A12186:733
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.
Now the grace we have in Christ in the breast of God is,1 either the good will of God, whereby he is disposed to give Christ, and to do all good to us, there is no cause of that at all. Christ as God joins with the Father in that grace which is Amor benevolentiae, the grace of good will: Christ as Mediator is the effect of that grace. But then there is the grace of complacency, whereby God delights in us: this is bestowed upon the creature in effectual calling: then God shows the grace of delighting in us, ingrafting us into Christ by faith: for though before all worlds God had a purpose to do good to us, yet that is concealed till we believe. As water that runs under ground, it is hid a long time till it break out suddenly,2 and then we discover that there was a stream run under ground, as Arethusa, and other Rivers; so it is with the favour of God from eternity, it runs under ground, till we be called we see not Christs good ⟨p. 50⟩will to us: but when we believe & become one wth Christ, God looks upon us with the love of complacency, with the same love wherewith he loves Christ:3 because we are in Christ, as it is in John 17. I in them, and they in me. God loves the head and members with the same love: Christ as God was freely disposed to choose men; but Christ as Mediator continues this favour and mercy of God, when we are grafted into him, to shine on us continually. It is this second that we must labour for as a fruit of the first. Let us labour not only to know that there was an eternal love of God to some that are his: but labour by faith in Christ, to know that he shines upon us in Christ, and all other graces within us, and all other gifts are from this first grace, therefore they have the name. Why do we call Faith, Hope, and Love, graces, but because they issue from the mercy, and favour, and love of God in Christ? and (as I said before) why do we call any benefit we have a grace? because it comes from grace: all good things have the term of grace on them, to show the Spring from whence they come.
Now the grace we have in Christ in the breast of God is,