PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Complete Works of Richard Sibbes — Volume 3
Richard Sibbes · 388,516 words · 401 reading sections
Section 121
As we say of providence, providence is nothing but a continued act of creation. And it is true. The same power that created all things of nothing, the same power sustains all things. God upholds all things with his right hand. For even as it is with a stone which is upheld by a man's hand, let him withdraw his hand, a…
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2 CORINTHIANS CHAP. I, VF,n. 10. 1G9 the foundation of our comfort, that though we change oft, yet he never changeth. There is no outward thing can change him ; for then that were God, and not he. There is no inwaixl tiling can change him ; for then he were not perfectly wise. So there is nothing either in himself or …
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He doth not say, he shall preserve me from death. He knew he should die. But, ' he shall preserve me to his heavenly kingdom.' So put the case that God do not deliver /Voj/i death, yet he delivers % death. There is a partial deliverance, and a total deliverance. There is a deliverance from this and that trouble, and t…
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So Jacob pleads, that God would deliver him from Esau. He had had * That is, = ' defeat."— G. 172 COMMENTARY ON experience of God's niorcy till then, and therefore ho trusted that God would deliver him from Esau. It is a good argument, to plead experience to move God to care for us for the time to come. It was used…
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Use 1. This should teach us then, this holy practice, to lay up observa- tions of OocVs dcaUng, and to take them as so many pawns and pledges to move God for the time to come to regard us. It is wondrous pleasing to him. It is no argument to prevail if we come to men, to say, you have done this for me, therefore you wi…
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And those that disfurnish themselves by their negligence and carelessness of such blessed helps, what enemies are they to their own comfort ! Therefore consider God's dealing, remember it, observe it, think of it, and desire God's Spirit to help your minds and memories herein, that nothing may be lost. For, I say, all…
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* Qu. ' ruin ? ' — Ed. 176 COMMENTARY ON dear children. Therefore Herod presumed to go on and lay hold on Peter. But the church falls a-praying, and God smites Herod with a fearful death. He was eaten up with lice, with worms bred in his body, Acts xii. 23. So I say it is no good argument to say, I have prospered in…
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And this is not only true of outward dangers, but especially in spiritual. God hath been gracious. He hath given Christ. ' How shall he not with him give us all things?' Rom. viii. 32. A Christian is in the favour of God now, how shall he be ■'■• so for ever '? He hath eternity, world without end, to comfort himself in…
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Now, the reason that he hath established this order, It is for his glory [aiul] our own good. Reason 1. It is for his own glory; because prayer gives him the glory of all his attributes. For when we go to him, do we not give him the glory of his omniscience, that he knows our hearts and knows our wants ? Do we not gi…
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Reason. Now, the reason of this, that God's children can pray for them- selves, and must pray for themselves, it is because they are children ; and as soon as ever they are new born, they are knovra by their voice, by cry- ing. A child, as soon as he is born, he cries. A new-bom child cries as soon as he is new born. H…
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In heaven there is no such necessity ; yet there maybe, as divines grant, a general wish for the church, because the saints want their bodies, and because they want the accomplishment of the elect. Where there is want of happiness, there will be a general desire that God would accomplish these days of sin ; but for an…
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Therefore pray for them, that they may have abilities, that they may have 2 COEINTHIANS CHAP. I, VER. 11. 183 parts and gifts, and tliat they may have a willing mind, a large heart to use them, that thoy may have success in using them, that they may have strength of the outward man, that they may have protection from…
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What a comfort is it then, that I should be able to help the greatest man in the world ? That he should be beholden to me for that duty ? So it abaseth the greatest, that they stand in need of the meanest ; and it raiseth the meanest, that the greatest are helped by them, and it knits all into a sweet communion. For wh…
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You see then why it is a prevailing course, because it is obedience to God, and because it sets God on work. It overcomes him which overcomes all. It overcomes him that is omnipotent. We see the woman of Canaan, she overcame Christ by the strength that she had from Christ. And Moses he overcame God, ' Let me alone,' Ex…
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It is such a thing as all the world cannot take from us. They cannot take God from us, they cannot take prayer from us. If we were convinced of That is, 'be without' = denied. — G. * That is, 'contentment.' — G. 2 CORINTHIANS CHAP. I, VKR. 11. 187 this we would be much in prayer, in private prayer, in public prayer, …
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Quest. But some man may say. How shall I know that I can pray, that I am in a state to help the church of God, and to prevail for it by my prayers ? 1. I answer, tu-st of all, thou shalt know it if thou he na tdUiufi to help otherwise, if thou canst, as u-ell as hj 2)>'at/er. St James speaks in his time of certain men…
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Ohs. God will deliver the ministers hif the jyeople's prayers. God will be good to the ministers for the prayers of the people. This concerns us that are ministers. Prayer is prevailing even for us. And as it is our duty to give ourselves to preaching and prayer, so it is the people's duty to pray for us likewise, and…
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2 CORINTHIANS CHAP. I, VER. 11. 191 want a blessing. Therefore if we have faith, we will pray; the more faith the more prayer; the greater faith the greater prayer. Christ had the gi-eatest faith, and he prayed whole nights together. St Paul was mighty in faith ; he was mighty in prayer. Where there is little faitli, …
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* By the means of many persons.' God bestowed health on St Paul, but it was by the means of many prayers of many persons. Quest. Would not God have bestowed health upon St Paul if he had not had their prayers ? Ans. Yes, doubtless. But yet notwithstanding when there are many prayers, they prevail much more. Manj^ str…
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It teacheth us what a horrible sin ingratitude is. It is the grave of all God's blessings. It receives all, and never returns anything back again. As those lepers, they never came back again to thank Christ, but only the tenth, a poor Samaritan, Luke xvii. 17. Men are eager to sue to God, restless till they have that t…
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2 CORINTHIANS CHAP. I, VER. 11. 195 with it, that thanks may be given by many. It was the practice of David, in Ps. Ixvi. 16, ' Come ! I will tell you what the Lord hath done for my soul.' And in Ps. xxxiv. 4, and in Ps. cxlii, 7, ' Bring my soul out of trouble, that I may praise thy name,' and what shall others do ? …
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2. Praise consists i)i taking notice, and not only in taking notice, but in remembering wulmimUnfi them, as in Ps. ciii. 2, ' My soul, praise the Lord, and forget not all his benefits.' 3. And likewise in mi estimation of them ; and likewise, 4. In e.rpressing this thankfulness in words, ' Awake, my glory,' Ps. Ivii.…
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Yea, our very crosses, Happy is he whom God vouchsafeth to be angry with, that he doth not give him over to a reprobate sense to fill up his sins, but that he will correct him, to pull him from ill courses. Happy is he that God vouchsafeth to be angry with in evil courses. There is a bless- ing hid in ill, in the cross…
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* That is, 'bon-fire,' = boon-fire, or fire of joy, voluntarily kindled. Cf. Richard- son, sub voce. — G. 2 CORINTHIANS CHAP, I, VER. 11. 199 thankful for our wits, let us consider distracted persons. Wliat an ex- cellent engine to all things in this life, and the life to come, is this spark of reason ! If we want re…
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First, if we be not thankful, it stops the current of benefits. Secondly, if we be thankful God will give us more mercies and deliver- ances. When we praise him in our hearts, in our lives, in our bounty to others, in real thankfulness, when we are ready to good works, then he is ready to bestow new still. (3.) Again…
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As in the body, it is a sign it is sick when the actions are hindered ; so it is likewise with the soul. We should bless God for ability to do good, for any health in our souls, more than for health of body. Do but consider, if we are to thank God for the instruments of good, much more are we to thank him for the good…
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1. He shews a reason why many should pray for him, and (five thanks on his behalf. You have cause, saith he, ' for our rejoicing is this, the testi- mony of our conscience,' &c. Therefore if many of you give thanks to God for me, it is your duty. My conscience bears me witness that I have carried myself well towards yo…
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2. And likewise in case of example to others, a man may speak of God's work in him, he may tell what God hath done for his soul, and in his soul, that God may have glory, and others may have benefit. 3. But likewise in the third place, and it was St Paul's case here, a man may speak of himself, by way of apology and d…
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20G COMMENTARY ON Many men are best trusted where they are least known. Their pubHc conversation is good and plausible, but their secret courses are vile and naught, as thoso know that arc acquainted with their retired courses. But you, saith the apostle, with whom 1 have lived lonf,'est, with whom I have been most, y…
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Again, the joy of the base-minded man, is in his pleasure, but he dares not avow this. He dares not say, my rejoicing is this ; for then every man would scorn him as a beast. The rich man, he joys in his riches, but he dares not be known of this, for he would then be accounted a base earthly- minded man. Eveiy man woul…
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Therefore it is called conscience, that is, one knowing joined with an- other ; because conscience knows itself, and it knows what it knows. It knows what the heart is. It not only knows itself, but it is a knowledge of the heart with God. It is called conscience, because it knows with God ; 2 COEINTHIANS CHAP. I, VER…
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In the soul there is a treasure of rules by nature. The word doth add more inles, the law and the gospel. And that part of the soul that preserves rules is called intellectual, because it preserves rules. All men by nature have these graven in the soul. And therefore the heathen were exact in the rules of justice, in t…
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First, ill directinri. This is such a truth in general, you ought to carry yourself thus and thus, to do this, saith conscience. f So it directeth, and is a monitor before it be a witness. Well, if the monitions of conscience be regarded and heard, from thence comes conscience to witness, that the general rule that dir…
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1. Therefore, first of all, labour to hare good rules to guide it, and then labour to obey those rules. Knowledge and obedience are necessary, that conscience may give a good witness. Now, a good witness of conscience is twofold : a true and honest witness, and then a peaceable witness fol- lows on it ; that it may wit…
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A papist, because he hath a false rule, he cannot have a good conscience. The abomination of popery is, that they sin against conscience ; and con- science, indeed, is even with them, for it overthrows the most of their prin- ciples. They sin against conscience many ways, I mean not against their own conscience, but th…
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The last thing I observe from these words is this, that Doct. The testunonij and ivitness of conscience is a ground of comfort and joy. The reason of the joining these two, the witness of a good conscience, and joy, it is that which I said before in the description of conscience ; for 1. Conscience first admonisheth…
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Holy men have cause to retire to their own consciences, when they would rejoice against false imputations. So holy St Austin, what saith he to a Douatist that wronged him in his reputation ? ' Think of Austin what you please, as long as my conscience accuseth me not with God, I will give you leave to think what you wil…
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And so for the time to come, in evils threatened, a good conscience is bold : 'It fears no ill tidings,' Ps. cxii. 8. ' My heart is fixed, my heart is fixed,' saith David. ' Wicked men are like the trees of the forest. Wicked Ahaz,' his heart ' did tremble and shake as the leaves with the wind,' Isa. vii. 2. The noise …
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2. Again, when conscience looks to the humour. You are to live by faith, and not by the humour of melancholy. When the instrument of reason that should judge is distempered b,y melancholy, it reasons from thence falsely. Because melancholy persuades me that I am so, therefore conscience being led by the humour of the b…
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As in the creation he made all out of nothing, order out of confusion ; so in the work of the new creation, in the new creature, he doth so likewise ; therefore be not dismayed. Remember this rule likewise, that in the covenant of grace God requires truth, and not measure. Thou art not under the law, but under the cov…
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Therefore we should labour to know our estate, to ' examine ourselves whether we be in the faith or no, except we be reprobates and castaways,' 2 CORINTHIANS CHAP. I, VER. 12. 223 as the apostle speaks, 2 Cor. xiii. 5. A Christian should aim at this, to understand his own estate in grace upon good grounds. Olij. But…
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A bad conscience cannot joy in the midst of joy. It is like a gouty foot or a gouty toe covered with a velvet shoe. Alas ! what doth it ease it ? What doth glorious apparel ease the diseased body ? Nothing at all. The ill is within. There the arrow sticks. And so in the comforts of the word, if the conscience be bad, …
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We think when we have gained anything, when we have done anything, we shall hear no more of it, as David said to Joab, when he set him to make away Uriah, ' Let not this trouble thee,' 2 Sam. xi. 25. So, let not this ill gain, let not this ill speech or tbis ill carriage, trouble thee, thou slialt hear no more of this.…
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There is an evangelical conscience when, by faith wrought by the Spirit of God, in the hearing of the gospel, we lay hold upon the obedience and righteousness of Christ. And such is the obedience and righteousness of Christ, that it pacifieth the conscience, which nothing else in the world will do. The conscience, with…
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• This is our rejoicing in all things, the testimony of our conscience ; ' first purged by ' the blood of Christ,' and then purged and sanctified by the Spirit of Christ, that we have had our ' conversation in simplicity and sin- cerity,' &c. * Oar rejoiciug is this, that in sir7ipJicitij and sincerity.' This is the m…
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Simple, that is properly, that hath no mixture of the contrary. As we say, light is a simple thing ; it cannot endure darkness : fire is a simple body ; it cannot endure the contrary with it : so the pure majesty of God cannot endure the least stain whatsoever. So it is with the holy disposition of a Christian. When he…
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So every one that is the child of God, he hath the virtue of simplicity. Simplicity is such a grace as extends to all the parts of our conversation As the apostle saith here, ' Mj^ conversation in the world hath been in sim- phcity.' By nature man is contrary to this simplicity, since the fail. God made him right and …
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The whore of Babylon hath need of a gilded cup, and pictures, and what Bot, to set her out ; but the true religion is in simplicity. Christ himself when he was born, he was laid in a cratch.* He was simple in his carriage, and his speeches. It was a common speech in ancient time, when the chalices were gold, the pries…
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Ol)j. But some man will say, Except I dissemble, I shall run into danger. Ans. Well ! it is not necessary for thee to live, but it is uecessaiy for thee to live like an honest man, and keep a good conscience. That is necessary. f For come what will upon true dealing, we ought to deal truly, and not dissemble. Those th…
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2. And as St James saith, ' A double-minded man is unconstant in all his urn/s.' That is another reason to move us to simplicity of disposition ; for where doubling is, a man is unconstant in all his ways. What doth St James mean by this, where he saith, ' A double-minded man is unsettled ?' Because a double-minded man…
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And if it be in our dealing amongst men, we should consider who it is we deceive, who it is we go beyond in doubling, who it is that we circum- * Qu. ' made him?' — Ed. t Qu. ' noted?'— G. 2 CORINTHIANS CHAP. I, VEH. 12. 237 vent, and who it is that doth it. Are we not all Christians ? We arc or should be all new cre…
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We see a snake or serpent, it doubles, and winds, and turns when it is alive, till it be killed, and then it is stretched forth at length. As one said, seeing a snake dead, and stretched out, so, saith he, it behoved you to have lived. So the devil, that great serpent, that ancient ' old serpent,' Eev. xii. 9, he gets …
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A man's nature is inclined to favour downright-dealing men, and to hate the contrary. You see the three young men, when they were threatened with fire, come what will, ' 0 king, we will not worship the image of gold which thou hast set up,' Dan. iii. 14, seq. They would be bm-ned first. What lost they by it ? Howsoeve…
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2 CORINTHIANS CHAP, I, VER. 12, 241 truth joined to all graces; as sincere hope, sincere faith, sincere love, sin- cere repentance, sincere confession. It is a grace annexed to every grace. It is the life and soul of every grace, and all is nothing without it. Therefore it behoves us to consider of it, I say, not so …
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The practice of all duties, therefore, is a notable evidence of sincerity. Herod did many things, but he had a Herodias, that spoiled all. And so if thou obey in many things, and not in all, thou hast a Herodias, a main ein. Alas ! all is to no purpose ! thou art an h^'pocrite. (4.) Again, for good things, one that is…
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But a true sincere Christian, though he be inclined by temper of body, or by his calling, or by the former custom of his unregenerate life, to some sin more than another, and he hath not shaken some sin wholh' ofi, he hath not purged himself wholly of the dregs of it, but he finds still a propense- ness in his nature t…
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2 CORINTHIANS CHAP. I, \'ER. 12. 245 seem indifferent, lawful recreations, &c. Recreations, and such things, are lawful ; but to spend whole niffhts uiithriftily, liasely, scandalously this way, it is not only against religion, but against civility. In a civil man's judg- ment, it is a scandal to the place and person.…
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Now, if the heart be false, though a woman have many virtues, yet if she want the main, if she have a false heart to her husband, what is all the rest ? So the soul that is married to God, that hath sweet communion with God, if the heart and soul be naught, what are all the shows in the world ? They are nothing. Let us…
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3. Again, that we may be sincere, let us labour to mortiftj all our earthb/ affections to the irorld ; for how can we be sincere when we seek for honours, and pleasures, and riches, and not for better things ? Therefore we must know that there is more good to be had in truth, in a downright Christian profession, than i…
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5. Another direction to help us to walk sincerely is, especially to look to the heart, look to the beginning, to the spring of all our desires, thoughts, affections, and actions, that is, the heart. The qualification of that is the qualification of the man. If the heart be naught, the man is naught. If that be sincere,…
1,021 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.