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Elizabethan Bookseller
NICHOL'S SERIES OF STANDARD DIVINES.
PUEITAN PERIOD.
BY JOHN 0. MILLEE, D.D.,
LISCOXiN COLLEGE ; HOSOKABY CANON OP WOECESTBE ; EECTOE OP ST MAETIN'S, BIBUINQBiiL
THE
WOEKS OF RICHARD SIBBES, B.D.
VOL. VII.
COUNCIL OF PUBLICATION.
W, LINDSAY ALEXANDER, D.D., Professor of Theology, Congregational Union, Edinburgh.
JAMES BEGG, D.D., Minister of Newington Free Church, Edinburgh.
THOMAS J. CRAWFORD, D.D., S.T.P., Professor of Divinity, University, Edinburgh.
D. T. K. DRUMMOND, M.A., Minister of St Thomas's Episcopal Church, Edinburgh.
"WILLIAM H. GOOLD, D.D., Professor of Biblical Literature and Church History, Reformed Presbyterian Church, Edinburgh.
ANDREW THOMSON, D.D., Minister of Broughton Place United Presby- terian Church, Edinburgh.
©tneral ©&(tor. REV. THOMAS SMITH, M.A., Edinburgh.
THE COMPLETE WORKS
RICHARD SIBBES, D.D.,
MASTER OF CATHERINE HALL, CAMBRIDGE ; PREACHER OF GRAY's INN,
LONDON.
BY THE BEV. ALEXANDEE BALLOCH GEOSART,
(COE. MEMB. SOC. ANTIQ. OP SCOTLAND)
KINROSS.
VOL. VII.
CONTAINING
MISCELLANEOUS SERMONS, INDEXES, &c.
EDINBURGH : JAMES NICHOL.
LONDON : JAIVIES NISBET AND CO. DUBLIN : W. EOBEETSON.
M.DCCC.LXIV.
EDtKBUKGH
PBINTED BY JOHN GREIQ AND SOK,
OtD PHYSIC GARDENS.
CONTENTS.
Pagb
Pkefatory Note. ......
ix-xi
Balaam's Wish. ......
1-15
The Unpkosperous Builder. . . . .
17-31
Notes. ......
32
The Vanity of the Creature. . . . .
88-46
Notes. ......
47
Discouragement's Recovery. . . . .
49-64
Notes. ......
64
The Saint's Happiness. . . . • «
65-78
David's Conclusion; or, the Saint's Resolution.
79-91
Notes. ....••
91
The Church's Blackness. . . . .
Notes. . . . .
93-104 104
Miracle of Miracles —
First Sermon, ....•• Notes. ....♦• Second Sermon. . . . • •
105-116
116
117-126
The Touchstone of Regeneration.
Notes. . . • • • •
127-137 137
The Discreet Ploughman.
139-150
The Matchless Mercy. . . . • Notes. ....♦•
151-164 164
The Sun of Righteousness.
165-178
Divine Meditations and Holy Contemplations. . Notes. ......
179-228
228
430448
Vi CONTENTS.
Page
The Knot of Prayer Loosed.
Notes. . . . . •
229-252 252
The Rich Pearl. ....
253-260
Sin's Antidote. ....
261-279
The Success of the Gospel.
Note. .....
280-287 287
Mary's Choice. .... Notes. .....
288-297 297
The Christian's Watch. .
298-305
The Coming of Christ.
Note .....
306-315 315
The General Resurrection.
Notes. .....
316-333 333, 334
SiBBEs's Last Two Sermons — Prayer.
First Sermon. . Second Sermon.
337
338-347 348-356
The Saint's Privilege.
357-366
The Witness of Salvation.
367-385
St Paul's Challenge.
386-397
Note. ....
397
The Dead Man. .
398-407
The Danger of Backsliding.
408-413
Faith Triumphant.
414-461
Note
461
The Ruin of Mystical Jericho. .
462-477
Notes. ....
477
The Dejiand op a Good Conscience.
478-491
Notes. ....
491
A Glimpse of Glory.
492-504
Notes. ....
504
The Pattern of Purity. .
505-516
The Beast's Dobiinion over Earthly KI^
GS.
517-533
Notes. ....
533, 534
The Church's Echo.
535-546
CONTENTS.
Page
Antidotum contra Naufeagium Fidei et bon^ Conscienti^. 547-560
Notes. ....... 560,561
SiBBEs AND Gataker. . . . . . 563, 564
Bibliographical List of Editions of Sibbes's Works. . 563-565
Glossary. ...... 565-568
Names. ....... 568-570
General Index. ...... 571-601
Textual Index. . . . . . . 601, 602
Concluding Note. ..... 608, 604
PREFATORY NOTE.
The present volume includes the whole of the 'single' Sermons not already given, and the whole of the remaining writings of Dr Sibbes ; and now the Editor has to congratulate the subscribers to the Series, and himself, upon the completion of this first collective edition of the entire Works of this author.*
In so doing, he takes this opportunity of repeating the expression of his obligation to friends and correspondents for valuable sugges- tions and help kindly rendered from volume to volume. It is for others to judge how far, with such aid, he has succeeded in his arduous task ; he only knows that, without that aid, he would not have succeeded so well.
In the Preface it was proposed to give, in a short essay, an 'analysis' and 'estimate' of Sibbes as a man and a writer, together with a view of his ' opinions ' and ' character ' as reflected in his books ; likewise to try to shed a little light on his relations to others and theirs to him, and to guide the casual reader to the treasures of thought, wisdom, spiritual insight, tenderness, and consolation of this incomparable old worthy. f It will be found that all this has been forestalled in another shape — viz., in the somewhat minute ' analysis ' of each important treatise contained in the ' contents ' of the successive volumes, and in the 'notes,' elucidatory and illustra- tive, appended to the several dedications, epistles, and numerous allusions and quotations, in combination with the full Indices and Glossary in the present volume. All of these have much exceeded the original estimate, and ^Tactically fulfil the promise and enable each reader to do for himself what at best could only have been done imperfectly by another. The Index of Toiyics has received anxious attention, and, incorporating as it does the original tables drawn up by Sibbes and his original editors, will readily guide to what may be handled and sought. The most cursory use of it
* Cf. Preface, Vol I. page xiii. t Ibid. p. xv. % Memoir, Vol. I. p. xis.
PREFATORY NOTE.
will rt-voal that the author gives forth no ' uncertain sound,' but definitely yet most catholically, scripturally yet most charitably, expresses his 'opinions,' which all bear the stamp of being convic- tions, lie was a Puritan in ' doctrine,' but loyal to the Church of England with that touching loyalty shewn to the throne by illustri- ous contemporaries even when they despised its occupant. On almost vwvy pwint of Thidlogy the Works of Richard Sibbes will rarely be consulteil ' iu vain.' They are a Ciiaket of gems, and the lid needs but to be raised to flash forth wealth of spiritual thought. In closing ids onerous labours, the Editor would, in a few sentences, characterise the Works now collected and comi)leted ; and at once that epithet, which seems by universal consent to have been asso- ciated with the name of Richard Sibbes — * HEAVENLY '—recurs. It is the one distinctive adjective for him. For if there ever has been, since apostolic times, a ' heavenly ' man, the meek ' Preacher ' of Gray's Inn was he. Emphatically, * he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of fiiith' (Acts xi. 2-lr) ; and iu accord with this, he is pre-eminently and peculiarly a ' son of consolation,' a ' com- forter.' This, I should say, is the ment of these works. The minister of the gospel and the private reader will find abundant ' consolations ' for bruised, tried, despondent, groping souls. Nor is this charactej'istic a small thing. It must be a growing con- viction, with all who mark the ' signs of the times,' that the want of our age, in the church as in the world, is not more intellect or genius, learning or culture, but more reality of Christian LIFE — more ' (JOOD' rather than more 'great' men. Perhaps there never has been a period — speaking generally — of more intellect in intense activity, if not in mass, more learning and diffused culture, than the present ; and certainly never was there an age of such thick- coming interrogation of all problems in all realms of thought and speculation. Lut these seem often lamentably disassociated from ooODNE.ss, from conscience, from s{)iritual integrity and truthful- ness, and above all, from Christian Lli'K.