occasion, He reminded them, Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. His present departure was to be only for a short time, as He would rise again from the dead on the third day, and be seen of them for forty days afterwards. But with regard to His final departure and His ascension into heaven, He observed, If ye loved Me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for My Father is greater than I. True love to Him, as a man, would cause them to rejoice in His happiness, in His being freed from all the troubles which attend on this mortal life, and being admitted to the enjoyment of the love of the Father, in the abode of the blessed, where it would be manifested that He who had taken the manhood into God was "equal to the Father, as touching His Godhead," though "inferior to the Father as touching His manhood."

The end to be attained by His informing His disciples on these subjects before He left them, is next adverted to. Now I have told you before it come to pass, that when it is come to pass, ye might believe. The object of all our Saviour's instructions to His disciples was to promote their faith and hope in Himself, that thus His blessing might rest upon them. As the time of His departure was now at hand, He added, Hereafter I will not talk much with you. He was desirous that His words might sink deep into

their minds, as the words of a friend who was about to leave them. The cause of the separation taking place was, The prince of this world cometh. As He said to them that apprehended Him, This is your hour, and the power of darkness. Satan was then permitted to appear for a time to prevail against Him. But all this was done, that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. The reason of the rage of Satan against Him was, as Jesus observed, He hath nothing in Me. The prince of darkness was unable to prevail against Him by his temptations, he therefore stirred up the Jewish people to put Him to death; not knowing that this would lead eventually to the destruction of his own power. For the death of Christ was the means of bringing life to the world. And by our Saviour's submitting to the painful and shameful death of the cross, His love and His obedience to His heavenly Father were manifested, as He declared they would be: That the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave Me commandment, even so I do. Thus the purposes of Divine grace were accomplished, and the redemption of mankind was effected by the obedience unto death of the Son of God.

The portion of Scripture to which our attention has been directed, appears to have been

8 Luke xxii. 53.

9 Matthew xxvi. 56.

appointed as the Gospel for this day, on account of the mention that is made in it of the benefit, which the disciples of Christ immediately, and the church of God afterwards, would derive from the Comforter, the Spirit of truth, the Holy Ghost, who would abide with them for ever, would dwell with them and be in them; and whom, according to the language of the text, the Father would send in the name of Christ; who should teach them all things, and bring all things to their remembrance, whatsoever He had said unto them, while He instructed His disciples on earth.

Let us now more particularly notice the subjects to which the text directs our attention. The title of the Comforter was considered last Sunday morning. It may therefore be sufficient to observe, that He was to comfort the disciples of Christ in the same manner as the Saviour Himself had done; to comfort them in all the tribulation and affliction to which they might be exposed, for His name's sake, in their endeavours to disseminate the knowledge of His salvation throughout the world. He was also to be their Advocate, as the word is elsewhere rendered, to make intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And He was to be their Monitor, as it may also mean, to admonish them by His gracious influence upon their souls, that they might turn from every evil way. What a name was this for the Divine Being to assume! It

was doubtless ascribed to the Holy Ghost by our Lord Jesus Christ for the purpose of leading His disciples to seek consolation where it might be truly found at all times, and especially when most needed, in the midst of the greatest tribulation and distress. There is no solid comfort but that which the Holy Ghost gives. He who formed the immortal spirit of man knows all its secret springs, and therefore how to administer unfailing consolation, the enjoyment of which will effectually overpower every cause of mental disquietude.

This Comforter is also called the Holy Ghost, or the Spirit of holiness. From Him "all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works, do proceed." According to the language of our Catechism, "He sanctifieth all the elect people of God." He does this by means of the access which, as the Divine Spirit, He has to the hearts and minds of the children of men. He is the God of peace, to whom we are to pray that He would sanctify us wholly, that our whole spirit, and soul, and body may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.10 Holiness is an attribute of His own nature. His name is Holy, and He dwelleth in the high and holy place."1 It is His pleasure that His people should be conformed to Him in holiness; that as He who

10 1 Thessalonians v. 23.

11 Isaiah lvii. 15.

hath called us to the knowledge of Himself and of His will, is holy, so should we be holy1 in the whole course of our conduct in life.

This Holy Ghost, our Saviour promised to His disciples, The Father will send in My name; or as the Spirit of Christ,12 in His place and in His stead, to carry on in their hearts the work which the Saviour had Himself commenced; to bear witness concerning Him as the Redeemer of lost sinners, the only Deliverer from the wrath to come; or as it is said in the text, He shall teach you all things. On this subject He told them afterwards in a subsequent part of this discourse, I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth is come, He will guide you into all truth.13 All that was needful to be known in order to the salvation of the soul; all Divine truth relating to Christ and His great salvation; the truth as it is in Jesus; was that which the Holy Spirit taught to the disciples of Christ, and which He still teaches to His church and people so that they know the things which belong to their peace; and receiving this truth in the love of it, they grow thereby. The Apostles of Christ were taught by His plenary inspiration, so that they spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.14 The church of Christ is now instructed

12 1 Peter i. 11, 15. 13 John xvi. 12, 13. 14 2 Peter i. 21.