3. This is such a gift as in God proceeds from bounty; for God is / said to give him unto us " richly," Tit. iii. G. This will be spoken unto in the fourth way of his communication: only I say at present, the
110 WAT AND MANNER OF THE DIVINE [BOOK I.
greatness of a gift, the free mind of the giver, and want of desert or merit in the receiver, are that which declare bounty to be the spring and fountain of it; and all these concur to the height in God's giving of the Holy Ghost.
Again; On the part of them who receive this gift, privilege and / advantage are intimated. They receive a gift, and that from God, and that a great and singular gift, from divine bounty. Some, in- deed, receive him in a sort, as to some ends and purposes, without any advantage finally unto their own souls. So do they who " prophesy" and "cast out devils" by his power, in the name of Christ, and yet, continuing " workers of iniquity," are rejected at the last day. Matt. vii. 22, 23. Thus it is with all who receive his gifts only, without his grace to sanctify their persons and their gifts ; and this whether they 1)6 ordinary or extraordinary: but this is only by accident. There is no gift of the Holy Ghost but is good in its own nature, tending to a good end, and is proper for the good and advantage of them by whom it is received. And although the direct end of some of them be not the spiritual good of them on whom they are bestowed, but the edification of others, — for " the manifestation of the Spirit is given unto every man to profit withal," 1 Cor. xii. 7, — yet there is that excellency and worth in them, and that use may be made of them, as to turn greatly to the advantage of them that receive them ; for although they are not grace, yet they serve to stir up and give an edge unto grace, and to draw it out unto exercise, whereby it is strengthened and increased. And they have an influence into glory ; for it is by the abilities which they give that some are made wise and effectual instruments for the " turning of many to righteous- ness," who " shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and as the stars for ever and ever," Dan. xii. 3. But the unbelief, ingratitude, and lusts of men can spoil these, and any other good things what- ever. And these things will -afterward in particular fall under our consideration. In general, to be made partaker of the Holy Ghost is an inestimable privilege and advantage, and as such is proposed by our Saviour, John xiv. 17.
/ Secondly, God is said to send him : Ps. civ. SO, " Thou sendest [forth thy Spirit;" John xiv. 26, "The Father will send the Holy Ghost in my name." This is also spoken of the Son : " I Avill send unto you the Comforter from the Father," chap. xv. 26, xvi. 7. And in the accomplishment of that promise, it is said he " shed him forth," Acts ii. 33 ; Gal. iv. 6, " God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts; " and in other places the same expression is used. Now, this, upon the matter, is the same with the former, of giving him, arguing the same authority, the same freedom, the same bounty. Only, the word naturally includes in its signification a respect unto a
CHAP, v.] DISPENSATION OF THE HOLY SPIEIT. Ill
local motion. He whicli is sent removeth from the place where he was, from whence he is sent, unto a place where he was not, whither he was sent. Now, this cannot properly be spoken of the Holy- Ghost; for he being God by nature is naturally omnipresent, and an omnipresence is inconsistent with a local mutation. So the Psalmist expressly : Ps. cxxxix. 7, 8, " Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven," etc. There must, therefore, a metaphor be allowed in this expression, but such a one as the Scripture, by the frequent use of it, hath rendered familiar unto us. Thus God is said to "come out of his placOj" to "bow the heavens and come down ;" to "come down and see what is done in the earth," Isa. xxvi. 21; Ps. cxliv. 5 ; Gen. xviii. 21. That these things are not spoken properly of God, who is immense, all men acknowledge. But when God begins to work in any place, in any kind, where before he did not do so, he is said to come thither ; for so must we do, — we must come to a place before we can work in it. Thus, the sending of the Holy Ghost includeth two things as added unto his being given : — 1. That he was not before in or with that j person, or amongst those persons, for that especial work and end which he is sent for. He may be in them and with them in one respect, and be afterward said to be sent unto them in anothez\ So our Lord Jesus Christ promiseth to send the Holy Ghost unto his disciples as a comforter, whom they had received before as a sancti- lier. " I will," saith he, " send him unto you; and ye know him, for he dwelleth with you," John xiv. 17, xvi. 7. He did so as a sanctiiier before he came unto them as a comforter. But in every coming of his, he is sent for one especial work or another; and this sufl&- ciently manifests that in his gifts and graces he is not common unto all. A supposition thereof would leave no place for this especial act of sending him, which is done by choice and distinction of the object. Much less is he a light which is always in all men, and which all men may be in if they please; for this neither is nor can be absent in any sense from any one at any time. 2. It denotes an especial work there or on them, where and on whom there was none before of that kind. For this cause is he said to be sent of the Father.^ No local motion, then, is intended in this expression, only there is an /" allusion thereunto; for as a creature cannot produce any effects where it is not, until it either be sent thither or go thither of its own accord, so the Holy Ghost produceth not the blessed effects of his