Vol. I of Works of Richard Sibbes. A reprint published by Banner of Truth Trust
The Banner of Truth Trust has done excellent work in publishing this reprint of Vol. 1 of the Works of Richard Sibbes. It contains what was published in his lifetime. The Publisher’s Preface provides an interesting account of Dr A. B. Grosart, who edited Sibbes Works, and the writings of many others, in his day.
The Memoir of Dr Sibbes by Dr Grosart, occupies pages xix to cxxxii. This memoir is quite a volume in itself. Sibbes was called by his hearers the ‘sweet dropper’ and Dr Thomas Manton spoke of him as unfolding the mysteries of the Gospel in a sweet and mellifluous way. He was called the ‘heavenly Sibbes’ throughout many generations after his death.
Richard Sibbes was born in Suffolk in the year 1577. His father found it difficult to pay the expenses of his education, probably owing to family circumstances, but eventually, some who had knowledge of him stepped in and ‘without the father’s consent’, sent him to certain influential members of a College in Cambridge. They examined the lad—not acting merely on the recommendation of the friends who sent him — and were so satisfied that they received him to study at the College. The particulars bearing on his admission and years of study are overlooked in this brief account. He was converted at this period, that is, about 1602-3. Sibbes was very reticent as to the circumstances of his conversion. An elaborate footnote can be found at the foot of page xxxv on his reticence in this matter.
The account of the “Memorial” of 1610, addressed to him, and which probably was the origin of the ‘Trinity Lectureship’ makes pleasant reading. It requires to be perused in full to be appreciated. A sentence — in the spelling of the present day — is here given: ” . . . We, desiring a much as in us lieth the more public benefit of your ministry do . . . entrea you would be pleased to accept of our parish church, which all of us do so willingly offer you . . . ” The old longing after the preaching of the Gospel which pertained to Perkins pungent ministry was revived. The references to John Cotton’s veneration for Sibbes and how through Sibbes, Thomas Goodwin was brought over to renounce Arminianism, are set down towards the close of Chap. III. The difference between an ‘eau-de-cologne’ sermon, and a ‘living-water’ discourse can be seen on page xxxix.
In the year 1616, Sibbes became preacher at Gray’s Inn, through the influence of Sir Henry Yelverton, and this appointment introduced him, at a bound, to the first society of the metropolis. Much is told of Sibbes’ preaching being “so wise, so grave, so fervid, so Christful.” How Sibbes became Master of Catharine Hall, and the narrative of the cases of John Cotton and Dr Preston must be left to an interested reader.
The remaining part of the Memoir is here overlooked beyond the reference to ‘Mr Cromwell,’ and the vow taken by Parliament as recorded on page lxxiii. An account is given on page lxxii of Mr Cromwell coming up from Huntington to be a member of Parliament. He spake in his stammering and forcible way against the increases of Popery. He declared that he heard from Dr Beard that Dr Alabaster preached flat popery and was commanded by the Bishop of his diocese to continue doing so. “If these are the steps to church preferment,” said Mr Cromwell, “what are we to expect?” As regards the vow, we read that the whole House (i.e. Parliament) standing up made a vow against Papel innovations and also against Arminianism. The words of Francis Rous on Arminianism may be helpful here. They are — “Arminianism makes the grace of God lackey it after the will of man” (The word “lackey” means “to dance attendance on” or “to be a footman to”).
The eleventh chapter brings us to the “beginning of the end” and chapter twelve gives an account of Sibbes’ death. He lived until Sabbath the 5th of July and went from the Sabbath below to the Sabbath above. This was in 1635, in the 58th year of his age.
There follows an appendix to Dr Grosard’s Memoir. This was compiled and attested by Zachary Catlin, minister of Thurston in 1652.
The next twenty-one pages contain the substance of discourses on Matt. xii, 18 entitled, “A Description of Christ.” May the substance of these discourses be blessed to readers! The several uses of the word ‘judgment’ are given on pages 26, 27. We give a short quotation from page 27. “Why is the word of God called judgment?” It is called so frequently in the psalms, and in other places of Scripture, because the truth of God shews what God doth judge. Judgment is originally in God, who is the first truth and the first good. The first truth judgeth . . . what is light, and what is darkness . . . what is safe and what is dangerous . . . In the governing of mankind He shews His judgment by His word, and the word shews how God judgeth of things. Laws shew judgment, what is to be done, and what is not to be done. The Gospel shews God’s judgment, what He will have us believe and hope for, and how we must carry ourselves in way of thankfulness. If we do this, then the Gospel, the word of God, judgeth what shall become of us, “we shall be saved” Mark xvi, 16. If we do the contrary, the word again judgeth . . . “we shall be damned” . . . The evangelical judgment of the Gospel is this, “He that repents and believes shall not perish but have everlasting life.”
“Again . . . the work of God in the soul, sanctification, is called judgment (See Deut iv,6 and 2 Cor. x,4,5).
Let the above suffice for a brief reference to these discourses. There then follows a treatise on “The Bruised Reed and Smoking Flax.” Here we quote a few sentences from the treatise.
“Peter was bruised when he wept bitterly. This reed, till he met with this bruise, had more wind in him than pith . . . The heroical deeds of those great worthies do not comfort the Church so much as their falls and bruises do . . . We must not pass too harsh judgment upon ourselves, or others, when God doth exercise us with bruising upon bruising.” (P. 44).
“Nothing in the world is of so good use as the least dram of grace . . .”
“When David was before the king of Gath (1 Sam. xxi,13), and disfigured himself in an uncomely manner, in that smoke there was some fire also; you may see what an excellent psalm he makes upon that occasion, Ps. 34.18 ‘The Lord is near unto them that are of a contrite spirit’ . . . ‘Master, carest thou not that we perish?’ cry the disciples; here is smoke of infidelity, yet so much light of faith as stirred them up to pray to Christ . . . Jonah cries (Ch. ii,4) ‘I am cast out of Thy sight:’ there is smoke; ‘Yet will I look again to Thy holy temple;’ there is light” (P. 50).
“Spiritual light is distinct, it seeth spiritual good, with application to ourselves; but common light is confused, and lets sin lie quiet.” (P. 61).
The above instances are merely set down here to encourage any to seek, with the Lord’s blessing, an entrance into Sibbes’ handling of the subject.
There are many sermons in the volume, but they are intentionally overlooked here. Another treatise is worthy of special notice. Its title is “The Soul’s Conflict with Itself.” It occupies well over a hundred and fifty pages, with notes. The text handled is in Psalm 42. “Why art thou cast down, O my soul?”
Here is a quotation from page 155 — “David regarded no iniquity in his heart, but hated every evil way, Ps lxvi,18; the desires of his soul were that it might be so directed that he might keep God’s law, Ps. cxix,5. And if there had been no binding law yet there was such a sweet sympathy and agreement betwixt his soul and God’s truth, that he delighted in it above all natural sweetness; hence it is that John saith, ‘He that is born of God cannot sin,’ 1 John iii,9; that is, so far forth as he is born of God his new nature will not suffer him; he cannot lie, he cannot deceive, he cannot be earthly-minded, he cannot but love and delight in the persons and things that are good. There is not only a light in the understanding, but a new life in the will, and all other faculties of a godly man; what good his knowledge discovereth, that his will makes choice of, and his heart loveth; what ill his understanding discovers, that his will hateth, and abstains from. But in a man not thoroughly converted, the will and affections are bent otherwise; he loves not the good he doth, nor hates the evil he does not.”
And from page 214, let us quote the following key-passage: “For the better strengthening of our trust, it is not sufficient that we trust in God and His truth revealed, but we must do it by light and strength from Him . . . Supernatural truths must have a supernatural power to apprehend them . . .”
But we must conclude these recommendatory references. There is an excellent index — an index of thoughts, the reader will observe, not of mere words.
And now, a few lines from these stanzas of Francis Quarles.
“On the Work of My Learned Friend Doctor Sibbes.”
“Let me stand still then, O may that Spirit
Which led thine hand, direct mine eye, my breast,
That I may read and do, and so inherit
(What thou enjoy’st and taught’st) eternal rest!
D. A. Macf.
Apples of Gold Series of Booklets Nos. 1-4. Zoar Publications. 30p each.
Four small Puritan booklets have recently been republished by Zoar Publications in a series called “Apples of Gold.” Although most attractively produced they are overpriced at 30p each, especially the shortest, “Honey out of Rock,” which has only 16 pages. The longest, “It is Well” has just 47 pages. A very interesting biographical note is appended to each booklet. The subject matter of each booklet is quite different, but all contain exceptionally choice material.
The first booklet, “Mason’s Sayings” is a “collection of sayings both devout and practical classified under useful headings,” e.g. the Bible, God, the Fear of God, Sinners, etc. Here is an assortment of proverbs which in a striking way bear home Scriptural truth in a lively way. The following are just two examples listed under the heading, “The Bible—the Word of God.” These show the exceptional nature and spiritual quality of this work.
“Take the candle of God’s Word and search the corners of your heart.”
“As Christ came out of the Father’s bosom, so the promises come out of Christ’s side.”
As one would expect there is no theme or development except what the headings indicate. Mason was a 17th century dissenting minister.
The second booklet, “Everlasting Mercy” consists of two sermons by Thomas Adams, once Vicar at Wingrave in the early 17th century. The first sermon, “Majesty in Misery” is taken from Matthew 27:51, 52, while the second expounds “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever.” Heb. 13:8. There is no doubt that both sermons are masterpieces of spiritual insight into the Bible. There is that characteristic Puritan detail of headings and subheadings, though alleviated by a simple, clear, logical style. An application of the teaching enunciated is appropriately applied to the reader as various points are raised. In the first sermon, for example, after dealing with the rending of the veil in the Temple, the first of four miracles dealt with in this text, Adams suitably and forcefully applies his teaching in no less than four ways.
The longest booklet, “It is Well,” is by John Hill, once an Independent minister in London between 1735-46. The title of the booklet is taken from 2 Kings 4:26. This is the reply given by the Shunamite woman to Gehazi who asked, “Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child?”
The booklet is directed to the Christian believer who is confronted with trying and perplexing providences as the Shunamite woman was with the death of her son. Hill directs attention to the woman’s faith, submission and consequent blessedness. It is therefore eminently suitable for the sick, the bereaved or those who are afflicted in any way in either temporal or spiritual matters. The opening paragraph gives a beautiful sample of the message.
“To be sure it is well; we think so when all things go according to our wish, when there is nothing in providence that crosses our desires, that thwarts our designs, that sinks our hopes or awakens our fears: submission is easy work then. But to have all things seemingly against us, to have God smiting in the tenderest part, unravelling all our schemes, contradicting our desires and standing aloof from our very prayers: how do our souls behave then?”
The shortest of this series is a tract entitled, “Honey out of the Rock” by Thomas Willcox, a 17th century Particular Baptist. The aim of this work is to strip the sinner of any false hope and set before him Christ the alone Saviour. Thus Willcox states with typical Puritan quaintness, “Whatsoever is of nature’s spinning must be all unravelled before the righteousness of Christ can be put on.” This also indicates the searching nature of the booklet. Then, too, there is a very comforting aspect of this work for those who are cast down because of sin and unbelief. Here the fulness and freeness of the gospel is set forth.
“Despairing sinner! You look on your right hand and on your left saying, ‘Who will show us any good?’ You are tumbling over all your duties and professions to patch up a righteousness to serve you. Look to Christ now: Look to Him to be saved and be saved all the ends of the earth,” etc.
As indicated in the biographical sketch this tract was richly blessed in the past.
E.R.