2. The manner of the performance of this work is so expressed as to evince and expressly demonstrate that it is a work of love. So is it declared where he is promised unto the church for this work: Isa. lxvi. 1 3, " As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you ; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem." He whom his mother
372 THE HOLY SPIRIT AS A COMFORTER. [BOOK VIII.
comforteth is supposed to be in some kind of distress; nor, indeed, is there any, of any kind, that may befall a child, whose mother is kind and tender, but she will be ready to administer unto him all the consolation that she is able. And how, or in what manner, will such a mother discharge this duty, it is better conceived than it can be expressed. We are not, in things natural, able to take in a concep- tion of greater love, care, and tenderness, than is in a tender mother who comforts her children in distress. And hereby doth the prophet graphically represent unto our minds the manner whereby the Holy Ghost dischargeth this office towards us. Neither can a child con- tract greater guilt, or manifest a more depraved habit of mind, than to be regardless of the affection of a mother endeavouring its conso- lation. Such children may, indeed, sometimes, through the bitterness of their spirits, by their pains and distempers, be surprised into fro- wardness, and a present regardlessness of the mother's kindness and compassion, which she knows full well how to bear withal ; but if they continue to have no sense of it, if it make no impression upon them, they are of a profligate constitution. And so it may be some- times with believers; they may, by surprisals into spiritual froward- ness, by weakness, by unaccountable despondencies, be regardless of divine influences of consolation ; — but all these things the great Com- forter will bear with and overcome. See Isa. lvii. 15-19, "Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy ; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail be- fore me, and the souls which I have made. For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart. I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners. I create the fruit of the lips ; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the Lord; and I will heal him." When persons are under sorrows and discon- solations upon the account of pain and sickness, or the like, in a design of comfort towards them, it will yet be needful sometimes to make use of means and remedies that may be painful and vexatious; and these may be apt to irritate and provoke poor, wayward patients. Yet is not a mother discouraged hereby, but proceeds on in her way until the cure be effected and consolation administered. So doth God by his Spirit deal with his church. His design is " to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones," verse 15 ; and he gives this reason of it, — namely, that if he should not act in infinite love and condescension towards them, but deal with
CHAP. II.] GENERAL PROPERTIES OF HIS OFFICE. 373
them after their deservings, they would utterly be consumed, " the spirit would fail before him, and the souls which he hath made," verse 16. However, in the pursuit of this work, he must use some sharp remedies, that were needful for the curing of their distempers and for their spiritual recovery. Because of their iniquity, "the iniquity of their covetousness," which was the principal disease they laboured under, " he was wroth and smote them, and hid his face from them/' because his so doing was necessary to their cure, verse 1 7. And how do they behave themselves under this dealing of God with them? They grow peevish and froward under his hand, choosing rather to continue in their disease than to be thus healed by him : " They went on frowardly in the way of their hearts," verse 1 7. How, therefore, doth this Holy Comforter now deal with them? Doth he give them up unto their frowardness? doth he leave and forsake them under their distemper? No; a tender mother will not so deal with her children. He manageth his work with such infinite love, tenderness, and compassion, as that he will overcome all their frowardness, and ceases not until he hath effectually administered consolation unto them: Verse 18, "I have seen," saith he, all these " his ways," all his frowardness and miscarriages, and yet, saith he, " I will heal him ;" — " I will not for all this be diverted from my work and the pur- suit of my design ; before I have done, I will lead him into a right frame, ' and restore comforts unto him/ And that there may be no failure herein, I will do it by a creating act of power:" Verse 19, "I create the fruit of the lips ; Peace, peace." This is the method of the Holy Ghost in administering consolation unto the church, by openly evidencing that love and compassion from whence it doth proceed. And without this method should no one soul be ever spiritually re- freshed under its dejections; for we are apt to behave ourselves fro- wardly, more or less, under the work of the Holy Ghost towards us. Infinite love and compassion alone, working by patience and long- suffering, can carry it on unto perfection. But if we are not only froward under particular occasions, temptations, and surprisals, cloud- ing our present view of the Holy Spirit in his work, but are also habitually careless and negligent about it, and do never labour to come into satisfaction in it, but always indulge unto the peevishness and frowardness of unbelief, it argues a most depraved, unthankful frame of heart, wherein the soul of God cannot be well pleased.