by any new Revelation or extraordinary Voice from Heaven but by subjecting his Understanding to and comparing his heartwith the word Thus having made these Distinctions for your clear understanding the Case give me leave to Answer all out of doubt from what has been said And that briefly in these three things First Consider that though all Believers have not the Formal yet they have the Objective Seal of the Spirit they are all Sanctified and made Holy by the holy Spirit of Promise true Grace is infused and imprinted in their Souls though the formal Seal of the Spirit may not yet be set to it There may be Fire put in on the Hearth Though you cannot well see it there may be Grace in the Heart and spiritual life though it cannot be well discerned because of the many Corruptions that be yet in the Heart You read Matth. 12. 20. of the smoaking Flax and bruised Reed Grace may be true though weak and a Man may be in Christ though it be not clear to him all Believers are Sanctified though not Sealed presently But Secondly Consider That tho' all Believers are not Sealed at one and the same time yet there are few that are true Christians but before they dye meet with one Season or another wherein the Lord doth Seal them If they be not Sealed at their first closing in with Christ by Faith as some are tho' but few yet they are Sealed by the Spirit more or less before they dye and go out of the World Thirdly and Lastly Consider That though God doth not now seal by his Spirit in an extraordinary and immediate way by Revelation c. yet most Christians in the ordinary way of the Spirit are sealed God meets with them in one Duty or another in one sacred Ordinance or another either in Prayer Reading Hearing or in receiving of the Lord's Supper This God has promised and Believers may expect for God is faithful who has promised I shall conclude with these two Scriptures Isa 32. 17. And the work of Righteousness shall be peace and the effect of Righteousnes Quietness and Assurance for ever Isa 64. 5. Thou meetest him that rejoyceth and worketh Righteousness and remembers thee in thy ways So much for this time Believers Sealed BY THE Spirit of Promise Third Sermon from Ephes 1. the latter part of the 13 verse In whom also after that ye believed ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of Promise BRethren the Truth we are upon from the Words is this Doctrine The great priviledge and mercy of being Sealed by the Spirit of Promise is after the Duty and Act of Believing After ye Believed ye were Sealed by the Spirit c. For the opening this great Point we have First already shown what the Spirit 's Sealing is Secondly Why none are nor can be Sealed till they Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ And Thirdly We have answered this great Question viz. Whether all Believers are Sealed by the Spirit of Promise or not Now in the Fourth place God assisting we shall shew you the great Priviledges of those Souls that are Sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise And my Beloved their Priviledges and Advantages are many and great even so great and many that words cannot express them fully nor set out the riches and worth of this mercy Some of the Saints Priviledges by being Sealed we shall acquaint you with in these particulars First The use of a Seal in Men's Affairs sets out the priviledges of Believers Sealed by the Spirit For as the use of a Seal is manifold so the advantages of Believers are many who are Sealed by the Holy Spirit to the day of Redemption Eph. 4. 30. Quest What are the Vses 〈…〉 Seal Answ The Uses of a Seal are many as First A Seal serves for Confirmation amongst Men there is the Writing and the Seal put to the Writing now when the Seal is added there is a perfect Ratification or Confirmation of what is in the Writing There are abundance of great and precious Promises in the Word of God which the Spirit of Promise seals to the Soul and when he seals them then are they sure to us The Apostle tells us 2 Cor. 1. 20. That all the Promises of God are in Christ yea and Amen Yea that is truth Amen that is assurance And in v. 21. He hath also Sealed us and given the earnest of his Spirit in our hearts Those Promises that are made and given us in Christ the Lord assures and confirms to us by his Holy Spirit who opens and applies the Promises to Believers The Spirit assureth the Saints their right in the Promises and that God will pay the whole sum of them in his time to them For an Earnest saith the Annotators on the place is as a pledge whereby we confirm a Bargain or as a piece of Money whereby we assure the payment of the whole The first gift therefore of the Spirit and of Life is a pledge of our whole Inheritance insomuch that this anointing sealing and pledging all serve to one and the same end God is both able and willing to perform all that he hath promised and this the Spirit testifies to the Souls of them that he Seals 2. Vse A Seal is for distinction from others that carries not that mark the Spirit of God distinguishes them he Seals from other Men in the World There is as before I have told you a distinction between Persons in God's Election and Eternal Purpose but this concerns us not secret things belonging to God Deut. 29. 29. any further than to know it in the general that there is such a thing we are not to meddle any further with it 2 Tim. 2. 19. The Lord knoweth them that are his and them that are not his for he has set his seal and mark upon them in Christ from Eternity but now the Spirit of God in time distinguisheth and ranks Men saith D. Sibbs as they were before all Worlds and as they shall be at the Day of Judgment when Christ shall come and give to all Men according to their works 2 Cor. 5. 10. The beginning of that distinction that shall be afterwards is in this life the Spirit 's objective Seal viz. of Sanctification makes a distinction between Men. A Seal you know makes the Impression of an Image and the Prince's Image uses to be in his Seal The glorious Image of God is in his Seal which ruines and destroys the old Man and prints the New in the Souls of Believers by the Spirit 's Sealing Ephes 4. 22 23 24. There is that by the Spirit stamp'd and printed in the Soul that was not there before True Believers by the Spirit 's Sealing are First Distinguished from moral civilized Men which are at best but tamed Devils and old Adam put in a new Dress The House may be swept i. e. Man may be civilized and have many good Morals and yet the Heart not Sanctified See Matth. 12.
COMFORT FOR BELIEVERS OR A Discourse of the Duty and Priviledge of being Sealed by the Holy Spirit In Five Sermons upon Eph. 1. 13 PUBLISHED For the Establishment of weak Believers who are fill'd with Doubts and Fears about their Eternal State By Nathanael VViles Pastor of a Church of Christ in Shadwell Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ and hath anointed us is God Who hath sealed us and given the earnest of the Spirit in our Hearts 2 Cor. 1. 21 22. London Printed for James Gibbs and to be sold by Caleb Hooker at the Muzeled-Bear upon VVapping-VVall near Peliean-Stairs Thi◠Shadow Shadows out the Face of one Whose Life 's a Bubble and will soon be gone He is a Mortal and must shortly dye But hopes to live with Christ Eternally Who lost his Life and freely shed his Blood He trusts to Sāve and brīng him unto God My Flesh my Soul my All I owe to Thee My blēssed Lord whos̄e Stripes are Balm to me THE Epistle Dedicatory To all who are in God the Father and in our Lord Jesus Christ but particularly to the Church of Christ meeting in Shadwell Grace Mercy and Peace be multiplied Dearly Beloved THE wisest of Men hath told us excepting Christ that a word spoken in Season or as it is in the Original upon his Wheels is like Apples of Gold in Pictures of Silver Prov. 25. 11. Oh how excellent are Words rightly ordered placed and circumstantiated such words of all are the most excellent the most prevalent and the most pleasant Words that can be spoken they are most precious most desirable and most delectable the Lord grant that what is here spoken in this Treatise may be such kind of Words that all that read them may find them most precious most sweet and very seasonable To time a Word Beloved in Season is to set it upon the Wheels And Oh that this might be a Word well timed To speak a word to the purpose si Deo placuerit if it shall please the Lord is the project and design of this Book there is a great glory upon all words of Truth but there is a double Glory upon seasonable words of Truth Therefore in the following discourses I have made it my Care and Business to set before you a seasonable comfortable and encouraging Truth and if the Lord will set in by his Spirit I am sure you will find it such to be sealed by the Spirit and to have his Witness in our Hearts that God loves us with an Everlasting Love therefore with Loving Kindness he hath drawn us Jer. 31. 3. And that we are the Children of God is most sweet and comfortable there is nothing can or will encourage the Saints of God living and dying and comfort their Souls more than this A Seal beloved is for two Ends viz. Safety and Secresie and Sealing is used in three Cases First to keep things secret that they may not be seen Secondly Distinct that they may not be confused And Thirdly Safe that they may be forth-coming these uses you will find opened in the Book To set forth the unspeakable Priviledges of Believers Sealed by the Spirit from which may be drawn much comfort and sweetness there is not a more encouraging and comforting Truth in all the Book of God well understood and applied than this is of Sealing by the Holy Spirit to the Day of Redemption Eph. 4. 30. In these Sermons of Sealing by the Holy Spirit I may say There is Milk for Babes and Meat for strong Men. I hope all that see or read them will reap benefit by them Many of you Beloved were well pleased and much refreshed in the hearing of these Sermons and I trust yea and shall pray that you may be also built up and nourished in the reading of them 'T is true they are brought forth and set before you in a homely Dress not garnished with fine Phrases and Rhetorical Expressions but such as they are I hope you will accept of them The design of them is honest viz. God's Glory and the edifying and building up of your Souls in Christ Jesus What you find of God in them to the use of Edifying give him all the Glory of it and bless his Name for making the hearing or reading of these Sermons beneficial to your Souls I am well aware That some will censure me for what I have here done and offered to the World But if God may have Glory by these weak Endeavours of mine and any poor Soul reap Spiritual Comfort and Advantage then I shall have my end and bear up chearfully under the variety of Censures which may be pass'd upon me To conclude Consider this one thing Christians for your comfort and establishment in Christ Jesus viz. That those who are Sealed by the Spirit of God here shall be crowned with Eternal Glory hereafter Rev. 2. 10. Such shall have a Crown of Life Christ has bought the kingdom of Heaven for them that Believe and hath paid for it at an high rate even his most precious Blood is the price paid for it Eph. 1. 14. 1 Pet. 1. 17 18 19. And he hath prepared for them Mansions who are Denisons Crowns for them who are Heirs And pray who are these but such as are born again and Sealed by the Spirit of Promise Rom. 8. 16 17. Believers have Assurance of Heaven three ways First By Faīth in Christ 1 Pet. 1 9. Receiving the end of your faith even the Salvation of your Souls Secondly By their hearty and real Conformity to Christ Rom. 8. 29. For whom he did fore-know he also did Predestinate to be made conformable to the Image of his Son Thirdly By the Sealing Work of the Spirit For they are Sealed unto the Day of Redemption Eph. 4. 30. And says Paul in the Text Eph. 1. 13 14. After that ye Believed ye were Sealed with that Holy Spirit of Promise which says he is the earnest of our Inheritance c. Believers shall as certainly be glorified as if they were Crowned already John 14. 1 2 3. They be Heirs to Heaven's Crown here and shall be possessed of it when they come there What the Saints hold now in reversion they shall then have in full possession and be with their God in the Impyreal Heaven where there will be nothing present that offends nor nothing absent that delights Now that you may all Beloved arrive at this place of Blessedness and be for ever with the Lord is and shall be the prayers of him who subscribes himself Your Servant in the Gospel for Jesus's sake Nathanael Wyles Decemb. 4. 1696. Believers Sealed BY THE Spirit of Promise First Sermon from Ephes 1. the latter part of the 13 verse In whom also after that ye believed ye were Sealed with the Holy Spirit of Promise THE Apostle Paul a Servant of Christ in this Chapter enumerates the principal Christian Privileges and Blessings that were given to and conferred on Believers thro' Christ
which were the occasion of his Doxology and Solemn Thanksgiving verse the third Blessed says he be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us that is us Believers with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places or things in Christ Jesus Whence note That Christ is the Foundation of all those Spiritual Blessings that are given and bestowed on the Saints Secondly That God the Father is to be blessed that is praised and glorified for these spiritual Blessings who is the Donor of them through Jesus Christ Blessed be the God and Father c. What these rich Blessings are which are bestowed on Believers in and through Christ the Apostle shews from the 4. to the 13 v. and numbers them up which are 1. Election before the Foundation of the World or from Eternity in Christ v. 4. according as he viz. God hath chosen us in him viz. Christ before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love Where observe four things 1. That the efficient cause of Election is the love of God 2 Tim 1. 9. Secondly That the Election of Persons is sounded in Jesus Christ chosen us in him Christ is the Elect of God and all the Elect are chosen of God in Christ Thirdly Election of certain Persons in Christ is not after they are born or do believe but before even from Eternity he hath chosen us in him when before the foundation of the world that is from Eternity Election is from Everlasting though Vocation is in time Fourthly That God hath not chosen Persons to happiness only but to holiness that we should be holy c. Happiness is the End Holiness through Christ the means to that End Though God has chose some to happiness and they shall all certainly be Saved he having set his Seal upon them yet they that name Christ's Name must depart from Iniquity So saith the Apostle 2 Tim. 2. 19. Secondly Another Blessing is Predestination unto the Adoption of Children by Jesus Christ according to the good will and pleasure of God to the Glory and Praise of his rich Grace v. 4. and 5. Thirdly Acceptance with God both of our Persons and Services in and through Christ who is the beloved is another Blessing v. 6. to the praise and glory of his grace wherein he viz. God hath made us accepted in the Beloved Fourthly Redemption from sin and wrath through the Blood of Christ which is precious Blood that only makes peace with God for us v. 7. In whom through or by whom we have Redemption through his Blood Colos 1. 20. Fifthly Forgiveness of Sins which is a Soul-inriching Blessing This comes through the bitter agony and blood-shed of Christ to us Heb. 9. 22. We have not only Redemption but Pardon and Forgiveness of Sins through Christ according to the riches of his grace bounty or goodness v. 7. Sixthly A manifestation and discovery of the mystery of God's Will through Christ in the Gospel concerning the Salvation of Sinners c. according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself v. 9. Whence observe That not only the Election but also the vocation of the adopted Sons of God proceedeth from meer free Grace in Christ and nothing else Seventhly Union with Christ the Head of all the Faithful this is a great blessing and priviledge mentioned v. 10. That in the dispensation of the fulness of times that is in the time prefixed by the Lord who is the disposer of times and of order in all things for the accomplishment of the Promises that concerned Christ the Messiah and that concerns all the Elect in him he might gather in one all things in Christ reduce into one capital sum or bring under one head so the word signifies both which are in heaven and which are on earth even in him Some understand here the Faithful whereof some are now in Heaven and others are yet upon the Earth which are called and gathered into one body and under one head The Faithful may be said to be gathered together in Christ which holds forth their mystical Union with him because they are joined together with him by Faith and so are become as it were one Man But Eighthly In the 11. and 12. v. you have the vocation or calling both of Jew and Gentile to the participation of that Redemption in Christ according to God's good pleasure and purpose of the Jew first and afterwards of the Gentile In whom also we have obtained an Inheritance being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things according to the counsel of his own will that we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted or hoped in Christ Where observe four things 1. That the calling of Jew and Gentile by Grace in Christ here and their obtaining Heaven and Glory hereafter is all according to the good pleasure and wise purpose of God 2dly All things are attributed to the Free Grace of God through Christ without exception who worketh all things yet we are not stocks for he giveth us Grace both to will and to do those things that are good Phil. 2. 13. 3dly God's working all things not simply according to his will but according or after the counsel of his own will teach us thus much That God as an intelligent and most wise Agent doth all things upon most just and prudent grounds known to himself and he hath always a reason for his will tho' to us his will must stand for the supream Reason Stat pro ratione volunt as Matth. 11. 26. 4thly Observe the great end of all this viz. the praise and glory of his Grace i. e. of his glorious Grace that as his bountiful goodness and love in Christ deserveth all praise so also it should be set forth and published Ninthly In the 13 14. Paul speaks particularly of the vocation of the Ephesians to whom he wrote And that 1. by the operation of the word of truth which they heard 2. By the obsignation of the spirit in whom also they trusted after that they heard the word of Truth the Gospel of your Salvation In whom also after that ye believed ye were Sealed with the Spirit of Promise Here is another Blessing which is not one of the least though it be one of the last named In this one Verse part of which is our Text we have two noble acts of Faith spoken of and display'd 1. A direct act called trusting In whom also ye trusted c. 2. A reflex Act which in order of Nature and Time follows it which act is implied in the word Sealing In whom also after that ye believed ye were Sealed c. In which words are these four parts as 1. The Subjects of this Sealing or Assurance and they are Believers such as have closed in with Christ by Faith An Unbeliever as such was never sealed unless to damnation 'T is Believers only that are sealed
to Salvation In whom after that ye believed c. 2. The nature of this Assurance Paul calls it a Sealing ye were sealed c. Assurance says one is like to a Seal for three things 1. It confirms the Grants of God And 2. It declares the purpose of God And Lastly It distinguishes the Persons so priviledged from other Persons 3. Here is the Author of this Sealing viz. The Holy Spirit of Promise Ye were Sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise It is he Beloved that keeps the great Seal of Heaven and it is his Office to Seal and to confirm to Believers their Interest in Christ by Faith and right to Heaven and Glory As it is his work to sanctifie so also to seal Believers and witness to them their Adoption Rom. 8. 16. The Spirit witness with our Spirits that we are the children of God 4. You have the quality of this Spirit that seals Believers he is a Holy Spirit and he seals the Saints as an Holy Spirit of Promise Now the Spirit 's sealing thus 1. as an holy Spirit relates to his previous work of Sanctification in the Souls of them he seals the Spirit first sanctifies and then seals the Soul 2. As a Spirit of Promise this respects the Medium or Instrument made use of by him in his sealing of Believers viz. the Promises of God which are made in or with Christ the Head for all Believers and given to them thro' him 2 Pet. 1. 4. The Spirit opens and applies the Promises of the Gospel to Believers in order to their sealing Thus having opened the Text and given the Analyses of it we shall note two Doctrines First Doctrine That the Spirit of God who is a sealing Spirit is a holy Spirit or a Spirit of Holiness the Sanctifier of unholy Persons he is called by this Name often in the Scriptures 1 Thes 1. 5. As the Devil is an unclean Spirit or a Spirit of uncleanness Matth. 12. 43. so the Spirit of God is a holy Spirit or a Spirit of holiness We read of the sanctification of the Spirit 1 Pet. 1. 3. And we are said 2 Cor. 3. 18. to be changed from glory to glory into the Image and likeness of Christ even by the Spirit of promise I shall not inlarge upon this only beseech you in Christ's stead to examine your selves whether you have this holy Spirit of Promise dwelling in you know this that if you have not the Spirit of Christ Profess what you will you are none of his Rom. 8. 9. Have you therefore the Spirit or not If you have then you are Christ's and transform'd into his Image and Likeness you are made comely through his comeliness put upon you Ezek. 16. 14. If you have not the Spirit you are still under the power of Satan led captive by him at his will 2 Tim. 2. 26. He rules in your hearts and has his throne there Eph. 2. 2 3. Quest How shall we know we have the Spirit Answ By his blessed Operations and Fruit in your Souls where the Spirit is the Soul is changed and renewed and there 's Faith Love Patience and other Fruits of the Spirit 1 Cor. 5. 17. Gal. 5. 21 22. Second Doctrine The great Priviledge and Blessing of sealing by the Spirit follows the duty and act of Believing In whom also after that ye believed ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of Promise For the prosecution of this great Truth for your Edification and building up in Christ Jesus I shall 1. Shew you what the sealing of the Spirit is and how it is performed by him in the Soul 2. Shew you why none are sealed with the Spirit till after they do believe and close in with Christ by Faith 3. Shew whether all Believers are sealed by the Spirit 4. Shew you the great Priviledges of them that are Sealed 5. Then sum up all by way of Application 1. Shew you what the Spirit 's Sealing is and how it is performed by him in the Soul In general the Sealing of the holy Spirit is his giving a sure and certain testimony to the reality and truth of that Grace whichhe hath wrought in their Souls and to their saving Interest in Jesus Christ and propriety in all the promises of the Gospel that are made in Christ for all true Believers This is the Spirit 's Sealing whereby he resolves the fears and satisfies the Souls of Believers whom he seals about their state and condition This sealing Work is alone by the Spirit none else need do it and no meaner Person than he can do it The Holy Ghost delighteth to speak in our Language that we may understand him and because we cannot rise to him he therefore stoopeth unto us Under the Law we find that a matter of great concernment and weight was to be proved and confirmed by two sufficient Witnesses Deut. 19. 15. One witness shall not rise up against a Man for any iniquity c. at the mouth of two witnesses or at the mouth of three shall the matter be est ablished or confirmed Now the sincerity or uprightness of our Souls before God and our saving Interest in Jesus Christ are matters of great yea greater concernments to us than all in the World And being so they need a further Witness to confirm them than our own Spirits therefore the Spirit of God witnesseth with our Spirit that we are the Children of God thro' Christ Jesus 't is by him that we know God is our Father and that we are enabled to call upon him in Christ as our Father Gal. 4. 5 6. He hath given us the Spirit of his Son whereby we cry Abba Father This Sealing is not only a witnessing to us but it is a work upon us and in us carrying the Image of him that Sealeth us whereby saith Dr. Sibbs we are not only assured of the Good promised to us but freed for the receiving of it God prepares no Good for any but whom he prepares and fits by his Spirit for that good 2 Cor. 5. 4 5 6. There be three things that the Spirit doth in Sealing Believers which things all concur together and must be in this Sealing Work 1. The Spirit Sanctifies the Soul and makes it holy he never Seals before he Sanctifies this is the Spirit 's material and objective Seal where he is a Sealing Spirit there he is a Spirit of Sanctification he renews and changes the Soul and forms Christ's glorious Image upon it where the Spirit Seals he subdues Sin makes the Heart anew and enables them he Seals to cast off the works of darkness and put off the old man after the flesh with his deeds and put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness Eph. 4. 22 23 24. He Sanctifies them throughout in Body Mind and Spirit 1 Thes 5. 20. and makes them that were darkness to be light in the Lord Eph. 5. 4 5. Ye were sometimes darkness but now
are ye light in the Lord. 2. The Spirit irradiates and clears this up to the Souls of them whom he Seals that they are Sanctified and made holy that their Hearts are changed and Grace wrought in them which was not there before and that now they are new Creatures being in Christ 2 Cor. 5. 17. For if any man be in Christ he is a new Creature old things are done away and all things are become new This the Spirit shows to the Soul in his Sealing Work and by this enables Believers to say doubtless thou art our Father though Abraham know us not or be ignorant of us Thou O Lord art our Father our Redeemer 〈◊〉 Name is from Everlasting Isa 63. 16. This God is our God for ever and ever he will be our guide even unto death Psal 46. 14. The Lord is my portion saith my Soul therefore will I hope in him Lam. 3. 24. My beloved is mine and I am his Cant. 1. 16. Now Believers know this from the Holy Spirit who clears these things to their Souls when he Seals them 3. The blessed Spirit after all this is done in order to Sealing he enables the Soul he Soals to lay hold on and to apply the precious Promises to its self so that whenever a Promise is read or spoken of the Soul may apply it and say this is mine and the other Promise is mine they are a Legacy left me may the Soul say by my dear Husband and Head Christ This Divines call the Formal Sealing of the Spirit There is none but the Holy Spirit that can thus Seal Believers viz. by clearing up to them their title to and interest in Christ and the Promises as there 's For he only knows the deep things of God 1 Cor. 2. 10. 11. And besides 't is his office to clear and witness this to Believers who is a Spirit of Truth and therefore he cannot neither will deceive us John 14. 17. My Beloved the Spirit 's Testimony in this is more than a voice from Heaven or than if an Angel should come and say Christ has sent me to tell you That he loves you and shed his blood for you This could not satisfie as the internal Sealing of the Spirit to the Minds or Souls of Believers the other may be a Delusion but this of the Spirit is certain and may be depended upon The witness of a Man's Spirit may come to a probability but the witness of the Spirit is clear demonstration 1 John 4. 12 19. No man saith he hath seen God at any time If we love one another God dwelleth in us and his love is perfected in us hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in us how because he hath given us of his spirit The Spirit receives of Christ's and gives it to Believers John 16. 18 19. As it is the Devil's work to cast in Fears into the Soul to perplex and disquiet the heart he being the red Dragon that disturbs the Waters of the Saints Peace So it is the Spirit 's work to clear things up to settle the Sanctified Soul and fill it with peace joy and comfort John 16. 7. As it is his work to convince of Sin to Sanctifie so to establish and settle the Heart and give that peace and comfort to it which none can give nor take away Rom. 14. 17. The Spirit in this work of Sealing attests and witnesseth both first to the Doctrine or Object of Faith and secondly to the infused habit of the Grace of Faith in the Soul of the former he saith this is my word I indicted it do you therefore believe and imbrace it of the latter he saith this is my work within you this Grace this Faith this Love Patience Self-denial is my work in you I have produced all these things in your Souls So that Beloved this Sealing Work of the Spirit is evermore agreeable to the written word of God Isa 8. 20. What he speaks in his holy Word and in our Hearts are all harmonious Testimonies The Spirit in Sealing Believers makes not use of an audible voice as to say vocally Thomas or John thy Sins are pardoned c. nor of immediate and extraordinarily Revelations therefore expect them not for he makes use of the spiritual Graces that are wrought in the Soul and of the precious Promises writ in the Word By these means the holy Spirit comforts the Heart and usually brings the Soul to rest and joy Secondly Shew you why none are Sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise till after they do believe in Christ In whom also after that ye believed ye were sealed c. Before I Answer directly or give the Reasons let me promise this one thing viz. That there be many who are in the state of Nature and have not one dram of Grace in their Souls nothing but Sin and Corruption and yet these have and may have many false hopes and vain confidences which will deceive their Souls you read of the hope of the Hypocrite and the House which he leans upon that will fall and leave him in utter despair For what is the vain hope and confidence of the Hypocrite when God shall take away his Soul Job 8. 13 14 15 13 16 27. When these poor wretches dye their vain hopes of Heaven dye with them many take Presumption for Assurance and a vain confidence for well-grounded hopes of Heaven because they have external Priviledges and talk of Christ they think all is well and that there needs no more ado Thus many will go down to Hell with a Lye in their right hand That it is thus is clear from Matth. 7. 22. Many will say to him in that day Lord Lord have we not prophesied in thy name and in thy name done many wonderful works cast out Devils c. And in John 8. 54 55. Of whom ye say saith Christ to the Jews that pleaded Abraham was their Father and that they were never in Bondage c. that he is your God and yet ye have not known him Here this People you see had grounded Confidences and false Comforts built thereupon They said God was their's and yet they were ignorant of Him and did not know Him Oh! tremble at the word of the Lord and have a care of vain Confidences and putting the Lye upon your own Souls as these did Paul tells us of some that went a great way and attained to much and yet were not Believers nor Sealed by the Holy Spirit Heb. 6. 4 5. A startling Word They were once Inlightened tasted of the heavenly Gift were made partakers of the Holy Ghost and tasted of the good word of God and the Powers of the World to come If these fall a way 't is impossible to recover them again c. Thus I say Persons may deceive their Souls building their hopes and comforts upon sandy foundations being foolishly confident they shall be Saved But for any except real Saints and Believers in Christ to
have those witnessing Sealing Testimonies of the Spirit which we have discours'd of and described to you I say for any but real Christians to have these is utterly impossible which brings me now to give the Reasons why none but real Believers are or can be Sealed by the Spirit of God And the Reasons to make it evident and plain shall be taken 1. From the Author 2. From the Nature 3. From the Object Matter 4. From the Mediums And Lastly from the great design and end of the Holy Spirit in his glorious Sealing Work 1. Reason taken from the Author of this Sealing Work viz. the Spirit of God who is the Spirit of Holiness and Spirit of Truth So Christ calls him John 14. 17. I will pray the Father for you and he shall send you another Comforter c. even the Spirit of Truth who shall lead and guide you into all Truth John 16. 13 14. Now he being a Spirit of Holiness and Truth he cannot witness to a Lye or give a Testimony quite contrary to the whole tenour of the Sacred Word of God Whose word is a word of Truth and not of Falshood John 17. 17. The Spirit Indicted the Scriptures and they are all like him that is Truth Now were the Spirit to Seal Unbelievers he would give a Testimony quite cross to the Word of Truth which he will never do The Elect themselves while in a natural state have no actual Interest in Christ nor the Promises therefore while in that state they can have none Sealed to them They that have no actual Interest in Christ and in the Promises of the Gospel cannot be Sealed by the Spirit of Promise We must my Beloved be Saints before we can be known to be so a Man must be in Christ before he can know he is in Christ and a Believer before he can know he is a Believer and that he has Faith in Christ 2. Reason is taken from the nature of this work of Sealing If you consider the nature of it it cannot be that Unbelievers should be Sealed Assurance is produced in the Souls of Believers by the reflexive acts of their Faith the Spirit in Sealing Believers helps them to reflect upon what he hath formerly done and wrought in their Souls 1 John 2. 3. Hereby saith John we know that is we Believers that have closed in with Christ and have him to plead for us c. that we know him Now to know that we know is a reflex Act as one says and there can be no reflex Acts where there is no direct Acts of Faith it is impossible that there should be a reflex Act before a direct Act of Faith No Man can have the evidence of his Faith before the habit of it be infused and the vital act first performed therefore deceive not your Souls with vain hopes of Heaven 3. Reason of this is taken from the object Matter to which the Spirit Seals and that you will find to be his own Sanctifying Operations upon the Heart or in the Hearts of those that he Seals and consequently to their great priviledges and advantages in Christ Jesus the Spirit witnesses to Believers that they are Christ's and that he hath loved them with an everlasting Love and shed his precious Blood for them Rev. 1. 5 6. This the Spirit Seal'd to Paul Gal. 2. 20. I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me And the life saith he that I live in the flesh is by the faith of the Son of God who hath loved me and given himself for me How did Paul know this but by the still voice of the Spirit who discovered in particular Christ's love to him The Spirit in Sealing Believers doth attest That Christ abideth in them and that they are the Sons of God Rom. 8. 16. 1 John 3. 24. Hereby we know that he viz. Christ abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given to us Now no such thing as this can be Sealed to us until we believe because neither our Adoption nor Sanctification is before Faith John 1. 12. Gal. 3. 26. When Persons believe truly in Jesus Christ then are they actually Sons of God and really Sanctified and not before for our Hearts are said to be purified by or through Faith Acts 15. 9. Therefore Persons being unsanctified cannot be Sealed before Faith in the Blood of Christ 4. Reason it is thus If you consider the Mediums or Instruments made use of in this work of Sealing The Spirit of God in Sealing his People makes use of the great and precious Promises therefore he is called a Spirit of Promise in our Text He is not so called only because he is the Spirit promised Ezek. 36. 27. but secondly because he opens and applies the Promises to Believers which he doth when they believe and are united to Christ and not before The Spirit clears the Promises to their Understandings and by Faith enables them to apply them to their own Souls but still remember 't is after Faith for 'till a Person is united to Christ he has no true saving right to the Promises they are Childrens Bread and Dogs that are without must not meddle with them Matth. 15. 26 27. Rev. 22. 15. But Fifthly The Fifth Reason is taken from the great End and Design of the Spirit in this Sealing Work which is to secure to the believing Soul its Peace pardon of Sin and eternal Salvation with Christ in Glory The end of our Faith we read is the Salvation of our Souls and this is the end of the Spirit 's Sealing to secure it to the Soul 1 Pet. 1. 9 10. The Spirit of God is said Eph. 4. 30. To Seal Believers to the day of Redemption that is to their compleat Salvation in Christ We are all by nature in bondage to Sin and Corruption and we are Redeemed from Sin by the first coming of Christ Matth. 1. 21. Tit. 2. 14. And shall be fully and perfectly Redeemed from all Sin at his second Now in the mean time 'till this be God would have his People to be assured of it before-hand therefore he hath given his Spirit to Seal them up to the Day of Redemption Now my Beloved it is as equally impossible for Unbelievers as such to be Sealed as Saved And the Word saith Matth 16. 16. He that believeth not shall be damned And John 8. 24. Says Christ to the Jews If you believe not ye shall die in your sins Thus you see the Doctrine is clear That the great priviledge of Sealing by the Spirit follows the Act of Believing and goes not before it I should have shown you now Thirdly Whether all Believers are Sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise but our time is gone therefore I shall sum up all with a short Word of Application and leave what has been said to the Blessing of God 1. Vse If none are Sealed nor can be Saved until they believe in Christ
were Sealed with the Holy Spirit of Promise BEloved the Theam we are upon is this viz. Doct. The great priviledge and mercy of being Sealed by the Holy Spirit is after the Duty and Act of Believing In whom after ye believed ye were Sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise For the management of this weighty Point we have First Shown you what the Spirit 's Sealing Work is Secondly Why none are or can be Sealed 'till they Believe Thirdly Whether all Believers are Sealed by the Spirit or no. Fourthly We are now upon showing you the great priviledges of Persons Sealed by the Spirit of God And for the doing of this we have in our last Discourse shown you some of the Believers Priviledges being Sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise and that First In the many uses of a Seal in six things Now we shall thro' God's Assistance proceed further to set forth the Priviledges of Sealed Believers by the Spirit of Truth and Holiness and therefore Secondly The Saints Priviledge being Sealed appears from the Author of it viz. the Holy Spirit of Promise This is the Spirit 's Act and proper work alone God doth not send Angels upon this Errand or to do this Work but he gives and sends his gracious Spirit to do it If God did send an Angel to do this work it would be an honour to poor Man but for God to send his Holy Spirit to Seal us is more and greater honour than if Millions of Angels were to come and to be imployed in this work What is sorry Man that God should give him his Spirit And besides the certainty and satisfaction of the Spirit is beyond all other ways and methods in the World In miraculous Voices and Inspirations there may be found some cheat of the Devil who is a deceiver and seeks to deceive poor Souls But the Spirit 's witness is certain and true it being suitable to his revealed Mind in the written Word as I have told you before and being thus it cannot deceive us The Spirit that Seals us is Truth and cannot witness to a Lye nor deceive them that he Seals Thirdly Their Priviledges who are Sealed appears from the Truth that is Sealed to them which is Ravishing and Transporting The Spirit Seals to Believers the Pardon of their Sins through the Blood of Christ which is a great Blessing and their propriety in Him as their Head their Husband their Friend their All in All. This is that which Believers long to know and is their great mercy for to know by the Spirit what sweeter and more transporting to the Souls of Believers than this to know their Sins which were many are pardoned that Christ is their's his Righteousness their's his Merits their's his Grace their's to supply their great wants and that they shall be saved from Wrath through him Rom. 5. 9. To know this indeed is sweet it is to injoy Heaven upon Earth and to have such Joy as is beyond all the Joy in the World Oh! then what a mercy and priviledge is this to know that Christ is ours so as to say with the Spouse Cant. 2. 16. My beloved is mine and I am his And to say with them upon good grounds Lam. 3. 24. The Lord is my portion saith my Soul therefore I will hope in him And with David Psal 73. 25 26. Whom have I in Heaven but thee or upon Earth which I desire besides thâ—â— My flesh and my heart faileth but thou art the strength of my heart and my portion for ever How sweet was this to David under his troubles to know that God was his Portion for ever Paul tells us Gal. 2. 20. The life that he lived in the flesh was by the faith of the Son of God who loved him and gave himself for him And 2 Tim. 1. 12. I know says he in whom I have believed c. Which knowledge was by the Spirit 's Sealing and this is that which is Sealed up more or less to every Believer which affords great comfort and joy even joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 P. l. 1. 7 8. Fourthly From the Subiects or Peâ—â—â—ns that are Sealed and they 〈◊〉 as iâ— themselves are sinful 〈…〉 grieved the Spirit 〈◊〉 God a thousand times over Now is nâ—â— this a great mercy that they who grieved the Spirit so much should be Sealed thereby Eph. 4. 30. Oh! wonderful priviledge that such who had deserved to be Sealed to damnation because of their sins should be Sealed to Salvation Fifthly The Priviledges of Sealed ones appears to be many from the great or grand design of the Holy Spirit in Sealing The Spirit 's designs and aims in Sealing of Believers are these three viz. First To secure them from Hell and Wrath they that have the Spirit 's Seal shall not be condemned the Wrath of God that falls upon others shall not touch them For there is now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Secondly To secure Heaven to them for ever They that are Sealed here by the Spirit shall certainly be crowned with Glory hereafter says Paul 2 Cor. 5. 4 5 6. Now he that hath wrought us or made us fit for the self same thing viz. Heaven is God who hath also given unto us the earnest of his Spirit But Thirdly The third design of the Spirit in Sealing Believers is as intermediate thereunto to bring much of Heaven into their Souls in order to comfort and strengthen them in their way to Glory Believers Sealed by the Spirit enjoy much of Heaven in their way to it which makes them long to be with Christ in the full possession of Glory Phil. 1. 22. Believers being Sealed enjoy much comfort joy and peace in their Souls Rom. 5. 1 2. They rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God That God who is the God of Peace doth and will give to his much joy in believing he 'll fill them with joy and peace above all others they shall have the foretast of Glory and Blessedness here and in a little while they shall be received to Glory where all tears shall be wiped away and they shall be for ever with the Lord 1 Thes 4. 18. This shall suffice to have set forth the Priviledges of those that are Sealed by the Spirit of Promise Fifthly Application First Vse By way of Information from this great Doctrine of Sealing by the Spirit I infer these Two things viz. First Infer That Persons may know here they are in a state of Grace And Secondly That Persons upon knowing there present state in Grace may be assured for the time to come But First I infer That Persons may know here they are in a state of Grace and Salvation that their Sins are pardoned that God is pacified towards them through his Son and that also through Christ they are saved from Hell and Eternal Wrath which for sin they deserved This I say Believers
and Glory c. to them that walk uprightly with thee If you can be assured that you have Grace for the present you may be sure it shall be made up full in Glory There is no opposition that shall prevail to hinder it for God has set his as a Seal First upon his Hand to shew that he doth and will keep them 'till they come to Glory Isa 41. 10. Fear not for I am with you saith God and I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness Behold all they that are incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded they shall be as nothing c. Even they that contend with thee shall be as nothing v. 13. Why shall it be thus The Answer is For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right Hand saying unto thee fear not I will help thee v. 49. Isa 13. 14 15. Sion said the Lord hath forsaken me and my God hath forgotten me Thus many Believers say But saith God Can a Woman forget her sucking Child not to have compassion on the Son of her Womb yea she may be so cruel as to forget but I saith the Lord will not forget thee For behold I have graven thee upon the Palms of my Hands or drawn thee pourtray'd thee on my hands A Metaphor taken from some that used to tye something on their hand to put them in mind of Business they would not forget God having set his People as a mark or seal upon his hand he 'll never forget them for they are not only set but ingraven which will not easily wear out But Secondly God has set them as a Seal upon his Breast to love them and He will love them and that for ever John 13. 1. Our Love indeed may be deadned and decay towards God we may leave our first Love in a great measure Rev. 2. 4. But there is nothing that can or shall deaden God's love towards his Children Where God loves in Christ he loves for ever his Love is an everlasting Love Jer. 31. 3. But Thirdly On his Shoulder to support and uphold them at all times and in all places and conditions 'till he hath brought them to glory Says God to 〈◊〉 disconsolated People Isa 40. 27 28 29. Why sayest thou O Jacob and speakest O Israel my way is hid from the Lord and my Judgment is passed over from my God Why speak ye after this manner this is but the surmisings of Unbelief hast thou not known hast thou not heard That the everlasting God the Lord the Creator of the Earth fainteth not neither is weary he giveth power to the faint and to them that have no might he increaseth strength But Fourthly God sets them as a Seal on his Heart they lye near his Heart therrefore are they called the Beloved yea the dearly beloved of his Soul Jer. 12. 7. They that are sincere shall enjoy and taste his love and lye in his sweet embraces he 'll smile on them with the Light of his countenance for they are the joy of his heart and are in the most inward parts of it Cant. 8. 6. Thus you see how Believers are assured and secured for the time to come Those that are in Christ the rock of Ages are secured for ever And though they meet with temptations oppositions and tryals yet they are but as Waves that dash upon them but shall not ruin them for they are kept by the power of God through Faith unto Salvation 1 Pet. 1. 4 5. Quest But may some say If it be thus that Believers are assured for the time to come Why then do we pray for the forgiveness of sins Answ First Consid That as God hath ordained the End so also the Means God doth and will pardon Sin for he hath promised to do it Isa 55. 7. Therefore we ought to pray for pardon through Christ as a means ordained of God For these things I will be sought to by the House of Israel We should pray as David who though he was a justified Person and secured in the Covenant for Heaven yet falling fouly into Sin he plyes the Throne of Grace hard This was his duty and is ours in such a case Psal 27. 10. Forgive mine Iniquities for thy Names sake for they are great And Psalm 51. 1 2. Have mercy upon me O God c. and wash me thoroughly in every part and from every sin Prayer is an external means ordained of God to obtain Pardon and other Mercies in therefore we are bid in every thing to make our Requests known to God Phil. 4. 5 6. But Secondly Consider When Believers pray for pardon of Sin it is for a clearer evidence of what they have already in Christ To be pardoned and justified through Christ and so secured for Heaven is one thing and to know it is another Persons may be in Christ and pardoned and so in a sure state for Glory and yet may be in the dark about it and not know whether they be so or no. Now it is the duty of these to seek after a clear knowledge of their state in Christ and the pardon of their sins through his Blood When Believers pray for pardon 't is not because their pardon is not sure in Christ but 't is that they may get a clearer apprehension of it for their comfort Thirdly Consider that Prayer doth not prejudice the stability or certainty of a thing Our Saviour himself prayed for that which he was sure of John 17. 9 10. The Covenant standeth fast for ever and the promises of Pardon and all good in it are most certain and shall he fulfilled for God will not alter the thing that is gone out of his mouth Psal 89. 27 33 34. Yet we must seek and pray and put God in remembrance of his Promise as he bids us for this prejudices not at all the certainty of the Promises nor the stability of the Covenant of Grace in Christ Thus much for Information and for this time Believers Sealed BY THE Spirit of Promise Fifth Sermon from Ephes 1. the latter part of the 13 verse In whom also after that ye believed ye were Sealed with the Holy Spirit of Promise BRethren The Point we are upon is this viz. Doct. The great priviledge and mercy of being Sealed by the Spirit is after the duty and act of Believing For the opening this Truth First We have given you the nature of the Spirit 's Sealing-work and how it is performed in the Soul Secondly we have shewn you why none can be Sealed by the Spirit of Promise till they believe in Christ Thirdly VVhether all believers are Sealed by the Spirit or no Fourthly VVhat the great Priviledges of Sealed ones are These things we have opened largely Now Fifthly VVe are upon the Applicatory part of this discourse and we have already said something First By way of Information or Instruction in two things which now I shall not Repeat to you but through God's assistance