This is excellently set down in the sweet communion of marriage. The Spirit is the ■imranij}irphos,-\ the procurer of the marriage, between Christ and the soul. Now it is not sufficient to know that God and Christ bear good will to all believers (though that be the ground and general foundation of all, and a great preparative to the special sealing of the Spirit) ; but then the Spirit comes and saith, Christ hath a special good will to me, and stirs up in me a liking to him again, to take him upon his own conditions, with conflict of corruptions, with the scorns of the world, &c. Whereupon the mutual marriage is made up between Christ and us. This work is the ' sealing of the Spirit.'
Many are the privileges of a Christian from this his sealing, as the use of a seal in man's aflairs is manifold.
1. Seals s.QV\e for confirmation and allmcance. To that purpose measures are sealed. God is said to seal instruction. Job xxxiii. 16. Confirmation is either by giving strength, or by the authority of such as are able to make good what they promise, and also willing ; which they shew by putting to their seal, which hath as much strength to confirm him to whom the promise is made, as he hath will and power to make it good that hath engaged himself. Amongst men there is the writing, and the seal to the writing. When the seal is added to the writing there is a perfect ratifica- tion. So there are abundance of gracious promises in the Scriptures. Now when the Spirit comes and seals them to the soul, then they are sure to us ; the Spirit puts the seal to the promises.
2. The use of it likewise is/o>' distinction from others that carry not that mark. So the sealing of the Spirit distinguisheth a Christian from all other men. There is a distinction between men, in God's eternal purpose, but that concerns not us to meddle with, further than to know it in generaL
* That is, ' counterpart,' = pattern or copy. — G. t Tliat is, the Greek <7ra^avu/x(piog = brideman.— G.
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God ' knowetli wlio arc his,' 2 Tim. ii. 10, and who are not his ; bnt in time the Holy Spirit distinguisheth and ranks men as they were distin- guished before all worlds, and as they shall be at the day of judgment. The beginning of that distinction that shall be afterward is in this life.
A seal maketh the impression of an image ; the prince's image nscth to be in his seal. So is God's image in his, which destroyeth the old image and print that was in us before. Holy and good men by this work of the Spirit are distinguished,
(1.)' From ciril* men hy the work of JioUiicss, which mere civil men have not at all, but despise.
(2.) And, secondW, from see'imi ■] (jood men hj the depth of that tvork. The Spirit of God works a new nature in them, whereby they are distin- guished. Now nature in every creature is carried to one thing more than to another. There is a distinct propension^ in a good man to God, to grace and goodness ; his aims and bent are distinct ; and thereupon he hath a greater enlargement of heart suitable to his great aims. He looks above the world and worldlj' men. They are narrow, low, base-spirited men, the best of them.
(3.) Again, Things by nature work from tvilhin. Herein painted hypo- crites are distinguished from a true substantial Christian. He works from a principle within. Another man is moved as the automata, things of motion, clocks, and the like engines of wit,^ that move from a weight without that poiseth them. If they do any good it is from somewhat with- out that swayeth their aims and ends, and not from an inward principle. Nature works from an inward principle ; light things go upward and heavy things downward, natui'ally ; artificial things are forced. Thus good men are distinguished from those that are seemingly holy ; there is a new nature wrought in them.
(4.) Again, Nature is constant. What is done naturally is done con- stantly. Heavy bodies go always downward, and light bodies upward. Every creature works according to his nature. An holy man is exercised in holiness constantly, because he doth it fi'om an inward principle, from a work and stamp within. Difierent things may seem the same ; as wild herbs may have the colour and form of those that are planted in the garden, but there is difference in the virtue of them. The seeming graces and actions of an hj'pocrite, they have no virtue in them ; as there are some drags without virtue, dead things. But there is a distinguishing virtue in the faith of a Christian, whereby he overcomes the world and his lusts ; whereby he doth all duties, prays and hears, and is fruitful in his conver- sation. In all his graces there is a comforting, strengthening virtue. True gold hath the virtue to comfort and strengthen the heatj| that alchymy gold hath not (/). True grace hath a working, comforting virtue. Another man's formal artificial actions have no virtue in them ; neither is it intended, they being only put on to serve a turn. Two men may do the same things, and yet there he a grand difference : the one doing them from the seal of the Spirit, from a deeper die and stamp of the Spirit ; the other if from the Spirit, yet it is but from a common work at the best. Some dyes cannot bear the weather, but alter colour presently ; but there are others that, having something that give a deeper tincture, will hold. The graces of a true Christian hold out in all kinds of weathers, in winter and summer, prosperity and adversity, when superficial counterfeit holiness will give out. Thus we see the seal of the Spirit serves for distinction.