PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Complete Works of Richard Sibbes — Volume 3
Richard Sibbes · 388,516 words · 401 reading sections
Section 61
Therefore let us not be afraid beforehand. ' Fear nothing,' saith the ■apostle, ' that thou shalt suffer,' Acts sxvii. 24. And with Moses, let ' us not be ashamed of the rebuke of Christ,' Heb. xi. 26 ; but ' let us go out of the camp with Christ, bearing our reproach,' Heb. xiii. 13. And because we know not what God m…
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Alas ! when there is trouble in the conscience, awakened with the sight of sin, and the displeasure of God, what can all those precepts compose and fi-ame the soul in petty troubles ? They have their place ; and surely the neglect of them many times is that that makes the cross heavier. But alas ! in divine troubles, i…
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88 COJiaiENTARY ON sharp brunt, but some experienced man. Whatsoever wisdom is in man,: it is but a drop in regard of that infinite wisdom that is in God. He pro- portions our strength before we sufler, and in suflfering he doth increase it ; and after suffering, then comfort comes following amain. Indeed, especially …
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Use 2. Again, another use may be, that ive judge aright of those that are disgraced in the world, if their cause he good ; that we should not have dis- tasteful conceits of them, as indeed suffering breeds distaste naturally in men. They love men in a floui'ishing estate, and distaste them suffering ; but that is corru…
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2 CORINTHIANS CHAP. I, VER. 5. 91 proportion they shall have torment in the world to come. As sin is grow- ing, so rods are growing for them. Wicked men, saith St Paul, ' they grow worse and worse,' 2 Tim. iii. 13. The more they sin, the more they may. They sink in rebellion, and the more they sink in rebellion, the m…
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Use. The use that we are to make of this is, that in all oui* sufferings, before we come to heaven, ive should look to Christ. He hath turned all things. Let us study Christ, and fetch comfort from him. Our flesh was abased in him. Our flesh is glorified in him now in heaven, in his person. And so it must be in our own…
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The cross is a distasteful thing to us, and likewise the cross in others is a distasteful thing, not only distasteful and bitter to us, but shameful. St Paul knowing this, because he would, as I said, work himself into their good conceit, that he might prevail with them for their good, saith he, you ought not to think …
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5. And this is partly likewise in the intent of them that suffer. There is a double intent. It is the intent of God to single them out to suffer for the good of others ; and it is their intent to suffer that others may have good. This is one reason why they are willing rather to suffer shame, or bodily punishment, than…
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Let us examine what good we take by ordinances of God, and by the sufferings of the present church, and the sufferings of the former church. Do their examples animate, and quicken, and encourage us to the like courses ? It is a sign we are elected of God. There is no greater sign of a good estate in grace, than a graci…
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And it is one ground why to think more moderately in regard of anger, fierceness, against wicked men, it is gi-ound of pitying of them ; for, alas ! poor souls, what do they ! Though they intend it of malice, they are but instruments, and shall be overruled to do good contrary to their meaning, as St Paul saith here, '…
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A shameful opinion, bred in the dark night of popery, when the Scrip- tures were hid, and when people did lie in ignorance ; and it was merely to advantage their own selves. For indeed the Scripture saith that God's children did suffer for the church ; but that was not for satisfaction for the church, but for the good …
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There are two ways, doing good, and suffering for good, that are the beaten way to obtain salvation, which salvation is wrought by the satisfac- tion of Christ. Mark here, he saith our sufferings tend to your comfort and salvation. How? Because it helps you to endure the same suffering. By seeing others suffer, and by …
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It is the Scripture's manner to say things are done, when the knowledge of the thing is increased : as to say we are saved, when we know more assuredly that we shall be saved ; to say we are in the kingdom of heaven when we know we are in the state of the kingdom of heaven, as in 2 Pet. iii. 18. Saith he, ' grow in gra…
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And all this must be in every Christian before he come to heaven ; for God never brings a man of years to heaven but he gives him cause to see why he would be out of this world, either by long sickness or affliction, or by one thing or other. He makes them see that it is better to be there than here ; and if it were no…
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2 CORINTHIANS CHAP. I, VER. 6. 105 would; and that made him ciy out, ' 0 wretched man that I am,' &c. It is God that ties up our corruptions, that they run not so violently on tho soul at one time as they do at another, for he hath the command of them by his Spirit. There is no Christian but one of these ways he suffe…
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A dead, sullen, reserved spirit, is not a Christian's spirit. If by nature we have such, we must labour to help it with grace ; for grace is a difiusive, communicating thing, not only in the ministers of God, but in every Chris- tian. Grace will teach them to make savoury their conversation to others, this way, that wh…
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Reason. And the ground of Christians partaking of the sufferings one of another, it is the communion that is between Christians. They are all mem- bers of one body. If the hand suffer, the head suffers. The head thinks itself wronged when the hand or the foot is wronged, by reason of the sympathy between the members, a…
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Use 1. If this be so, then why should xve he offended at God's order ? "VMiy should we not take it, not only gently and meekly, but jojrfully, the afflic- tions that God sends to prepare and fit us for happiness, to sharpen our desire to happmess, to make it precious to us ? Certainly it is a ground, not only of patien…
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And it is as true on the contrary, if we partake with the wicked in their sins, we shall partake with them in their punishment. Therefore the Scrip- ture saith, ' Come out of Babylon, my people, lest if you partake of her sins, so you partake of her punishments,' Rev. xviii. 4. Now, atheistical people think it nothing …
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I know that charity is not sottish ; but yet it is willing to think the best. Where there is probability of good for the present, or where there is a tractableness, where there is a willingness to entertain communion, where there is any propension,f we must be of our blessed Saviour's disposition, ' who will not quench…
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Upon what ground is this certainty built, that if we suffer we shall be glorified ? It is built upon our union with Christ. It is built upon the communion we have with the church of God. We are all of one body. And it is built upon his own experience. As verily as I have been afflicted, and have comfort, so shall you …
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Here St Paul comes to the particular explication of what he had gene- rally spoken before. He had generally said before, that he had both com- fort and affliction ; but now he specifies what afflictions they were. ' I would not have you ignorant of the troubles which came to us in Asia,' &c. 2 CORINTHIANS CUAP. 1, VER…
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Obj. This seems to thwart another place of Scripture in 1 Cor. x. 13, ' God is faithful, and will lay no more upon you than you shall be able to bear ;' and yet here he saith, ' we were afflicted above strength.' How can these hang together ? I answer, God will not sufiier his children to endure anything above strengt…
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Now, as the head was abased, even unto extremity ; so it is true of the whole body of the church from the beginning of the world. The church in Egypt was in extremity before Moses came ; therefore, a learned Hebrician Capne (s), that brought Hebrew into these western parts, was wont to say. When the tale of brick was d…
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2 CORINTHIANS CUAP. I, VER. 8. 119 God, as we see in Jacob and the woman of Canaan, that they may be im- portunate, and never leave him, nor take any denial. Reason 4. Again, God suffers his children to fall into this extreme peril and dani^'cr, not only to try them, what good they have in them, but when he hath trie…
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Use 1. The use of it, is first, that we should not pass a harsh, unadvised, rujid censure upon ourselves, or others, for these respects, for any great afflic- tion or abasement in this world. The world is ready to pass their verdict presently upon a man. Oh, such a one, you see what a kind of man he was, you see how Go…
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God's children, out of a principle of nature, are sensible of any grievance to this outward man of theirs, to the body, especially in death, as we see here St Paul. And there is most patience where there is most sense. It is stupidity and blockishness else. Quest. Why are God's children so sensible in grief, especiall…
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Reason 8. But St Paul had another ground beyond nature to avoid death. He knew himself ordained for the serriee of the church; therefore he desired to escape, that he might serve God a longer time for the good of his church. Use 1. Are God's children sensible of death, and the danger of it, and out of a principle of n…
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The way not to fear death, and not to let nature have overmuch scope, is to disarm death beforehand, to pluck out the sting of it by repentance ; weaken it beforehand, that it may not get the better, even as we do with our enemies. The way to overcome them is to weaken them, to weaken their forces, to starve them if we…
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And this is one part, one main branch of our corruption, wherein it shews itself strongly, that we live in an estate that we are ashamed to die in. Come to sonic men, and ask them, how it is with you ? have yon repented of your sins past? have you renewed your puqioses for the time to come ? Yes ; we do it solemnly at …
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This the rather to note a corrupt atheistical course in those that are to deal with sick folk, that are extreme sick, that conceal their estate from them, and feed them with false hopes of long life. They deserve ill of per- sons in extremity to put them in hope of recovery. Physicians that are not divines in some meas…
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One reason partly, because there is a mixture of corruption in us while we live here, and corruption looks to this false principle in us, that will 2 CORINTHIANS CHAP. I, VER. 9. 129 never be wrought out with all the afflictions in the world. Till death make au end of corruption, there will be a false trust in oursel…
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Use 1. Now, our proneness to it doth justify God's dealings in many things, as (1.) Why dotli God humble great ones irith great ajflictions? Wliy doth he humble great men, great and excellent Christians, with gi'eat falls ? That they might not trust in themselves ; no, not in their own present graces. God will not brin…
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(4.) Especially, security shews that we trust too much in them, when we bless ourselves, I shall do well. ' Soul, soul, thou hast goods laid up for many years,' Luke xii. 19, saith the fool, and he was but a fool for it, to promise certainty for uncertainty. A man cannot stand in that which cannot stand itself. To prom…
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* Misprinted ' popery.' — G. 2 CORINTHIANS CHAP. I, VER. 9. 133 adulterers and adulteresses,' saith blessed St James, ' know yc not that the love of this world is enmity with God ?' James iv. 4. 3. It is likewise /c?/.sY'/(oor/. For it makes the creature to be that that it is not, and it makes God that which he is n…
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Trust not in the sacraments above their place. It is a dangerous thing to put too much in any creature (God is extremely ofiended at it), as not only our adversaries the papists, but proud persons among us, that are weary of the doctrine of the church, and will not submit, in their pride, to riper judgments. They attri…
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They bear themselves out with these things ; perhaps the truth crosses them in their designs, and shames them, and frets them. What makes them undermine good causes, and go desperately to kick against the pricks, to dash themselves against wrath which is stronger than they ? They think to bear themselves out with their…
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Why doth not God bless gi'eat preparations, many times, to war ? &c. Because we put too much trust in them. Here are too many, saith God to Gideon, Judges vii., el alibi. Take away some, here are too many to go to war. What is the reason that God, where the greatest excellencies are, adds some imperfection to balance t…
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Consider what the best thing is that we have of inward things, our wis- dom. Wisdom, if it be not spiritual, it is only a thing for the things of this life, and we are ofttimes deceived in it. It makes God to disappoint us ofttimes to make us go out of ourselves. An excellent place for this we have in Isa. 1. the last …
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The reason of it is clear. For in a succession of contraries there must * That is, 'experiences.' — G. 140 COMMENTAKY ON be a removing of one contrary before another can be brought in. If a ves- sel be to be filled with a contrary liquor, the first must have a vent ; it must be emptied of the worse, that the better m…
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Use S. It should teach us likewise this, that ive judf/e not amiss of the (jeneratioa of the righteous, wlien we see God much humhliiiff them. When we see him follow them with siclmess, with troubles and disgraces in the world, perhaps with terror of conscience, with desertions, be not dis- couraged. If he be thy frien…
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Therefore, hence we should learn to resign our bodies and estates to God. Lord, do with me what thou wilt ! only cure my soul, only strengthen my faith. I give thee liberty with all my heart to take what thou wilt, so thou save my soul. Give me not up to an unbelieving heart, to an h};j)oeritical, false heart, to false…
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The next thing, then, that we may observe is, that when we go out of ourselves, we must have somewhat to rely on, which is better than all things else. We lose not by the change ; but when we are stripped of ourselves, and of all earthly things, we have God to go to. Doctrine. God is the object of trust. God is the p…
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He accounts it an honour when we trust him, but indeed it is an honour to us that we have a throne of grace through Christ to go to ; that he hath devised a wa}' that we might trust him, and not run from him ; that we may go to him in Christ, who sits at his right hand, who is our intercessor, who hath redeemed us with…
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Alas ! we need not name these things. If men had learned what it is to trust in God, and depend upon him in the use of lawful means, and would rather be content to want in this world than to have anything with a cracked conscience ! I beseech you, let us examine our own hearts in this. There are many that think they t…
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Who will trust his enemy, especially he that hath made his enemy by his ill course of life ? A man that goes on in an e\i\ com'se, he cannot, he doth not trust in God. 6. He that trusts in God's promise ivHl trust in his threateninrj. Where there is an evangelical faith, there is a legal faith alway. He that believes …
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How come we to trust a man ? When we know his honesty, his fidelity, his wisdom, and his sufficiency, then we trust him. Therefore, St Paul adds here that we should ' trust in God that raiseth the dead,' that is, ' in God Almighty.' From whence I raise this general, that The best way to trust in God is to know Imii as …
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And withal, ' pour out thy heart to God ; ' for where there is trust there is prayer. ' Trust in God at all times, and pour out thy heart before him, for he is our refuge.' And so, ' trust not in oppression and robbery. If riches increase, set not your heart upon them ; for God hath spoken once, and twice, that power …
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So let us trust him, as he will be trusted. For grace and spiritual things, all shall be for our good without fail ; but for the things of this life, either he will give them, or else graces. Let us trust God, therefore, as he will be trusted in his word and promises. Now this trusting of God (to speak a little to th…
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Use. Thus we see hoic we shoidd trust in. God, in great crosses, and in the sentence of death. This, in a word, should be another ground of patience, and not only of patience, but of contentment, in extreme crosses, in the hour of death, that all that God doth is for this, that we may exercise trust in him. And if the …
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1 54 COMMENTAKY ON fore lia is never much cast down. He knows that all shall drive him nearer to God, to trust in God. As St Paul saith here, ' Wo received the sentence of death, that we might not trust in ourselves, hut in God that raiseth the dead.' One means to settle our trust the l)ettcr in God reconciled to us,…
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Mark for thy comfort, the gospel calls men who in their own sense and feeling think themselves furthest off ; he that is poor, and sees his want, ' Blessed are the poor in Spirit.' Mat. v. 3. But I have no gi-ace, Oh that I had grace ! ' Blessed are they that hunger and thirst,' Mat. v. 6. If thou mourn for thy sins, '…
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When we have this, then when all shall be taken from us, as it will ere long, all the friends we have, and all our comforts ; yet our trust shall not be taken fi'om us, nor om- God in whom we trust shall be taken from us. We shall have God left, and a heart to trust in God. That will stand us in stead when all other th…
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The ancients had nuich ado with the pagans about this point. They handled it excellently, as they were excellent in those points which they were forced to by the adversaries, and indeed they were especiiilly sound in those points. I say they were excellent and large in the handling of this : but I will not stand upon t…
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And every day in the church God is raising the dead spiritually. The dead hear the voice of Christ every day. When the ministry is in power, ■when there is a blessing upon it, conveying it to the heart, then he is rais- ing the dead. So ' wisdom is justified of her children,' Mat. xi. 19. The gospel is justified to be …
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But the point of the resurrection is very large, and perhaps I shall have better occasion to speak of it afterward. I only apply it to the present purpose, how it strengthens faith in misery and in the hour of death. A man is strengthened in his faith when he thinks, now I am going ' the way of all flesh,' Josh, xxiii…
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Reason (1). God doth defer his deliverance when we are in dangers, partly, as you see here, to perfect the work of mortification of self-confidence, to subdue trust in any earthly thing. St Paul by this learned not to trust in himself. 2. And then to strengthen our faith and confidence in God ; when we are di'awn from…
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(2.) Again, ivhcn our hearts are enlarr/ed to pray, when we can pray from a broken heart. As you see here, he joins them together. God will deliver me, but it must be by your prayers. When we have hearts to pray, and when others have hearts to pray for us, that is the time of deliverance. Usually there goes before deli…
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2 CORINTHIANS CHAP. I, VER. 10. 165 The like you have in many places : ' Therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious to you ; therefore he willbc exalted, that he may have mercy upon you : he is a God of judgment, blessed are all that wait for him,' Isa. xxx. 18. So in Lam. iii. The church still waits upon G…
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Who delivereth us from our inbred corruptions ? Should wc not run every day into the sins that we see others commit ? Who cuts short our lusts, and suppresseth them, that we are not swearers, that wc arc not licentious persons, that we are not godless persons ? Are we not hcwu out of the same rock '? Who keeps us from …
932 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.