A12186:91
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.
And take heed of passion, and prejudice; of carnal affections,4 that stir up passion; for they will make the soul that it cannot see Mysteries that are plain in themselves: As we are strong in any passion, so we judge; and the heart, when it is given up to passion, it transforms the Truth to it own self,2 as it were. Even as where there is a suffusion of the eye, as in the Jaundice, or the like, it apprehends Colours like it self; so when the taste is vitiated, it tastes things not as they are in themselves, but as it self is; so the corrupt heart transforms this sacred Mystery to it own self, and oft times forceth Scripture to defend its own sin, and the corrupt state it is in: it will believe what it list; what it loves, it will force it self to believe (although it be contrary to divine Mysteries) when the heart is ⟨p. 31⟩deeply engaged in any passion or affection. Let us labour therefore to come with purged hearts (it is the exhortation of the Apostles James and Peter) to receive these Mysteries; they will lodge only in clean hearts: Let us labour to see God and Christ with a clear eye, free from passion, and covetousness, and vain-glory. We see a notable example of this, in the Scribes: When they were not led with passion, and covetousness, and envy against Christ, how right they could judge of the Gospel, & the unfolding of the Prophesies to the Wise-men; they could tell aright, that he should be borne in Bethlehem: but when Christ came among them, & opposed their lazy proud kind of life, that kept people in awe with their vain Ceremonies, &c. then they sinned against the Holy-Ghost, and against their own light, and maliced Christ, and brought him to his end. So it is with men, when their minds be clear; before they be over-cast with passion, and strong affections to the world, they judge clearly of divine things: but when those passions prevail with them, they are opposite to that Truth that before they saw, (in Gods just judgement,) such is the antipathy & emulation of the heart against this sacred Mystery: The heart of it self is an unfit Vessel for these holy Mysteries; let us desire God, to purge and to cleanse them. It is said of the Pharisees in the Gospel, that when Christ spake great matters, they scoffed at him: But what saith the Text? Luke 16