each PERSON diffiní`Zy,, "L40 11 the eternal and unchangeable love of the Father, he fillsus with confola- tion. And indeed, all the effects of the Holy Ghost before-mentioned have their tendency this way. Of this lose, and its transcendent excel- lency you heard, at large, before. Whatever is desirable in it, is thus communicated to us by the Holy Ghost- A fenfeofthis is able not only to relieve us, but to make us in every condition to rejoyce with joy un- fpeakable and glorious. It is not with an encreafe of corn, and wine, and oyl ; but with the Ihining ofthe countenance of God upon us, that he coin- forts our fouls, Pfd. iv. 6. The world hateth me, may fuels a foul as hath the Spirit fay, but my father loves me. Men defpife me, as an hypocrite, but my father loves me, as a child. I am poor in this world, but I have a rich inheritance in the love of my father. I am ftraitned in all things, but there is bread enough inmy father's houfe. I mourn in feccet, un- der the power of my lofts and fin, where no eye fees me ; yea, but the father fees me, and is full of compaflion. With a fenfe of his kindnefs, which is better than, life, I rejoyce in tribulation; glory in afflietion, tri- umph as a conqueror, though l am killed all the day long, all ivy forrows have a bottom that may be fathomed; my tryals, bounds that may be corn-. palled : but the breadth, and depth, and height of the love of the Fa- ther, who can exprefs? I might render glorious this way of the Spirit's comforting us with the love of the Father, by,comparing it with all other caufes, and means of joy and confolation whatever. And fo difeover their emptinefs, its fullnefs, their nothingnefs, its being all; as alfo by reveal- ing the properties of it before rehearfed. (2.) Again,'he doth.it by communicating;to us, and acquainting us with the grace of Chrift. All the fruits of his purcháfe, all the defireableneff of his-pérfon,'as we are interefted in him. The grace of Chrift, a; I for- merly difcourfed of at large, iv referred to two heads: the grace of his perfon; and of his office and work. By both tliefe dots the HolyGlaóft administer confolation to us, Job. xiv. 15. lae glorifies Clirilt, by revealing his excellencies, and defireablenefs to believers, as the chiefelt oftenthou- fand, altogether lovely. And then lac thews them of the thingsof Christ, his love, grace, all the fruits of his death, fuffering, refurreftion, and in- terceffion ; and with these supports their heartsand fouls. And here what- ever is of refreshment in the pardon of fin, deliverance from the curse, and wrath to come, in juftification and adoption, withthe innumerable privi- leges attending them in the hope of glory given unto us, comes in on rliis head of account. 3. The principle and fountain of all his aftings, for our confolation comes nexrunder confideration to the fame end. - And this leads usa little nearer to the vomsiunion intended tobe directed" in. Now this is his own great love, and infinite condefcenfion. He wil- lingly proceedeth, or comes forth frotas the Father to be our Comforter, He knewwhatwe 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 Ghost, weakens all the principles of our obedience. Did this dwell, and abide upon our hearts, what a dear valuation mull. we needs put upon all his operations and aiings towards us? Nothing indeed is valuable, but what comes from love and good-will. This is the way the fcripture takes to raife up our hearts, to a right and due" estimation of our tion by Jefus Quilt.. it tells us, that lie did it freely; that of his own will he,
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