In the next place, This will appear true if you consider the works of Gods Spirit, and Christs end of sending them into his Church;1 The Spirit of God is not only to convince of sin, To sanctify and make holy, but it is also to comfort; Hence he is four times called the Comforter, Joh. 19.16.26. Joh. 15.26. Joh. 16.7. Even those who plead to render the word Advocate, and not a Comforter, yet it comes to this at last, Seeing the end of all his actions is to bring Consolation into the afflicted Soul, That as the Spirit of God moved at first on the waters, to make a lightsome and glorious world, so he doth on the waters of the broken in heart, to make as it were New Heavens, and a new Earth there, where was nothing but horrid confusion; That as the devil is the Prince of darkness, is always accusing and troubling the godly endeavouring to bring them to horror and despair, Therefore he kept the possessed party about the solitary Tombs, and endeavoured that the Incestuous person should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow; So on the contrary the Spirit of God is wholly to comfort, to support, to revive, and to make glad the grieved in Spirit, insomuch that the Hebrews have a Proverb, Super maestum non cadet Spiritus Sanctus, for this Reason say some Learned men the Prophets before they could prophesy sometimes took an Instrument of Music to play on, as Elijah, Isaac would eat of Venison, to refresh his Spirits before he did prophetically bless his Children, Howsoever the Spirit of God being expressly called a Comforter, it's plain, that in all his operations and workings he intends solid and true joy, called therefore Joy in the holy Ghost, not only objectively but efficiently, because it is wrought by him, and indeed we need the Spirit of God to comfort us, for we cannot attain to this joy by our own strength, That as we need the Spirit of God to regenerate us, because dead in sin, So also to comfort us because under the guilt of sin, We are like so many Judases and Cains; Naturally we are a barren wilderness, not only in respect of graces, but also of Consolations; Look upon many afflicted and tempted Children of God, No Friends, No Ministers can comfort, Read the ⟨p. 404⟩Promises, apply them never so powerfully yet they cannot be comforted, till God work it in them.
In the next place, This will appear true if yeu consider the works of Gods Spirit, and Christs end of sending them into his Church;1 The Spirit of God is not only to convince of sinne, To sanctifie and make holy, but it is also to comfort; Hence he is four times called the Comforter, Joh. 19.16.26. Joh. 15.26. Joh. 16.7. Even those who pleade to render the word Advocate, and not a Comforter, yet it comes to this at last, Seeing the end of all his actions is to bring Consolation into the afflicted Soul, That as the Spirit of God moved at first on the waters, to make a lightsome and glorious world, so he doth on the waters of the broken in heart, to make as it were New Heavens, and a new Earth there, where was nothing but horrid confusion; That as the devil is the Prince of darknesse, is alwaies accusing and troubling the godly endeavouring to bring them to horrour and despair, Therefore he kept the possessed party about the solitary Tombs, and endeavoured that the Incestuous person should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow; So on the contrary the Spirit of God is wholly to comfort, to support, to revive, and to make glad the grieved in Spirit, insomuch that the Hebrews have a Proverb, Super maestum non cadet Spiritus Sanctus, for this Reason say some Learned men the Prophets before they could prophesie sometimes took an Instrument of Musick to play on, as Elijah, Isaac would eat of Venison, to refresh his Spirits before he did prophetically blesse his Children, Howsoever the Spirit of God being expresly called a Comforter, it's plain, that in all his operations and workings he intends solid and true joy, called therefore Joy in the holy Ghost, not only objectively but efficiently, because it is wrought by him, and indeed we need the Spirit of God to comfort us, for we cannot attain to this joy by our own strength, That as we need the Spirit of God to regenerate us, because dead in sinne, So also to comfort us because under the guilt of sinne, We are like so many Judasses and Cains; Naturally we are a barren wildernesse, not only in respect of graces, but also of Consolations; Look upon many afflicted and tempted Children of God, No Friends, No Ministers can comfort, Reade the ⟨p. 404⟩Promises, apply them never so powerfully yet they cannot be comforted, till God work it in them.
- 1V. Christs care that his people should walk joyfully appears, From the works of the Spirit, and Christs end in sending him into the Church.
