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the Power of the Spirit to preach the Gospel; I beheld Satan, says he, as Lightning fall from Luk. 10. Heaven. And indeed he fell unexpectedly from all that Power and Authority which he had so long exercised among the Nations. For no sooner did the Holy Ghoft come upon the Disciples, but they converted Mankind, where-ever they came, from the Slavery of the Devil, to the Liberty of the Sons of God. The Effects of which, with reference to our Purpose, were two :

[1.] All the Oracles which had been fo frequent, and made so great a Noise in all Parts of the World, were struck dumb: And this we have not only from the Authority of the primitive Christian Fathers, who made use of this as a great Argument (and indeed it was so) for the Truth of Chriftianity; but also from the Acknowledgment of the Pagans themselves. Porphyry confesses that after the Time that the Religion of Fefus was preached in the World, they had no Benefit by their Oracles, or by their Sacrifices, but they seemed to be forsaken by their Gods. And Plutarch hath left us a Book upon Record of the ceasing of the Oracles in all Places ; of which he can give no Account; but we Christians can.

[2.] The other Effect was the throwing out Idolatry in all Places, where-ever the Christian Religion was entertained. The Devil, in all Pagan Countries before our

Saviour's Time, had his Temples, Sacri

fices, Mysteries, and all the Instances of Divine Worship paid unto him. And indeed he might, in a proper Sense enough, 2 Cor.4.4 at that Time be stiled the God of this World, for all Mankind, but the Jews, did pay him Homage. But upon the coming of the Advocate after our Saviour's Afcenfion, and the mighty Evidence that he gave of the Truth of the Christian Religion for near three hundred Years together, all those Idolatries wore off; and the World was no longer subject to the Prince of Darkness, but became Worshippers of the only true God, and of Jesus Christ whom he had fent. The Heathenish Temples were demolished, their Sacrifices turned out of Doors, their Idols broken down, and where-ever Christianity prevailed there were no other Gods but one: And it did prevail over all the Roman Empire, which was then the most confiderable Part of the known World. And God be thanked, it doth prevail at this Day, and ever will do so thro' the Power of the Blessed Spirit, its Patron and Defender, who manages the Affairs of it, and of every particular Christian so, that at length all the true Members of the Church may attain to that eternal Inheritance that Christ purchafed for them.

Having shewed then the different Nature and Effects of the Advocateship of Jefus Chrift in Heaven, and that of the Blessed Spirit upon Earth; I now proceed to my third

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third and last general Head, which is, to enquire into the several Acts, or Instances, or Expressions of this Advocateship of the Holy Ghost, (by which he began to adminifter this Office for the Church, and by which he continues still to do it, and will do so to the End of the World) and to shew which of them were peculiar to the Times of the Apostles, and which of them are common to all the Times and Ages of Christianity.

III. It is very easy to gather from what hath been faid, that the Holy Ghost was a Patron or Advocate for the Christian Caufe in the Times of the Apostles, in a way quite different from that in succeeding Ages; for the Reason is obvious: The World was then to be convinced of Sin, Righteousness, and Judgment: Now the World is convinced of all these in the manner I have before described. The Gospel was then to be effectually preached and propagated among Unbelievers, and idolatrous Nations: Now the Gospel is preached, and Churches are planted. Christianity was then to meet with a World of Opposition: Now it is entertained as the publick Religion of many Kingdoms and Nations. There was then all Sorts of divine Evidence to be given for the Truth and Credibility of it, in order for the Conversion of the World to it: But now we

enjoying the Benefits of those miraculous Evidences, and having (befides) other abundant Proofs of the Truth of Christianity, (which they in that Age had not) there is no need that those Miracles should be continued or repeated.

This Difference of the Times and States of Things, makes the Administration of the Holy Ghost's Office in those Times to be different also from what it is in these. Thơ' yet he is still as much the Advocate for Christ, and the Church, as he was at first : And doth and will abide with it for ever, as our Saviour promised in my Text.

1. Well as to those Instances of the Holy Ghost's Advocateship, which were peculiar to the Apostles and their Times, the Scripture mentions these four following.

First of all, the Holy Ghost shewed himself an Advocate for the Christians, in that he spoke in them and for them to Kings and Governors, before whom they were convened for the Cause of Chrift: Bestowing upon them likewife an extraordinary Boldness and Prefence of Mind in preaching the Gospel. This Afsistance of the Holy Spirit we find our Saviour promised to his Difciples when he gave them their first Commission to preach: Ye shall be brought, says he to them, before Governors and Kings for my Name's fake, for a Testimony to them, and the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, take no thought how, or what ye shall speak, for it shall be given you in that Same Hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that v.20. Speak, but the Spirit of your Father which Speaketh in you. And this Promise we find was abundantly made good in St. Peter and St. Stephen, and others of the first Martyrs. Now tho' I doubt not but God will fufficiently affist all pious Persons in these Days, when they are called out to bear Testimony to the Caufe of Christ; yet, I much doubt, whether in any Case they are to expect the same Inspiration that is here promised the Apostles; so that Words shall be put into their Mouths when they preach, or when they pray, or when they make any other Difcourse, without using the common Means of Meditation, and the like.

Secondly, Another Instance of the Holy Ghost's Advocateship for the Apostles, was the bringing all Things to their Remembrance whatever Christ had faid to them; so that no Passage of our Saviour's Discourses to them, was forgot by them, but was ready at hand in their Memories when there was occafion for it. This our Saviour himself instanceth in as one of the Things that the Advocate when he came should do for them: As we have it in the 26th Verse of this Chapter, These things, faith he, have I John 14. Spoken unto you, being yet préfent with you. 25, 26. But the Advocate, the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my Name, be shall bring all Things to your Remembrance, whatfoever I have faid runto you. Now it is plain, VOL. V. be

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