B00698:131
A fountain sealed: or, The duty of the sealed to the Spirit, and the…
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 means 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, 1638
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 heart, 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 downeward, and light bodies upward: every creature works according to his nature, an holy man is exercised in holinesse constantly, because hee 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,