The calling of assemblies belongs to the prince. If it be a general council, then it must be by the emperor ; if it be a national council, then by the king or prince of that nation ; if provincial, then first from the kmg or princes, as first movers of it, and so to others. As the heavens, and these celestial bodies over the earth, first move, and then all other after- ward, so kings ought first to move, and then all to follow%
Use 1. If this be so, we see how the pope wrongfully takes this right of calling councils to himself, which properly belongs to the emperor ; for we know that for a thousand j'ears after Christ the emperor called councils, if any were. But of late years the pope, encroaching upon the emperor, hath usm-ped this right of calling them, whenas you see no assemblies ought to be gathered without the authority of the prince.
Though fasting be an excellent thing, yet public fasting must not be without the consent of the king. Let Christians have as much private fasting as they will, thereby to humble themselves, but public fasts must not be without the consent of the king ; for great matters are to be done by great motions. Here is a great matter of gathering a council. There- fore the head and body and all join together. As it is when the body is to do some great thing, all the members of the body stir together to do it, so it is with the commonwealth. When great matters are in hand, all must be joined together, as here king, priests, Levites, and all the people, both great and small, joined together for to' prevent the judgment threatened.
But what must we do if things be amiss ? I answer, Take the right course ; that is, go to God by prayer, and entreat him who hath the hearts of kings in his hands, to incline and stir up the hearts of princes for to reform abuses. Well, but what did the king do when he had gathered all the elders and inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem into the house of the Lord ? They went up thither to fast, and pray, and read the book of the law.
* Tertullian. Cf. Apology, c. xxxiii. to xxxvi. — G.
90 THE saint's refreshing.
Reformation makes all outward things fixU into a good rule, but they are to be called only by the authority oi" the prince, and when a fit time and occasion requires.
The papists brag much of the Council of Trent ; but if ever there was a conspiracy against Christ, it was in that council ; for the parties that had most offended, and were most accused, and should have been judged, were the judges ; and the H0I3' Ghost, which should have been in the council, and should have been their judge, him they excluded, and received a foul spirit of antichrist sent unto them, in a cap-case* from Rome, whence they had all their counsel. Was not this a goodly council ?
Again, In that Josiah gathered a council in time of public disorder and public danger, here we learn that it is not onlj^ lawful, but many times necessary, to gather assemblies and councils for reformation of abuses, both in church and commonwealth, which otherwise cannot be abolished. So councils are good to make canons, rules, and to prevent heresy; yea, much good may be done by gathering of them, if they meet to a good end, for the good of the church, and the glory of God; for God who is willing and able to perform the good will be strongly amongst them. For if Christ by his Spirit hath promised to be in that assembly, ' where two or three are gathered together' upon good grounds, and to good ends, how much more will he be, when two or three hundreds are so gathered together ? But this must be done by the consent of authority, otherwise it would be an impeachment to government. So much briefly for this text, and for this time. * That is, a small case or travelling-box, Cf. Nares and Halliwell sub voce. — G.
*,» The frequent allusions in tlie preceding sermons, and throughout, to wars and accompanying evils abroad, receive interpretation from ' Tlie Thirty Years' War,' which, beginning in 1G18 and ending in 1G48, was thus contemporary with the whole of Sibbes's public life.— G.
THE SPIRITUAL FAYOURITE AT THE THRONE
OF GRACE.
THE SPIRITUAL FAVOURITE AT THE THRONE OF GRACE.
NOTE.
' The Spiritual Favourite ' forms a small volume (18mo). The title page is given below.* Prefixed is a jiortrait of Sibbcs, differing from the usual miuiature one. He holds a book in his hand ; and underneath, in engraved letters, is this inscription, ' The reverend, faithfull, and profitable Minibter of Gods word, Richard Sibbes, D:D : master of Katherine Hall, in Cambridge, and preacher of Grayes Inne, London.' The copy from which our reprint is taken is believed to be unique. I had searched for it in all the ' public ' libraries of the kingdom, and advertised through innumerable channels, but utterly in vain ; nor could I hear of any one who had so much as seen it, when, through the spontaneous kindness of W. E. Whitehouse, Esq., Birming- ham, I was unexpectedly put in possession of it. It becomes me thus publicly and cordially to acknowledge my obligation to Mr Whitehouse. G.