A12186:819
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 RICH POVERTY: OR, The Poor-mans Riches.THE RICH POVERTY: OR, The Poore-mans Riches.
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.
And indeed, if we look to our selves (by reason of the remainder of our corruptions) it is needful it should be so.1 God in wisdom sees it fit it should be so, that we should be afflicted and poor: because he sees that we can hardly digest any flourishing condition in this world. It is as strong waters to a wea•e stomach: how ever strong waters intoxicate them not,2 to make them drunk, yet they weaken the brain: so how ever a good condition in the world doth not altogether besot men, yet it weakens them, without a great measure of faith, and makes them forget God, and the condition of worldly things, how empty and vain they are, and forget themselves, and their own mortality, and forget others, what respect is due to them: as if the world were made only for them to toss and tumble in at their pleasure, to have all at their will: as if other men were scarce men to them. You see when men are trusted with great matters, they deal with other men as if they were not men, as if all were made for their pleasure. This is the nature of man in great eminency, it sets up its own desire for a god, as if all other were beasts, and base, and nothing. It is a pitiful thing to consider what our nature is in this kind. Nay, take the best: Hezekiah, in his prosperity, he would needs show his treasures to the king of Babylon (a fair booty for him) you know what it cost him afterward. Naturally we are prone to outward carnal excellency too too ⟨p. 97⟩much, God knows it well enough. David would be numb•ing the people, that he might be conceited what a goodly number he had to fight against his enemies: God punished him you see in that kind, he took away that people that he made his confidence. God deals thus with his children in this world, because he sees a disposition in them that cannot digest, and manage, and overcome prosperity; they cannot command it as they should do, but are slaves to their own lusts, though they have a good measure of grace. We are prone to surfeit of the things of this life, and God is forced; as it is in Psal. 119.3