PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Complete Works of Richard Sibbes — Volume 1
Richard Sibbes · 358,611 words · 362 reading sections
Section 61
CXVIU MEMOIR OF EICHABD SIBBES, D.D. his brother Norman, to spend an evening with Admiral Blake at his country house at Knowle.' * Instead of Alleine let us go with Sibbes, and instead of Admiral Blake at Knowle, let the visit be to John Pym, or to Lady Mary Vere, or to Sir Robert and Lady Brooke, or any of those grea…
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Philip Nye. It was no uncommon thing for ladies moving in the highest circles thus to ' take down ' the sermons of their ministers, or discharge the office of amanuenses. Contemporaneously with Lady Brooke we find Lady Elizabeth Rich, another of Sibbes's friends, transcribing and preparing for the press William Strong…
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Finely does the vicar continue his personal reminiscences of the visits to Thurston, and of his friend's kindnesses. We must asrain listen to him : — * As for his kindness to his kindred, and neglect of the world, it was very remarkable. For this I can testify of my own knowledge, that, purchasing of Mr Tho. Clark and…
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* This may fairly bo couBidered equal to a pound of our present money. MEMOIR OF RICHAKD SIBBES, D.D. CXXUi grace are the image of God himself, and where they are discerned by wis- dom's children they command the heart and are truly lovely and venerable, whereas carnal notions and unmortified affections (whereof this…
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MEMOIR OF RICHABD SIBBES, D.D. CXXV sweetly unfolded, as may appear by those sermons now in print, ' And therefore,' saith a reverend divine, ' the 7ioted humility of the author I less wonder at, finding how often his thoughts dwelt upon the humiliation of Christ. '•■;= The ' reverend divine' referred to was Thomas F…
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Beautiful spirit ! fallen, alas, On times when little beauty was ; Still seeking peace amid the strife, Still working, weary of thy life. Toiling in holy love. Panting for heaven above : I mark thee, in an evil day. Alone upon a lonely way ; More sad-companionless thy fate, Thy heart more truly desolate. Til an even …
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children of my late aunte who dwelt in or neer Walding- feild, in Essex, | the some of three pounds : Item, I give unto my cosen, Jeremy Huske, unto my cosins, Anne Beckett and Elizabeth Beckett, to every of them fourtie shillings : Item, I give mito the poore of the said towne of Thurston twentie shillings : Item, I …
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* PubUshed 1622, and entitled ' A Guide to Godliness ; or, a Treatise of a Chria- tian Life.' The author was John Downame or Downham, B.D., brother of George, Bishop of Derry. He died 1644. t See references in loc. at p. cxxxvii, Appendix A X Sibbes dedicates Culverwell's ' Time Well-spent ' to her, ante p. xciii, se…
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' God's saints are shining lights ; . . . . Tliey are indeed as pillar-fires. Seen as we go ; They are that city's shining spires We travel to.' || A. B. a * It has been found impossible to identify his grave; no stone, the simplest, marks it. Is there to be no memorial raised? t James Montgomery, 'The Christian So…
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He was born This Richard, the eldest Son of Paul Sibs and Johan, was 5 77. born at Tostock|| in Suifolk, 4 miles from Bmy, anno domini 1577, from whence his Parents soon removed, to a Town adioining, called, Thurston, where they lived in honest Repute, brought up, and maried divers children, purchased some Houses and …
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* • Humble ' in M. B.— G. f ' Studying ' in M. B.— G. t Not given in M. B.— G. g - Stryde ' in M. B.— G. || ' Gwinn ' in M.B.— G. \ ' That house ' in M. B.— G. ** ' Graves ' in M. B — G. ft See Brook's ' Puritans,'vol. ii. p. 308, seq. ; Clarke's ' Lives of Thirty-two Eng- lish Divines,' ed. 1677, p. 133; Geffrey Wh…
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But from his Life, I passe to his Death, and the disposing of his worldly estate, wherein are some things very Remarkable, and coming to my certain knowledge and observation, I neyther wil, nor dare I conceal them. His Death was some what soden ; for having preach't at Graye's Inne, upon the Lords Day, on that sweet Te…
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X Dr Stephens, editor of ' Statius,' Master of Bury ? ' Life of Isaac Milles,' 1721, pp. 8-12, 74.— M. § Richard Capel, Wood's ' Athense,' ed. Bliss, iii. 421, Clark's ' Lives' (as above), p. 303 seq.—K. II Dr Wm. Gouge. See his life in Clark (as above), p. 234 seq., Harwood's ' Alumni Etonenses,' p. 202, Wm. Lilly's…
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% This account has been printed in Brook's 'Lives of the Puritans,' vol. iL pp. 428, 429.— M. Cxl APPENDIX TO MEMOIK. foot in England, nor any Ciuil wars, amongst ourselves, do now forsee euil daies a comming. But I shal go to the grave in Peace. Blessed be that God, whom I have served, who hath accepted my weake ser…
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The foUowuig mei)wmbiUa from the sources enumerated above each, con- tain all that I have been able to collect about the family and name. I. Catharine-Hall ' Registers.' (1.) John Sibbes, B.A. 1635 (mentioned in ' WiU '). (2.) Richard . . . B.A. 1664, M.A. 1668. (See entry in Thurston ' Register,' Mo. 2.) (3.) Rober…
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* Original Title page — A DESCRIPTION OF CHRIST. His neerenesse to God, His calling. ^ His qualification. His execution of his calling. In three Sermons. Being the leading Sermons to that Trea- tise called the Bruised Reed, preached upon the precedent words. By the late Reverend and learned Di- vine, Richard Sibs, …
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To come more directly to the words, ' Behold my sers-ant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased,' &c. In the words you have a description of Christ, his nearness to God: ' Behold my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom my soul is well pleased.' And then his calling and qualification :…
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6 A DESCRIPTION OP CHRIST. sin eternally. Thus we see how he is God's servant, who set him apart, and chose him to this service. And then he was a servant to us ; for the Son of man came to minister, not to be ministered unto, Matt. xx. 28. He washed his disciples' feet. He was a servant to us, because he did our wor…
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Thiidly, It is wondrous in regard of the fruit we have by this service of Christ, the work of oui* redemption, to be translated from the kingdom of Satan to the glorious liberty of the sons of God, Rom. viii. 21, to be brought oiit of darkness into marvellous light. It is a marvellous matter of wonder, the good we have…
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A DESCRIPTION OF CHRIST. 9 proud piece of flesh. Men stand upon their distance. Tfhat ! shall I stoop to him ? I am thus and thus. We should descend from the heaven of our conceit, and take npon us the form of servants, and ahasc ourselves to do good to others, even to any, and account it an honour to do any good to o…
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Christ he was both a chosen servant and a choice servant. In calling him a chosen servant, it implies his excellency, as a chosen vessel. Acts ix. 15, a chosen arrow in God's quiver. Lament, iii. 13, so a chosen servant, every way excellent. This adds to our comfort, that whatsoever Christ did for us, he did it as cho…
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And as man he loves him, for as man he was the most excellent creature in the world, he was conceived, fashioned, and fi.-amed in his mother's womb by the Holy Ghost. It is said, Heb. x. 5, God gave him a body. God the Father by the Holy Ghost fashioned and framed and fitted him with a body, therefore God must needs lo…
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And hero is a wondrous comfort, that God must needs love our salvation and redemption when he loves Christ, because ' he poured out his soul to death to save us.' Doth not God dchght that we should be saved, and our sins should be forgiven, when he loves Christ because he abased himself for that purpose ? What a prop a…
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It should shame us therefore when we find dulness and coldness upon us, that we can hear of anything better than of Christ ; and arguments concerning Christ are cold to us, Alas ! where is our love, and joy, and delight ; and when we can make no better but a carnal use of the incarna- tion and other benefits by Christ …
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When any one is called to great place, there is a setting apart from others, and an ordaining to that particular, and a qualifying. If it be a caUing of God, he qualifies where he ordains always. But Christ had the Spirit before. AVbat doth he mean, then, when he saith he will put the Spirit upon him now ? I answer, …
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Note this by the way : Christ's priestly office, his sacrificing himself for us, includes two branches. A priest was to ofier sacrifice and to pray for the people. Our Saviour Christ did both in the days of his humiliation, in his prayer in John xvii. There, as a priest, he commends his sacrifice to God before he died …
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We must understand this, to give Christ his due honour and respect, and to know whence we have all we have. Therefore the Spirit is said here, first, to be ' put upon Christ.' We have not the Holy Ghost immediately from God, but we have, him as sanctifying Christ first, and then us ; and whatsoever the Holy Ghost doth …
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These be comfortable considerations, and, indeed, the hfe and soul of a Christian's Hfe and comfort. If we conceive them aright, they will quicken us to obedience, and we shall know what the gospel is. To come to make some use of it. I might observe this, that none should take that ofiice upon them to which they are n…
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What is the gi-ound of popish idolatries and abominations ? They con- ceive not aright of the fulness of Christ, wherefore he was ordained, and sent of God ; for if they did, they would not go to idols and saints, and leave Christ. Therefore let us make this use of it, go out of Christ for nothing. If we want favour, g…
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At the least, whosoever hath the Spirit of Christ, he shall find that Spirit in him striving agamst that which is contrary, and by little and little getting ground. Where there is no conflict, there is no Spirit of Christ at all. I will not be large in the point, only I speak this by way of trial, to know whether we ha…
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But how or by what means doth Christ give his Spirit to us ? This Spirit that is so necessary for us, it is given by the ministry of the gospel, which is the ministry of the Spirit. * Received ye the Holy Ghost by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith preached ?' Gal. iii. 2. AVhen the love of God in Christ,…
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This is the state of many of us, — the Lord be merciful to us, and cure us, — that we do not only not receive the motions of the Spirit deeply into us, but if they be such as cross us in our pleasures and profits, though the word and Spirit join together, there is a rising of the proud spirit of man against so much of …
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Now, in the Hebrew language, ordinarily, wise government is called judgment (/>). He shall declare judgment, that is, his manner of government, he shall declare it by his Spirit, and cause our spirits to submit to it. And, indeed, grace is caUed judgment, in the phrase of Scripture, the grace of sanctification, becaus…
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Now this is wrought by the preaching of the gospel, ' he shall declare judgment to the Gentiles.' All grace comes by declaring ; ' The gospel is the power of God to salvation,' Rom. i. 16. Let but the gospel (which is God's judgment how men shall be saved, and how they shall walk in obedience by way of thankfulness to …
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But here we must know that Christ was a wise discerner of the fitness of 30 A DESCRIPTION OF CHRIST. times ; for sometimes he would have things pubhshed, sometimes he would not ; sometimes he would be known, sometimes he would not. Christ, in his second coming, shall come all in majesty and glory with his angels, and…
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NOTES. (a) P. 6. — ' Ked, well-coloured earth.' The allusion is to the name of Adam, or man — mj^, red, ruddy — and to his derivation, as recorded in Gen. ii. 7. (b) P. 26. — ' In the Hebrew language ordinarily wise government is called judg- ment.' This holds of various Hebrew terras. In tJie passage explained (Isa.…
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It may seem to some unbefitting to offer a discourse of a * bruised reed ' to such a strong and flourishing cedar. But experience sheweth that the strongest plants in God's house are exposed sometimes to strong winds of temptation, and thereupon meet with bruisings, that they may the better know by whose strength they …
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TO THE CHRISTIAN EEADEE. 39 in keeping the soul in darkness, the more care is to be had of establishing the soul upon that which wiU stay it. Amongst other grounds to build our faith on, as the free offer of grace to all that will receive it. Rev. xxii.17 ; the gracious in\itation of all that are weaiy and heavy laden…
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The main scope of all, is, to aUm-e us to the entertainment of Christ's mUd, safe, wise, victorious government, and to leave men naked of all pre- tences, why they will not have Christ to rule over them, when we see sal- vation not only strongly wrought, but sweetly dispensed by him. His government is not for his own p…
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What a support to our faith is this, that God the Father, the party oQcndcd by our sins, is so well pleased with the work of redemption ! And what a comfort is this, that seeing God's love resteth on Christ, as well THE BRUISED EEED AND SMOKING FLAX. 43 pleased in him, we may gather that he is as well pleased with us…
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A marvellous hard thing it is to bring a dull and a shifting heart to cry with feeling for mercy. Om* hearts, like malefactors, until they be beaten from all shifts, never cry for the mercy of the Judge. Again (2), this bruising maketh us set a high price upon Christ. The gospel is the gospel indeed then ; then the fig…
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* ' Surgeons,' in A and B. 46 THE BRUISED EEED Vse 1. What should we learn from hence, but 'to come boldly to the throne of gi'ace,' Heb. iv. 16, in all our grievances ? Shall our sins dis- courage us, when he appears there only for sinners ? Art thou bruised ? Be of good comfort, he calleth thee ; conceal not thy wo…
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A set measure of bruising ourselves cannot be prescribed ; yet it must be so far, as 1, we may prize Christ above all, and see that a Saviour must be had ; and 2, until we reform that which is amiss, though it be to the cutting off our right hand, or puUing out our right eye. There is a dan- gerous slighting of the wor…
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AND SMOKING FL,VX. 49 Christ knew that gxiilt of their unkindness in leaving of him had de- jected their spirits. How gently did he endure Thomas his unbelief! and stooped so far unto his weakness, as to suffer him to thrust his hand into ^ his side (a). —> [Chapter V. — Grace is little at first.] For the second bra…
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Jonah cries, ii. 4, * I am cast out of thy sight :' there is smoke ; ' yet will I look again to thy holy temple :' there is light. ' 0 miserable man that I am,' Rom. vii. 24, saith St Paul upon sense of his corruption ; but yet breaks out into thanks to God thi'ough Jesus Christ our Lord. ' I sleep,' saith the Church…
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* ' That; in A. 52 THE BEUISED EEED with the austerities of religion (as some indiscreetly). 0, saith he, they shall have time to fast wheii I am gone, and strength to fast when the Holy Ghost is come upon them. It is not the best way to fall foul presently with young beginners for some lesser vanities, but shew the…
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In unclean bodies if all iU humours be purged out, you shall purge life and all away. Therefore though God saith, that ' he will fine them as silver is fined,' Zech. xiii. 9 ; yet, Isa. xhiii. 10, he said, ' he hath fined them, but not as silver,' that is, so exactly as that no dross remaineth, for he hath respect to o…
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We must neither bind where God looseth, nor loose where God bindeth, nor open where God shuttcth, nor shut where God openeth ; the right use of the keys is always successful. In personal application there must be great heed taken ; for a man may be a false prophet, and yet speak the truth. If it be not a truth to the p…
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Insolent carriage toward miserable persons, if humbled, is unseemly in any who look for mercy themselves. Misery should be a loadstone of mercy, not a footstool for pride to trample on. Sometimes it falleth out that those that are under the government of others, are most injm-ious by waywardness and harsh censures, he…
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The church of Christ is a common hospital, wherein all are in some measure sick of some spiritual disease or other ; that we should aU have ground of exercising mutually the spirit of wisdom and meekness. 1. This that we may the better do, let us put upon ourselves the spirit of Christ. The spirit of God carrieth a ma…
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* Nil magis ad misoricordiani inclinat qiiam i)roprii pcriculi cogitatio. — Au- (jusl\inc]. AND SMOKING FLAX. 59 after blessing even upon those whom Moses had cursed, and with heaUng bahn for those wounds which Moses had made. The same duties are required in both covenants ; as, * to love the Lord with all our heart…
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The light that some men have, it is like lightning, which after a sudden flash leaveth them more in darkness. They can love the light as it shines, but hate it as it discovers and directs. A little holy light will enable to keep the word, and not betray religion, and deny Christ's name, as Christ speaketh of the church…
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8. Eighthly, fire tumeth all, as much as it can, to fire ; so grace lahoureth to breed the like impression in others, and make as many good as it can. Grace likewise maketh a gracious use even of natural and civil things, and doth spiritualise them. AVhat another man doth only civilly, a gracious man ■\\al] do iiohly. …
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But* there is a diflerence betwixt Christ and us in this case, by reason that Satan had nothing of his own in Christ, his suggestions left no impres- sion at all in his holy natm-e ; but, as sparks falling into the sea, were presently quenched. Satan's temptations of Christ were only suggestions on Satan's part, and ap…
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4, Some think, when they begin once to be troubled with the smoke of corruption more than they were before, therefore they are worse than they were. It is true, that corruptions appear now more than before, but they are less. For, first, sin, the more it is seen the more it is hated, and thereupon is the less. Motes a…
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There is a certain meekness of spirit whereby we yield thanks to God for any ability at all, and rest quiet with the measure of grace received, seeing it is God's good pleasure it should be so, who giveth the will and the deed, yet so as we rest not from further endeavoui's. But when, upon faithful endeavour, we come s…
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• 'Which .... afford,' not in A, B, hut in E. t Marginal note — This was preached at the Sacrame^.t, 68 THK BRUISED EEED this life ! And yet all the helps God offers will hardly prevail with our backward natures. Whence are, then, discouragements? 1. Not from the Father, for he hath bound himself in covenant ' to pi…
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Weaknesses* so considered, howsoever they be matter of humiliation, and the object of our daily mortification, yet may stand with boldness with God, neither is a good work either extinguished by them, or tainted so far as to lose all acceptance with God. But to plead for an infirmity is more than an infirmity; to allow…
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* A noccssitalibiis mcis libera me Domine. — Auff [tistine]. t ' If .... ill us,' added in B. J ' Yet,' in A. AND SMOKING FLAX. 71 [Chapter XVI. — Satan not to he believed, as he representeth Christ imto us.] Since Ckrist is thus comfortably set out unto us, let us not believe Satan's representations of bim. "\^1^en…
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Herein appears Christ's care to thee, that he hath given thee a heart in some degree sensible : he might have given thee up to hardness, security and profane- ness of heart, of all spiritual judgments the greatest. He that died for his enemies, will he refuse those, the desire of whose soul is towards him ? He that by …
977 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.
Project Gutenberg source record →
Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.