A12186:870
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.
3Again, where this inward poverty of spirit is, it will make Gods children wondrous thankful, and thankful for a little grace. A poor man that is sensible of his poverty, will be more thankful for a penny, then another man for a pound that hath money of his own. A soul that sees the want of grace, and withal sees the excellency of grace is thankful to God that he will work any thing in such a poor defiled soul as he is; that he will work any good motions, any good affections, any degree of faith, that he will give him any assurance of salvation. Oh he thinks, what a good God is this! He breaks out with the Apostles, Peter and Paul, that had both been sinners themselves and found grace, oh they were much in thankfulness! Blessed be God the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, &c. A thankful soul is a poor soul, and a poor soul is alway a thankful soul. He that is poor he knows he hath little, and deserves little: therefore knowing that he deserves nothing, he is thankful for, and content with any ⟨p. 123⟩thing: a humble man is alway thankful, and that is the reason that GOD may have his glory from him, he is forced sometimes to humble and abase him, he should have no sacrifice from him else. A proud man, a conceited man, so dotes upon his own worth, he forgets the giver, he makes himself an idol to him: therefore such, they are usurpers of what they have, they enter upon GODS blessings, not considering from whom they have them, nor for what end they have them. They deny God his tribute of thankfulness, because they are proud: but a man that is poor in spirit, he enters upon all by title of gift, and receives all from God in the form of a poor man: therefore whatsoever he hath, he returns thanks for it again. An unthankful soul therefore is a proud soul: a thankful soul, is an humble abased soul alway; and the more humble and empty the soul is, the more thankful it is for every degree of grace and comfort.
3Againe, where this inward poverty of spirit is, it will make Gods children wondrous thankfull, and thankful for a little grace. A poore man that is sensible of his poverty, will be more thankfull for a penny, then another man for a pound that hath money of his owne. A soule that sees the want of grace, and withall sees the excellency of grace is thankfull to God that hee will worke any thing in such a poore defiled soule as hee is; that hee will worke any good motions, any good affections, any degree of faith, that he will give him any assurance of salvation. Oh hee thinkes, what a good God is this! Hee breakes out with the Apostles, Peter and Paul, that had both beene sinners themselves and found grace, oh they were much in thankefulnesse! Blessed be God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ, &c. A thankfull soule is a poore soule, and a poore soule is alway a thankfull soule. Hee that is poore hee knowes hee hath little, and deserves little: therefore knowing that hee deserves nothing, he is thankfull for, and content with any