264 OF COMMUNION WITH THE HOLY GHOST.
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, works as he pleaseth. And what are we, towards whom he carrieth on this work? Fro ward, perverse, unthankful; grieving, vexing, provoking him. Yet in his love and tenderness doth he continue to do us good. Let us by faith consider this love of the Holy Ghost. It is the head and source 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 number- less number might be added ! It suffices that, from what is spoken, it appears that the work in hand is amongst the greatest duties and most excellent privileges of the gospel.
CHAPTER VII.
The general ways 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 general adjuncts of his actings, or the manner thereof; so now, in the description of the returns of our souls to him, I shall, in the first place, propose the general actings of faith in refer- ence to this work of the Holy Ghost, and then descend unto parti- culars. Now, there are three general ways of the soul's deportment in this communion, expressed all negatively in the Scripture, but all including positive duties. Now these are, — First, Not to grieve him. Secondly, Not to quench his motions. Thirdly, Not to resist him. •'
There are three things considerable in the Holy Ghost: — 1. His person, as dwelling in us; 2. His actings hy grace, or his motions; 3. His working in the ordinances of the word, and the sacraments; — all for the same end and purpose.
To these three are the three cautions before suited: — 1. Not to grieve him, in respect of his i:)erson dwelling in us. 2. Not to quench him, in respect of the actings and motions of his grace. 3. Not to resist him, in respect of the ordinances of Christ, and his gifts for their administration. Now, because the whole general duty of believers, in their communion with the Holy Ghost, is com- prised in these three things, I shall handle them severally: —
1. The first caution concerns his person immediately, as dwell- ing in us. It is given, Eph. iv. SO, " Grieve not the Holy Spirit of
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God." There is a complaint, Isa. Ixiii. 10, of tliem 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, —
(1.) From the phrase, or manner of expression, with a double article, Th iTi/sD^a ro dyiov, — "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 under- stood 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 signal and eminent privilege which we ourselves enjoy by him : he seals us to the day of redemption.
Let us see, then, the tendency of this expression, as comprising the first general rule of our communion with the Holy Ghost, — " Grieve not the Spirit."
The term of "grieving," or affecting with sorrow, may be con- sidered either actively, in respect of the persons grieving; or passively, in respect of the persons grieved. In the latter sense the expression is metaphorical. The Spirit cannot be grieved, or affected with sor- row ; which infers alteration, disappointment, weakness, — all incom- patible with his infinite perfections; yet men may actively do that which is fit and able to grieve any one that stands atfected 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, careful, tender, concerned in our good and well-doing; and therefore upon our miscarriages is said to be grieved: as a good friend of a kind and loving nature is apt to be 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, kindness, and tenderness of the Holy Ghost unto us. "Grieve him not."
Secondly, That we may do those things that are proper to grieve him, though he be not passively grieved ; our sin being no less therein than if he were grieved as we are. Now, how this is done, how the Spirit is grieved, the apostle declareth in the contexture of that dis- course, verses 21-24. He presseth to a progress m sanctification, and all the fruits of regeneration, verses 25-29. He dehorts from sundry particular evils that were contrary thereto, and then gives the general enforcement of the one and the other, " And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God;" that is, by coming short of that universal sanc- tification which our planting into Christ doth requke. The positive duty included in this caution, of not grieving the Holy Spirit, is this, —