit works were the works of the Father, and the works of the Father were his all the operations of the Holy Trinity, as to things external, unto their divine subsistence, being undivided. So is the work of the Holy Spirit in the consolation of the church, his work also.

are his also; as his

(2.) Because the Holy Spirit in this condescension unto office, acts for Christ and in his name. So the Son acted for and in the name of the Father, where he every where ascribed what he did unto the Father in a peculiar manner,

'The word,' saith he, which you hear, is not mine, but the Father's which sent me ;' John xiv. 24. It is his originally and eminently, because as spoken by the Lord Christ, he was said by him to speak it. So are those acts of the Spirit, whereby he comforteth believers, the acts of Christ, because the Spirit speaketh and acteth for him, and in his name.

(3.) All those things, those acts of light, grace, and mercy, whereby the souls of the disciples of Christ are comforted by the Holy Ghost, are the things of Christ, that is, especial fruits of his mediation. So speaketh our Saviour himself of him and his work; He shall glorify me; for he shall receive of mine, and shew it unto you;' John xvi. 14. All that consolation, peace, and joy which he communicates unto believers; yea, all that he doth in his whole work towards the elect, is but the effectual communication of the

fruits of the mediation of Christ unto them. And this is the first thing that constitutes the office of the Comforter; this work is committed and intrusted unto him in an especial manner, which, in the infinite condescension of his own will, he takes upon him.

Secondly, It farther evinceth the nature of an office, in that he is said to be sent unto the work. And mission always includeth commission. He who is sent is intrusted and empowered as unto what he is sent about. See Psal. civ. 30. John xiv. 26. xv. 26. xvi. 7. The nature of this sending of the Spirit, and how it is spoken of him in general, hath been considered before in our declaration of his general adjuncts, or what is affirmed of him in the Scripture, and may not here again be insisted on. It is now mentioned only as an evidence to prove, that in this work of his towards us, he hath taken that on him which hath the nature of an office. For that is his office to perform which he is sent unto, and he will not fail in the discharge of it. And it is in itself a great principle of consolation unto all true believers, an effectual means of their supportment and refreshment, to consider, that not only is the Holy Ghost their Comforter, but also that he is sent of the Father and the Son, so to be. Nor can there be a more uncontrollable evidence of the care of Jesus Christ over his church, and towards his disciples in all their sorrows and sufferings, than this is, that he sends the Holy Ghost to be their Comforter.

Thirdly, He hath an especial name given him, expressing and declaring his office. When the Son of God was to be incarnate, and born in the world, he had an especial name given unto him; 'He was called Jesus.' Now, although there was a signification in this name of the work he was to do; for he was called Jesus, 'because he was to save his people from their sins;' Matt. i. 21. yet was it also that proper name whereby he was to be distinguished from other perSo the Holy Spirit hath no other name but that of the Holy Spirit, which how it is characteristical of the third person in the Holy Trinity, hath been before declared. But as both the names of Jesus and of Christ, though neither of them is the name of an office, as one hath dreamed of late; yet have respect unto the work which he had to do, and the office which he was to undergo, without which he could not

sons.

have rightly been so called: so hath the Holy Ghost a name given unto him, which is not distinctive with respect unto his personality, but denominative with respect unto his work. And this is ὁ παράκλητος.

1. This name is used only by the apostle John, and that in his gospel, only from the mouth of Christ; chap. xiv. 16. 26. xv. 26. xvi. 7. And once he useth it himself, applying it unto Christ, 1 John ii. 1. where we render it an advocate.

The Syriac interpreter retains the name N, Paraclita; not as some imagine from the use of that word before among the Jews, which cannot be proved. Nor is it likely that our Saviour made use of a Greek word barbarously corrupted,, was the word he employed to this purpose. But looking on it a proper name of the Spirit with respect unto his office, he would not translate it.

As this word is applied unto Christ, which it is in that one place of 1 John ii. 1. it respects his intercession, and gives us light into the nature of it. That it is his intercession which the apostle intends, is evident from its relation unto his being our propiation. For the oblation of Christ on the earth, is the foundation of his intercession in heaven. And he doth therein undertake our patronage, as our advocate, to plead our cause, and in an especial manner to keep off evil from us. For, although the intercession of Christ in general, respects the procurement of all grace and mercy for us, every thing whereby we may be 'saved unto the utmost;' Heb. vii. 25, 26. yet his intercession for us as an advocate respects sin only, and the evil consequents of it. For so is he in this place said to be our advocate, and in this place alone is he said to be, only with respect unto sin: 'If any man sin, we have an advocate.' Wherefore, his being so, doth in particular respect that part of his intercession, wherein he undertakes our defence and protection when accused of sin. For Satan is ó Kaтhyороs, the accuser; Rev. xii. 10. And when he accuseth believers for sin, Christ is their Tapákλntos, their patron and advocate. For, according unto the duty of a patron or advocate in criminal causes, partly he sheweth wherein the accusation is false, and aggravated above the truth, or proceeds upon mistakes; partly that the crimes charged have not that malice in them as is pretended; and principally in pleading his propitiation for

them, that so far as they are really guilty, they may be graciously discharged.

For this name is applied unto the Holy Spirit. Some translate it a Comforter; some an Advocate; and some retain the Greek word Paraclete. It may be best interpreted from the nature of the work assigned unto him under that name. Some would confine the whole work intended under this name unto his teaching, which he is principally promised for: for the matter and manner of his teaching, what he teacheth, and the way how he doth it, is, they say, the ground of all consolation unto the church. And there may be something in this interpretation of the word, taking teaching in a large sense, for all internal, divine, spiritual operations. So are we said to be taught of God when faith is wrought in us, and we are enabled to come unto Christ thereby. And all our consolations are from such internal, divine operations. But take teaching properly, and we shall see that it is but one distinct act of the work of the Holy Ghost as here promised among many.

But, 2. the work of a comforter is principally ascribed unto him. For, (1.) that he is principally under this name intended as a comforter, is evident from the whole context and the occasion of the promise. It was with respect unto the troubles and sorrows of his disciples, with their relief therein, that he is promised under this name by our Saviour. 'I will not,' saith he, 'leave you orphans;' chap. xiv. 18. Though I go away from you, yet I will not leave you in a desolate and disconsolate condition. How shall that be prevented in his absence, who was the life and spring of all their comforts? Saith he, I will pray the Father, and he shall give you adλov tapákλntov;' ver. 16. that is, 'Another to be your Comforter.' So he renews again his promise of sending him under this name, because 'sorrow had filled their hearts' upon the apprehension of his departure; chap. xvi. 7, 8. Wherefore, he is principally considered as a Comforter: and, as we shall see farther afterward, this is his principal work, most suited unto his nature, as he is the Spirit of peace, love, and joy. For he who is the eternal, essential love of the Divine Being, as existing in the distinct persons of the Trinity, is most meet to communicate a sense of divine love with delight and joy unto the souls of believers. Hereby he sets up the kingdom of God in them,