But we may more steadily consider this condescension with respect unto its object: the Holy Spirit thereby becomes a comforter unto
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370 THE HOLY SPIRIT AS A COMFORTER. [BOOK VIII.
us, poor, miserable worms of the earth. And what heart can con- ceive the glory of this grace? what tongue can express it? Especially will its eminency appear if we consider the ways and means whereby he doth so comfort us, and the opposition from us which he meets withal therein ; whereof we must treat afterward.
Secondly, Unspeakable love accompanieth the susception and dis- charge of this office, and that working by tenderness and compassion. The Holy Spirit is said to be the divine, eternal, mutual love of the Father and the Son. And although I know that much wariness is to be used in the declaration of these mysteries, nor are expressions concerning them to be ventured on not warranted by the letter of the Scripture, yet I judge that this notion doth excellently express, if not the distinct manner of subsistence, yet the mutual, internal operation of the persons of the blessed Trinity ; for we have no term for, nor notion of, that ineffable complacence and eternal rest which is therein beyond this of love. Hence it is said that " God is love," 1 John iv. 8, 16. It doth not seem to be an essential property of the nature of God only that the apostle doth intend, for it is pro- posed unto us as a motive unto mutual love among ourselves, and this consists not simply in the habit or affection of love, but in the actings of it in all its fruits and duties: for so is God love, as that the internal actings of the holy persons, which are in and by the Spirit, are all the ineffable actings of love, wherein the nature of the Holy Spirit is expressed unto us. The apostle prays for the presence of the Spirit with the Corinthians under the name of the " God of love and peace," 2 Epist. xiii. 11. And the communication of the whole love of God unto us is committed unto the Spirit ; for " the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us," Rom. v. 5. And hence the same apostle distinctly mentioneth the love of the Spirit, conjoining it with all the effects of the mediation of Christ : chap. xv. SO, " I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit;" — " I do so on the account of the respect you have unto Christ, and all that he hath done for you ; which is a motive irresistible unto be- lievers. I do it also for the love of the Spirit; all that love which he acts and communicates unto you." Wherefore, in all the actings of the Holy Ghost towards us, and especially in this of his susception of an office in the behalf of the church, which is the foundation of them all, his love is principally to be considered, and that he chooseth this way of acting and working towards us to express his peculiar, personal character, as he is the eternal love of the Father and the Son. And among all his actings towards us, which are all acts of love, this is most conspicuous in those wherein he is a comforter.
Wherefore, because this is of great use unto us, as that which
CHAP. II.] GENERAL PROPERTIES OF HIS OFFICE. 371
ought to have, and which will have, if duly apprehended, a great influence on our faith and obedience, and is, moreover, the spring of all the consolations we receive by and from him, we shall give a little evidence unto it, — namely, that the love of the Spirit is prin- cipally to be considered in this office and the discharge of it: for whatever good we receive from any one, whatever benefit or present relief we have thereby, we can receive no comfort or consolation in it unless we are persuaded that it proceeds from love ; and what doth so, be it never so small, hath refreshment and satisfaction in it unto every ingenuous nature. It is love alone that is the salt of every kindness or benefit, and which takes out of it every thing that may be noxious or hurtful. Without an apprehension hereof and satis- faction herein, multiplied beneficial effects produce no internal satis- faction in them that do receive them, nor put any real engagement on their minds, Prov. xxiii. 6-8. It is, therefore, of concernment unto us to secure this ground of all our consolation, in the full assur- ance of faith that there was infinite love in the susception of this office by the Holy Ghost. And it is evident that so it was, —
1. From the nature of the work itself; for the consolation or comforting of any who stand in need thereof is an immediate effect of love, with its inseparable properties of pity and compassion. Especially it must be so where no advantage redounds unto the com- forter, but the whole of what is done respects entirely the good and relief of them that are comforted ; for what other affection of mind can be the principle hereof, from whence it may proceed? Persons may be relieved under oppression by justice, under want by bounty, but to comfort and refresh the minds of any is a peculiar act of sin- cere love and compassion : so, therefore, must this work of the Holy Ghost be esteemed to be. I do not intend only that his love is emi- nent and discernible in it, but that it proceeds solely from love. And without a faith hereof we cannot have the benefit of this divine dis- pensation, nor will any comforts that we receive be firm or stable ; but when this is once graciously fixed in our minds, that there is not one drop of comfort or spiritual refreshment administered by the Holy Ghost, but that it proceeds from his infinite love, then are they disposed into that frame which is needful to comply with him in his operations. And, in particular, all the acts wherein the discharge of this office doth consist are all of them acts of the highest love, of that which is infinite, as we shall see in the consideration of them.