PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Complete Works of Richard Sibbes — Volume 1
Richard Sibbes · 358,611 words · 362 reading sections
Section 121
When God would have cured Babylon, and she would not be cured, then she was given up to destruction, Jer. li. 9. Wlien Jerusalem would not be gathered under the wing of Christ, then their habitation is left desolate, Matt, xxiii. 37, 38. When wisdom stretcheth out her hand and men refuse, then wisdom mU laugh at men'…
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Caution. Yet let us know that grace is increased in the exercise of it, not by virtue of the exercise itself, but as Christ by his Spirit floweth into the soul, and bringeth us nearer unto himself the fountain, and instilleth such comfort in the act, whereby the heart is fm-ther enlarged. The heart of a Christian is Ch…
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7. This mercy of Christ likewise should move us to commiserate the state -= of the poor church, torn by enemies without, and rending itself by divisions at home. It cannot but work upon any soul that ever felt com- fort fi-om Christ, to consider what an affectionate entreaty the apostle useth to mutual agreement in jud…
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[Chapter XVIII. — Of Christ'' s judgment in us, and his victonj, what it is.] We come to the thii'd part, the constant progress of Christ's gracious power, until he hath set up such an absolute government in us, which shall 78 THE BRtTlSED SEED prevail over all corruptions. It is said here, lie will cherisli his beg…
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1. This may serve for a trial to discern who may lay just claim to Christ's mercy ; only those that will take his yoke, and count it a greater happiness to be under his government, than to enjoy any liberty of the flesh ; that mil take whole Christ, and not single out of him what may stand with their present contentmen…
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Truth is truth, and error, error, and that which is unlawful is unlawful, whether men think so or no. God hath put an eternal difi'ercnce betwixt light and darkness, good and ill, which no creature's conceit can alter; and AND SMOKING FLAX. 81 therefore no man's judgment is the measure of things further than it agree…
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From whence we may know, when we work as we should do or no, that is, when we do what we do out of inward principles, when we fall not upon that which is good, only because we are so bred, or because such or such whom we respect do so, or because we will maintain a side, so making religion a fixction; but out of judgme…
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We learn likewise, that men of an ill governed life have no true judg- ment : no wicked man can be a wise man. And that without Cluist's Spirit the soul is in confusion, without beauty and form, as all things were in the chaos before the creation. The whole soul is out of joint till it be set in again by him whose offi…
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And this power is conveyed by faith, whereby, after union with Christ in both his estates of humiliation and exaltation, we see ourselves not only ' dead with Christ, but risen and sitting together with him in heavenly places,' Eph. ii. 6. Now we, apprehending ourselves to be dead and risen, and thereupon victorious ov…
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Hereupon it foUoweth that weakness may stand with the assurance of salvation ; the disciples, notwithstanding all their weaknesses, are bidden to rejoice, Luke x. 20, that their names are written in heaven. Failings, with conflict, in sanctification should not weaken the peace of our justifica- tion, and assurance of s…
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6. A well ordered uniform life, not by fits or starts, shews a well ordered heart a m a cloc;k when the hammer strikes well, and the hand of the dial points well, it is a sign that the wheels are right set. 7. When Christ's will Cometh in competition with any earthly loss or gain, yet if then, in that particular case, …
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And because knowledge and affection mutually help one another, it is good to keep up our affections of love and delight, by all sweet inducements and divine encouragements ; for what the heai't liketh best, the mind studieth most. Those that can bring their hearts to delight in Christ know most of his ways. Wisdom love…
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Object. But, notwithstanding my striving, I seem to stand at a stay. Ans. 1. Grace, as the seed in the parable, grows, we know not how, yet at length, when God seeth fittest, we shall see that all our endeavour hath not been in vain. The tree falleth upon the last stroke, yet all the former strokes help it forward. A…
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seem to have the better. But lie will bring forth judgment unto victory, to the view of all. The wicked that now shut their eyes shall see it to their torment. It shall not be in the power of subtle men to see or not see what they would. Christ will have power over their hearts ; and as his wrath shall immediately seiz…
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How will they be laden with curses another day, that abuse the judgment of others by sophistry and flatteiy, deceivers and being deceived ? 2 Tim. iii. 13. Then the complaint of our first mother Eve will be taken up but fruitlessly, Gen. xiii. 3 ; the sei-pent hath deceived me ; Satan in such and such hath deceived me …
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* Sic 80 habent mortalium corda : qnse scimus, cum necesse non est, in necessitate nescimus. — Bcr[nard1 de consid. ■f ' or ourselves .... troubles,' added first in B. AND SMOKING FLAX. 95 The manner of Christ's hnnging forth judgment to victory, is by letting us see a necessity of dependence upon him ; hence procee…
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And no marvel if the spiritual government of Christ be so opposed : 1. Because it is government, and that limits the course of the will, and casteth a bridle upon its wanderings ; everything natural resists what opposeth it ; so corrupt wiU labours to bear down all laws, and counteth it a generous thing not to be awed,…
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[Chapter XXVIII. — Be encouraged to go on cheerfully, with confidence of jirevailing.] For conclusion and general application of all that hath been spoken, unto ourselves. We see the conflicting, but yet sm-e and hopeful state of God's people. The victoiy heth not upon us, but upon Christ, who hath taken upon him, as …
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victoiy in Jesus Clirist,' 1 Cor. xv. 57. See a flame in a spark, a tree in a seed ; see gi'cat tilings in little beginnings ; look not so much to the be- ginning, as to the perfection, and so we shall be in some degi'ee joyful in ourselves, and thankful unto Christ. Neither* must we reason from a denial of a great me…
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Let us then bring our hearts to holy resolutions, and set ourselves upon that which is good, and against that which is ill, in ourselves or others, ac- cording to our callings, upon this encouragement, that Christ's grace and power shall go along with us. What had become of that great work o^' reformation of religion i…
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(e) P. 68. — ' Catch ' = on the watch. This supplies Eichardson's lack (in his great Dictionary), of an example of ' catch' in the meaning here. (f) P. 85. — ' Voyage ' = a travel, a journey ; but now limited to travel by sea. Milton uses it repeatedly in the earlier sense. See P. L., ii,, 426, 919 ; vii. 431. P. R. i…
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Then after his desire, he lays forth his grief, ' My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me. Where is thy God ?' ver. 3. Grievances never come alone, but as Job's messengers, they come one after another, even to God's children. When he is disposed to correct them, they are multiplied.…
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THE SWORD OF THE WICKED. 107 reproach me ; wliile they say unto me daily, Where is thy God ?' vcr. 10. He had complained once of this before, but it had a fresh working with his thoughts again, ' As with a sword in my bones,' &c. Hereupon, he is forced the tlurd time to expostulate, and to fall out with his soul, ' Wh…
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ITow doth David entertain this usage ? how doth he carry himself all this while ? He must needs be sensible of it, and therefore he expresseth it in most significant words. Oh, saith he, these things were as a sword in my hones. There be diverse readings of the words ; but we will take them as they are laid down, being…
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Now this reproach of wicked men, it is a grievous persecution, as Ishmael persecuted Isaac in that manner, as it is. Gal. iv., taken out of the story in Genesis. I will not enter into the commonplace of reproach ; it is taken by the by here. Only by the way, let it be a support to us. If we be reproachfully used in th…
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We should laboiu' to make this use of it, to counter- work Satan ; to strengthen that most of all, that the devil labours to shake most of all. Shall the devil labour to shake om- faith and affiance in God above all other things, and shall we not labour to strengthen that ? Above aU things, let us look to our head, as …
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Therefore let us lay up this likewise for the strengthening of our faith in the like case, that we be not overmuch discom'aged. If God hide himself, if others think our estates miserable, and oui'selves think oui'selves so, it is no strange matter. It was thus with David. He was so neglected of God that they thought Go…
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I beseech you let us look to it in time, that it may not be tinily said to us, by way of upbraiding. Where is now thy God / God may be strange to us indeed ; let us so carry ourselves as that God may own us in the worst times. If they had said this truly, how giievous had it been to David ! but it was more malice than …
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THE SWORD OF THE WICKED. 115 enough it is not in vain to serve God. God is not a ban-en wilderness, Jer. ii. 31, to those that serve him ; they are not ban-en gi'ound that are careful in his sei-vice. So jon see upon what gi-ound he was thus affected, because God and rehgion were touched in it. Take away a godly man'…
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Let us, therefore, take a trial of ourselves, how we stand affected in case of religion. He that hath no zeal in him hath no love. By an antiperis- tasis, an opposition of the contraiy increaseth the contraiy ; if a man have any goodness, if it be envii-oned with opposition, it will intend (e) the goodness and increase…
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KOTES. (a) P. 105. — ' Scantling' = a proportion, or simply, portion. This is a somewhat peculiar nse of a not very common word. It occurs in Shakspeare once in the same sense with that here : ' Trust to me, Ulyss3s, Our imputation shall be oddly pcis'd In this wild action : for the success. Although particular, sha…
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But there is another sort of people, who being drawn out of Satan's kingdom and within the covenant of grace, whom Satan labours to unsettle and disquiet : being the ' god of the world,' 2 Cor. iv. 4, he is vexed to see men in the world, walk above the world. Since he cannot hinder their estate, he wiU trouble their pe…
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My discom'se tends not to take men off from aU grief and mom-ning ; * Light for the righteous is sown in sorrow,' Ps. xcvii. 11. Our state of absence fr-om the Lord, and living here in a vale of tears, om* daily infirmi- ties, and our sympathy with others, requires it ; and where most grace is there is most sensiblenes…
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God's design in the covenant of gi'ace is to exalt the riches of his mercy above all sin and unworthiness of man ; and we peld him more gloiy of his mercy by believing, than it would be to his justice to destroy us. If we were perfect in omrselves, we should not honour him so much, as when we labour to be found in Chri…
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Luther, when he saw Melancthon, a godly and learned man, too much dejected for the state of the church in those times, falls a chiding of him, as David doth here his own soul: ' I strongly hate those miserable cares,' saith he, ' whereby thou writest thou art even spent. It is not the great- ness of the cause, but the …
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ON THE WORK OF IVIY LEARNED FRIEND DOCTOR SIBBES. J'ooL that 1 was ! to think my easy pen Had strength enough to glorify the fame Of this known author, this rare man of men, Or give the least advantage to his name. Who think by praise to make his name more bright, Shew the sun's glory by dull candle-light.* Blest…
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But though the remembrance of the foiTner sweetness of God's presence did somewhat stay him, yet his grief would not so be stilled, and therefore it gathers upon him again. One gi'ief called upon another, ver. 7, as one deep wave follows another, without intermission, until his soul was almost overwhelmed under these w…
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1. And that choice part of mankind, the first-fruits and excellency of the rest, which we call the church, more than others; which appears by con- sideration both of the head, the body, and members of the church. For the head Christ, he took our flesh as it was subject to misery after the faU, and was, in regard of tha…
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By his envy and subtilty we were driven out of paradise at the first, and now he envies us the paradise of a good conscience ; for that is our paradise until we come to heaven, into which no serpent shall ever creep to tempt us. "When Satan seeth a man strongly and comfortably walk vdth God, he cannot endure that a cre…
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4. To let others pass, we need not go further than ourselves, for to find causes of discouragement ; there is a seminary of them within us. Our flesh, an enemy so much the worse, by how much the nearer, will be ready * This was preached in the heginning of the troubles of the church. [1623. G.] t ' What becomes,' in C…
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6. Likewise, some are much troubled, because they proceed by a false method and order in judging of their estates. They will begin with election, which is the highest step of the ladder ; whereas they should begin from a work of grace wrought within their hearts, fi'om God's caUing them by his Spirit, and their answer …
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No wonder why papists maintain doubting, who hold salvation by works, because Satan joining together with our consciences will always find some flaw even in our best performances ; hereupon the doubting and misgiving soul comes to make this absurd demand, as. Who shall ascend to heaven ? Ps. xxiv. 3, which is all one a…
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m. Positive causes. May be, 1. When men lay up their comfort too much on outivard things, which, being subject to much inconstancy and change, breed disquiet. Vexation always follows vanity, when vanity is not apprehended to be where it is. In that measure we are cast down in the disappointing of our hopes, as we were…
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Use 2. And, for ourselves, if our estate be calm for the present, yet we should labour to prepare our hearts, not only for an alteration of estate, but of spirit, unless we be marvellous careful beforehand, that our spirits fall not down with our condition. And if it befalls us to find it othen\ise with our souls than …
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No creature under heaven so low cast down as Satan, none more hfted up in pride, none so fuU of discord. The impurest spuits ai'e the most disquiet and stormy spirits, troublesome to themselves and othei'S ; for when the soul leaves God once, and looks downwards, what is there to stay it from disquiet ? Remove the need…
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Use. Therefore, we should all endeavour and labour for a calmed spirit, that we may the better serve God in praying to him and praising of him ; and serve one another in love, that we may be fitted to do and receive good, that we may make our passage to heaven more easy and cheerful,' without drooping and hanging the w…
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VOL. I. K 146 THE soul's conflict, thing, if he would but make use of his reason ? Would an old man, when he is veiy near his journey's end, make longer provision for a short way, if he would ask himself a reason ? But, indeed, covetousness is an unreason- able vice. If those also of the younger sort would ask of th…
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Those that are in great place are most in danger, by yielding to them- selves, to lose themselves ; for they are so taken up with the person for a time put upon them, that they, both in look and speech and carriage, often shew that they forget both theii' natural condition as men, and much more their supematui'al as Ch…
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Obs. 4. We see here again, that a godly man can make a good use of privacy. When he is forced to be alone he can talk with his God and him- self; one reason whereof is, that his heart is a treasury and stoi'ehouse of divine truths, whence he can speak to himself, by way of check, or encour- agement of himself : he hath…
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* As Charles IX. after the massacre in France. Thuamis, lib, 57. Somnum post p.asiim SanbartholomsBum noctiirni horrores plerumque interrumpebant et rursus adhibiti symphoniaci espergefacto conciliabant. 1 50 THE soul's conflict. The possession of the soul is the richest possession, no jewel so precious. The account …
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Obs. 7. We see Hkewise here, how to frame our complaints. David com- plains not of God, nor of his troubles, nor of others, but of his o-svn soul; he complains of himself to himself, as if he should say. Though all things else be out of order, yet, 0 my soul, thou shouldst not trouble me too, thou shouldst not betray t…
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3. Thirdly, there is a conflict of a higher nature, as between some sins and the light of reason helped by a natural conscience. The heathen could reason from the dignity of the soul, to count it a base thing to prostitute themselves to beastly lusts, so as it were degrading and unmanning ,them- selves. Major sum et ad…
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154 THE soul's conflict. sin ; he is an agent as well as a patient. As David here doth not suffer disquieting, but is disquieted with himself for being so. A godly man is an agent in opposing his corruption, and a patient in enduring of it, whereas a natural man is a secret agent in and for his corruptions, and a pati…
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Use. Therefore let us make a narrow search into our souls upon what grounds we oppose sin, and fight God's battles. A common Chi'istian is not cast down because he is disquieted in God's service, or for his inward failings that he cannot serve God with that liberty and freedom he desires, &c. But a godly man is trouble…
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2. Secondly, when ive forget the grounds of comfort, and suffer our mind to run only upon the present grievance. It is a sin to dwell on sin and turmoil our thoughts about it, when we are called to thankfulness. A physician in good discretion forbids a dish at some times to prevent the nourishment of some disease, whic…
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(1.) But for raising of a right grief in the soul of a holy man, look what is the state of the soul in itself, in what terms it is with God : whether there be any sin hanging on the file {b) unrepented of. If all be not well within us, then here is place for inward trouble, whereby the soul may afflict itself. God saw…
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(4.) Our affections are then in best temper, when they become so many graces of the Spuit, as when love is turned to a love of God, joy, to a de- light in the best things, fear, to a fear of offending him more than any creature, son-ow, to a sorrow for sin, &c. (5.) They are hkewise in good temper, when they move' us …
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That which most troubles a good man in all troubles is himself, so far as he is unsubdued ; he is more disquieted with himself than with all ti'oubles out of himself ; when he hath gotten the better once of himself, whatsoever falls from without is light. Where the spirit is enlarged, it cares not much for outward bond…
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Chapter X. — Means not to be overcharged with sorrow. To help us further herein, besides that which hath been formerly spoken, 1. We must take heed of huildbuj an ungrounded conjidence of happiness THE soul's conflict. 163 Jot time to come, which makes us when changes come, 1, Unacquainted with them ; 2, Takes away …
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In the uncertainty of aU events here, labour to frame that contentment in and from our own selves which the things themselves will not yield ; frame peace by freeing our hearts from too much fear, and riches by free- ing our hearts from covetous desires. Frame a sufficiency out of content- edness. If the soul itself be…
1,034 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.