B00698:152
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.
But oft it falls out, that our own spirits, though sanctified, cannot stand against a subtle temptation strongly enforced, God super-adds his own Spirit: guilt often prevails over the testimony of blood, ⟨p. 163⟩that of water by reason of stirring corruptions runneth troubled. Therefore the third the immediate testimony of the Spirit is necessary to witness the Fathers love to us, to us in particular, saying, I am thy salvation, thy sins are pardoned. And this testimony the Word echoeth unto, and the heart is stirred up, and comforted with joy unexpressible. So that both our spirits and consciences, and the spirit of Christ joining in one strongly, witness our condition in grace, that we are the sons of God.
But oft it fals out, that our owne spirits, though sanctified, cannot stand against a subtill temptation strongly inforced, God super-addes his owne Spirit: guilt often prevailes over the testimony of bloud, ⟨p. 163⟩that of water by reason of stirring corruptions runneth troubled. Therefore the third the immediate testimony of the Spirit is necessary to witnesse the Fathers love to us, to us in particular, saying, I am thy salvation, thy sinnes are pardoned. And this testimony the Word ecchoeth unto, and the heart is stirred up, and comforted with joy unexpresseable. So that both our spirits and consciences, and the spirit of Christ joyning in one strongly, witnesse our condition in grace, that wee are the sonnes of God.
In this threefold testimony the order is this; blood begets water: satisfaction by blood procures the Spirit ⟨p. 164⟩from God, as a witness of Gods love; and by feeling the power of blood and water, we come to have the Spirit witnessing, and sealing our adoption unto us to establish us in the state of grace against storms of temptation to the contrary. The Spirit persuadeth to look unto blood, convinceth the heart of the efficacy of it, and then quieteth the soul, which giveth it self up to Christ wholly, and to whole Christ: and thence feels his heart established against carnal reason, so as he can and doth oppose Christs blood to all the guilt that doth arise. And this witness of the Spirit comforting the soul is the most