Gofpel of St. John, where the Holy Spirit is fpoken of; and once in an Epistle of the fame Apoftle, where our Saviour is fpoken 1 Ep. c. 2.of. If any Man, fays he, fin, we have a Paraclete with the Father, Jefus Chrift the Righteous, and he is the Propitiation for our Sins.

V. I.

But now in thefe Places where it is applied to the Spirit, our Tranflators have always render'd it Comforter; and in that Place where it is applied to our Saviour, they have render'd it Advocate: But what Foundation there is for this Diftinction, I do not know. It feems more reasonable to think that St. John meant the fame Thing by wagánλn when he used it of our Saviour, and when he used it of the Holy Ghoft: And therefore fince it is clear that in that Text where this Name is given to our Saviour, it ought to be render'd Advocate, and not Comforter [ for to tranflate the Apostle's Words thus: If any Man fin, we have a Comforter with the Father, Jefus Christ the Righteous, and he is the Propitiation for our Sins - will make no good Senfe; for when we have offended a Person, we have need of an Advocate with him, and not a Comforter; one to make Interceffion for us, and not one to give Confolation]: I fay, fince this is clear and beyond Difpute, then, methinks, it fhould be clear alfo, that in thofe other four Texts, where the Name of Paraclete is by the fame

Writer given to the Holy Spirit, it ought to be render'd Advocate likewife; or at least by fome other Word of an equivalent Signification. And this will appear yet clearer, when we confider, that in one of these very Texts where the Holy Ghoft is called the Paraclete, he is plainly reprefented under the Notion of an Advocate, and not of a Comforter. The Paffage which I mean is John 16. v. 7, 8, 9. which I fhall explain particularly hereafter.

I will but add one Thing more, and I leave this Criticism; that in all Greek Authors, as far as I can learn, wazán λn l hath always the Signification of an Advocate, or one that is called to affift and defend another, when he is to answer in a Court of Judicature; but is never ufed to fignify a Comforter. And this was the Notion alfo that the Jews had of a Paraclete; from whom we may reasonably prefume that St. John had this Word; as appears by that known Proverb of theirs in the Talmud, He that keeps one Commandment, makes to bimfelf a Paraclete, or an Advocate; but be that commits one Sin, prepares to himself an Accufer.

I should not have been fo long about a Signification of a Word, but that I think it is of fome Importance to us to have a right Notion of the Character which the Holy Ghoft bears in the christian Difpenfation, which you fee is primarily

that

that of an Advocate: that being the proper Signification of Paraclete.

Taking the Word now in this Notion, it will fignify to us in general fuch a Perfon as appears in the Behalf of another: Such a Perfon as defends another, when Harm is intended against him: Such a Person as interefts himself in the Affairs of another, either by intreating for him, or pleading his Cause, or any ways managing his Bufinefs In a Word, any one that is concerned for another as a Patron or Defender, Sollicitor or Interceffor, is a Paraclete, or an Advocate in the Senfe that is here intended. And thus much of the Notion or Signification of a Paraclete in general; which was my first Point.

II. WELL now, both our Saviour and the Holy Ghoft, as the Scriptures inform us, are thus our Paracletes, our Advocates, our Patrons. The next Queftion therefore is, wherein the Patronage or Advocateship of the one differs from that of the other: In what Sense our Saviour is our Advocate, and in what Senfe the Holy Spirit is fo.

Now if we look into the Scriptures, we fhall find that the Difference of this Office in these two Perfons lies in this, viz. that our Saviour is our Patron in Heaven, and the Holy Spirit on Earth. Our Saviour pleads our Caufe, and manages our Affairs there; and the Holy Spirit, as his Deputy

and

and Vicegerent doth it here. Our Saviour is our Advocate with the Father, as St. John in the fore-cited Place exprefly calls him; and the Holy Spirit is our Advocate with the World. Our Saviour appears for us before God the Father, who is confider'd as the great Lord of all; and the Holy Spiappears for us and for our Caufe, against the World, and the Devil, who are confidered as our Adverfaries or Accufers. They both have undertaken the Defence of the fame Cause, and of the fame Perfons; but in these different Refpects.

rit

1. To treat of this Matter a little more diftinctly, and firft of all as to the Advocateship of our Saviour:

The Scriptures affure us that our Saviour having given up himself as a Sacrifice for the Sins of the World, afcended up into Heaven, with this Mind and Intent, to appear before God for us; to present himfelf to his Father with that Sacrifice that had been offered up on the Cross on our Behalf. As the High Priefts under the Law, who were the great Types of Chrift, carried the Blood of the Sacrifices that were flain, into the Holy of Holies, which was the Representative of Heaven, and there presented that Blood before God, for the Atonement of the People of Ifrael, for whom thofe Sacrifices were flain; fo, 1 fay, did our Saviour, the true High Priest of the World, upon his Afcenfion, prefent VOL. V. Ꭰ himfelf

himself with his Sacrifice before God in the heavenly Tabernacle, the Holy of Holies, not made with Hands: and by the Merits and Virtue thereof did then begin (and will for ever continue it) to recommend all Chriftians, and all their Concerns, and all their Prayers to his heavenly Father, to intercede for them continually; and to render God favourable and propitious to them. This is that which the Apoftle tells us, in the v. 24. ninth of the Hebrews, Chrift is not entered into the Holy Places made with Hands, which

are the Figures of the true one; but into Heaven itself, to appear in the Prefence of v. 24. God for us. Thus alfo in the 7th Chapter. This Man, fays he, meaning our Saviour, because he continueth for ever, hath an unchangeable Priesthood, whereby he is able to fave to the uttermost all that come unto God by him, feeing he evermore liveth to make interceffion for them. And thus laftly, St. Paul v. 33. in the eighth to the Romans; Who, fays he, fhall lay any thing to the Charge of God's Elect? It is God that justifieth: Who is be that condemneth? It is Chrift that died, yea rather that is rifen again, who fitteth at the right Hand of God, to make Interceffion for

It would take up too much Time, to mention all thofe Places of Scripture that relate to this Advocateship of Christ, that we are now fpeaking of. I fhall only obferve these following Particulars concerning