A12166:474
Beams of divine light breaking forth from several places of holy Scripture, as they…Beames of divine light breaking forth from severall places of holy Scripture, as they…
Beams of divine light breaking forth from several places of holy Scripture, as they were learnedly opened, in XXI. sermons. The III. first being the fore-going sermons to that treatise called The bruised-reed, preached on the precedent words. By the late reverend and judicious divine, Richard Sibs, D.D. Mr. of Katharine Hall in Camb: and sometimes preacher at Gray's Inn. Published according to the Doctor his own appointment subscribed with his hand; to prevent imperfect copies.Beames of divine light breaking forth from severall places of holy Scripture, as they were learnedly opened, in XXI. sermons. The III. first being the fore-going sermons to that treatise called The bruised-reed, preached on the precedent words. By the late reverend and iudicious divine, Richard Sibs, D.D. Mr. of Katharine Hall in Camb: and sometimes preacher at Grayes Inne. Published according to the Doctor his owne appointment subscribed with his hand; to prevent imperfect coppies.
London: printed by George for N. Bourne, 1639
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.
So that these two may well stand together, labour and gift: we are taught to pray, Give us this day our daily bread, God will give us our daily bread, we must not therefore stand still and do nothing, but though God will give it, yet he will give it in the use of means, in the use of our lawful callings, so here, God will give us this spiritual food, yet he will give it in labour, it is his ordinance, and whatsoever he gives, he gives not in idleness but in obedience to his ordinance, he will have us to labour in the use of the means, in reading, hearing, receiving the Sacrament, praying, meditating and the like, to have a part in Christ this blessed gift Nay, because he will give Christ, therefore la•our, the one enforceth the other, the like reason Moses giveth the Israelites, Fight (saith he) for the Lord hath given them into your hand, •hey ⟨p. 218⟩might say, if our enemies be given into our hand why should we fight? yes, fight the rather, be encouraged to fight, because you shall be sure to conquer, so here, Labour for the meat that endures to everlasting life, for the Son of man will give it, therefore labour, because he will give it, in labouring we shall be sure to have it, do that which belongs to thee and thou shalt be sure to have that which belongs to God, thou shalt find Christ, and Heaven, and glory, and all in the use of the means: But he gives nothing without labour; there can be no good done in earthly things without labour, and do you think to have Heaven without labour? No, spiritual things are against the stream, Heaven is up the hill, there must be labour, there must be striving against corruptions within and against temptations without, and our labour it is a happy labour, it is not a barren labour,1 our labour is not in vain in the Lord, as the Apostle saith, we that labour for the food that endures to everlasting life, we labour for somewhat, but worldlings that beat their brains, and tire their spirits, and rack their consciences, and wear out their bodies, it is all for nothing, it is for that which is vanity and vexation of spirit, for that which they must leave behind them. A true Christian (to encourage him to take all the pains that may be) he labours for something, it is a hopeful and not a barren labour:
So that these two may well stand together, labour and gift: we are taught to pray, Give us this day our daily bread, God will give us our daily bread, we must not therefore stand still and doe nothing, but though God will give it, yet he will give it in the use of meanes, in the use of our lawfull callings, so heere, God will give us this spirituall food, yet he will give it in labour, it is his ordinance, and whatsoever hee gives, he gives not in idlenesse but in obedience to his ordinance, he will have us to labour in the use of the meanes, in reading, hearing, receiving the Sacrament, praying, meditating and the like, to have a part in Christ this blessed gift Nay, because he will give Christ, therefore laour, the one enforceth the other, the like reason Moses giveth the Israelites, Fight (saith he) for the Lord hath given them into your hand, hey