A12184:682
An exposition of the third chapter of the Epistle of St. Paul to the…
An exposition of the third chapter of the Epistle of St. Paul to the Philippians also two sermons of Christian watchfulness. The first upon Luke 12 37. The second upon Revel. 16.15. An exposition of part of the second chapter of the Epistle to the Philip. A sermon upon Mal. 4. 2.3. By the late reverend divine Richard Sibbes, D.D. master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher at Gray's-Inn.An exposition of the third chapter of the Epistle of St. Paul to the Philippians also two sermons of Christian watchfulnesse. The first upon Luke 12 37. The second upon Revel. 16.15. An exposition of part of the second chapter of the Epistle to the Philipp. A sermon upon Mal. 4. 2.3. By the late reverend divine Richard Sibbes, D.D. master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher at Grayes-Inne.
London: printed by T. Cotes and John Dawson for Peter Cole, 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.
First, in life our original is base, we are dust, and to dust we must return, and our continuance is full of change, subject to diversity of estates, sickness, health, pain, ease, hunger, fullness. And base we are, because we are upheld by inferior creatures. We enter into the world by one way, but go out by divers deaths, some violent, some more natural, and by divers sicknesses loathsome to the eyes, to the nostrils, and especially when we are nearest our end, when as our countenance is pale, our members tremble, all our beauty is gone. But after we are departed, so loathsome is this our carcass, it must be had out of sight: yea though it be the body of the Patriarch Abraham, Gen. 23.4. For as the body of man is the best temper, so the corruption thereof is the most vile, the best countenances of the greatest personages are the most ugly ghastly objects of all others, by so much the more, by how much they were the more excellent, so much the greater is their change. And yet are we not to conceive of this body, so as though there were no glory belonging to it: for first, its Gods workmanship, therefore excellent, and so excellent, as the heathen man Galen being stricken into admiration at the admirable frame thereof, breaks out into a hymn in praise of the maker. And David could not express it, but says, I am wonderfully made. God made this his last work, as an Epitome of all the rest.
First, in life our originall is base, wee are dust, and to dust wee must returne, and our continuance is full of change, subject to diversitie of estates, sicknesse, health, paine, ease, hunger, fulnesse. And base wee are, because wee are upheld by inferiour creatures. We enter into the world by one way, but goe out by divers deaths, some violent, some more naturall, and by divers sicknesses lothsome to the eyes, to the nosthrils, and especially when wee are nearest our end, when as our countenance is pale, our members tremble, all our beautie is gone. But after wee are departed, so lothsome is this our carcasse, it must bee had out of sight: yea though it bee the body of the Patriarch Abraham, Gen. 23.4. For as the bodie of man is the best temper, so the corruption thereof is the most vile, the best countenances of the greatest personages are the most ugly gastly objects of all others, by so much the more, by how much they were the more excellent, so much the greater is their change. And yet are wee not to conceive of this bodie, so as though there were no glorie belonging to it: for first, its Gods workmanship, therefore excellent, and so excellent, as the heathen man Galen being stricken into admiration at the admirable frame thereof, breakes out into a hymne in praise of the maker. And David could not expresse it, but sayes, I am wonderfully made. God made this his last worke, as an Epitomie of all the rest.