J3ook II. THE HOLY SPIRIT A .COMFORTER. 477 ;j God. 4· He is a voluntary Author of Divine Properties; he of old cherillwd the Creation,, he fc>rmed and ga.rnilhed the Hca\•ens; he infpircd, a{tcd, and fpake in and by the Apoflles. 5· 1 he fame Regard is to be had to him in Faith, ·warfl>ip, and Obedience, as unto the Perfons of the Father and the Son; for our being baptized ·in his Name, is our folemn Engagement to believe in him, yield Obedience to him, and worlhip him, as it pms the fame Obligation upon us to the Father and Son. M E T A P H 0 R. P A R 1\ L L E L. IV. A choice and true ComIV. So the Holy Spirit comes unto a gracious forter takes care to come unto a Perfon in the Time of greatcfl Need, when he Perfon he loveth, at the greateft is mo!t dejeCted and difcomforted, whether it be Time of Need, when he is mo!t under Temptation, AflliEtion, or Perfecution, earl down and difcomforted. Thus for Chrift's fake. H ence the Apo!tle f.1ith, When the Jews came to Mary, to camwe came into Macedonia, our Flejh had no Rejl, fort her, when they heard that her but we were troubled on every fide; without were Brother Lazarus was dead ; and Fightings, and within were Fears: Neverthelefs, Job's Frirnds, when he was in the God that comforteth thofe that are cajl down, cam– Depth of Sorrow,came to comfort fortedus, &c. 2 CO¥. vii. 7· I will not lea':Je y ou him. comfortlefs, I will come unto you, John xiv. 13. V. A Comforter imports a PerV. The Holy Spirit is able and willing at all fan able and willing to comfort Times to comfort fincerc Chri!lians in their and relieve fuch as are in a forAflliClions. Such is the Power, Ability, and rowful, mournful, and afflicted Efficacy of the Spirit upon this Account, that Condition. it is more capable and able to comfort Believers, than the bare bodily Prefence of the Lord J efus is able to do : Neverthelefs, I tell you the 'huth, it is expedient for you that I go away ; pray mind the Reafon our Savior gives for it: If I go not, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I willfend him, John xvi. 7· VI. A faithful Comforter maniVI. The Holy Spirit doth manife!t much love fe!teth much Love and Tenderand Tendernefs to Rtlievcrs, which appears, oefs to his oppre!fed and afllitl:ed 1. In his coming to them that are poor and con– Friend; particularly, 1. In comtemptible in the Eyes of the World. 2. By mak– ing to him. 2. In fupplying the ing up the Want of Chri!t's bodily Prefence. 3· In Want he fu!tains of rhofe Things beanng Repulfes from them ; how often hath the he is deprived of. Spirit been flighted, and his Motions rejeCted, inftead of being friendly entertained, when in love VII. 1\ wife Comforter ufes ma– ny and "'weighty Arguments to in· fufe Comfort into a di!\re!fed and difconfolate Soul: It is not enough to come and give a bare Vifit and lock upon a Friend, but to take apt and fuitahle Words and Mo– tives to do it. he comes to them. VII. The Holy Spirit dot]'l not only come and give poor Believers a bare Vifit in their Di!tre!fes, but alfo ufes fit and fuitable Wavs and Means to comfort and fuppott their Souls; He jhall bring all Things untoyour Remembrance that I havefpokm unto you, John xiv. 26. He .fha/1 take of mine and .fha/1}hew it Hnto )'OU, and he jhall jhew )'OU 'Things to come, &c. John XV>. 15. The Spirit ufually comforteth tlelievers in and under their Sorrows and Atllietions, ( r.) By ihewing them whatfoever Chri!t bath done and fuffered for them. (z.) By opening and applying the gracious l'romifes of Chri!t unto them, he !hall bring whatfoever I have Jaid to )'OUr Remembrance. (3.) By fealing up Cbri!t'sLove unto them; As many as Ilove, I rebuke and ch~.jlen. It is no Sign they are hated by Chri!t, or not in his Love and Affetl:ion, that thev are cha!tifed and fo ofren under this and the other Exercife of Affliction; and this the Spiric Jabors either by his Word, or Miniflers, and other Ways to convince them of. (4-·l Ry !hewing from the vVord that the like AtlliEtions, if not greater, many of God's Childre~ have met with before them, or are now under, knowing that the fame Ajjiiflions are accomplijhed in your Brethren that are ilz the World; what are thy Sorrows, faith the Spirit, to thofe that holy Job and many of the blelfed Martyrs met with? (5.) By fhewing them the Defign and gracious End of God in all his Difpenfations and AflliEtions; he doth it not limply for his own Pleafure as •n AC\ of Sovereignty, But for our P,rofit, that we might be Partakers of his Holinifs, Heb, xii. This is the 6 F Fruic
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