HOLY SPIRIT, A acts of the highest love, of that which is infinite, as we shall see in -the consideration of them. 2. The manner of the performanceof this work is so expressed, as to evince and expressly demonstrate that it is a work of love. So is it declared where he is promised unto the church for this work, Isa. lxvi. 13. As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfortyou, and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem. IIe whom his mother comü,rteth, is supposed to be in some kind of distress: nor indeed is there any, of any kind that may befall a child, whose mother is kind and tender, but she will be ready to administer unto him all the conso- lation that she is able. And how or in what manner will such a mother discharge this duty, it is better con- ceived than it can be expressed. We are not in things natural able to take in a conceptionof greater love, cure, and tenderness than is in a tender mother, who comforts her children in distress. And hereby doth the prophet graphically represent unto our minds the manner where- by the Holy Ghost dischargeth this office towards us. Neither can a child contract greater guilt, or manifest a more depraved habit of mind, than to be regardless of the affections of a mother endeavouring its consola- tion. Such children may sometimes, thro' the bitter- ness of their spirits, by their pains and distempers, be surprised into frowardness, and a present regardlessness of the mother's kindness and compassion, which they know full well how to bear withal. But if they con- tinue to have no sense ofit, if it make no impression upon them, they are of a profligate constitution. And so it may be sometimes with believers; they may, by surprisals into spiritual frowardness, by weakness, by unaccountable despondencies, be regardless of divine influences of consolation. But all these things the great Comforter will bear with and overcome. See lsa. Ivii. 15, 16, 17, 18, 19. " For thus saith the " high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose " name is holy, I dwell in the high and holy place; "with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit,. " to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the " heart of the contrite ones. For I will not contend " for ever, neither will I be . always wroth: For the " spirit should fail before me, and the souls which 1 " have made. For the iniquity of his covetousness t' was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was ,; wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his Ni) ISIS WORK. 11 heart. I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I " will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him, t' and to his mourners. I create the fruit of the lips; " peace, peace to him that is far off; and to him that is " near, saith the Lord, and I will heal him." Where persons are under sorrows and disconsolations upon the account of pains and sickness, or the like, in a design of comfort towards them, it will yet be needful some- times to make use of means and remedies that may be painful and vexatious. And these may be apt to irri- tate and provoke poor, wayward patients. Yet is -not a mother discouraged hereby, but proceeds on in her way till the cure be effected, and consolation adminis- tered. So doth God, by his Spirit, deal with his church. His design is to revive the Spirit of the bum- ble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones, ver. 15. and he gives this reason of it, namely, that ifhe should not act in infinite love and condescension towards them, but deal with them after their deservings, they would utterly be consumed, the spirit would fail before him,. and the souls which he had made, ver. 16, However, in the pursuit of this work he must use some sharp remedies that were needful for the curing of their distempers ande their spiritual recovery. Because of their iniquity, the iniquity of their covetousness, which was the principal. disease they laboured under, he was wroth, and smote them, and hid his face from them, because his so doing was necessary to their cure, ver. 17. And how do they behave themselves under this dealing of God-with them? They grow peevish and froward under his hand, choos- ing rather to continue in their disease, than to be thus healed by him, they went on frowardly in the way of their hearts, ver. 17. How therefore doth this holy. Comforter now deal with them? Doth- he give them up. unto their frowardness? Doth he leave and forsake them under their distemper?' No,. a tender mother will not so deal with her children.. He manageth his work. with that infinite love, tenderness, and compassion,. as that he will overcome all their frowardness,. and. cease not until he bath effectually administered consola- tion unto them, ver. 18. I have seen, saith he, all these his ways, all his frowardness and miscarriages,. and yet, saith he, I will heal- him;. I. will not for all this be diverted from my work and the pursuit of any design; before I have done, I will lead him into a right- frame, and restore comforts unto him. And that there
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