PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Complete Works of Richard Sibbes — Volume 5
Richard Sibbes · 354,580 words · 358 reading sections
Section 241
THE LIFE OF FAITH. 869 way, it lives another way. For Christ having by the Spirit discovered a better state, and Hfe to come, of eternity, immortahty, tranquillity, and glory ; then a Christian dies to all worldly things, and hath the affections taken up that way. Thus we see every day so to lead our lives, as we not…
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Trial 3. There will he courai/e to set vpon any duty, to encounter and resist any sin ; upon this ground, as he should say, have not I a storehouse of eti-ength to go to ? Is not he full of grace and goodness ? Are not all his works wrought for us ? Have not I exceeding many, gi'cat, rich and precious promises of help …
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(2.) The second is qiresiimjit ion ; for this know, that in his own strength shall no man be strong. In St Paul's speech, ' By grace I am that I am,' 1 Cor. XV. 10. So again, saith he, ' In him' — to wit, in Christ — ' we live, and move, and have our being,' Acts xvii. 28. If we do presume, it is just with Christ to fo…
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1. Hope is set on work by faith, and keeps the soul, as an anchor, sted- fast against all assaults. 2. Hope doth stir up patience ; for, saith the apostle, ' what we hope for, we wait patiently for it.' Thus patience is exercised in two ways. (1.) In suffering of grievances. (2.) In the expectation of time.* So faith …
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So faith reasons, Is it so, indeed ? and is he wonderful in working ? Doth he thus and thus work by contraries ? Then I will answer his ■working the same w'ay ; I will believe one contrary in another, I will expect the sun will shine again, though now it be under a cloud. The like I may say of any other extremity, as i…
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(4.) Fourthly, So for disgraces. Commit we our credits to him as our lives — he cares for both — remembering what Peter speaks, ' If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye ; for the Spirit of glory 870 THE LIFE OF FAITH. and of God resteth upon jou : on their part ho is evil spoken of, hut on your part…
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And so for protection and preservation, faith knows that Christ will be our shield and protector, therefore it relies upon him. ' Fear not,' saith God to Abraham, ' for I am God, all-suflicient, thy buckler and thy ex- ceeding rich reward,' Gen. xv. 1. Hence the saints have so esteemed him in all ages their rock, fortr…
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So again, in all the comforts of this life, it makes a man eat and drink and sleep, and do all in Christ, looking up into him in all his actions, living by faith, and joying that now he hath a title and a right to all the creatures. He being clean, now to him all things are clean, because he is now in Christ, who is pu…
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Sol. The workl oilers and presents petty base things before us. Faith keeps off, and opposes the glory to come, preferring that before all ; as Moses did, who because he saw him who is invisible, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, esteeming the rebukes of Christ before all the treasures of Egypt ; beca…
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God is so far in love with his children that he keeps not all their com- forts for another world, but gives them a taste of the sweetness here. But what are all refreshments below to that which we shall have above in God's presence ? As John saith, ' We are the sons of God, but we know not what we shall be,' 1 John iii…
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The apostle, when he speaks of the state of God's children, calls it a ' heavenly kingdom,' a ' glorious inheritance,' a * wonderful light,' a never- fading condition. He is not able to express their happiness, it is every way so full. ' So God loved the world.' So, as I cannot utter it. ' Behold what manner of love th…
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NOTE. (a) P. 376. — ' Through-stitch.' To go through-stitch is = to go through or ac- complish completely. ' Now wee are in, wee must goe through stitch.'' — Tragedy of Hoffman, 1631, sig. F. iii. ' Passe- par-tout, a resolute fellow, one who goes through- stitch with every thing he undertakes, one whose courses no da…
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Ans. 2. Again, whomsoever Christ did love and give himself for to death, there be other fruits which accompany this. They who have interest in Christ's redemption, they have the spirit of application. Where there is obtaining by Christ anything of God, there, I say, is grace to apply it by his Spirit ; and many things …
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890 SALVATION APPLIED. what say their rchellious hearts ? Shall I stoop to leave such and such courses that arc pleasurable and gainful ? Hereupon they resist the work of the Holy Ghost in the ministry, when their hearts tell them thero is a readiness in the Holy Ghost, and that ho is sent from Christ and tho Father t…
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When Christ sent the seventy disciples forth to preach and heal the sick, notwithstanding they were to be refused of many, as it is Luke x. 11, yet they were taught by our Saviour, as to wipe ofi' the dust of their feet against them, so also to convince them in this, that the kingdom of heaven was come near unto them. …
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SALVATION APPLIED. 393 tion from the Spirit. For the Spirit, which knows the ' secret things ' of God, and which knows his heart, testifies to him that he is a chikl of God, and so he hath a special revelation ; hut not if we distinguish one Christian from another. Every true Christian hath this revelation, because t…
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(3.) Also, they are held perhaps without this persuasion and assurance of the pardon of their sin, because perhaps theij are taken itp uith other cares. They do not value this so much as they should do ; whereas this is another manner of gift than the most take it for. God vouchsafes not this sweet heaven upon earth, t…
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Then again, God doth it to shew his freedom, that to whom he pleaseth he will give more assurance, to shew that he is a free giver. Our salvation is according to his good pleasure, so is the feeling of it ; some shall have more, some less. God will sometimes manifest his comforts and feeling more to weak Christians tha…
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Quest. But at what time specially ? Arts. 1. First, Especially when a man hath yielded the act of faith, and cast himself upon God, and a long time lived by faith, then God will seal this beheving with the spirit of adoption. When we believe specially against a temptation of distrust, then we usually have the sealing …
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Quest. Whence comes a zeal to good works, but when we look to the grace that hath brought salvation and redemption from our sins, and to the glorious coming of Christ ? Aus. When faith looks both these ways, it is set a-fire, it makes us zealous, as Heb. ix. 14. When the heart is sprinkled with the blood of Christ in …
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Thereupon it is used in all Paul's epistles as a compelling argument, as elect, and by the mercies of God do this ; moving them to all spiritual duties from the love of God in Christ. And, dearly beloved, you are dearly beloved ; the love that Christ bears you cost him dear indeed ; it is a strong enforcement. Saint Pe…
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Use 1. Now for the uses of this, seeing that the persuasion of Christ's love to us in special is the spring of all holy Hfe, this serves, in the first place, to free tJds doctrine of assurance from scandal. Assurance then is not the ground of presumption or security. These spring not from a particular faith, for a holy…
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Obj. But you will say, what then shall we say unto those who cannot say in particular that Christ loved them and gave himself for them ? What course shall they take who have not this particular assurance and faith ? What grounds have they to come to Christ if they be willing ? Ans. I answer. Those that have it not sho…
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Obj. If I knew that I were elected, or that Christ died for me, then I could believe. ' Secret things belong unto God, revealed things to us,' saith Moses. Thy duty is, when thou art sought for, invited, entreated, and commanded to be reconciled, then to come in and yield obedience, and in yielding thereof, thou shalt…
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Exhortation. I beseech you, therefore, as we desire to do anything that may please God, labour for particular faith and assurance. Would we have our whole course of life to stink before God ? I tell you, without this faith it is not possible to please God. Would we have all our life to pass fruit- fully, and nothing to…
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And for thy joy and feeling : tie not thy Saviour to thy conditions and qualifications ; look to thy desires, thy constant walk, not thy straying fits and thine infirmities ; remember that this is Christian perfection, not to live in any gross sin, nor allow of any smaller sin ; and for thy imperfections, look up unto …
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408 SALVATION APPLIED. my soul ; -vxhcn at tlic hour of death wo can commend our soul to Christ, Take my soul, blessed Saviour: thou hast redeemed mo, thou hast loved me, and given thyself for mo ; look upon that soul in mercy that thou hast sprinkled with thine own blood. Strive wo then for this particular faith, wit…
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That attribute the Spirit delights in is that of holiness, which our cor- rupt nature least delights in and most opposeth.* Holiness is the glory * In margin here, ' Holiness not onlj an attribnte in God, but the excellency of all his attributes. He is holy in mercy, injustice, in goodness, &c.' — G. A FOUNTAIN SEALE…
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2. The- second thing presupposed is, that the Holy Sjnrit being in us, after he hath ji^cpared us for an house for himself to dwell in, and to take up his rest and delight in, he doth also become unto us a counsellor in all our doubts ; a comforter in all our distresses ; a solicitor to all duty ; a guide in the whole …
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Now the Spirit, as in us, worketh in us according to' the principles of man's nature, as understanding and free creatures, and preserveth the free manner of working proper to man ; and doth not always put forth an abso- lute prerogative power, but dealeth with us b}^ way of gentle and sweet motions and persuasions, and…
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A FOyNTAIN SEALED, 417 carnal comforts. But above all, they grieve the Spirit most that have had deepest acquaintance with the Spirit, and have received greatest favours from the Spirit. When the Holy Ghost comes in love, and we have given way to him to enlighten our understandings ; and when in our affections we have…
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In this respect it is that sins against the second table grieve more than sins against the first, because here the conscience is more awakened. These be sins against a multiplied light, against the light of nature, light of the ■word and Spirit ; and such sins are contrary to human society. They dis- solve those bonds …
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420 A FOUNTAIN SEALED. and pleasure, to hear what they say. Such baseness cannot Imt p-icve the Spirit, as contrary to our hopes and heavenly calling, which are glorious. It is a dangerous grieving of the Spirit, when, instead of drawing our- eelvcs to the Spirit, we nill labour to draw the Spirit to it.i, and study …
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Now a degree in grieving the Spirit this way is, when men will not be thoroughly convinced of their own sinful condition, and of the infinite love and mercy of God in Christ, in the pardoning of them. If God by his Spirit in the ministr}', or in a particular reproof, come to men and discover their natural condition, an…
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Lastly, Omission or slight performance of duties grieve the Spirit. The Spirit, as he comes from the Father and the Son, from God, so he is great in himself, being God: ' Offer this to thy king,' saith Malachi, i. 8, when he saw them come negligently and carelessly to the worship of God. When people hear drowsily, and …
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The issues of grieving the Spirit will prove very dangerous, for the Spirit may justly leave us to our own spirits and deceitful hearts, which, as they are arch-flatterers, so will prove arch-traitors to us, and so let in a worse guest into our souls. The ill spirit is always ready presently to take possession, who, by…
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Again, Though they are kept from sins, in some sense, presumptuous, yet they are always kept from that ^ great offence.' Though they may com- mit a sin against the Holy Ghost, yet they can never commit the sin against the Holy Spirit, because this is a sin of malice after strong conviction ; expressed in words dipped i…
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3. The Spirit moveth in the godly : frst, h>j a direUing in them, and xcorking in them gracious abilities; and thoi draivs fortJi those abilities to good actions. But the Spirit dwelleth not in others, nor pi'oduceth any sanctified abilities in them, but only moveth them sometimes to good actions, with- out changing of…
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* In margin here, ' Cherish holy motions.' — G. A FOUNTAIN SE.VLED. 429 he came by the motion of the Spirit into the temple, Luke ii. 27. John was ' in the Spirit on the Lord's day,' Rev. i. 10. Our manna falls most then. Christ's Spirit and word dwell together in the heart. Therefore the apostle useth the dwelling o…
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This care will be helped by spiritual wisdom, whereby we may discern both wherein we have grieved the Spirit, and wherein for the time to come we may. We cannot maintain friendship in perfect and sweet terms wdth any whose dispositions we know not ; what will please or displease them. Therefore we should study the natu…
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There is nothing in the world so great and sweet a friend that will do us so much good as the Spirit, if we give him entertainment. Indeed, he must rule. He will have the keys delivered to him ; we must submit to his government. And when he is in the heart, he will subdue by little and little all high thoughts, rebelli…
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A FOUNTAIN SEALED. 433 have by promise, oath, and sacrament, but an inward by the Spirit per- suading of our interest in them, and working that which doth authorise us to hiy claim unto them, after the use of a seal, both in confirmation and representation, and resemblance of him that sealed. The persons sealed are, …
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This is excellently set down in the sweet communion of marriage. The Spirit is the ■imranij}irphos,-\ the procurer of the marriage, between Christ and the soul. Now it is not sufficient to know that God and Christ bear good will to all believers (though that be the ground and general foundation of all, and a great prep…
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* That is, ' moral.'— G. % That is, ' tendency toward.'— G, [1 Qu. ' heart ' ?— Ed. t Qu. ' seeming ' '? — Ed, § That is, ' skill.' — G. 43G A FOUNTAIN SEALED. 3. The use of ix seal is likewise for appropriation. Merchants use to seal their wares they -would not have others have any right unto. A Christian is God's …
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6. Hence, hkewise, the use of a seal is to shew that things should be kept inviolable. Hereupon the church is as a ' sealed fountain,' Cant. iv. 12. Sealing shews a care of preservation from common annoyance. Hereupon likewise it is that sealing is the securing of persons or things sealed from hurt. No man will violate…
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The reason why we can neither have grace to believe, nor know we believe, nor when we know we believe enjoy comfort without a fresh new act of the Spirit, is because the whole carriage of a soul to heaven is above nature. Where the Spirit makes a stand, we stand and can go no further. We cannot conclude from right grou…
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But oft it falls out, that our own spirits, though sanctified, cannot stand against a subtle temptation strongly enforced. God superadds his own Spirit. Guilt often prevails over the testimony of blood ; that of water, by reason of stirring corruptions, runneth troubled. Therefore the third, the immediate testimony of …
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That you may know the voice of the Spirit of God from the carnal con- fidence of our own spirits, inquire, 1. What went before. 2. AVhat accompanieth it. 3. What followeth after this ravishing joy. 1. The word must go hej'ore it, in being assented unto by faith, and sub- mitted unto by answerable obedience : ' In w…
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,,: (2.) A liberty and boldness with God, for ' where the Spirit is, there is a gracious liberty ;' that is, further enlargements from the law, guilt of sin, and the fear of the wrath of God, that we can come with some boldness to his throne and to him as our Father ; a freedom to open our souls in prayer before him. T…
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Therefore we ought to desire to be sealed by the Spirit, in regard of an holy impression ; and then that the Holy Spirit would shine upon his own graces, so as we may clearly sec what is wrought in us above nature ; and because this is furthered by revealing his love in Christ in adoption to us, we must desire of God t…
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But there is a ' day' appointed for it. By a ' day ' we are not to understand the time measured by the course of the sun in twenty-four hours, but in the Scripture meaning, a day is a set time of mercy or judgment. As there was a solemn day, ' the fulness of time,' Gal. iv. 4, for the working of the first redemption, …
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Secondly, That upon knowledge of our state in grace for the present, we may be assured of our future full redemption. Thirdly, That this assured knowledge is wrought by the Spirit. Fourthly, That the consideration of this assurance wrought by the Spirit is an eflectual argument to dissuade from grieving the Spirit. …
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well, but yet arc not altogctbor free from fear. These are like those children that are moved with reverence to obey their parents, and yet find their commands somewhat irksome unto them. The third arc such as, by the love of God shed into their hearts by the Spirit of adoption, are carried with large spirits to obey t…
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No opposition shall prevail. God hath set us a seal on his right hand to keep us ; ay, and on his breast (as the high priest had the twelve tribes) to love us, and on his shoulder to support us. The marked and sealed ones in Ezek. ix. 4, and Rev. vii. 2, were secured from all destruction. If we be in Christ our rock, t…
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Who can mortify those strong corruptions that would hinder us in the way to heaven, but the Spirit clothing our spirit with power from above ? Who purifieth the conscience, but he that is above conscience ? Who can raise our spirits above all temptations and troubles, but that Spirit of power that is above all ? The s…
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2. For those that have been sealed bi/ the Spirit, and yet not sofidhj as to silence all doubts about their estate: those should, out of that beginning of comfort which they feel, study to be pliable to the Spirit for further increase. The Spirit sealeth by degrees. As our care of pleasing the Spirit increaseth, so our…
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Again, When the Spirit assureth us of God's love in the greatest fruits of it, as it doth when it assureth this redemption, that love kindles love again, and love constrains us by a sweet necessity to yield cheerful and willing obedience in all things. There is nothing more active and fuller of invention than love, and…
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2. If assurance he in a lesser degree, yet yield not to temptations and carnal reasonings. If our evidences be not so fair, yet we will not part with our inheritance. Coins, as old as groats, that have little of the stamp left, yet are current. We lose our comfort many times, because we yield so easily, because we have…
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{h) P. 428. — ' This will take away the excuse, as St Austin argues well. If I had known, saith a wicked man, I would not have done this. Saith he, the pride of thy heart suggests that. Hadst thou not motions and admonitions '?' &c. Augustine has this idea in his ' Confessions,' with reference to himself and his long d…
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Godliness is a ' mystery,' and a ' great mystery ;' and it is so under the seal of public confession. To observe somewhat from each of these. ' Godliness.' 1. Godliness is either the principles of Christian religion, or the inward disposition of the soul towards them, the inward holy aflection of the soul. The word i…
1,101 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.