B00698:203
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.
Answ. But the spirit of God in mans heart is not deceitful, it is too holy to deceive, and too wise to be deceived in this point of assurance: we plough with the Spirits Heifer, or else we could not find out this Riddle: where there is an object to be seen, and an eye to see, and light to discover the object to the eye, sight must needs follow. In a true believer, after he is enlightened, as there is grace to be seen, and an eye of Faith to see, so there is a light of the Spirit discovering that grace to that inward sight: in the bottom ⟨p. 208⟩of a clear River, a clear eye sight may see any thing; where nothing is, nothing can be seen; it is an evidence that the Patrons of doubtings have little grace in them, and much boldness in making themselves a measure for other. Those that are base borne, know their Mothers better then their Fathers;1 the Church of Rome is all for the Mother, but the babes of Christ know their Father; the remainder of corruption will indeed be still breeding doubts, but it is the office of the Spirit of Faith to quell them as they arise. We are too ready in time of temptation to doubt, we need not help the tempter, by holding it ⟨p. 209⟩a duty to doubt; this is to light a candle before the devil as we use to speak.
Answ. But the spirit of God in mans heart is not deceitfull, it is too holy to deceive, and too wise to be deceived in this point of assurance: wee plow with the Spirits Heifer, or else we could not finde out this Riddle: where there is an object to be seene, and an eye to see, and light to discover the object to the eye, sight must needs follow. In a true beleever, after he is inlightened, as there is grace to bee seene, and an eye of Faith to see, so there is a light of the Spirit discovering that grace to that inward sight: in the bottome ⟨p. 208⟩of a cleare River, a cleare eye sight may see any thing; where nothing is, nothing can bee seene; it is an evidence that the Patrons of doubtings have little grace in them, and much boldnesse in making themselves a measure for other. Those that are base borne, know their Mothers better then their Fathers;