Looking Unto Jesus by Isaac Ambrose: A View of the Everlasting Gospel.
Section 8.1.11. - Of the Reasons why the Holy Ghost was sent.

BOOK 8. THE ASCENSION.

CHAPTER 1.

8.1.11. Of the Reasons why the Holy Ghost was sent.

Of the Reasons why the Holy Ghost was sent.

For the reasons why the Holy Ghost was sent, they are several: as, --

1. That all the prophecies, concerning this mission might be accomplished. Isaiah speaks of a time when "the Spirit should be poured upon ns from on high, and the wilderness should be a fruitful field," Isa. xxxii. 15. And Zachary prophesies, "That in that day I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and supplication," Zech. xii. 10. And Joel prophesies yet more expressly, "It shall come to pass that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions; and also upon the servants and upon the hand-maids in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophecy," Joel ii. 28, 29. This very prophecy was cited by Peter in his first sermon after the Spirit's mission, Acts ii. 17, 18; in which we read of two pourings of the Spirit, one upon their sons, and the other upon his servants; the former concerned only the Jews, they should have prophesies, visions, and dreams, the old way of the Jews, but the latter concerns us, we are not of their sons, but of his servants, to whom visions and dreams are left quite out: and therefore if any now pretend to those visions and dreams, we say with Jeremy, "The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream, but he that hath my word let him speak my word faithfully, what is the chaff to the wheat? Jer. xxiii. 28. But of all the prophecies concerning the mission of the Holy Ghost, our Saviour gives the clearest and the most particular; two great prophecies we find in the Bible, the one is of the Old Testament, and the other of the New; that of the Old Testament was for the coming of Christ: and this of the New Testament was for the coming of the Holy Ghost, and hence we say, that the coming of Christ was the fulfilling of the law; and the coming of the Holy Ghost is the fulfilling of the gospel. In this respect let us search and see those prophecies of Christ the great prophet in the New Testament, "I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever, even the Spirit of truth," John xiv. 16, 17 "But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, he shall testify of me," John xv. 26. "And behold I send the promise of my Father upon you, but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high," Luke xxiv. 49. "It is expedient for you that I go away, for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you," John xvi. 7. Why, it was of necessity that all these prophesies, and promises must be accomplished, and therefore was the Holy Ghost sent amongst us.

2. That the holy apostles might be furnished with gifts and graces suitable to their estates, conditions, stations, places. To this purpose, no sooner was the Spirit sent, but "they were filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance," Acts ii. 4. They were filled with the Holy Ghost, not that they were before empty, but now they were more full of the Spirit than ever they were before, and "they spoke with other tongues other than ever they had learned: probably they understood no tongue but the Syriac till this time, but now on a sudden they could speak Greek, Latin, Arabic, Persian, Parthian, and what not? The wisdom and mercy of God is very observable herein, that the same means of divers tongues which was the destroying of Babel, should be the very same means, here conferred on the apostles to work the building of Sion; that the curse should be removed, and a blessing come in place, that confusion of tongues should be united to God's glory; that this should be the issue of tongues, that neither speech nor language should be upon all the earth, but his praise and glory, and gospel should be heard amongst them. And here is something more observable, in that they spake with other tongues "as the Spirit gave them utterance the word utterance is in the original (apophtheggethai) you have heard of apothegms, i.e. wise and weighty sententious speeches; now such as these, the Spirit gave them to utter, Magnalia Dei, as in the eleventh verse, "the wonderful works of God," verse 11. they spake of those singular benefits God offered to the world by the death of his Son: they spake of the work of our redemption, of the merits of Christ, of the glory and riches of his grace, of the praises due to his name for all his mercies. Others add, That they spake of those admirable works of the Trinity, as of our creation, redemption and sanctification, and of whatsoever generally concerned the salvation of mankind. Their speeches were not crudities of their own brain, trivial, base, or vulgar stuff; but magnalia great and high points, apothegms, or oracles, "as the Spirit gave them utterance." But these reasons are remote as to us.

3. That he might fill the hearts of all the saints, and make them temples and receptacles for the Holy Ghost, "Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?" 1 Cor. vi. 19 . It is said here, that after the mighty rushing wind and cloven fiery tongues, they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, Acts ii. 4. First, They were filled with the Holy Ghost, and then they spake with other tongues; the Holy Ghost begins inward, and works outward; it first alters the mind, before it changes the speech; it first works on the spirit, before on the phrase or utterance; this was the first work of the Spirit, it filled them. And thus for the daily ministrations, such must be appointed as were "full of the Holy Ghost," Acts vi. 3. And Stephen is said to be "full of the Holy Ghost," Acts vii. 55. and Barnabas is called, "a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost," Acts xi. 24. The Holy Ghost is usually said to fill the saints, only whether it be the person of the Holy Ghost, or the impressions of the Holy Ghost, is a very great question; for my part I am apt to incline to their mind, who say not only the impressions of the Spirit, the qualities of holiness, the gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost, or as some think, habitual grace in a special manner; but that the Holy Ghost himself doth fill, and dwell, and reign in the hearts of all regenerate men. And this seems clear to me. (a). By scripture. (b). By arguments.

(a). The scriptures are such as these:

(i). "He that belieyeth on me, as the scripture saith, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water; but this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive, for the Holy Ghost was not yet given, because that Jesus was not yet glorified," John vii. 38, 30, for those words, "out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water;" by living water is meant grace, by rivers of living waters is meant the manifold graces of the Spirit, by the flowing of these rivers, is meant the abounding and communicating of those graces from one to another, and by the belly out of which those rivers should flow, is meant the heart endued, or filled with the Holy Ghost, now the spring and rivers, the fountain and the streams, are divers things, and to be distinguished: the one is the cause, and the other the effect; the one is the tree, and the other the fruit: it is the Holy Ghost filling the hearts of believers, that is the spring and fountain whence all those rivers of living waters flow, and therefore saith the evangelist expressly, "This spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe shall receive; of what spirit, even of the Holy Ghost, which in full measure was not yet given, because that Christ was not yet glorified; it is the same spirit which believers receive, whence all these rivers of living waters flow; but those rivers flow not from habitual grace, nor from any of the graces of the Holy Ghost, but from the Holy Ghost himself.

(ii). Again, "When the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth, -- and he will show you things to come," John xvi. 13. Now the habits of grace cannot guide or teach, or show a man things to come; the habits of grace cannot speak and hear, as it is there written, "He shall not speak of himself, but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak." This can be no other than the Spirit in his own person, this is the Comforter, that hears, and speaks, and guides into all truth, and shows us things to come.

(iii). Again, "The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, which is given unto us," Rom. v. 5. Besides the grace of the Spirit, which is the love of God, the Holy Ghost, or the Spirit itself is sail! to be given unto us.

(iv). And "ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you," Rom. viii. 9. Here is a plain distinction betwixt the new man, our being in the Spirit, and the Spirit dwelling in us: "Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ," i.e. the same holy Spirit which dwelleth in our head and Saviour Jesus Christ, "he is none of his. -- But if the Spirit of him that raised Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead, shall also quicken your mortal bodies, by his Spirit that dwelleth in you," verse 11. This Spirit cannot be meant of habitual grace, for habitual grace did not raise up Jesus from the dead: no, no, it was the same Spirit that dwelt in Christ, and that dwells in us.

(v). Again, "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you," 1 Cor. iii. 16. "And know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you?" 1 Cor. vi. 19. Now gifts and graces are not properly said to dwell in temples; this belongs rather to persons than qualities; and therefore it is meant of the Holy Ghost himself, ye are the temples of the living God; surely graces are not the living God, "but ye are the temples of the living God, as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people," 2 Cor. vi. 16.

(b). The arguments to confirm this are such as these:

(i). Actions are ascribed to the Holy Ghost, as given unto us; or dwelling in us, "When the Spirit is come, he will reprove the world of sin. And when the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth," John xvh 8. 13. "And ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father; -- and this Spirit beareth witness with our spirits that Ave are the children of God," Rom. viii. 15, 16. These actions are usually given to the Holy Ghost, I mean to that Holy Ghost which we receive, and dwelleth in us; it reproves, it guides, it helps, satisfieth, it witnesseth: now actiones sunt suppositorum, actions are of persons and not of qualities: habitual grace cannot reprove, or guide, or teach, or help our infirmities: these are the actions of the Spirit himself, in his own person.

(ii). The Spirit itself is the bond of our mystical union with Jesus Christ, and therefore it is the Spirit itself that dwelleth in us. Look as it is in our body, there is head and members, yet all are but one natural body, because they are animated and quickened by one and the self-same soul; so it is in the mystical body, Christ is our head, and we are his members, and yet both of us are but one mystical body, by reason of the self-same Spirit dwelling in both. And hence it is said, That Christ dwelleth in us by his Spirit, "Know ye not that Christ Jesus is in you, except ye be reprobates," 2 Cor. xiii. 5. "He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him," John vi. 26. And "I live (saith Paul) yet not I, but Christ liveth in me," Gal. ii. 20 . How in me? Not corporally, for in that sense "the heavens must receive him until the time of the restitution of all things," Acts iii. 21, but spiritually according to the testimony of the apostles, "because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts," Gal. iv. 6. This is the mystery that should be known among the Gentiles, the glorious mystery, yea the rich and glorious mystery; the apostle gives it all these epithets, "The riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you the hope of glory," Col. i. 27.

(iii). As Satan keeps his residence in wicked men, working them unto all manner of sin, and holding them captive to do his will; so the Spirit of God coming and thrusting him out of possession dwelleth in us, leading us into all truth, replenishing us with all grace, and inclining us to all holy obedience. There is little question, but whilst men remain in the state of infidelity, the strong man Satan keeps possession, and dwelleth in them, though not after a gross and sensible manner as in demoniacs, yet invisibly, and spiritually ruling and reigning in them, and making them his slaves to do his will; and therefore by the same reason when a stronger than he cometh, even the good Spirit of God, he casts him out, and takes possession, and dwells, and reigns, and rules in our souls and bodies.

(iv). If the Spirit itself dwell not in us, then how would there be three that bear witness? The apostle tells us, "There are three that bear witness in earth, (or in our hearts) the Spirit, the water, and blood," 1 Joh. v. 8, now by water is meant sanctification, or it is our sanctification that bears witness with us that we are the children of God; and this sanctification, consists either in the habit of grace, or in the actings of grace: if therefore the Spirit of Christ in a believer were nothing else but grace, then it were all one with the testimony of water; but there are three that bear witness, there is the testimony of the Spirit, of blood, and of water; not only justification and sanctification which are but two witnesses, but the Spirit is superadded, and that also bears witness in our consciences, that we are the children of God, and that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Christians! think me not tedious in these proofs, these are not speculative notional points, that tend not to edification, but are exceeding profitable. Only concerning the manner of the indwelling of this Spirit in us, it is most difficult to conceive. Certainly it dwells not in us as in Christ, viz. bodily. Col. ii. 9. unmeasurably, John iii. 34. originally, 2 Cor. iii. 17; the Spirit is in Christ, as light in the sun, but the Spirit is in us as light in the air: (In Christo ut lux in sole in nobis ut lumen, in aere.) neither dare I affirm, that the Spirit is in us more essentially than in any other men or creatures, for the essence thereof is individual and omnipresent: but this I say, That the Spirit is in the faithful above all others.

I know the objections, as, --

4. That the Holy Ghost might, according to his office, endue men with gifts, no sooner he bestows his person, but immediately he fills us with his train.

Now the gifts of the Spirit are of these two sorts, some are common to good and bad, others are proper to the elect only. Those gifts which are common, are again twofold, for some of them are given but to certain men, and at certain times, as the gift of miracles, of tongues, of prophesies, and these were necessary for the apostles, and the primitive church, when the gospel was first to be dispersed; others are given to all the members of the church, and at all times, as the gifts of interpretation, sciences, arts, prudence, learning, knowledge, eloquence, and such like; the former gifts we have not, but these latter are now given to every member of the church according to the measure of Christ's gift; as the calling and vocation of every member needeth. As for those gifts and saving graces which are proper to the godly, I shall speak of them another time. Now here is another reason of the Spirit's mission, "That he might give gifts unto men," Eph. iv. 8. If you ask. What are those gifts? The apostle tells you in one place, "He gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers," verse 11. Three of those gifts are now gone, and their date is out, but in the same place we find pastors and teachers, and them we have still; Oh! how may this teach us to think of such, (even of pastors and teachers) as of the special gifts and favours of Jesus Christ; if our special friend should but send us from a far country, one of his chief servants, would we not welcome him? Christ now is in heaven, and he sends us ministers, as the stewards of his house; sure if we had any love to Christ, "The very feet of them would be precious, and beautiful, who brings us glad tidings of peace," Rom. x. 15. Again, the apostle tells us in another place, that "there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit; and diversities of callings, but the same Lord or Christ; and diversities of works, but the same God and father, which worketh all in all," 1 Cor. xii. 4, 5, 6. Christ's errand being done, and he gone up on high, the Spirit came down, and in Christ's stead established order in the church, which order or establishment is here set down, by gifts, callings and works. Here is First, a gift, Secondly, a calling, Thirdly, a work. Gifts are ascribed to the Spirit, callings to Christ, and works to God, even to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; where the Spirit ends, Christ begins, and where Christ ends, God begins, if no gift, we must stay there and never meddle with the calling; and if no calling, we must stay there, and never meddle with the work; first the Spirit comes, and bestows the gift, and then Christ comes, and bestows the calling, and then God the Father comes, and sets us to the work: the gift is for the calling, and the gift and calling are both for the work. And if this be the order established by the Spirit in his church, Oh! what shall we say of them that either have no gifts, yet step into the calling, as if there were no need of the Holy Ghost; or that have no calling, and yet will fall upon the work, utterly against the mind and rule of Jesus Christ? Oh! what the poor church of Christ suffers at this time in these respects! Certainly these men have no commission from the Holy Spirit; he was never sent to them that break this order, first gifts, and then calling, and then the work.

But why doth the Spirit endue men with gifts? Surely saith the apostle, to this end, to profit withal, 1 Cor. xii. 7. Gifts are given for the good of others, gifts are for edifying: we should not contemn them, gifts are a blessing of God, and therefore we are to endeavour after them, "Let thy profiting appear to all, and covet earnestly the best gifts," 1 Tim. iv. 15, "and yet (says Paul) I show unto you a more excellent way," 1 Cor. xii. 31. And that was true grace, of which he discourseth in the next chapter, and this brings in another reason of the Spirit's mission.

5. That the Holy Ghost might, according to his office, endue men with graces. In doing this, he first gives the inward principle and habit of grace, and then the fruit or actings of grace.

(a). He gives a power, an habit, a spiritual ability, a seed, a spring, a principle of grace, whatsoever we call it, I cannot conceive it to be a new faculty, added to those which are in men by nature: a man when he is regenerate, hath no more faculties in his soul than he had before he was regenerate, only in the work of regeneration, those abilities which the man had, are improved to work spiritually, as before naturally; as our bodies in the resurrection from the dead shall have no more, nor other parts than they have at present, only those which are now natural, shall then by the power of God be made spiritual, 1 Cor. xv. 44. Now this principle is infused or poured in by the Spirit of God; and hence he is called "the Spirit of sanctification," 2 Thess. ii. 13.

(b). He gives the fruit or actings of grace, "but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance," Gal. v. 22, 23. Some call these the diversifications of the actings of that spiritual principle within us; certainly the Spirit doth not only at first infuse the principles of grace, but he doth also enable us to act and improve those blessed principles; he doth not only give us power to holy actions, but he also works the holy actions themselves, God worketh in us not only to will, but to do, Phil. ii. 13. God hath a twofold grace, initial and converting, exciting and quickening; in respect of this last, David prays, "Quicken me after thy loving kindness, O Lord, and so shall I keep thy testimonies," Psal. cxix. 88. This is the actuating grace that we need every hour, and every moment, and must pray for more earnestly than we should pray for our daily bread. Two privileges more especially flow from this: As, --

(i). Hereby the soul will be kept from negligence and dulness, from gross and foul sins; the apostle calls it "Grace to help in time of need," Heb. iv. 16. Oh! This is admirable, when grace comes in the very nick of need; it may be some time or other thou wert even falling into such and such a sin, it may be thou wert some time or other drowning in such and such a wickedness, and thus exciting quickening grace came in and kept up thy head above the waters.

(ii). Hereby the soul will be kept in a frame for every duty; if the Spirit come but with exciting, quickening grace, then it is ready to say, "My heart is prepared, O Lord, my heart is prepared, I can now do and suffer thy will." Sometimes the principle of grace lies still within us, and begins to rust, but then comes the Holy Ghost, and breathes upon our souls, and so it excites, and quickens, and commands faith, patience, zeal, and other graces to be in exercise: and this is as it were the file to take off the rust, it is the whetting of the edge, it is the stirring up of the coals into a mighty flame. Christians! Have you not clear experimental demonstrations of this truth? Sometimes you are on the wing of duty, and sometimes you are dull and dead; sometimes the least temptation, the least snare is ready to make you fall, and sometimes again, though strong winds and tempests blow upon you, yet you are able to stand like Mount Zion that cannot be removed: Oh! What is the reason of the difference? Surely according to the incomes of the Spirit of God, this difference comes not from ourselves, but from the Spirit; as this exciting quickening grace is ready or afar off, so is our condition; you know what changes David usually found in his own heart, sometimes he was able to trust in God, and at other times he was so cast down, as if he had no strength within him, and whence all this, but from the ebbings and flowings of exciting quickening grace? Well may we cry. Come Holy Spirit; Oh! What a comfortable condition would it be, if our spirits never lay still, but we were always hungering, thirsting, or moving after God and goodness?

6. That the Holy Ghost might according to his office, comfort his saints amidst all their afflictions; this was that which Christ had so often told his apostles, "I will not leave you comfortless, I will come unto you, John xiv. 18, And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another comforter, that he may abide with you forever, verse 16 . But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, ver. 26. But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me, John xv. 26. If I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you, but if I depart I will send him unto you," John xvi. 17.

But how is it that the Spirit comforts saints? I answer, in these particulars.

(a). The Spirit discovers sin, (See at large Dr. Reynolds cn Psal. cx.) and bends the heart to mourn for sin; and such a sorrow as this, is the seed and matter of true comfort; as Joseph's heart was full of joy, when his eyes poured out tears on Benjamin's neck: so there is a certain seed and matter of joy in spiritual mourning; I know they are contrary, but yet they may be subordinate to each other: as a dark and muddy colour may be a fit ground to lay gold upon. Certainly there is a sweet complacency in an humble and spiritual heart, to be vile in its own eyes; but especially, the fruit of it is joy, and great joy, "A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come, but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world, and ye now therefore have sorrow, but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you," John xvi. 21, 22.

(b). The Spirit doth not only discover, but heal the corruptions of the soul, and there is no comfort to the comfort of a saved and cured man; the lame man that was restored by Peter, expressed the abundant exultation of his heart, by leaping and praising God, Acts iii. 8. And for this cause the Spirit is called, The oil of gladness, because by that healing virtue that is in him, he makes glad the heart of man.

(c). The Spirit doth not only heal, but renew and revive again; when an eye is smitten with a sword, there is a double mischief, a wound made, and a faculty perished; and here, though a surgeon can heal the wound, yet he can never restore the faculty, because total privations admit no regress or recovery. But the Spirit doth not only heal, and repair, but renew, and re-edify the spirits of men; as he healeth that which was torn, and bindeth up that which was broken, so he reviveth, and raiseth up that which was dead before, Hos. vi. 1, 2. And this the apostle calls, "The renovation of the Spirit," Tit. iii. 5. Now this renovation must needs be matter of great joy, for so the Lord comforts his afflicted people, "O thou afflicted, tossed with tempests, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay thy foundations with sapphires; and I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones," Isa. liv. 11,12. The meaning is, That all must be new, and new built up, as for a goodly, costly, and stately structure.

(d). The Spirit doth not only renew and set the frame of the heart aright, and then leave it to itself; but being thus restored, he abideth with it to preserve and support it, and to make it victorious, against all tempests and batteries; and thus farther multiplieth the joy and comfort of the heart; victory is ever the ground of joy, "They joy before thee, -- as men rejoice when they divide the spoil," Isa. ix. 3. And the Spirit of God is a victorious Spirit, "A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory," Matth. xii. 20.

(e). The Spirit doth not only preserve the heart, which he hath renewed, but he makes it fruitful and abundant in the work of the Lord. And fruitfulness is a ground of comfort, "Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear, break forth into singing, and cry aloud thou that didst not travail with child, for more are the children of the desolate, than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord," Isa. liv. 1.

(f). The Spirit doth not only make the heart fruitful, but gives it the pledge and earnest of its inheritance, and thereby it begets a lively hope, an earnest expectation, a confident attendance upon the promises, and an unspeakable peace and comfort thereupon. Oh! When I feel a drop of heaven's joy, shed abroad into my soul by the Holy Ghost, and that I look upon this as a taste of glory, and a forerunner of happiness, How should I but rejoice with joy unspeakable? In all these respects, the Spirit is our comforter: and this is another reason, why the Holy Ghost is sent, "I will not leave you comfortless, saith Christ, No, no, for I will come unto you by my Spirit."

7. That the Holy Ghost might according to his office "seal us Unto the day of redemption," Eph. iv. 30. By sealing is meant, some work of the Spirit by which he assures a believer, that he is God's: it is all one with the Spirit's witnessing; only under that notion I shall Speak of it another time.

But all the question is, what is that work of the Spirit by which he assures? I answer, this work is manifold. As, --

(a). There is a reflex work of faith, and this is the work of the Spirit too, assuring our souls of our good estate to God-ward, and Christward, "He that believeth hath the witness in himself," 1 John v. 10 . He carries in his heart, the counterpane of all the promises, this is the first seal, or (if you will) the first degree of the Spirit's sealing; the first discovery of our election is manifested to us in our believing, "as many (saith the text) as were ordained to eternal life believed," Acts xii. 48.

(b). There is a work of sanctifying grace upon the heart, and this is a seal of the Spirit also; for whom the Spirit sanctifieth, he saveth. "The Lord knoweth who are his," saith the apostle, 2 Tim. ii. 19. Ay, but how should we know it? why, by this seal; as it follows, "Let every one that nameth the name of the Lord depart from iniquity." None are children of God by adoption, but those that are children also by regeneration; none are heirs of heaven, but they are new born to it, "Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath begotten us anew -- to an inheritance immortal," 1 Pet. i. 3, 4. This seal of sanctification leaves upon the soul, the likeness of Jesus Christ, even grace for grace.

(c). There is a work of assisting, exciting, quickening grace; or of God's gracious concourse with that habitual grace which he hath wrought in his people; now, this is various, according to the good pleasure of his will; the Spirit is more mightily present to some than others, yea more to the same man at sometimes, and in some condition; sometimes the same Christian is as a burning and shining light, sometimes as a smoking fax, "The Spirit blows where it listeth," John iii. 8. Sometimes he fills the soul with fuller gales, sometimes again she is becalmed, a man hath more of the Spirit at one time than another; now when the Spirit comes in thus by exciting, quickening, stirring, and enabling us to act, so that we can say as sometimes the prophet said, "It was in my heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and could not stay," Jer. xx. 9. Why, then the Spirit seals and gives assurance to our souls, that we are his.

(d). There is a work of shining upon, or enlightening those graces which the Spirit plants in us, and helps us, to exercise, this seals to the purpose; and of this it is that the apostle speaks, We have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we may know the things that are freely given us of God, 1 Cor. ii. 12. The things given to us, may be freely received by us, and yet the receipt of them not known to us, therefore the Spirit for our farther consolation doth (as it were) put his hand and seal to our receipts, he shines upon our graces, or he enlightens our graces, whereby we may know we believe, and know that we live. Indeed this is rare with God's own people, sometimes notwithstanding this seal, we may be in such a state as Paul and his company were in the ship, "When they saw neither sun nor star for many days together," Acts xxvii. 20. So it may be that for a time we may see neither sun nor star, neither light in God's countenance, nor light in our souls, no grace issuing from God, no grace carrying the soul to God; yet in this dark condition, if we do as Paul and his company did, i.e. if we cast anchor even in the dark night of temptation, and pray still for day, God will appear, and all shall clear up: we shall at last see light without, and see light within, surely the day-star will arise in our hearts.

(e). There is a work of joy and comfort; and this is a super-added seal of the Spirit; the works of the Spirit you may see are of a double kind; either in us by imprinting sanctifying grace, or upon us by shining on our souls, and by sweet feelings of joy; habitual grace, or sanctifying grace is more constant, and always like itself; but this work of comfort and joy, is of the nature of such privileges, as God vouchsafeth at one time, and not at another; and hence it is, that a Christian may have grace, and a Christian may know himself to be in the state of grace, and yet in regard of comfort, God may be gone. Thus it was with Job, he knew his Redeemer lived, and he resolved to trust in him, though he killed him; he knew he was no hypocrite, he knew his graces were true; notwithstanding all the objections and imputations of his friends, they could not dispute him out of his sincerity, "My righteousness I hold fast, and I will not let it go," Job xxvii. 6. Yet for the present he saw no light from heaven, but he was in a sore and afflicted condition, till it pleased the Lord to reveal himself in special favour unto him. Now, this work of joy usually comes not till after faith; and many experiences of God's love, and much waiting upon God. These are the several works of the Spirit's sealing.

But why is it that we can neither actually believe, nor can know that we believe, nor can enjoy peace and joy in believing, without a fresh and new act of the Spirit?

I answer, because the whole carriage of a soul to heaven is above nature; where the Spirit makes a stand, we stand, and can go no farther; without the help of the Spirit we can neither make promises, nor conclude for ourselves; it is the Spirit that sanctifies, and witnesses, and "seals our souls unto the day of redemption." Many other reasons may be rendered, but I shall speak of them in the end of the Spirit's mission.

Thus far we have propounded the object, viz. The ascension of Christ, the session of Christ at God's right hand, and Christ's mission of the Holy Ghost; our next work is to direct you how to look unto Jesus in these respects.