A12166:534
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.
1Again, we see here that there is a blessed violence that may stand with judgement. A man cannot be violent and wise in the things of this world, because the things are mean, and eagerness is above the proportion of them. A man cannot be violent after honour, or riches, and be as he should be; these are things that he must leave behind him and they are worse then himself: much less after filthy pleasures can a man be violent and wise, a man must become a fool in this respect, 2as the Scripture saith. But in respect of heavenly things a man may be violent and wise: for there is such a degree of excellency in the things, that no violence can be too much. Men talk of being too strict ⟨p. 245⟩and too holy: Can there be too much of that which we can never have enough of in this world? I speak it the rather to confound the base judgement that the world hath of a holy disposition, which is carried with a sweet, eager violence to these things. They are thought to be frantic, to be out of their wits, as they thought St. Paul was;3 but he answers, If we be out of our wits, besides our selves, it is to God. Christ himself was sometimes laid hands on, as if he had been out of himself, and as Festus told blessed St. Paul, That much learning had made him mad, when he saw him eager in the cause of Christ. So many, when they see a man earnest in the matters of God, they think surely these men have lost their discretion: No it is the highest discretion in the world to be eager and violent for things that are invaluable, and if men be not eager for these, they are fools, they know not how to prize things, the most judicious men here are most violent, so that it be violence that hath eyes in its head, violence guided with judgement from the knowledge of the excellency of the good things in the Gospel, I speak of such a violence as that.
1Againe, we see here that there is a blessed violence that may stand with judgement. A man cannot be violent and wise in the things of this world, because the things are meane, and eagernesse is above the proportion of them. A man cannot be violent after honour, or riches, and be as he should be; these are things that he must leave behind him and they are worse then himselfe: much lesse after filthy pleasures can a man be violent and wise, a man must become a foole in this respect,