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but the work is not clone, the conquest is not fully obtained, until the Spu'it, who worketh freely and effectually, when and how he will, comes in with his testimony also; clothing his power with a word of promise, he makes all parties concerned to attend unto him, and puts an end to the controversy.
Herein he gives us holy connnunion with himself. The soul knows his voice when he speaks, " Nee hominem sonat." There is sometliing too great in it to be the effect of a created power. When the Lord Jesus Christ at one word stilled the raging of the sea and wind, all that were with him knew there was divine power at hand. Matt, viii. 25-27. And when the Holy Ghost by one word stills the tumults and stonns that are raised in the soul, giving it an immediate calm and security, it knows his divine power, and rejoices in his presence.
5. He seals us. " We are sealed by the Holy Spuit of promise, Eph. i. 13; and, " Grieve not the Holy Spnit, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption," chap. iv. SO. I am not very clear in the certain peculiar intendment of this metaphor; what I am persuaded of the mind of God in it I shall briefly impart. In a seal two things are considered : — (1 .) The nature of it. (2.) The use of it.
(1.) The nature of sealing consists in the imparting of the image or character of the seal to the thing sealed. This is to seal a thing, — to stamp the character of the seal on it. In this sense, the effectual communication of the image of God unto us should be our sealing. The Spirit in believers, really communicating the image of God, in righteousness and true holiness, unto the soul, sealeth us. To have this stamp of the Holy Ghost, so as to be an evidence unto the soul that it is accepted with God, is to be sealed by the Spirit ; taking the metaphor from the nature of sealing.^ And in this sense is our Saviour said to be sealed of God, John vi. 27, even from that impres- sion of the power, wisdom, and majesty of God that he had upon him in the discharge of his office.
(2.) The end of sealing is twofold : —
[1.] To confirm or ratify any grant or conveyance made in writing. In such cases men set their seals to make good and confirm their grants; and when this is done they are irrevocable. Or to confirm the testimony that is given by any one of the truth of any thing. Such was the manner among the Jews : — when any one had given true witness unto any thing or matter, and it was received by the judges, they instantly set their seals to it, to confirm it in judgment. Hence it is said, that he who receives the testimony of Christ " sets to his seal that God is true," John iii. 33. The promise is the great grant and conveyance of life and salvation in Christ to the souls of believers. That we may have full assurance of the truth and irrevocableness of
' Kcv. vii. 4.
OF COMJroNION VriTH THE HOLY GHOST. 243
the promise, God gives us the Spirit to satisfy our hearts of it ; and thence is he said to seal us, by assuring our hearts of those promises and their stabihty. But, though many expositors go this way, I do not see liow this can consist with the very meaning of the word. It is not said that the promise is sealed, but that we are sealed; and when we seal a deed or grant to any one, we do not say the man is sealed, but the deed or grant.
[2.] To appropriate, distinguish, or keep safe. This is the end of sealing. Men set their seals on that which they appropriate and desire to keep safe for themselves. So, evidently, in this sense are the ser- vants of God said to be sealed, Rev. vii. 4 ; that is, marked with God's mark, as his peculiar ones, — for this sealing answers to the setting of a mark, Ezek. ix. 4. Then are believers sealed, when they are marked for God to be heirs of the purchased inheritance, and to be preserved to the day of redemption. Now, if this be the sealing intended, it denotes not an act of sense in the heart, but of security to the person. The Father gives the elect into the hands of Christ to be redeemed ; having redeemed them, in due time they are called by the Spuit, and marked for God, and so give up themselves to the hands of the Father.
If you ask, now, " Which of these senses is chiefly mtended in this expression of our being sealed by the Holy Ghost?" I answer. The first, not excluding the other. We are sealed to the day of redemp- tion, when, from the stamp, image, and character of the Spirit upon our souls, we have a fresh sense of the love of God given to us, with a comfortable persuasion of our acceptation with him. But of this whole matter I have treated at large^ elsewhere.