1As Christ was sealed and fitted for us, so we are sealed and fitted for Christ. There is a privy seal in predestination, this is known only to God himself: The Lord knoweth who are his. And this knowledge of God of us, is carried secret,2 as a River under ground, until his calling of, and separating us from the rest of men. When first by his Spirit he convinceth us of what we are in our selves, and of our cursed condition; and thereby layeth us low by sorrow and humiliation for sin, as the greatest evil. And then a ⟨p. 126⟩pardon is more to us then a Crown; then we will wait for mercy, and continue so, and beg for mercy, and that upon Christs own condition, by denying and renouncing any thing of our own, then Christ is Christ unto us. Indeed after this, it pleaseth Christ by his Spirit to open a door of hope, and give some hints of mercy, of love; and withal, to raise up the soul by a spirit of Faith, to close with particular mercy opened and offered by the Spirit, whereby the soul sealeth to the truth of the promise, Joh. 3. He that believeth hath set to his seal that God is true. It is strange, that GOD should stoop so low as to receive ⟨p. 127⟩(as it were) confirmation by our belief: but thus GOD condescends in the phrase of Scripture; As we are said to help God, curse ye Meroz, because they came not to help the Lord, &c. God stoops to be helped by us, and to have his truth, and power, and goodness ratified, and confirmed by us, when we believe the promise of God in Christ (though it be by the help of the Spirit) we seal Gods truth. And then God honoureth that sealing of ours, by the sealing of his Spirit; After you believed, you were sealed, saith the Apostle; that is, the gracious love of Christ was further confirmed to them. GOD honours no grace so much as Faiths Why? because it ⟨p. 128⟩honours God most of all others; it gives GOD the honour of his mercy, and goodness, and wisdom, and power, and of his truth; especially he that believes in God, by believing seals that God is true, and God honours that soul again by sealing it to the day of redemption: God hath promised▪ Those that honour me, I will honour. Therefore, He that believeth, hath the witness in himself, that grace promised, belongeth to him, for he carries in his heart the counterpane of the promises; he that confesseth and believeth shall have mercy.
1As Christ was sealed and fitted for us, so we are sealed and fitted for Christ. There is a privy seale in predestination, this is knowne onely to God himselfe: The Lord knoweth who are his. And this knowledge of God of us, is carried secret,2 as a River under ground, untill his calling of, and separating us from the rest of men. When first by his Spirit hee convinceth us of what wee are in our selves, and of our cursed condition; and thereby layeth us low by sorrow and humiliation for finne, as the greatest evill. And then a ⟨p. 126⟩pardon is more to us then a Crowne; then we will wait for mercy, and continue so, and begge for mercy, and that upon Christs own condition, by denying and renouncing any thing of our owne, then Christ is Christ unto us. Indeed after this, it pleaseth Christ by his Spirit to open a doore of hope, and give some hints of mercy, of love; and withall, to raise up the soule by a spirit of Faith, to close with particular mercy opened and offered by the Spirit, whereby the soule sealeth to the truth of the promise, Ioh. 3. Hee that beleeveth hath set to his seale that God is true. It is strange, that GOD should stoope so low as to receive ⟨p. 127⟩(as it were) confirmation by our beliefe: but thus GOD condescends in the phrase of Scripture; As wee are said to helpe God, curse yee Meroz, because they came not to helpe the Lord, &c. God stoopes to be helped by us, and to have his truth, and power, and goodnesse ratified, and confirmed by us, when we beleeve the promise of God in Christ (though it bee by the helpe of the Spirit) wee seale Gods truth. And then God honoureth that sealing of ours, by the sealing of his Spirit; After you beleeved, you were sealed, saith the Apostle; that is, the gracious love of Christ was further confirmed to them. GOD honours no grace so much as Faiths Why? because it ⟨p. 128⟩honours God most of all others; it gives GOD the honour of his mercy, and goodnesse, and wisedome, and power, and of his truth; especially hee that beleeves in God, by beleeving seales that God is true, and God honours that soule againe by sealing it to the day of redemption: God hath promised▪ Those that honour mee, I will honour. Therefore, Hee that beleeveth, hath the witnesse in himselfe, that grace promised, belongeth to him, for hee carries in his heart the counterpaine of the promises; hee that confesseth and beleeveth shall have mercie.
- 12 Christians are sealed.
- 2Simile.
