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

Here let us fix a little. We loose both the power and pleasure §. 6 of our Obedience, for want of this consideration. We see on what account the Holy Ghost undertakes to be our Comforter, by what ways and means he performs that Office towards us: what an unworthy thing it is to grieve him, who comes to us on purpose to give us consolation? Let the soul in the whole course of its obedience exercise its self by faith to thoughts hereof, and lay due weight upon it. The Holy Ghost in his infinite love and kindness towards me, hath condescended to be my Comforter; He doth it willingly, freely, powerfully; what have I received from him? in the multitude of my perplexities how hath he refreshed my soul? Can I live one day without his consolations? And shall I be regardless of him in that wherein he is concerned? shall I grieve him by negligence, sin and folly? shall not his love constrain me to walk before him to all well pleasing? So have we in general, fellowship with him.

Here let us fixe a little. We loose both the power and pleasure §. 6 of our Obedience, for want of this consideration. We see on what account the Holy Ghost undertakes to be our Comforter, by what ways and meanes he performes that Office towards us: what an unworthy thing it is to grieve him, who comes to us on purpose to give us consolation? Let the soule in the whole course of its obedience exercise its selfe by faith to thoughts hereof, and lay due weight upon it. The Holy Ghost in his infinite love and kindnesse towards me, hath condescended to be my Comforter; He doth it willingly, freely, powerfully; what have I received from him? in the multitude of my perplexitys how hath he refreshed my soule? Can I live one day without his consolations? And shall I be regardlesse of him in that wherein he is concerned? shall I grieve him by negligence, sinne and folly? shall not his love constraine me to walke before him to all well pleasing? So have we in generall, fellowship with him.

The second is that of the 1 Thess. 5. 19. Quench not the Spirit. There are various thoughts about the sense of these words. §. 7 The Spirit in others, that is, their spiritual gifts say some. But then it falls in with what follows vers. 20. despise not Prophesying. The Light that God hath set up in our hearts, say others. But where is that called absolutely [Greek or Hebrew] the Spirit. It is the Holy Ghost himself that is here intended. Not immediately, in respect of his Person, in which regard he is said to be grieved, which is a Personal affection: but in respect of