The Institution of Christian Religion

Now remaineth that that which the mind hath received, may be further conveyed into the heart. For the word of God is not throughly received by faith, if it swim in the top of the brain, but when it hath taken root in the bottom of the heart that it may be an invincible defence to bear and repulse all the engines of tentations. Now if it be true, that the true understanding of the mind is the enlightening thereof, then in such confirmation of the heart, his power much more evidently appeareth, even by so much as the distrustfulness of the heart is greater than the blindness of the wit: and as it is harder to have the mind furnished with assuredness, than the wit to be instructed with thinking. Therefore the Spirit performeth the office of a seal, to seal up in our hearts those same promises, the assurance whereof it first imprinted in our wits, and serveth for an earnest to confirm and stablish them.¹ Sith ye believed (saith the Apostle) ye are sealed up with the holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance. See you not how he teacheth that by the spirit the hearts of the faithful are graven as with a seal? and how for the same reason he calleth him the Spirit of promise, because he ratifieth the Gospel unto us? Likewise to the Corinthians he saith: God which anointed us,² which hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of his Spirit in our hearts. And in an other place when he §37speaketh of confidence and boldness of hoping well, he maketh the pledge of the Spirit the foundation thereof.

Nowe remaineth that that whiche the minde hathe receiued, may be further conueied into ye heart. For the word of God is not throughly receiued by faith, if it swimme in the toppe of the braine, but when it hath taken roote in the bottome of the heart that it may be an inuincible defense to beare and repulse all the engines of tentations. Now if it be true, that the true vnderstanding of the mynde is the enlightning thereof, then in such confyrmation of the hearte, his power much more euidently appeareth, euen by so muche as the distrustfulnesse of the hearte is greater than the blindnesse of the witte: and as it is harder to haue the mynde furnyshed wyth assurednesse, than the witte to bee instructed with thinking. Therefore the Spirit perfourmeth the office of a seale, to seale vp in our heartes those same promyses, the assurance whereof it fyrste emprinted in oure wittes, and serueth for an earnest to confyrme and stablyshe them.