Joy in Tribulation, Chapter 21 – Chapter 22
CHAP. XXI. Comforts which flow from the holy Ghost.
AGaine, with those former (drawn from the two first persons of the blessed Trinity) annexe the consolations of Gods holy Spirit, who dwelleth in the faithfull. Sweete and excellent are these comforts: Neither is it in vaine, that in specialty the holy Ghost is called the Comforter; as being that person, who is sent by the Father, and the Sonne, by himselfe to worke this effect in us. Let us then remember that this blessed Spirit doth not onelyonly dwell in us by his gifts, faith, love, &c. but personally, which is evidently expressed Ephes. 1.13,14. You are sealed with the holy Spirit of promise, which (or rather, who) foreign in the Greeke, cannot in ordinarie construction of Grammar, agree with that of Spirit, the one being of the neuter, the other of the masculine, but the gender purposely changed against use, to shew that the person of the blessed Spirit is with us, in us, and so continues, and stayes as an earnest of our inheritance, and our full redemption; in which respect wee are called his Temples, 1 Corinth. 6. 19. Thus also when the holy Ghost is promised us, Ioh. 16. 13, 14. our Saviour alters the gender, and useth the masculine (foreign) hee, the Spirit of Truth: and againe, he (not it) shall glorifie me: to shew that the very third person of Trinitie is given us: yet hee dwels not in us, as sometime in the Temple made with hands, but as the soule rather dwels in the body, so doth the holy Ghost dwel in the faithfull, quickening, sustaining, & leading them on to the rest of their soules, and Lieging with us. Look as in the body the hart and Head produce life, sense, and motion by the vitall, and animall spirits; which being sent by them, and diffused into every particular member, quicken, and move it; So the Spirit of Christ flowing from him into his mysticall bodie, fils every part with life, sense, and motion.Ioh. 6. 63. It is the Spirit, 2 Cor. 3…6…(saith our Saviour, so his Apostle) that quickens. Therefore is he called our life;Rom. 8.10. and they that live in the Spirit, G… 5. 25.walk also, or move in the Spirit. There is also spirituall sense; a taste, Psal. 34. 8. & 119.103whereby wee perceive the sweetnesse of God, of the grace of God, and the word of his grace; whereby the spirituall man savours the things of the Spirit;Rom. …,5… a spirituall touch, and tendernesse: when the Lord takes away the heart of stone, and gives an heart of flesh: Ezek. 36 26, 27.a spirituall eye, whereby the spirituall man discernes all things: 1 Cor. 2. 14. 15.a spirituall hearing, delighting in the Word, and promise of God, more than any musicall harmony; a spirituall sent, whereby the verie name of Christ is as an Oyntme…t Cant. 7.3.powred forth.
Now the holy Ghost doth not onelyonly worke this comfort in us by faith, givi…g us power to apprehend things absent, or to come, but applieth them more immediately by this verie sense, so that the soule shall even feele with joy unspeakeable, the consolations of God flow into it.
Thus the blessed Spirit doth first speake peace unto us from God, and then gives o…r spirits an open eare to heare his voyce, and know our peace, that so we may come to finde our selves children of God, and heires with Christ.Rom 8. 15. 16, 17. Thus he doth not only spread a Table for us, and there sets forth that Bread of heaven in the holy Ordinances of God, but gives us power to eate, making them more sweete to us than the honycombe, and thus brings us on to more fulnesse of growth, and eternall life thorough Christ.
Hence commeth it that a Christian can rejoyce in tribulation, because this holy spirit sheds abroad in our harts that love of God which is better than life, Psal. 63.3.and gives us so palpable a sense of it, that it beareth downe all other feelings before it: See Romans 5. 3,4, 5. So the Apostles (Acts 5. 41.)
Thus as the sufferings of Christ doe abound in any of his members:2 Cor. 1…5. so doth the God of consolation cause his comforts to abound through Christ. And as hee thus sustaines the soule in ordinarie afflictions; so againe in extra-ordinary troubles, he poureth out more than ordinarie refreshings: alwayes affording grace proportionable for the triall,1 Cor. 10. 13 and the issue with the tentation. Thus when wicked persecutors have devised exquisite torments for the bodies of the faithfull, this blessed Spirit hath measured out unto them, strong and strange joyes, even transcendant ravishings.
Ruffin. lib. 1. cap 36Famous is the Storie of that thrice famous Martyr, Theodorus, recorded by Ruffinus; who being apprehended by an Officer of that cursed Apostata, Iulian; and from the verie spring of day, torme…ed grievously till ten of the clocke, yet all that time in many changes of torments and tormentors; such (saith hee) as no age ever saw the like, did nothing else but with a calme, and chearefull countenance, sing that Psalme; Let them be confounded who worship graven Images, and trust in their Idols. Afterward, being demanded by Ruffinus, concerning his sense of these paines, aff…rmed that he had little feeling of any bodily griefe, but that there stood by him a certaine young man, who wiped off the sweat with a most shining cloth, and often poured on him cooling waters, that he was ravished with delight, a…d could not but bee more sad when hee was let downe from the racke.
Above all the rest, when the faithfull heart feeleth in it selfe that holy Spirit sealing up his happinesse, and lying there as a pledge, and earnest untill he be fully instated into it; it is altogether impossible to expresse the unspeakable joy, and glorious comfort which flowes into it. This made the Hebrewes rejoyce in the spoyling of their goods;Heb. 10.34 and the Apostles to goe from the whip-stocke with more joy in their hearts, than bloud on their backes. This put that stra…ge speech into the mouth of the Apostle, who as hee laboured more than all, 2 Cor. 11. 23so was in stripes above measure, so oft in prison, so oft in danger, and in death; when his heart overflowed with an unutterable rejoycing, and hee thus expresseth it:2 Cor. 7.4. I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyous; or (as the word properly signifies) I am more than redundantly joyous in all our tribulation.
There was no ability in his tongue, nor possibilitie in words to set out that flowing affection running over in his heart.
Oh then what trouble should deject us when hee is our Comforter? Art thou dull of hearing, art thou very unteachable? That Spirit is thy Teacher, who maketh the rudest Fisher-men the most learned Doctors of the world, who taught them all tongues, and knowledge in an instant: Art thou very forgetfull? This blessed Spirit is given thee to bring all things to thy minde. Art thou slow in duty, faint, and soone wearie? This holy Spirit is sent to quicken thee, to baptize thee with fire. Wantest thou any grace, or any measure of grace? They are all fruits of the Spirit, Gal. 5.22, 23.springing from this root, Love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentlenesse, goodnesse, faith &c: Art thou assaulted with feare and doubting?Eph. 1.…4. This gracious Spirit is thy seale, and the earnest of thy inheritance, untill the redemption of the possession.
CHAP. XXII. How to apply these comforts by meditation.
NOw when wee have thoroughly weighed this great privilege, and in it our many comforts, let us lay thē neerer to heart, & fasten them there by some meditation. Thus confer with thy soule:
O gracious Comforter, who hast taken possession of this worthlesse heart for my Lord and Saviour, and keepest it unto his use, and kingdome; how should I want consolation, who enjoy thee the onelyonly Comforter? How should I want that joy of the Spirit, who enjoy the Spirit of Life, and oyle of gladnesse? Thou art my life, which canst not dye… thou my strength, and the length of my dayes. Thou hast opened mine eyes to behold that heavenly honour, and excellent glory, those wonderfull joyes, and infinite happinesse which is given me by my Father, and purchased by my gracious Redeemer: Thou hast bored mine ears to heare those more than heavenly strains of that Angelicall song:Luk. …. 14. On earth peace, good will toward man. Thou hast quickned my pallate to tast how good and sweet the Lord is. Thou hast caused my soule to sent those precious oyntments, so that I finde that costly Spiknard, spent on my Saviours head, had all the sweetnesse from the head on which it was spent. Thou hast ravished my soule with those delectable feelings of peace, and love, which is better than life, and the most heavenly sense of thy gracious presence. The spirit of a man will sustaine his infirmities, how much more wilt thou, most gracious Spirit, who art God Almighty, beare up, and sustaine thy weake fainting creature, who leaneth upon thee, liveth by thee, and wholly giveth up his soule unto thee? When I am dull, thou quicknest me; when forgetfull, thou promptest mee; when cold, thy fiery baptisme warms me; when doubtfull, thou confirmest me; when sad thou cōforrest me. Now then thou my gracious Comforter, persit the tēple which thou art building; forsake not the worke of …hine hands; prosper, oh prosper thy handyworke; enliven, strengthen, quicken, sustaine mee, that I may live in thee, walk in thee, abide in thee, rejoyce in thee, serve, praise, and blesse thee for ever.