PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Complete Works of Richard Sibbes — Volume 3
Richard Sibbes · 388,516 words · 401 reading sections
Section 1
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There is a diversity of gifts as there is of tempers, and of tempers as there is of faces, that in all this variety, God may be the more glorified. The penmen of Scripture, that all wrote by the same Spirit, and by an in- faUible conduct, do not wi-ite in the same style. In the Old Testament, there is a plain differenc…
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Which, as it hath commonly fallen out, so especially in the works of this reverend author, all which (some few only excepted f ) saw the light after the author's death, which also hath been the lot of this useful comment ; only it hath this advantage above the rest, that it was perused by the author during life, and co…
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In the inscription, there are the parties from whom this epistle was writ- ten, ' Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother.' And the persons to whom : ' To the church of God at Corinth, and all the saints in Achaia.' The salutation : ' Grace and Peace ;' in the form of a blessing, '…
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• The church thus far gives authority to the Scriptures in the hearts of men, though it be an improper phrase to say it gives authority; for, as the men said to the woman of Samaria, ' Now we believe it ourselves, not be- cause thou toldest us,' &c., John iv. 42. The church allures us to respect the Scriptures ; but th…
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2 CORINTHIANS CHAP. I, ^'ER. 1, 11 majesty of the Roman empire. But Augustus Caesar ' afterwards repaired it (c). And now for neglecting of God's ambassadors, the preachers of the gospel, it is under another miserj', but spiritual ; it is under the bondage, I say, of that t}Tant. What is become of Rome, that glorious…
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1. Sometimes the church of God in the Scripture hath its name /row the commixtlon of good and had in it. So it is called a field where there is a mixture of good and bad seed, Mat. xiii. 19, 20 ; so it is called a house wherein there are vessels of honour and vessels of dishonour, 2 Tim. ii. 20 ; because there is such …
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3. And then with dedication, there is an inivard qualification to inablef him with hght never to forget the image of God. Herein this saintship stands, especially in this inward qualification, whereby we resemble Christ the King of saints. All our sanctification comes from him. As Aaron's ointment went down from his he…
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2 CORINTHIANS CHAP. I, VER. 2. 15 * Grace and peace from God,' &c. And the use of holy salutations are to shew [and] win love. To skew love and respect. Therefore he salutes them ; and by shewing love, to gain love ; for there is a loadstone in love. And thirdly, the use of salutations is by them to convey some good.…
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* Grace he unto you and peace.' These are the good things wished. We see the apostle, a blessed man, that had been ' in the third heaven' rapt up, 2 Cor. xii. 2, that had been taught of Christ what things were most excellent, and had himself seen ' excellent things which he could not utter,' 2 Cor. xii. 4, when he come…
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1 will but touch it by the way, to shew the danger of it. They will not have all of mere grace. But Christians are under grace while they are in this world, as St Paul saith, all is grace, grace still : nay, at the day of judgment, ' The Lord shew mercy to the house of Onesiphorus at that day,' 2 Tim. i. 16, at the da…
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2. Then, again, that we may walk in the grace of God, and in the sense of it, let us every day labour to have our so}ds more and more enriched with the endowments and graces of God's Spirit, that we may be objects of God's delight. Let us labour to be affected to things as he is affected. Two can- not ' walk together e…
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The reward that God gives his children that are careful is a spirit of joy. ' Being justified by faith, we have peace with God, and joy in tribnla- 20 COMMENTARY ON tion,' Rom. v. 1. For, even as it is in human matters, the favour and countenance of the king, it is as a Bhower of rain after a drought, it comforts his…
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It is true, likewise, besides peace of conscience, of all other peace, peace of success and peace of state. That all creatures and all conditions are peaceable to us, whence is it ? It is from grace. For God, being recon- ciled, he reconciles all. When God himself is ours, all is ours. When he is turned, all is turned …
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It is as natural for Ihe new creature to do so as for the birds to sing in the spring. When the sun hath warmed the poor creature, it shews its thankfulness in singing ; and that httle blood and spirits that it hath being warmed after winter, it is natural for those creatures so to do, and we de- light in them. It is …
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This being a truth, that God's children, when they have tasted of his mercy, break forth into his ])raise, it being the end of his favours ; and nature being inclined thereto, this should stir us up to this duty. And that we may the better perform this holy duty, let us take notice of all God's favours and blessings. K…
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And, to name no more but this one, above all, leg of God his Holy Spirit. For this blessing of God is nothing else but a vent from the Spirit. For as organs and wind instruments do never sound except they be blown, they are dead and make no music till there be breath put into them ; so we are dead and dull instruments.…
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This sacrifice, this perfume, this incense, it must not be misspent upon any creature. We have all of his grace, and we should return all to his glory. That is a duty. But consider him as he is described here, first, ' the Father of Christ,' and then the ' Father of mercies, and God of all comfort.' And it is not to be…
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28 OOMMENTAKY ON all generations must needs do this duty to call God blessed, because he is the Father of Christ. So God the Father is to bo blessed as the spring of favours ; for ho gave Christ. All generations call the Virgin I\Iary blessed, because she was the mother of Christ : but that was in a lower degi'ce than…
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But to shew some reasons why he is so styled. 1. There is good reason. Being the Father of Christ, his justice being fully contented, sin being taken away that stopped the current of his mercies, he being naturally merciful, his mercies run freely. ' Father of Christ, and Father of mercies.' It follows well. He is the…
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God renews his mercies every day. His mercies fail not,' Lament, iii. 22. His mercies are renewed continually upon us. So he is Father of all kind of mercies; privative* mercies, in freeing us from ill ; and positive mercies, in bestowing good. Pardoning mercies, healing mercies, preserving mercies, all mercies come f…
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This I observe, the rather to appease the conscience of a sinner when it is suppressed* with terror and fear of the greatness of his sins. Consider * Qu. ' oppressed ? — G. 82 COMMENTARY ON how God hatli Bet down liimself, and will be known and apprehended of us, not only as merciful, but a ' Fatlii;r of mercies,' an…
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Otherwise, if the mercy of God work the other way, hearken to thy doom, ' He that blesseth himself,' saith God by Moses, and saith, * These cm'ses shall not come to me,' he that blesseth himself and saith. Oh, all shall be well, God is merciful, &c., ' my wrath shall smoke against him,' Deut. xxix. 16, 20, and I wdll n…
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Therefore those that have not grace and mercy, to heal their corruptions, to dry up that issue in some comfortable measure, they have no pardoning mercy ; and those that desire not their corruptions to be healed, they never desire heartily their corruptions to be pardoned. Those mercies go together. He is not the ' Fa…
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Ohj. Aye, but I have abused mercy a long time ; I have lived in sin, and committed great sins. Well, notwithstanding that, see how he answers it : ' My thoughts are not your thoughts.' You are vindictive. If a man offend you, you are ready to aggravate the fault, and to take revenge, &c. * But my thoughts are not as y…
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So other saints of God, when they have considered the foulness of sin, how odious it is to God, the}^ could not be quieted and comforted, but that they saw mercy, and abundance of mercy. As the apostle St Peter saith, ' Blessed be God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, of his abundant mercy, hath begotten us ag…
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2 CORINTHIANS CHAP. I, VER. 3. 39 hardly be comforted in this, for it will upbraid. Aye, now, now you would have mercy. We see by many that have recovered again, that have promised great matters in their sickness, that it is hypocritical repentance, for they have been worse after than they were before (/■■'). It is n…
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The son fears his father's displeasure; but saith the father, 'My thoughts are not as 3'our thoughts.' Oh ! I fear he will not receive me ! Yes, yes, he is willing to embrace 3'ou. Mercy pleascth him ; ' and why will you perish, 0 house of Israel?' Jer. sxvii. 13. Again, ' God is the Father of mercies ' This should st…
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What should I speak of mercy to others ? Oh, that we would be merci- ful to our own souls ! God is merciful to our souls. He sent his Son to ' visit us from on high,' in bowels of compassion. He sent Christ, as Zacharias saith, Luke i. 68, and yet we are not merciful to ourselves. How many sinful, wretched persons pier…
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Quest. How shall we improve this mercy every day ? Ans. 1. Do this ; when thou hast made a breach in thy conscience, every day believe this, that God is ' the Father of mercies,' and he may well be merciful novr, because he hath been sufficiently satisfied by the death of Christ. ♦ He is the Father of Christ, and the …
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The verse contains a wise prevention of scandal at the cross. St Paul was a man of sorrows if ever an)^ was, next to Christ himself, and that [he] might prevent all scandal at his crosses, and disgraceful afilicted usage, he doth shew his comforts under the cross, which he would not have wanted to have been without his…
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So in the word of God, there is God rousing out of sin, and there is God speaking peace to the soul. There is a sweet current of mercy runs from the paradise of God ; and there is the ' tree of life,' Rev. ii. 7, Christ him- self, and trees of all manner of fruit, comforts of all sorts whatsoever. And there is no angel…
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Sometimes God removes the outward grievance more fully. God helps many times altogether, as in sickness to health perfectly. But I speak not of that. Comfort is that which is opposite to misery, and it must be stronger, for there is no prevailing but by a stronger. When the agent is not above the patient, there is no p…
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God, as a God properly, makes something of nothing. That is to be a God ; for nothing but God can make something of nothing. Gods upon earth call men their creatures, in a kind of imitation of God ; but that is but a phrase that puffs them up. They are but gods in a kind of sense, and the other are but creatures in a k…
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A Christian, whatsoever the comfort be, if it be outward, he knows that the God of comfort sends it, and that is the reason he is so thankful for all outward comforts. If they be the necessaries for this life, in meat he tastes the comfort of God, in drink he tastes the comfort of God, in the ornaments of this life he …
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And again, 3, aggravating the grievance. As Bildad saith, ' Are the comforts of God light to thee?' Job xv. 11. These are good words, but my discomforts are greater, my malady is greater. So the comforts of the Holy Ghost, the comforts of God's Spirit, seem light to them. Ignorance, and passion, and dwelling too much, …
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Ohj. It may be objected, to clear the sense a little, he doth not alway comfort : for then there could be no time of discomfort. Ans. I answer: He doth alway comfort in some degree ; for take a Chris- tian at the lowest, yet he hath so much comfort as to keep him from sinking. When he is at the depth of misery, there …
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And this he doth, as you may perceive by the unfolding of the words, either by some outward thing apphed to the outward want or cross, or by some inward reasons, that are opposite to the inward malady, or by an inward presence. His comforts are appliable to the tribulation, and to the strength, and length, and variety …
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If there be no means to be had, he is the God of comfort, he can create them ; and if it be so far that there be no means, but the contrary, he is a God that can comfort out of discomfort, and can, as I said, make the great- est grounds of comfort out of the gi'eatest discomforts. But he is a God of the means, if they …
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So our Saviour Christ, ' Come unto me, all ye that are weary and heavy laden,' Mat. xi. 28. They think, of all people they ought to run from God, they are so laden with sin, they have nothing to do with God. ' Oh, come unto me,' saith Christ. Therefore, when thy conscience is awakened with the sense of sin, remember wh…
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Therefore, let none be discoiu*aged, but fly presently to the ' God of comfort and Father of mercies.' And think not that he is weary of pardon- ing, as man is, for he is infinite in mercy ; and though he be the party offended, yet he desires peace with us. Caution. But yet, notwithstanding that we shall not love to r…
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(5.) And for the fifth •'= ground of comfort that God doth comfort us •withal in all tribulations, it is the promise of final deliverance and final comfort for ever. If none will raise our souls, that will, when we shall con- sider that it will not be long. ' The short aftlictions in this world bring an eternal weight…
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We may run every day into new offences against the law, to new neglect of duty, into new crosses ; let us feed upon Christ. He came into the world ' to save sinners,' 1 Tim. i. 15, to make us happy, with peace of conscience hero, and with glory afterward. Let us feed on Christ daily. As the body is fed with cordials, s…
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Therefore let us every day be setting ourselves in some good way ; for comfort is in comfortable courses, and not in ill courses. In God's ways we shall have God's comforts. In those ways let us exercise the spiritual strength we have ; let us pray to God, and perform the exercise of religion with strength, shew some z…
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2 CORINTHIANS CHAP. I, VER. 4. 63 God throngh Jesus Christ our Lord,' Rom. v. 1. And ' wc have boldness to the throne of grace, and we rcvjoice in tribulation : knowing that tribula- tion brings forth patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope,' Rom. V. 4. He sets himself there of pui-pose to comfort in …
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Therefore go to the word of God, any portion, the Psalms or any special part of the Scripture ; and that, by the Spirit of God, will be a means to raise the soul. The Spirit in the word, joining with the Spirit in us, will make a sweet close together, and comfort us in all tribulation. [11.] And have recourse daily to…
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And to comfort others not only by our example, that because we have been comforted of God, so they shall be comforted. It is good, but it is not the full extent of the apostle's meaning ; for then the dead examples should comfort as well as the living. And indeed that is one way of com- fort, to consider the examples o…
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In the next place, we may observe here, hence, that thoiufh these comforts he common, yet God derives these comforts commonhj hj the means of men. This is God's order in deri^•ing these comforts to the soul. He comforts one, that another may be comforted. Not that the comforts themselves that join with our spirits com…
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Reason 2. So partly, to knit us in love one to another. For is not this a great bond to knit us one to another, when we consider that our good is hid in another ? The good that is derived to us, it is hid in others. And this makes us to esteem highly of others. How sweet are the looks and sight of a friend ! and more s…
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(2.) And withal let us labour to put upon vs the bowels of a father and mother, tender bowels, as God puts upon him bowels of compassion towards us. So St Paul, being an excellent comforter of others, in 1 Thess. ii. 7, he shews there how he carried himself as a father, or mother, or nurse to them. Those that will comf…
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Here is the comfort of a Christian soul, that Christ hath begun to him in all. Therefore it became him to be man, not only to redeem us, but to be a merciful high priest, a comfortable high priest. The way, then, you see, how to comfort others, is, to get our own hearts sensible of spiritual comfort. Two irons, if the…
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2 CORINTHIANS CnAP. I, VER. 4. 73 grace, we can tell them no comfort, except they will devise a new Scripture, n new Bible. If they do so, they may have comfort. But this word of God, God herein speaks no comfort to persons that live in sin, and will do so. We should labour therefore to discern some evidence that they…
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Ohj. Aye, but I am a wretched sinner, there is little hope of me. Ans. Yes ! St Paul will come and comfort thee by his example and ex- perience : ' This is a faithful saying, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the chief,' 1 Tim. i. 15. Ohj. Aye, he came to save such sinners as St Paul…
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Let us not think that this doth not concern us. It concerns us all. Therefore when we have any trouble in mind, let us regard the communion of saints, let us regard acquaintance. And let us know this, that God will hold us in heaviness till we have used all the means that he hath appointed. If one help not, perhaps ano…
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2 CORINTHIANS CHAP. I, VER. 4. 77 gpirit, the most discreet spirit, to be witty to do good to others upon all advantages. There is the Christian that hath God's grace with his gifts. But for the other, * Knowledge puflfeth up,' saith the apostle, 1 Cor. viii. 1.* What edifies and builds us? ' Love edifieth,' 1 Cor. vi…
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' As the sufferings of Christ abound,' dr. It is an excellent portion of Scripture, and that which I should have a great deal of encouragement to speak of, if the times and disposition of the hearers were for it ; for it is a text of comfort for those that suffer persecution, that suffer affliction for the gospel. Now,…
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Reason 4. If we regard ourselves, we have always in ourselves good and bad. That which is good, we have need of sufi'erings to exercise it and to know it ; for if there were no sufferings, how should we know what good we have ? (1.) Is it not a great comfort to a Christian, when he knows by suffering that he hath more…
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Now, where this is, this cannot be brooked by any means, and it goes under as great disgrace, as heresies did in former times. So that it is matter of reproach to have so much religion as is necessarily required of a man before he can be saved. That which the world disgraces is necessary to every man before he can be s…
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(3.) Especially, they are the sufferings of Chi-ist by way of sympathy; because Christ doth impute them to himself. ' The sufferings of Christ.' It is a phrase that springs from the near union that is between Christ and his members, the church ; which is as near or nearer than any natural union between the head and mem…
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84 COMMENTARY ON banner, we are like to Christ. Wo are conformable to him. He went before, and wo follow his steps ; ' and if we sufler with him, we shall be glorified with him,' Rom. viii. 17. Therefore be not discouraged. That which wo think to be matter of discoui'agement, it should be our crown. It is our crown t…
1,024 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.