A treatise of the covenant of grace, as it is dispensed to the elect…

But, Quest. how is the Holy Ghost said to be a seal? and in respect of what workings of his is he so called?

I Answer, Answ. There is a threefold respect in which he is called, The seal; and he doth express the nature of a seal in them all.

I Answer, Answ. There is a threefold respect in which he is called, The seal; and he doth expresse the nature of a seal in them all.

1. First, He doth confirm and ratify all the gracious promises of God unto the soul, bearing witness in truth and power of them unto the soul, and thereby begetting and ⟨p. 207⟩confirming faith in the soul: for the use of the seal is to confirm; and this is the principal work of the Holy Ghost, to confirm all the promises of God as an authentic seal. There is a place of Scripture, which being a little miss-translated, leadeth (I cannot say into a little) but into a great inconveniency, Ephes. 1.13. In whom after that ye believed, ye were sealed: Calvin is much troubled about it, and so is Piscator: the truth is, it implieth thus much, that in believing they were sealed; this is the true English of those Greek words: so that it is the Holy Ghost, that comes in every promise of grace wherein Jesus Christ is conveyed unto the soul, & he setteth it home, and confirmeth it to the soul, by begetting faith in that grace, and so setteth to his seal that it is true to thee: and hence it is, that the faith which is wrought by the Holy Ghost, is said to be a seal, Joh. 3.33. He that hath received his testimony, hath set to his seal that God is true: so then, the Holy Ghost setteth his seal to it, when he gives us faith; and thus he is the seal, as he doth confirm all the word of Gods grace unto us: and hence it is that faith is called the spirit of faith,