A93248:393
The glorious feast of the Gospel. Or, Christs gracious invitation and royal entertainment of…The glorious feast of the Gospel. Or, Christs gracious invitation and royall entertainment of…
The glorious feast of the Gospel. Or, Christs gracious invitation and royal entertainment of believers. Wherein amongst other things these comfortable doctrines are spiritually handled: Viz. 1. The marriage feast between Christ and his Church. 2. The veil of ignorance and unbelief removed. 3. Christs conquest over death. 4. The wiping away of tears from the faces of Gods people. 5. The taking away of their reproaches. 6. The precious promises of God, and their certain performance. 7. The divine authority of the holy scriptures. 8. The duty and comfort of waiting upon God. / Delivered in divers sermons upon Isai.25 chap.6,7,8,9 verses, by the late reverend, learned and faithful minister of the Gospel, Richard Sibbs, D.D. Master of Katharine-Hall in Cambridge, and preacher at Gray's-Inn, London. Perused by those that were instructed to revise his writings.The glorious feast of the Gospel. Or, Christs gracious invitation and royall entertainment of believers. Wherein amongst other things these comfortable doctrines are spiritually handled: Viz. 1. The marriage feast between Christ and his Church. 2. The vaile of ignorance and unbeliefe removed. 3. Christs conquest over death. 4. The wiping away of teares from the faces of Gods people. 5. The taking away of their reproaches. 6. The precious promises of God, and their certaine performance. 7. The divine authority of the holy scriptures. 8. The duty and comfort of waiting upon God. / Delivered in divers sermons upon Isai.25 chap.6,7,8,9 verses, by the late reverend, learned and faithfull minister of the Gospell, Richard Sibbs, D.D. Master of Katharine-Hall in Cambridge, and preacher at Grayes-Inne, London. Perused by those that were instructed to revise his writings.
London: printed for John Rothwell, 1650
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
Neither rest in any measure of grace,1 or comfort. What is faith to sight? we have hope an Anchor, and Helmet, that keepeth up many a soul, as the Cork keepeth from sinking. What is this hope to the fruition of what we hope for? Here we have love, many love tokens from God, I, but what is love to union? Ours is but a ⟨p. 154⟩love of desire, we are but in motion here, we lye in motion only, and our desires are not accomplished, what is this love to the accomplishing of the union with the thing beloved for ever? Here we have Communion of Saints; but what is this communion of Saints, to Communion with God for ever? We have infirmities here as others, which breedeth jealousies and suspicion; I, but we shall have Communion in heaven, and there shall be nothing in us to distaste others, but everlasting friendship; yea our Communion shall be with perfect souls. Our Communion of Saints here is our heaven upon earth, but it is Communion with unperfect souls. Peace we have, I, but it is peace intermixed, It is peace in the midst of enemies; There we shall have peace without enemies. Christ doth now rule in the midst of enemies; In heaven he shall rule in the midst of his friends. So that we can imagine no condition here though never so good, but it is imperfect. And therefore rest not in any thing in the world, no not in any measure of grace, any measure of Comfort, till we be in heaven, but wait for the time to come, and rejoice in hope by which we are saved. Wait still, and though we have not content here, yet this is not our home, this is a good refreshment by the way. As when the Children of Israel came from Babylon, they had wells by the way, as in Micah, they digged up wells. So from Babylon to Jerusalem we have many sweet refreshments; But they be refreshments far off the way. God digs many wells, we have breasts of Consolation to comfort us, I but they are but for the way. And therefore let us answer all temptations, and not take contentment with any thing here. It is good, but it is not our home. Cui dulcis peregrinatio non amat patriam. If we have eternity,2 love heaven, we cannot be over much taken with any thing in the way.
Neither rest in any measure of grace,1