An Expojition of the Epiflle ~ To begin with the firfl:, I !hall profefs meerly to perform the part of an Ex– Str. XV. pofttor, and but mention fuch Obfervations concerning .~ealing, (which in it felf ~will afford a large field of dlfcourfe otherwtfe,) as the Text affordeth, And firfl:, concerning this Sealing, let us enquire what that is. I !hall hrfl: !hew you what it is not; wh;ch fame Interpreters have given to be the meaning of i~ too, Secondly, l !hall endeavour to !hew you what it is. Fi>'{l, What it is no.t. I will not trouble you with what Popifh Interpreters make this Stati11g to be, becaufe t!Jey are ~nemies to Affurance of falvation. But firfl:, Pfji:ator, and fame Others, do take it for the work of Faith it felf, and fa they exRrefs the meaning of it to be, that in believing, in the work of Faith, tpe Holy Ghofldid feal up th~ truth of the Pwmife untq tbcir hearts. :rhe like faithCatvin upon this place; and they have thefe two Reafons for it: Becaufe he is called the Spzrtl of Promifr, fay they; becaufe he fealeth up the truth of· the Promifcs, when men believe. And whereas he had called the Gofpel the word of ir11th, in the words before, He fpeaks , fay they, to .thefe Ephejimzs, and telleth them, Yeknow it by this to be the truth, for the Holy Ghofl did feal it up to you, when you believed. • ' Their meaning, ( that I may explain it to you) as I underfiand it, is this : There is a twofold AffiLTallcr, There is firfi, an Aifurance of the truth of the Promifes, (and that is their meaning,) wherehy a man's Underfranding is fpiritually convinced, that the Promifes are true, and from God, And Secondly, There is an Affurance of a man's mttrt~ in thofe Promife!. · Now when they fay, that the HolyGhofl in believing feals Believers, their meaning is, that He j(altth up tht trHth of the Promtfn to tlum. Now to confute this Interpretation in a word or two. I do grant them three things col!'- cerning it. · The firfi is, That it is a trmh , that in all Faith there is an alfurance of the tr11th of the Promifes wrought. I do not fay there is an alfurance of a man's iuterefl in the Promifes. ·No, bnt whoever believeth, he bath unbelief thus far fubdued, that he fully believeth this Promife is true, and giveth up his Soul un– to it. There is a prevailing Affurance of the truth •of the Promife above all doubting in every Believer. I do not fay, it excludeth doubting, neither do I fay, it is an Alfurance of a man's own pcrfonal interefi in the Promife. I could !hew you this by Scripture, but I mull: not infill: upon it. In the Second place, I grantthat this is a work of the Holy Ghojl. It is not all the light of Reafon that can convince a man Jl>iritually of the truth of a Pro– mife, or draw his heart into reil: upon it. I TbejJ. I ·5 fpeaking of the Converfion of the TbejfalonimJs, ondof the .Apofltrsentrance among themwhen theyfirfl: ·were turned to God, he faith, that tht Gojpr~ came ttot tmto them in wordonly, but;, the Holy Ghofl, and in much affurcmce. The Holy Ghofl and Affurance are both there ioyned together. Nay, In the Third place, the Holy Ghofls convincing of a man of the truth of any Promife, it is called aSta/iJ;g, I grant that likewife. . 7ob.l3· 16. fpeaking of the maoner of God's converting men in thofe times, (which was done by Vilions and by Dreams,) Thfll, faith he, he opmrth the tars of mm, mzd fea!eth thnr injlruefio11. But yet, though all this be granted, this is not the meaning of the place, to fpeak of ~he>work of Faith.. For firfl:? if you mark it, it is not a fealiog up of the Promtfe, th~ truthof tt, a f7ahng of lnflrtleflon .that the Apofile here fpe~l<S of ; but 11 ts a fealtng of thetr PrrfotiS, and fo thetr Perfonal interefl: io the Promife, By wbom, faith he, yt wert fea!td; he doth not fay, the Promzfe, or the trteth of it was fealed to them, but their Per{o11s were fealed. Then Secondly,Ttcannot be meant oftbat fealing ofinfl:rudion that is wrought in believing, for it cometh after believing, ajt.rye betzevtd (faith he,) ,.e wtrt jtaledwith the Spirit of Promife. I know Pifcator readeth the words other– wife, but I !hall meet with his interpretation anon, (for the Order oflt,) when I fpeak to that point. Again,
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