Of Communion with God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost

2. The second thing considerable, to teach us to put a due valuation on the consolations of the Holy Ghost, is, the matter of them, or that wherewith he comforts us. Now this may be referred to the two heads, that I have formerly treated of: the Love of the Father, and the Grace of the Son. All the consolations of the Holy Ghost consist in his acquainting us with, and communicating unto us, the Love of the Father, and the Grace of the Son: nor is there any thing in the one or the other, but he makes it a matter of consolation to us; so that indeed we have our communion with the Father in his Love, and the Son in his Grace, by the operation of the Holy Ghost.

2. The second thing considerable, to teach us to put a due valuation on the consolations of the Holy Ghost, is, the matter of them, or that wherewith he comforts us. Now this may be referred to the two heads, that I have formerly treated of: the Love of the Father, and the Grace of the Son. All the consolations of the Holy Ghost consist in his acquainting us with, and communicating unto us, the Love of the Father, and the Grace of the Sonne: nor is there any thing in the one or the other, but he makes it a matter of consolation to us; so that indeed we have our communion with the Father in his Love, and the Sonne in his Grace, by the operation of the Holy Ghost.

1. First, He communicates to us, and acquaints us with the Love of the Father. Having informed his Disciples with that §. 11 ground and foundation of their consolation, which by the comforter they should receive; our blessed Saviour, Joh. 16. 27. shuts up all in this, The Father himself loveth you: This is that which the Comforter is given to acquaint us withal; even that God is the Father, and that he loves us. In particular, that the Father the first Person in Trinity, considered so distinctly, loves us. On this account is he said so often to come forth from the Father, because he comes in pursuit of his Love, and to acquaint the Hearts of Believers therewith, that they may be comforted and established. By persuading us of the eternal, and unchangeable Love of the Father, he fills us with Consolation. And indeed all the effects of the Holy Ghost before mentioned, have their tendency this way. Of this Love, and its transcendent excellency you heard at large before. Whatever is desirable in it, is thus communicated to us by the Holy Ghost. A sense of this is able, not only to relieve us, but to make us in every condition to rejoice with joy unspeakable, and glorious. It is not with an increase of Corn, and Wine, and Oil; but with the shining of the countenance of God upon us, that he comforts our souls,