A12186:862
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.
It should force perpetual poverty of spirit, to see the want that is in our selves, and the supply that is out of our selves, and to make use of that by going out of our selves, and making towards him, in whom is all our supply. In all our communion we have with God (which is the happiness of our estate) this frame and disposition of soul, to be poor in spirit, it is necessary in every act. ⟨p. 118⟩Even in our very prayers for grace,1 we are so void of it, that we want ability to call for what we want. We must have that from the Spirit, not only grace, but that disposition of soul which carries us to God: a spirit fitting us to pray, that must be also given us, we know not what to call for. We of our selves are so poor, that we not only want grace and ability to action, but we have not ability to ask: but Gods spirit must dictate our prayers, and give us motions, and make us sensible of our wants, and must enable our faith to cherish those graces, and make us go out of our selves even in our very prayers. What a state is this then! Had we not need to be poor in spirit all our life time, that have not so much as ability to go out of our selves for supply from another, but that must come from Christ too?2 As S. Augustin who was a great advancer of the grace of GOD, and an abaser of man, he had indeed S. Pauls spirit; saith he, we should boast and glory of nothing, because nothing is ours. We have need of this poverty of spirit in the whole tenure of our Christian life.
It should force perpetuall poverty of spirit, to see the want that is in our selves, and the supply that is out of our selves, and to make use of that by going out of our selves, and making towards him, in whom is all our supply. In all our communion wee have with God (which is the happinesse of our estate) this frame and disposition of soule, to bee poore in spirit, it is necessary in every act. ⟨p. 118⟩Even in our very prayers for grace,1 we are so void of it, that wee want ability to call for what we want. We must have that from the Spirit, not only grace, but that disposition of soule which carries us to God: a spirit fitting us to pray, that must bee also given us, wee know not what to call for. Wee of our selves are so poore, that wee not only want grace and ability to action, but we have not ability to aske: but Gods spirit must dictate our prayers, and give us motions, and make us sensible of our wants, and must inable our faith to cherish those graces, and make us goe out of our selves even in our very prayers. What a state is this then! Had wee not need to bee poore in spirit all our life time, that have not so much as ability to goe out of our selves for supply from another, but that must come from Christ too?