fhew you things to come; he shall glorify me, for he fhall receive of mine, and fhall fhew it unto you." And he affigns the true ground, both of his promise to send the Spirit unto them, and of this prophetical account of his offices; "all things, that the Father hath, are mine; therefore faid I, that he shall take of mine, and fhall fhew it unto you." In these paffages, the Holy Spirit is described as another divine agent, in the work of redemption ; as a witness, to atteft that Christ was gone to the Father, and, as an advocate, to glorify him, by preparing the Apostles, in all refpects, to fulfil the commiffion, which he had given them, to preach the Gofpel, and by abiding with his flock for ever.

The parting address of Jefus to the disciples, before his paffion, from whence thefe expreffions are taken, accumulates promife and prophecy together; and from the general fubftance of that affecting discourse, as far as it related to the miffion and offices of the Holy Spirit, the following reflections feem to be justly drawn.

1. That Jefus, before his paffion, as Lamb of God, perfectly knew and defined the

• John xvi. 14.

f John xvi. 15.

office

office of the Spirit, as well as his own, in accomplishing the divine plan of human redemption; and accordingly predicted, that; in completion of the promise of the Father, and his own, the Holy Ghoft would be fent by both, to enable the disciples to perfect that divine purpose of Gofpel-falvation, which he had already opened, and would enable them to carry on.

2. That the counfel of peace was between the Father, and the Lamb of God; and that the refpective offices of each, in the scheme of redmption, namely, the goodpleasure of the Father to accept, in behalf of man, that facrifice of himself, which Chrift, as Son of God, came down from heaven to offer, as well as the regular steps and order, in which that scheme would unfold itself, in all its parts, were as fully known to Jefus, as they were to the Father.

Thus far, with respect to the prophecy of the restoration of the Spirit, as it was delivered by Jefus, before his death, as Lamb of God. After his refurrection from the

The Gofpel is accordingly ftyled, "the miniftration of the Spirit." 2 Cor. iii. 6, 8.

b Zechariah vi. 13.

dead,

dead, he thus repeated the prophecy; "John truly baptized with water unto repentance, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost, not many days hence." This is an obvious repetition of that contrast, which John had formerly put, between the miffion of the Spirit, and the baptism of water; and gives sufficient authority for confidering the whole of the prediction, which Jesus gave, of the return of the Holy Spirit to the people of God, as parallel to the prophecy of John," he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghoft." In this paffage, Jefus continues that particular ftyle of expreffion, in which he had usually delivered the same prophecy. The return of the Spirit had been characterized by the ancient prophets, and by the Baptift, under the symbol of water. It was therefore proper as well as ftriking, that he, by whofe Spirit the prophets had foretold the return of the Holy Ghost, fhould, in delivering the fame prediction, employ the prophetical style and language, especially when he was fo foon to pour out the Spirit upon believers.

k

1 Acts i. 5.

* John iv. 13. vii. 38. Compare Isaiah Iviii. 7. Surenhuf. Catallag. 358.

But,

But, although the expreffion of Christ, ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost," was confonant to the language of John, and of the early prophets, yet his own prophecy was evidently original, fince he enlarged the whole body of the prophecies, respecting the return of the Spirit, by the addition of new and important circumstances.

m

The limitations, as to time and place, were both original. -" Ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghoft, not many days hence," "Itarry ye in the city of Jerufalem, until ye be indued with power from on high." In the laft words of this command, another additional circumftance feems to be predicted. The prophecy of Joel, to which faint Peter referred, as accomplished by the defcent of the Holy Spirit, on the day of Pentecost, had not exprefly mentioned, either the power of working miracles, or of speaking with other tongues, among the gifts of the Spirit. But Chrift had already predicted, that both these powers fhould be conferred upon his difciples. He that believeth on me, the works that I do, fhall he do alfo,

1 Luke xxiv. 49.

n

Acts ii. 16. See Whitby, 1 John v. 6.

John xiv. 12.

and

and greater works than these fhall he do, because I go to my Father," -"these figns fhall follow them, that believe; in my name fhall they caft out devils; they shall speak with new tongues." He must therefore be understood to predict both these spiritual gifts, in the general prophecy of the miffion of the Holy Ghoft, as a Spirit of power; and thereby to have made a great addition to the parallel prediction of the Baptift, as well as to the ancient prophecies, of the return of the Spirit to Ifrael.

If then the several circumstances, related by faint Luke in the Acts, that the disciples were baptized with the Holy Ghost, according to the promise of Jesus, in the time, and at the place, which he had affigned, and, with fire, according to the prophecy of the Baptift, be taken together into confideration, the following conclusions seem to stand upon a fair foundation.

1. That, as John, in predicting the effufion of the Holy Ghoft, with circumstances, before unrevealed, appeared an original pro

• Mark xvi. 17.

The Apoftle refers to this power, as the teftimony of Chrift, 1 Cor. i. 5. è wail adyw, in every tongue.

phet,