Use 2. And labour to grow in faith and obedience, tliat we may read our evidence clearly ; that it he not oren/rown witJi the dust of the xmrld, so as tee cannot see it. Sometimes God's children have the graces of the Spirit in them, yet they yield so much to fears and doubtings, that they can read nothing but their corruption. When we bid them peruse their evidences, they can see nothing but worldliness, nothing but pride and envy, because they grieve the Holy Spirit by their negligence and distrust. Though there be a stamp in them, yet God holds the soul from it, and gives men up to mistake their estates, for not stirring up the graces of his Spirit in them.
Honour God by believing, and he will honour thee by stamping his Spirit more clearly on thee. What a comfort is it to have the evidence of a gracious soul at all times. When a man carries about him the mark of the Spirit, what in the world can discourage such a soul ? On the contrary, if a man have not something above nature in him, when death and judg- ment comes, how miserable is his condition ? If a man be a king or an emperor of the world, and have not an intei'est in Christ's righteousness, ere long he shall be stripped of all, and adjudged to eternal torments. Oh, the excellency of man's soul ; a jewel more to be prized than a prince's diadem.
It is the folly of the times to set up cm-ious pictures, but what a poor delight is this in comparison of the ambition of a true Christian, to see the image of Christ stamped in his soul, to find the joy of the Spirit, and God speaking peace to his inner man.
The transforming of ourselves into the image of Christ is the best picture in the world. Therefore we should labour for the ' new creature,' that as we grow downward one way, we may gi-ow up towards heaven another ; that as the life of nature decays, so the spiritual life may be more active and working. It should be our daily study, while we live in this world, to attain that * holiness, without which no man shall ever see God,' 2 Cor. vii. 1, et alibi.
There is besides the common broad seal of God, his privy seal. What is the reason that many proud-hearted persons are damned ? The truth is, they are all for external contentments, and despise the ordinances of God. For though they stand upon their admission into the church, upon the common seals and prerogatives (which in themselves are excellent), yet relying on these things over- much betrays many souls to the devil in the time of distress. It is another manner of seal than the outward seal in the sacrament, that must settle peace in the conscience. When once the be- ginnings of faith are wrought in us, then we may with comfort think upon our receiving of the communion ; but the special thing to be eyed is the hidden seal. If the external means work no inward sanctification in our hearts, we shall be the worse rather than the better for them ; yet we must not be so profane as to think slightly of God's ordinances ; they are of great consequence.
For when Satan shakes the confidence of a Christian, and saith. Thou art an hypocrite, God doth not love thee, these help us to hold out. Why,
PRECIOUS PROMISES.
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saith the soul, I can speak by expericuce that I have found the contrary ; the Lord hath removed my fears, he hath pardoned my sin and accepted my person ; he hath given me many precious promises to support my spirit. Here is the excellency of the sacrament. It comes more home to me ; it seals the general promises of God particularly to myself; for finding the inward work of the Spirit in my heart, and God having strengthened my faith by the outward seal, I can defy Satan with all his accusations, and look death in the face with comfort. We should labour therefore to observe God's sealing days, when he uses to manifest himself to his people ; which though it may be every day (if we be spiritually exercised), yet it is in the Lord's day more especially; for then his ordinance and his Spirit go together.
Now there is a sealing of persons, and of truths, besides the sealing of our estates, that we are the children of God. There is a sealing of every particular truth to a Christian. For where there is grace to believe the truth, God seals those truths firmly to that soul by the comforts of his Spirit. For example, this is a truth, ' Whosoever believes in Christ, shall not perish but have everlasting life,' John iii. 15. Now the same Spirit that stirs up the soul to believe this, seals it fast upon the conscience even to death. There is no promise, but upon our believing the same, it is sealed by God upon us ; for those truths only abide firm in the soul which the Holy Ghost sets on. What is the reason that many forget their con- solations ? The reason is, they hear much, but the Spirit settles nothing on their hearts.