Book II. THE HOLY SPIRIT TIIE EARNEST OF THE SAINTS, &c. 48<J THE HOLY SPIRIT THE EARNEST OF THE SAINTS INHERITANCE. After ye believed, ye were fealed with the Spirit of Promije; which is the Earnejl of Cilr Inheritance, &c. Eph. I. I 3• I 4· MET AP HO R. I. AN Earndl: is ufually Part of the belt Things which are in common Ufe and Ertimation a– mona Men; as Gold, Silver, &c. I!~ An Earnelt imports fome Thing bought or fold, as alfo an Acrreement, or Conlcnt becween tw~ Parries, for the confirming of fome Contract or Promife, which before was not fettled. PARALLEL. I. THE Holy Spirit, viz. the Gifts. Graces and Operations thereof, is Part of the bdt Things which the great God, in this \Vorld, crives unto his dear Children. b 1!. The Earnelt of the Spirit dorh alfo denote, as it is obferved by focne, that fpiritual Bargain which is made between God and a Believer. The Lord in a folemn ContraCt, requires of us our whole Soul, Life, Strength, rhe belt we are, and are capable to perform for the Glory of his holy Name, and to the end he might have, as I may fay, the Bargain punCtually obferved, hath given us an Earnert, ro wir, his Spirit, and we receiving of it, !hew our Affent and Confent to the ContraCt, to ferve rhe Lord and become his for ever, Rom. xii. 2. I Cor. vi. 1 9• 20. Ill. An Earnelt is given as a Ill. The Spirit is given by the Father to BePledcre of fome future good Thing, lievers as a !:'ledge or Earneft of rhe bleffed lnhe– purchafed or promifed to a Perfon. rirance, which Chrirt purchafed by his Blood for them, and upon the Account of his own free Grace is promifed to them. Who bath alfo Jealed us, and given us the Earnejl of the Spirit in our Hearts, 2 Cor. i. 22. IV. An Earnelt oftenrimes of a great Bargain or Purchafe is a conG– derable Sum, twenty or thirty Pounds,fometimes more harh been given inEarnefi: of an Inheritance: an Earnelt is commonly propor– tioned according ro the Worth or Value of rhe Pc1rchafe. IV. The Spirit which God giverh to Believers, as the Earneft of eternal Life, is a great Sum, or that which is of conGderable Value; rhe Pur– chafe being infinite or invaluable, it is meet the Earneit fhould bear fome Proportion to it; who is able to account or reckon up the Worth of rhe Spirit of God, which is the Earneft of the Saints Inheritance? We may judge of the Value and Excellency of it by the Fruits thereof, which are Love, Joy, Peau, Longfuffering, GCiltleuefs, Faith, Meeknefs, '[emperance, &c. Gal. v. 22, 23. One particular Fruit of rhe Spirit, viz . Peace is fuch an inefrimable Jewel, that the Apollle fatth, It pa.lfeth all Unt!erflanding, Phi!. iv. 7· V. An Earneft is that which conV. The Earneft of the Spirit which God harh firms or makes fure a Bargain or given to his People, confirms that mutual Con– ContraCt between two Parties, by traCt and Agreement which is between him and the Means of which each cL!ims them: God hereby claims a new Covenanr-Ricrht his own Intereft and Property. to Believers, and Believers claim Inrereft ::'nd Property in God. Hereby <ve know that we dwelt in him, and he in us, becaufe he bath given us of his Spirit, 1 John iv. 13. VI. An Earneft puts a Bar to VI. The Earndt of the Spirit prevents Satan any who would unjuftly ftop, diffrom flepping in to break and make void rhe fpi– annul, or make void the Covenant ritual Bargain, or ContraCt between the Soul and agreed upon. the Lord J efus Chrift. A Saint can by this means fay, I have received Earneft of God, I am not mine own, I have agreed, covenanted, and fold myfelf to him. Depart frbm me, ye Evil– doers ; for I will keep the Commandments of my God, Pfal. cxix. 1 t5· 'The Lord rebuke thee, Satan, &c. Zuh. iii. 2. And hereby God looks upon himfelf concerned ro fecure and make fure of the Soul to preferve his Right and !nterdl: he barb in his People againlt all Enemies, that he may not lofe his Bargain. VII. AnEarneft confirms a BarVII. The Spirit confirms the Covenant of gain, fo that it gives Affurance to Grace fo to Believe", that it gives them an Af6I fu~re
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