PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Complete Works of Richard Sibbes — Volume 5
Richard Sibbes · 354,580 words · 358 reading sections
Section 181
1. First, We will shew the nature of this love. 2. Secondly, The exercises of it, and directions unto it. 3. Thirdly, Some incitements to this holy affection. 1. The ground of love is a considering of God as our oivn God in the covenant of grace, and an acknowledging of ourselves to be his peculiar children in Chris…
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t Tliat is, ' love.' — G. 278 THE PniVILKGES OF THE FAITHFUL. is a caro to be approved of him whom we so love. This makes our obe- dience general to all God's commandments, in all places and all things what- soever. It makes us give our inwards to God, serving him with the soul and spirit. Those therefore that nouri…
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David had an abundance, yea, he had a kingdom, yet nothing would satisfy him but the mercies of God. And when he was in want, what course did he take, but ' still comforted himself in the Lord his God,' Ps. li. 1, seq. That which a man sorroweth most for when he wanteth it, that he rejoiceth most in when he hath it. Ca…
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Again, If we love, there tcill be a desire to give content to the party beloved. This appears even in carnal self-love ; for take a man that loves himself, he makes himself his utmost aim and end in all his actions. But when once God hath plucked this fleshly love out of our souls, then our affections will be carried t…
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282 THE PRIVILEGES OF TUK FAITUFUL. Christian. Mark it when you will, and you shall find this disposition mani- fest in every true convert. They are daily humbling themselves for the least ofleuce. A second direction is, to tasle of the love of God in Christ. When the beams of his favour once shine into our hearts, …
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(5.) The next means is, to join fear with our love to God. Whom we love thoroughly, we will do nothing that shall displease. The fear of God, whom we love, will cause us to make conscience of the least sin against him ; for there is no sin, be it never so little, but it will weaken our aflec- tion to goodness. When we …
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: Consider that every thing thou dost without love is dead and empty. Love is the life of all actions ; as we say of a gift, the love of the giver is better than the gift itself ; not only our performance is nothing without love, but we ourselves are nothing without it. Every acceptable service we do must proceed from …
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First, From their relations. ' Who art thou that judgest another man's servant ? ' Secondly, From their aims. They do it both out of religious respects. ' He that eateth, eateth to the Lord ; he that eateth not, eateth not to the Lord ; he that regardeth not a day, regardeth it not to the Lord ; he that doth it, doth …
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Again, Our Saviour Christ in his ordinary speech delivered it as a gene- ral rule, ' It is better to give than to receive,' Acts xx. 35, which containeth a direction to men to be public and liberal. St Paul's ordinary course was so : * I^nowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we pei'suade men,' &c., 2 Cor. V. 11. Wha…
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And to die to ourselves is much like it. (1.) A man dieth to himself, tohen he regardeth himself in death, and is regarded inuch of nobody else. Persons that have an absolute being of themselves, that have no kindred, not much acquaintance, or have been little fruitful in their lives, die to themselves in a civil sens…
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Now there be four degrees of self. There is, 1. Natural self. 2. Civil self. 3. Sinful self. 4. Religious self. (1.) First, Natural self is the state we are in as men. (2.) Secondly, Civil, as we are poor, or rich, or honourable, according to our several places in the commonwealth. 294 THE christian's end. (3.) Thi…
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4. This is to be laid down for a ground ; had we not a better being in Christ than in ourselves, he loould never take us from ourselves, for God never hiddeth us to our loss. We have a better condition in Christ than we can have in the world. It is our gain and advantage to live and die to Christ ; though it be to the …
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As travellers have the end of their journey in their thoughts habitually, though not actually — for every step they take is in virtue of their end — so we should consider that we are all travellers in the way to heaven, and every step of our life should be to that end. The ignorance of this maketh the life of most men…
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(4.) Fourthly, And then living to the Lord implieth, that all Christians' counsel and advice is how to lire to Christ. Heaven is always before him, because his way is to God and to Christ. Other men will rage and swell, though they know well enough they arc out of the way, when they be put in mind of it. But a gracious…
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For if we live according to our own lusts, we are but rebels under God's livery ; we are but traitors fighting under his banner. And how can we give account at the day of judgment of our lives, that have been nothing else but a constant service for Christ's enemies under the colour of religion ? This would* seriously b…
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Now it is the nature of the utmost and furthest end to stir up to every action leading to that end ; for every deliberate rational action that is done with advertisement and observation, and is not an action of fancy or common nature, must fall under the consideration of an end, or else we cannot give account for it, a…
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Use. Let us therefore often consider of the end of our life in iliis world, and take shame to ourselves that we have let so much water run besides * the mill, that we have let so much precious time, and strength, and dear advantages be lost. Too much strength hath been spent in the service of sin and our base lusts, wh…
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804 THE cntllSTIAN's END. was freed from all base dependence on the favour of Pharaoh ; nay, he esteemed the reproaches of. Christ better than all the riches of Egypt,' Heb. xi. 28. And that makes men's stomachs inwardly to rise against Chris- tians, because they be not men to serve times and turns. They will not pros…
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Reason. The reason is, which I desire may not be forgotten, we have a better being in God than in ourselves. If we lose our natural life, we have in him a better life. If we lose our riches, we have them in heavenly treasures. The water is not lost that runneth into the sea ; it is in the ocean still, its better recept…
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' Whether we live or die, we are the Lord's.' THE christian's END. 307 hifercnce. This is the inference drawn from the former two generals, negative and affirmative. ' None of us liveth to ourselves, or dieth to our- selves.' And from thence it is inferred, ' whether we live or die, we are the Lord's.' And as it is …
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This is a point of wonderful comfort, and not only a comfort, but a direction how to carry ourselves. It is not only a point of dignity and prerogative, but a duty. 1. First, It is a grand comfort ' we are the Lord's,' and the Lord's in a peculiar manner, as before. The devil is the Lord's, the earth is the Lord's ; a…
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And to add one thing more out of the text concerning the excellency of this Lord : he is an unchangeable Lord. His love is as himself, and his care as himself, eternal : ' for whether we live or die, we are his.' What other people that are under a government can say so? For all their governors' love and care endeth in …
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And then he will not have them die till they have done their work. He taketh special notice of them all their life. And when they have done what they came for, as Christ saith of himself, ' I have done the work thou gavest me to do,' John xvii. 4, then he sendeth for them home. They die not at adventure, but under the …
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The happiness of a Christian is to be independent on the creatures. He may use them as subordinate helps, but he is to depend only on this Lord, what to believe, what to speak ; and not to take up this or that opinion to please this or that man, therebj' to rise to greatness. It is a base thing to say, I believe as my…
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Think, therefore, of this one thing, that we are his, that hath a command in heaven and earth, to whom all knees bow with subjection ; his that is Lord of lords, and King of kings, that is Lord pammoiDit ; who will not suffer anything to befall his church, or any particular Christian, that shall not be for their good, …
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And we are not only the Lord's while we live, but when we come to die. Therefore we should be willing to die when our time cometh, yea, to die any kind of death, because he is Lord of ' quick and dead.' We should be like David and Moses, who were very fruitful towards their ends. And as we are not ashamed to live to so…
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And therefoi'e if you ask. What doth the soul first to make Christ his own ? It is this. In the use of means, wherewith God pleaseth to be effectual, a light is by the Spirit let into the soul, whereby the heart is persuaded that he hath a good meaning towards it, that he is a gracious Lord, and will forgive the sins o…
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It implieth likewise a duty of resifpiatioii to Chnnt in life and death, because we are not our own, and therefore are in all things to be at his disposing, to be led what way he plcaseth, and to pursue his dii-ections, though to the crossing of our corrupt nature, to be content to go to heaven as he will lead us, by f…
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Ans. 2. Again, If we live to Christ, we are sure we are his ; if we do not live to Christ we are not his. If Christ be ours, as the life which we live is his, so our course of living will be to him. We shall direct all our courses to him, making him our last end ; and therefore, if we will know whether we be Christ's, …
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To stir us up, in a word, to labour to be more under the government of Christ, and to get assurance of it, let us consider, if we be not Christ's, whose are we ? There is but two kingdoms. If Christ rules us not, the devil and the world must rule us. And what kind of subjection is it to be subject to our own lusts ? t…
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. . . . ' Spirits are not finely tonch'd But to fine issues.' — {Measure for Measure, I. 1). Cf. note b, page 247, and note c. Vol. IV. page 58. With reference to the former, it may here be added that the ' little Latin ' of Shakespeare probably sufficed to make him acquainted with Cicero, de Offic. lib. iii. c. 21, w…
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Those that are the Lord's live to the Lord, and do all particular actions to the Lord. Such must not be harshly censured, because they are the servants of the Lord. Quest. In the third place. How doth he prove that they are the Lord's that Uve and die to him ? * Qu. ' they that ' ?— Ed. 826 cnniST's exaltation Jns.…
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4, Yet further, as he died voluntary, so he died as our surety. Therefore he died a * cursed death' due to us. * He was made a curse for us,' Gal. iii. 13, that he might remove the curse from us. These and such hke con- clusions must be observed in this, that the apostle saith, ' To this end Christ died,' because we sh…
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2. Again, Tbis ' revived ' is added to shew the kind of his life, differing from tbat life be lived before. Tbat life be lived before be died, was supported witb meat and drink and refresbings, even as our poor lives are. It was a life subject to deatb tbat be died in, but after bis resurrection, except it were for a p…
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330 CHRIST S EXALTATION thereupon is the inference good. Ho rose again, therefore he is Lord ' of the quick and of the dead.' 3. Tliirdly, He revived ; therefore ho is Lord of the quick and of the dead, lloviving and taking such a hfo as is not subject to death any more, ho is now in heaven to make good that he purc…
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6. In a word, he is an excellent Lord, for he hath all things that a lord should have. A lord should have three things : authority, suitable virtues and abilities, power and strength answerable to all. Now the Lord Christ hath all these. And, first, he hath authority, for God the Father gave him power over all. He purc…
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' For this end,' &c. Use 4. Again, in general, when he saith Christ is ' Lord of the quick and of the dead,' we see hence the truth of the catholic church, from the first man living to the end of the church, under one head Christ. Christ is the Saviour of those that were before the law, under the law, under the gospel…
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831 Christ's exaltation or ever a Lord. Beloved, wo do not die at the devotion- and good pleasnro of any man whatsoever. They cannot stir so much as a hair from our head, without the will of this Lord, All the devils in hell cannot stir a hair of our head, I say, nor all men that are acted by the spirit of the devil. …
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To apply this a little to the present occasion. •;- Here in this sacrament we are to have communion with the Lord, of his death and resurrection. For what is the sacrament but a representation of his body broken, and of his blood poured out for us, that he might be Lord over us ? The more com- munion and fellowship you…
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And then he rose again for this end, that he ' might be Lord,' because, howsoever he had a title to be Lord of the church, — by the union of the human nature with the divine, he was Lord alway, — yet in regard of the exercise of his lordship, it was defeil-ed till his glorious resurrection and ascension. Then that that…
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And as it is a comfortable, so it is an honourable condition ; for Christ's servants arc so many kings. Christ is served of none but kings, and such kings as do not rule over slaves, but such kings as in Christ rule over the greatest and terriblest enemies of all. A Christian can think with comfort and encouragement up…
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Secondly, That we may live to God, we must aim at the glory of Christ in all things, and at the credit of religion, not at our own credit. If Christ be Lord of the quick and dead, while we live we must not seek our own glory but his. The contrary to this the apostle complains of: ' All seek their own,' saith he, * and …
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Another help to this, of living to Christ, is to complain of ourselves to Christ, as Saint Paul, Eom. vii. 24, ' 0 wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me ? ' &c. ; to inform against our rebellions, that we live too much to the flesh and too little to the Spirit, too much to ourselves and too little to Christ, by …
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Well, as it implies duty, so it implies a gracious effect, that we shall be enabled to this duty. He indeed iu himself is a Lord. We ought to acknowledge him so, nay, we shall have the Spirit if we be his, to cause ua to acknowledge him. You have a notable place, 2 Cor. v. 15, to this pur- pose, ' The love of Christ co…
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Now out of this branch of holy security, upon the care and power and lordship that Christ hath over us for the time to come, it riseth that a Christian may be assured of his salvation, of his jjersererance, because Christ is Lord of all. He is Lord of his heart. He is Lord not only of the things without us, but of our …
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THE THIRD SERMON. For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might he the Lord both of the dead and of the living. — Rom. XIV. 9. In these words, as you heard heretofore at large, the apostle labours to stay the thoughts and aflections of men concerning the things of indifierency, that they shou…
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And if we be anything offended with that abasement, that God should die, look to his rising and reviving and lordship over all, both quick and dead ; and if we be dazzled with his glory, look back again to God in our flesh, and God in our flesh abased, even to the death of the cross. Oh, it is a sweet meditation, belov…
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We may expect again from this Lord advancement. He is such a Lord as makes all his subjects kings. The meanest man that is a subject to Christ, that hath the Spirit of Christ, is a king. Now he is a king over * That is, loving, choosing. — G. 318 Christ's exaltation that that all others arc slaves to, that arc not Ch…
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In a word, he is such a king as is a husband. Would you have a milder government than that of a husband, which though it be not a parity, yet it comes as near as can be. Such a government is Christ's. As he is a king, so he is a husband. He knows how to bear the infirmities of his church. He that bids the husband to fa…
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! And so for our mil. He is Lord of the quick and dead. We say of a wife she hath no will ; and a servant is not a distinct person, as it were, in law, he is another's. We are Christ's servants, his subjects, and his spouse ; and when we begin to be Christ's we have lost our own wills, we resign them up to Christ. Thy …
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352 Christ's exaltation Fuch dcailnoss and sncli sins as a Turk would scarce commit. Wo are no more aftbcted with it than a Jew or a Turk that hath not the means. Will Christ endure this, that we should come to be careless whether we have the gospel, the blessed truth of God, or no, and grow sinful, and have less cons…
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Beloved, all this was for us; and then after the dispensation was finished for us, after God's justice was satisfied for us, there was no more stop or stay of his glory. But then his divine nature did flow into his human nature ; and then his human nature became glorious, so glorious as it was capable of what he did fo…
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PUBCHASED BY HIS HUMILIATION. 855 parts of tlie regiment * of Christ whereby he rules his church. He rules his church outwardly by the word and sacraments, and inwardly by his Spirit. His Holy Spirit makes good his own good means ; and therefore as the subjects of Christ, I beseech you let us come to the ordinance of …
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(to) p. 354. — 'But as one of the ancients saith well, "If ho had gone to heaven another way, he might have come thither himself, but he could not have helped ua that way,'' ' &c. Qu. Bernard? (n) P. 354. — ' It was a cursed wish of a Pagan emperor " When I am dead, let heaven and earth be mingled if they will.'' ' On…
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A Christian furnished with this spiritual life can see Christ and glory, beyond all the things of this life ; he can look backwards, make use of all things past, see the vanity of things so admired of others ; he can taste things nature doth not relish ; he hath strength of reasons beyond all the apprehensions of reaso…
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Thus have we seen brieily there is another life than the life of nature ; that this is a most excellent life ; and that the root and spring of it is the Son of God. Now the way of conveyance of this life is ' by faith.' A fountain is not sufficient to send forth water abroad ; there must be pipes to convey it for use. …
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As we sin daily, so Zech. xiii. 1, ' There is a fountain daily running, to wash away sin and uncleanness.' Therefore for our daily sinning, we must continually run and bathe our souls in this blood, apply the comforts of his sufierings, intercession, and obedience unto us. St John teaches us thus much ; saith he, ' If …
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Obj. If it be thus, we need not care how we sin : it is but every day to Bue out a new pardon. Ans. Oh beware; ere our pardon be sealed, there must be confession, sorrow for sin, resolution with full purpose to do so no more ; there must be arraigning, condemning, and judging of ourselves for it, because what- THE LI…
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Ans. I answer, Every man who falls does not fall on all-four, fall away quite. There bo degrees of falling ; as in a sick man, though ill, he is not by and by dead. Some life and strength remains, which works out towards health again. There is so much grace and life in justification left, as to recover him again. But a…
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[1,] Upon justification of necessity comes sanctification. For what is the stop of God's mercy ? His anger for sin committed ; in which case he denies his Spirit, But with reconciliation there comes also the Spirit : as Ephes. i, 13, saith the apostle, ' In whom also, after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Ho…
964 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.