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have by promise, oath, and sacrament, but an inward by the Spirit persuading of our interest in them, and working that which doth authorise us to lay claim unto them, after the use of a seal, both in confirmation and representation, and resemblance of him that sealed.

The persons sealed are, first, Christ, and then those that are given to Christ. I. Christ is sealed,*

1. By the Father. Christ was ordained by him to be a saviour in our nature, predestinate to be the head of the church. Wherefore he often saith he came to do his Father's will: Him hath the Father sealed,' John vi. 27, anointing him, calling him, setting him forth, sanctifying him by the Spirit, and every way fitting him with all grace to be a saviour.

2. He was sealed by the fulness of the Godhead dwelling in flesh, abased and exalted for us; so as his flesh is the flesh of the Son of God, and his blood the blood of God,' Acts xx. 28.

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3. Sealed by a testimony from heaven of all three persons: by the Father, This is my well-beloved Son;' by the Holy Spirit descending like a dove; by himself to his human nature dwelling in all fulness in it. Christ is sealed by miracles done upon him and by him; by his baptizing and installing into his office, and by giving himself up to shed his blood for sin, by which blood the covenant is established and sealed.

4. In being justified in the Spirit, being raised from the dead, and 'declared thereby to be the Son of God mightily with power,' Rom. i. 4; and then advanced to the right hand of God, that through him our faith and trust might be in God, 2 Peter iii. 14; and appearing there for ever for us, sheweth not only his ability and willingness to save us, but that it is done already. We may see all whatever we can look for to ourselves performed in our head to our comfort.

II. As Christ was sealed and fitted for us, so we are sealed and fitted for Christ. There is a privy seal in predestination. This is known only to God himself: The Lord knoweth who are his,' 2 Tim. ii. 19. And this knowledge of God of us is carried secret, as a river under ground, until his calling of and separating us from the rest of men, when first by his Spirit he convinceth us of what we are in ourselves, and of our cursed condition, and thereby layeth us low by sorrow and humiliation for sin as the greatest evil. And then a pardon is more to us than a crown; then we will wait for mercy and continue so, and beg for mercy, and that upon Christ's own condition, by denying and renouncing anything of our own; then Christ is Christ unto us. Indeed, after this, it pleaseth Christ by his Spirit to open a door of hope,' and give some hints of mercy; and to let in some beams of love, and withal to raise np the soul by a spirit of faith, to close with particular mercy opened and offered by the Spirit, whereby the soul sealeth to the truth of the promise: John iii. 33, He that believeth hath set to his seal that God is true.' It is strange that God should stoop so low as to receive, as it were, confirmation by our belief, but thus God condescends in the phrase of Scripture, as we are said to help God: Curse ye Meroz, because they came not to help the Lord,' &c., Judges v. 23. God stoops to be helped by us, and to have his truth, and power, and goodness ratified and confirmed by us. When we believe the promise of God in Christ-though it be by the help of the Spirit-we seal God's truth. And then God honoureth that sealing of ours by the sealing of his Spirit: After you believed you were sealed,' * In margin here, The sealing of Christ.'-G.

VOL. V.

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In margin here, Christians are sealed.'-G.

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saith the apostle, Eph. i. 13; that is, the gracious love of Christ was further confirmed to them. God honours no grace so much as faith. Why? Because it honours God most of all others. It gives God the honour of his mercy, and goodness, and wisdom, and power, and of his truth, especially he that believe sin God by believing, seals that God is true; and God honours that soul again by sealing it to the day of redemption. God hath promised, 'Those that honour me, I will honour,' John xii. 26; therefore, He that believeth hath the witness in himself,' 1 John v. 10. That grace promised belongeth to him, for he carries in his heart the counterpane* of the promises, he that confesseth and believeth shall have mercy. I believe, saith the soul, therefore the promise belongs to me. My faith, answering God's love in the promise, witnesseth so much to me. The Spirit not only revealeth Christ and the promises in general, but in attending upon the ordinances, by an heavenly light, the Spirit discovers to us our interest in particular, and saith to the soul, God is thy salvation, and enableth the soul to say, I am God's. I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine,' Cant. ii. 16. 'Christ loved me, and gave himself for me,' Gal. ii. 20. Whence came this voice of Saint Paul? It was the still voice of the Spirit of God, that, together with the general truth in the gospel, discovered in particular Christ's love to him. It is not a general faith that will bring to heaven, but there is a special work of the Spirit, in the use of means, discovering and sealing the good will of God to us, that he intends good unto us; and thereupon our hearts are persuaded to believe in God, and to love God as our God, and Christ as our Christ.

This is excellently set down in the sweet communion of marriage. The Spirit is the paranymphos,† the procurer of the marriage, between Christ and the soul. Now it is not sufficient to know that God and Christ bear good will to all believers (though that be the ground and general foundation of all, and a great preparative to the special sealing of the Spirit); but then the Spirit comes and saith, Christ hath a special good will to me, and stirs up in me a liking to him again, to take him upon his own conditions, with conflict of corruptions, with the scorns of the world, &c. Whereupon the mutual marriage is made up between Christ and us. This work is the

'sealing of the Spirit.'

Many are the privileges of a Christian from this his sealing, as the use of a seal in man's affairs is manifold.

1. Seals serve for confirmation and allowance. To that purpose measures are sealed. God is said to seal instruction, Job xxxiii. 16. Confirmation is either by giving strength, or by the authority of such as are able to make good what they promise, and also willing; which they shew by putting to their seal, which hath as much strength to confirm him to whom the promise is made, as he hath will and power to make it good that hath engaged himself. Amongst men there is the writing, and the seal to the writing. When the seal is added to the writing there is a perfect ratification. So there are abundance of gracious promises in the Scriptures. Now when the Spirit comes and seals them to the soul, then they are sure to us; the Spirit puts the seal to the promises.

2. The use of it likewise is for distinction from others that carry not that mark. So the sealing of the Spirit distinguisheth a Christian from all other men. There is a distinction between men, in God's eternal purpose, but that concerns not us to meddle with, further than to know it in general. That is, 'counterpart,' pattern or copy.-G. †That is, the Greek Tagavuμios brideman.-G.

God knoweth who are his,' 2 Tim. ii. 19, and who are not his; but in time the Holy Spirit distinguisheth and ranks men as they were distinguished before all worlds, and as they shall be at the day of judgment. The beginning of that distinction that shall be afterward is in this life.

A seal maketh the impression of an image; the prince's image useth to be in his seal. So is God's image in his, which destroyeth the old image and print that was in us before. Holy and good men by this work of the Spirit are distinguished,

(1.) From civil* men by the work of holiness, which mere civil men have not at all, but despise.

(2.) And, secondly, from seeing good men by the depth of that work. The Spirit of God works a new nature in them, whereby they are distinguished. Now nature in every creature is carried to one thing more than to another. There is a distinct propension; in a good man to God, to grace and goodness; his aims and bent are distinct; and thereupon he hath a greater enlargement of heart suitable to his great aims. He looks above the world and worldly men. They are narrow, low, base-spirited men, the best of them. (3.) Again, Things by nature work from within. Herein painted hypocrites are distinguished from a true substantial Christian. He works from a principle within. Another man is moved as the automata, things of motion, clocks, and the like engines of wit,§ that move from a weight without that poiseth them. If they do any good it is from somewhat without that swayeth their aims and ends, and not from an inward principle. Nature works from an inward principle; light things go upward and heavy things downward, naturally; artificial things are forced. Thus good men are distinguished from those that are seemingly holy; there is a new nature wrought in them.

(4.) Again, Nature is constant. What is done naturally is done constantly. Heavy bodies go always downward, and light bodies upward. Every creature works according to his nature. An holy man is exercised in holiness constantly, because he doth it from an inward principle, from a work and stamp within. Different things may seem the same; as wild herbs may have the colour and form of those that are planted in the garden, but there is difference in the virtue of them. The seeming graces and actions of an hypocrite, they have no virtue in them; as there are some drugs without virtue, dead things. But there is a distinguishing virtue in the faith of a Christian, whereby he overcomes the world and his lusts; whereby he doth all duties, prays and hears, and is fruitful in his conversation. In all his graces there is a comforting, strengthening virtue. True gold hath the virtue to comfort and strengthen the heat|| that alchymy gold hath not (i). True grace hath a working, comforting virtue. Another man's formal artificial actions have no virtue in them; neither is it intended, they being only put on to serve a turn. Two men may do the same things, and yet there be a grand difference: the one doing them from the seal of the Spirit, from a deeper die and stamp of the Spirit; the other if from the Spirit, yet it is but from a common work at the best. Some dyes cannot bear the weather, but alter colour presently; but there are others that, having something that give a deeper tincture, will hold. The graces of a true Christian hold out in all kinds of weathers, in winter and summer, prosperity and adversity, when superficial counterfeit holiness will give out. Thus we see the seal of the Spirit serves for distinction.

That is, 'moral.'-G.

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That is, tendency toward.'-G. Qu. 'heart'?-ED.

† Qu. 'seeming'?-ED. § That is, 'skill.-G.

3. The use of a seal is likewise for appropriation. Merchants use to seal their wares they would not have others have any right unto.

A Christian is God's in a more peculiar manner than others. There is not only a witness of the Spirit that God is his; but the Spirit works in him an assent to take God again. There is a mutual appropriation: 'I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine,' Cant. ii. 16. When the soul can say, Thou art my God,' it is not frustrate, because God saith before, ‘I am thy salvation,' Ps. xxxv. 3. Where the Spirit seals, God appropriates. 'God chooseth the righteous man to himself,' Ps. iv. 3. And we may know this appropriation by appropriating God again: Whom have I in heaven but thee? and what have I in earth in comparison of thee?' Ps. lxxiii. 25. There is no action that God works upon the soul, but there is a reflect action by the Spirit to God again. If God choose and love us, we choose and love him again. God appropriates us first. We are his and we are Christ's. We are God's, because he hath given Christ for us. are Christ's, because he hath given himself for us. We are, as the apostle saith, a people of acquisition, a people purchased,' Acts xx. 28—purchased at a dear rate by the blood of Christ. Those that are Christ's, the Spirit appropriates them. This appropriation is by sealing.

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4. Again, We use to set our seal only upon that we have some estimation of. 'Set me as a seal,' saith the church in the Canticles, upon thy right hand,' viii. 6; have me in thy eye and mind as a special thing thou valuest. The witness and work of the Spirit shews God's estimation of us. The Scripture is abundant in setting forth the great price that God sets on his children. They are his children, his spouse, his friends, his portion, his treasure, his coin. He sets his mark, his likeness on them. They are things hallowed and consecrated. They are first fruits. Israel is a holy thing,' Jer. ii. 3. Their titles shew the esteem that God hath of them. He values them more than all the world besides, which are as chaff and dross The righteous man is more excellent than his neighbour,' Prov. xii. 26. As there is a difference of excellency between precious stones and other common stones, between fruitful and barren trees, so there is amongst And in this regard, God sets a higher esteem upon some; and thence it is that they have those honourable and glorious titles in Scripture, of 'sons,'' heirs,''kings,' and 'co-heirs with Christ;' when others are termed 'dross and dung,' and thorns,' and have all the base terms that may be. Now this estimation, by sealing,' is known to us by the grace God works in us. Common gifts and privileges and favours of the world are no seal of God's estimation. If God should give a man kingdoms and great monarchies, it seals not God's love to him at all; but when God makes a man a spiritual king to rule over his base lusts, this is a seal of God's valuing him above other men. Therefore we should learn how to value others and ourselves, not by common things that castaways may have, but by the stamp of God set on us by the Spirit, which is an argument that God intends to lay us up as coin for another treasury, for heaven. It is the common grand error of the times to be led with false evidences. Many think God loves them, because he spares them and follows them with long patience, and makes them thrive in the world. Alas! are these fruits of God's special love? What grace hath he wrought in thy heart by his Spirit? He gives his Spirit to them that pray,' Luke xi. 13; insinuating that next the gift of his Son, the greatest gift is the Spirit, to fashion and fit us to be members of his Son. This is an argument of God's love and esteem.

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5. Seals likewise are used for secrecy, as in letters, &c. the Spirit is a secret work. God knoweth who are his. They are only known to him and to their own hearts: The white stone is only known to him that hath it, and the hidden manna,' Rev. ii. 17. None so infallibly can know the state in grace, as those that have the gracious work themselves. Holy men in some degree are known one to another, to make the communion of saints the sweeter. There is a great deal of spiritual likeness in Christians; 'face answereth to face,' Prov. xxvii. 19, that one hath strong confidence of the salvation of another. But the undoubted certainty of a man's estate is known only to God and his own soul; nay, sometimes it is hidden from a man's self. There are so many infirmities and abasements and troubles in the world, that this life is called a hidden life' in Scripture: Our life is hid with Christ in God,' Col. iii. 3. It is unknown to the saints themselves sometimes, and the world alway: They neither know him that begets, nor them that are begotten,' 1 John v. 1.

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6. Hence, likewise, the use of a seal is to shew that things should be kept inviolable. Hereupon the church is as a 'sealed fountain,' Cant. iv. 12. Sealing shews a care of preservation from common annoyance. Hereupon likewise it is that sealing is the securing of persons or things sealed from hurt. No man will violate a letter, because it is sealed. The tomb where Christ was buried was sealed, and the prison doors upon Daniel, that none might meddle with them. So the Spirit of God, by this work of sealing, secures God's children; as the blood sprinkled upon the posts of the doors of the Israelites secured them from the destroying angel. In Ezek. ix. 4, there was a mark set upon those that were to be preserved that secured them; and in Rev. vii. 3, the sealed ones' must not be hurt. So where this seal of the Spirit is, it is an argument that God means to preserve such a one from eternal destruction, and from prevailing dangers in this world. They are God's sealed ones. No man can hurt them without wrong to God himself. Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm,' Ps. cv. 15. And likewise from devouring sins and dangerous apostasy. A man that is truly sealed by the Spirit of God he never becomes a member of antichrist, a stigmatised papist-for antichrist hath his seal too he is kept from soul-murdering errors; he hath this security upon him by the work and witness of God's Spirit. Whatsoever the use is, or can be, of a seal in man's affairs, that God will have us make use of in his heavenly intercourse betwixt him and us.

Whereby you are sealed.

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Now there are divers degrees of the Spirit's sealing.

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1. Faith; He that believes hath the witness in himself,' 1 John v. 10. He carries in his heart the counterpane* of all the promises. This grace is first planted in the heart, and answereth to God's love and purpose towards us of giving eternal life. The seal and first discovery of election is manifested to us in our believing. Acts xiii. 48, 'As many as were ordained to eternal life believed.' This believing is also a seal to us, in that it is of those gifts that accompany salvation,' Heb. vi. 9, of which God never repents him by calling back again. It is a seed that abideth for ever.' 2. The work of sanctifying grace upon the heart is a seal. Whom the Spirit sanctifieth he saveth. 'The Lord knoweth who are his,' 2 Tim. ii. 19. But how shall we know it? By this seal: Let every one that nameth the name of the Lord depart from iniquity,' not only in heart and * Cf. footnote, page 434.-G.

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