t Qu. ' quondam ?' — Ed.
MEMOIR OF RICHARD SIBBES, D.D. XCVH
when he should be resolute in a good cause. A t}7)e whereof were the Israelites, whose servitude was redoubled when they turned themselves to forsake Egypt. Wherefore we have much need of Christian fortitude, according to that direction, ' Watch ye, stand fast, quit yourselves like men,' 1 Cor. xvi. 13 ; especially since Satan, Uke a serpentine crocodile pursued, is by resistance put to flight.
But as in wars (which the Philistines knew well in putting their hope in Goliath) the chief strength of the soldiers lieth in their captain, so in spiri- tual conflicts all a Christian's strength is in Christ, and from him. For before our conversion we were of no strength ; since our conversion we are not sufficient of ourselves to think a good thought. And to work out from the saints all self-confidence, God, by their falls, teacheth them ' to rejoice in the Lord Jesus, and to have no confidence in the flesh.'
"Whatsoever Christ hath for us, is made ours by faith, which is the hand of the soul enriching it by receiving Christ, who is the treasm'e hid in the field, and with him, those unsearchable riches of gi'ace, which are revealed and offered in the gospel ; yea, it is part of our spiritual aiTuour. That which was fabulously spoken of the race of giants is truly said of a Chris- tian, he is born with his armour upon him ; as soon as he is regenerate he is armed. It is called a breastplate, ©wea^, 1 Thess. v. 8, because it preserves the heart; a long, large shield, Qupsog of dv^a, Eph. vi. IG (as the word signifieth), which is useful to defend the whole man from all sorts of assaults. ^Vhich part of spiritual armour, and how it is to be managed, is declared in the former part of the ensuing treatise, in ten sermons.
Now, as all rivers return into the sea whence they came, so the believ- ing soul, having received all from Christ, returneth all to Christ. For thus the believer reasoneth. Was God's undeserved, unexpected love such to me that he spared not his only-begotten Son, but gave him to die for me ? It is but equal that I should live to him, die for him, bring in my strength, time, gifts, liberty, all that I have, all that I am, in his service, to his glory. That aflection, whence these resolutions arise, is called love, which so inclineth the soul that it moveth in a dnect line towards that ob- ject wherein it expecteth contentment. The soul is miserably deluded in pursuing the wind, and is taking aim at a fl\"ing fowl, whilst it seeks hap- piness in any creature ; which appears in the restlessness of those u'regular agitations and endless motions of minds of ambitious, voluptuous, and covetous persons, whose fi-ame of spirit is like the lower part of the elementary region, the seat of winds, tempests, and earthquakes, full of unquietness ; whilst the believer's soul, like that part towards heaven which is always peaceable and still, enjoyeth true rest and joy. And in- deed the perfection of our spirits cannot be but in luiion with the chief of spirits, which communicateth his goodness to the creatm-e according to its capacity. This aflection of love, as it reflecteth upon Christ, being a fi'uit and efiect of his love to us apprehended by faith, is the subject of the second part of the following treatise, in seven sermons.
The judicious author, out of a piercing insight into the methods of the tempter, knowing upon what rocks the faith of many sufiers shipwi-eck ; that neither the weak Christian might lose the comfort of his faith through want of evidences, nor the presumptuous rest upon a fancy instead of faith, nor the adversaries be emboldened to cast upon us, by reason of this doc- trine of justification by faith only, their wonted nicknames of Sohfidians and Nullifidians ; throughout the whole treatise, and more especially in the last sermon, he discom'seth of good works as they arise from faith and
XCVUl MEMOIR OF RICHARD SIBBES, D.D.
love. This is the sum of the faithful and fruitful labours of this reverend, learned, and godly minister of the gospel, who, whilst he lived, was an ex- ample of the life of faith and love, and of good works, to so many as were acquainted with his equal and even walking in the ways of God, in the several turnings and occasions of his life. But it will be too much injury to the godly reader to be detained longer in the porch, We now dismiss thee to the reading of this profitable work, beseeching God to increase faith, and to perfect love in thy heart, that thou mayest be fruitful in good •works.
Thina in our Lord Jesus Christ, Richard Sibbs.
John Davenport.
in. The Saint's Daily Exercise. *
To the Reader.
Courteous Reader, — To discoui'se largely of the necessity and use of this piece of spiritual armour, after so many learned and useful treatises upon this subject, may seem superfluous, especially considering that there is much spoken to this purpose, for thy satisfaction, in the ensuing treatise, wherein, besides the unfolding of the nature of this duty (which is the saint's daily exercise), and strong enforcement to it, there is an endeavour to give satisfaction in the most incident cases, want of clearing whereof is usually an hindi'ance to the cheerful and ready performance thereof. In all which, what hath been done by this reverend and worthy man we had rather should appear in the treatise itself, to thy indifterent judgment, than to be much in setting down our own opinion. This we doubt not of, that, by reason of the spiritual and con^'incing manner of handling this argument, it will win acceptance with many, especially considering that it is of that nature wherein, though much have been spoken, yet much more may be said with good relish to those that have any spiritual sense ; for it is the most spiritual action, wherein we have nearer communion with God, than in any other holy performance, and wherebj'^ it pleaseth God to convey aU good to us, to the performance whereof Christians find most backwardness and indisposedness, and from thence most dejection of spirit, which also in these times is most necessary, wherein, unless we fetch help from heaven this way, we see the church and cause of God hke to be trampled under feet. Only remember, that we let these sermons pass forth as they were delivered by himself in public, without taldng that liberty of adding or de- tracting, which perhaps some would have thought meet ; for we thought it best that his own meaning should be expressed in his own words and manner, especially considering there is little which perhaps may seem super- fluous to some, but may, by God's blessing, be useful to others. It would be a good prevention of many inconveniences in this kind, if able men would be persuaded to publish their own works in their lifetime ; yet we think it a good service to the church when that defect is supplied by giving