THE HOLy SPIRIT COMPARED TO A SEAL. Book !I. VII. \Vhat Fools are they that flight and defpife this Earne!l:? God offers Men in the Gofpel everlafiing Life, and to alfure them of it, promires them, if they will come to lm Terms, to g•ve them Ins Spmt as the Earne!l: thereof: 'Iurn you at my Re– proof;. behold, I will pour out my Spirit upon )'OU, I will make known my Words unto )'OU, p,-ov. 1. 23. THE HOLY SPIRIT COMPARED TO A SEAL. In whom ye alfo trujled, after that ye heard the Word of 'I'ruth, the Gofpel of )'Our Sat. Vdtion; in whom alfo after that ye believed, )'e were fealed with that !Joly Spirit of Promife, Epb. 1. 13. And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are fealed unto the Da;• of Redemption, Epb. IV. 30. A Seal is an ln!l:rumcnt fitted to make an lmprefTion or Mark, by which a Man knows the Thing done, whatfoever it be, to be his own and not another's ACl:; as alfo to ratify and make authentic Bonds, Covenants, &c. And to open this Metaphor of Believers being fealed by the Holy Spirit, thefe Things are meet to be nored, . 1. The Letter written, or the Velfel filled with Treafure, every true Chri!l:ian. 2. The Wax appointed to the Seal, and that is the Heart, the relenting and pliable Heart of a Sinner, Heb. x. 16. 3· The Sealer, that is, as fome conceive, the Father, or the Lord Jefus Chri!l:; others more immediately the Holy Spirit, or third Perfon of the Trinity. 4· The Seal, as fame under!l:and, is the Word of God, others the Spirit; we include both jointly confidered. 5· The Sealing or aCtive Jmpreilion, is the ACt of applying the Word in the Mi– ni!l:ry of the Gofpel, by the Help of the Spirit, to the Soul. 6. The Print or pailive lmprdlion, or Image of the Seal left in \Vax, is called the Image of God, or Knowledge, Faith, Love, Truth, Ho!inefs, &c. which are originally in God, and communicated to us by the Word and Spirit from him.* 7· The End of Sealing, which is Secrecy, Property, and Security, which Things will appear more fully in opening the Metaphor. METAPHOR. I. A Seal (efpecially if it be the King's Seal) is highly prized, and very carefully kept. II. A Seal makes an Impreilion in the Wax like itfelf, or leaves a Refemblance of it. IlL Before the Seal can make an Impreflion, the Wax mu!l: be melted, or made pliable, foft, and fitto take ir. PARALLEL. I. THE Holy Spirit is the King's Seal, the glorious King of Heaven and Earth, and therefore is highly valued and prized by every true Chri!l:ian. 11. The Holy Spirit makes an Impreilion on the Heart, there is in a Believer a Similitude, a Likenefs or Refemblance of God; every Saint hath the Image of the Spirit upon him, he is holy, harmlefs, heavenly, &c. Ill. Beiore the Holy Spirit feal any Perfon to., the Day qf Redemption, the Heart is broken, foftened, and made pliable by the Word, and powerful Operations of Grace, and fo made fit to take that heavenly Impreilion. And thus you have !)avid fpeaking, I am poured out like Water, and all my Bones are out of J•int : j'vfy Heart is like Wax, it is melted ilz the mid.JI of my Bowels. IV. The Seal alters the Form IV. The Spirit makes a Change tlpon the Soul of the Clay it is fet or fiamped of a Man or Woman that receives the Impreilion upon. A Piece of Clay is a rude of it, it alters every Faculty, and puts a new Lump, without form or figure, Form or F1gure, as 1t were, upon Jt. Man r:atu– faith Mr Cary!, but if you take a rally is a rude Lump, a grofs _and confufed P>ece, Seal and fiamp upon it, that Clay by _reafon. of Sm, ull the Spmt ftamp upon lmll, receives any Figure, or Coat of or mfufe mto h1m new Hab1ts. Arms, that is engraven upon it, Job xxxvi. 14. • Wi/fin. V. The
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