A12186:285
Light from heaven discovering the fountain opened. Angels acclamations. Churches riches. Rich poverty. In…Light from heaven discovering the fountaine opened. Angels acclamations. Churches riches. Rich povertie. In…
Light from heaven discovering the fountain opened. Angels acclamations. Churches riches. Rich poverty. In four treatises. By the late learned and reverend divine, Rich. Sibs, Doctor in Divinity, Master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher at Gray's-Inn. Published according to the authors own appointment, subscribed with his hand; to prevent imperfect copies.Light from heaven discovering the fountaine opened. Angels acclamations. Churches riches. Rich povertie. In foure treatises. By the late learned and reverend divine, Rich. Sibs, Doctor in Divinitie, Master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher at Grayes-Inne. Published according to the authors owne appointment, subscribed with his hand; to prevent imperfect copies.
London: printed by E. Purslow and Richard Badger for N. Bourne, 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.
But then (in the next place) this Preaching it must be of Christ; Christ must be preached.
1But must nothing be preached but Christ?
- 1Question.
1I answer, nothing but Christ, or that that tends to Christ:2 if we preach threatenings, it is to cast men down, that we may build them up; if a Physician purge, it is, that he may give Cordials: whatsoever is done in preaching, to humble men, it is to raise them up again in Christ; all makes way for Christ. When men are dejected by the Law, we must not leave them there, but raise them up again: what ever we preach, it is reductive to Christ, that men may walk worthy of Christ. When men have been taught Christ, they must be taught to walk worthy of Christ, and of their calling; that they may carry themselves fruitfully, and holily, and constantly, every way suitable for so glorious a profession, as the profession of Christian ⟨p. 127⟩Religion is: The foundation of all these duties, must be from Christ; the graces for these duties, must be fetched from Christ; and the reasons and motives of a Christians conversation, must be from Christ, and from the state that Christ hath advanced us unto; the prevailing reasons of an holy life, are fetched from Christ. The grace of God hath appeared (saith S. Paul, it hath shined gloriously) teaching us to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly and righteously and holily in this present evil world. So that Christ is the main object of preaching. This made S. Paul, when he was among the Corinthians, to profess no knowledge of any thing, but of Christ, and him crucified; to esteem and value nothing else: he had Arts, and Tongues, and parts, he was a man excellently qualified, but he made show of nothing in his preaching, and in his value and esteem, but of Christ, and the good things we have by Christ.