B00698:238
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, these graces that are conversant about that condition which the Spirit assureth us of, as faith and hope, are purging and purifying graces, working a suitableness in the soul, to the things believed, and hoped for: and the excellency ⟨p. 243⟩of the things believed & hoped for, have such a working upon the soul, that it will not suffer the soul to defile it self. Our hopes on high, will lead us to ways on high, therefore whilst these graces are exercised about these objects, the soul cannot but be in a pleasing frame.
Againe, these graces that are conversant about that condition which the Spirit assureth us of, as faith and hope, are purging and purifying graces, working a suteablenesse in the soule, to the things beleeved, and hoped for: and the excellency ⟨p. 243⟩of the things beleeved & hoped for, have such a working upon the soule, that it wil not suffer the soul to defile it selfe. Our hopes on high, will leade us to wayes on high, therefore whilest these graces are exercised about these objects, the soule cannot but bee in a pleasing frame.
It hath been an old cavil, that certainty of salvation breeds security & looseness of life. And what is there that an ill disposed soul cannot suck poison out of? A man may as truly say, the Sea burns, or the Fire cools: there is nothing quickens a soul more to cheerful obedience, than assurance of Gods love, & that our labour should not be in vain in the ⟨p. 244⟩Lord; this is the Scriptures Logic and Rhetoric to enforce and persuade a holy life from knowledge of our present estate in grace. I beseech you by the mercies of God, 1saith Saint Paul: what mercies? such as he had spoken of before. Justification, Sanctification, Assurance that all shall work together for good, that nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ: all duties tend to assurance, or spring from assurance.