of fin, deliverance from the curfe, and wrath to come, in justification, and adoption, with the innumerable privileges attending them in the hope of glory given unto us, comes in on this head of account. Thirdly, The principle, and fountain of all his actings for our confolation comes next under confideration to the fame end, and this leads us a little nearer to the communion intended to be directed in. Now this is his own great love, and infinite conde-. fcenfion. He willingly proceedeth, or comes forth from the Father to be our Comforter. He knew what we were, and what we could do, and what would be our dealings with him. He knew we would grieve him, provoke him, quench his motions, defile his dwelling-place; and yet he would come to be our Comforter. Want of a due confideration of this great love of the Holy Ghoft, weakens all the principles of our obedience. Did this dwell, and abide upon our hearts, what a dear valuation we needs put upon all his operations and actings towards us? Nothing indeed is valuable, but what comes from love and good will. This is the way the fcripture takes to raise up our hearts, to a right and due eftimation of our redemption by Jefus Chrift. It tells us that he did it freely; that of his own will he hath laid down his life, that he did it out of love. Herein is manifefted the love of God, that he laid down his life for us, he loved us, and gave himself for us; he loved us, and washed us with his own blood. Hereunto it adds our ftate and condition, confidered as he undertook for us, finners, enemies, dead, alienated, then he loved us, and died for us, and washed us with his blood. May we not hence also have a valuation of the difpenfation of the Spirit for our confolation. He proceeds to that end from from the Father; he diftributes as he will, works as he pleafeth. And what are we towards whom he carrieth on this work? Froward, perverfe, unthankful, grieving, vexing, provoking him. Yerin his love and tendernefs, doth he continue to do us good. Let us by faith confider this love of the Ho ly Ghost. It is the head and fourfe of all the communion we have with him in this life. This is, as I faid, fpoken only to prepare our hearts to the communion propofed: and what a little portion is it, of what might be fpoken? how might all thefe confiderations be aggravated? what a numberlefs number might be added? It fuffices that from what is fpoken it appears, that the work in hand is a mongst the greatest duties, and most excellent priileges of the gospel. CHAP. VII. The general ways of the faints acting in communion with the Holy Ghost. A S in the account given of the actings of the Holy Ghost in us, we manifefted first the ge neral adjuncts of his actings, or the manner thereof; fonow in the defeription of the returns of our fouls to him, I fhall in the first place, propose the general actings of faith, in reference to this work of the Holy Ghoft, and then defcend unto particulars. Now there are three general ways, of the foul's de portment in this communion, expreffed all negatively in the fcripture, but all including positive duties. 1. Now thefe are firft. Not to grieve him. 2. Not to quench his motions. 3. Not to refift him. There are three things confiderable in the Holy Ghost. 1. His Perfon as dwelling in us. 2. His actings by grace, or his motions. 3. His working in ordinances of the word, and the facraments; all for the fame end and purpose. To thefe three, are the three cautions before fuited. 1. Not to grieve him, in refpect of his Perfon dwelling in us. 2. Not to quench him, in refpect of the actings, and motions of his grace. 3. Not to refift him in refpect of the ordinances of Chrift and his gifts, for their administration. Now because the whole general duty of believers in their communion with the Holy Ghoft, is comprifed in thefe three things; I fhall handle them feverally, The first caution concerns his Perfon immediate ly, as dwelling in us. It is given, Eph. iv. 30. Grieve not the holy Spirit of God. There is a complaint, Ifa. lxiii. 1o. of them who vexed or grieved the Spirit of God. And from thence doth this caution feem to be taken. That it is the Perfon of the Holy Ghoft which is here intended, is evident. 1. From the phrafe or manner of expreffion, with a double article, that holy Spirit: and alfo, 2. From the work affigned to him in the following words, of fealing to the day of redemption. Which (as hath been manifefted) is the work of the Holy Ghoft. Now whereas this may be underflood of the Spirit in others, or in ourselves; it is evident Nn that that the apostle intends it in the latter fenfe, by his addition of that fignal, and eminent privilege which we ourselves enjoy by him, he feals us to the day of redemption. Let us fee then the tendency of this expreffion, as comprizing the first general rule of our communion with the Holy Ghoft, Grieve not the Spirit. The term of grieving, or affecting with forrow, may be confidered either actively, in respect of the_ perfons grieving; or paffively in refpect of the perfons grieved. In the latter fenfe the expreffion is metaphorical; the Spirit cannot be grieved or affected with forrow, which infers alterations, difappointment, weakness, all incompatible with his infinite perfections: yet men may actively do that which is fit and able to grieve any one that ftands affected towards them, as doth the Holy Ghost. If he be not grieved it is no thanks to us, but to his own unchangeable nature. So that there are two things denoted in this expreffion. First, That the Holy Ghoft is affected towards us, as one that is loving, careful, tender, concerned in our good, and well-doing, and therefore upon our miscarriages is faid to be grieved. As a good friend of a kind, and loving nature is apt to be fo on the miscarriage of him whom he doth affect. And this is that we are principally to regard in this caution as the ground and foundation of it; the love, kindness, and tenderness of the Holy Ghost unto us: grieve him not.. Secondly, That we may do thofe things, that are proper to grieve him, though he be not paffively grieved; our fin being no less therein, than if he were grieved as we are. Now how this is done, how the Spirit is grieved, the apostle declareth in the 1 the contexture of that difcourfe, ver. 21, 22, 23, 24. he preffeth to a progrefs in fanctification, and all the fruits of regeneration, ver. 25, 26, 27, 28, 29. he dehorts from fundry particular evils, that were contrary thereto, and then gives the general enforcement of the one and the other; and grieve not the holy Spirit of God; that is, by coming fhort of that univerfal fan&tification, which our planting into Chrift doth require. The pofitive duty included in this caution, of not grieving the holy Spirit, is this; that we pursue univerfal holiness with regard unto, and upon the account of the love, kindness, and tenderness of the Holy Ghoft. This is the foundation of our communion, we have in general. When the foul confiders the love, kindnefs, and tendernefs of the Holy Ghoft unto him, when he confiders all the fruits and acts of his love and good will towards him, and on that account, and under that confideration, because he is fo concerned in our ways, and walkings, to abftain from evils, and to walk in all duties of holiness; this is to have communion with him. This confideration that the Holy Ghoft, who is our Comforter, is delighted with our obedience, grieved at our evils, and follies, being made a continual motive to, and reason, of our clofe walking with God in all holiness, is, 1 fay, the first general way of our communion with him. Here let us fix a little. We loofe both the power and pleasure of our obedience, for want of this confideration. We fee on what account the Holy Ghoft undertakes to be our Comforter, by what ways and means he performs that office towards us: what an unworthy thing it is to grieve him, who comes to us on purpose to give us confolation? Let the foul Nn 2 in |