The Prophet declares That his anger was not turned fro^n Israel, because they turned not to him that smote them, Isa. i. 4, 6. Now it is impossible that a man should draw nigh to God, and turne to him, if he tm-ne not from his evill wayes: for in every conversion there is Terminus a quo, something to be turned from, as well as Terminus ad quod, something to be turned to.
Now, that we must turn to, is God ; and that we must tm-ne from, is sinne ; as being diametrall}'^ opposite to God, and that which separates betweene God and us.
To this purpose we must search and try our hearts and wayes, and see what sinnes there be that keepe us from God, and separate us from his gracious favour : and chiefly we must weed out our speciall bosom-sins. This the ancient Church of God counsels each other to doe in the time of their anguish and aflliction. Lam. iii. 39, 40, Let iis search and try our wayes, and turne arjaine to the Lord : for though sinne make not a final! divorce betwixt God and his chosen people, yet it may make a dangerous rupture by taking away sense of comfort, and suspending the sweet influ- ence of his favour, and the efl'ectuall operation of his grace.
And therefore (deare Sir) my earnest suit and desire is, that you would diligently peruse the booke of your conscience, enter into a thorow search and examination of your heart and life ; and every day before you goe to bed, take a time of recollection and meditation, (as holy Isaac did in his private walkes. Gen. xxiv. 03), holding a privy Session in your soule, and indicting your selfe for all the sins, in thought, word, or act committed, & all the good duties you have omitted. This self-examination, if it be so strict and rigid as it ought to be, will soone shew you tho sins whereto you
MEMOIR OF RICHAED SIBBES, D.D. CXY
are most inclinable (the cliiefe cause of all your sorrowes), and conse- quently, it will (by God's assistance) eftcctually instruct you to fly from those venomous and fiery serpents, which have so stung you.
And though you have (as you say) committed many grievous sinnes, as abusing God's gracious ordinances, and neglecting the golden opportunities of grace : the originall, as you conceive of all your troubles ; yet I must tell you, there is another Coloquintida in the pot, another grand enormity (though you perceive it not) and that is your separation from Gods Saints and Servants in the Acts of his publike Service and worship. This you may clearly discern by the affliction it selfe, for God is methodicall in his corrections, and doth (many times) so suite the crosse to the sinne, that you may reade the sin in the crosse. You confesse that your maine afflic- tion, and that which made the other more bitter, is, that God tooke away those to whom you might make your complaint ; and from whom you might receive comfort in your distresse. And is not this just with God, that when you wilfully separate your selfe from others, he should separate others from you ? Certainly, when we undervalue mercy, especially so great a one as the communion of Saints is, commonly the Lord takes it away from us, till we learne to prize it to the full value. Consider well therefore the haynousnesse of this sin, which that you may the better conceive, First, consider it is against Gods expresse Precept, charging us not to for- sake the assemblies of the Saints, Heb. x. 20, 25. Again, it is against our own greatest good and spirituall solace, for by discommunicating & excommunicating our selves from that blessed society, we deprive our selves of the benefit of their holy conference, their godly instructions, their divine consolations, brotherly admonitions, and charitable reprehensions ; and what an inestimable losse is this ? Neither can we partake such profit by their praj'ers as otherwise we might : for as the soule in the naturall body conveyes life and strength to every member, as they are compacted and joyned together, and not as dis-severed ; so Christ conveyes spirituall life and ^dgour to Christians, not as they are disjoyned from, bvit as they are united to the mysticall body, the Chm-ch.
But you will say Enr/Iand is not a true Church, and therefore you separate ; adhere to the tnie Church.
I answer, our Church is easily proved to be a true Church of Christ : First, because it hath all the essentialls, necessary to the constitution of a true Church ; as sound preaching of the Gospell, right dispensation of the Sacraments, Prayer religiously performed, and evill persons justly punisht (though not in that measure as some criminals and malefactors deserve :) and therefore a true Church.
2. Because it hath begot many spirituall children to the Lord, which for soundnesse of judgement, and holinesse of hfe, are not inferiour to any in other Reformed Churches. Yea, many of the Separation, if ever they were converted, it was here with us : (which a false and adulterous Church communicated.)
But I heare you reply, our Church is corrupted with Ceremonies, and pestered with prophane persons. What then ? must we therefore separate for Ceremonies, which many think may be lawfully used. But admit they be evils, must we make a rent in the Church for Ceremonious Kites, for circumstantiall evils ? That were a remedy worse than the disease. Be- sides, had not all the true Churches of Christ their blemishes and deformi- ties, as you may see in seaven Asian Churches ? Rev. ii. and iii. And though you may finde some Churches beyond Sea free from Ceremonies,