When Oecolampadius lay sick, his friends asked him, whether the light 1did not offend him? he clapped his hand on his breast, and said, Hic sat lucis, Here is light enough; this is spiritual comfort, that which arises from a right frame of spirit. Hence the word in Saint James chap. 5. 13, translated merry, is [Greek or Hebrew], the rectitude of the mind; noting that all true mirth must come from the right frame of the mind. As for other mirth, I have said of laughter, it is mad, and of mirth, What dost thou? As when the humours of the body are all in a right temper, there is a sweet sensitive delight in the body; much more in the spirit, when the faculties and the frame of it are in a right temper. Spiritual comforts are such as are above the soul, and therefore put an excellency upon ⟨p. 78⟩it; the comforts that are in things beneath the faculty, cannot but be mean, and do debase it. How much beneath the excellency of the spirit of a man, is the flesh of beasts, the juice of the Grape, or any vain sports, or whatsoever may give content to the sensitive part? but there are comforts that are above the soul, spiritual, heavenly, divine things, and these this spirit feeds upon; they are comforts that the spirit rejoices in before the Lord: That a sweet and blessed joy indeed, that is enjoyed before the Lord; and when the Lord most present, most enjoyed. Other vain sensual spirits have joy, but not before the Lord; the apprehension of the presence of the Lord damps all: and therefore they desire not to have mention made of the Name of the Lord, Amos 6. 10. So to rejoice, as to be able to bless God for our joy; so to rejoice, as to make the presence of God the chief matter of […] joy indeed, this, […], for the spirit to ⟨p. 79⟩feed upon such comforts, is a choice blessing indeed. They are spiritual comforts, for they are administered to the soul by a special work of the Holy Ghost: it is the office that the Holy Ghost is designed to, by the Father and the Son, to be the Comforter, to bring in suitable comforts to the spirits of his servants; and surely the holy Ghost will not be failing in this work of his, as the Father and the Son have been full and glorious in all their works, so is the Holy Ghost in his;
When Oecolampadius lay sick, his friends askt him, whether the light 1did not offend him? hee clapt his hand on his brest, and said, Hic sat lucis, Here is light enough; this is soirituall comfort, that which arises from a right frame of spirit. Hence the word in Saint Iames chap. 5. 13, translated merry, is 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, the rectitude of the minde; noting that all true mirth must come from the right frame of the minde. As for other mirth, I have said of laughter, it is mad, and of mirth, What dost thou? As when the humours of the body are all in a right temper, there is a sweet sensitive delight in the body; much more in the spirit, when the faculties and the frame of it are in a right temper. Spirituall comforts are such as are above the soule, and therefore put an excellency upon ⟨p. 78⟩it; the comforts that are in things beneath the faculty, cannot but bee meane, and doe debase it. How much beneath the excellency of the spirit of a man, is the flesh of beasts, the juyce of the Grape, or any vaine sports, or whatsoever may give content to the sensitive part? but there are comforts that are above the soule, spirituall, heavenly, divine things, and these this spirit feeds upon; they are comforts that the spirit rejoyces in before the Lord: That a sweet and blessed joy indeed, that is enjoyed before the Lord; and when the Lord most present, most enjoyed. Other vaine sensuall spirits have joy, but not before the Lord; the apprehension of the presence of the Lord damps all: and therefore they desire not to have mention made of the Name of the Lord, Amos 6. 10. So to rejoyce, as to be able to blesse God for our joy; so to rejoyce, as to make the presence of God the chief matter of 〈…〉 joy indeed, this, 〈…〉, for the spirit to ⟨p. 79⟩feed upon such comforts, is a choyce blessing indeed. They are spirituall comforts, for they are administred to the soule by a speciall worke of the Holy Ghost: it is the office that the Holy Ghost is designed to, by the Father and the Sonne, to bee the Comforter, to bring in sutable comforts to the spirits of his setvants; and surely the holy Ghost will not be failing in this worke of his, as the Father and the Sonne have been full and glorious in all their workes, so is the Holy Ghost in his;
- 1Oecolampadius.
