Having showed that the Holy Spirit is purchased for us by tlie oblation of Christ, and bestowed on us through his intercession, to
330 DOCTRINE OF THE SAINTS' PERSEVEKANCE. [CHAP.
abide with lis for ever, — a truth confirmed by the unquestionable tes- timonies of the Father, Son, and Spirit, — T shall, in the next place (I hope to the advantage and satisfaction of the Christian reader), a little turn aside to consider Jiow and in what manner he abideth with them on whom he is bestowed, together with some eminent acts and effects of his grace, which he putteth forth and exei'teth in them with whom he abideth, all tending to their preservation in the love and favour of God. A doctrine it is of no small use and importance in our walking with God, as we shall find in our pursuit of it. And therefore, though not appearing so directly argumentative and im- mediately subservient to the promotion of the dispute in hand, yet as tending to the establishment, guidance, and consolation, of them who do receive it, and to the cherishing, increasing, and strengthening of the faith thereof, I cannot but conceive it much conducing to the carrying on of the main intendment of this whole undertaking. I say, then, upon the purchase made of all good things for the elect by Christ, the holy and blessed Spirit of God is given to them, to dwell in them personally, for the accomplishment of all the ends and pur- poses of his economy towards them, — to make them meet for, and to bring them unto, the inheritance of the saints in light : personally, I say, in our jDcrsons (not by assumption of our nature, but giving us mystical union with Christ, not personal union with himself; that is, not one personality with him, which is impious and blasphemous to imagine), by a gracious inhabitation, distinct from his essential filling all things, and his energetical operation of all things as he will, as shall afterwards be declared. Now, this being a doctrine of pure revelation, our demonstrations of it must be merely scriptural ; and such (as will instantly appear) we have provided in great plenty. In the carrying on, then, of this undertaking, I shall do these two things: — I. Produce some of those many texts of Scripture which are pregnant of this truth. II. Show what great things do issue from thence and are affirmed in reference thereunto, being inferences of a supposal thereof, all conducing to the preservation of believers in the love and favour of God unto the end.
For the first, I shall refer them to four heads: unto, — 1. Promises that he should so dwell in us; 2. Positive affirmations that he doth so; 3. Those texts that hold out his being distinguished from all his graces and gifts in his so doing; 4. Those that ascribe a personality to him in his indwelling in us. Of each sort one or two places may suffice.
I. 1. The indwelling of the Spirit is the great and solemn promise of the covenant of gi'ace; the manner of it we shall afterward evince: Ezek. xxxvi. 27, "I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes." In the verse foregoing he tells them, " He will give them a new heart, and a new spirit;" which, because it may be
viil] the indwelling of the spirit. o31
interpreted of a renewed frame of spirit (though it rather seems to be the renewing Spirit that is intended, as also chap. xi. 19), he ex- pressly points out and differences the spirit he will give them from all works of grace whatsoever, in that appellation of him, "'My Spirit,' my Holy Spirit ; him will I put within you : I will give him or place him in interiori vestro, ' in your inmost part,' in your heart ; or in viscerihus vestris, ' in your bowels' (as the soul is frequently signified by expressions of sensual things), ' within you.' " In his giving us a new heart and new spirit, by putting in us his Spirit, certainly more is intended than a mere working of gracious qualities in our hearts by his Spirit; which he may do, and yet be no more in us than in the greatest blasphemer in the world. And this, in the carrying of it on to its accomplishment, God calls his covenant: Isa. lix. 21, " This is my covenant with them, saith the LoRD ; My Spirit that is upon thee shall not depart from thee;" — " Upon thee, in thee, that dwelleth in thee, as was promised." And this promise is evidently re- newed by the Lord Christ to his disciples, clearly also interpreting what that Spirit is which is mentioned in the promise of the cove- nant : Luke xi. 1 3, " Your heavenly Father will give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him" of him; tha,t is, that pray to him for the Holy Spirit, Our Saviour instructs his disciples to ask the Holy Spirit of God upon the account of his being so promised; as Acts ii. 33. All our supplications are to be regulated by the promise, Rom. viii. 27. And surely he who (as shall afterward appear) did so plentifully and richly promise the bestowing of this Spirit on all those that believe on him, did not instruct them to ask for any in- ferior mercy and grace under that name. That Spirit which the Lord Christ instructs us to ask of the Father is the Spirit which he hath promised to bestow so on us as that he shall dwell in us. That the Spirit which Christ instructs us to ask for, and which himself promises to send unto us, is the Holy Ghost himself, the Holy Spirit of promise, by whom we are sealed to the day of redemption, I sup- pose will require no labour to prove; what is needful to this end shall be afterward insisted on.