This and the next book are obtainable from the Free Presbyterian Bookroom.
The Love of Christ, by Richard Sibbes, published by the Banner of Truth Trust in their Puritan Paperback series, 376 pages, £6.50.
The contents of this book have been taken unabridged from volume 2 of Sibbes’ Works. It consists of a series of 20 sermons on the Song of Solomon 4:16-6:3. For Sibbes, the Song of Solomon “is nothing else but a plain demonstration and setting forth of the love of Christ to His Church, and of the love of the Church to Christ”. As such, as Michael Reeves puts it in the Foreword to this book, “it gets to the very heart of the gospel as he [Sibbes] understood it. Christianity, he believed, was essentially a love story in which Christ the bridegroom, comes to win the bride, the Church.”
Richard Sibbes (1577-1635) is perhaps not quite so well known today as some of his fellow Puritans but, in his own day, he was highly influential and much appreciated. He was called the “heavenly doctor” because of the tender way he dealt with the troubled and downcast among the Lord’s people. Many examples of this could be given from the book but we confine ourselves to one.
In answer to the question: “How shall we know that Christ is present in us?” Sibbes replies: “To know this, we need not pull Him from heaven. We may know it in the Word and sacraments, and in the communion of saints; for these are the conveyances whereby He manifests Himself, together with the work of His gracious Spirit in us; for, as we do not need to take the sun from heaven to know whether or not it be up, or be day, which may be known by the light, heat and fruitfulness of the creature; and as in the spring we need not look to the heaven to see whether the sun be come near us or not, for looking on the earth we may see all green, fresh, lively, strong, and vigorous; so it is with the presence of Christ. We may know He is present by that light which is in the soul, convincing us of better courses to be taken, of a spiritual life, to know heavenly things, and the difference of them from earthly, and to set a price upon them.
“When there is, together with light, a heat above nature, the affections are kindled to love the best things, and to joy in them – and when together with heat, there is strength and vigour to carry us to spiritual duties, framing us to a holy communion with God, and one with another; and likewise when there is every way cheerfulness and largeness of spirit, as it is with the creatures when the sun approacheth. For these causes the Church desires Christ, that she may have more light, life, heat, vigour, strength, and that she may be more cheerful and fruitful in duties. The soul, when it is once made spiritual, doth still desire a further and further presence of Christ, to be made better and better” (p 30).
Sibbes is not always the easiest of the Puritans to read and one has to proceed slowly, carefully and prayerfully through those sermons to appreciate the profound points which he makes, but the reviewer has no doubt that such an approach will be amply rewarded.
(Rev) W Weale
Christian Marriage, by D M Lloyd-Jones, published by the Banner of Truth Trust, paperback, 196 pages, £7.00.
These 11 sermons on marriage have already been published in the author’s Life in the Spirit, in his series on Ephesians. They deal with the principles, blessings and difficulties of this God-given ordinance in a helpful way, on the basis of Scripture and common sense. They also handle, at length, the relationship between Christ and His Church, on which Paul’s teaching about marriage is based. The book would prove useful reading for a young couple.
Just two points of dissent. First, contrary to Lloyd-Jones’ comment (p 39) much may be appropriately said to an unconverted couple at a marriage service. And, in line with the Westminster Confession, one could point to scriptural authority for divorce in the case of wilful desertion.
Trophies of Grace, Four Remarkable Conversions, published by the Roundwood Trust, booklet, 24 pages, obtainable free from Mr Stephen Sharpe, Arisaig, Crowborough Hill, Crowborough, TN6 2EA; tel: 01892 655222; e-mail: sjsharpe@live.co.uk.
This attractive booklet contains four well-known stories of conversion: of Muckle Kate, Luke Heywood, the Highland Kitchenmaid and Yeddie. There is a Preface by Pastor Paul Relf, Chatham, and the booklet also includes two further pieces: one is a letter to a seeking soul by Robert Murray M’Cheyne and the other an extract from Grace to Glory by Rev Murdoch Campbell.
Conversion is a vital matter for everyone; “except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3). Those who have read these stories in the past should find it refreshing to read them again. And those who have not should make a point of obtaining the booklet. It is also excellent for distributing to those who are not as interested in the Christian religion as they should be. Although the booklet is free, a donation would be appreciated.
(Rev) D A Ross