things chiefly that as you may be provided for them so when they do befall you you may be supported with the consideration of my Deity and Omniscience who told you all these things before they came to passe v. 4. but these things have I told you that when the time shall come you may remember I told you of them But if they be so necessary whence is it that thou hast not acquainted us with it all this while why not in the beginning at our first calling Even saith our Saviour because there was no need of any such thing for whilest I was with you you had protection and direction at hand And these things I said not at the beginning because I was present with you but now the state of things is altered I must leave you v. 5. And for your parts so are you astonished with sorrow that you doe not aske me whether I goe the consideration whereof would certainly relieve you seeing I goe to take possession of my glory and to carry on the worke of your salvation but your hearts are filled with sorrow and feare and you doe not so much as enquire after reliefe v. 5. 6. whereupon he adjoynes that wonderfull assertion v. 7. Neverthelesse I tell you the truth it is expedient for you that I goe away for if I goe not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you This verse then being the peculiar foundation of what shall afterward § 5 be declared must particularly be considered as to the words of it and their interpretation and that both with respect to the preface of them and the asseveration in them with the Reason annexed thereunto 1. The first word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is an adversative not excepting to any thing of what himselfe had spoken before but to their apprehension I know you have sad thoughts of these things but yet neverthelesse 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I tell you the truth The words are exceeding Emphaticall and denote some great thing to be ushered in by them First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I tell it you this that shall now be spoken I who love you who take care of you who am now about to lay downe my life for you they are my dying words that you may believe me I who am truth it selfe I tell you and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I tell you the truth you have in your sad misgiving hearts many misapprehensions of things you think if I would abide with you all these evills might be prevented but alasse you know not what is good for you nor what is expedient I tell you the truth this is truth it selfe and quiet your hearts in it There is need of a great deale of evidence of truth to comfort their soules that are dejected and disconsolate under an apprehension of the absence of Christ from them be the Apprehension true or false And this is the first part of the words of our Saviour the preface to what he was to deliver to them by way of a weighty convincing asseveration to disintangle thereby the thoughts of his Disciples from prejudice and to prepare them for the receiving of that great Truth which he was to deliver 2. The Assertion it selfe followes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 § 6 it is expedient for you that I goe away There are two things in the words Christs departure and the usefulnesse of it to his Disciples For his departure it is known what is intended by it The withdrawing his bodily presence from the earth after his Resurrection the heavens being to receive him untill the time of the restitution of all things For in respect of his Diety and the exercise of Love and care towards them he promised to be with them to the end of the world Mat. 28. last Of this saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it conduceth to your good it is profitable for you it is for your advantage it will answer the end that you aime at that is the sence of the word which we have translated expedient it is for your profit and advantage This then is that which our Saviour asserts and that with the earnestnesse before mentioned desiring to convince his sorrowfull followers of the truth of it namely that his departure which they so much feared and were troubled to think of would turne to their profit and advantage 3. Now although it might be expected that they should acquiesce § 7 in this asseveration of truth it selfe yet because they were generally concerned in the ground of the truth of it he acquaints them with that also and that we may confesse it to be a great matter that gives certainty and evidence to that proposition he expresses it negatively and positively if I goe not away he will not come but if I depart I will send him Concerning the going away of Christ I have spoken before of the Comforter his coming and sending I shall now treat as being the thing aimed at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word being of sundry significations § 8 many Translations have thought fit not to restraine it but doe retaine the Originall word paracletus so the Syriak also and as some think it was a word before in use among the Jewes whence the Chaldee Paraphrast makes use of it Job 16. 20. and among'st them it signifies one that so taught others as to delight them also in his teaching that is to be their Comforter In Scripture it hath two eminent significations an Advocate and a Comforter in the first sence our Saviour is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 John 2. 2. whether it be better rendered here an Advocate or a Comforter may be doubted Look into the foregoing occasion of the words which is the Disciples sorrow and trouble and it seemes to require the Comforter sorrow hath filled your hearts but I will send you the Comforter look into the next words following which containe his peculiar work for which he is now promised to be sent and they require he should be an Advocate to plead the cause of Christ against the world v. 8. I shall choose rather to interpret the promise by the Occasion of it which was the Sorrow of his Disciples and to retaine the name of the Comforter Who this Comforter is our Blessed Saviour had before declared Chap. 15. 26. he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spirit of § 9 Truth that is the Holy Ghost who revealeth all truth to the Sons of men Now of this Comforter two things are affirmed 1. That He shall come 2. That Christ shall send him 1. That he shall come The Affirmative of his coming on the performance of that condition of it of Christs going away is included in the negation of his comming without its accomplishment If I goe not away he will not come if I doe goe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he will come so that there is not only the mission of Christ but the will
can take up the Soule with such thoughts of God he hath enough all that he doth desire This hath been his designe and way from the beginning The first blood that Murderer shed was by this meanes He leades our first Parents into hard thoughts of God hath God said so hath he threatned you with death he knows well enough it will be better with you with this Engine did he batter and overthrow all mankind in one and being mindfull of his ancient conquest he readily useth the same weapons wherewith then he so succesfully contended Now it is exceeding Grievous to the Spirit of God to be so slandered in the hearts of those whom he dearely loves How doth he expostulate this with Syon What iniquity g have you seen in me saith he have I been a Wildernesse unto you or a Land of darknesse Syon hath said the Lord hath forgotten me and my God hath forsaken me but can a mother c. The Lord takes nothing worse at the hands of his then such hard thoughts of him knowing full well what fruit this bitter Root is like to beare what Alienation of Heart what drawings back what unbeliefe and Tergiversations in our walking with him How unwilling is a Child to come into the presence of an angry Father Consider then this in the first place Receiving of the Father as he holds out Love to the soule gives him the Honour he aimes at and is exceeding acceptable unto him He often sets it out in an eminent manner that it may be so received He commendeth his Love unto us Rom 5. 8. Behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed on us Joh. ch 3. v. 1. Whence then is this folly men are afraid to have good thoughts of God They think it a boldnesse to Eye God as good gracious tender kind loving I speak of Saints but for the other side they can judge him hard austere severe almost implacable and fierce the very worst Affections of the very worst of men and most hated of him Rom. ch 1. v. 31. 2 Tim 3. 3. and think herein they doe well Is not this Soule-deceit from Sathan was it not his designe from the beginning to inject such thoughts of God Assure thy selfe then there is nothing more acceptable unto the Father then for us to keep up our hearts unto him as the eternall fountaine of all that rich Grace which flowes out to sinners in the blood of Jesus and 2. This will be exceeding effectuall to endeare thy soule unto God to cause thee to delight in him and to make thy abode with him Many Saints have no greater burthen in their Lives then that their Hearts do not come clearely and fully up constantly to delight and rejoyce in God that there is still an indisposednesse of Spirit unto close walking with him What is at the bottome of this distemper Is it not their unskilfulnesse in or neglect of this Duty even of holding Communion with the Father in Love So much as we see of the Love of God so much shall we delight in him and no more Every other discovery of God without this will but make the Soule fly from him But if the heart be once much taken up with this the Eminency of the Fathers Love it cannot chuse but be overpowred conquered and endeared unto him This if any thing will worke upon us to make our abode with him If the Love of a Father will not make a child delight in him what will put then this to the venture excercise your thoughts upon this very thing the Eternall Free and Fruitfull Love of the Father and see if your Hearts be not wrought upon to delight in him I dare boldly say believers will find it as thriving a course as ever they pitched on in their lives Sit downe a little at the Fountaine and you will quickly have a farther discovery of the sweetnesse of the streames You who have run from him will not be able after a while to keep at a distance for a moment Ob. But some may say Alasse how shall I hold communion with § 13 the Father in Love I know not at all whether be Loves me or no and shall I venture to cast my selfe upon it How if I should not be accepted should I not rather perish for my presumption then find sweetnesse in his Bosome God seems to me only as a consuming fire and everlasting burnings so that I dread to look up unto him Ans. I know not what may be understood by knowing of the Love of God though it be carried on by Spirituall sense and Experience yet it is received purely by believing Our knowing of it is our believing of it as revealed We have known and believed the Love that God hath to us God is Love 1 Joh. ch 4. v. 16. This is the Assurance which at the very Entrance of walking with God thou maist have of this Love He who is Truth hath said it and what-ever thy Heart saies or Sathan saies unlesse thou wilt take it up on this account thou doest thy endeavour to make him a lyar who hath spoken it 1 Joh. 5. 10. Ob. 2. I can believe that God is Love to others for he hath said he § 14 is Love but that he will be so to me I see no ground of perswasion there is no cause no Reason in the world why he should turne one thought of love or kindnesse towards me and therefore I dare not cast my selfe upon it to hold communion with him in his speciall love Ans. He hath spoken it as particularly to thee as to any one in the world And for cause of love he hath as much to fixe it on thee as on any of the Children of men that is none at all without himselfe So that I shall make speedy work with this objection Never any one from the foundation of the World who believed such Love in the Father and made returnes of Love to him againe was deceived neither shall ever any to the Worlds end be so in so doing Thou art then in this upon a most sure bottome If thou believest and receivest the Father as Love he will infallibly be so to thee though others may fall under his severity but Ob 3. I cannot find my heart making Returnes of Love unto God Could I find my Soule set upon him I could then believe his Soule delighted § 15 in me Answ. This is the most preposterous course that possibly thy thoughts can pitch upon a most ready way to rob God of his glory Herein is Love saith the Holy Ghost not that we loved God but that he loved us first 1 Joh. 4. 10 19. Now thou wouldest invert this Order and say herein is Love not that God loved me but that I love him first This is to take the Glory of God from him that whereas he loves us without a cause that is in our selves and we have all cause in the World to love him
for the stirring of us up to those consequentiall conjugall Affections of which mention shall afterwards be made I shall turne aside to a more full description of some of the Personall Excellencys of the Lord Christ whereby the Hearts of his Saints are indeed endeared unto him In the Lord our Righteousnesse then may these ensuing things be considered which are exceeding suitable to prevaile upon § 2 our hearts to give up themselves to be wholly his 1. He is exceeding Excellent and desirerable in his Deity § 3 and the Glory thereof He is Jehovah our Righteousnesse Jerem. 23. v. 6. In the rejoycing of Sion at his coming to her this is the Bottome Behold thy God Isa. 40. 9. we have seen his Glory saith the Apostle what Glory is that the Glory of the only begotten Son of God John 1. 14. The choisest Saints have been afraide and amazed at the beauty of an Angell and the stoutest sinners have trembled at the Glory of one of those creatures in a low appearance representing but the back parts of their Glory who yet themselves in their highest Advancement doe cover their faces at the presence of our Beloved as conscious to themselves of their utter disability to beare the rays of his Glory Isa. 6. 2. Joh. 12. 39 40. He is the Fellow of the Lord of Hosts Zech ch 13. v. 7. And though he once appeared in the forme of of a Servant yet then he thought it no robbery to be EQUALL unto God Phil. ch 2. v. 8 In the Glory of this Majesty he dwells in Light inaccessable We cannot by searching find out the Almighty to Perfection it is high as Heaven what can we doe it is deeper then Hell what can we know the measure thereof is longer then the Earth and broader then the Sea Job 11. v. 7 8 9. We may all say one to another of this surely we are more brutish then any man have not the understanding of a man We neither learned wisedome nor have the knowledge of the Holy who hath ascended up into Heaven or descended who hath gathered the wind in his fist who hath bound the waters in a Garment who hath established the Ends of the Earth what is his name and what is his Sons name if yee can tell Prov. chap. 30. v. 2 3 4. If any one should aske now with them in the Canticles what is in the Lord Jesus our beloved more then in other Beloveds § 4 that should make him so desireable and amiable and worthy of Acceptation What is he more then others I aske what is a King more then a Beggar Much every way Alas this is nothing they were borne alike must dye alike and after that is the Judgement What is an Angell more then a Worme A worme is a Creature and an Angell is no more He that made the one to creep in the Earth made also the other to dwell in Heaven There is still a proportion between these they agree in something But what are all the nothings of the World to the God infinitely blessed for ever more Shall the dust of the Ballance or the drop of the Bucket be laid in the scale against him This is He of whom the sinners in Syon are afraid and cry Who amongst us shall dwell with that devouring fire who amongst us shall inhabit with everlasting burnings I might now give you a glimse of his Excellency in many of those Propertys and attributes by which he discovers himselfe to the faith of poor Sinners But as he that goes into a Garden where there are innumerable flowers in great Variety gathers not all he sees but cropps here and there one and another I shall indeavour to open a doore and give an inlet into the infinite Excellency of the Graces of the Lord Jesus as he is God blessed for evermore presenting the Reader with one or two Instances leaving him to gather for his owne use what farther he pleaseth Hence then observe 1. The Endlesse Bottomelesse boundlesse Grace and Compassion § 5 that is in him who is thus our husband as he is the God of Syon It is not the grace of a Creature nor all the Grace that can possibly at once dwell in a created nature that will serve our turne We are too indigent to be suited with such a supply There was a Fullnesse of Grace in the Humane Nature of Christ He received not the Spirit by Measure Joh. chap. 3. v. 34. A fullnesse like that of Light in the Sun or of Water in the Sea I speak not in respect of Communication but sufficiency A fullnesse incomparably above the measure of Angells Yet it was not properly an infinite Fullnesse it was a created and therefore a limited fullnesse If it could be conceived as separated from the Deity surely so many thirsty guilty soules as every day drink deep and large draughts of Grace and Mercy from him would if I may so speak sink him to the very bottome nay it could afford no supply at all but only in a morall way But when the Conduit of his Humanity is inseparably united to the infinite inexhaustible Fountaine of the Deity who can looke into the depths thereof If now there be Grace enough for sinners in an All-sufficient God it is in Christ And indeed in any other there cannot be enough The Lord gives this Reason for the Peace and confidence of sinners Isa. 54. 4 5. Thou shalt not be afraid nor confounded thou shalt not be put to shame but how shall this be So much Sin not ashamed So much guilt not confounded Thy Master saith he is thine Husband the Lord of Hosts is his Name and thy Redeemer the Holy one of Israel the God of the whole earth shall he be called This is the bottome of all peace Confidence and consolation the Grace and mercy of our Maker of the God of the whole Earth So are kindnesse and power tempered in him he makes us and marrs us he is our God and our Goel our Redeemer Looke unto me saith he and be saved I am God and none else Isa. 45. 22. Surely one shall say in JEHOVAH have I Strength and Righteousnesse v. 24. And on this ground it is that if all the world should if I may so say set themselves to drink free Grace Mercy and Pardon § 6 drawing water continually from the wells of Salvation if they should set themselves to draw from one single Promise an Angell standing by and crying drink O my friends yea drink abundantly take so much Grace and Pardon as shall be abundantly sufficient for the world of sinne which is in every one of you they would not be able to sinke the Grace of the promise one haires bredth There is enough for millions of worlds if they were because it flowes into it from an infinite bottomlesse fountaine Feare not O worme Jacob I am GOD and not man is the bottome of sinners Consolation This is that Head of Gold
Hence is that affectionate call of his unto us to be treating with him on this account Chap. 2. 14. O my Dove that art in the secret places of the staires let me see thy countenance let me heare thy voyce for sweet is thy voyce and thy countenence is comely When the soule on any account is driven to hide its selfe in any neglected condition in the most unlikely place of abode then doth he call for this communication of its selfe by prayer to him for which he gives the assistance of the Spirit mentioned 2. A way whereby to approach unto God with our desires § 7 This also we have by him provided for us Joh. 14. 5 6. Thomas saith unto Jesus Lord we know not whether thou goest and how can we know the way Jesus saith unto him I am the way no man commeth unto the Father but by me That way which we had of going unto God at our Creation is quite shut up by sinne The sword of the Law which hath fire put into it by sinne turnes every way to stop all passages unto communion with God Jesus Christ hath consecrated a new and living way for the Saints through the vaile that is to say the flesh Heb. 10 20. He hath consecrated and set it apart for Believers and for them alone Others pretend to goe to God with their prayers but they come not nigh him How can they possibly come to the end who go not in the way Christ only is the way to the throne of Grace none comes to God but by him By him we have an accesse in one Spirit unto the Father Ephes. 2. v. 18. These two things then the Saints have for the opening of their hearts at the throne of Grace Assistance and a Way The Assistance of the Spirit without which they are nothing and the way of Christs Mediation without which God is not to be approached unto 3. Boldnesse to goe unto God The voice of sinners in themselves § 8 if once acquainted with the Terrour of the Lord is Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire who among us shall inhabit with everlasting burnings Isa. 33 v. 14 And no marvell shame and trembling before God are the proper Issues of sinne God will revenge that Carnall Atheisticall boldnesse which sinners out of Christ doe use towards him But we have now boldnesse to enter into the Holiest by the blood of Jesus by a new and living way which he hath Consecrated for us through the vaile that is to say his flesh and having a high Priest over the house of God we may draw neare with a true heart in full assurance of Faith Heb. 10 9 20. The truth is such is the Glory and terrour of the Lord such the infinite perfection of his Holinesse that on cleare sight of it it will make the soul conclude that of its selfe it cannot serve him nor will it be to any advantage but adde to the fiercenesse of his destruction once to draw nigh to him It is in Christ alone and on the account alone of his oblation and intercession that we have any boldnesse to approach unto him And these 3. Advantages have the Saints of communicating their minds unto the Lord Christ which he hath provided for them because he delights in them To touch a little by the way because this is of great importance § 9 I will instance in one of these as I might in every one that you may see the difference between a spirituall revealing of our minds unto Christ in this Acceptable manner and that praying upon conviction which others practice and this shall be from the first viz. the Assistance we have by the Spirit 1. The Spirit of Christ reveales to us our own wants that we may reveale them unto him we know not what c. Rom. 8. 26. no teachings under those of the spirit of God are able to make our soules acquainted with their own wants its burdens its Temptations For a soul to know its wants its Infirmities is a Heavenly discovery He that hath this assistance his prayer is more then half made before he begins to pray His Conscience is affected with what he hath to do his mind Spirit contend within him there especially where he finds himself most streightned He brings his burden on his shoulders unloads himself on the Lord Christ. He finds not by a perplexing Conviction but an holy sence wearinesse of sin where he is dead where dull and cold wherein unbelieving wherein ttempted above all his strength where the light of Gods countenance is wanting And all these the soule hath a sense of by the Spirit an unexpressible sence and experience Without this prayer is not prayer Mens voyces may be heard but they speake not in their hearts Sence of want is the spring of desire naturall of naturall spirituall of spirituall Without this sence given by the Holy Ghost there is neither desire nor prayer 2 d The expressions or the Words of such persons come exceeding short of the labouring of their hearts and therefore in and after their supplications the Spirit makes intercession with sighes and groanes that cannot be uttered Some mens words goe exceedingly beyond their hearts Did their Spirits come up to their expressions it were well He that hath this Assistance can provide no clothing that is large and broad enough to set forth the desires of his heart and therefore in the close of his best and most fervent supplications such a person finds a double dissatisfaction in them First that they are not a Righteousnesse to be rested on that if God should marke what is in them amisse they could not abide the triall 2. That his heart in them is not powred out nor delivered in any proportion to the holy desires and labourings that were conceived therein though they may in Christ have great refreshment by them The more they speak the more they find they have left unspoken 3 d The Intercession of the Saints thus assisted is according to § 10 the mind of God that is they are guided by the Spirit to make requests for those things unto God which it is his will they should desire which he knowes to be good for them usefull and suitable to them in the condition wherein they were There are many wayes whereby we may know when we make our Supplications according to the Will of God I shall instance only in one that is when we doe it according to the promise When our prayers are regulated by the promise we make them according to the will of God so David Ps. 119. 49. Remember the words wherein thou hast caused me to put my trust He prayes and regulates his desire by the word of promise wherein he had trusted But yet Men may aske that which is in the promise and yet not have their prayers regulated by the promise They may pray for what is in the
their conjugall affections entire to Christ that they labour by all meanes not to grieve his Holy Spirit which he hath sent in his stead to abide with them This the Apostle puts them in minde of Eph. 4. 30. Grieve not the Holy Spirit There be two maine ends for which Christ sends his Spirit to Believers § 23 1. For their Sanctification 2. For their Consolation to which two all the particular acts of purging teaching annoynting and the rest that are ascribed to him may be referr'd So there be two way 's whereby we may grieve him 1. In respect of Sanctification 2. In respect of Consolation 1. In respect of Sanctification He is the Spirit of Holinesse holy in himselfe and the Author of Holinesse in us he workes it in us Tit. 3. 5. and he perswades us to it by those motions of his which are not be quenched Now this in the first place grieves the Spirit when he is carrying on in us and for us a worke so infinitely for our Advantage and without which we cannot see God that we should run crosse to him in ways of unholinesse pollution and defilement So the connexion of the words in the place before mentioned manifests Eph. 4. 28 29 0 31. and thence doth Paul bottome his powerfull and most effectuall perswasion unto holinesse even from the abode and indwelling of this holy Spirit with us 1 Cor. 3. 16 17. indeed what can grieve a loving tender friend more then to oppose him and slight him when he is most intent about our good and that a good of the greatest consequence to us In this then Believers make it their businesse to keep their hearts loyall and their Affections chast to Jesus Christ. They labour instantly not to grieve the Holy Spirit by loose and foolish by carelesse and negligent walking which he hath sent to dwell and abide with them Therefore shall no anger wrath malice envy dwell in their hearts because they are contrary to the Holy meek spirit of Christ which he hath given to dwell with them They attend to his motions make use of his assistance improve his gifts and nothing lys more upon their Spirits then that they may walke worthy of the presence of this holy substitute of the Lord Jesus Christ. 2. As to Consolation this is the second great end for which § 24 Christ gives and sends his Spirit to us who from thence by the way of eminency is called the Comforter to this end he seales us anoynts us establishes us and gives us peace and joy of all which I shall afterwards speake at large Now there be two ways whereby he may be grieved as to this end of his mission and our chastity to Jesus Christ thereby violated 1. By placeing our comforts joys in other things and not being filled with joy in the holy Ghost When we make creatures or § 25 creature comforts any thing whatever but what we receive by the Spirit of Christ to be our joy our delight we are false with Christ. So was it with Demas who loved the present world When the ways of the Spirit of God are grievous and burdensome to us when we say when will the Sabbath be past that we may exact all our labours when our delight and refreshment lyes in earthly things we are unsuitable to Christ. May not his Spirit say why doe I still abide with these poore soules I provide them joyes unspeakeable and glorious but they refuse them for perishing things I provide them spirituall eternall abiding consolations and it is all rejected for a thing of nought This Christ cannot beare wherefore Believers are exceeding carefull in this not to place their joy and Consolation in any thing but what is administred by the Spirit Their daily worke is to get their hearts crucifyed to the world and the things of it and the world to their hearts that they may not have living affections to dying things they would faine look on the world as a crucifyed dead thing that hath neither forme nor beauty if at any times they have been intangled with creatures and inferiour contentments and have lost their better joys they cry out to Christ O restore to us the joys of thy Spirit 2. He is grieved when through darkenesse and unbeliefe we § 26 will not doe not receive those Consolations which he tenders to us and which he is abundantly willing that we should receive but of this I shall have occasion to speake afterward in handling our Communion with the Holy Ghost 3. In his institutions or matter and manner of his worship Christ marrying his Church to himselfe taking it to that Relation still § 27 expresseth the maine of their chast choyce Affections to him to lye in their keeping his Institutions his worship according to his appointment The breach of this he calls Adultery every where and whoredome He is a jealous God and he gives himselfe that title only in respect of his institutions And the whole Apostacy of the Christian Church unto false worship is called fornication and the Church that lead the others to false worship the Mother of Harlots On this account those Believers who really attend to Communion with Jesus Christ do labour to keep their hearts chast to him in his Ordinances institutions and worship and that two ways 1. They will receive nothing practice nothing owne nothing in his worship but what is of his Appointment They know that from the foundation of the world he never did allow nor ever will that in any thing the will of the creatures should be the measure of his honour or the principle of his worship either as to matter or manner It was a witty and true sence that one gave of the second Commandement Non imago non simulachrum prohibetur sed non facies tibi it is a making to our selves an inventing a finding out ways of worship or meanes of honouring God not by him appointed that is so severely forbidden Believers know what entertainement all will worship finds with God Who hath required those things at your hands and in vaine doe you worship me teaching for doctrines the traditions of men is the best it meets with I shall take leave to say what is upon my Heart and what the Lord assisting I shall willingly endeavour to make good against all the world namely that that principle that the Church hath power to institute appoint any thing or ceremony belonging to the worship of God either as to matter or to manner beyond the orderly observance of such circumstances as necessarily attend such ordinances as Christ himself hath instituted lyes at the bottome of all the horrible superstition and idolatry of all the confusion blood persecution and warres that have for so long a season spread themselves over the face of the Christian world and that it is the designe of a great part of the Revelation to make a discovery of this Truth And I
our obedience with the Attendencies of them respectively are the great concernments of § 9 our lives what we are in reference unto God is comprized in them and the due management of them with their contraries which come under the same rule Through all these doth there run a line of consolation from the Holy Ghost that gives us a joyfull issue throughout How sad is the condition of of poor soules destitute of these consolations What poor shifts are they forced to betake themselves unto what Giants have they to encounter in their own strength and wehther they are conquered or seem to conquer they have nothing but the misery of their trialls 2. The second thing considerable to teach us to put a due valuation on the consolations of the Holy Ghost is the matter of them or that wherewith he comforts us Now this may be referred to the two heads that I have formerly treated of the Love of the Father and the Grace of the Son All the consolations of the Holy Ghost consist in his acquainting us with and communicating unto us the Love of the Father and the Grace of the Sonne nor is there any thing in the one or the other but he makes it a matter of consolation to us so that indeed we have our communion with the Father in his Love and the Sonne in his Grace by the operation of the Holy Ghost 1. First He communicates to us and acquaints us with the Love of the Father Having informed his Disciples with that § 11 ground and foundation of their consolation which by the comforter they should receive our blessed Saviour Joh. 16. 27. shuts up all in this The Father himselfe loveth you This is that which the Comforter is given to acquaint us withall even that God is the Father and that he loves us In particular that the Father the first Person in Trinity considered so distinctly loves us On this account is he said so often to come forth from the Father because he comes in pursuit of his Love and to acquaint the Hearts of Believers therewith that they may be comforted and established By perswading us of the eternall and unchangeable Love of the Father he fills us with Consolation And indeed all the effects of the Holy Ghost before mentioned have their tendency this way Of this Love and its transcendent excellency you heard at large before Whatever is desireable in it is thus communicated to us by the Holy Ghost A sense of this is able not only to relieve us but to make us in every condition to rejoyce with joy unspeakable and glorious It is not with an encrease of Corne and Wine and Oyle but with the shining of the countenance of God upon us that he comforts our soules Psal. 4. 6. The world hateth me may such a soule as hath the spirit say but my Father loves me Men despise me as an Hypocrite but my Father loves me as a Child I am poore in this world but I have a rich inheritance in the love of my Father I am straitned in all things but there is bread enough in my Fathers house I mourne in secret under the power of my lusts and sin where no eye sees me yea but the Father sees me and is full of compassion With a sense of his kindnesse which is better then life I rejoyce in tribulation glory in affliction triumph as a conquerour Though I am killed all the day long All my sorrowes have a bottome that may be fathomed my trialls bounds that may be compassed but the breadth and depth and height of the love of the Father who can expresse I might render glorious this way of the spirits comforting us with the Love of the Father by comparing it with all other causes and meanes of joy and consolation whatever And so discover their emptinesse its fullnesse their nothingnesse its being all as also by revealing the properties of it before rehearsed Againe He doth it by communicating to us and acquainting § 12 us with the Grace of Christ. All the fruits of his purchase all the desireablenesse of his Person as we are interested in him The grace of Christ as I formerly discoursed of at large is referred to two heads The Grace of his Person and of his Office and Worke. By both these doth the Holy Ghost administer Consolation to us Joh. 14. 15. He glorifies Christ by revealing his Excellencies and desireablenesse to believers as the chiefest of ten thousand altogether lovely And then he shewes them of the things of Christ his Love grace all the fruits of his Death Suffering Resurrection and Intercession and with these supports their hearts and soules And here whatever is of refreshment in the pardon of sinne deliverance from the curse and wrath to come in justification and adoption with the innumerable priviledges attending them in the hope of glory given unto us comes in on this head of account Thirdly The Principle and fountain of all his actings for our Consolation comes next under consideration to the same § 13 end and this leads us a little nearer to the Communion intended to be directed in Now this is his own great Love and infinite condescension He willingly proceedeth or comes forth from the Father to be our comforter He knew what we were and what we could doe and what would be our dealings with him He knew we would grieve him provoke him quench his motions defile his dwelling place and yet he would come to be our comforter Want of a due consideration of the great Love of the Holy Ghost weakens all the principles of our obedience Did this dwell and abide upon our hearts what a deare valuation must we needs put upon all his operations and actings towards us Nothing indeed is valuable but what comes from love and goodwill This is the way the Scripture takes to raise up our hearts to a right and due estimation of our Redemption by Jesus Christ. It tells us that he did it freely that of his own Will he hath laid downe his life that he did it out of love Herein is manifested the love of God that he laid downe his life for us he loved us and gave himselfe for us He loved us and washed us with his own blood Hereunto it adds our state and condition considered as he undertook for us sinners enemies dead alienated then he loved us and dyed for us and washed us with his blood May we not hence also have a valuation of the dispensation of the spirit for our consolation He proceeds to that end from the Father he distributes as he will workes as he pleaseth And what are we towards whom he carrieth on this work Froward perverse unthankefull grieving vexing provoking him Yet in his love and tendernesse doth he continue to doe us good Let us by Faith consider this Love of the Holy Ghost It is the head and sourse of all the communion we have with him in this life This is as I said