Communications of Graces, and Priviledges: He doth it by working, which as it convinces his perfonality, especially as confidered with the words following, dividing to every Man according to his Will, (for fo to Work according to Will, is the infeparable property of a Perfon, and is spoken exprefly of God, Eph.1.11.) fo in relation to v.6. foregoing, it make no lefs evident his Deity. What he is here faid to do as the Spirit beftowed on us, and given unto us; there he is faid as God himself to do: There are diverfity of Operations but it is one God that Worketh all in all, which here in other Words is; all these Worketh the felf fame Spirit dividing to every Man as be Will; What we have then from him, we have by the way of his energetical Working; It is not by propofing this or that Argument to us, perfwading us by thefe or those moral Motives or Inducements alone, leaving us to make use of them as we can; but he works effectually himself, what he communicates of Grace, or confolation to us. S. 3. 2. In the fame verfe as to the Manner of his Operation, He is faid as, he divideth or distributeth to every one as be Will. This of diftribution adds to that of Operation, Choice, Judgment, and Freedom. He that diftributes variously doth it with Choice and Judgment, and Freedom of Will: Such are the proceedings of the Spirit in his Difpenfations: To one he giveth one thing eminently, to another another. To one in one Degree, to another in another; Thus are the Saints in his Sovereignty kept in a conftant dependance on him; He diftributes as he Will; who fhould not be content with his Portion? What claim can any lay to that which he diftributeth as he Will? Which is farther manifested. S. 4. 3. By his being faid to give, when and what he bestows; they fpake with other Tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance, Act. 2. 4. He gave to them, that is freely; whatever he bestows upon us, is of his Gift. Hence it is to be observed, that in the Oeconomy of our Salvation, the acting of no one perfon perfon doth prejudice the freedom and liberty of any other, fo the Love of the Father in fending the Son is free, and his fending doth no ways prejudice the liberty and Love of the Son, but that he lays down his life freely alfo. So the Satisfaction and Purchase made by the Son doth no way prejudice the freedom of the Fathers Grace in pardoning and accepting us thereupon: fo the Father's and Son's fending of the Spirit doth not derogate from his freedom in his workings, but he gives freely what he gives, And the reafon of this is because the will of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost is effentially the fame; fo that in the acting of one there is the Counsel of all, and each freely therein. S. 5. Thus in General is the manner and kind of his working in us and towards us, being bestowed upon us, defcribed. Power, Choice, Freedom, are evidently denoted in the expreffions infifted on. It is not any peculiar work of his towards us, that is hereby declared, but the manner how he doth produce the Effects, that shall be infifted, on. S. 6. That which remains in the laft place for the explanation of the things propofed to be explained, as the foundation of the Communion which we have with the Holy Ghoft, is the Effects that being thus fent and thus working he doth produce; which I fhall do, not cafting them into any artificial method, but taking them up as 1 find them lying fcattered up and down in the Scripture, only defcending from thofe which are more general, to those which are more particular, neither aiming nor defiring to gather all the feverals, but infifting on thofe which do most obviously occur. S. 7. Only as formerly, fo now you must observe, that I fpeak of the Spirit, principally, if not only as a comforter, and not as a fanctifier: and therefore the great work of the Spirit towards us all our days, in the constant and continual fupplies of new light, power, vigor, as to our receivings of grace from him, belonging to that head of fanctification must be omitted. Nor Nor 2dly, fhall I insist on those things which the comforter doth in Believers, effect towards others, in his teftifying of them, and convincing of the world, which are promised, John 15. 26. 16. 8. 9. wherein he is properly, their Advocate, but only on thofe which as a Comfoter, he works in, and towards them on whom he is bestowed. CHAP. III. 1 Of the Things wherein we have Communion with the Holy Ghoft He brings to remembrance the things Spoken by Christ: Job. 14. 26. The manner how he doth it. The Spirit Glorifies Chrift in the hearts of Believers, Job. 16. 14, Sheds abroad the love of God in them. The witness of the Spirit what it is. Rom. 8. 16. The Sealing of the Spirit, Eph. 1.13, The Spirit bow an earnest. On the part of God, on the part of the Saints. Difference between the earnest of the Spirit, and tafting of the powers of the World to come. Unction by the Spirit Ifa.11.2,3. The various teachings of the Holy Ghoft. How the Spirit of Adoption; and of Supplication. He things which in the foregoing Chapters, I called Effects of the Holy Ghoft in us, or toward us, are the fubject matter of our communion with him; or the things wherein we hold peculiar fellowship with him, as our Comforter; Thefe are now propofed to confiderati on, S. 2. 1. The first and moft general is that of Job. 14. 26. He fhall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, that I have spoken to you. There are two parts of this promife, 1. Of Teaching, 2. Of bringing to remembrance. Of his Teaching I fhall fpeak afterwards, when I come to treat of his anointing us. His bringing things to rememberance that Chrift fpake, is the first general promise of him as a Comforter. La quvnou úμas mávra, he fhall make you mind all these things, ὑπομνήσει πάντα, now this also may be confidered two ways. Cc 2 T Meerly 1. Meerly in refpect of the things spoken themselves. So our Saviour here promifeth his Apoftles, that the Holy Ghost should bring to their Minds by an immediate Efficacy, the things that he had spoken, that by his infpiration they might be enabled to Write and Preach them for the good and Benefit of his Church. So Peter tells us, 1 Pet. 1.21. Holy Men of God fpake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost; that is, in Writing the Scripture. STO TREVValdrin ceziuevos borne up by him, carried beyond themfelves, to fpeak his Words, and what he indited to them. The Apoftles forgot much of what Christ had faid to them, or might do fo; and what they did retain in Natural way of Remembrance, was not a fufficient Foundation to them to write what they fo remembred, for a rule of Faith to the Church. For the Word of Prophefy, is not idas emas, from any Mans proper impulfe; it comes not from any private conception, understanding, or Remembrance. Wherefore Chrift Promifes that the Holy Ghoft fhall do this Work, that they might infallibly give out what he had delivered to them. Hence that expreffion in Luke 1. 3. Tapпnoreduxón ävæder, it is better rendred, Having obtained perfect knowledge of things from above, noting the Rife and Spring of his fo understanding things, as to be able infallibly to give them out in a Rule of Faith to the Church, then the beginning of the things themselves fpoken of; which the Word it felf, will not eafily allow of §. 4. 2. In refpect of the Comfort of what he had fpoken, which feems to be a great part of the intendment of this Promise. He had been fpeaking to them things fuited for their Confolation; giving them precious Promifes of the fupplies they should have from him in this Life, of the Love of the Father, of the Glory he was providing for them; the Senfe and Comfort whereof is unfpeakable, and the Foy arifing from them, full of Glory. But, faith he, I know how unable you are to make fe of these things for your own Confolation; The Spirit therefore therefore shall recover them upon your Minds in their full Strength and Vigour for that end, for which I fpeak them. And this is one caufe why it was expedient for Believers that Chrift's bodily abfence, fhould be fupplied by the prefence of the Spirit. Whilft he was with them, how little Effcacy on their Hearts had any of the beavenly Promifes he gave them? When the Spirit came, how full of Foy did he make all Things to them? That which was his peculiar Work, which belonged to him by vertue of his Office, that he alfo might be Glorified, was referved for him. And this is his Work to the end of the World, To bring the Promifes of Chrift to our Minds and Hearts, to give us the comfort of them, the Joy and sweetness of them, much beyond that which the the Difciples found in them, when Chrift in Perfon fpake them to them; their gracious influence being then reftrained, that, as was faid, the Difpenfation of the Spirit might be Glorified; fo are the next Words to this Promife, v. 17. My peace I leave with you, peace I give unto you. The comforter being fent to bring what Chrift faid, to remembrance, the confequent of it is Peace, and Freedom from trouble of Heart: What ever Peace, relief, comfort, joy, fupportment, we have at any time received from auy Work, Promife, or thing done by Chrift, it all belongs to this difpenfation of the Comforter. In vain fhould we apply our natural abilities to remember, call to Mind, confider the Promifes of Chrift: Without fuccefs would it. be; it is fo Daily: But when the Comforter doth undertake the Work, it is done to the purpose. How we have peculiar Communion with him herein; in Faith and Obedience, in the Confolation received, in and by the Promifes of him brought to Mind, fhall be declared. This in general is obtained. Our Savionr Jefus Chrift leaving the Efficacy even of thofe Promifes, which in Perfon he gave to his Apo ftles in their great diftrefs, as to their Confolation, unto the Holy Ghost, we may fee the immediate fpring of all the fpiritual comfort, and the Fellowship which we have with the Holy Ghost therein. D d §. 5. |