B00698:70
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.
In Answer to this,1 know, that we must not judge of sin by the matter in which, but by the Spirit, from which sin is committed. There is no sin so gross, but the Saints of God may fall into it, but yet the child of God is hindered by a contrary law of the Spirit, from yielding full consent before, or taking full delight in a sin, or allowing or persisting after. And though in regard of ⟨p. 77⟩ingratitude, the sin of a godly man admits of a greater aggravation, than the sin of others: yet setting that aside, the sin it self of a godly man is less, for his temptations be stronger, and Satan's malice more eager against him, and his resistance of sin greater; all which doth abate the heinousness of the guilt. The more resistance from within, argues a stronger party from within, in the godly, the force of sin is broken from within: take a godly man at the worst, there is some work of the Spirit in him, that in some measure is answerable to the counsels and motions of the Spirit without him: the holy Spirit hath some hold in ⟨p. 78⟩him, by which he doth recover him. A wicked man proceeds from grieving to quenching, and from quenching to resisting. The Spirit hath no party, no side in him, and therefore when the Spirit is gone, fare well he: glad they are, that then they can follow their pleasures and sins without check.
In Answer to this,1 know, that wee must not judge of sinne by the matter in which, but by the Spirit, from which sinne is committed. There is no sinne so grosse, but the Saints of God may fall into it, but yet the childe of God is hindered by a contrary law of the Spirit, from yeelding full consent before, or taking full delight in a sinne, or allowing or persisting after. And though in regard of ⟨p. 77⟩ingratitude, the sinne of a godly man admits of agreater aggravation, than the finne of others: yet setting that aside, the sinne it selfe of a godly man is lesse, for his temptations be stronger, and Sathans malice more eager against him, and his resistance of sinne greater; all which doth abate the hainousnesse of the guilt. The more resistance from within, argues a stronger party from within, in the godly, the force of sinne is broken from within: take a godly man at the worst, there is some worke of the Spirit in him, that in some measure is answerable to the counsels and motions of the Spirit without him: the holy Sprit hath some hold in