HOLY SPIRIT, would have been two persons still, and so no personal union. Nor can it be said, that, although the human nature of Christ was a person in itself, yet it ceased so to be upon its union with the divine; and so two per- sons were conjoined and compounded into one. For if ever human nature have, in any instance, a personal subsistenceof its own, it cannot be separated from it, without the destruction and annihilation of the indivi- dual. For to suppose otherwise, is to make it to conti- nue what it was, and not what it was; for it is what it is, distinct from all other individuals by virtue of its personality. Wherefore upon this inhabitation of the Spirit, wherein soever it doth consist, there is no :per- sonal union ensuing between him and believers, nor is it possible that any such thing- should be. For he and they are distinct persons, and must eternally abide so whilst their naturesaredistinct. It is only the assumption of our nature into union with the Son of God, antece- dent unto any individual personal subsistenceof its own that can constitute such an union, Fourthly, The union and relation that ensues on this inhabitation of the Spirit, is not immediate between hiní. and believers, but between them and Jesus Christ. For he is sent to dwell in them by Christ, in his name, as his Spirit, to supply, his room in love and grace towards them, making useof his things in all his effects anti ope- rations unto hisglory. Hence, I say, is the union of be- lievers with Christ by the Spirit, and not with the Spirit himself. For this Holy Spirit dwelling in the human nature of Christ, manifesting and acting himself in all fulness therein, as hath been declared, being sent by him to dwell in like manner, and act in a.limited mea- sure in all believers, there is a mystical union thence arising between them, whereof the Spirit is the bond and vital principle, On these considerations, I say, it is the person of the. Holy Ghost that is promised unto believers, and not only the effects of his grace and power, and his person it is that always dwelleth in them. And as this, on the ene hand, is an argument of his infinite condescension in complying with this part of his office and work, to be sent by the Father and Son to dwell in believers, so it is an evident demonstration of his eternal Deity, that the one and self-same person should at the same time inhabit so many thousands of distinct persons as are, or were at any time, of believers in the world; which is AND HIS WORM. 19 fondness to imagine concerning any one that is not ab- solutely infinite. And therefore that which some op- pose as unmeet for him, and beneath his glory, namely, . this his inhabitation in the saints of God, is a most il- lustrious and incontrollable demonstration of his eter- nal glory. For none but he who is absolutely immense in his nature andomnipresence, can he so present with, and indistant from all believers in the world; and none but he whose person, by virtue of his nature, is infinite, can personally, equally inhabit in them all, An infi- nite nature and person is required hereunto. And in the consideration of the incomprehensibility thereof are we to acquiesce as to the manner of his inhabitation, which we cannot conceive. 1. There are very many promises in the Old Testa- ment, that God would thus give the Holy Spirit in and . by virtue of the new covenant; as Ezek. xxxvi. 27, lsa.. lix. 21. Prov, i. 23. And in every place God calls this promised Spirit, and aspromised, His Spirit, mySpirit, which precisely denotes the personof the Spirit himself. It is generally apprehended, I confess, that in thesepro- mises the Holy Spirit is intended only as unto his gra- cious effects and operations, but not as to any personal inhabitation. And I should not much contend upon these promises only, although in some of them his per- son as promised be expressly distinguished from all his gracious effects: but the exposition which is given of theta in their accomplishmentunder the NewTestament, will not allow us so to judge of them. For, 2. We are directed toprayfor Me Holy Spirit, and assured that God will give him unto them that ask of him in a due manner, Luke xi.. IS. If these words must be expounded metonymically, and not properly, it must be because either, (1.) They agree not in the letter wills other testimonies of scripture. Or, (2.) Contain some sense absurd and unreasonable. Or, (3.) That which iscontrary unto the experience of them that believe. The first cannot be said, for other testimonies innumerable concur with it. Nor the second, as we shall sbew. And for the third, it is that whose con- trary we prove. What is it that believers intend in that request? I suppose, I may say, that there is no one pe- tition wherein they are more intense and earnest, nor which they more frequently insistlupon. As David prayed, that God would not take his Holy Spirit from him, Psal, li. So do they, that God would bestow hint
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