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.

Peace on Earth.

The same holy affection in the Angels, that moved them to wish God to have his due of glory from the creature, it moves them to wish peace to men likewise, to shew this (by the way) that, There can be no true zeale of Gods glory, but with love to man-kind.

They were not so ravished with the glory of God, as to forget poore man on earth, oh no; they have sweet, pure affections to man, a poorer creature then themselves. Therfore let them that are injurious and violent in their dispositions, and insolent in their carriage, never talke of glo∣rifying God, when they despise and wrong men: there are some that overthrow all peace in the earth, for their owne glory; but he that seekes Gods glory, will procure peace, what he can, for they goe both together, as we see here, Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth.

Now their end of wishing peace upon earth, it is, that men might thereby glorifie God, that God being reconciled, and peace being stabli∣shed in mens consciences, they might glorifie God; hence observe this likewise, that We cannot glorifie God, till we have some knowledge of our peace with him in Christ.

We must have the first act, to cast our selves upon Gods mercy in Christ, and adhere, and cleave to that mercy, and then we shall feele so much comfort, as shall make us glorifie God, though we may question it in desertion some∣times: here the Angels intending, that God should have glory of all, they wish peace on earth, in the consciences of men especially.

The reason is, peace comes from righteous∣nesse: Christ, is first the King of righteousnesse, and then King of peace, righteousnesse causeth peace; now, unlesse the soule be assured of righ∣teousnesse in Christ, it can have no peace; what saith the Virgin Mary? My soule doth magnifie the Lord, and my spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour, she begins with magnifying the Lord, but what was the ground? she rejoyced in God, as a Saviour, therefore, she magnified him, so in the Lords Prayer, wee say, Our Father, which is a word of the Covenant of grace, when the soule conceives of God as a gracious Father reconciled in Christ; and then comes, Hallowed be thy Name: insinua∣ting that, till we know in some measure God, to be our Father, we cannot with a gracious spirit say, Hallowed be thy Name; for can we heartily wish, for the manifestation of the glory of him, that we thinke is our enemy, and him that wee have no interest in his greatnesse, and goodnesse? the heart of man will never doe it, therefore God must first speake peace to the soule, (the An∣gels knew that well enough) and then we are fit to glorifie God▪

Notes

• They that glo∣rifie God, also love men.
• We cannot glorifie God till we know we are at peace with him.
• Whence peace comes.