B00698:47
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.
Now a degree in grieving the Spirit this way, is, when men will not be thoroughly conceived of their own sinful condition, and of the infinite love and mercy of God in Christ, in the pardoning of them. If God by his Spirit in the Ministry, or in a particular reproof come to men, and discover their natural condition, and tell them they are worse than they take themselves to be: they will oppose it, and study revenge, as Saint Paul saith, Am I become your enemy, because I tell you the truth? this must needs grieve the Spirit.
Now a degree in grieving the Spirit this way, is, when men will not be thorowly conceived of their owne sinfull condition, and of the infinite love and mercy of God in Christ, in the pardoning of them. If God by his Spirit in the Ministery, or in a particular reproofe come to men, and discover their naturall condition, and tell them they are worse than they take themselves to be: they will oppose it, and study revenge, as Saint Paul saith, Am I become your enemie, because I tell you the truth? this must needs grieve the Spirit.
1Again the holy Spirit is grieved, when ye have a corrupt judgement of ⟨p. 56⟩things, not weighing them in the right balance, nor value them according to their worth. When we esteem any knowledge rather than divine knowledge, any truths but truths that concern Christ, when men look upon grace as contemptible, and prefer other things above it, make a tush at holiness, give us (say they) gifts and parts. Alas, what are all gifts and parts, without a gracious heart? Have not the devils greater parts then any man? Are they not called Daemones, from the largeness of their understanding? If parts and gifts were best, the devils were better than we. What an indignity is this to the holy Spirit, to think it ⟨p. 57⟩better to be accounted witty, and politic, then to be holy, and gracious?