Of Communion with God, Part 3 · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII.
The generall wayes of the Saints acting in Communion with the Holy Ghost.
AS in the account given of the Actings of the Holy Ghost in us, we manifested first the generall adjuncts of his actings, §. 1 or the manner thereof; so now in the description of the Returnes of our soules to him, I shall in the first place, propose the generall actings of Faith, in reference to this work of the Holy Ghost, and then descend unto particulars: Now there are three generall wayes, of the soules deportment in this communion, expressed all negatively in the Scripture, but all including positive duties.
1. Now these are First. Not to grieve him.
2. Secondly, Not to quench his motions. §. 2
3. Thirdly, Not to resist him.
There are three things considerable in the Holy Ghost.
1. First His Person, as dwelling in us. §. 3
2. Secondly his actings by Grace, or his motions.
3. Thirdly His working in Ordinances of the word, and the Sacraments; all for the same end and purpose.
To these three, are the three cautions before suited.
1. First, not to grieve him, in respect of his Person dwelling in us.
2. Secondly, Not to quench him, in respect of the actings, and motions of his grace.
3. Thirdly, Not to resist him in respect of the Ordinances of Christ and his guifts, for their administration.
Now because the whole generall duty of Believers in their communion with the Holy Ghost, is comprised in these three things; I shall handle them severally.
The First Caution concernes his Person immediately, as dwelling in us. It is given Eph. 4. 30. Grieve not the holy Spirit of God. §. 4 There is a complaint, Isai. 63. 10. of them who vexed, or grieved the Spirit of God. And from thence doth this Caution seem to be taken. That it is the Person of the Holy Ghost which is here intended, is evident.
First, from the Phrase, or manner of expression, with a double article foreign; that holy spirit: And also,
2. From the work assigned to him in the following words, of Sealing to the day of Redemption. Which (as hath been manifested,) is the work of the Holy Ghost. Now whereas this may be understood of the spirit in others, or in ourselves; it is evident that the Apostle intends it in the latter sense, by his addition of that signall, and eminent priviledge which we our selves enjoy by him, he seales us to the day of redemption.
Let us see then the tendency of this expression, as comprizing the first Generall rule of our communion with the Holy Ghost. Grieve not the spirit.
The terme of grieving, or affecting with sorrow, may be considered either Actively, in respect of the Persons grieving; or Passively in respect of the Persons grieved. In the latter sense the expression is Metaphoricall; the Spirit cannot be grieved, or affected with sorrow, which inferrs alteration, disappointment, weakenesse, all incompatible with his infinite perfections: yet men may actively do that which is fit and able to grieve any one that stands affected towards them, as doth the Holy Ghost. If he be not grieved it is no thanks to us, but to his own unchangeable nature. So that there are two things denoted in this expression.
First, That the Holy Ghost is affected towards us, as one that is loving, carefull, tender, concerned in our good, and welldoing, and therefore upon our miscarriages is said to be grieved. As a good friend of a kind, and loving nature is apt to be so on the miscarriage of him whom he doth affect. And this is that we are principally to regard in this caution as the ground and foundation of it; the Love, Kindnesse, and tendernesse of the Holy Ghost unto us. Grieve him not.
Secondly, That we may doe those things, that are proper to grieve him, though he be not passively grieved; our sin being no lesse therein, then if he were grived as we are. Now how this is done, how the Spirit is grieved, the Apostle declareth in the contexture of that discourse, verses 21, 22, 23, 24. He presseth to a progresse in Sanctification, and all the fruits of Regeneration vers. 25, 26, 27, 28, 29. He dehorts from sundry particular evills, that were contrary thereto, and then gives the generall enforcement of the one and the other; and grieve not the Holy Spirit of God; that is by coming short of that universall Sanctification, which our planting into Christ doth require. The positive duty included in this caution, of not grieving the holy Spirit is this; That we pursue universall Holinesse with regard unto, and upon the account of the love, kindnesse, and tendernesse of the Holy Ghost. This is the foundation of our Communion, we have in generall. When the soul considers the love, kindnesse and tendernesse of the Holy Ghost unto him, when he considers all the fruits and acts of his love and goodwill towards him, and on that account, and under that consideration, because he is so concerned in our ways, & walkings, to abstaine frō evills & to walke in all duties of Holinesse, this is to have communion with him. This consideration that the Holy Ghost, who is our Comforter, is delighted with our obedience, grieved at our evills, and follies, being made a continuall motive to, and reason of our close walking with God in all holinesse, is, I say, the first generall way of our Communion with him.
Here let us fixe a little. We loose both the power and pleasure §. 6 of our Obedience, for want of this consideration. We see on what account the Holy Ghost undertakes to be our Comforter, by what ways and meanes he performes that Office towards us: what an unworthy thing it is to grieve him, who comes to us on purpose to give us consolation? Let the soule in the whole course of its obedience exercise its selfe by faith to thoughts hereof, and lay due weight upon it. The Holy Ghost in his infinite love and kindnesse towards me, hath condescended to be my Comforter; He doth it willingly, freely, powerfully; what have I received from him? in the multitude of my perplexitys how hath he refreshed my soule? Can I live one day without his consolations? And shall I be regardlesse of him in that wherein he is concerned? shall I grieve him by negligence, sinne and folly? shall not his love constraine me to walke before him to all well pleasing? So have we in generall, fellowship with him.
The second is that of the 1 Thess. 5. 19. Quench not the Spirit. There are various thoughts about the sense of these words. §. 7 The Spirit in others, that is, their spirituall gifts say some. But then it falls in with what follows vers. 20. despise not Prophesying. The Light that God hath set up in our hearts, say others. But where is that called absolutely foreign the Spirit. It is the Holy Ghost himselfe that is here intended. Not immediately, in respect of his Person, in which regard he is said to be grieved, which is a Personall affection: but in respect of Isa. 4. 4.his motions, actings, & operations. The Holy Ghost was typified by the fier, that was allways kept alive on the Altar. He is also called a Spirit of burning. The reasons of that Allusiō are manifold, not now to be insisted on. Now the oppositiō that is made to fier in its acting, is by querching. Hence the opposition made to the actings of the Holy Ghost are called Quenching of the Spirit, as some kind of wet wood will doe, when it is cast into the the fire. Thence are we said in pursuance of the same metaphor, foreign, to stirre up with new fire the gifts that are in us. The Holy Ghost is striving with us, acting in us, moving variously for our growth in grace, and bringing forth fruit meet for the principle he hath indued us withall. Take heed (saith the Apostle) least by the power of your lusts and temptations, you attend not to his workings, but hinder him in his good will towards you; that is what in you lyeth.
This then is the second Generall Rule for our Communion with §. 8 the Holy Ghost. It respects his gratious operations in us, and by us. There are severall and various ways, whereby the Holy Ghost is sayd to act, ex…rt, and put forth his power in us: partly by moving upon and stirring up the Grace we have received: partly by new supplys of Grace from Jesus Christ, falling in with ocasions for their exercise, raysing good motions immediately, or occasionally within us, all tending to our furtherance in obedience, and walking with God. All these are we carefully to observe and take notice of. Consider the Fountaine, whence they come & the end which they lead us unto; Hence have we Communion with the Holy Ghost, when we can consider him by faith, as the immediate author of all supplys, assistances, and the whole reliefe we have by Grace, of all good actings, risings, motions in our hearts, of all strivings and contendings against sinne; When we consider I say all these his actings, and workings in their tendencys to our consolation, and on that account are carefull and watchfull to improve them all to the end aymed at, as coming from him, who is so loving and kind, and tender to us, we have Communion with him.
This is that which is intended. Every gracious acting of §. 9 the blessed Spirit in and towards our soules, is constantly by Faith to be considered as comming from him in a peculiar manner: His minde, his good will, is to be observed therein. Hence care and diligence for the improvement of every motion of his will arise, thence reverence of his presence with us, with due spirituall regard to his Holinesse doth ensue, and our soules are wonted to entercourse with him.
3. The third caution concernes him, and his worke, in the §. 10 dispensation of that great ordinance of the Word. Stephen tells the Jewes Act. 7. 51. that They resisted the Holy Ghost, How did they doe it? why as their Fathers did it. As your Fathers did, so do ye. How did their Fathers resist the Holy Ghost? vers, 52. They persecuted the Prophets and slew them; their opposition to the Prophets in preaching the Gospell, or their shewing of the coming of the just one, was their resisting of the Holy Ghost. Now the Holy Ghost is said to be resisted in the contempt of the preaching of the word, because the gift of preaching of it is from him. The 1 Cor. 12. 6.manifestation of the Spirit is given to profit. Hence when our Saviour Promiseth the Spirit to his Disciples, to be present with them for the conviction of the world; he tells them he will give them a mouth and wisedome, which their adversaries shall not be able to gainsay, nor resist: Luk. 20. 16. concerning which in the accomplishment of it in Stephen, it is said that they were not able to resist the Spirit by which he spake, Act. 6. 10. The Holy Ghost then setting up a ministry in the Church, separating men thereto, furnishing them with gifts and abilitys for the dispensation of the Word; the not obeying of that word, opposing of it, not falling down before it, is called resisting of the Holy Ghost. This in the examples of the wickednesse of others are we cautioned against. And this enwraps the third generall Rule of our Cō munion with the Holy Ghost; in the despensation of the Word of the Gospell, the Authority, wisdome and goodnesse of the Holy Ghost, in furnishing men with gifts for that end, and purpose, and his presence with them, as to the vertue thereof, is to be eyed; and subjection given unto it on that account. On this reason I say, on this ground, is obedience to be yeilded to the word, in the ministeriall dispensation thereof; because the Holy Ghost and he alone doth furnish with gifts to that end and purpose. When this consideration causeth us to fall low before the word, then have we Commuinon with the Holy Ghost in that Ordinance. But this is commonly Spoken unto.