A12186:511
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.
So likewise Unbelief,2 when we hear and see, and know the notion of mercy and of Christ, and can dispute of these things, like men that talk of that they never tasted of: the Devils know all these things better then any man, yet they do not glorify God, because they do not believe that these things pertain to them, men want a light, suitable to the truth of the things themselves, a man may see them with a natural light, or with the light of education, or by books, or the like, but not in a spiritual and proper light, he sees not spiritual, heavenly things, in a spiritual light, and that is the reason he believes them not, these two veils are the cause why we see not the light of God, shining in the Gospel, and why we do not glorify him. Light is a glorious creature, it was the first creature, it is not only glorious in it self, but it shows the glory of all other things too if we had all the sights in the world presented to us; ⟨p. 240⟩if there were no light to discover them, or no sight in our eyes, if either be wanting, all the glory of them would be lost. So it is in the Gospel, though there be wondrous admirable things there, if we want either light or sight, if the light shine round about us, and the God of this world have blinded our eyes, and infidelity have blinded us, how can we glorify God, wanting a heavenly, proper, peculiar, spiritual light, suitable to the things: for a natural man, by the light that he hath, cannot judge of them: these are the main hindrances, the veil of ignorance and unbelief.
So likewise Unbeleefe,2 when we heare and see, and know the notion of mercy and of Christ, and can dispute of these things, like men that talke of that they never tasted of: the Devils know all these things better then any man, yet they doe not glorifie God, because they doe not beleeve that these things pertaine to them, men want a light, sutable to the truth of the things themselves, a man may see them with a naturall light, or with the light of education, or by bookes, or the like, but not in a spirituall and proper light, he sees not spirituall, heavenly things, in a spirituall light, and that is the reason hee beleeves them not, these two vayles are the cause why we see not the light of God, shining in the Gospell, and why wee doe not glorifie him. Light is a glorious creature, it was the first creature, it is not onely glorious in it selfe, but it shewes the glory of all other things too if we had all the sights in the world presented to us;