B00698:149
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.
This degree of sealing in regard of joy hath its degrees likewise : sometimes it is so clear and strong, that the soul questioneth not its state in grace ever after, but passeth on in a triumphant manner to that glory it looks for. Sometimes after this sealing, there may be interrupting ⟨p. 158⟩of comfortable communion of far as to question our condition: yet this calling into question comes not from the Spirit, which where it once witnesseth for us, never witnesseth against us, but it is a fruit of the flesh not fully subdued, it is a sin it self, and usually a fruit of some former sin. For howsoever we should not doubt after a former witness of the Spirit, yet there will be so much weakening the sense of our assurance, as there is yielding to any lust. The knowledge of our estate in grace and comfort thereupon, though it may be weakened by neglect of our watchfulness, yet still it hath the force of an argument ⟨p. 159⟩to assure us when the Spirit pleaseth to direct us to make use of it, because Gods love varies not as our feeling doth, and a fit doth not alter a state. The child in the womb stirs not always, yet it lives, and that may be gathered from the former stirrings.
This degree of sealing in regard of joy hath its degrees likewise : sometimes it is so cleare and strong, that the soule questioneth not its state in grace ever after, but passeth on in a triumphant manner to that glory it lookes for. Sometimes after this sealing, there may bee interrupting ⟨p. 158⟩of comfortable communion of farre as to question our condition: yet this calling into question comes not from the Spirit, which where it once witnesseth for us, never witnesseth against us, but it is a fruit of the flesh not fully subdued, it is a sinne it selfe, and usually a fruit of some former sinne. For howsoever wee should not doubt after a former witnesse of the Spirit, yet there will be so much weakening the sence of our assurance, as there is yeelding to any lust. The knowledge of our estate in grace and comfort thereupon, though it may bee weakened by neglcd of our watchfulnesse, yet still it hath the force of an argument ⟨p. 159⟩