PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Complete Works of Richard Sibbes — Volume 1
Richard Sibbes · 358,611 words · 362 reading sections
Section 1
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Or of us unto ourselves, ..... 71 Use 5. Reproof of such as sin against this merciful disposition in Christ, as those do, — 1. That go on in ill courses, either fi-om despair, or pre- sumption, or a wilful purpose to quench the light that is in them, ..... 73 2. That neglect good courses from hopes to have comfor…
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dence, ...... 207 18. Other grounds of trusting in God: namely, the pro- mises. And twelve directions about the same, . 212 19. Faith to be prized, and other things undervalued, at least not to be trusted to as the chief, . . 218 20. Of the method of trusting in God, and the trial of that trust, ...... 221 21. O…
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* The Works of the Eeverend Richard Sibbes, D.D., late Master of Catherine Hall, in the University of Oxford {sic), and Preacher of Gray's Inn, London, &c. Aberdeen, 1812. 3 Vols. 8vo. f ' Bruised Reed,' reprint of 1888, p. xxi. X To explain ; — Adams's ' Sermons ' were collected by himself from the early 4to3 into a …
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XVI PKEFACK. United States ; the Rev. W, G. Lewis, Westboume Grove ; the E.ev, George Thomson, Hackney ; the Rev. E. Pattison, Gedding ; the Rev. Robert Redpath, M.A., London ; W. E. Whitehouse, Esq., Bir- mingham, I have received various memorabilia, communicated with such ungrudging alacrity and kindness as much to …
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' Of tliis Llest man, let this Just praise be given, Heaven was in liim, before he was in heaven. — Izaak Walton.' Pity that either Wotton was not assigned to another, or that Richard Sibbes made not a sixth to the golden five ' Lives' of this most quaintly-wise and wisely-quaint of all our early English biographers. …
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Once more, Arthur Jackson, William Taylor, and James Nalton, deem any enlargement supererogatory : ' We need SAY NOTHING OF THE AUTHOR, his former labours sufficiently ' speak for him in the gates,' his memory is HIGHLY HONOURED AMONGST THE GODLY LEARNED. He that enjoys the glory of heaven needs not the praises of men …
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• With all explanations, and all the modesty of Sibbes himself, ■'tve cannot help lamenting that his contemporaries so readily ac- quiesced in his choice of being a ' hidden one.' But I must now try to put together such particulars as have been jfound, and in proceeding to do so it can only be needful to remind those …
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* and t Tennyson. ' Lady Clara Vere de Vere ' Even were it possibi to trace the name of Sibbes up to ' Norman blood,' we must remember our Scottishproverbs : — A' Stuarts are no sib to the king, "» = Though of the sa* name, A' Campbells are no sib to the duke, / not of tlie same f^iily. Moreover, as he says liimself …
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MEMOIR OF RICHARD SIBBES, D.D. XXIX Hooper and Coverdale and John Rogers, and legends of tlie Tndors and the Commonwealth. For a 'Puritan' none could have been more fitting, for all around were the family seats of grand old Puritan worthies, Barton-Mere, Talmach Hall, Pakenham, Nether Hall, where ' godly ministers ' w…
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' When I was yet a child, no chihlish play To me was pleasing ; all my mind was set, Serious to learn and know, and thence to do, What might bo public good.' — Paradise Regained. [B. i. 201 204.] The 'school near Pakenham church ' has long since disappeared, * ' Slaidmss' is the very word Lord Brooke uses to describe…
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Sent to Bury ' Free School' (visiting which I looked up at the time- stained bust of its youthful royal founder with interest for Sibbes's sake, who, pcrcliance, practised his first Latin in spelling out the not over-elegant or accurate inscription beneath), there would, no doubt, be rapid advancement. But the ' child'…
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MEMOIR OF EICHAKD SIBBES, D.D. XXXV puritan household, and whose ' Exposition of Ephesians' is worthy to take its place beside Rogers and Byfield on Peter, Jenkyn on Jude, Petter on Mark, Elton on Colossians and Romans, Newton on John, and their kindred folios, that lie now-a-days like so many unworked mines of gold —…
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* ' Trinity Lectureship.' Tho ' Memorial' is given by Mr Cooper in his Annala of Cambridge, iii. 168. MEMOIR OF EICHAKD SIBBES, D.D. XXXVU and daughters unto God, besides the edifying and building up of others.'* We have incidental confirmations of the weighty testimony of the * Pastor of St Bennet Fink, London.' Mo…
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* Cotton. Magnalia Christi Americana ; or the Ecclesiastical History of New England, book iii., c i., § 5, p, 15. Folio, 1702. t Robert Trail, A.M., Justification by Faith, Works, vol. i. p. 261 (edition 4 vols. 8vo, 1810). MEMOIR OF KICEARD SIBBES, D.D. TTTIX the university was a very different thing from the stern…
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t ' Segar.' Harleian MSS . 1912. 94, c. 25. Plut, xlvii. E folio. MEMOIB OF EICHAED SIBBES, D.D. xli and Chetwinds, Drakes and Egertons, Fairfaxes and Fitzgeralds, Nevills and Pelhams, Riches and Sidneys, Staffords and Stanleys, Standishes and Talbots, "Wallers, and Vaughans, and Veres.* Truly the wheel-wright's son …
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CHAPTER V. PROVOSTSHIP OF TRINITY COLLEGE, DUBLIN. Archbishop Ussher — Dr John Preston — Letter of Sibbes — Sir William Temple- Letters of Ussher to Archbishop Abbot and the Hon. Society of Gray's Inn— Sibbes to Ussher — Archbishop Abbot to Ussher — Declines the Provostship. Installed as 'preacher' at Gray's Inn, Si…
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The Archbishop of Armagh to the most Beverend George Abbot, Archbishop of Canterbunj.\ My most Gracious Lord, — When I took my last leave of you at Lam- beth, I made bold to move your grace for the settlement of the provostship of our college here upon some worthy man, whensoever the place should be- come void. I then…
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Of the ' occurrences ' that might ' fall out ' to hinder Sibbes from coming, the primate had been informed in our next letter : — Mr R. Sibbs to the Archhishop of Aiinar/h.* Right Rev. and iry very good Lord, — I answered your letters presently upon the receipt of them, but out of a mind diversely affected as divers t…
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Your lordship's loving brother, G. Cant. Lambeth, March 19. 1626. Sibbes no doubt found, on his arrival in Dublin, that the ' place • Ussher, letter cccxci., xvi. 453. f Ussher, xv. 369. J Usshen xv. 376 Xlviii MEMOIR OF EICHARD SIBBES, D.D. was likely. to prove harassing, and to lead him into controversy. A senten…
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t ' Order-Book' Gray's Inn, p. 16, Segar MS. X In Carter's History of the University of Cambridge (pp. 202-6), and Graduati Cantabrigienses, Dr Brownrig is erroneously stated to have been elected Master of Catharine Hall in 1631. Even so accurate a writer as Mr Russell (' Memorials of Fuller', p. 114) repeats the blun…
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VOL. I. d lii MEMOIR OF RICHARD SIBBES, D.D. Preston, then a fellow of Queen's College in Cambridge, and of great note in the university, came to hear Mr Cotton, with the same " itching ears " as others were then led withal. For some good while after the beginning of the sermon, his frustrated ex- pectation caused hi…
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* I liave gfithered these names, after Masson (Life of Milton, i. 92-99), from numerous sources, but mainly from Cooper's 'Annals of Cambridge,' Wood's ' Athenae' Ey memoir of RICHARD SIBBES, D.D. in Cambridge than by here submitting a hitherto nnpubUshed document of this period, 1G26-27, recovered from the 'Church- …
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From Whitehall, the 11th of May 1630. Mr Cooper annotates : ' Randolph in a poem " On Importunate Dunnes," after a curious malediction on the Cambridge tradesmen, adds — " And if this vex 'um not, I'le grive the town, With this curse, State, put Trhii/i/ lecture down." ' Randolph's Poems, ed. 1G43, p. 119. Ivi MEMO…
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* Spurstowe. The date, 1630, of Spurstowe's ' fellowship ' (he was afterwards Master), shews that Mr Masson has made a slip in enumerating his name among the distinguished 'fellows' under Dr Hill's Mastership. Life of Milton, i. 97. I cannot make even this small reference to Mr Masson without, in common with every lite…
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' When the quick darting lightning's flash Is the clear glitter of His golden spear.' f • ' Sonl's Conflict.' f Cecil and Mary, by Jackson, p. 19 (1858.) Is " MEMOIR OF RICHARD SIBBES, D.D. CHAPTER VIII. SIBBES AND LAUD AGAIN — ' THE IMPKOPRIATION FEOFEES.' Tlie Preacher of Gray's Inn under surveillance — Controve…
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* Bruised Keed, c. xvii. t Bruised Reed, c. xvii. X ' Sweet-natured to a fault.' Brook (' Lives of the Puritans,' ii. 419) remarks : ' This reverend divine was eminently distinguished for a meek and quiet spirit, being always unwilling to offend those in power.' This is too general, for however gentle, . Sibbes, when …
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Ixiv MEMOIR OF EICHARD SIBBES, D.D. and if the Calvinism of its fathers "were not to degenerate into uZ^ra-Arminianism ; and it was done, as we shall see. Peter Heylin was now at the ear of Laud ; and Hacket observes, that ' they that watched the increase of Arminianism, said, confidently, that it was from the year 16…
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That was the sort of thing that the primate and his like-minded bishops, sought to impose on men as 'SOLEMNITY !' That 'mounte- bank holiness' (it is Sir Philip Sidney's word of scorn) -vvas to be its translation of the grand old ' Beauty of Holiness,' (1 Chron. xvi. 29 ; Ps. xxix. 2, and xcvi. 9).* It is no light occa…
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fresh examples ' Mr Samuel Ward's case, and Mr Chauncy's case, are then naiTated. ' To these we could add,' he proceeds, ' Mr Cotton, Mr Hooker, Mr Davenport, Mr Wells, Mr Peters, Mr Glover, and sundry other ministers, driven into New England and other plantations.' And then ' Dr Stoughton, Dr Sihhes, Dr Taylor, Dr Go…
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* Hartley Coleridge. Poems, ii. p. 387 (edition 1851). MEMOIR OF RICHARD SIBBES, D.D. liriY iheir own worldly ends ? A wounded spirit will part with anything. Most of the gainful points of popery, as confession, satisfaction, merit, purga- tory, &c., spring from hence, but they are physicians of no ralue, or rather t…
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Defeated in this earlier effort, Laud postponed, but did not aban- don, his purpose. He soon found a pretext. As was observed before, Sibbes was a man of beneficent action as well as of beneficent words ; and holding as he did that the church was for the nation, and not the nation for the church, — that the ministry wa…
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MEMOIR OF KICHAED SIBBES, D.D. Ixxiii Popish and Arminian books were allowed, while Calvinistic books were restrained, notwithstanding that there was no law in England to prevent the printing of any books, but only a decree in Star- Chamber.' And then on one occasion the whole House stood up together, and vowed a vow …
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A more beautiful charity, or more modest assertion of conscience, than in our next extract, can scarcely be imagined. ' Be not troubled, much less discouraged, good madam, at any rumours you meet with concerning my present way. The persecution of the tongue is more fierce and terrible than that of the hand. At this t…
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1. The first witness was Mr Kendall. f He says, that speaking with me about Presteen, ' I thanked God that I had overthrown this foeffment.' 2. The second witness, Mr Miller,]: says he heard me say, ' They would have undone the church, but I have overthrown their feoflment.' These two witnesses prove no more than I co…
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Ixxviii MEMOIR OF EICHAED SIBBES, D.D. turned again upon it, that it must be a crime in me, because I projected to overthrow it. But, under favour, this follows not. For to project (though the word ' projector' sounds ill in England), is no more than to forecast and forelay any business. Now as 'tis lawful for me, by …
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Brook (' Lives of the Puritans ' ||) testily criticises the entry. The conclusion was false, for the ' violence ' of the good AngeU was the ' fine frenzy ' of a man in awful earnest, in a fashion which Laud could not so much as apprehend. Still he is entitled to the full advantage of it, and to have it placed beside th…
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* ' Passion-Flowers,' by Mrs Howe. Boston, 1854, p. 113. t "Works, Geneva, fol. 1610, vol. i. p. 706 ; previously published in 1596. 4to. Ixxxii MEMOIR OF EICHARD SIBBES, D.D. and Fenners, Cartwright, Fuller, Chadderton, and Dod, Whitaker could not but be known and esteemed by him. He was venerated by all parties. H…
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§ Commeniary on 1st Chapter of Ephesians, handling the controversy of Pre- destination, 4to, 1618. VOL. I. / Ixxxiv MEMOIR OF EICHAED SIBBES, D.D. in all ages there hath been, and will be necessary uses of holy treatises, appliable to the variety of occasions of the time ; because men of weaker conceits cannot so ea…
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He was a man fit for this task, a man of much communion with God, and acquaintance with his own heart, observing the daily passages of his life, and exercised much with spiritual conflicts. As St Paul in this epistle never seemeth to satisfy himself in advancing the glory of gi'ace, and the vileness of man in. himself,…
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* The ' learned bishop ' is Eobert Abbot, Bisliop of Salisbur^y, and the reference is to liis ' Defence of the Keformed Catholick of W. Perkins against Dr W. Bishop.' 4to, 1611. t A Key of Heaven : the Lord's Prayer opened, and so applied, that a Christian may learn how to pray, and to procure all things which may mak…
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To pass over many other causes of the neglect of this intercourse, and dealing with God by prayer, we may well judge, as one of the chief, a self- sufficiency whereby men dwell too much in themselves. He that hath no- thing at home will seek abroad. The poor man (saith Solomon) speaketh supplications. If we were poor i…
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But to speak something of this treatise of this godly and painful minister of Christ, which is written by him without affectation, as desirous to clothe spiritual things with a spiritual manner of writing, the diligent and godly reader shall observe a sound, clear, substantial handling of the greatest points that natm-…
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We see that same love in parents, which moveth them to give an inheri- tance to their sons, moveth them likewise to provide for them, and to train them up in experience of their fatherly care. So it pleaseth our first and best Father, besides the main promise of salvation, to give us many other rich and precious promis…
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Notwithstanding, we must know in the fourth place, that when wc are at the best, we shall yet be in such a conflicting state, as that we shall long after that glorious liberty of the sons of God, after we have done the work God hath given us to do. For God will have a difference betwixt heaven and earth ; and shai-pen …
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This moved this reverend man of God, to spend what spare hours his sickness would afibrd him about thoughts in this kind. He was many years God's prisoner under the gout and stone, such diseases as will allow but little liberty to those that are arrested and tortured by them. So fruitful an expense of time in so weak a…
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The Preston epistles call for no comment beyond an explana- tory word. I give them in order : — I. The ' New Covenant or Saint's Portion.' -'■= Dedication. niustrissimis, et Honoratissimis Viris, Theophilo Comiti Lincolniensi, et Gulielmo Vice-Comiti Say et Sele, Dominis suis submississime colendis has Johannis Prest…
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t Qu. ' quondam ?' — Ed. MEMOIR OF RICHARD SIBBES, D.D. XCVH when he should be resolute in a good cause. A t}7)e whereof were the Israelites, whose servitude was redoubled when they turned themselves to forsake Egypt. Wherefore we have much need of Christian fortitude, according to that direction, ' Watch ye, stand f…
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* The Saijit's Daily Exercise ; a Treatise Tinfolding the whole Duty of Prayer. Delivered in five sermons upon 1 Thes. v. 17. By the late faithful and worthy minister of Jesus Christ, John Preston, Dr in Divinity, Chaplain in Ordinary to his Majesty, Master of Emmanuel College in Cambridge, and sometime Preacher of Lin…
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RlCHAUD SiBS. John Davenport. In 1 682, Sibbes introduced to the world the excellent folio of John Smith on ' The Creed,' * and the well-known and still vital treatise of John Ball on ' Faith.' -f* John Smith was 'preacher of the word at Clavering in Essex.' He succeeded Bishop Andrewes as lecturer in St Paul's Cathed…
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Cll MEMOm OF EICHAKD SIBBES, D.D. to observe what he relisheth most in hearing ; for as men are, so they taste, so they judge, so they speak. Ezekiel, besides prophetical gifts fit for so high a calling, had no doubt a delightfiil manner of expression of him- self, whereupon the wickeder sort of Jews, engaged in sinfu…
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For particular and daily use, we must know, first, that every article re- quires a particular faith, not only in regard of the person believing, but likewise in regard of the application of the article believed ; or else the devil might say the creed, for he believes there is a Creator, and that there is a remission of…
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monster of opinions, of the bread into the body of Christ by transubstan- tiation, overthrows at once four articles of the Creed — the incarnation of Christ, ascension, sitting at the right hand of God, and coming to judgment; for if Christ's body be so often made of a piece of bread, being in so many phices at once he…
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If it be objected that others of late time have digged in the same mine and laljoured in the same field, and to good purpose and success, I answer, it is true, the more this age is bound to God that directs the spirits of men to so useful, so necessary, an argument, seeing without faith we have no communion with the fo…
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t Consult Brook, supra, iii. 289 seq. CYin MEMOIR OF RICHAED SIBBES, D.D. nearest friend of all our own flesh, is the most dangerous traitor, and there- fore most dangerous because most near, more near to us than the devil himself, with which, if he had no intelligence, all his plots would come to nothing ; this hold…
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as the soul keeps close to God and his truth, it is safe ; so long as our way lieth above, we are free from the snares below. All the danger first riseth from letting our hearts loose from God by infideUty, for then presently our heart is dra-mi away by some seeming good, whereby we seek a severed ex- cellency and cont…
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This moved this godly minister, my Christian friend, to take pains in this useful argument, as appeareth in this treatise, which is written by him in a clear, quick, and famihar style ; and for the matter and manner of handling, soUd, judicious, and scholar-like ; and which may commend it the more, it is written by one…
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It is greatly to be lamented that the most diligent and persistent research has failed to add any memorials to the fact of his en- trance on the vicarage of Trinity. Though he must have been non-resident, he would have many opportunities to officiate during * vacation ' time at the Inn. This is the last public honour …
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The Prophet declares That his anger was not turned fro^n Israel, because they turned not to him that smote them, Isa. i. 4, 6. Now it is impossible that a man should draw nigh to God, and turne to him, if he tm-ne not from his evill wayes: for in every conversion there is Terminus a quo, something to be turned from, as…
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VOL. I. h CXM MEMOIR OF BICHAED SIBBES, D.D. yet notwithstanding they are more corrupt in Preachers, (which is the maine) as in prophanation of the Lord's day, &c. As for wicked and prophane Persons amongst us, though we are to labour by all good meanes to purge them out, yet are we not to separate because of this r…
1,080 wordsSource & rights
Public-domain historical edition (1862); OCR text from Internet Archive. OCR may contain scanning/transcription errors. Verify quotations against page images when precision matters.
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Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.