Every believer may say, Christ did not only die and rise again, but
he ascended into heaven to take possession thereof for me, to
prepare a place for me. He standeth there in the second part of his
suretyship to bring me safe thither, and to present me in a glorious
manner, "not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing." He is
therefore exercising his priestly office for me, pleading the
perfection of his own righteousness and the virtue of his blood.

He is there ready to answer the accusations of the law, the devil,
and sin, for me. Here a believer may through faith look the devil in
the face and rejoice, saying, "O Satan, I have a precious Jesus, a
soul-comforting Jesus, a sin-pardoning Jesus." Here he may listen to
the thunders of the law, and yet not be daunted. He may say, "O law,
thou mayest roar against sin, but thou canst not reach me; thou
mayest curse and condemn, but not my soul; for I have a righteous
Jesus, a holy Jesus, a soul-saving Jesus; and he hath delivered me
from thy threats, thy curses, and thy condemnation. I am brought
into another covenant, under better promises of life and salvation,
freely to comfort me without my merit, through the blood of Jesus;
therefore though thou layest my sins to my charge and provest me
guilty, yet so long as Christ hath brought in everlasting
righteousness and given it to me, I shall not fear thy threats. My
Christ is all, hath done all, and will deliver me from thine
accusations." Thus also thou mayest say, when death assaulteth thee,
"O death, where is thy sting? Thou canst not devour; I have comfort
through Jesus Christ, who hath taken thee captive and taken away thy
strength; he hath pierced thy heart and let out all thy
soul-destroying poison. Though I see thee, I am not afraid of thee;
though I feel thee, I am not daunted; for thou hast lost thy sting