10 DISCOURSES he the divine, eternal, mutual love of the Father and the -Son. And although I know that much wariness is to be used in the declaration of those mysteries, nor are expressions concerning them to be ventured on not war- ranted by the letter of the scripture, yet I judge, that this notion doth excellently express, if not the distinct manner of subsistence, yet the mutual, internal opera- tion of the persons of the blessed Trinity. For wehave no term for, nor notion of that ineffable complacence and eternal rest which is therein, beyond this of. love. Hence it is said that God is love, 1 John iv. 8,.16. It doth not seem to be an essential property of the nature of God only, that the apostle doth intend. For it is pro- posed unto us as a motive unto mutual love among our selves: and this consists not simply in the habit or affec- tion of love, but in the actings of it in all its fruits and duties. For so is God love, as that the internal actings of the holy persons which are in and by the Spirit, are all the ineffable actings of love, wherein the nature of the Holy Spirit is expressed untous. Theapostle prays for the presence of the Spirit with the Corinthians, un- der the name of the God of love and peace, 2 Epist. xiii. 11. And the communicationof the whole love.of God unto us committed unto the Spirit, for the love of God is shed , . road in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given un: us, Rom. v. And hence the same apostle distinctly menì eneth the love of the Spirit, con- joining it with all the cam.; 4 he mediation of Christ, Rom. xv. 30. I beseech you, b,et,..:it, for the Lord Je- sus Christ his sake, andfor the love of the Spirit: I do so on the account of the respect you have unto Christ, and all that he hath done for you, which is a motive ir- resistible unto believers. I do it also for the loveof the Spirit; all that love which he acts, and communicates unto you. Wherefore in all the actings of the Holy Ghost towards us, and especially in this of his suscep- tiomof an office in the behalf of the church, which is the foundation of them all, his love is principally to be considered, and that he chooseth this way of actingand working towards us to express his peculiar, his personal character, as he is the eternal love of the Father and the Son. And among all his actings towards us, which are all acts of love, this is most conspicuous in those wherein he is a Comforter. Wherefore, because this is of great use unto us, as that which ought to have, and which will have, ifduly ON THE apprehended, a great influence on our faith and obedi- ence, and is moreover the spring of all the consolations we receive by and from him, we shall give a little evi- dence unto it, namely, that the love of the Spirit is principally to be considered in this office, and the dis charge of it. For whatever good we receive from any one, whatever benefit or present reliefwe have thereby, we can receive no comfort or, consolation in it, unless we are persuaded that it proceeds front love; and what doth so, be it never so small, bath refreshment and satisfaction in it unto every ingenious nature. It is love alone that is the salt of every kindness or benefit, and which takes out of it every thing that may be noxious or hurtful. Without an apprehensionhereof, and satis- faction herein, multiplied beneficial effects produce no internal satisfaction in them that do receive them, nor put any real engagements on their minds, Prov. xxiii. 6, "., 8. It is therefore of concernment unto us to secure this ground of all our consolation; in the full assurance of faith, that there was infinite love in the susception of this office by the Holy Ghost. And it is evident that so it was: 1. From the nature of the work itself. For the con- solation or comforting of any who stand in need there- of, is an immediate effect of love, with its inseparable properties of pity and compassion. Especially it must be so where no advantage redounds to the Comforter, but the whole of what is done respects entirely the good and reliefof them that are comforted. For what other affection of mind can be the principle hereoffrom whence it may proceed? Persons may be relieved under oppres- sion by justice, under want by bounty; but to comfort and refresh the minds of any, is a peculiar act of sin- cere -love and compassion: So therefore must this work of the Holy Ghost be esteemed to be. I do not intend only that his love is eminent and discernable in it, but that it proceeds solely front love. And without a faith hereof we cannot have the benefit of this divine dispen- sation, nor will any comforts that we receive be firm or stable. But when this is once graciously fixed in our minds, that there is not one dropof comfort or spiritual refreshment administered by the Holy Ghost, but that it proceeds from his infinitedove; then are they disposed into that frame which is needful to comply with him in his operations. And, in particular, all the acts wherein the discharge of this office doth consist, are all of them
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