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

2. Voluntarily: distributing to every one as he will: and therefore is this work done in so great variety, both as to the §. 6, same persons, and diverse. For the same person! full of joy sometimes in a great distress, full of consolation; every promise brings sweetness, when his pressures are great and heavy: another time in the least trial, seeks for comfort, searches the promise, and it is far away. The reason is! [Greek or Hebrew]. the spirit distributes as he will. And so with diverse persons; to some each promise is full of Life and comfort; others taste little all their days, all upon the same account. And this faith especially regards in the whole business of consolation: it depends on the sovereign will of the Holy Ghost; and so is not tied unto any rules, or course of procedure. Therefore doth it exercise it self in waiting upon him, for the seasonable accomplishment of the good pleasure of his Will.

2. Voluntarily: distributing to every one as he will: and therefore is this work done in so great variety, both as to the §. 6, same persons, and diverse. For the same person! full of joy sometimes in a great distresse, full of consolation; every promise brings sweetnesse, when his pressures are great and heavy: another time in the least triall, seeks for comfort, searches the promise, and it is farre away. The reason is! 〈non-Latin alphabet〉. the spirit distributes as he will. And so with diverse persons; to some each promise is full of Life and comfort; others tast little all their daies, all upon the same account. And this faith especially regards in the whole businesse of consolation: it depends on the soveraigne will of the Holy Ghost; and so is not tied unto any rules, or course of procedure. Therefore doth it exercise it selfe in waiting upon him, for the seasonable accomplishment of the good pleasure of his Will.

3. Freely. Much of the variety of the dispensation of Consolation by promises, depends on this freedom of the spirits operation. Hence it is that comfort is given unexpectedly, when the heart hath all the Reasons in the World to look for distress and sorrow; thus sometimes it is the first means of recovering a backsliding soul, who might justly expect to be utterly cast off. And these considerations are to be carried on, in all the other Effects and fruits of the Comforter; of which afterwards. And in this first general Effect or work of the Holy Ghost towards us, have we communion and fellowship with him. The Life and Soul of all our comforts lye treasured up in the promises of Christ. They are the breasts of all our consolation. Who knows not how powerless they are in the bare letter, even when improved to the uttermost, by our considerations of them, and meditation on them: as also how unexpectedly they sometimes