The Doctrine of the Saints' Perseverance

2. It appears from that peculiar promise,¹ that Christ makes of sending his Holy Spirit unto his own; He tells them indeed, once, and again, that the Father will send him:² As he comes from that original and Fountain Love, from which also himself was sent. But withal, he assures us, that he himself will send him. Joh. 15. 26. When the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth. It is true! that he is promised here only as a Comforter, for the performance of that part of his Office. But look upon what account he is sent for any one Act,³ or Work of Grace, on that he is sent for all. I will send him, then saith Christ: and that as a fruit of his death, as the procurement of his Mediation; for that alone he promiseth to bestow on his. And in particular he tells us, that he receives the spirit from the Father for us upon his Intercession, wherein, as hath been elsewhere demonstrated, he asks no more nor less,⁴ then what by his death is obtained. John 14. 16, 17. I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever, even the spirit of Truth, whom the World cannot receive; he tells us v. 13. that whatsoever we ask, he will do it: But withal, in these verses, how he will do it: even by interceding with the Father for it, as a fruit of his Bloodshedding, and the Promise made to him, upon his undertaking to Glorify his Fathers name, in the great work of Redemption. And therefore he informs us,⁵ that when the Comforter, whom he procureth for us, shall come, he shall Glorify him, and shall receive of his, and show it unto us, (Joh. 16. 14.) farther manifest his Glory, in his bringing nothing with him, but what is his, or of his procurement; so also instructing us clearly and plentifully, to ask in his name, that is, for his sake, which to do plainly and openly, is the great privilege of the New Testament; (for so he tells his Disciples