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
thy offspring that eminent place of Zech. 12. 10. is allwaies in our thoughts Now this expression as is known is taken from the allusion of the spirit unto water and that in relation to all the uses of water both naturall and Typicall a particular relation of them I cannot now insist on perhaps efficacy and plenty are chiefely intended Now this threefold expression of giving sending and powring § 21 out of the spirit gives us the three great properties of the Covenant of grace 1. That it is free he is given 2. That it is orderly ordered in all things and sure from the love of the Father by the procurement of the sonne and thence is that variety of expression of the Fathers sending him and the Son 's sending him from the Father he being the gift of the Father's love and the purchase of the blood of the sonne 3. The efficacy of it as was last observed And this is the second thing considerable 3. The third which is our receiving him I shall speak more briefly of That which I first proposed of the spirit considered § 22 as a spirit of Sanctification and a spirit of consolation is here to be minded Our receiving of him as a spirit of sanctification is a meer passive reception as a vessell receiv's water He comes as the wind on Ezechiel's dead bones and makes them live He comes into dead hearts and quickens them by an act of his Allmighty power but now as he is the spirit of consolation it is otherwise in this sense our Saviour tells us that the world cannot receive him Ioh. 14 17. the world receiveth him not because it seeth him not nor knows him but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and abideth in you That it is the spirit of consolation or the spirit for consolation that here is promised is evident from the close of the verse where he is said then to be in them when he is promised to them He was in them as a spirit of quickning and sanctification when promised to them as a spirit of comfort and consolation to abide with them for that purpose Now the power that is here denied to be in the world with the reason of it that they cannot receive the spirit because they know him not is ascribed to Believers they can receive him because they know him So that there is an active power to be put forth in his reception for consolation though not in his reception for Regeneration and Sanctification And this is the power of faith so Gal. 3. 2. they received the spirit by the hearing of the Faith the Preaching of the Gospell begetting faith in them enabled them to receive the Spirit Hence believing is put as the qualification of all our receiving the holy Ghost Joh. 7. 39. this he spake of the Spirit which they that believe on him should receive it is Believers that thus receive the Spirit and they receive him by Faith now there are three speciall acts of Faith whereby it goes forth in the receiving of the spirit I shall but name them 1. It considers the spirit in the Oeconomy before described as promised It is Faith alone that makes profit of the benefit of the § 23 promises Heb. 4. 2. now he is called the spirit of that promise Eph 2. 13. the spirit that in the covenant is promised and we receive the promise of the spirit through Faith Gal. 3. 14. so that the receiving of the Spirit through Faith is the receiving of him as promised faith eyes the promise of God and of Jesus Christ of sending the spirit for all those ends that he is desired thus it depends waits mixing the promise with it selfe untill it receive him 2. By Prayer He is given as a spirit of supplication that we may aske him as a spirit of consolation Luk. 11. 13. and indeed this asking of the Spirit of God in the name of Christ either directly or immediately or under the name of some fruit and effect of him is the chiefest work of faith in this World 3. It cherisheth him by attending to his motions improving his actings according to his mind and will which is all I shall say to this third thing or our receiving of the Spirit which is sent of Jesus Christ we doe it by faith looking on him as purchased by Jesus Christ and promised of the Father we seek him at the hands of God and doe receive him 4. The next considerable thing is his abode with us now this is two wayes expressed in the Scripture 1. In generall as to § 24 the thing it selfe it is said he shall abide with us 2. In particular as to the manner of its abiding it is by inhabitation or indwelling Of the inhabitation of the spirit I have spoken fully elsewhere nor shall I now insist on it only whereas the spirit as hath been observed is considered as a spirit of sanctification or a spirit of consolation He is said to dwell in us chiefely or perhaps solely as he is a spirit of sanctification which is evident from the work he doth as indwelling He quickneth and sanctifieth Rom. 8. 11. and the manner of his indwelling as in a Temple which he makes holy thereby 2 Cor. 6. and his permanency in his so doing which as is evident relates to sanctification only but yet the generall notion of it in abiding is ascribed to him as a Comforter Joh. 14. 16. he shall abide with you for ever now all the difficulty of this promise lies in this that whereas the spirit of sanctification dwells in us allwaies and it is therefore impossible that we should loose utterly our holinesse whence is it that if the Comforter abide with us for ever we may yet utterly loose our Comfort a little to clear this in our passage 1. He is promised to abide with the Disciples for ever in opposition to the abode of Christ Christ in the flesh had been § 25 with them for a little while and now was leaving them and going to his Father He had been the comforter immediatly himselfe for a season but is now upon his departing wherefore promising them another comforter they might feare that he would even but visit them for a little season also and then their condition would be worser then ever Nay but saith our Saviour feare it not this is the last dispensation there is to be no Alteration when I am gone the Comforter is to doe all the remaining work there is not another to be looked for and I promise you him nor shall he depart from you but allwaies abide with you 2. The Comforter may allwaies abide with us though not § 26 alwaies comfort us He who is the comforter may abide though he doe not alwaies that work for other ends and purposes he is alwaies with us as to sanctify and make us holy So was the case with David Psalm 51. 11 12. take not thy holy spirit from me the holy
The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him the spirit of wisdome and understanding the spirit of councell and might the spirit of knowledge and of the feare of the Lord c. Many of the endowments of Christ from the Spirit wherewith he was abundantly anointed are here recounted Principally those of Wisdome Councell and Understanding are insisted on on the Account whereof all the Treasures of Wisdome and Knowledge are said to be in him Col. 2. 3. and though this be but some part of the furniture of Jesus Christ for the discharge of his Office yet it is such as where our anoynting to the same purpose is mentioned it is said peculiarly on the effecting of such Qualifications as these so John 2. 22 and 27. the work of the anoynting is to teach us The Spirit therein is a Spirit of Wisdome and understanding of Councell Knowledge and quick understanding in the feare of the Lord. So was the great promise of the Comforter that he should teach us Joh. 14. 26. that he should guide us into all truth Chap. 16. 13. This of teaching us the mind and will of God in the manner wherein we are taught it by the Spirit our Comforter is an eminent part of our unction by him which only I shall instance in Give me leave to say there is a threefold teaching by the spirit 1. A teaching by the Spirit of Conviction and illumination so the Spirit teacheth the world that is many in it by the Preaching of the Word as he is promised to doe Joh. 16. 8. 2. A teaching by the spirit of Sanctification opening blind eyes giving a new understanding shining into our hearts to give us a knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ enableing us to receive Spirituall things in a Spirituall light 1 Cor. 2. 8. giving a saving knowledge of the mistery of the Gospell and this in severall degrees is common to all Believers 3. A teaching by the Spirit of Consolation making sweet usefull and joyfull to the soule the discoveries that are made of the mind and Will of God in the light of the Spirit of Sanctification Here the oyle of the Spirit is called the Oyle of gladnesse That which beings Joy and Gladnesse with it And the name of Christ hereby discovered is a sweet oyntment powred forth that causeth Soules to runne after him with joy and delight Cant. 1. 2. We see it by daily experience that very many have little tast and sweetnesse and relish in their Soules of those Truths which yet they savingly know and believe But when we are taught by this unction oh how sweet is every thing we know of God As we may see in the place of Iohn where mention is made of the teaching of this unction it respects peculiarly the Spirit teaching of us the Love of God in Christ the shining of his Countenance which as David speaks puts Gladnesse into our hearts Psal. 4. 6 7. We have this then by the Spirit he teacheth us of the Love of God in Christ he makes every Gospell Truth as wine well refined § 25 to our Soules and the good things of it to be a feast of fatt things gives us Joy and gladnesse of heart with all that wee know of God which is the great preservative of the Soule to keep it close to Truth The Apostle speaks of our teaching by this unction as the meanes whereby we are preserved from seduction Indeed to know any Truth in the Power sweetnesse Joy Gladnesse of it is that great security of the soules constancy in the preservation and retaining of it They will readily change Truth for Error who find no more sweetnesse in the one then in the other I must crave the Readers pardon for my briefe passing over these great things of the Gospell my present designe is rather to enumerate then to unfold them This one work of the Holy Ghost might it be pursued would require a fuller discourse then I can allot unto the whole matter in hand All the priviledges we enjoy all the Dignity and honour we are invested withall our whole dedication unto God our Nobility and Royalty our interest in all Church advantages and approaches to God in worship our separation from the world the name whereby we are called the liberty we enjoy all flow from this head are all branches of this effect of the Holy Ghost I have mentioned only our teaching by this unction a Teaching that brings joy and gladnesse with it by giving the heart a sense of the Truth wherein we are instructed When we find any of the good Truths of the Gospell come home to our soules with life vigour and power giving us gladnesse of heart transforming us into the image and likenesse of it the Holy Ghost is then at his work is powring out of his oyle We have Adoption also by the Spirit hence he is called the Spirit of Adoption that is either he who is given to Adopted ones § 26 to secure them of it to beget in their hearts a sense and Perswasion of the Fathers Adopting Love or else to give them the priviledge it selfe as is intimated Joh. 1. 12. Neither is that opposite hereunto which we have Gal. 4 6. for God may send the spirit of supplication into our hearts because we are Sons and yet Adopted by his spirit But of this elsewhere He is also called the Spirit of Supplication under which notion he is promised Zach. 12. 10. and how he affects that in us is § 27 declared Rom. 8. 26. 27. and Gal 4. 6. and we are thence said to pray in the Holy Ghost Our prayers may be considered 1. Two waies First as a spirituall Duty required of us by God and so they are wrought in us by the Spirit of Sanctification which helps us to performe all our duties by exalting all the faculties of the Soule for the Spirituall discharge of their respective offices in them 2. As a meanes of retaining Communion with God whereby we sweetly ease our hearts in the bosome of the Father and receive in refreshing tasts of his Love The Soule is never more raysed with the Love of God then when by the Spirit taken into intimate communion with him in the discharge of this duty and therein it belongs to the Spirit of Consolation to the Spirit promised as a Comforter And this is the next thing to be considered in our Communion with the Holy Ghost namely what are the peculiar Effects which he worketh in us and towards us being so bestowed on us as was declared and working in the way and manner insisted on Now these are His bringing the promises of Christ to remembrance glorifying him in our hearts shedding abroad the love of God in us witnessing with us as to our spirituall estate and condition sealing us to the day of redemption being the earnest of our Inheritance anoynting us with priviledges as to their consolation confirming our Adoption and being present
man of a very easy discerning may find them out yet their delusion so strong that not a few are deceived This is one thing that lys evident to every eye That according to his wounted course Satan with his delusions is runne into an extreame to his former actings Not long since his great designe as I manifested was to try up Ordinances without the Spirit casting all the reproach § 6 that he could upon him now to cry up a Spirit without and against Ordinances casting all reproach and contempt possible upon them Then he would have a ministry without the Spirit now a Spirit without a ministry Then the reading of the word might suffice without either preaching or praying by the Spirit now the Spirit is enough without reading or studying the word at all Thē he allowed a litterall embracing of what Christ had don in the flesh now he talkes of Christ in the Spirit only and denys him to be come in the flesh the proper character of the false Spirit we are warned of 1 Joh. 1. 3. Now because it is most certaine that the Spirit which we are to heare and embrace is the Spirit promised by Christ which is so cleare that Him the Montanists Paraclete yea and Mahomet pretended himselfe to be and those of our daies affirme also pretend the same Let us briefly try them by some of the Effects mentioned which Christ hath promised to give the Holy Ghost for The first generall Effect as was observed was this that he should bring to remembrance the things that Christ spake for our guidance and Consolation This was to be the worke of the Holy Ghost § 7 towards the Apostles who were to be the pen-men of the Scriptures this is to be his work towards Believers to the end of the world Now the things that Christ hath spoken and did are written that we might believe and believing have life through his name Ioh. 20. 30. They are written in the Scripture This then is the worke of the Spirit which Christ hath promised he shall bring to our remembrances and give us understanding of the words of Christ in the Scripture for our guidance and consolation Is this now the worke of the Spirit which is abroad in the world and perverteth many Nothing lesse His businesse is to decry the things that Christ hath spoken which are written in the Word To pretend new Revelations of his own To lead men from the written word wherein the whole worke of God and all the promises of Christ are recorded Againe the worke of the Spirit promised by Christ is to glorify him He shall Glorify me for he shall take of mine and shew it unto you John 16. 14. him who was to suffer at Jerusalem who § 8 then spake to his Disciples It was to make him Glorious Honourable and of high esteem in the hearts of Believers and that by shewing his things his Love Kindnesse Grace and purchase unto them This is the worke of the Spirit The worke of the Spirit that is gone abroad is to glorify it selfe to decry and render contemptible Christ that suffered for us under the name of a Christ without us which it slights and despiseth and that professedly It s own Glory it s own honour is all that it aymes at wholly inverting the order of the divine dispensations The fountaine of all being and lying in the Fathers love the Sonne came to glorify the Father He still says I seek not my own glory but the glory of him that sent me The Sonne having carryed on the worke of Redemption was now to be glorifyed with the Father So he prays that it might be John 17. 1. The hower is come glorify the Sonne and that with the glrry which he had before the world when his joynt councell was in the carrying on the Fathers Love Wherefore the Holy Ghost is sent and his worke is to glorify the Sonne but now as I said we have a Spirit come forth whose whole businesse is to glorify himselfe whereby we may easily know whence he is Furthermore the Holy Ghost sheds abroad the love of God in our Hearts as was declared and thence fills them with joy § 9 Peace and hope quieting and refreshing the hearts of them in whom he dwells giving them liberty and rest confidence and the boldnesse of children This Spirit whereof men now boast is a Spirit of bondage whose utmost worke is to make men quake and tremble casting them into an unsonlike frame of Spirit driving them up and down with horror and bondage and drinking up their very naturall spirits making their whole man wither away There is scarce any one thing that more evidently manifesteth the Spirit whereby some are now acted not to be the Comforter promised by Christ then this That he is a Spirit of bondage and slavery in them in whom he is and a spirit of cruelty and reproach toward others in a direct opposition to the holy Ghost in Believers and all the ends and purpurposes for which as a Spirit of Adoption and Consolation he is bestowed on them To give one instance more the Holy Ghost bestowed on § 10 Believers is a Spirit of Prayer and Supplication as was manifested The Spirit wherewith we have to doe pretends the carrying men above such low and contemptible meanes of communion with God In a word it were a very easy and facile taske to passe through all of the eminent effects of the Holy Ghost in and towards Believers and to manifest that the pretending spirit of our daies comes in a direct opposition and contradiction to every one of them Thus hath Satan passed from one extreame to another from a bitter wretched opposition to the Spirit of Christ unto a cursed pretending to the Spirit still to the same end and purpose I might give sundry other instances of the contempt or abuse of the dispensation of the Spirit Those mentioned are the extreames whereunto all other are or may be reduced and I will not farther divert from that which lys directly in my ayme CHAP. VI. Of Particular Communion with the Holy Ghost Of preparation thereunto Valution of the the Benefits we receive by him what it is he comforts us in and against Wherewith How THe way being thus made plain for us I come to shew § 1 how wo hold particular communion with the Holy Ghost as he is promised of Christ to be our Comforter and as working out our Consolation by the meanes formerly insisted on Now the first thing I shall doe herein is the proposall of that which may be some preparation to the duty under consideration and this by leading the soules of Believers to a due valuation of this work of his towards us whence he is called our comforter To raise up our hearts to this frame and fit us for the duty § 2 intended let us consider these three things 1. First What it is he comforts us against 2. Secondly Wherewith he Comforts us 3.
God they are his Temple As he is a King they are his Subjects he is the King of Saints as he is a head they are his Body he is the Head of the Church as he is a first borne he makes them his Brethren He is not ashamed to call them brethren I shall choose out one particular from among many as an Instance for the proof of this thing And that is this Christ § 3 reveales his secrets his minde unto his Saints and enables them to reveale the secrets of their hearts to him An evident demonstration of great delight It was Sampsons carnall delight in Dalilah that prevailed with him to reveale unto her those things which were of greatest concernment unto him He will not hide his minde from her though it cost him his life It is only a bosome friend unto whom we will unbosome our selves Neither is there possible a greater evidence of delight in close Communion then this that one will reveale his heart unto him whom he takes into society and not entertaine him with things common and vulgarly known And therefore have I chose this instance from amongst a thousand that might be given of this delight of Christ in his Saints He then communicates his minde unto his Saints and unto them only his minde the Councell of his love the thoughts of his § 4 heart the purposes of his bosome for our eternall good His minde the ways of his grace the workings of his spirit the Rule of his scepter and the obedience of his Gospell All spirituall Revelation is by Christ. He is the true light that inlightneth every man that commeth into the world John 1. 9. He is the day spring the day starre and the Sun So that it is impossible any light should be but by him from him it is that the secret of the Lord is with them that feare him and he shewes them his Covenant Psal. 15. v. 14. as he expresses it at large Joh. 15. 14 15 Ye are my friends if yee doe whatsoever I command you Hence forth I call you not servants for the Servant knoweth not what his Lord doth but I have called you friends for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you He makes them as his friends and useth them as friends as bosome friends in whom he is delighted He makes known all his minde unto them every thing that his Father hath committed to him as Mediator to be revealed Act. 20. 24. And the Apostle declares how this is done 1 Cor. 2. 10 11. he hath revealed these things to us by his Spirit for we have received him that we might know the things that are freely given us of God He sends us his Spirit as he promised to make known his minde unto his Saints and to lead them into all truth and thence the Apostle concludes we have known the minde of Christ v. 16. for he useth us as friends and declareth it unto us Joh. 1. 18. There is not any thing in the heart of Christ wherein these his friends are concerned that he doth not reveale to them All his love his Goodwill the secrets of his Couenant the paths of obedience the Mistery of Faith is told them And all this is spoken in opposition to unbelievers with whom he hath no communion These know nothing of the mind of Christ as they ought the naturall man receiveth not the things that are of God 1 Cor 2. 14. There is a wide difference between understanding the Doctrine of the Scripture as in the letter and a true knowing the minde of Christ. This we have by speciall unction from Christ. 1 Joh. 2. 24. we have an unction from the holy one and we know all things 1 Ioh. 5. last Now the things which in this Communion Christ reveales § 5 to them that he delights in may be referred to these two heads 1. Himselfe 2. His Kingdome 1. Himselfe John 14. 21. He that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and will manifest my selfe unto him manifest my selfe in all my Graces desireablenesse and lovelinesse he shall know me as I am and such I will be unto him a Saviour a Redemer the chiefest of ten thousand He shall be acquainted with the true worth and value of the Pearle of Price let others looke upon him as having neither forme nor Comelinesse as noe way desireable He will manifest himselfe and his excellencyes unto them in whom he is delighted that they shall see him altogether Lovely He will vaile himselfe to all the world but the Saints with d open face shall behold his beauty and his glory and so be translated to the Image of the same Glory as by the spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3. 14. 2. His kingdome they shall be acquainted with the Government of his Spirit in their hearts as also with his Rule and the Administration of Authority in his Word and among his Churches Thus in the first place doth he manifest his delight in his Saints he communicates his secrets unto them He gives them to know his Person his Excellencys his Grace his Love his Kingdome his will the Riches of his Goodnesse and the Bowels of his mercy more and more when the world shall neither see nor know any such thing 2. He enables his Saints to communicate their mind to reveale § 6 their soules unto him that so they may walke together as intimate friends Christ knows the minds of all He knows what is in man and needs not that any man testify of him Joh. 2. 25. He searcheth the hearts and trieth the reines of all Revel 2. 23. But all know not how to communicate their minde to Christ. It wil not availe a man at all that Christ knows his minde for so he doth of every one whether he will or no but that a man can make his heart known unto Christ this is consolation Hence the prayers of the Saints are Incense Odours and those of others are Howling cutting off a dogs necke offering of Swines blood an Abomination unto the Lord. Now three things are required to enable a man to communicate his heart unto the Lord Jesus 1. Assistance for the worke for of our selves we cannot doe it And this the Saints have by the Spirit of Jesus Rom. 8 26 27. Likewise the spirit helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh intercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the minde of the Spirit because he maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God All indeavours all attempts for Communion with God without the supplyes of the Spirit of supplications without his effectuall working in the heart is of no value nor to any purpose And this opening of our hearts and bosomes to the Lord Jesus is that wherein he is exceedingly delighted
of God on the account of our Redemption To him that loved us and washed us with his own blood to him be praise and glory Rev. 1. 6 4 14. And are not the like praises and blessings due to him by whom the work of Redemption is made effectuall to us who with no lesse infinite love undertook our consolation then the Sonne our Redemption when we feele our hearts warmed with joy supported in peace established in our obedience let us ascribe to him the praise that is due to him blesse his name and rejoyce in him And this glorifying of the Holy Ghost in thanksgivings on § 10 a spirituall sense of his consolations is no small part of our communion with him Considering his free ingagement in this work his coming forth from the Father to this purpose his mission by the Son and condescension therein his Love and kindnesse the soule of a believer is powred out in thankfull praises to him and is sweetly affected with the duty There is no duty that leaves a more heavenly savour in the soule then this doth Also in our prayers to him for the carrying on the work of our consolation which he hath undertaken ly's our communion § 11 with him John praies for Grace and peace from the seven spirits that are before the Throne or the Holy Ghost whose operations are perfect and compleat This part of his worship is expresly mentioned frequently in Scripture and all others do necessarily attend it Let the Saints consider what need they stand in of these effects of the Holy Ghost before mentioned with many such others as might be insisted on Weigh all the priviledges which we are made partakers of Remember that he distributes them as he will that he hath the Soveraigne disposall of them and they will be prepared for this duty How and in what sense it is to be performed hath been already declared what is the formall reason of this worship and § 12 ultimate object of it I have also manifested In the duty it selfe is put forth no small part of the life Efficacy and vigor of Faith and we come short of that enlargednesse of spirit in dealing with God and are straightned from walking in the breadth of his waies which we are called unto if we learne not our selves to meet him with his worship in every way he is pleased to communicate himselfe unto us In these things he does so in the person of the Holy Ghost In that person do we meet him his Love Grace and Authority by our prayers and supplications Again Consider him as he condescends to this delegation of the Father and the Sonne to be our Comforter and ask him daily § 13 of the Father in the name of Jesus Christ. This is the daily work of Believers They look upon and by Faith consider the Holy Ghost as promised to be sent In this promise they know lies all their Grace peace mercy joy and hope For by him so promised and him alone are these things communicated to them If therefore our life to God or the joy of that life be considerable in this we are to abound to ask him of the Father as Children doe of their Parents daily bread And as in this asking and receiving of the Holy Ghost we have communion with the Father in his Love whence he is sent and with the Son in his Grace whereby he is obtained for us so with himselfe on the account of his voluntary condescension to this dispensation Every request for the Holy Ghost implyes our closing with all these Oh the Riches of the Grace of God Humbling our selves for our miscarriages in reference to him is another part of our communion with him That we § 14 have grieved him as to his Person quenched him as to the motion of his grace or resisted him in his Ordinances is to be mourned for as hath been declared Let our Soules be humbled before him on this account This one considerable Ingredient of Godly sorrow and the thoughts of it are as suitable to the affecting of our Hearts with humiliation and indignation against sin as any other whatever I might proceed in the like considerations as also make application of them to the particular effects of the Holy Ghost enumerated but my designe is only to point out the heads of things and to leave them to the improvement of others I shall shut up this whole discourse with some considerations § 15 of the sad estate and condition of men not interested in this promise of the Spirit nor made partakers of his Consolation 1. They have no true Consolation or comfort be their Estate condition what it will Are they under affliction or in trouble They must beare their own burden and how much to weak they are for it if God be pleased to lay on his hand with more weight then ordinary is easily known Men may have stoutnesse of Spirit and put on great Resolutions to wrestle with their troubles But when this is meerly from the naturall spirit of a man 1. For the most part it is but an outside It is done with respect to others that they may not appeare low spirited or dejected Their hearts are eaten up and devoured with troubles and anxiety of minde Their thoughts are perplexed and they are still striving but never come to a conquest Every new trouble every little alteration in their trialls puts them to new vexation It is an ungrounded resolution that beares them up and they are easily shaken 2. Secondly what is the best of their resolves and enduring it is but a contending with God who hath entangled them the strugling of a flea under a mountaine Yea though on out ward considerations and principles they endeavour after patience and tolerance yet all is but a contending with God a striving to be quiet under that which God hath sent on purpose to disturbe them God doth not afflict men without the Spirit to exercise their patience but to disturbe their peace and security All their arming themselves with patience and resolution is but to keep the hold that God will cast them out of or else make them the nearer to ruine This is the best of their consolation in the time of their trouble 3. Thirdly if they doe promise to themselves any thing of the care of God towards them and relieve themselves thereby as they often doe on one account or another especially when they are driven from other holds all their reliefe is but like the dreaming of an hungry man who supposeth that he eateth and drinketh and is refreshed but when he awaketh he is empty and disappointed So are they as to all their reliefe that they promise to receive from God and the support which they seem to have from him When they are awaked at the latter day and see all things clearly they will find that God was their enemy laughing at their calamity and mocking when their feare was on them So is it with them