Looking Unto Jesus, Book 8 · Chapter 2 · Section 5
SECT. V. Of believing in Jeſus in this reſpect.
5. LEt us believe on Jeſus, as carrying on the great work of our ſalvation for us in theſe particulars, many ſcruples are in many hearts, What? is it poſſible that I ſhould have any ſhare in Chriſt's aſcenſion, Chriſt's ſeſſion, Chriſt's miſſion of his ſpirit? was it ever in God's heart that I ſhould partake with Chriſt in all theſe glories? if it muſt be ſo that he will let out his loves to ſo unworthy a wretch, was it not ſufficient for him to have come down from Heaven, and to have acted my redemption here below? Is it not an high Favour that a King ſhould leave his Court, to give a poor priſoner in the Jayl a viſit? but will he take him with him to his own home, and bring him into his own preſence-chamber, and ſet him at his right hand in his throne? And ſo that Chriſt ſhould not only leave his Fathers throne, and give me a viſit, lying in the dark dungeon of unbelief; but that he ſhould take off the bolts, and ſet open the priſon doors, and take me up with him into Heaven, and there ſet me down at his right hand, and in the mean time give me the earneſt and pledge of my inheritance, by filling my ſoul with his own ſpirit; O what an admirable incredible thing is this? it was the laſt viſion of John which was ſo full of wonders. And I John ſaw the holy City, the new Jeruſalem coming down from God out of Heaven.— And I heard a great voice out of heaven, ſaying; Rev. 21.2, 3.Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them. Surely it was a miraculous mercy that heaven ſhould come down upon earth, and that God ſhould come down to men: but Oh what is this, that Earth ſhould go up to Heaven, that men ſhould aſcend up to God? yea, that my ſoul with Chriſt, and by Chriſt, ſhould aſcend to God, and ſit down with God in heavenly places? yea, that my ſoul ſhould have for its inmate the very ſame ſpirit that Chriſt himſelf hath? Oh I cannot, I will not, I dare not believe.
Scrupulous ſouls, be not faithleſs but believing; there is none of theſe particulars for which we have not a warrant out of the Word of God; and therefore believe: But that I may perſwade to purpoſe, I ſhall lay down, 1. Some directions, and 2. Some encouragements of faith.
1. For directions of Faith, obſerve theſe particulars. As—
1. Faith muſt directly go to Chriſt.
2. Faith muſt go to Chriſt as God in the Fleſh.
3. Faith muſt go to Chriſt as God in the Fleſh made under the Law.
4. Faith muſt go to Chriſt not only as made under the directive part of the Law by his life, but under the penal part of the Law by his death.
5. Faith muſt go to Chriſt not only as put to death in the Fleſh, but as quickned by the ſpirit; of all theſe before.
6. Faith muſt not only go to Chriſt as quickened by the ſpirit, but as going up into glory, as ſitting down at God's right hand, and as ſending the holy Ghoſt; Faith ſhould eye Chriſt as far as he goes; if he be aſcended, ſo ſhould faith; if he go into glory, and ſit down there, and act there for his people, ſo ſhould faith; and ſo ſhould we in a way of believing follow after him, and take a view of all his tranſactions where he is; we have heard before how faith ſhould go to Chriſt as dying, and as riſing again; but yet faith is low, while it doth not go within the vail, and ſee him in glory; it is not enough to have only a faith of Juſtification, but of Glorification. O come let us ſee Chriſt in Heaven, and we can have no leſs than a glorious ſaith! how many are there that never yet came to act ſaith in Chriſt as a glorified Chriſt? we are yet ſtill in the lower form; many of us take in no more of Chriſt than what was done on the croſs, or what ſome natural, and common reſemblances of him can hold forth; we ſeldom follow Chriſt into Heaven, to ſee what he is doing theſe for us. O my ſoul! and O my faith! mount up, and be on the wing: Chriſt is gone up to heaven, Chriſt is ſet down at God's right hand; Chriſt hath ſent down his holy ſpirit: to this purpoſe it was expedient that he ſhould go away, and now he is gone away, to do ſomething that remains to be done for thee in his Kingdom; he had ſtill ſome glorious piece to frame for thy ſalvation, and therefore he left this world and went to his Father, that he might act it in glory; and now he is inveſted with all the riches of Heaven, he hath all the keyes of Heaven and Hell, he hath all power to command, he hath received all the promiſe to himſelf, and all that he hath to do, it is to let out of himſelf again unto his Saints; he hath not only got his Fathers heart for them, but he hath got all his riches to beſtow upon them; when he came to Heaven, the Father bid him ſit down at his right hand, and take what he would, and beſtow what he would upon his Saints; and thereupon he gave gifts unto men, yea, he gave the gift of gifts, even the Holy Ghoſt himſelf. What? art not thou a partaker of this gift? O then Look up unto Jeſus in reference to all theſe actings, ſet him before thee: Chriſt in all theſe particulars is a right object for thy faith to act upon.
7. Faith in going to Chriſt, his aſcenſion, ſeſſion and miſſion of the holy ſpirit, it is principally to look to the purpoſe, intent, and deſign of Chriſt in each of theſe particulars: Chriſt did nothing but he had an end, a meaning in it for our good; and here is the life of Faith, to eye the meaning of Chriſt in all his doings. Now the ends of Chriſt's aſcenſion, ſeſſion, and miſſion of his ſpirit were ſeveral; I ſhall inſtance onelyonly in theſe few. As—
1. Chriſt aſcended that we might aſcend: look whatever God acted on Chriſt's perſon, that he did as in our behalf, and he means to act the ſame on us: was Chriſt crucified? ſo are we; is Chriſt riſen again, ſo are we riſen together with him: is Chriſt gone up into glory? ſo are we; Heaven is now opened and poſſeſſed by Jeſus Chriſt for us, and at laſt we ſhall aſcend even as he aſcended; Chriſt cannot be content with that glory he hath himſelf,John 17.25. until we be with him; Father I will, that thoſe alſo whom thou haſt given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold, or enjoy my glory which thou haſt given me. Chriſt as our head is in glory, and ſo we are there already with him; and Chriſt as our advocate is in glory, and there he is pleading and praying for us, that we may actually be received and brought up to him: Father I will that theſe whom thou haſt given me may be with me. Chriſt's crown of glory is as it were a burthen on his own head, untill it be ſet on the heads of all his …aints; O the bleſſed end of Chriſt's Aſcenſion! how ſhould faith pry into this? Believers! you ſee your object, you know his perſon, never be quiet untill ye come into his condition: as we muſt go through all ordinances and creatures till we come to Chriſt, ſo through all conditions of Chriſt untill we come to glory
2 Chriſt ſate down that we might ſit with him in heavenly places, what is the end of Chriſt's Seſſion, but …hat we m…gh… inveſt all his …aints with the ſame priviledge? In this height of glory, Chriſt is the pattern, and plat-form, and Idea of what we ſhall be; ſurely this is the very top of Heaven; Chri…t is exalted above the Heavens, that we might in our meaſure and proportion be exalted with Chriſt; it was Chriſt's Prayer; that his Father, and he, and we, might all be one, As thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that they alſo may be one in us Oh how ſhould faith ſtand,John 17.21. and gaze on Jeſus Chriſt in this reſpect? …h…t? is he on Gods right hand? and is he there preparing a room, a ſeat, a manſion for my ſoul? What ſhall I ſit at the right hand of Chriſt? ſhall I ſit as an aſſeſſor on his udgment-ſeat to Judge the world wi…h Jeſus Chriſt? when the Son of man ſhall ſit o… the Throne of his Glory, Mat. 19.28.ye alſo ſhall ſit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve Tribes of Iſrael. O what is this? had not Chriſt ſaid it, how could I have believed it? admire O my ſoul at this aim of Chriſt the meaning of his exalting himſelf, it was to exalt thee; and the meaning of his exalting thee on this manner, it is to m…nifeſt to all the World, what the Son of God is able to do, in raiſing ſo poor a creature to ſo rich a glory. O the end of Chriſt's ſitting at God's right hand! hereby th… Saints are Chriſt's aſſ ſſors; Lord's of the higher houſe, the Kings Peers to judge the World with him, Chriſt divides (as it were) the throne with them. I appoint unto you a Kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me, Luk. 22.29, 30.that you may eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom, and ſit on thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Iſrael.
3. Chriſt ſent down the Holy Ghoſt, that he might dwell in our ſouls endow us with gifts, and graces; that he might comfort us, ſeal us unto the day of redemption; fit us for glor… amongſt the many ends for which Chriſt ſent down his holy ſpirit, I ſhall inſiſt only on theſe two.—
1. That he might help us to cry Abba Father: and make us to come boldly to the Throne of grace, as Chil…ren to a Father. It is the ſpirit that tak…s us by the hand and leads us to the Father, when others ſtand at a diſtance, and cannot come near: As a Princes Son is admitted at all times though others are kept our by O…ficers and Guards; ſo though there be never ſo much darkneſs, and fire, and terrour about God; yet the adopted child, who hath received the ſpirit of adoption, can ſay; make way there, and let me come to my Father; guards are appointed to keep out ſtrangers, but not Sons. And no wonder, for the ſpirit makes interceſſion for us, Rom. 8.26.with groanings which cannot be uttered; the ſpirit teacheth us what to pray, and how to pray as …e ought; the ſpirit puts a courage and boldneſs into the hearts of his S…ints, even to admiration; this appears in that ſometimes they have beſet God with his promiſes, that he could no way get off Quicken me according to thy word, Pſal. 119.25.28.29.116.169.—And ſtrengthen me ac…ording to thy word.— And be mercifull unto me according to thy word.— And uphold me according to thy word — And give me underſtanding according to thy word: And ſometimes they have beſet God with their challenges of his Juſtice. Faithfulneſs, and Righteouſneſs: ſo David, Deliver me in thy righteouſneſs. Pſal. 31.1.35.24.119.40.143.1.— And judge me according to thy righteo…ſneſs.— An quicken me according to thy righteouſneſs.—And in thy faithfulneſs anſwer me, and in thy righteouſneſs. Why, this is the …pirits work, he helps our infirmities, he imboldens our ſpirits in their approaches to God: ſurely it is one end of the ſpirits miſſion; Be…auſe ye are ſons. Gal. 4.6.God hath ſent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba Father. I will not deny but that baſtards, ſtrangers without the Covenant, having no right to God as their Father, may yet petition God, as a ſubdued people do their Conqueror, or as Ravens cry to God for food, or as ſome howl upon their beds for Corn and Wine; but they cannot pray;Hoſ. 7.14. in right Prayer there is not only required gracious ingredients in the action, but alſo a new ſtate of adoption and filiation: many ſpeaks words to God, who do not pray; many tell over their ſins, who confeſs not their ſins to God; many ſpeak good of God, who do not praiſe God; thouſands claim Fatherſhip in God, where there is no Sonſhip, nor ground in the thing it ſelf. A new nature is only that beſt bottom of Prayer, that takes it off from being a taking of God's Name in vain. Now this is the fruit of the ſpirit, and one of thoſe ends of the ſpirits miſſion.
2. That he might guide us into all Truth; I mean into all neceſſary, Fundamental ſaving Truths: in this reſpect we have need of the ſpirit in theſe dayes. He it is that Dictates to us which is the true Religion; he it is that tranſcribes upon our hearts, that which was before onelyonly written in our books; he it is that not onelyonly reveals truth from without, but imprints it alſo on the ſoul, as a man doth a ſeal by impreſſing it on the wax;1 John. 5.10. to this purpoſe ſaith the Apoſtle, He that believeth on the Son of God, hath the witneſs in himſelf; how in himſelf? I anſwer, 1. In that the Spirit gives him a habit of faith. 2. In that the Spirit cauſeth him to bring it forth into act. 3. In that the Spirit ſtamps on the ſoul all thoſe other impreſſions of deſire, hope, love, joy, or whatever elſe we call the new nature; ſo that now there is a new nature within him, he hath new thoughts, new deſigns, new deſires, new hopes, new loves, new delights, he drives a new trade (as it were) in this world for another world: he is become in Chriſt a new Creature,2 Cor. 5.17. Old things are paſſed away, and all things are become new. And from hence we may ſoundly argue the truth of our religion. Mark this, as the Written word is the teſtimony without us, ſo are theſe impreſſions of the ſpirit the teſtimony within us, by which we may know every neceſſary truth as it is in Jeſus; this is the meaning of the Apoſtle, He that believeth hath the witneſs in himſelf: unbelievers have indeed a teſtimony without them, but believers have a double teſtimony, one with out, and one within; and this witneſs within us will go with us which way ſoever we go: it will accompany us through all ſtraits and difficulties. The external teſtimony may be taken from us; men may take from us our Bibles, our Teachers, our Friends; or they may impriſon us where we cannot enjoy them; but they cannot take from us the Spirit of Chriſt: this witneſs within, is a permanent, ſetled, habituate, ſtanding witneſs; O what an excellent help is here, that a poor Chriſtian beyond all the furniture of the moſt Learned Men, that want this teſtimony of the ſpirit of Chriſt! ſurely this advantage will exceedingly furniſh us againſt all temptations to any errour, that is plainly contrary to the eſſentials of religion. One of our late Divines puts a caſe—
Mr. Baxters Spirits witneſs to the truth of Chriſtianity.If the Devill or any ſeducer would draw us to doubt, whither there be indeed a Chriſt? or whither he did riſe again, aſcend, ſate down at God's right hand, and thence ſent down the holy Ghoſt? what an excellent advantage is it againſt this temptation, when we can repair to our own hearts, and there find a Chriſt, or a Spirit of Chriſt within us? O (ſaith the ſanctified ſoul) have I felt Chriſt relieving me in my loſt condition, delivering me from my captivity, reconciling me to God, and bringing me with boldneſs into his glorious preſence? and now after all this I ſhall doubt whether there be a Chriſt in Heaven, or a ſpirit of Chriſt in my heart on Earth? have I felt him new creating me, opening my dark eyes, and bringing me from darkneſs into his marvellous light, and from the Power of Satan unto God, binding the ſtrong man, and caſting him out, and yet ſhall I queſtion whether there be a Chriſt, or a Spirit of Chriſt? hath he made me love the things which I hated, and hate that which I loved? hath he given me ſuch a taſte of the powers of the world to come, and poſſeſſed me with the hopes of glory with himſelf, and given me a meaſure, and portion in God, and ſet my heart where my treaſure is, and cauſed me in ſome meaſure to have my converſation in Heaven above, and yet ſhall I doubt whether there be a Chriſt above, or a Spirit within? O what an impudent lying ſpirit is this, that would tempt me againſt ſo much experience? And thus may a believer argue from the teſtimony that is within.
I know ſome ſeeming Saints have fallen off into as great blaphemies as theſe I have named;1 John 2.19. witneſs the Quakers, and Ranters, &c. but I may ſay of ſuch, as John did, They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us. It is no wonder if Satan prevail againſt thoſe that gave Chriſt no deeper room but in their phantaſie, and that did never heartily cloſe with him in love. But for thoſe that have the Spirit of Chriſt within them, it is not ſo with them; if they cannot anſwer the cavil of Satan, or of any of his inſtruments, yet they can hold faſt the grounds of faith; Chriſt hath a deep room and intereſt in their ſpirits; he is held faſter by the hand than by the head alone; love will hold Chriſt, when reaſon alone would let him go;Rom. 8.35, 36, 37. his ear is nayled (as it were) unto his door; and becauſe he loveth him, he will not leave him: Who ſhall ſeparate him from the love of Chriſt? ſhall tribulation, or diſtreſs, or perſecution, or famine, or nakedneſs, or peril, or ſword, (as it is written, for thy ſake are we killed all the day long) nay in all theſe things we are more than conquerors through him that hath loved us. A modern Writer brings in a ſincere heart,Mr. Baxter ibid. paraphrazing (as it were) on this Text in this manner; Who ſhall ſeparate us from the love of Chriſt? O thou malicious Devil, that doſt hunt me with thy fiery darts! O you dull hereticks. infidels, blaſphemers, that fill up my ears with your fooliſh ſophiſms, and trouble me with your diſputes againſt my Lord & Redeemer! go to him that knows him only by the hearing of the ear, if you mean to prevail; but I have known him by the ſweet experiences of my ſoul; go to him that makes a Religion of his Opinions, and whoſe belief was never any deeper than his fancy, and whoſe piety never reached higher than to abſtinency, and tasks of formal duty; theſe you may poſſibly draw away from Chriſt. But do you think to do ſo by me? why, tell me how? with what weapons or arguments can you think to prevail? what? ſhall tribulation be the means? no, no; I have that promiſe in the hand of my faith, and that glory in the eye of my hope, that will bring me through all tribulations under Heaven: or ſhall diſtreſs do it? why, I will rather ſtick ſo much cloſer to him that will relieve me in diſtreſs and bring me to his reſt. Or will you affright me by perſecution? I am aſſured that this is the neareſt way to Heaven, and I am bleſſed of Chriſt, when I am perſecuted for righteouſneſs ſake. Or ſhall nakedneſs be the weapon? I had rather paſs naked out of this World to Heaven, than to be cloathed in purple, and to be ſtript of it at death, and to be caſt into hell; Adam's innocent nakedneſs, and Lazarus's rags were better than that Epicure's gay apparel.— Or ſhall famine be the meanes? why, man liveth not by bread alone; I had rather my body were famiſhed than my ſoul; I have meat to eat that ye know not of, even the bread of life, which who ſo eats ſhall live for ever. Or will you affright me from Chriſt by the ſword of violence? I know that the Lord whom I believe in, and ſerve, is able to deliver me out of your hands; but if he will not, be it known to you I will not forſake him; your ſword will be only the key to open the priſon doors, and let out my ſoul that hath long deſired to be with Jeſus Chriſt. If you tell me of peril, I know no danger ſo great as of loſing Chriſt, and ſalvation; and of bearing his wrath that can kill both body and ſoul: do I not read in certain Hiſtories of that noble Army of Martyrs, who loved the Lord Jeſus to the death, and gloryed in tribulation, and would not by the flames of fires, or jaws of Lyons, be ſeparated from Jeſus Chriſt? did not they paſs through the red ſea, as on dry ground, to the promiſed land? yea, though they were killed all the day long, and accounted as Sheep to the ſlaughter? did they not ſtick and cleave faſt to the Lord, and to the Captain of their ſalvation? nay; were they not in all this conquerours, and more than conquerours, triumphing in flames, to the confuſion of Satan, and all their enemies; as Chriſt triumphed on the Croſs, deſtroying by death the Prince of death? Heb. 2.14.Oh what a bleſſed advantage is it againſt all temptations, to have the impreſs of the Goſpel of Chriſt on our heart, and the witneſs in our ſelves?
But I hear ſome object; If the witneſs in our ſelves be ſo full and convincing, then what need have we any more to make uſe of Scriptures, or Miniſters? why ſhould we leave an higher Teacher to go to a lower?
But I anſwer, 1. There is more than one thing wanting to enwiſe us to ſalvation; as firſt, an outward Word; and ſecondly, an outward Teacher; and thirdly, an inward Light: And accordingly God ſupplies this threefold want; the firſt, by giving us the Scripture; the ſecond, by giving us a Miniſtry, and other occaſional Teachers; the third, by giving us the illumination of the Spirit, to help us to ſee by the former means, and to make the Word and Miniſtry to us effectual. Now it were a mad thing for a man to ſay, I have eyes to read in a book, and therefore I have no need of the light of Candle, or of Sun; or I have eyes, and Sun, and therefore I have no need of the light in the Air, which cometh from the Sun; or I have the light both of the Eye, and Sun, and Air, and therefore I can read by it without a Book; or I have a Book, and therefore I can read it without a Teacher: certainly if a man would read, he muſt have all theſe, or more than one of theſe; ſo God hath appointed us three neceſſary means for our illumination and direction; the Word, the Miniſtry, and the Spirit; What God hath joyned, let no man ſeparate; if any will fooliſhly go, and ſet one of theſe againſt another, when God hath ſet them all together, and made them all neceſſary, aſſigning to each a ſeveral part in the work of our illumination, they may abuſe God and themſelves, and go without the light, while they deſpiſe the neceſſary cauſes of it. God's evidences muſt not be ſeparated, much leſs muſt one be pleaded to the neglect of all the reſt; as the work within us is not the firſt teſtimony, but a ſecondary confirming teſtimony, ſo doth it not make the firſt unneceſſary or void: beſides that, by the external teſtimony we muſt convince other men, which by the witneſs within us we cannot do. But this only by the way.
2. For the encouragement of our Faith to believe in Chriſt as in reference to his Aſcenſion, Seſſion and Miſſion of his Spirit.
1. Conſider of the excellency of this Object; what is it but Chriſt? Chriſt in his Aſcendant, Culminant, Regnant Power? Chriſt in his Marching, Conquering, Triumphing Poſtures? in his Free, and Large, and Magnificent Gifts? When he Aſcended on high, he led Captivity Captive, and gave Gifts unto Men. O the Glory, O the Excellency of Chriſt in theſe Reſpects! Verily they are enough to tire out Men and Angels with the only Act of wondering and ſurveying of their vaſtneſs. Here is Goſpel-Work for all Eternity, to dig into this Gold-Mine, to roul and turn this Soul-delighting precious Stone, to behold, enquire, and ſearch into theſe depths and heights of Chriſt exalted: and I believe this is the ſatiety, the top, and prime of Heavens Glory, to ſee and wonder at the vertues of him that ſits on the Throne, at the right hand of God; to be filled, but never Satiate with the Glory of Chriſt. What? Chriſt aſcended? Chriſt ſet down in Glory? and Chriſt ſending down his Holy Spirit? here's a Compendium of all Glories: here is one for an heart to be taken with, made up of nothing but of ſeveral Myſteries of Glory.
2. Conſider the Power, Vertue, and Influence of this Object into our ſouls Salvation; oh what a ſtately Tower have we here erected to ſee Heaven on? Faith may ſtand (as it were) on this Mount, and ſee it ſelf in glory; Oh the flowings, the rich emanations of Grace and Glory that come from hence! come, let us draw, the Well is deep; all the drops and dewings that fall on Men or Angels are but as chips in compariſon of that huge and boundleſs body of the fulneſs of Grace that is in Chriſt; one Lilly is nothing to a boundleſs and broad Field of Lillies; Chriſt is in theſe reſpects the Mountain of Roſes; oh how High, how Capacious, how Full, how Beautiful, how Green? could we but ſmell him who feeds among the Lillies, till the Day break, and the ſhadows fly away; could we but dive into the Golden Veins of theſe unſearchable riches of Jeſus Chriſt, we ſhould ſay, It is good to be here. Oh it's good to gather up the fragments that fall from Chriſt; his Crown ſhines with Diamonds and Pearls; oh why do we toyl our ſelves in gathering ſticks, when to morrow we ſhall be out of this World, and go to Chriſt? come, where is our mouth of Faith? let us lay to it here, let us ſuck and be ſatisfied with theſe Breaſts of conſolation; let us milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of his Glory.
3. Conſider of the ſuitableneſs of theſe Objects to our ſeveral conditions; you may remember the firſt cry, Was it not love enough for Chriſt to come down, and to viſit us here; but that he muſt go up and take us with him? no, no, his love was ſo great and vaſt, that for our ſakes he moves up and down; this raviſhed the Spouſe, Behold he comes leaping upon the Mountains, and skipping upon the Hills, Cant. 2.8.Cant. 2.8. Gregory that meaſured his leaps, thus gives them; be firſt leaps from his Fathers Manſion to his Mothers Womb; from her Womb to the Cratch; from his Cratch to his Croſs; and from his Croſs to his Grave; from his Grave up again to Heaven; great leaps indeed, that ſhewed both his readineſs to love, and willingneſs to ſave: infinite love can never be out-tired with greateſt actions. But another cries, how ſhould I believe that Chriſt is exalted, and that by vertue thereof I ſhall be exalted, when I ſee my ſelf in a forlorn condition, forſaken of God,Pſal. 62.9. and abject amongſt Men; Alas! Man at his beſt is altogether Vanity, yea, Men of low degree are Vanity, and Men of high degree are a Lye; to be laid in the Ballance I am altogether lighter than Vanity; how then ſhould I believe any ſuch condition; is a Worm a fit or a capable Subject to wear a Crown? Yes, the Lord is great, and he can do great things; He raiſeth up the Poor out of the Duſt, 1 Sam 2.8, 9.and lifteth up the Beggar from the Dunghil, to ſet them among Princes, and to make them inherit the Throne of Glory; for the Pillars of the Earth are the Lords, and he hath ſet the World upon them, he will keep the Feet of his Saints.—Why there is my ſadneſs, cryes another; He will keep the Feet of his Saints; if I were but a Saint, I could believe this Power; but alas! I am unholy, an unſanctified piece of Clay; I am a ſinner, a ſinner of the Gentiles, chief of ſinners, I deſerve to be thrown down to Hell, rather than to be inveſted with Glory, and to ſit in Heaven; True, but yet the Holy Ghoſt is given to make thee holy; of thy ſelf thou art vile, and moſt vile; but hath not the Holy Ghoſt entred in, and took poſſeſſion of thy Spirit? hath he not waſhed thee with water? yea, throughly waſhed away thy blood? hath he not anointed thee with oyl, and covered thee with ſilk, and decked thee with gold and ſilver, and made thee comely through his comelineſs which he put upon thee? Why, this is the office of the holy Ghoſt, and if thou haſt but the in-dwelling of the Spirit, this is thy ſtate: I know there is a part of thee unregenerate, and it will be ſo whiles thou art on earth, but withall there is in thee a new nature, another nature; there is ſomething elſe within thee which makes thee wreſtle againſt ſin, and ſhall in time prevail over all ſin, and this is the Spirit of Chriſt, ſanctifying of thee; Being ſanctified (ſaith the Apoſtle) by the holy Ghoſt. Rom. 15.16.—Other complaints might be thus brought in, but if we underſtand the meaning, the deſign of Chriſt in his Aſcenſion, Seſſion, and miſſion of his Spirit, how might a true faith anſwer all? oh believe! believe thy part in Chriſt's Aſcenſion, Chriſt's Seſſion, Chriſt's Miſſion of his holy Spirit, and thou mayeſt go ſinging to thy grave! a lively ſaith in ſuch particulars would ſet a ſoul in heaven, even whileſt yet on earth.