A12186:636
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
THE CHURCHES RICHES BY CHRISTS POVERTY.THE CHVRCHES RICHES BY CHRISTS POVERTY.
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.
THE nature of man is very backward to do good, our hearts being like to green wood that hath but a little fire under it,1 that must be continually blown up: so those sparks of grace that are in us must be stirred up.2 Therefore the Apostle being to ⟨p. 4⟩stir up these Corinthians, to beneficence, and bounty towards the poor, he labours to enforce it by many reasons, in this, and the next Chapter. Man being an understanding creature, God would have what we do in matters of religion to proceed from principles, becoming men, and christians, therefore he sets us upon duties from reasons: and because examples together with reasons are very forcible, therefore the Apostle after many forcible reasons to be liberal to the Saints, he joins examples, first of the Macedonians that were a poorer people, then the Corinthians to whom the Apostle now wrote: But because people are not so comfortably lead by the example of equals, or inferiors; they think it a kind of upbraiding of them, accounting themselves as good, or better then they: therefore the Apostle leaves exhorting them from the example of the Macedonians that were poorer, and propounds an example beyond all exception, the example of CHRIST himself; he stirs them up to bounty, and goodness, by the example of him, who is goodness it self; you know the grace of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, who though he were rich, he became poor, &c. As if he should have said, if the example of the poor Macedonians will not move you to give bountifully, yet let the example of our SAVIOUR; he was rich, yet he became poor to enrich you, therefore you must not think much to bestow somewhat on his poor members.
THE nature of man is very backward to doe good, our hearts being like to greene wood that hath but a little fire under it,1 that must bee continually blowne up: so those sparkes of grace that are in us must bee stirred up.2 Therefore the Apostle being to ⟨p. 4⟩