PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Complete Works of Richard Sibbes — Volume 6
Richard Sibbes · 366,494 words · 364 reading sections
Section 301
To come to the words. First, Christ saith, God was his God, and our God, because his God. In what sense is God Christ's God ? As mediator, as man, both in regard of his person and in regard of his oflice, God is Christ's God every way. See Ps. xxii. 9, which is a psalm of Christ, David being but a type of him in it : *…
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Now, what is the foundation of this, that God is our. God in the cove- nant of grace ? We say it is founded on Christ. God is Christ's God, and then our God ; and that is the reason why Christ is called ' Immanuel,' which is as much as to say, as it is expounded, ' God with us.' Not only because when he took our nature…
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You shall see the extent of the comforts further by retail, as it were. If God be ours, then all is ours too. What be they ? The Scripture telle th you, and I should spend too much time in unfolding of them, 1, If God be ours, his wisdom must needs be ours, to find out ways to do us good ; for his infinite wisdom hath…
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A HEAVENLY CONFERENCE. 467 it was said of the * wedge of gold,' Job xxxi. 24, And therefore if anything bath our affections more than God, or equal with God, that we make our god. It is a qiKTve of the greatest concernment in the world to put to our hearts. What do I make my god? as David putteth the quare to himself:…
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In this our excellency consisteth, that God is our God in Christ, who was God ; and that he might bring God and us to good terms together ; that he might make God our God. He was Immanuel, God with us, to make God with us in favour and love. The Godhead is nearest the human nature of Christ of any creature. It is neare…
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470 A HEA^'ENLY CONFERENCE. Use. Let us make nso of this. To what use is riches and friends, if we do not use them '? To what use is God and Christ, if we use them not '? Xostronnn * esl, ittamur nostro bono. He is ours, let us use him for our special good on all occasions. Oh that we had faith answerahle to our prero…
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In times of extremity, no man but a Christian can pray with any com- fort, with any sweet familiarity, ' Abba, Father; ' but they be like Pharaoh, ' Go, Moses, pray to your God,' Exod. ix. 28. He hath no such familiarity with God as to pray for himself. And so carnal men will say, ' Pray to your God.' And many, like de…
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And likewise in Isa. xliv. 5, speaking of gracious times there, when men shall be bold for the Lord, as in all times some men will. ' One shall say, I am the Lord's, and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob, and another shall subscribe with his hand to the Lord, and term himself Israel.* God shall have his t…
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[1.] If we have grace to answer his dealings towards lis, when we can echo to God's dealings. God hath chosen us, if we have grace_ to choose him 474 A HEAVENLY CONFERENCE. for our God. "We may know he hath called us effectually, when we answer God's call. When he biddeth us believe, he giveth an influence of power t…
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Use 3. If we can in any degree make it good that God is our God and we his people, then let us make use of it for our comfort in all times, that u-e have a God to go to. Though we have no friend in the world, yet we have him in whom all friends meet. If we have no comfort here, yet we have him in whom all comforts meet…
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I will add this farther, that wheresoever on good title we can say, ' I am God's,' there is a reflect act of the soul to say, ' God is mine.' God hath put a light of reason and friendship into man. Now friendship standeth in mutual office of duty and gift. Where this is not, there is no friend- ship, no reconciliation,…
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or tho use of the catechise, all enforce a particular faith. If wc have not particular faith, we lose the virtue of all. So it is for the commandments. Put case, no man in particular, vet every one ought to ply in particular, that they ought to abstain from such a sin, and perform such a duty. If they do so, they shall…
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Use. Hence issueth this truth, that, a Christian may he assured of his sal- vation in this ivorlcl. For, first of all, grant that we ought particularly to apply, as God offers himself to us, and that no infirmities nor sins hinders this claim, then what foUoweth but a Christian, believing and repenting of his sins dail…
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A HEAVENLY CONFERENCE. 481 to build comfort on, but * my God and your God' will yet maintain the relation of a Father to you, that have not dealt as you should do ; and maintaineth the relation of a God, notwithstanding your fall. So that we maintain not our assurance on any part in us, but on God's love. ' Whom he lo…
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If when we be moved to any sin, by Satan, or our own flesh, which is a devil within us, this is contrary to my covenant, this is contrary to the renewing of the covenant, so often renewed in the sacrament, and therefore I will not commit it. It is contrary to the state I am advanced to, and contrary to my relation. God…
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484 A HEAVENLY CONFERENCE. Ps. ii. 11. Humble thyself to walk with thy God. Where there is a great deal of humility, it maintaineth friendship. We cannot walk with God as a friend, as Abraham is said to be God's friend. We must acknowledge ourselves to be ' dust and ashes,' know him in his greatness, and ourselves in …
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There be three degrees of glory in all. Let him glory under hope of glory, glory in afflictions, and glory in God ; that is, we glory in God to be our God. That in the sharing and dividing of all things God hath given himself to us ; and what an offer is this, that when God divideth this world to the children of men, y…
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2. Again, You see the Holy Ghost here could not mention David without terms of honour : 'David, after he had served the will of God in his gene- ration,' &c. Precious to God is both the Hfe and death ^of his saints, Ps. cxvi. 15. The righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance, Ps. cxii. 6. The name of Josias is …
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KING DAVID S EPITAPH. 491 forgotten. Peter, after his foul fall, he was not so much as upbraided by Christ in particular, ' Thou hast denied me,' &c. ; only Christ comes sweetly over him with a question, ' Lovest thou me ? ' John xxi. 15. He tells him not, thou hast betrayed me thus and thus. No ; he doth not so much…
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_ Fh-st, Fur the time : ' in his generation.' ' Generation,' in the Scripture, signifies a succession of men one after another, as you have it in Mat. i. 1, from such a one to such a one ; so many generations, so many successions. You know in the Latin tongue, secuhon is taken for an age or generation, the space of an …
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Labour to plant ourselves in Christ by faith, that so in him we may have an eternal estate. ' Thou art our habitation from generation to generation,' Ps. xc. 1. It was a psalm that was made upon occasion of their falling away in the wilderness. They dropped away as leaves, and few of them came to Canaan. ' Well,' saith…
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Use 2. Well, but that is not all. We are to be accountable to God for the time and means we enjoy here -in our generation. If we be not the better for it, we shall be so rmtch the ivorse. It had been better for us to have been born in times of popery and darkness, in places of ignorance, than livingi n the glorious tim…
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Alas ! if most men ask their own consciences, wherefore they live ? what is the life of many, but an annoyance ? They infect the air with thdr oaths, they are a burthen to the earth, they mis-spend the blessings of God ; but what hath the times been the better for them ? Their lives have been scandalous, wicked, and vi…
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* David served the will of God.' Here is considerable, as I told you, these three things. VOL. VI. 1 i 498 KING David's epitaph. Tho object whom be served, * God.' The rule by which he served him, ' his will.' And then The service itself; for to know ' the will of God,' and not to serve him, it is to no purpose. …
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2. Therefore there must be a rule of our service, and that rule is the written ivoM of God. There was a time when the word of God was not written, Heb. i. 1 ; and then God discovered his will by dreams and visions, and many other ways. But when the world was enlarged, and mankind spread further, traditions from hand to…
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(4.) Again, A rule must be authentical. What is that ? It must be credited for itself. It must have authority of and for itself, and not depend upon another, if it be the first rule. Indeed, there be subordinate rules. There is a rule ruled, and a rule ruling men's laws. The magistrates will it is a rule ruled by a hig…
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(3.) Again, The laws of men. What are the laws, if they be good, but particular determinations of the will of God. We ought to have reverent conceits of the laws, for they do but bring God's generals to particulars, if they be good laws. If they have not their derivation from God's laws, they are naught;* but, if they …
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(4.) Again, Experience may be added as another help. Experience is a great help in particulars, for indeed generals are raised out of experiments! in particular. Therefore) those that are wise politicians, statesmen, they are not so out of books altogether, but men of experience that can say, such a case hath been so a…
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Now, more particularly, this ' service ' of the will of God, it is either immediate, inward ' service ' of the will of God, or outward service. (1.) Imcard service is the obedience of the first commandment, when upon the knowledge of God we set him up in our souls, and cleave to him in our affections of trust, and joy…
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And for his outward calling. (There is a double calling wherein we * serve' God as Christians, our general and our particular calling, wherein we are to deal with men.) What an excellent man was he ! 'He served the will of God,' as a governor of a family. We see in Ps. ci. 2, how he carried himself in the midst of his …
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The whole life of a Christian we see is a service of God. There is nothing that we do but it may be a ' service' of God. No. Not our par- ticular recreations, if we use them as we should ; as whettings to be fitter for our callings, and enjoy them as liberties, with thankfulness to God, that allows us these liberties t…
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And as we must labour to. imitate holy David in doing, so likewise in suffering. We must be careful that nothing of God's displease us, as we are careful, for ourselves, that nothing of ours displease God. In doing, we ought to be careful that nothing of ours displease God ; in suffering, that nothing of God's dealing …
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Use 2. And it should teach us to do all the good we can while we have 510 KING David's epitaph. time. David served God ■while he lived, and be served God in dying ; because bis death was in obedience. But, as I said before, after death properly there is no service of God, but a receiving of wages. Therefore let us se…
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(2.) Again, It is in this respect a sleep ; because a man goes to bed with assured hope of rising again, and Jiherefore he goes quietly. Though it be a state of darkness for the time, all the senses are bound up, yet he knows that in God's ordinary providence he shall rise again. Therefore men not only quietly, but che…
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KING David's epitaph. 513 nor feai-, nor imperfection, which is the ground of jealousy. "Wo shall perfectly love them because they shall be perfectly good ; and they shall perfectly love us because we shall be perfectly good ; and one shall stand admiring the graces of God in another, and that ^Yill maintain a per- pe…
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Use 3. And take heed ice he not ensnared icith the bodies of others. This is the ' corruption ' of men, to gaze in this kind. You see wise Solomon and others were much troubled with temptations in this kind. Consider that body that thou doatest on now, and which is made by the devil a snare to thee, what will it be ere…
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516 KING David's epitaph. (d) P, 495. — ' In regard of tlic ills, we may say witli Faint Austin, " Lord, to what times arc we reserved." ' One of Iiis lamentations during his piissionatc controversies with tlio Donatists, and when Hippo was besieged by the Vandals, during which calamity this illustrious father expired…
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For her person I will be very short. I will give but a note or two, and so come to that I mainly aim at, her conversion. ' A certain woman named Lydia.' For her sex, she and the rest were women that were gathered together, as we see in the former verse. ' Li Christ Jesus there is neither male nor female,' Gal. iii. 2…
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* She worshipped God.' She was perhaps a Jew, and looked for a Messiah. There were three sorts of people before Christ. The Jews, and those which we call prose- lytes, and religious persons fearing God. She might be one of tho three; 522 LYDI.v's COXA'EESION. it is not certain "^•Iifit she was. Certainly she was one…
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The sweet providence of God brings those that belong to election under the compass of the means at one time or other. Let the devil, and the instruments of the devil, rage and oppose, and do what they can, those that belong to God, God will have a time to bring them within the com- pass of his calling, and effectually …
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Use. This should teach us patience, when we can do little good with those that are under us by all our instructions and corrections, wait the due time. Grace is not of thy giving. The heart is not of thy opening, or of any man's opening. Therefore as it is 2 Tim. ii. 23, seq., wait and bear ' with patience men of contr…
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Therefore poor souls, when they want good evidence, when they doubt whether their estate be good or no, let them consider what relish they have of divine truths ; whether it be co-natural to the word * or no ; whether it be savoury or no ; whether they could be without the means of salvation or no ; and let them judge …
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Attention is a special thing. How many sermons are lost in this city, that are as seed drowned, that never come to fruit ! I think there is no place in the world where there is so much preaching, and no place where there are so many sermons lost. Why ? Because people want a retaining power and faculty to attend, and re…
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4. And that we may do it, let us add some meditations to these jnactices. Consider first of all whose word it is. It is the word of the great God, and the word of God for my good. It is the good word of God, and the word of God that bi'ings me much good, eternal salvation, if I obey it. It is the word of God that bring…
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VOL. VI. L 1 530 lydia's conversion. of heart ; but a gracious holy man sees spiritual things by a spiritual light in their own kind. A man that is bom in a dungeon, and never saw the light, when he hears discourse of the sun and stars, and earth, and flowers, and plants, he hath imaginations what they should be, bu…
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And then for our children, those that God hath committed to us, let us make use of baptism. Do they die in their infancy ? Make this use of it : I have assured hope that my child is gone to God. He was born in the covenant, and had the seal of the covenant, baptism ; why should I doubt of the salvation of my child ? If…
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Again, she supposed, if Paul judged her faithful, he would not deny her that courtesy. Those that upon good grounds we judge faithful, we should be gentle' to them and easy to be entreated. * The wasdom that is from above is so,' James iii. 17. Grace sweetens the carriage and alters a man's disposition. Those that have…
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Take heed of a barren, dead faith. It is a false faith. If thou believe indeed, faith will work love, and work by love, as it did in this blessed woman. Her faith knit her to Christ in heaven. Her love was as the branches of the tree. Her faith knit her to the root ; but love as the branches reached to others ; her bra…
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638 TO THE EE/\DER. him and us, really and royally solcmniscJ, in the presence of God and his holy angels, and shall have the fruition of him and all his happiness, and enjoy such heavenly fellowship, familiarity, and acquaintance with him, transcendently above all the sweetest relations here below, I say, with him wh…
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Note. Observe then, I beseech you, in the words, the sweet intercourse that is between Christ and his spouse. Christ promiseth again and again, * Behold I come quickly ;' and the church saith, ' Come ;' ' Amen. Even so, come. Lord Jesus.' There is no intercourse in the world so sweet as is that between Christ and his c…
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Use. Beloved, if this be so, I beseech you let us beg of God, if we find any stubbornness or renitency * in our souls to divine truths, the perform- * That is, ' striving against.' — G. 542 THE XiRIDr.'s LONf;iNG. ance of the covenant of grace, Lord, thou hast promised fleshy and sen- sible hearts, tender and yieldin…
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But I must not enlarge myself in this. In a word, therefore, to conclude this point : As there is a sweet harmony in God's truth, so let there be a harmony in our hearts thereunto. God's truth always agrees with itself. Oh let our hearts agree with it. When we hear a threatening, a precept, or a promise, Oh let us say,…
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First, We must take it for granted ; Obs. 1. That there ivill be a second glorious coming of Christ, that will be far more glorious than the former. The best times and things.are to come for Christians every way. Every day they rise they are nearer to their happiness. Again, We must know this ; Obs. 2. That a Chris…
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Oh then, my brethren, though we be never so much assured of things to come, yet let us join prayer thereto ; for the assurance of the end will stir VOL. VI. . M m 546 THE bride's longing. us np to the careful use of the means. None are so careful of the latter as they who are most assured of the former. Witness the …
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Reason 3. In rer/ani of Christ himself: Christ is in some sort imperfect till the latter day, till his ' second coming.' For the mystical body of Christ is his fulness. Christ is our fulness, and we are his fulness. Now Christ's fulness is made up, when all the members of his mystical body are gathered and united toget…
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If the angels wonder at the wisdom of God, in the government of his church here, in the midst of confusion, how shall they be put into a new and greater wonderment, when they shall see Christ glorious in his saints !' 2 Thes. i. 10. If when Christ was born in his abasement, they sang ' Glory to God on high, peace on e…
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550 THE bridk's longing. all wolfish and lionisli dispositions shall he suhdued ; then there shall be no iiihimity in others to displease us, nor any in us to give distaste to them ; but then we shall have an eternal communion together. Therefore is there not, in regard of ourselves, good reasons for Christians to say…
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Trial 4. Try it again by holy exercises. They that desire indeed the coming of Christ, they exercise themselves much in holiness : they exercise themselves in the beginning of heaven here upon earth, in reading and hearing the word, in the communion of saints, in praying and acquainting themselves with God, &c. In what…
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THE bride's longing. 558 surprised before we be aware ; and as the tree falleth, so it lies ; as a man lives, so he dies ; as death leaves us, so judgment, and the second coming of Christ, shall find us. We should therefore, as the apostle saith, * work out our own salvation with fear and trembling,' Phil. ii. 12. Man…
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Ohj. But you shall have many a good soul cry out, Oh, I am not so desirous of the coming of Christ as I ought. Ans. True. It may be so because of thy wants, because thou hast not prepared thyself, because thou art not spiritual, because thou art not mortified. This ariseth further, as from other causes, so from this. …
908 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.