Two discourses concerning the Holy Spirit, and His work the one, Of the Spirit…

This therefore is to be fixed as an important Principle in this part of the Mystery of God, That ⟨p. 35⟩the principal Foundation of the Susception of this Office of a Comforter by the Holy Spirit, is his own peculiar and ineffable Love. For both the Efficacy of our Consolation and the Life of our Obedience do depend hereon. For when we know that every acting of the Spirit of God towards us, every gracious Impression from him on our Understandings, Wills or Affections, are all of them in pursuit of that infinite, peculiar Love whence it was that he took upon him the Office of a Comforter, they cannot but all of them influence our Hearts with spiritual Refreshments. And wherein Faith is defective in this matter, that it doth not exercise it self in the Consideration of this Love of the Holy Ghost, we shall never arrive unto solid, abiding, strong Consolation. And as for those by whom all these things are despised and derided, it is no straight unto me whether I should renounce the Gospel or reject them from an Interest in Christianity, for the Approbation of both is inconsistent. Moreover it is evident how great a Motive hence ariseth unto cheerful, watchful, universal Obedience. For all the Actings of Sin or Unbelief in us, are in the first Place Re-actions unto those of the Holy Ghost in us and upon us. By them is he resisted in his Persuasions, quenched in his Motions, and himself grieved. If there be any holy Ingenuity in us, it will excite a vigilant Diligence not to be overtaken with such wickednesses against unspeakable Love. He will walk both safely and fruitfully whose Soul is kept under a Sense of the Love of the Holy Spirit herein..

This therefore is to be fixed as an important Principle in this part of the Mystery of God, That ⟨p. 35⟩the principal Foundation of the Susception of this Office of a Comforter by the Holy Spirit, is his own peculiar and ineffable Love. For both the Efficacy of our Consolation and the Life of our Obedience do depend hereon. For when we know that every acting of the Spirit of God towards us, every gracious Impression from him on our Understandings, Wills or Affections, are all of them in pursuit of that infinite, peculiar Love whence it was that he took upon him the Office of a Comforter, they cannot but all of them influence our Hearts with spiritual Refreshments. And wherein Faith is defective in this matter, that it doth not exercise it self in the Consideration of this Love of the Holy Ghost, we shall never arrive unto solid, abiding, strong Consolation. And as for those by whom all these things are despised and derided, it is no straight unto me whether I should renounce the Gospel or reject them from an Interest in Christianity, for the Approbation of both is inconsistent. Moreover it is evident how great a Motive hence ariseth unto cheerfull, watchfull, universal Obedience. For all the Actings of Sin or Unbelief in us, are in the first Place Re-actions unto those of the Holy Ghost in us and upon us. By them is he resisted in his Perswasions, quenched in his Motions, and himself grieved. If there be any holy Ingenuity in us, it will excite a vigilant Diligence not to be overtaken with such wickednesses against unspeakable Love. He will walk both safely and fruitfully whose Soul is kept under a Sense of the Love of the Holy Spirit herein..