Apostle speaks of our teaching by this Unction, as the means whereby we are preferved from feduction. Indeed to know any Truth in the Power, fueetness, Foy, Gladness of it, is that great fecurity of the Souls conftancy in the Prefervation and retaining of it. They will readily change Truth for Error, who find no more Sweetness in the one than in the other. I must crave the Readers pardon, for my brief paffing over thefe great Things of the Gofpel: My prefent defign is rather to enumerate, then to unfold them. This one Work of the Holy Ghost might it be pursued, would require a fuller Difcourfe then I can allot unto the whole matter in Hand. All the Priviledges we enjoy, all the Dignity and Honour we are invested withal, our whole Dedication unto God, our Nobility and Royalty, our intereft in all Church advantages, and approaches to God in his Worship, our feparation from the World, the Name whereby we are called, the liberty we enjoy, all flow from this Head, are all Branches of this Effect of the Holy Ghoft. I have mentioned only our teaching by this Unction: A Teaching that brings Joy and gladness with it, by giving the Heart a fenfe of the Truth wherein we are inftructed. When we find any of the good Truths of the Gospel, come home to our Souls, with Life, Vigour,and Power; giving us gladnefs of Heart, transforming us into the Image and likeness of it, the Holy Ghost is then at his Work; is pouring out of his Oyl.

§. 26. We have Adoption alfo by the Spirit, hence he is called the Spirit of Adoption: That is, either he who is given to Adopted ones, to fecure them of it, to beget in their Hearts a fenfe and Perfwafion of the Fathers Adopting Love, or elfe to give them the Priviledge it felf, as is intimated, Job. 1. 12. Neither is that oppofite hereunto which we have, Gal. 4. 6. for God may fend the Spirit of fupplication into our Hearts, we are Sons, and yet Adopted by his Spirit. this elsewhere.

becaufe

But of

He is alfo called the Spirit of Supplication, under which Notion he is promifed, Zach.12.10. and how he effects that in us, is declared, Rom. 8. 26, 27. and Gal4, 6, and we are thence faid to pray in the Holy Ghoft.

Our Prayers may be confidered Two ways,

1. First, As a Spiritual Duty required of us by God; And fo they are wrought in us by the Spirit of Sanctification, which helps us to perform all our Duties, by exalting all the Faculties of the Soul, for the spiritual Discharge of their respective Offices in them.

Secondly, As a means of retaining Communion with God, whereby we fweetly ease our hearts in the bofom of the Fa ther, and receive in refreshing tastes of his Love.

The Soul is never more raised with the Love of God, than when by the Spirit taken into intimate Communion with him, in the discharge of this Duty, and therein it belongs to the Spirit of Confolation, to the Spirit promifed as a Comforter. And this is the next thing to be confidered in Our Communion with the Holy Ghost; namely, What are the peculiar Effects which he worketh in us and towards us, being fo bestowed on us, as was declared, and working in the way and manner infisted on.

Now thefe are, His bringing the Promises of Christ to remembrance, glorifying of him in our hearts, fheding abroad the love of God in us, witneffing with us, as to our fpiritual estate and condition, fealing us to the day of Redemption, being the Earnest of our Inheritance, anointing us with Priviledges as to their Confolation, confirming our Adoption, and being present with us in our Supplications.

Here is the Wisdom of Faith; to find out, and meet with the Comforter in all these things; not to lose their Sweetness, by lying in the dark to their Author, nor coming fhort of the Returns which are required of us.

CHAP.

CHAP. IV.

The General Confequences in the hearts of Believers, of the Effects of the Holy Ghoft before mentioned. Confolation. Its Adjuncts, Peace, Joy; How it is wrought immediately, mediately.

5.1.Having proceeded thus far in difcovering the way

of our Communion with the Holy Ghost, and

infifted on the most noble and known Effects that he proaduceth, it remains that it be declared, what General confequents of these Effects there are brought forth in the hearts of Believers; and fo we shall at least have made mention of the main heads of His Difpenfation,and work in the oeconomy of Grace. Now thefe (as with the former) I fhall do little more than name; it being not at all in my defign, to handle the natures of them, but only to fhew what refpects they bear to the bufinefs in hand.

§. 2. Confolation is the first of these. The Disciples I walked in the fear of the Lord, and in the Confolation of the Holy Ghof, Acts 9. 31. ἐν τῇ ρακλήσει το άγιο πνεύματα. He is aan; and he gives now, from his work towards us, and in us, we have Comfort and Confolation. This is the first general confequent of his Difpenfation and Work. When ever there is mention made of Comfort and Confolation in the Scripture given to the Saints, (as there is moft frequently) it is the proper confequent of the Work of the Holy Ghoft towards them. Comfort or Confolation in general, is the fetting and compofing of the foul in reft and contentednefs, in the midft of, or from troubles, by the confideration, or prefence of fome. wherein it is interefted, out-weighing the evil, trouble or perplexity that it hath to wrestle withal. Where mention is made of Comfort and Confolation properly fo called, there is a relation to trouble or perplexity; fo, the Apostle, 1 Cor. 1. 5,6. As the fufferings of Chrift F f 2

abound!

abound in us, fo our Confolation alfo aboundeth by Chrift. Suffcring and Confolation are oppofed; the latter being a relief against the former; fo are all the promises of Comfort, and all the expreffions of it in the Old and New Testament, ftill propofed as reliefs against Trouble.

And (as I faid) Confolation arifeth from the prefence or confideration of a greater Good, that out-balances the evil, or perplexity wherewith we are to contend. Now in the Effects or acts of the Holy Ghost before mentioned, lie all the fprings of our confolation. There is no comfort but from them. And there is no trouble, that we may not have comfort in, and against, by them. That a man may have confolation in any condition, nothing is required, but the prefence of fome good, rendring the evil, wherewith he is preffed, inconfiderable to him. Suppofe a man under the greatest calamity that can poffibly befal a child of God, or a confluence of all those evils numbred by Paul, Rom. 8. 38. &c. Let this man have the Holy Ghost, performing the works mentioned before toward him, and in defpight of all his, evil, his Confolations will abound. Suppose him to have a fence of the Love of God all the while fhed abroad in his heart, a clear witnefs within that he is a child of God, accepted with him, that he is fealed and marked of God for his own, that he is an heir of all the promises of God, and the like,it is impoffible that man fhould not triumph in all his tribulations.

§. 2. From this Rife of all our Confolation, are thofe defcriptions which we have of it in the Scripture, from its properties and adjuncts: As first, it is abiding, thence it is called everlasting confolation, 2 Thef. 2. 16. God our Father which bath loved us; and given us everlasting confolation; that is, Comfort, that vanifheth not; and that becaufe it rifeth from everlasting things. There may be fome perifhing Comfort given for a little feafon, by perifhing things; but abiding confolation, which we have by the Holy Gholt, is from things-everlasting. Everlasting Love, eternal Redemption, an everlasting inheritance.

2. Strong. Heb. 6. 18. That the heirs of the Promifell.ould receive ftrong Confolation. As Strong oppofition lies fometimes against us, and trouble, whofe bands are strong, fo is our confolation strong; it abounds, and is unconquerable, it is fuch, as will make its way through all opposition, it confirms, corroborates, and ftrengthens the heart under any evil, it fortifies the foul, and makes it able cheerfuly to undergo any thing that it is called unto, and that because it is from him who is strong.

3. It is Precious. Hence the Apostle makes it the great motive unto obedience, which he exhorts unto, Philippians 2. 1. If there be any confolation in Chrift: if you fet any esteem and valuation upon this precious mercy of confolation in Chrift; by thofe comforts, let it be fo with you.

§. 5. And this is the firft general confequent in the Hearts of Believers, of these great Effects of the Holy Ghost before mentioned: Now this is fo large and comprehenfive, comprizing fo many of our concernments in our walking with God, that the Holy Ghost receives his Denomination, as to the whole Work he hath to perform for us from hence; He is the Comforter; as Jefus Christ, from the Work of Redemption and and Salvation, is the Redeemer and Saviour of his Church. Now as we have no Confolation but from the Holy Ghost: So all his Effects towards us, have certainly this confequent more, or lefs, in us. Yea, I dare fay; whatever we have in the kinds of the Things before mentioned that brings not Confolation with it, in the Root at least, if not in the ripe Fruit, is not of the Holy Ghoft. The way whereby Comfort iffues out from thofe Works of his, belongs to particular cafes. The Fellowship we have with him, confifts in no fmall Portion of it, in the Confolation we receive from him. This gives us a valuation of his Love; teacheth whither to make applications in our distress; whom to Pray for, to Pray to, whom to wait upon in perplexities.