PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Complete Works of Richard Sibbes — Volume 2
Richard Sibbes · 364,886 words · 367 reading sections
Section 301
Reason . The reason is taken from their own disposition ; they are par- takers of the divine nature, 2 Pet. i. 4, which can'ieth them up to God- wards against the stream and current of the time. Use. The use hereof, shall be only a trial of ourselves in evil times, whether or not then, we justify GocVs ways and the be…
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426 THE RETURNING BACKSLIDER. [SeRMON XVI. Christ he calleth such ' foolish builders,' Matt. vii. 27, that know and will not do ; so unless there be a walking answerable to the wisdom and pru- dence prescribed, a man is but a foolish man. Therefore let it be a rule of trial, would we be thought to be wise and prudent…
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Third, again, he that wdU walk aright in God's ways, he must be resolute against all opposition whatsoever, for we meet with many lets, hindrances, and scandals,* to drive us out of the way. Sometimes the ill lives of those who walk in these ways, sometimes their slips and falls, sometimes perse- cution, and our own na…
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3. And then again, because it is said indefinitely here, ' They shall walk in these ways,' remember always to take uisclom and prudence along tvith you in all your icalkinys. It is put indefinitely, because we should leave out none. For, as we say in things that are to be believed, Faith chooseth not this object, and n…
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3. And they are the cleanest and holiest ways of all; having this excellent property in them, that as they lead to comfort, so they end in comfort ; 430 THE RETUBNING BACKSLIDER. [SeRMON XVI. they all end in heaven, Ps. xix. 9. Therefore let us not be weary of God's ways, of Christianity and our particular callings ;…
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Reason 1. Because ' The natural man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God : for they ai'e foolishness unto him ; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned ; but he that is spiritual judgeth all things,' &c., 1 Cor. ii. 14. Secondly, ' Because they who do evil hate the light,' John iii. …
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Lastly, we have heard who can make right use of these things delivered. Only ' the wise and prudent ; ' such only can understand heavenly things to purpose. ' His secret is with them that fear him,' Psa. xsv. 14 ; and 'wisdom is only justified of her chikfren,' Mat. xi. 19. When others have no heart given them to perce…
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(f) P. 303. — ' And so we might go on in other resemblances.' To all wishing to see the analogy carried out with wealth of quaint thought and illustration, we would commend the ' Soul's Sickness' of Thomas Adams (Works, Vol. I., pp. 471-506) ; also, as not at all inferior, and indeed abounding in even more recondite lo…
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6. AVilliam Perkins. — His ' Works ' abound in confutations of popish errors, written with great intensity. He has one special treatise of rare merit, ' The Reformed Catholike ; or a Declaration shewing how neere we may come to the present Church of Rome in sundrie points of Religion ; and wherein we must for ever depa…
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Perused by those that were intrusted to revise his Writings. London, Printed for John Rothwell at the Sun and Fountaine in Pauls Church yard, neare the little North- doore. 1660. Viz TO THE EEADER So mnch of late hath been written about the times, that spii'i trial discourses are now almost out of season. Men's mi…
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III. Jesus Christ, to make his bounty and mercy fui-ther appear in this feast, he hath given his guests the ' bread of life,' and hath secured them from the fear of death. They need not fear. There is no 7nors in olid at thin feast. We may feast without fear. Jesus Christ by his ' tasting of death hath swallowed it up …
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VIII. Lastly, because that God often takes a long day for perfoiTnance of the promise, thou shalt find herein the doctrine of waiting upon God, ex- cellently handled ; a duty which we earnestly commend unto thy practice, as suitable to these sad times. Say, 0 say with the church, ' In the way of thy judgments, 0 Lord, …
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I will now fall upon the very words of my text. ' In this mountain shall the Lord of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things,' &c. These words they are prophetical, and cannot have a perfect performance all at once, but they shall be performed gradually. The promise of ' a new heaven and a new earth,' 2 Pet. i…
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This mountain is the church. ' The Lamb standeth upon mount Zion, and with him a hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads,' Rev. xiv. 1. Christ standeth in the church, and standing in mount Zion he is accompanied with those that his Father hath given to him before the world w…
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ISA. XXV. G.] BETWEEN CHRIST AND HIS CHURCH. 447 Now, I will shew why Christ, with his benefits, prerogatives, graces, and comforts, is compared to a feast. First. In regard of the choice of the things. In a feast all things are of the best ; so are the things we have in Chi'ist. AVhatsoever favours we have by Christ…
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Fourth. A feast is for compa???/. lii^comnviinn. There is converse at it. So Cicero prefers the name of convivium among the Latins before the Greek name flvfj.'xosiov (h). And this feast is not for one. We are all invited to it. The excellency of Christ's feast consisteth in the communion of saints ; for whosoever take…
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What is this heavenly manna, what is Christ and his Father, what is the word and sacraments, to a depraved, vicious heart, stufied full with earthly vanities ? Alas ! it loatheth all these. As none tasted of manna but those that came out of Egypt, so none shall taste of Christ but those that are not of the world, that …
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We are now come to the banquet, and Christ is the founder of it ; nay, he is the feast itself. He is the author of it, and he it is that we feed upon. Use 2. Let us labour not to be straight* receivers of the sacrament, but suck in abundance fi-om Christ with a gi'eat deal of delight, that we may come together not for…
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(4.) Again, if we would have a desire and appetite to heavenly things, we must labour to get acquaintance, and constantly converse with those that are good. The old proverb is, ' Company will make a man fall to,' especially the company of those that are better than ourselves. For very emulation, men will be doing as ot…
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Now, taste doth two things ; it doth relish that that is good, and disrelish the contrary. There must be a spiritual taste to discern of differences. There can be no spiritual taste but it must know what is good and profitable for the soul, and what is not. Because God will not have our tastes to be wronged, ye see wha…
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A man that hath no spiritual joy is drowned for the most part in the contentments of the world, drowned in riches and honours ; and these are like to strong waters immoderately taken, instead of cheering the spirits, [they] exhaust and kill them. He that hath the joy of heaven here by faith, is mortified to all other b…
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I beseech you, let us labour earnestly to have om' part and portion in the things above. But what shall they do, that as yet apprehend no interest in Jesus Christ ? Why ! let them not be discouraged, for all are compelled * See footnote p. 89.— G. ISA. XXV, 6.j BETWEEN CHRIST AXD HIS CHURCH. 457 to come into tliis fe…
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Remember this, we have we know not what to go through withal in this valley of tears. That speech of Barzillai was good and excellent, who being by David himself invited to the court, answered, ' I am now grown old, I am not fit for the court, for my senses are decayed and gone,' 2 Sam. xix. 32, seq. Even so the time w…
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And then, because there can be no feast, where there is the greatest enemy in force and power, he swallows up death in victory. Death keeps us in fear all our lifetime. That that swalloweth up all kings and monarchs, the terror of the world, death, shall be and is swallowed up by our head, Christ, and shall be swallowe…
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(3.) Now, this veil of ignorance and unbelief continueth in all unre- generate men iintil grace takes away the veil. Besides, before a thing can be seen, the object must not only be made clear, and the eyesight too, but * ' Swallow.' — Dr J. A. Alexander in Lis ' Commentary' adopts the rendering of Sibbes here.— G. t …
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Second. And so in any points of religion naturally, a man sees not them spiritiiaU;/, as they are, and as God sees them, but he seeth them by a human light. He seeth heavenly things by a human light, notionally, and merely to discourse of them. He seeth not intrltively -- into the things themselves. He seeth them sub a…
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And so there is a veil of unbelief. There is no man without gi-ace that believeth truly what he knoweth ; but he believeth in the general only, he believeth things so far forth as they cross not his lusts. But when par- ticular traths are enforced on a carnal man, his lusts do overbear all his knowledge, and he hath a …
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TsA. XXV. G, 7.] BETWEEN CHRIST AND HIS CHURCH. 465 possibly we can in this world. In heaven we shall see face to face, snail see him as he is. And then will be the joy of this excellent feast, and the con- summation of all sweet promises, which here we can but have a taste of. Reason 2. So that is the first reason o…
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Reason. The reason of the connection of this, is, that same Spirit that is a Spirit of revelations, is a Spirit of comfort ; and the same Spirit that is the Spirit of comfort, is a Spirit of revelation. All sweetness that the soul relisheth cometh from light, and all light that is spiritual conveyeth sweet- ness, both …
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1. Will we know sin and our state by nature, and how to come out of it ; then together with this revelation must come an Iwmienly strength into the soul, a heavenly taste and relish; and therefore attend upon the ordi- nances, and labour for an humble soul, empty of ourselves ; and do not think to break into heavenly t…
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ISA. XXV. 6, 7.] BETWEEN CHRIST AND HIS CHURCH. 469 the faith in them, the practice of them ; and he only can do this, he only can teach the heart, he only can discover the bent of the heart, and Satan's wiles that cast a cloud upon the understanding. The Spirit only can do it ; and therefore in all our endeavoars, la…
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Ans. 4. A godly man sceth thincfs ivitli life, Jiis sir/Jit workethupon him. It is a transforming sight. As the apostle saith, ' We all behold the glory of God, and are changed,' 2 Cor. iii. 18. Sight of light and life goeth toge- ther with a Christian ; as Christ saith, ' he is the light of the world,' John ix. 5, and…
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He hath continued from the beginning of the world to this time ; but he is a tyrant brought in by ourselves, Rom. v. 19, seq. Sin let in death. It opened the door. Death is no creatm-e of God's making. Satan brought in sin, and sin brought in death. So that we be accessory ourselves to the powerful stroke of this preva…
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ISA. XXV. 7, 8.] BETWEEN CHRIST AND HIS CHURCH. 473 What is now done in his person, shall be done in his members. In the mean time, faith is our victory, his conquest over death our victory; his victory over all our spiritual enemies is our victory. Every one that be- lieveth is a conqueror of death, though he die, be…
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Use 2. Again, if death be s^vallowed up in victory, labour to be one with (Jhrist crucified, for union u-ith him. Begin with union -n-ith Christ crucified. The first union is with Christ abased, and then ^\'ith Christ glorified. And therefore labour to see sin, that brought in death, subdued by the power of Christ's de…
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Obj. But in the mean time we die. Ans. 'Tis so, but we are sure of victory. He will protect us in our com- bat, that hath conquered for us. We fight against death and the terror of it, in the strength and faith of his victory. Join these tkree together. He that hath been our Saviour in life, will be so to death, and …
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* That is, ' on good grounds.' — G. t In the margin, ' of [the] duellist.' — G. ISA. XXV. 7, 8.] BETWEEN CHRIST AND HIS CHURCH. 477 pany, and callings here ; but what is that to our blessed change afterward, to our praying of God for ever, to the company of blessed souls, and the profits, and pleasures at the right …
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Let us labour then to be comfortable : this use the apostle makes of it ; and fruitful in our places, upon consideration of the victory we have by Christ. 1 Cor. xv. It is an excellent chapter that largely proveth Christ's victory, as the cause of our victory, because he is the iirst fruit that sancti- fieth ail the re…
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I beseech you, enlarge these things in your thoughts. They be things we must all have use of beforehand, against the evil day. It should be comfortable and useful to us all, to hear that our enemy, our greatest enemy, death, is swallowed up in victoiy. And yet there is more comfort in the test. THE FIFTH SERMON. And …
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The proud philosopher thought it was not philosophical to weep, a proud stoical humour,! but Christians desire it. And therefore we ought to labour to be more sensible, that we might make our peace, and reverence the justice of God, and be more sensible of * That is, ' draw pity from any man.' — G. t That is, ' inseu…
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And then all tears that arise from consideration of sin, and misery fol- lowing sin. Death is the accomplishment of all mortification. It is a com- fort we shall not always lead this conflicting life, but the war between the flesh and spirit will be taken up ; the sense will be removed. We shall be out of Satan's reach…
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The Head of the church, our blessed Saviour, and all his gracious apos- tles, what a Ufe did they live ! The glorious martyrs that sealed the truth with their blood ! And therefore, as the apostle saith, ' If om* happiness were here only, we were of all men most miserable,' 1 Cor. xv. 19. If we judge by sight, we shall…
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IsA. XXV. 8.j BETWEEN CHRIST AND HIS CHURCH. 485 We are subject to wrong ourselves, both good and bad : for the good think, if they be iu misery, they shall be ever so ; the bad, if they be in pros- perity, they shall always be so, and they bless themselves in it. Now the joy of the hypocrites is as the ' crackling of…
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Case 1. I will here add a case. So)ne say the;/ cannot iceep, but they can grieve; ichether then is it necessary or no to weep? Tears are taken for the spring of tears ; grief, all grief, shall be taken away. Tears are but the messengers of grief; and oftentimes the deepest apprehension, that takes things deeply, canno…
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I will propound one question more, and then proceed. But we are bid to rejoice always. Why then is it required that we weep and moui'u ? Can two contraries stand together ? Case 2. I answer, \ery well. For we may grieve, as we have matter of grief, and are in a condition of grief; and we may rejoice, and ought to rejo…
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Reason. But what is the reason of it ? Not to stand long upon the point, you know there be two seeds in the world, the seed of the serpent and the Beed of the woman ; and the enmity between them is the true ground, and the antipatlw in the hearts of carnal men to goodness. There is a light shineth in the life of them t…
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Now, it is said that Christ will take away the rebukes of his people. That is the promise. As they are, they shall be known to be. He will set all in joint again. Harmony is a sweet thing, and order is a sweet thing. Time will come when things that are now out of order to appear- ance, shall be all set in their due ord…
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"And thus if we do, as Peter saith, ' There is a spirit of glory shall rest upon us,' 1 Pet. iv. 14. The ground we have of comfort imdcr rebuke and dis- grace, there is a spirit of glory. What is that ? A large spirit enlarging our hearts with inward comfort,- inward joy, inward love of God. 'A * That is, ' applaudeth.…
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Quest. But ye will say, the prophet Isaiah saith it, whose words they were. Ans. I answer, Isaiah was the penman, God the mouth. The head dic- tateth, the hand WTiteth. Christ the head dictates, and his servant writeth. So that holy men write as they were inspired by the Holy Ghost, a better spirit than their own. ' W…
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The fii'st gospel ever preached in pardon was by God himself. Never was any creatui'e so near damnation as our fii-st father Adam, cast from the greatest happiness, miserrimxon est fuisse felicem ; for he that enjoyed before communion with God and his angels, ha\dng sinned, and having conscience of his sin, considering…
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Use 3. Take occasion from hence likewise to shame ourselves for our infi- delity * in the promises. When we are in any disconsolate estate, we are in Job's case. Being in trouble, the consolation of the Almighty seemed light to him, Job. xv.ll. These be the comforts of God. When we come to comfort some, though the swee…
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3. The next thing is, that God icill stir up in his children a dispiosition suitable. That is, the gi'ace of waiting. As gi'eat things were promised before, so the soul hath a grace fit for it. ' We have waited for thee.' 4. And as they wait for them, while they are in perforqaing, so they shall enjoy them. ' We have …
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THE EIGHTH SERMON. He shall swallow up death in victory ; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces ; and the rebukes of his people shall he take away from off all the earth : for the Lmxl hath spoken it. And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God ; we have waited for him, and he will save ii…
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Reason 1. The promises of God are long in performing; for to exercise our faith and our dependence to the full ; Reason 2. To take us of from the creature ; and Reason 3. To endear the things promised to us, to set the greater price upon them when we have them. Many other reasons may be given, if I intended to enlarg…
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And therefore all is not kept for time to come ; we have something be- ginning here besides promises. There is some little degrees of performance. So that the state between us and heaven is a state mixed of good and im- perfection. Now God hath fitted graces suitable to that condition, and that is ex- * That is, ' bor…
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And therefore it is an hard thing to be a good Christian, another thing than the world taketh it to be. For mark, I beseech you, what is between us and heaven, that we must go through, if ever we will come there. Be- tween us and heaven, the thing promised, there be many crosses to be met Avithal, and they must be born…
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Though we wait, God will perfonn whatsoever we wait for. And there- fore, ' Lo, we have waited for him.' As there is a time of promising, so there is a time of performing ; as there is a seedtime, so there is a time of harvest. There is a succession in nature, and a succession in grace ; as the dayfolloweth the night, …
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We shall say, ' Lo, this is the Lord ! ' when we shall see him in heaven. All sight here leadeth to that sight. Faith hath a sight here, but it is in the word and sacrament, and so imperfect ; but the sight in heaven is im- mediate and perfect, and therefore opposed to faith. We Hve by faith, and not by sight. In heave…
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And therefore let me enti-eat and beseech you, with the apostle Paul, to * look to the end,' look to the main chance that can come in this world, and that shall come hereafter. It is wisdom to look to the end. A man tliat buildeth an house will think of the end, that is, dwelling and habita- tion, that he propoundeth. …
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And in this there is good and imperfection. Good, that we have some- thing to wait for ; imperfection, that we are to -wait for it, that we have it not in fruition ; and till we be in heaven we are in a state of waiting. In the Revelations, ' Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly,' Rev. xxii. 20, there is a glorious state of …
934 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.