Therefore, 3'ou have all attributed to the Spirit of God. In John xvi. 5, set]., ' I go hence, but I will send you the Comforter,' the Holy Ghost ; and what shall the Comforter do ? ' He shall convince the world of sin, of righteousness, and judgment.' Do not pretend, therefore, your own in- ability, that you arc imable to comfort, or to cast down, or to seal unto people their righteousness ; do you that that is your duty, propound grounds of direction, and casting down, and of righteousness, and of judg- ment, of holy life after ; and then the Holy Ghost shall go with you ; the Comforter shall do this to the hearts of people ; the Holy Ghost shall con- vince. ' What is Paul, or what is Apollos, but ministers ? ' ' Paul may plant, and Apollos may water ; ' but if God give not the increase, what is all ? 1 Cor. iii. 6.
Therefore, Christ promiseth his disciples, that th'e Holy Ghost should accompany their teaching. They might have objected, Alas ! we shall teach the world, that they are Gentiles, that they are obstinate persons, hardened in superstition. Do not fear, saith he, ' I will send the Holy Ghost.' He shall fall upon you and furnish you. Now when the Holy Ghost was in them, and the Holy Ghost in their auditors too, together with the word inspired by the Holy Ghost : when the Spirit meets in these three, there are wonders wrought. When the Spirit of God is in the teacher, and the Spirit of God in the hearers, and the Spirit of God in the word : I say, when there is one Spirit in the teacher, and in the hearers, and in the word, there are wonders wrought of conversion and comfort.
It is the Spirit that must do all. We are nothing but ministers. ' Let a man conceive of us as ministers and dispensers of the gospel,' 1 Cor. iv. 1. Ministers of comfort we are, and but ministers ; just so we are ' helpers of your joy,' but we are but helpers. Those that account us not helpers of joy, know not our calling ; and these that account us more, that we are able to comfort people by the word, they turn the preaching of the word to magic, to a charm. We can speak the word ; but God must speak to the heart at the same time.
As it is with physical water ; there is the water, and there are many strong things in it. What ! doth the water cure or purge ? It is a dead thing, it hath no efficacious quality, but to cool, &c. Whence comes the efficacy ? There are some cool herbs, some strong things in it, and then it doth wonders. So what is the infusion of the v, ord but w\ater, but aqua vita;, water of life, the dew of heaven, rosa soUs '^ Whence is it so ? As water ? No ; but there is a divine influence and vigour in it, that refi'esheth and
* That is, ' broached ' = opened. — G.
t ' Lydia's Heart Opened,' is the title of one of Sibbes's minor writings. — G.
2 COEINTHIANS CHAP. I, XEH. 24. 515
quickeneth the soul. It doth not do it of itself, but it bath a divine influ- ence of the Spirit.
So we see, though ministers be heli^ers of jo3% they are but helpers. They are but the conduits that convey that that comes from the Spirit of God. They are instruments of the Spirit.
1. You see it clear then, tJtat God onhj speaks comfort', because the Spirit of God only knows our spirits thoroughly. The Spirit of God can only comfort, because ho knows all the discomforts of our hearts, he knows all our griefs, all the corners of our hearts. That the minister cannot do. The minister may speak general comfoi'ts ; but the Spirit of God knows all the windings and turnings of the heart, and all the disconsolate pangs of the heart and soul ; every little pang and grief, the Spirit of God knows it. Therefore, the Spirit of God is the Comforter. He strikes the nail, and seals the comfort to the soul : we are but helpers.
2. Then again, the Sijirit of God must do it, because the soul must be set doirn uith that that is stronger than itself. It must be so convinced and set down, that it must have more to say against the grief or temptation, than can be alleged by the devil himself. The soul, before it be comforted, it must be quieted and stilled. Now who is above the soul, and Satan that tempts the soul ? Let Satan be let loose to tempt the soul, and the soul hath a hell in itself, if God let it alone. Who is above those im- speakable torments of conscience, if they be not allayed by the Spirit of God ? Who is above the soul, but the Spirit of God ? Will the soul allay itself ? No, it will never. Thei'efore the Spirit of God, that is stronger and wiser than the soul, and is the Spirit of light and strength, it must set down, and quiet, and calm the soul, that it hath nothing to say against the comfort it brings, but quiets itself, and saith, I must rest, I must see this is from heaven, I am quiet. This the Spirit doth.