A12186:341
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.
First,1 if you believe, it comes usually after Preaching: We see here, Preached to the Gentiles; and then, Believed on in the World. Whence came thy Faith? If not by the Ordinance of God, thou mayest expect it to be a bastard Faith, it hath not a right beginning; especially, if it be joined with contempt of Gods Ordinance, it is no Faith, but a presumptuous conceit; Preaching, and Believing, here go one after another: Therefore, examine how thy Faith was wrought in thy heart.
First,1 if you beleeve, it comes usually after Preaching: We see here, Preached to the Gentiles; and then, Beleeved on in the World. Whence came thy Faith? If not by the Ordinance of God, thou mayest expect it to be a bastard Faith, it hath not a right beginning; especially, if it be joyned with contempt of Gods Ordinance, it is no Faith, but a presumptuous conceit; Preaching, and Beleeving, here goe one after another: Therefore, examine how thy Faith was wrought in thy heart.
- 1How it is bred.
Again,2 (as I said) Faith being a Mystery, in regard of such a world of opposition between the heart of man, and Christ, Satan helping the unbelieving heart; here must needs be a strife and conflict with Faith. Therefore, those men that never had conflict with their own unbelieving heart, that never had conflict with Satan's temptations, they never had Faith: for, it is a Mystery to have Faith; it is with opposition, and conflict; no grace hath the like conflict, and opposition from Satan: for Satan aims, in all sins, to shake our Faith and affiance in Gods love: As God aims at the strengthening of Faith above all; so the Devil hates it, above all▪ ⟨p. 156⟩