Two discourses concerning the Holy Spirit, and His work the one, Of the Spirit…

2. HE thus convinceth the World of Righteousness, Ver. 10. Of Righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more. Both the Personal ⟨p. 21⟩Righteousness of Christ, and the Righteousness of his Office, are intended. For concerning both these the Church hath a Contest with the World, and they belong unto that Cause wherein the Holy Spirit is their Advocate. Christ was looked on by the World as an Evil Doer; accused to be a Glutton, a Wine-bibber, a Seditious Person, a Seducer, a Blasphemer, a Malefactor in every kind; whence his Disciples were both despised and destroyed for believing in such an one. And it is not to be declared how they were scorned and reproached, and what they suffered on this Account. In the mean time they pleaded and gave Testimony unto his Righteousness, that he did no Sin, nor was Guile found in his Mouth, that lie fulfilled all Righteousness, and was the Holy One of God. And herein was the Holy Ghost their Advocate, convincing the World principally by this Argument, that after all he did and suffered in this World, as the highest Evidence imaginable of God's Approbation of him and what he did, that he was gone to the Father, or assumed up into Glory. The poor blind Man, whose Eyes were opened by him, pleaded this as a forcible Argument against the Jews that he was no Sinner, in that God heard him so as that he had opened his Eyes; whose Evidence and Conviction they could not bear, but it turned them into Rage and Madness, John 9. 30, 31, 32, 33, 34. How much more glorious and effectual must this Evidence needs be of his Righteousness and Holiness, and God's Approbation of him, that after all he did in this World, he went unto his Father, and was taken up into Glory. For such is the meaning of these Words, Ye shall see me no more: That is, th•• ⟨p. 22⟩shall be an end put unto my State of Humiliation, and of my Converse with you in this World, because I am to enter into my Glory. That the Lord Christ then went unto his Father, that he was so gloriously exalted, undeniable Testimony was given by the Holy Ghost unto the Conviction of the World. So this Argument is pleaded by Peter, Acts 2. 33. This is enough to stop the Mouths of all the World in this Cause, that he sent the Holy Ghost from the Father to communicate Spiritual Gifts of all sorts unto his Disciples.