Three things are considerable in the foundation of this dispensa- tion, in reference to our communion with the Holy Ghost : —
[ls#.] That the will of the Spirit is in the work: 'ExTopiUrai, — " He comes forth himself" Frequent mention is made (as we shall see afterwaixl) of his being sent, his being given, and poured out; [but] that it might not be thus apprehended, either that this Spirit were altogether an inferior, created spirit, a mere servant, as some have blasphemed, nor yet merely and principally, as to his personality, the virtue of God, as some have fancied, he hath Ihrnihara 'vjroeraTixd, personal properties, applied to him in this work, arguing his per- sonality and liberty. 'ExTro^risra/, — " He, of himself and of his own accord, proceedeth."
[2d^_y.]The condescension of the Holy Ghost in this order of working, this dispensation, to proceed from the Father and the Son, as to this work; to take upon him this work of a Comforter, as the Son did the work of a Redeemer: of which afterward.
[3rf^2/.] lilxe fountain of the whole is discovered to be the Father,
228 OF COMMUNION WITH THE HOLY GHOST.
that we may know Lis works in the pursuit of electing love, which ever}rsvhere is ascribed to the Father. This is the order here inti- mated : — First, there is the rrpoSigig of the Father, or the jiurpose of his love, the fountain of all ; then the spoJrT^fftg, the asking of the Son, John xiv. 16, which takes in his merit and purchase; whereunto follows sxTopsuffic, or willing proceeding of the Holy Ghost. And this gives testimony, also, to the foundation of this whole discourse, — namely, our peculiar communion with the Father in love, the Son in grace, and the Holy Ghost in consolation. This is the door and entrance of that fellowship of the Holy Ghost whereunto we are called. His gracious and blessed Avill, his infinite and ineffable con- descension, being eyed by faith as the foundation of all those effects which he works in us, and privileges whereof by him we are made partakers, our souls are peculiarly conversant with him, and their desires, affections, and thankfulness, terminated on him: of which more afterward. This is the first thing considerable in our commu- nion with the Holy Ghost.
'2dly. The manner of his collation or bestowing, or the manner of his communication unto us from this fountain, is herein also con- siderable; and it is variously expressed, to denote three things: —
(\st) The freeness of it: thus he is said to be GIVEN, John xiv. 16; " He shall give you another Comforter." I need not multiply places to this purpose. The most frequent adjunct of the communication of the Spirit is this, that he is given and received as of gift: " He will give his Holy Spirit to tliem that ask him." That which is of gift is free. The Spirit of grace is given of grace: and not only the Spirit of sanctification, or the Spirit to sanctify and convert us, is a gift of free grace, but in the sense whereof we sjoeak, in respect of consolation, he is of gift also ; he is promised to be given unto believers.^ Hence the Spirit is said to be received by the gospel, not by the law, Gal. iii. 2; that is, of mei^e gy^ace, and not of our ozun procuring. And all his workings are called y^aplff/xara, — " free donations." He is freely bestowed, and freely works; and the different measures wherein he is received, for those ends and purposes of consolation which we shall consider, by believers, which are great, various, and inexpressible, arise from hence, that we have him by donation, or free gift. And this is the tenure whereby we hold and enjoy him, a tenure of free donation. So is he to be eyed, so to be asked, so to be received. And this, also, faith takes in and closeth withal, in our communion with the Comforter: — the conjunction and accord of his will with the gift of Father and Son ; the one respecting the distinct operation of the Deity in the person of the Holy Ghost; the other, the economy of the whole Trinity in the work of our salvation by Jesus Christ. Here
' Nch. ix. 20; John xiv. IC, vii. 39, xx. 22; Acts ii. 28, v. :32, viii. 15, x. 47, j.v. 8, xix '2; Honi. v. r,; 1 Cor. ii. 12, vi. lit. xii. 7; 1 Tiipss. iv.8; 1 Joliii iv. 13.
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tlie soul rejoicetli itself in the Comforter, — that he is willing to come to him, that he is willing to be given him. And seeing all is will and gift, grace is magnified on this account.
(^dly) The authority of it. Thence he is said to be sent. Chap, xiv. 26, " The Father will send him in my name ;" and, chap. xv. 26, "I will send him unto you from the Father;" and, " Him will I send un- to you," chap. xvi. 7. This mission of the Holy Ghost by the Father and the Son, as it answers the order of the persons' subsistence in the blessed Trinity, and his procession from them both, so the order voluntarily engaged in by them for the accomplishment, as was said, of the work of our salvation. There is in it, in a most special manner, the condescension of the Holy Ghost, in his love to us, to the autho- ritative delegation of Father and Son in this business; which argues not a disparity, dissimilitude, or inequality of essence, but of office, in this work. It is the office of the Holy Ghost to be an advocate for us, and a comforter to us ; in which respect, not absolutely, he is thus sent authoritatively by Father and Son. It is a known maxim, that " insequalitas officii non tollit sequalitatem naturae." This subjection (if I may so call it), or inequality in respect of office, doth no ways pre- judice the equality of nature which he hath with Father and Son ; no more than the mission of the Son by the Father doth his. And on this authoritative mission of the Spirit doth the right apprehension of many mysteries in the gospel, and the ordering of our hearts in communion with him, depend.