PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Complete Works of Richard Sibbes — Volume 4
Richard Sibbes · 362,113 words · 363 reading sections
Section 1
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All promises fulfilled in heaven. Love the most characteristic grace of a Christian. Four objections answered. Directions for growing in the love of God. Notes. ..... Paoe 163 163 164 167 167 170 170 174 176 177 179 181 182 190 191 192 193 195 200 THE EXCELLENCY OF THE GOSPEL ABOVE THE LAW. What is meant by Spi…
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He therefore must needs be rich that hath the ' blood of Christ,' which purchased the world. When all losses, either in goods or children, befall such a man, yet he hath enough besides. When man says all is gone, Christ says all is his. This should make him hold up his head, but not too high. It should make him cheerfu…
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TO THE READER. O and thistles. The sons of Adam have the earth, though the curse with it. A title therefore they have, though not the same title with the righteous. The godly have them as from a loving Father, the wicked as from a liberal Lord, who out of goodness makes the ' sun to shine both upon the just and unjust…
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Here is also a gradation : ' All is ours.' Is there a full point there ? No. ' We are Christ's, and Christ is God's. The gradation is upwards and downwards. God descends to us. ' AH' is from the Father, and from Christ mediator, to man, and for man's sake to the creature. The grada- tion up again is, ' We are Christ's,…
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(2.) And so for the civil ivorld, all states are for the church. The com- monwealth is for the church. Therefore St Paul bids us ' pray for kings and princes,' &c. Why ? That under them we may live a godly and peaceable life,' 1 Tim. ii. 2. If it were not for the gathering of the church, God would take little care for …
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And so the life of good magistrates, it is for the benefit of the church. It were better for them to be in heaven. But as it is said of David, Acts xiii. 36, ' He served God in his own generation.' So every magistrate hath his generation, time, allotted, a generation to stand up in the church and state, and to serve Go…
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First, It unclothes us of these rags, these sick, weak, and untoward bodies of ours, that occasion so much disquiet to our souls ; these mud walls. It takes 4own the tabernacle, it puts off our old rags, and puts ou a new robe of immortality, and garments of glory. It ends all that is ill. All is determined in death. I…
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Use. If death be ours, and all that makes way to death, sickness, &c., the curse of them being taken away, and in the room a blessing hid in them, then why should we startle and be affrighted too much at the message of death, as if it were such a terrible thing ? Why should we be afraid of that that is a part of our po…
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Use. Therefore ive should take them thankfully at GocVs hands. ' In all things be thankful,' 1 Thes. v. 18. ' In all things rejoice,' Phil. iv. 4. Because evil, though it be grevious for the time, yet it hath 'the quiet fruit of righteousness,' Heb. xii. 11. It quiets the soul after in that good we have by it. There ar…
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Use. The use that the apostle mainly intends is, that a Christian is as sure of the time to come as of the time past or present. We are sure of what we have had, and what we have ; but a Christian is in so firm a con- dition and state that he may be sure of what is to come : because God and Christ are not only ' Alpha,…
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Ans. But we must know that political government is not founded upon religion ; that if a prince be not religious, he is no king ; but it is founded upon nature and free election, so that the heathen that have no religion, yet they may have a lawful government and governors, because it is not so built upon religion ; bu…
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Quest. Can the same reason be for contraries ? Ans. Yes. That is, for thyself, when thou art alone, take all things boldly. God envies not thy liberty. Take any refreshment, yet needest thou not to eat * to oftend thy brother ; ' God having given thee variety of creatures, even in abundance, and hath not limited thee …
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Therefore a Christian is a happy man, a great man, tako him as you will ; greater than the greatest man in the world without grace ; for what he hath, he hath with a curse, as God gave Israel a king in his rage, Hoseaxiii. 11. You know what Moses saith, Deut. xxviii. 17, * Cursed shalt thou be in thy blessings.' A man …
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Use 2. [l.J What a comfort is this in all troubles, that God will sanctify all conditions to us, and us to them. Who would be disconsolate in any condition whatsoever ? Who would be disconsolate to live, when he knows that life is his ? If God had not good to do by his life, he would take him away. Who would grieve whe…
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22 A christian's portion ; or, things ordered to us, should order ourselves to God. If there be a God that hath ordahicd variety of things, and of his goodness hath placed us in this rank of things, that all should be our servants, we ought to refer all our endeavours, what we are, and what we can do, to the glory of …
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[3.1 And then, thirdly, in regard to the end, to wicked men they do not further their salration. They have them not from God with grace to use them well. But God's children, as they have them from his love, and from God as a Father in covenant, so it is for their good. Wicked men they have donum Dei sine Deo, they have…
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And this nearness is mutual. We are Christ's, and Christ is ours. He dwells in us and we in him. He abides in us, and we in him. He is in us as the vine is in the branches, and we are in him as the branches in the vine. And as it is intimate and mutual, so it is eternal; we are Christ's for ever. But to come more part…
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Use 1. Therefore we must know this to make a right use of it, whatsoever privilege ive consider of as ours, we owjlit to see it in Christ first. Our elec- tion is in Christ first. He is chosen to be our head. Our justification is in Christ first. He is justified and freed from our sins being laid to his charge as our s…
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[4. J And, fourthly, Christ is an exemplary cause. We have all in him, and through him, and by him, as an exemplary pattern. The same Spirit that subdued all to him subdues all things to us. To make this clear a little. There was in Christ regnum paticntia, a kingdom of patience, as well as rer/num potcntia, a kingdom …
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The ministers are jyaranimjjhy* friends of the bridegroom, that come between the spouse and Christ, to make up the match between them ; and one blessed way whereby they do it, is to unfold to the church her own * That is, cragai'ii^ap/o;. A christian's charter. 29 beggary, and the riclics slie bath by Christ ; her ow…
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(3.) Thirdly, He that is Christ's will stand for Christ upon all occasions, and stand for religion. He will not be a lukewarm neuter. If we be Christ's, it is impossible but we should have a word to speak for him and for religion. If we be Christ's, we will be strong for Christ ; we will be true to him ; we will not be…
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Use 3. And, thirdly, let us learn, as ire are adrised, Ps. xlv. 10, ' to forget our father's house,' to forget all former base acquaintance, and to be con- tented with Christ. What saith our blessed Saviour in the Gospel ? ' Those that hear my words, they are my brother, and sister, and mother,' Mark iii. 35. Ai'e they…
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A christian's chaetee. 33 as the apostle saith, 1 Tim. vi. 16. Therefore there must come a person between, invested in our nature. God in our nature comes between the Father and us, and all things come from God to us in him. As the salt waters of the sea, when they are strained through the earth, they are sweet in the…
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The use of this is manifold, and very comfortable. Use 1. First of all, do all things come from God the Father to us in Christ, a middle person ? As all things below us are ours in Christ, so all things above us : God the Father is ours in Christ. Then it should teach us to direct our devotion upward to God, as God co…
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Use 4. Again, fourth! ij, if Christ be God's, and all things come to us from God by Christ, then ive see a rest for our soids. We can go no farther than God, and in God to the first person in trinity. The Christian religion pitcheth down a centre for the soul to rest in, a safe pitching place, a safe foundation. It she…
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A christian's charter. 37 how had he been our Father if he had not been the Father of Christ first ? And where had been our anointing^, if Christ had not been anointed first ? "Where had been our inheritance, if he had not been the heir first ? And where had been his love to us, if he had not loved him first ? For the…
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(f) P, 11. — ' Indeed, death is tlio death of itself; death is the death of death.' Dr John Owen has appropriated these words as the title of one of his most striking books, viz., ' Tlio Death of Death in the Death of Chi'ist ; or a Treatise of the Re- demption and Reconciliation that is in the Blood of Christ ' (1G42.…
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The blessed apostle, in the former part of this chapter, had given direction in cases of conscience, being a man that had the tongne of the learned to speak a word in season to the weary, Isa. 1. 4 ; whereupon, having in his eye greater matters, as his use is almost in every epistle, he calls them from particular cases…
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It is the suprema ratio, &c., it is the main reason that makes for religion : as I said before of state knowledge, it is suprema lex. Yet though that be supreme in regard of inferiors, yet there is one above that, the chief reason of all that makes for religion ; there be many particular reasons that make * That is…
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[3.] And in the third place, it is irrecoverable when it is gone. There is no recalling back of time when it is past. In all these respects we must be good husbands ; we must be thrifty of our time, and not take care how to drive away that, that flies away of itself so fast. It is a precious thing, precious for great p…
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' It remains that those that have wives be as if they had none.' 1. That is the first particular ; for before they had asked him cases of con- science about marriage, and that makes him speak of it. All the particu- lars have dependence one upon another. Those that marry will have occasion to weep, that is next, for t…
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THE SPIRITUAL MAN's AIM. 47 bond of Christ is eternal. Every bond must serve the main bond ; and therefore we must not pretend this and that to wrong Christ and rcHgion, which is the main bond. We must so labour to please others, that we dis- please not our chief husband. For the time will be, when we shall neither ma…
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Now, when we are tempted to over-grieve for any earthly thing, the best way is diversion.* Do I grieve for these ? Ay, but is my soul as it should be ? Let me weep over my dead soul, as Christ wept over Lazarus when he was dead. Let me weep over my dull soul, let me weep over that. As physicians, when the blood runs t…
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A carnal man is in simples altogether. If he joy, he thrusts the house nut of the window, as we say. If he be merry, he is mad ; he hath no bounds. If he be sorrowful, if somewhat restrain him not, he sinks like a beast under his sorrow, as Nabal did, 1 Sam. xxv. 37, 38, for he hath no grace to temper his sorrow and to…
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THE SPIRITUAL MAN's Alil. 51 Turn not the things of this world against God, or against others, to make them weapons of injustice, to be great to ruin others. Abuse them not to wrong, and to pierce om- own souls, as the apostle saith, ' with cares and the like,' 1 Tim. vi. 10. This is to abuse the world, when we dishon…
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some of a beggar or poor man ; all is but an acting of a part (c). And there is a less proportion between the acting of a part in this life, than there is between our life and eternity. All is but the acting of a part. We are not rich in the gi-avc more than others. The king is as poor in the grave as the base peasant …
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' And the fashion of this world passeth away.' It is a fashion, it is but a fashion; and then it 'passeth away.' Indeed, they do pass away ; experience sheweth that they pass even like a river. The water passeth away ; it goes, and goes along, but it never comes. So the things of this world; they pass away, but they n…
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Use 5. And it should teach m^ to j^rovide for stable, for certain things in changes and alterations. Look to somewhat that may stand by us when all things are gone. Will all these things leave me, and must I leave them? How is it with me for the world without end ? Shall I not therefore look for those comforts, and tho…
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When a Christian is all in passion, all in joy, all in fears, or in grief; why, what is the matter at that time ? What thonglits hath he of his eternal estate '? of the fading condition of these things '? lie is forgetful and mindless. And therefore let us labour oft to keep our souls in a heavenly frame. And to draw t…
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A heathen man can say this text, set ' brethren ' aside ; a heathen man could tell you. Transit (jloria mundi (d), and ' The fashion of things pass away.' He sees them, and thereupon could infer the negative part. There- fore we should not be worldly. By the light of nature, a man that hath no religion may be sound in …
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:j: The Saints Cokdialls ; delivered in svndry Sermons at Graies-Inne, and in the Citie of Loudon. Whereunto is now added. The Saints Safety in Evill Times, Preached in Cambridge upon speciall occasions. By Richard Sibbs D.D. Late Master of Katherine-Hall in Cambridge, and Preacher at Grayes-Inne. [Woodcut here of Time…
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This therefore being the ground of the exhortation, let us come to the words, ' Let a man therefore examine himself.' He that eateth unworthily procureth great hurt unto himself, therefore examine yourselves ; as if he should say, Wouldst thou know how to come worthily ? Examine thine own heart, and see whether all thi…
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6i THE rjonx keceiyin'g. of the circumcision, yet the Lord would have killed him if he had not done it. And so they that receive unworthily, you may see are guilty, as 2 Chron. XXX. 3, seq. : the sacrament there was not wholly omitted ; hut because they came to it without due preparation, as the Lord required, he smot…
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1. So that I must, first, examine myself, xvliether that I have understanding ; and secondhj, whether I have grace, whereby I must make use of it, for I must be knit to it, not by the brain, but by the afiection. Otherwise, if I come to it as the Papists, to a dumb show, not bringing an understanding heart of the myste…
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THE RIGHT RECEIVING. G7 speaking of the Jews, would do thus. Wo are ready to spit in their faces. Ay, but saith the text, ' they shall look upon him.' It is I that crucified the Lord of glory ; it is we that murdered him by our sins. And this should move us in a spiritual compassion, that we have imbrued our hands in …
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These are the points which we are to consider, they are the signs to which God giveth a voice unto us ; as the Lord speaketh unto Moses, Exod. iv. 8, ' So shall it come to pass, that if they will not believe thee, neither obey the voice of the first sign, yet shall they believe for the voice of the second sign.' You se…
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70 THE RIGHT RECEIVING. he might have had husks to keep his life and soul together, he would never have conio home. So we, the sons of Adam, might we have but fig-leaves to cover our nakedness, we would never become suitors unto God for par- don. Here, then, examine ; dost thou discern that without the receiving of hi…
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5. A settinrf of the heart upon the jjyoviises of God. That a man having discerned that God hath so compassed him with favour that he hath seen his misery ; that he hath seen a way to get out, and hath found a way to approach unto the throne of God ; he presently thereupon cometh unto God, looks whether or not he will…
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THE RIGHT RECEIVING. 73 man who thus comoth with a covetous heart, if it bo with rcsohation, I will not be broke oft' from it ; take what sin thou wilt, if thou come with a resolution that thou wilt not part from it ; when a man shall say, I will follow my course, this is a great sin. And I say that man taketh a cup o…
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We must therefore have a care in this case that we discredit not those heavenly commons, -= but we must find our strength increased. If before we could be able to beat down one sin, we must now be able to beat down three. Jonathan in the first of Samuel, when Saul was in the pursuit of his enemies, charging that they s…
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But lest God's children should despair when they are judged and sharply corrected of him, he adds, in the next place, the comfort ; howsoever things fall out, our salvation is promoted. ' When we are judged,' and chastened of the Lord, ' it is that we should not be condemned with the world.' First, of the cause. || I…
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Doct. (3.) The next point is that rvhere there is a cause, God ivill correct first or last, and where there is this cause mentioned, irreverent coming to the communion, he will do it because he is just. If we prevent f it not by repentiuipc, and so afflict our souls, surely we must fall into God's hands. He will lose t…
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A physician loves all his patients alike, but he doth not minister sharp potions alike to all ; but out of the same love there is a different carriage of the same, according to the exigent J of the party. So doth the wise God. ' Some are weak, and some sick, and some sleep.' Doct. 5. Again, we may observe here, that s…
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♦ Not given in B, C— G. § Added in B, C— G. t ' Saith he' omitted in B, C— G. || ' Brutish ' omitted in B, C— G. X That is, ' unconscientious.' — G. "| ' That are near him ' omitted in B, C. -G 1 ' The less ' is blunderingly omitted in C. — G. " ' Of ' in G, another misprint. — G. VOL. IV. F 82 judgment's reason. …
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That which is translated here 'judging,' is by the best expositors, one and other,! ^nd according to the nature of the word, ' if we would discern, of ourselves,' ' if we would try ourselves,' and have our senses exercised to distinguish what is good, and what is ill in us> aud then to fall upon judging,, trial, and di…
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Now, what is this sifting and searching of the heart, but a seai'ching of all the corners of the soul by the light of Ood's word and Spiiit ? A searching of all the corners of the heart. This requires much pains. Natu- rally we are loath to take pains with our own souls, though indeed this be a preventing pains, to shu…
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t Cf. Ps. X. 5 ; xix. 9 ; xxxvi. 6 ; Ixxii. 1 ; cxix. 7, et alibi — G. X ' Judgments and' omitted in B, C. — G. g ' Yet if ... of correction' omitted in B, C — G. II ' Now' omitted in B, C— G. % ' Before ourselves,' omitted in B, C— G, *-»'Was'inB C— G. tt The question ' What,' &c., omitted in B, C— G. jj 'Mine/ …
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Take heed of laying the fcmlt upon this occasion, or that occasion, \ when we find ourselves faulty. No. Say it was thou, my proud heart ! it was thou, mine angry heart ! my base worldly heart ! The occasion did but help ; the principal was mine own heart. Let us labour, therefore, to be acquainted thoroughly with our …
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Again, for the sins in good duties. Take heed in our best performances that we be not deceived in them. Poison is dangerously taken in sweet gloves, and in sweet things, because it is conveyed in sweetness ; and so in holy duties there is convej^ed pride and resting in them. Take heed, lest corruption mingle some deadl…
917 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.