An Expository Comment on 2 Corinthians 1, Exposition · Sermon 133
SERM. CXXXIII.
Gods People are his ſealed ones.
2 COR. 1. 22.
Who hath alſo ſealed us,
WE come to the ſecond noble Priviledge which the Apoſtle attributeth to the Corinthians, for although we told you the ſame benefit is repreſented under three metaphoricall ſimilitudes, yet every one of them hath a diſtinct notion, as this of ſealing hath from that of anointing, though both intend the confirmation and eſtabliſhment mentioned in the former verſe: Some Popiſh Writers would from hence prove their ſpurious non-inſtituted Sacraments, as by anointing they would have their oylin baptiſm; as alſo in their extreme unction eſtabliſhed; and by ſealing their Sacrament of Confirmation, wherein likewiſe they uſe their chriſme and oil, blaſphemouſly calling it oleum ſalutis, the oyl of ſalvation. Hence they tell us confirmation is uſually called in antiquity ſignaculum, and the obſignation of the holy Ghoſt, bringing this Text for the proof thereof, as Vicecomes a great Popiſh Ritualiſt, lib. 1. & 2. de confirmatione, would make us beleeve: but firſt this Interpretation confuteth that of Stapleton, who limits the interpretation to Miniſters only; whereas Baptiſm, Confirmation, and extreme Unction were applyed to private Chriſtians: and ſecondly, they are never yet able to prove any ſuch Sacrament, of confirmation, as they ſpeak of: Indeed in Antiquity there was Confirmation uſed in the Church of God; When perſons baptized in their infancy were afterwards by Church-officers called to account about their knowledge and Chriſtian life; wherein if approved, they were commended by prayer to God for their eſtabliſhment in the Chriſtian faith againſt all perſecutions and oppoſitions: The uſe whereof Calvin wiſheth were brought again into the Church of God; as being advantagious to prevent hereſies, as alſo to reprove the careleſneſſe and negligence of parents about the education of their children; but as for that abominable abuſe of this afterwards in Popery, making a Sacrament thereof, adding thereunto many Popiſh and ridiculous ceremonies; This is a noiſome weed, not any plant of Gods planting: We are therefore to enquire what is the Sealing that here beleevers are ſaid to have from God, and that will appear to be a metaphor taken from men, who for ſeverall ends make uſe of ſeals, and ſo accordingly it is to be applyed to that work of Gods ſpirit, which is in the hearts of beleevers: All which will better appear in the opening of the doctrine, which is,
That the people of God are his ſealed ones.The people of God are his ſealed ones. 1. There is an active and a paſſive ſealing.
To improve which truth, Conſider,
Firſt, That we reade of an active ſealing and a paſſive ſealing: An active ſealing is, when we by profeſſion or otherwiſe do give our Teſtimony to the Truths of God, for when a man receiveth the Word of God as his Truth, and doth accordingly manifeſt this in his life; herein he doth ſeal to God: So the Evangeliſt John, chap 3. 33. He that hath received his Testimony, hath ſet to his ſeal that God is true. By which expreſſion, you ſee of what neceſſity faith in the Word of God is, with the profeſſion thereof in our lives: It is a ſealing that God is true: inſomuch that he who beleeveth not, as much as in him lieth, maketh God a lyar. Oh conſider this, thou who art tempted to unbeleef, to diſtruſt, not to reſt upon the Promiſes of God. What an hainous ſin is this, not to give teſtimony to Gods Truth? but this we are not to ſpeak of: Therefore there is a paſſive ſealing, which we reade applyed to Chriſt, and to all beleevers: To Chriſt, thus Joh. 6, 27. For him hath God the Father ſealed: How was that? when by the wonderfull miracles that were wrought, he was confirmed to be the Meſſias. And then for beleevers they are ſaid to be ſealed not only in this place, but Eph. 1. 13. and Eph. 4. 30. Thus you ſee the people of God have a ſealing.
But in the next place, Gods ſealing of his people is twofold, either viſible or inviſible, externall or internall; Gods viſible ſealing was again twofold, extraordinary 2. Gods ſealing of his people is either vifible or invifible.or ordinary; extraordinary were the miracles and wonderful ſignes, which many beleevers did in the firſt plantation of the Goſpel: Thus Paul cals miracles the ſignes of his Apoſtleſhip, 2 Cor. 12. 12. and they are ſaid to be a ſign to thoſe that beleeve not, 1 Cor. 14. 22. Now ſome would have this ſealing, which beleevers are ſaid to receive, meant of theſe extraordinary miracles, which were viſible to the world; but that cannot be, partly becauſe all true beleevers in thoſe dayes had them not, and ſome who were not true beleevers did partake of them; and partly becauſe that was but for a ſeaſon, while the Goſpel was firſt preached: whereas the Scripture ſpeaketh of ſuch a ſealing, as the godly may have in all ages, even till their redemption.
In the next place there are viſible ordinary ſeals, ſuch are the two Sacraments of baptiſm and the Lords Supper; for as circumciſion is called Rom. 4. 11. the ſeal of the righteouſneſte of faith, ſo that is to be applyed to every other Sacrament being of the genericall nature thereof: It is true, the Apoſtle in this Text and other places, may happily allude to this Sealing in the Sacrament, which is viſible and externall; but becauſe the outward application of theſe is to the unregenerate and hypocrite, as well as the truly godly: therefore the Apoſtle meaneth a further thing, even ſome proper priviledge that is peculiar to the godly only, and that inviſibly or ſpiritually in our hearts, as the next words ſhew, the earneſt of the spirit in our hearts; So that as the anointing is a ſpirituall inviſible thing, thus alſo muſt the ſealing be: Therefore before we come to declare the nature and uſe of this obſignation: Let us conſider what is implied in the metaphor of ſealing, for thereby we ſhall in part be brought to underſtand the admirable nature thereof.
And firſt, Sealing of the godly, doth imply the precious and excellent eſteem What the ſealing of tee godly implys. 1. The great eſteem with God.they have with God; for ſo amongſt men, thoſe things are ſealed up by us, as we account precious: None uſe to ſeal up dung and pibbles in a bag. Thus Hag. 2. 23. God promiſeth Zerubbabel, he will make him as a ſignet, becauſe he had choſen him, that is, he ſhould be very precious and dear to him as the diamond in a ring. Therefore we have that expreſſion, Jer. 22. 22. Though Coniah were the ſignet of my right hand (ſaith God) yet I would pluck him from thence, that is, though never ſo dear to him; We have alſo the Church praying, Can. 8. 6. Set me as a ſeal upon thy heart, as a ſeal upon thy arm: As theſe who dearly love any were wont to have their image engraven upon the rings they did wear on heir hands, to have them continually in remembrance. Thus the Church prayeth that ſhe may be put as a ſeal even upon the heart of Chriſt: ſo that by this expreſſion is meant the preciouſneſſe, the high eſteem God hath of them; they are his Jewels, they are his peculiar treaſure; and therefore it is that he doth thus ſeal them.
2. Sealing is for the ſafety and preſervation of any ohing, that we would not 2. Their ſafetyhave loſt. Thus Dan. 6. 17. when Daniel was caſt into priſon, there was a ſtone laid upon the mouth of the den, and the King ſealed it with his own ſignet, that ſo there might be no hope of having Daniel releaſed; and thus God ſealeth his people by ſpecial grace preſerving them, that they ſhall never totally and finally be loſt, though Satan be never ſo watchful to deſtroy them: They are ſealed, and therefore they ſhall certainly perſevere; but becauſe this will come more fully in the next particular, I paſſe it over.
3. Sealing doth not only imply ſafety, but ſecurity alſo againſt ſuch danger 3. Security.that is imminent upon us: God ſealeth his people, that the deſtruction which is conſuming of others may paſſe them by. Thus we reade in Ezechiel, cap. 9. 4. when the Angel was to deſtroy the inhabitants of Jeruſalem, yet there was a command given to ſet a mark upon the foreheads of ſuch as did ſigh and cry for the abominations thereof: When the Egyptians likewiſe were to be deſtroyed, they paſſed by every houſe that had blood ſprinkled upon the poſts thereof. Rahabs red thread was like a ſeal to preſerve her from deſtruction, and her family; hence Rev. 7, 4. we reade of many thouſands of Gods ſervants ſealed in the foreheads; and they were therefore ſealed, that they might be preſerved from deſolation: This ſealing was not any external mark, no more than the mark of the beaſt was, but that reall profeſſion of Chriſt which they put forth in the midſt of all dangers, not defiling themſelves with the impurities of others. And thus God doth ſtill ſeal his people, that Satan though he deſire to winnow and ſift them, yet is not able to devour them as his prey. Oh what unſpeakable mercy is this, when the juſtice of God goeth with a drawn ſword to throw ſuch and ſuch into hell, he paſſeth by thee becauſe thou art one of Gods ſealed people.
Fourthly, Sealing is for the differencing and diſcriminating of perſons; Thus 4. Their difference from others.the Shepherd ſetteth a proper mark to know his own ſheep by: The Souldier he hath his proper badge and colours to diſcern what Generall he belongeth unto: And in this ſenſe, though not principally, the Sacraments are ſeals; hereby we are acknowledged to be the Lords people, and ſo differenced from all that are enemies and ſtrangers to him, but this is more remarkably ſeen in this ſpirituall ſealing, for thereby we are not only diſtinguiſhed from the heatheniſh world, but from every hypocrite in the Church of God: Though many may go ſar in profeſſion, in parts, in gifts, ſo as to be admirable in the eyesof others, yet none have this ſealing but the truly godly man. Every gifted man is not this ſealed beleever; None hath this but the true childe of God: The ſpirit of God doth not ſeal, but where it hath ſanctified; Therefore
Fifthly, This ſealing doth ſuppoſe the work of grace truly wrought in a man, Sealing doth not make him godly properly, but ſuppoſeth him ſo: Thus Eph. 1. 13. after ye beleeved ye were ſealed: there was firſt the work of ſanctification, and then of obſignation. It is true Zanchy upon that place maketh ſealing to be the impreſſion of grace upon the heart, even as in ſealing the print of the ſeal is ſtamped upon the wax; and ſo farre we may yeeld that the encreaſe of grace and confirmation therein is a ſealing of the ſpirit; but yet to ſpeak exactly this ſealing is after the work of grace in the ſoul: Even as it is in the Sacraments: The externall ſigne or ſeal doth not make the promiſe, but ſuppoſeth it, ſo in this inward ſealing, grace is not thereby wrought in us, unleſſe it be in the further degrees thereof, but doth confirm that which is in us: and thus ſeals are to confirm contracts, not make them as is to be ſhewed; yet though it be not the divine impreſſion of grace, yet this ſeal is alwaies ſuppoſed; God doth not ſet to his ſeal to a blank, and hereby this ſealing is diſtinguiſhed from all carnal preſumption, and the deluſions of Satan, for the devil hath as it were his ſealing, he confirmeth and eſtabliſheth men in hereticall doctrines, and they are ready to take this for the obſignation of Gods own ſpirit; when heretiques give their bodies to be burnt, profeſſing they have much peace and joy of conſcience; Here the Kings Seal is conterfeited, as it were; They make a diabolicall deluſion, to be the holy ſealing of Gods Spirit. Thus as in ſanctification, there is the true work of Gods grace, and a counterfeit, that which doth reſemble and is like it; ſo in the witneſſing and ſealing of Gods Spirit, there alſo may be a reſemblance of it, which yet is not that glorious priviledge indeed: only as a man that is awake doth certainly know he is ſo, and not in a dream, though men in a dream imagine themſelves to be awake, when they are deceived. Thus where the ſealing of Gods Spirit is, there the authority and light of it doth powerfully diſcover it ſelf to be of God: even as the Sun by its own light doth diſcover it ſelf to be the Sun; though they that think they have it may be deceived, yet thoſe that have it are ſure they do enjoy it. Hence
Sixthly, This ſealing doth imply ſecrecy and privacy; That which is cloſely 6. Secrecy and privacy.reſerved, as Deut. 32. 34. Is not this laid up in ſtore with me, and ſealed up among my treaſures? ſaith God. Thus alſo Iob ſaith, cap. 14. 17. his tranſgreſſion was ſealed up in a bag; God did take ſpeciall notice of it in time to puniſh it; Now in this ſenſe alſo we may apply this ſealing of Gods Spirit: It is very ſecret, hidden and unknown, and that in a twofold reſpect.
1. The nature of it is a myſtery, and hardly unfolded; Inſomuch that as the lamb in the Revelation was found only worthy to open the ſeals. Thus onelyonly men enlightned by the Spirit of God, and experimentally taught of him, can ſavourily explain this. Come to the Learned and moſt eminent men devoid of ſpirituall diſcerning, and whoſe ſenſes are not exerciſed evangelically, who have not the Spirit of Adoption effectually working in them, and they can no more ſpeak with underſtanding to this point, then Nicodemus did to the doctrine of regeneration. He will ſay with thoſe in the Prophet Iſay, cap. 29. 11. I cannnot reade this book, for it is ſealed. But then
2. The ſecrecy of it is diſcovered, becauſe none know what it is, but he that hath it. As none knoweth what Parents affections are but parents; none knoweth what love is, but he that loveth: So none know what this ſealing of Gods Spirit is, but he that doth partake of it: Therefore this ſealing is compared to other things, Rev. 2. 17. to the hidden manna: There was the manna that did fall from heaven, of which all did eat promiſcuouſly; and then there was the manna hidden in the ark. The godly man is ſaid to eat of this: It is likewiſe called the white ſtone, which is a note of abſolution, and juſtification when accuſed, and that with a new name upon it, which none knoweth, ſave he that receiveth it. By this expreſſion it is clear, that the nature and efficacy of of this Sealing is underſtood only by thoſe who enjoy it; and therefore no unregenerate man is able to conceive rightly about it, no more than a blinde man can about the Sunne: yea, the godly man himſelf, though he feel it, yet he cannot expreſſe it to another: Even as we cannot expreſſe the life we live unto another; we feel it, but cannot deſcribe it.
Laſtly, Which is the chiefeſt of all, and moſt principally intended in this expreſſion, Sealing was to confirm and ſecure all contracts and bargains made amongſt 7. Confirmation.men. Thus Ieremiah cap. 32. 10. when he purchaſed ſome land, he had the evidence ſealed: In which reſpect ſome underſtand that place, 2 Tim. 2. 19. The foundation of the Lord standeth ſure having this ſeal: by foreign they underſtand not the foundation of an houſe, becauſe that doth not uſe to be ſealed, but a contract or bargain; to which a ſeal is annexed, but that is not ſo probable; only in the generall, ſeals are chiefly to ſecure and confirm: and for this end it is, that we have the Spirit of God ſealing; for the ſenſe of our unworthineſſe and guilt doth make us very propenſe to diffidence, to diſtruſt, to continuall fears about Gods love to us: and therefore as we need the Spirit of God to ſanctifie us, ſo alſo to witneſſe and ſeal unto us, which is more largely to be treated of.