An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty second, the thirty third, and…An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the thirty second, the thirty third, and…

There is a threefold use of seals and sealing; First, to distinguish one thing from another; Secondly, to keep things safe and secret; Thirdly, sealing is to confirm and ratify; A Bond, Deed, or Evidence in writing, till it hath a Seal, is but a scrip of paper of no force, but when once the Seal is put to it, then it is confirmed, then there is strength and force in it. A seal fortifies the writing, or maketh it authentic. He sealeth their Instruction.

There is a threefold use of seales and sealing; First, to distinguish one thing from another; Secondly, to keep things safe and secret; Thirdly, sealing is to confirme and ratifie; A Bond, Deed, or Evidence in writing, till it hath a Seale, is but a scrip of paper of no force, but when once the Seale is put to it, then it is confirmed, then there is strength and force in it. A seale fortifies the writing, or maketh it authentick. He sealeth their Instruction.

¹The word here used signifies both correction and Instruction, and so it is rendered by some here, He openeth their ears, or sealeth their chastisement. Mr Broughton takes that sense, And imprinteth why they are chastised; that is, (as himself expounds it) when he hath chastised them, he sealeth up the decree of their judgement; or as another, He proposeth it unto them as firm and concluded, if they do not repent and imprinteth in their mind the certainty of it, as also the true cause of it. We render fully to the sense of the word and scope of the text,² He sealeth their instruction; that is, upon the opening of the ear there is a sealing or a setting home the word which is received. When the ear is opened to receive, God will make men hold what they have received. The sealing of instruction, signifies the efficacy, energy,³ or effectual working of God with the word, he ratifies and confirms it to the soul, he maketh his word as sure to them as a sealed Bond, both with respect to the duty commanded, and the mercy promised. And, indeed, we have as much need to have Instruction sealed, as to have the ear opened; for 'tis possible the ear may be opened, we may hear and understand, and in some sense believe, yea obey, and yet not have the instruction sealed. The instruction is then sealed, when we keep what is received, as the ear is opened when we receive what is offered. Unless the instruction be sealed, we hear and obey only for the present, not for the time to come, that is, we do not retain