A12166:485
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.
JOHN Baptist and our blessed Saviour gave mutual testimonies one of another, he witnessed of Christ before he came, and our Saviour Christ gives witness of him here. The occasion of this you have in the second verse:1 John being in prison sends two of his Disciples to Christ, to know whether he were the Christ or no; not that John did doubt, but to confirm his Disciples. Christ returns a real and a verbal answer, Tell John (saith he) what ye have seen and heard, &c. and then he ⟨p. 224⟩closeth up all, Blessed is he that is not offended with me. Upon this occasion Christ enters into a commendation of blessed St. John Baptist, even unto a comparative commendation, amongst them that were borne of women there had not yet risen a greater then John the Baptist, 1not so much in eminency of grace (though that may have a truth) as in regard of the dispensation of his Ministry, John living in more glorious times: For the excellency of the Church is from Christ: he doth ennoble and advance times and places and persons, Bethlehem, a little City, yet not a little City in regard that Christ was borne there, and saith Christ,3 Happy are the eyes that see that which your eyes see, every thing is advanced by Christ. So John Baptist in regard of his office, being the immediate fore-runner of Christ, was greater then all that were before him: yet he saith the least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater then be▪ not in grace, but in prerogative, in regard of the revelation and manifestation of more things. For John Baptist died before he saw the death and resurrection and ascension of Christ accomplished, before he was glorified. Therefore in regard of these prerogatives, the least in the Kingdom of Heaven, that is, in the Church of the New Testament is greater then he. It is a rule that the least of the greater, is greater then the greatest of the less. John was greater then the greatest of them that were before him; but lesser then the least of those that were after him.
IOHN Baptist and our blessed Saviour gave mutuall testimonies one of another, hee witnessed of Christ before hee came, and our Saviour Christ gives witnesse of him here. The occasion of this you have in the second verse: