3. It is an evidence that his work proceedeth from and is wholly managed in love, in that we are cautioned not to grieve him, Eph. iv. 30. And a double evidence of the greatness of his love is herein tendered unto us in that caution: — (1.) In that those alone are sub- ject to be grieved by us who act in love towards us. If we comply not with the will and rule of others, they may be provoked, vexed,
374 THE HOLY SPIEIT AS A COMFORTER. [BOOK VIII.
instigated unto wrath against us; but those alone who love us are grieved at our miscarriages. A severe schoolmaster may be more provoked with the fault of his scholar than the father is, but the father is grieved with it when the other is not. Whereas, therefore, the Holy Spirit is not subject or liable unto the affection of grief as it is a passion in us, we are cautioned not to grieve him, namely, to teach us with what love and compassion, with what tenderness and holy delight, he performs his work in us and towards us. (2.) It is so in that he hath undertaken the work of comforting them who are so apt and prone to grieve him, as for the most part we are. The great work of the Lord Christ was to die for us; but that which puts an eminence on his love is, that he died for us whilst we were yet his enemies, sinners, and ungodly, Rom. v. 6-10. And as the work of the Holy Ghost is to comfort us, so a lustre is put upon it by this, that he comforts those who are very prone to grieve himself; for although, it may be, we will not, through a peculiar affection, hurt, molest, or grieve them again by whom we are grieved, yet who is it that will set himself to comfort those that grieve him, and that when so they do? But even herein the Holy Ghost commendeth his love unto us, that even whilst we grieve him, by his consolations he recovers us from those ways wherewith he is grieved.
This, therefore, is to be fixed as an important principle in this part of the mystery of God, that the principal foundation of the sus- ception of this office of a comforter by the Holy Spirit is his own peculiar and ineffable love: for both the efficacy of our consolation and the life of our obedience do depend hereon ; for when we know that every acting of the Spirit of God towards us, every gracious im- pression from him on our understandings, wills, or affections, are all of them in pursuit of that infinite peculiar love whence it was that he took upon him the office of a comforter, they cannot but all of them influence our hearts with spiritual refreshment. And when faith is defective in this matter, so that it doth not exercise itself in the consideration of this love of the Holy Ghost, we shall never ar- rive unto solid, abiding, strong consolation. And as for those by whom all these things are despised and derided, it is no strait unto me whether I should renounce the gospel or reject them from an interest in Christianity, for the approbation of both is inconsistent. Moreover, it is evident how great a motive hence ariseth unto cheer- ful, watchful, universal obedience ; for all the actings of sin or unbe- lief in us are, in the first place, reactions unto those of the Holy Ghost in us and upon us. By them is he resisted in his persuasions, quenched in his motions, and himself grieved. If there be any holy ingenuity in us, it will excite a vigilant diligence not to be over- taken with such wickednesses against unspeakable love. He will
CHAP. II.] GENERAL PROPERTIES OF HIS OFFICE. 375
Avalk both safely and fruitfully whose soul is kept under a sense of the love of the Holy Spirit herein.
Thirdly, Infinite power is also needful unto, and accordingly evi- dent in, the discharge of this office. This we have fixed, that the Holy Ghost is, and ever was, the comforter of the church. What- ever, therefore, is spoken thereof belongs peculiarly unto him. And it is expressed as proceeding from and accompanied with infinite power; as also, the consideration of persons and things declares it necessary that so it should be. Thus we have the church's complaint in a deep disconsolation : "My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is passed over from my God," Isa. xl. 27. It is not so much her affliction and miseries, as an apprehension that God re- gardeth her not therein, which causeth her dejection. And when this is added unto any pressing trouble, whether internal or exter- nal, it doth fully constitute a state of spiritual disconsolation; for when faith can take a prospect of the love, care, and concernment of God in us and our condition, however grievous things may be at present unto us, yet can we not be comfortless. And what is it that, in the consolation which God intendeth his church, he would have them to consider in himself, as an assured ground of relief and re- freshment ? This he declares himself in the following verses: Verses 28-31, "Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlast- ing God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary?" etc. The church seemeth not at all to doubt of his power, but of his love, care, and faithfulness towards her. But it is his infinite power that he chooseth first to satisfy her in, as that which all his actings towards her were founded in and resolved into; without a due consideration whereof all that otherwise could be expected would not yield her relief. And this being fixed on their minds, he next pi'oposeth unto them his infinite understanding and wisdom : "There is no searching of his understanding." Conceive aright of his infinite power, and then leave things unto his sovereign, unsearch- able wisdom for the management of them, as to ways degrees, times and seasons. An apprehension of want of love and care in God to- Avards them was that which immediately caused their disconsolation • but the ground of it was in their unbelief of his infinite power and wisdom. Wherefore, in the work of the Holy Ghost for the com- forting of the church, his infinite power is peculiarly to be consi- dered. So the apostle proposeth it unto the weakest believers for their supportment, and as that which should assure them of the victory in their conflict, that "greater is he that is in them than he that is in the world," 1 John iv. 4. That Holy Spirit which is bestowed on them and dwelleth in them is greater, more able and powerful, than Satan, that attempts their ruin in and by the world, seeing he