A12182:855
Evangelical sacrifices In xix. sermons. I. Thankful commemorations for Gods mercy in our great…Evangelicall sacrifices In xix. sermons. I. Thankfull commemorations for Gods mercy in our great…
Evangelical sacrifices In xix. sermons. I. Thankful commemorations for Gods mercy in our great deliverance from the papists powder-plot. 2. The successful seeker. 3. Faith triumphant. 4. Special preparations to fit us for our latter end in four funeral sermons. 5. The faithful covenanter. 6. The demand of a good conscience. 7. The sword of the wicked. By the late learned and reverend divine, Rich. Sibbs. Doctor in Divinity, Mr. of Katherine Hall in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher to the honourable society of Gray's-Inn. The third tome. Published and perused by D. Sibbs own appointment, subscribed with his hand to prevent imperfect copies after his decease.Evangelicall sacrifices In xix. sermons. I. Thankfull commemorations for Gods mercy in our great deliverance from the papists powder-plot. 2. The successefull seeker. 3. Faith triumphant. 4. Speciall preparations to fit us for our latter end in foure funerall sermons. 5. The faithfull covenanter. 6. The demand of a good conscience. 7. The sword of the wicked. By the late learned and reverend divine, Rich. Sibbs. Doctor in Divinity, Mr. of Katherine Hall in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher to the honourable society of Grayes-Inne. The third tome. Published and perused by D. Sibbs owne appointment, subscribed with his hand to prevent imperfect copies after his decease.
London: printed by Thomas for N. Bourne, 1640
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.
What a misery is this, that these souls of ours shall have a being, when the things wherein we placed our happiness, and abused our souls to gain them, they shall have an end? The souls of such men that seek the things of this life, shall have a being in eternal misery. Indeed so it is; for these souls of ours, the same degree they have in excellency, if they be used as they should, if we do not abase them; the same degree they shall have in baseness. and misery, if we abuse them, and make them slaves to earthly things. For as the Devils the same degree they had of excellency when they were Angels; the same degree they have in misery, now they be Devils. The more excellent the creature is when it keeps its excellency; the more vile it is when it degenerates: so these souls of ours that next to Angels are the most excellent creatures of God; the more excellent it is, if it get the Image of God stamped upon it, and the new creature, and have the life of grace: the more cursed is the state of the soul, if it subsist to everlasting misery.
What a misery is this, that these soules of ours shall have a being, when the things wherein we placed our happinesse, and abused our soules to gaine them, they shall have an end? The soules of such men that seeke the things of this life, shall have a being in eternall misery. Indeed so it is; for these soules of ours, the same degree they have in excellency, if they be used as they should, if we doe not abase them; the same degree they shall have in basenesse. and misery, if wee abuse them, and make them slaves to earthly things. For as the Devils the same degree they had of excellency when they were Angels; the same degree they have in misery, now they be Devils. The more excellent the creature is when it keepes its excellency; the more vile it is when it degenerates: so these soules of ours that next to Angels are the most excellent creatures of God; the more excellent it is, if it get the Image of God stamped upon it, and the new creature, and have the life of grace: the more cursed is the state of the soule, if it subsist to everlasting misery.
It were happy if the souls of such creatures were mortal, that labour for a happiness in this life. Oh! that we would think of this. ⟨p. 78⟩