A68733:131
A fountain sealed
A fountain sealed: or, The duty of the sealed to the Spirit, and the work of the Spirit in sealing Wherein many things are handled about the Holy Spirit, and grieving of it: as also of assurance and sealing what it is, the privileges and degrees of it, with the signs to discern, and means to preserve it. Being the substance of divers sermons preached at Gray's Inn. By that reverend divine, Richard Sibbes, D.D. and sometimes preacher to that honourable society.A fountain sealed: or, The duty of the sealed to the Spirit, and the worke of the Spirit in sealing Wherein many things are handled about the Holy Spirit, and grieving of it: as also of assurance and sealing what it is, the priviledges and degrees of it, with the signes to discerne, and meanes to preserve it. Being the substance of divers sermons preached at Grayes Inne. By that reverend divine, Richard Sibbes, D.D. and sometimes preacher to that honourable society.
London: printed by Thomas Harper for Lawrence Chapman, 1637
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Again, nature is constant, what is done naturally, is done constantly: heavy bodies go always downward, and light bodies upward: every creature works according to his nature; an holy man is exercised in holiness constantly, because he doth it from an inward principle, from a work and stamp within. Different things may seem the same; as wild herbs may have the colour and form of those that are planted in the garden; ⟨p. 137⟩but there is difference in the virtue of them:1 the seeming graces and actions of an hypocrite, they have no virtue in them: as there are some drugs without virtue, dead things. But there is a distinguishing virtue in the faith of a Christian, whereby he overcomes the world and his lusts, whereby he doth all duties, prays, and hears, and is fruitful in his conversation, in all his graces, there is a comforting strengthening virtue.2 True gold hath the virtue to comfort and strengthen the heat, that Alchemy gold hath not. True grace hath a working comforting virtue. Another mans formal artificial actions have no virtue ⟨p. 138⟩in them, neither is it intended, they being only put on to serve a turn. Two men may do the same things, and yet there be a grand difference; the one doing them from the seal of the Spirit, from a deeper dye and stamp of the Spirit: the other if from the Spirit, yet it is but from a common work at the best. Some dyes cannot bear the weather, but alter colour presently; but there are others that having something that give a deeper tincture will hold. The graces of a true Christian, hold out in all kind of weathers, in winter and summer, prosperity and adversity; when superficial counterfeit holiness, will give out: thus we see the ⟨p. 139⟩seal of the Spirit, serves for distinction.
Againe, nature is constant, what is done naturally, is done constantly: heavie bodies goe alwayes downward, and light bodies upward: every creature works according to his nature; an holy man is exercised in holinesse constantly, because he doth it from an inward principle, from a worke and stampe within. Different things may seeme the same; as wilde hearbs may have the colour and forme of those that are planted in the garden;