Of Communion with God, Part 3 · Chapter 6
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. Thirdly, The principle of all his actings, and operations in us for our consolation.
1. There are three things in the whole course of our pilgrimage, that the consolations of the Holy Ghost are usefull and necessary in
1. First. In our Afflictions. Affliction is part of the provision that God hath made in his house for his Children, Heb. 12. 5, 6. The great variety of its causes, meanes, uses, and effects, is generally known. There is a measure of them appointed for every one. To be wholly without them is a temptation, and so in some measure an Affliction. That which I am to speake unto is, that in all our afflictions, we need the consolations of the Holy Ghost. It is the nature of man to relieve himselfe, when he is entangled, by all waies and meanes. According as mens naturall spirits are, so do they mannage themselves under pressures. The spirit of a man will beare his infirmity; at least it will struggle with it.
There are two great evills, one of which does generally seise §. 4 on men under their Afflictions, and keep them from a due management of them. The Apostle mentioneth them both, Heb. 12. 5. foreign. despise not the chastisement of the Lord, neither faint when thou art reproved. One of these extreames doe men usually fall into; either they despise the Lords correction, or sink under it.
First, Men despise it. They account that which befalls them to be a light or common thing. They take no notice of God in it. They can shift with it well enough: they look on instruments, second causes, provide for their own defence and vindication, with little regard to God, or his hand in their affliction. And the ground of this is, because they take in succours in their trouble, that God will not mix his grace withall. They fix on other remedies, then what he hath appointed, and utterly loose all the benefits and advantage of their affliction. And so shall every man doe that relieves himselfe from any thing, but the consolations of the Holy Ghost.
2. Secondly, Men Faint and sink under their trialls, and afflictions, Which the Apostle farther reproves, vers. 12. The first despise the assistance of the Holy Ghost through pride of heart: the latter refuse it through dejectednesse of spirit, and sink under the weight of their troubles. And who almost is there, that offends not on one of these hands? Had we not learned to count light of the chastisements of the Lord, and to take little notice of his dealings with us; we should find the season of our Afflictions to comprize no small portion of our Pilgrimage.
Now there is no due management of our soules under any affliction, so that God may have the glory of it; and our selves §. 5 any spirituall benefit or emprovement thereby; but by the consolations of the H. Ghost. All that our Saviour promiseth his Disciples, when he tells them of the great trialls and tribulations they were to undergoe, is, I will send you the spirit, the comfortour, He shall give you peace in me, when in the world you shall have trouble. He shall guide, and direct, and keep you in all your trialls. And so the Apostle tells us it came to passe, 2 Cor. 1. 4, 5, 6. Yea and this under the greatest afflictions will carry the soule to the highest joy, peace, rest, and contentment. So the same Apostle, Rom. 5. 3. We glory in tribulations. It is a great expression. He had said before, that we glorted in the hope of the glory of God, vers. 2. Yea, but what if manifold afflictions, and tribulations befall us? why? even in them also we glory, saith he, We glory in our tribulations; But whence is it, that our spirits are so borne up, to a due management of afflictions, as to glory in them in the Lord? He tells us, vers. 5. It is from the shedding abroad of the Love of God in our hearts by the Holy Ghost. And thence are Believers said to receive the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost. 1 Thes. 1 6. And to take joyfully the spoyling of their goods. This is that I aime at; There is no management, nor improvement of any Affliction, but meerely and solely, by the Consolations of the Holy Ghost. Is it then of any esteeme or value unto you, that you loose not all your trialls, temptations, and afflictions, learne to value that whereby alone they are rendred usefull.
2. Sinne is the second burthen of our lives, and much the greatest; §. 6 Unto this, is this Consolation peculiarly suited: So Heb. 6. 17, 18. an Allusion is taken from the man stayer under the Low, who having killed a man at unawares, and brought the guilt of his blood upon him selfe, fled with speed for his deliverance to the Citty of refuge: our great and only refuge from the guilt of sinne, is the Lord Jesus Christ in our flying to him, doth the spirit administer consolation to us. A sense of sin fills the heart with troubles and disquietnesse; it is the Holy Ghost, which gives us peace in Christ. That gives an apprehension of wrath, the Holy Ghost sheds abroad the Love of God in our hearts. From thence doth Satan, and the Low accuse us, as objects of Gods hatred, the spirit beares witnesse with our spirits, that we are the Children of God. There is not any one engine or instrument, that sin useth, or sets up against our peace, but one effect or other of the Holy Ghost towards us, is suited and fitted to the casting of it downe.
In the whole course of our obediénce are his consolations necessary also; That we may goe through with it cheerfully, willingly, §. 7 patiently to the end. This will afterwards be more fully discovered as to particulars, when I come to give directions for our communion with this blessed comforter. In a word, in all the concernments of this life, and in our whole expectation of another, we stand in need of the consolations of the Holy Ghost.
Without them, we shall either despise afflictions, or faint under §. 8 them, and God be neglected, as to his intendments in them.
Without them, sin will either harden us to a contempt of it, or cast us downe to a neglect of the remedies, gratiously provided against it.
Without them, duties will either puffe us up with pride, or leave us without that sweetnesse which is in new obedience.
Without them, prosperity will make us carnall, sensuall, and to take up our contentment in these things, and utterly weaken us for the trialls of adversity.
Without them, the comforts of our Relations, will separate us from God, and the losse of them make our hearts as Nabals.
Without them, the calamity of the Church will overwhelme us; and the prosperity of the Church will not concerne us.
Without them, we shall have wisdome for no worke, Peace in no condition, strength for no duty, successe in no triall, joy in no state, no comfort in life, no light in death?
Now our Afflictions, our sins, and 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 1 Joh. 4. 6. Gal 2. 20. …. 1. 7.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, spoken only to prepare our hearts to the communion proposed: and what a little portion is it, of what might be spoken? how might all these considerations be aggravated? what a numberlesse number might be added? it suffices that from what is spoken it appeares, that the work in hand is amongst the greatest duties, and most excellent priviledges of the Gospel.