A12181:313
Divine meditations and holy contemplations. By that reverend divine R. Sibbes D.D. Master of…Divine meditations and holy contemplations. By that reverende divine R. Sibbes D.D. Master of…
Divine meditations and holy contemplations. By that reverend divine R. Sibbes D.D. Master of Catherine Hall in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher of Gray's Inn in LondonDivine meditations and holy contemplations. By that reverende divine R. Sibbes D.D. Master of Catherine Hall in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher of Grayes Inne in London
London: printed by Tho. Cotes for John Crooke and Richard Sergier, 1638London: printed by Tho. Cotes for Iohn Crooke and Richard Sergier, 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.
To discern of our estate in Grace, let us §280chiefly look to our affections, for they are intrinsical, and not subject to hypocrisy: men of great parts know much, and so doth the devil, but he wants love; in fire all things may be painted but the heat: so all good actions may be done by an Hypocrite, but there is a heat of love, which he hath not: we should therefore chiefly examine the truth and sincerity of our affections.
To discerne of our estate in Grace, let us §280chiefely looke to our affections, for they are intrinsicall, and not subject to hypocrisie: men of great parts know much, and so doth the devill, but hee wants love; in fire all things may be painted but the heate: so all good actions may be done by an Hypocrite, but there is a heat of love, which hee hath not: wee should therefore chiefly examine the truth and sinceritie of our affections.
We may apprehend the ⟨p. 203⟩§281love of God, but we cannot comprehend it; all the fruits of his love passes our common understanding, and therefore we have the holy Spirit given to us to take away the veil, and to make report of it to the soul; and then as soon as this love of Christ is apprehended, it constrains us to all holy duties, not as fire out of a Flint, but as water out of a Spring: the love of a wife to her husband may begin from the supply of her necessities, but afterwards she may love him also for the sweetness of his person; so the soul doth first love Christ for salvation, but when she is brought to ⟨p. 204⟩him, and finds that sweetness that is in him, then she loves him for himself.
We may apprehend the ⟨p. 203⟩