the representation of it But loe here is more than a representation Christ is set forth in this Ordinance as Crucified for you as suffering and enduring all this in your room and stead Now Suppose Reader thy self to be justly Condemned to the torture of the Rack or Strappado and that thy Father Brother or dearest Friend preferring thy life to his own would become thy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ransomer by undergoing the torment for thee and all that is left for thee to suffer were only by way of Sympathy with him Suppose now thy self standing by that Engine of Torture and beholding the members of thy dear Friend distorted and all out of joynt hearing the doleful groans extorted by the extremity of anguish and under all these torments still maintaining a constant love to thee not once repenting his torments for thee couldst thou stand there with dry eyes could thy heart be unaffected and stupid at such a sight Write him rather a Beast a Stone than a Man that could do so But this is not all The Believers interest in Christ is Sealed as well as the sufferings of Christ represented in this Ordinance And is a Sealed Interest in Christ so cheap or common a thing as that it should not engage yea swallow up all the powers of thy soul O what is this What is this The Seal of God set to the Soul of a poor Sinner to confirm and ratifie its title to the Person of Christ and the inestimable treasures of his Blood Surely as the Sealing up of a man to Damnation is the sum of all misery and that poor Creature that is so Sealed hath cause enough to mourn and wail to Eternity So the sealing up of a soul to Salvation is the sum of all mercy and happiness and the Soul that is so sealed hath cause enough to lie at the feet of God over-whelmed with the sense of so invaluable a mercy Secondly As the nature and ends of the Ordinance call for the greatest composedness of spirit so the danger of unworthy receiving should work our hearts to the most serious frames For if a man be here without his Wedding-garment if he eat and drink unworthily it is at the greatest peril of his soul that he doth so 1 Cor. 11. 27. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this Bread and drink this Cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord. To prophane and undervalue that Body and Blood of the Lord is a sin above measure sinful and the punishments of such sins will be most dreadful for still the more excellent the Blessings are that come by any Ordinance the more dreadful the Curses are that avenge the abuse of such mercies How soon may a man draw fearful guilt upon his soul and dreadful judgments upon his body by an heedless management of such sacred mysteries For this cause many are weak and fickly among you and many sleep ver 30. It is a most weighty Note that a worthy Pen sets upon this Scripture they discerned not the Body of his Son Jesus Christ in his Ordinances but instead of that holy reverend and deep-dyed behaviour which was due to it both from their inner and outward man as being a Creature of the highest and deepest Sanctification that ever God Sanctified Sanctified not only to a more excellent and glorious condition but also to many ends and purposes of far higher and dearer concernment both for the glory of God and benefit of men themselves than all other Creatures whatsoever whether in Heaven or Earth they handled and dealt by it in both kinds as if it had been a common or unsanctified thing Thus they discerned not the Lords Body And as they discerned not his Body so neither did God in some sense discern theirs but in those sore Strokes and heavy Judgments which he inflicted on them had them in no other regard or consideration than as if they had been the bodies of his Enemies the bodies of wicked and sinful men Thus drawing the model and plat-form of their punishment as usually he doth from the structure and proportion of their sin Thus the Just and Righteous God builds up the breaches that we make upon the honour belonging to the body of his Son with the ruins of that honour which he had given unto ours in health strength life and many other outward comforts and supports O then what need is there of a most awful and composed spirit when we approach the Lord in this Ordinance Thirdly As the danger of unworthy receiving should compose us to the greatest seriousness so the remembrance of that frame and temper Christs spirit was in when he actually suffered those things for us should compose our spirits into a frame more suitable and agreeable to his when we see his death as it were acted over again before our eyes was his heart roving and wandering in that day Did he not sense and mind the work he was going about Was his heart like thine stupid and unaffected with these things Look but upon that Text Luke 22. 44. and you shall see whether it were so or no. It 's said when this Tragedy drew nigh and his Enemies were ready to seize him in the Garden That being in an Agony he prayed more earnestly and his sweat was as it were great drops of Blood falling down to the ground And Matth. 26. 38. he saith My soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death His soul was full of sorrow and is thine full of stupâ—…y God forbid If thy heart be cold Christ's was hot If thou canst not shed a tear he poured out clods of blood from every part Oh! how unsuitable is a dry eye and an hard heart to such an Ordinance as this Fourthly As the frame Christs spirit was in at his death should command the most solemn frame upon our spirits at the recognizing of it so the things here represented require and call for the highest exercise of every grace of the spirit in our souls for we come not thither as idle Spectators but as active Instruments to glorifie God by exercising every grace upon Christ as Crucified for us Behold here among the rest 1. The proper object of Faith 2. The flowing spring of Repentance 3. The powerful attractive of Love First The proper object of Faith is here This Ordinance as a glass represents to thine eye that glorious Person of whom the Father said This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Matth. 17. 5. Of whom he said I have laid help upon one that is mighty This was he that was made Sin for us who had no Sin that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5. 21. Who trod the Wine-press alone and is here to be seen in his red Garments Every drop of his precious Blood hath a tongue calling for Faith to behold it poured forth as a Sacrifice to God for sin This saith he is
Labour for a deeper measure and degree of Sanctification many other rules are but Spiritual Anodynes to give present ease but this is the way to a real Cure a thousand things may be found helpful to put by a vain thought for the present but then it returns again and it may be with more strength This is the proper method to dry the spring when others are but attempts to divert the stream If habits of grace were more deeply radicated acts of grace would be more easie to us and flow more freely from us Lastly Consider what an aggravation it is to your evil to vent it self in the special presence of God in duties See how Paul mourns over it in the Text. It is not only a sin but an affronting of God to his Face this grieving of his Spirit the spoil of thy duty it is as one aptly calls it obex infernalis an hellish Bar or Remora to all sweet and free intercourse of the soul with God 3. Consolation But whilst I am representing the evil of it to some it may be there are others over-whelmed with the sorrowful sense of it even to discouragement and despondency Poor Christian is this thy case Are all the Afflictions in the world nothing to thee in comparison with this evil which is present with thee when thou wouldst do good Well though thou canst not do the good thou wouldst nor free thy self yet from the evil thou wouldst rather than live be freed from There are four things that may be much relief to thy pensive soul. First Though the presence of evil even in thy best duties be sad yet thy grief and affliction for it is sweet That is a sad sin but this is a sweet sign It is not heart-evils heart-wandrings in duties hardness and unbelief that Hypocrites mourn for but more gross and external evils Let this trouble for sin comfort thee when the presence of sin grieves thee Secondly God accepts through Jesus Christ what you do sincerely though you can do nothing purely and perfectly Cant. 5. 1. Your sincerity is your Evangelical perfection the evil that is present is not imputed the good that is present is notwithstanding that commixed evil accepted which is strong consolation Thirdly You find your case was the case of blessed Paul a man of eminent Sanctity And if you consult all the Saints one by one you will find them all sick of this disease so that your case is not singular Fourthly Your Justification is perfect and without spot though your Sanctification be not so and the time is coming when your Sanctification shall be as your Justification is and after that no more complaints THE FOURTH MEDITATION UPON Eph. 1. 13. In whom also after that ye believed ye were Sealed with the holy Spirit of Promise FROM his doxology and solemn Thanksgiving ver 3. the Apostle enumerates the principal Christian priviledges that gave the occasion of that thanksgiving among which this in the Text is not the least though last named In this one verse we have the two noble acts of Faith displaid its direct act call'd Trusting and its reflex act which in order of nature and time follows it and is implied in the word Sealing In the latter clause to which I shall confine my Meditations four things must be remarked viz. The Subject of Assurance The Nature of Assurance The Author of Assurance The Quality of Assurance The Subject of Assurance which is and can be no other than a soul that hath closed with Christ by Faith reflex acts necessarily presuppose direct ones Never was any Unbeliever Sealed except to Damnation Assurance is peculiarly the Prerogative of Believers The Nature of Assurance he calls it Sealing an apt metaphor to express the nature of it For Assurance like a Seal both confirms declares and distinguishes it confirms the grant of God declares the purpose of God and distinguishes the person so priviledg'd from othermen The Author of Assurance which is the Spirit he is the Keeper of the great Seal of Heaven and it 's his Office to confirm and seal the Believers right and interest in Christ and Heaven Rom. 8. 16. Lastly The quality of this Spirit of Assurance or the Sealing Spirit he Sealâ—… in the quality of an holy Spirit and of the Spirit of promise as an holy Spirit relating to his previous sanctifying work upon the sealed soul. As the Spirit of promise respecting the medium or instrument made use of by him in this his Sealing work for he Seals by opening and applying the promises to Believers from the Spirits order The Note will be this Doct. That the priviledge of Sealing follows the duty of Believing There is no season more proper to treat of the Sealing of the Spirit than at a Sealing Ordinance nor can I handle the Spirits sealing work in a more profitable method than in satisfying these five Queries particularly and then applying the whole 1. What is the Spirits Sealing and how performed 2. Why none are Sealed till they Believe 3. Whether all Believers are Sealed 4. What is the priviledge of being Sealed 5. What are the effects of the Spirits Sealing 1. Query First What is the Spirtts Sealing worâ—… and how is it performed Answer The Sealing of the Spirit is his giving a sure and certain testimony to the reality of that work of grace he hath wrought in our souls and to our interest in Christ and the Promises thereby satisfying our fears and doubts about our estate and condition Every matter of weight and concernment is to be proved by two sufficient Witnesses Deut. 19. 15. our sincerity and interest in Christ are matters of the deepest concernment to us in all the world and therefore need a farther witness to confirm and clear them than that of our own spirits the spirit it self therefore bears witness with our spirits Rom. 8. 16. Three things concur to the spirits Sealing work He Sanctifies the soul. He irradiates and clears that work of Sanctification He enables it thereby to apply Promises The first is his material or objective Seal the latter his formal Sealing None but the Spirit of God can clear and confirm our title to Christ for he only searcheth the deep things of God 1 Cor. 2. 10. and it 's his office Rom. 8. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to witness with our spirits This Seal or Witness of the Spirit must needs be true and certain because Omniscience and Truth are his essential properties He is Omniscient 1 Cor. 2. 10. and therefore cannot be deceived himself He is the Spirit of Truth Joh. 14. 17. and therefore cannot deceive us so that his testimony is more infallible and satisfactory than a Voice from Heaven 2 Pet. 1. 19. If an Angel should appear and tell us Christ had said to him Go and tell such a man that I love him that I shed my blood for him and will save him it could
never give that repose and satisfaction to the mind as the internal Witness or Seal of the spirit doth for that may be a delusion but this cannot The witness of our own heart may amount to a strong probability but the witness of the spirit is demonstration 1 Joh. 4. 24. So that as it is the design and work of Satan to cast in doubts and fears into gracious hearts to perplex and intangle them so oppositely it is the work of the Spirit to clear and settle the sanctified soul and fill it with peace and joy in believing Joh. 16. 7. Rom. 14. 17. In Sealing he both attests the fidem quae creditur the doctrine or object of Faith and the fidem quâ creditur the infused habit or grace of Faith Of the former he saith this is my Word of the latter this is my Work and his Seal or Testimony is evermore agreeable to the written word Isa. 8. 20. So that what he speaks in our hearts and what he saith in the Scripture are ever-more concordant and harmonious testimonies To conclude in Sealing the Believer he doth not make use of an audible Voice nor the Ministry of Angels nor immediate and extraordinary revelations but he makes use of his own graces implanted in our hearts and his own promises written in the Scriptures and in this method he usually brings the doubting trembling heart of the Believer to rest and comfort 2. Query Why are none Sealed till after Believing Answ. It cannot be denied but that many persons in the state of nature and unbelief may have ungrounded confidences and false comforts built thereupon This is evident from Matth. 7. 22. Many will say unto me in that day Lord Lord have not we Prophesied in thy Name And Joh. 8. 54 55. of whom ye say that he is your God and yet ye have not known him And beyond all is that startling Scripture Heb. 6. 4 5. Who were once enlightned and have tasted of the Heavenly gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted the good Word of God and the powers of the World to come if they fall away c. But for any except real Believers to have those Witnesses and Sealings of the Spirit described above is utterly impossible and will evidently appear to be so whether we consider The Author Nature Object Mediums End and design of this work First Consider the Author of this work the Spirit of God who is an Holy Spirit as the Text calls him and the Spirit of Truth as Christ calls him Joh. 14. 17. and it cannot be that ever he should give testimony to a lye or give a false witness quite cross to the very tenour of the written word as he must do should he Seal an Unbeliever What though they be Elect yet whilst Unregenerate they have no actual interest in Christ and the Promises and therefore can have none Sealed by the Spirit Prius est praedicare de esse quam de cognosci we must be Saints befose we can be known to be so Secondly Consider but the nature of this work and it cannot be that ever an Unbeliever should be Sealed by the Spirit For assurance is produced in our souls by the reflexive acts of our Faith The Spirit helps us to reflect upon what hath been done by him formerly upon our hearts Hereby we know that we know him 1 Joh. 2. 3. To know that we know is a reflex act now it 's impossible there should be a reflex before there hath been a direct act No man can have the evidence of his Faith before the habit be infused and the vital act first performed Thirdly Consider the object matter to which he Seals and it will be found to be his own Sanctifying operations upon our hearts and consequently to our priviledges in Christ Rom. 8. 16. 1 Joh. 3. 24. The thing or matter attested is that Christ abideth in us and that we are the Children of God But no such thing can be Sealed till we believe for neither our Adoption nor Sanctification can be before Faith Fourthly Consider the mediums or instruments used by the Spirit in his Sealing work the promises are his sealing instruments and on that account he is call'd the Spirit of Promise in the Text Not only because he is the Spirit promised but as the Promises contain the spirit so the Spirit'uses the Promises i. e. clears them to our understandings and helps us to apply them to our souls but this he never doth nor can do till the soul by Faith have union with Christ for till then it hath no right in the Promises Fifthly and lastly Consider the end and design of this work of the Spirit which is to secure to the soul its peace pardon and salvation in Christ he seals Believers to the day of Redemption Eph. 4. 30. i. e. to their compleat Salvation So then it must be equally impossible for an Unbeliever to be sealed as to be saved 3. Query The next enquiry is whether all Believers are Sealed by the Spirit Answ. The resolution of this Query will depend upon several distinctions that must be made upon this matter 1. Distinction We must distinguish the different kinds of the Spirits sealing all his Sealing work is not of one kind nor to one and the same use and end There is an Objective Seal which distinguishes the person and a Formal Seal which clears and ratifies his interest in Christ and Salvation The first he doth in Sanctifying us the second in Assuring us When he Seals us Objectively that is when he Sanctifies us really by the infusion of grace he Seals us by way of distinction from other men which is one end of Sealing for though in respect of Gods decree and purpose there was a difference betwixt us and others before time 2 Tim. 2. 19. And although in regard of Christs intention in his death there was a difference betwixt us and others Joh. 17. 9. yet all this while there is no personal actual difference betwixt us and others till Sanctification do make one Eph. 2. 3. and 1 Cor. 6. 11. But the Sanctification of the Spirit makes a real difference in the state and temper of the person 2 Cor. 5. 17. and manifests that difference which Election put betwixt us and others before-time 1 Thes. 1. 4 5. And yet all this while a man may not be formally Sealed i. e. his Sanctification may be very doubtful to himself and he may labour under great fears about it 2. Distinction The seasons of the Spirits sealing must be distinguished and these are to some First Immediately upon the souls first closing with Christ at Conversion especially when Conversion is wrought at riper age and is usher'd in by a greater degree of the spirit of bondage and deep inward terrors Thus the Prodigal the emblem of a Convert so brought home to God was entertained with the fatted Calf and Musick but all
another by intermediate Ejaculations If care of duty be once remitted you are not far from a sad change of your condition Fourthly Improve all Ordinances especially this great Sealing Ordinance for your farther confirmation and establishment Act your Faith to the uttermost of its ability upon Christ Crucified and comfort will flow in The more the direct acts of Faith are exercised the more powerful and sweet its reflex acts are like to be THE FIFTH MEDITATION UPON Joh. 1. 29. Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the Sins of the World THE scope of this Chapter is to prove the Divinity and Eternal God-head of Jesus Christ. One of those Arguments by which this great Article of Faith is confirmed and proved is the Testimony of John This testimony of John is the more remarkable because it was before Prophesied of him that when the Messiah should come this Messenger should go before his face to prepare the way for him Mal. 3. 1. Now among all the Testimonies that ever John gave of Christ none ever was or could be more full and clear than this in the Text. Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the Sin of the World In which words are remarkable 1. The Preface to his Testimony 2. The Testimony itself First The Preface or Introduction to Johns Testimony Behold there is a double use in Scripture of this word Sometimes it 's used by way of Inâ—…ication and sometimes by way of Excitation In the first it points out the person in the last it raises our affections to him In this place it hath both these Uses Behold the Lamb of God q. d. This is the great â—…xpectation and hope of all Ages This person whom you behold is the desire of all Nations Loe this is God manifest in flesh This is the great Sacrifice the Lamb of God Never did humane eyes behold such an object before Secondly The testimony it self which must be considered two ways as it respects 1. The truth and reality 2. The vertue and dignity of Christ its object First Johns Testimony respects the the truth and reality of the object this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lamb of God the very Antitype to which all legal Sacrifices had respect and from which they derived all their value and vertue grace and truth came by Christ as he had said before ver 17. The Paschal Lamb and Lamb for daily Sacrifice were but the Types and Shadows of this Lamb of God Secondly His Testimony respects the vertue and dignity of Christ and his Blood He taketh away the Sin of the World The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a Learned Critick observes answers both the Hebrew words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Isa. 53. and signifies not only to bear but to bear away portando expiat expiando ausert efficitque ut remittatur By bearing sin he expiates it and by expiating takes it away or procures the mission of it The expression seems to allude to the scape Goat mentioned Levit. 16. 22. Thus Christ really and wholly takes away the sin of the world i. e. the sin of all Believers in the world for whom he was Sacrificed as Drusius well expounds it concurrent with the stream of sound Expositors So that this is a very full Testimony which John gives to Christ and it is given with great affection and admiration of him Behold yea admire in beholding the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world behold him with affections suitable to such an object Ecce persona à Deo ordinata in victimam ad expiandum peccata Behold the person appointed by God for a Sacrifice to expiate sin Now though this Scripture be very fruitful in practical observations yet it is not my purpose at this time to note or prosecute any of them except this one which rises from the praefatory particle or that note of admiration with which Johns Testimony of Christ is usher'd in Behold the Lamb of God And the note thence will be this Doct. That Jesus Christ the Lamb of God is to be beheld with admiration and affection suitable to such an object Christ is beheld by men three ways First Carnally with an eye of flesh So men saw him in the days of his flesh and despised him Isa. 53. 2. Carnal eyes saw no beauty in him that he should be desired Secondly Fiducially by the eye of Faith believing is seeing Christ Joh. 6. 40. Faith is to the Saints instead of eyes by it they make Christ present though the Heavens have received him out of our carnal sight Thirdly Beatifically by the glorified eye So the spirits of just men made perfect do by their mental eye see him in glory and all the Saints after the Resurrection shall with these Corporeal eyes see their Redeemer according to Job 19. 26 27. The sight of Christ by Faith which is all the sight of him that any man now hath or can have in this world as it is much more excellent than the first for blessed are they that have not seen and yet believe Joh. 20. 29. So it is much inferiour to the last 1 Cor. 13. 12. For now we see darkly through a glass but then face to face But though it be an inferior Vision in respect of that which is immediate and perfect yet the eye of Faith is a precious eye and the Visions of Christ by Faith are ravishing Visions and he that beholds Christ the Lamb of God by a steddy fixed eye of faith cannot but admire and be deeply affected with such a sight of him The views of Christ by Faith are ravishing and transporting views 1 Pet. 1. 8. Whom having not seen ye love in whom though now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory It is a disparagement to so glorious an object as Christ to behold him and not wonder to see and not love him Certainly the admiration love delight and joy of our hearts are all at the command of Faith For let us but consider what ravishing excellencies are in Christ for the eye of a Believer to behold and admire First God is in Christ 2 Cor. 5. 19. He is God manifest in the flesh 1 Tim. 3. 16. A God Incarnate is the worlds wonder Here is Finite and Infinite joyn'd in one Eternity matcht with Time the Creator and Creature making but one Person The Lord hath Created a new thing in the Earth a Woman shall compass a Man Jer. 31. 22. 'T is an argument of weakness to admire little things and of stupidity not to admire great things Many Miracles saith one were wrought by Christ in the flesh but the greatest of all Miracles was his assumption of Flesh. Secondly The Wisdom of God is in Christ yea in him are hid all the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge Col. 2. 3. Never did the Divine Wisdom display its glorious beams in the eyes of Men
find not this presently as some do Secondly Times of eminent Communion with God are Sealing times There are extraordinary out-lets of Peace Joy and Comfort at some seasons in duty which makes the state of the soul very clear and banishes all scruples and fears from the heart Thirdly Others are Sealed upon some eminent hazard they have been exposed to for Christ or some extraordinary sufferings they have undergone for Christ wherein they have carried it with eminent meekness patience and self-denial 2 Cor. 1. 4 5. Thus the Martyrs were many times Sealed in the depth of their sufferings Fourthly It 's usually found that a Sealing time follows a dark day of desertion and sore combats with temptation Post Nubila Phoebus So that Text Rev. 2. 17. is expounded by some To him that overcometh will I give the white stone and the new name Fifthly Dying-times prove Sealing-times to many souls if their whole life have been like that day described by the Prophet Zech. 14. 17. neither dark nor light a life betwixt hopes and fears yet at Evening-time it hath been light 3. Distinction Lastly We must distinguish the several ways and manners of Sealing Some are extraordinary and immediate vouchsafed only to some persons at some special times and seasons Thus Zacheus was in an extraordinary and immediate way ascertained of his Salvation Luk. 19. 9. This day is Salvation come to this House And so the Palsie-man Mark 2. 5. Son saith Christ thy sins be forgiven thee But these immediate ways are ceased no man may now expect by any new Revelation or Sign from Heaven by any Voice or extraordinary Inspiration to have his Salvation sealed but must expect that mercy in Gods ordinary way and method searching the Scriptures examining our own hearts and waiting on the Lord in Prayer The Learned Gerson gives an instance of one that had been long upon the borders of despair and at last sweetly assured and setled and being asked how he attained that Assurance he answered Non ex nova aliqua revelatione c. Not by any new revelation but by subjecting my understanding to and comparing my heart with the written word And Mr. Roberts in his Treatise of the Covenants speaks of another that so vehemently panted after the Sealings and Assurance of the love of God to his soul that for a long time he earnestly desired some Voice from Heaven and sometimes walking in the solitary Fields earnestly desired some miraculous voice from the Trees or Stones there This was denied him but in time a better was afforded in a scriptural way Now to resolve the Query out of these distinctions First Though all Believers have not the formal Sealings of the Spirit yet they have the objective or material Seal that is the Spirit is in them as a sanctifying spirit putting a real difference betwixt them and others when he is not with them by way of evidence and assurance of sanctification Secondly Though all Believers are not Sealed at one and the same time yet there are few if any Believers but do meet with one season or other in this life wherein the Lord doth Seal them if not at their first close with Christ as many have been Sealed yet in some choice and eminent season of communion with God such golden spots of time such precious seasons most Christians can speak of Though as Bernard speaks it be rara hora brevis mora Seldom but sweet Or if not in the course of their active obedience 't is a thousand to one but they shall meet it in the way of their passive obedience if God exercise them eminently under the cross or after a dark cloud of desertion or in a dying hour Thirdly and lastly Though God now Seals not men in an extraordinary and immediate way by Revelation immediate Inspiration or Voices from Heaven yet most Christians are sealed in the ordinary way of the Spirit under one Ordinance or other in one duty or other 4. Query What is the priviledge of being Sealed by the Spirit Answ. Much every way words cannot express the riches of this mercy for let us but consider the four following particulars and you will admire the mercy First Consider whose act and proper work Sealing is God doth not send Angels upon this Errand though if he did that would be a great honour to poor dust and ashes but he sends his Spirit to do it Oh the Condescension of the great God to men this is a greater honour than if millions of Angels were imploy'd about it And then as to certainty and satisfaction it is beyond all other ways and methods in the world for in miraculous Voices and Inspirations it's possâ—…ble there may subesse falsum be found some Cheat or Imposture of the Devil but the spirits witness in the heart suitable to his revelation in the Scripture cannot deceive us Secondly The conclusion or truth sealed is ravishing and transporting All Christians vehemently pant for it few have the enjoyment of it for any long continuance But whilst they do enjoy it they enjoy Heaven upon Earth a joy beyond all the joys of this world To have this conclusion surely Sealed Christ is mine my sin is pardoned I shall be saved from wrath through him O what is this what is this Thirdly Consider the subject or person Sealed a poor sinful wretch that hast ten thousand times over grieved the good Spirit of God by whom notwithstanding thou art Sealed to the day of Redemption Thou hast by every sin deserved to be sealed up to Damnation Thou hast reason to account and esteem thy self much inferior in graces and duties to many thousands of the Saints that are panting after this priviledge and cannot obtain it O the riches of the goodness of God! Fourthly and lastly Consider the designs and aims of the Spirit in his Sealing thy soul which are 1. To secure Heaven to thee for ever 2. As intermediate thereunto to bring very much of Heaven into thy soul in the way to it indeed to give thee two Heavens whilst many others must suffer two Hells 5. Query Lastly We will enquire what are the effects of the Spirits sealing upon our souls by which we may distinguish and clearly discern it from all delusions of Satan and all Impostures whatsoever Answ. The genuine and proper effects and fruits of Sealing are 1. Inflamed Love 2. Renewed Care 3. Deep Abasements 4. Increase of Strength 5. A desire to be with the Lord. 6. Improved Mortification to the world Wheresoever these are found consequent to our Communion with God and his manifestations of himself to us therein they put it beyond all doubt that it was the Seal of his own blessed Spirit and no delusion First The Sealings of the Spirit cannot but inflame the love of the soul in a very intense degree towards God One flame doth not more naturally beget another than the love of God doth kindle the love of a gracious
my Earthliness the hardness of my heart the corruption of my nature the innumerable evils of my life that brought him down to the dust of death He was made sin for us who knew no sin 2 Cor. 5. 21. Who can believingly eye Christ as suffering such pains such wrath such a curse in the room of such a Sinner such a Rebel so undeserving and so ill-deserving a Creature and not mourn as for an only Son and be in bitterness as for a first-born Fourthly Faith melts the heart by considering the effects and fruits of the sufferings of Christ what great things he hath purchased by his Stripes and Blood for poor Sinners a full and final pardon of sin a well-settled peace with God a sure title and right to the eternal Inheritance and all this for thee a Law-condemned a Self-condemned Sinner Lord what am I that such mercies as these should be purchased by such a price for me for me when thousands and ten thousands of sweeter dispositions must burn in Hell for ever Oh what manner of love is this Fifthly Faith melts the heart by exerting a three-fold act upon Christ Crucified First A realizing act representing all this in the greatest certainty and evidence that can be These are no devised fables but the sure and infallireports of the Gospel Secondly An appying act he loved me and gave himself for me Gal. 2. 20. He loved us and washed us from our sins in his own Blood Rev. 1. 5. Thirdly and lastly By an inferring or reasoning act If Christ died for me then I shall never die If his Blood were paid down for me then my sins which are many are forgiven me If he was Condemned in my room I am acquitted and shall be saved from wrath to come through him O how weighty do these thoughts prove to believing souls 1. Use for information 1. Then sure there is but little faith because there is so much deadness and unaffectedness among Professors A believing sight of Christ will work upon a gracious heart as a dead Son a beloved and only Son uses to do upon a tender Fathers heart Reader was it ever thy sad lot to look upon such an heart-rending object Did'st thou ever feel the pangs and commotions in thy bowels that some have felt upon such a sight Why so will thy heart work towards Christ if ever thou believingly lookest on him whom thou hast pierced 2. Infer Then the acting and exercising of faith is the best expedient to get a tender heart and raise the dead affections We are generally full of complaints how hard how dead and stupid our hearts are we are often putting such cases as these How shall I get a broken heart for sin How shall I raise my dead heart in duty Why this is the way no expedient in all the world like this Look upon him whom thou hast pierced 'T is the melting Argument 2. Use of Examination But that which I especially aim at in this point is for the tryal and examination of thy heart Reader in the point of true Evangelical Repentance which is thy proper business at this time And I will go no further than the Text for rules to examine and try it by 1. Rule All Evangelical Repentance hath a supernatural spring I will pour out the spirit of grace and they shall mourn Till the spirit be poured out upon us it is as easie to press water out of a Rock as to make our hearts relent and mourn There are indeed natural meltings the effects of an ingenuous Temper but these differ in kind and nature from Godly sorrow 2. Rule Godly sorrows are real sincere and undissembled They shall mourn as for an only Son Parents need not the help of an Onion to draw tears on such accounts O! their very hearts are pierced they could even die with them Sighs groans and tears are not hang'd out as false signs of what is not to be found in their hearts 3. Rule Evangelical sorrow is very deep so much the mourning for an only Son a first-born must import These waters how still soever they be run deep very deep in the bottom channel of the soul. See Act. 2. 27. They were cut to the heart 4. Rule Faith is the instrument employed in breaking the heart They shall look and mourn This is the Burning glass that contracts the beams and fires the affections 5. Rule Lastly The Wrong sin hath done to God and the sufferings it hath brought Christ under are the piercing and heart-wounding considerations They shall look upon me whom they have pierced and mourn The piercing of Christ by our sin is that must pierce thy soul with sorrow THE TENTH MEDITATION UPON John 6. ver 55. For my flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed IN this context our Lord Jesus Christ makes a most spiritual and excellent discourse to the Jews about the nature and necessity of faith in him taking the occasion thereof from the Bread which a little before he had so miraculously multiplied and fed them with raising up their minds to more sublime and spiritual things and letting them know that Bread how sweet soever it was was but a shaddow of himself infinitely more sweet and necessary These words are a proposition in which are these three things observable First The subject my Flesh and my Blood Secondly The Predicate it is Meat and Drink Thirdly The manner of Predication it 's Meat indeed and Drink indeed First The subject my Flesh and my Blood i. e. my Humanity this is meat and drink true spiritual food If it be demanded why he had not said I am meat and drink indeed but rather chuses to say my flesh and blood is so the reason is evident saith Learned Camero because if you take away Flesh and Blood from Christ he cannot be Food or Life to us For in order to his being so he must satisfie God for us and obtain the Remission of our sins but without shedding of Blood there is no Remission Now for as much as by the offering up of his Body and shedding of his Blood he hath obtained pardon and life for us therefore his Flesh and Blood is call'd our Meat and our Drink that by which our souls live Which brings us to the second thing Secondly The Predicate it is meat and drink i. e. it is to our souls of the same Use and necessity that meat and drink is to our natural life which cannot be sustained or continued without them The life of our souls as necessarily depends upon the Flesh and Blood of Christ as our natural life doth upon meat and drink Yet beware of a mistake here the Flesh and Blood or the Humanity of Christ is not the Fountain of our spiritual life but the Channel rather through which it flows to us from his Divinity By reason of his Incarnation and Death Righteousness and Life comes to us Thirdly The manner of