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C
A
P.VI
I.4,í9
The
Sealing
of
the Spirir,&
its
influence
into
the
Sts
Peri
184
felves.
Thefe.are the
Sigilla
appenfa,
that
are yet
in
ufe
in
all Deeds,Enfeofe-
ments, and the like Inftruments
in
Law.And with men
,
if
this
be done
,
their
engagements are accounted inviolable. And becaufe
all men have not that
Truth,
Faithfulneffe,
and Honefty,
as
to
make
good even
their
fealed
en-
gagements,
the
whole Dace
of
man
-kind, bath
confented
unto the
eftablifh-
ment
of
Lawes,
and Governors, amongft others,to
this
end,
that
all
men
may-
be compelled
to
(land
to
their
fealed Promifes ; hence, whatfoever the na-
ture
ofit
be,
and
in
what particular
foever it doth'confift,
the
end and
ufe
of
this worke
in this fpeciall
Acceptation,
is
taken evidently
in
the latter
fence,
from
its ufe
amongft
men."
Expreffed
it
is
upon
the"menèion
of
the
Promifes.
2
Cor:
t.
2o.
To
fecure Believers
of
their
certaine and
infallible
accompiifh-
ment unto
them,
-the Apoftle tells
them
of
this 'fealing
of
the
Spirit whereby
the
Promifes
are irrevocably confirmed
untó them, to
whom they are
nade,
as
is
the
cafe
among
the
Sonnes
of
men; futably
Ephef,
r.
t
3.
he faith,
they
are
Heb.g.rq,
fealed
by
the
Holy
fpirit
ofPromife;
that
is
,
that
is
promifed
unto
us ,
and
who
confirmes
to
us
all
the'Promifes
of
God.
That
the other
end
of
fecurity alfo,
fafety and prefervation,is defigned
therein,
fecondarily, appears from the ap-
pointedfeafon, whereunto
this fealing
!hall
be
effe&uall :
it
is,
to
the
day
of
Redemption,
Epb:4.3o. untill
the
Saints
are
brought
to
the
enjoyment
of
the
full,
whole, and compleat purchafemade for them
by
Chrift,
'when
he obtai-
ned
for them eternall
Redemption.
And this
is
a
reali Teftimony
which
the
Ho.
ly
Spirit gives
to
his
owne abiding with the
Saints
for ever;
The
worke he
ac-
complifheth in them
,
and upon them
,
is
on
fet purpofe defighed
to
affirm
them hereof,and
to
confirme
them
in
the Faith
of
it.
§:
3o.
Unto
anArgument from this fealing
ofthe
fpirit thus propofed;
Thofe
who
are
fealed,fisall certainly
be
faved; Mr
Goodwin 'excepts
fundry
things
ch.
t
r.
sea.
42.
pag.255,256,257
which becaufe
they are applied to blurre that
interpretation
of
the
words
of
the
HolyGhoft,which
I
have
infifted on, I
fhali
briefely remove
out
of
the
way,
that
they may be
no
farther
offenfive
to the
lneaneftfealed
one.
He
anfwers
then
firft
by
difringuilhing
the Major
Propofition thus;
They
who
are
fealed,fhall
certainly
be
faved,
withfilch
a
fealing,
which
is
unchangeable
by
any
intervenience whatfoever,
as
of
f
nne
and
Apoflaf fo that
they
cannot
loofe
their Faith;
but
if
the
fealing
be
only
filch, the continuance whereof,
depends-
on the
Faithofthe fealed, and
confequently may
be
reverted,
or
with-
drawne,
it
no ma
y
proves,
that all
they,who
are
partakers
of it,
mu(i
of
nec
effity
retains their
Faith:
therefore
(faith he)
211
We
Anfwer
farther,
that
the fealing with
the
fpi-
rit
fpoken of,
is
the
Latter
kind
of
fealing,
not the
farmer,
(i.e.)
which
depends
upon
the
Faith
ofthofe
that
are
fealed;ar in
the beginning
or
frft
impre;
f
on
of
it,
fo
in
the duration or continuance
of
it;
and
eonfeynently
there is
none
other
certainty
ofits
continuance, but
only
the continuance
of
the
fend Faith,
which being
uncer
-S,
taine,thefealing
depending on
it
mutt
needs be
uncertáine alto:
Thattbe
fealing
mentioned,
depends
upon
the
Faith
of
the fealed,
is
evident,
becaufe
tis
faid,
in
whom
alfo
after
yee believed, yee were
sealedwith
the
fpirit
of
Promife.
Anf. I
dare
fay,
there
is
no honeft man
that
would take it
well
at the
band
of
Mr
Goodwin,
or
any elfe,
that
fhould
attempt
by diftinctions, or
any
other
way,
to
alleviate,
or
take
offthe credit
of
his
Truth
,
and
Honefty,
in
the
performance
of
all
thofe things, whereunto
,
and for
the
confirmation
whereof,he bath
fet
his
Seal.What acceptation
an like
attempt
in
reference
to
the
fpitit
of
God,is like
to
find
with him, he
may
doe
well
to
confider: In
the
nicane timehe
prevailes
not
with
us
to
difcredit
this
worke
of
his
Grace
in
theleaft.
For,
z. Firft,
This
fuppofall
offuch
interveniencies
of
(inns
,
and
wickedneffe
in