called a fruitful field, was to be counted a forest; and the Gentile world, which formerly was called a wilderness, was to be turned into a fruitful field, under the out-pouring of the Spirit. Then judgment and righteousness were to remain in this field: peace, quietness, and assurance for ever, are to be the effects of judgment and righteousness. Their habitation is to be a peaceable one: and so it is, for they dwell in the cleft of the rock, that is their habitation

"Let the inhabitants of the rock sing; let them shout from the tops of the mountains," Isa. xlii. 11. They are to have sure dwellings: and so they have, for they abide in the Son and in the Father-" Lord, thou hast been our dwelling-place in all generations," Psal. xci.

And he that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty," Psal. xel. 1. They are to have peaceable resting-places: they rest in the love of God, in his absolute choice of their persons, in his covenant, in the finished salvation of Christ, and in the Holy Spirit's work on their own souls;

"And

and I know of no resting-places so precious and so quiet as these. Paul calls circumcision a seal. he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had, being yet uncircumcised," Rom. iv. 11. Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness before ever he was circumcised, that neither he nor his seed might ever glory in the flesh. His circumcision is called no more than a sign of real circumcision; for a true circumcised person is one whose heart God circumcises, that he may love him with all his heart, and with all his soul, that he may live, Deut. xxx. 6. Such, and only such, are truly circumcised-" For we are the circumcision which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh," Phil. iii. 3. The real seal of true and spiritual circumcision is love; and circumcision in the flesh was a sign of this, and no more. This seal in Abraham's heart, and the sign of it in his flesh, was to assure Abraham that God would adopt (by national adoption) his natural seed, and

give unto them the land of promise; which he did; and led them into it by the hand of Moses and Joshua. And love

was a seal to all Abraham's spiritual seed, that he would adopt them by his grace, bless them with faith, righteousness, and life; and that he would give them the heavenly country, and bring them into it by that renowned seed Christ Jesus, in whom all nations should be blessed.

some.

Almost every thing belonging to the believer is sealed; the foundation on which he builds is sealed. "Hymeneus and Philetus, concerning the truth, have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of Nevertheless, the foundation of God standeth sure; having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his," 2 Tim. ii. 18, 19. I do not understand this passage as some good men do; that by seal here is meant the secret purpose of God or his prescience. By this foundation the apostle undoubtedly means the Lord Jesus Christ; as it is written, "According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise master-builder I have laid the foundation, and another build

eth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ," 1 Cor. iii. 10, 11. Now this foundation standeth sure; as the prophet Isaiah speaks, "Thus saith the Lord God, Behold I lay in Zion, for a foundation, a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste," Isa. xxviii. 16. From this text Paul takes it, and says, with the prophet, "Nevertheless, the foundation of God standeth sure; having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his." Now this foundation, which is Christ Jesus, has got the seal of God upon it. "Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you; for him hath God the Father sealed," John vi. 27. Christ was sealed with the Holy Spirit; he was distinguished, pointed out, authorized, anointed, commissioned, and sent to be the promised and long looked-for Messiah. He was filled with the Holy Ghost from the womb, and sealed by the

public descent of the Holy Spirit upon him at his baptism, just before he entered on his public ministry. The miracles that he wrought, and the souls that he converted, were all scriptural evidences of his being sealed and sent of God. Hence the apostle concludes that, though some, who profess the name of Christ, depart from the faith themselves, and overthrow the faith of others; yet the true Messiah, who is the omniscient God, and who, as man, is sealed with the Holy Ghost, must know who his own elect are; he must know whose sins he bore, for whom he died, and who are his own purchased possession: and surely he will never lose what his Father has given him, nor suffer any of those to be plucked out of his hand who are made his charge. The good shepherd may suffer Satan to steal away the wolves, but not the sheep; for the Lord (but none else) knoweth them that are his. Hence it appears that the believer's foundation is sealed, and so is the believer himself; and his sealing is said to be in Christ-"In whom, after that ye believed, ye were sealed," Eph. i. 13.