A Puritan at Heart

None are fitter for comfort than those that think themselves furtherest off. Men, for the most part, are not lost enough in their own feeling for a Saviour. A holy despair in ourselves is the ground of true hope. In God the fatherless find mercy (Hos. 14:3); if men were more fatherless, they should feel more God’s fatherly affection from heaven, for the God who dwells in the highest heavens dwells likewise in the lowest soul (Isa. 57:15). Christ’s sheep are weak sheep, and lacking in something or other; he therefore applies himself to the necessities of every sheep. He seeks that which was lost, and brings again that which was driven out of the way, and binds up that which was broken, and strengthens the weak (Ezek 34:16). His tenderest care is over the weakest. The lambs he carries in his bosom (Isa. 40:11). He says to Peter, ‘Feed my lambs’ (John 21:15). He was most familar and open to troubled souls. How careful he was that Peter and the rest of the apostles should not be too much dejected after his resurrection! ‘Go your way, tell his disciples and Peter’ (Mark 16:7). Christ knew that guilt of their unkindness in leaving him had dejected their spirits. How gently did he endure the unbelief of Thomas and stooped so far unto his weakness, as to suffer him to thrus his hand into his side. [Richard Sibbes]

A Christian is an impregnable person. He is a person that never can be conquered. Emmanuel became man to make the church and every Christian to be one with him. Christ’s nature is out of danger of all that is hurtful. The sun shall not shine, the wind shall not blow, to the church’s hurt. For the church’s Head ruleth over all things and hath all things in subjection. Therefore let all the enemies consult together, this king and that power, there is a counsel in heaven which will disturb and dash all their counsels. Emmanuel in heaven laugheth them to scorn. And as Luther said, “Shall we weep and cry when God laugheth?” [Richard Sibbes]

The Spirit … witnesses … by … whatsoever of Christ’s is applied to us by the Spirit. But, besides witnessing with these witnesses, the Spirit hath a distinct witness by way of enlarging the soul; which is joy in the apprehension of God’s fatherly love.… The Spirit doth not always witness … by force of argument from sanctification, but sometimes immediately by way of presence; as the sight of a friend comforts without help of discourse. [Richard Sibbes]

To clear this further concerning the nature of conscience know that God hath set up in a man a court, and there is in man all that are in a court.

• 1. There is a register to take notice of what we have done.… The conscience keeps diaries. It sets down everything. It is not forgotten, though we think it is … there is a register that writes it down. Conscience is the register.

• 2. And then there are witnesses. ‘The testimony of conscience.’ Conscience doth witness, this have I done, this I have not done.

• 3. There is an accuser with the witnesses. The conscience, it accuseth, or excuseth.

• 4. And then there is the judge. Conscience is the judge. There it doth judge, this is well done, this is ill done.

• 5. Then there is an executioner, and conscience is that too. Upon accusation and judgment, there is punishment. The first punishment is within a man alway before he come to hell. The punishment of conscience, it is a prejudice [i.e., a pre-judgement] of future judgment. There is a flash of hell presently [i.e., in the present] after an ill act.… If the understanding apprehend dolorous things, then the heart smites, as David’s ‘heart smote him.’ (2 Sam 24:5).… The heart smites with grief for the present, and fear for the time to come.

God hath set and planted in man this court of conscience, and it is God’s hall, as it were, where he keeps his first judgment … his assizes. And conscience doth all the parts. It registereth, it witnesseth, it accuseth, it judgeth, it executes, it doth all. [Richard Sibbes]

To clear this further concerning the nature of conscience know that God hath set up in a man a court, and there is in man all that are in a court.

• 1. There is a register to take notice of what we have done.… The conscience keeps diaries. It sets down everything. It is not forgotten, though we think it is … there is a register that writes it down. Conscience is the register.

• 2. And then there are witnesses. ‘The testimony of conscience.’ Conscience doth witness, this have I done, this I have not done.

• 3. There is an accuser with the witnesses. The conscience, it accuseth, or excuseth.

• 4. And then there is the judge. Conscience is the judge. There it doth judge, this is well done, this is ill done.

• 5. Then there is an executioner, and conscience is that too. Upon accusation and judgment, there is punishment. The first punishment is within a man alway before he come to hell. The punishment of conscience, it is a prejudice [i.e., a pre-judgement] of future judgment. There is a flash of hell presently [i.e., in the present] after an ill act.… If the understanding apprehend dolorous things, then the heart smites, as David’s ‘heart smote him.’ (2 Sam 24:5).… The heart smites with grief for the present, and fear for the time to come.

God hath set and planted in man this court of conscience, and it is God’s hall, as it were, where he keeps his first judgment … his assizes. And conscience doth all the parts. It registereth, it witnesseth, it accuseth, it judgeth, it executes, it doth all. [Richard Sibbes]

We are predestinated to be conformed to Christ. He is the first among many brethren (Rom 8:29) The chief brethren must be alike. Being predestined to salvation, it was fitting we should be conformed to our elder brother, that brethren might be of one nature and disposition. [Richard Sibbes]

Christ may act the part of an enemy a little while, as Joseph did, but it is to make way for acting his own part of mercy in a  more seasonable time. He cannot restrain his bowels of mercy long. He seems to wrestle with us, as with Jacob, but he supplies us with hidden strength to prevail at length. Faith pulls off the mask from his face and sees a loving heart under contrary appearances. At first he answered the woman of Canaan who was crying after him, not a word. Then he gave her a denial. After that he gave an answer tending to her reproach, calling her a dog, as being outside the Covenant. Yet she would not be so beaten off, for she considered the end of his coming. As his Father was never nearer him in strength to support him than when he was furthest off in sense of favour to comfort him, so Christ is never nearer us in power to uphold us than when he seems most to hide his presence from us. [Richard Sibbes]

Let us take care to be and to do as we should, and then for noise and report, let it be good or ill as God will send it… if we seek to be in the mouths of men, to dwell in the tank and speech of men, God will abhor us…Therefore let us labour to be good in secret. Christians should be as minerals, rich in the depth of the earth. [Richard Sibbes]

We should take heed with whom we join in league and amity. Before we plant our affections, consider the persons what they are; if we see any signs of grace, then it is good; but if not there will be a rent. Throughout our whole life this ought to be our rule; we should labour in all company either to do good or receive good; and where we can neither do nor receive good we should avoid such acquaintance. Let men therefore consider and take heed how they stand in combination with any wicked persons. [Richard Sibbes]

It is better for a bramble to be in the wilderness than in an orchard; for a weed to be abroad, than in a garden, where it is sure to be weeded out, as the other to be cut down. If a man will be unprofitable, let him be unprofitable out of the church. But to be so where he has the dew of grace falling on him, in the means of salvation, where are all God’s sweet favours…will God, the great Husbandman, endure this? Whatsoever is not for fruit, is for the fire. [Richard Sibbes]

The reason why the world sees not the happy condition of God’s children is because their bodies are subject to the same infirmities with the worst of men, nor are they exempted from troubles; they are also subject to fall into gross sins, and therefore worldly men think, “Are these the men that are happier than we?" They see their crosses but not their crowns; they see their infirmities but not their graces; they see their miseries but not their inward joy and peace of conscience in the Holy Ghost. [Richard Sibbes]

When once the Spirit fastens the wrath of God upon the conscience of one whom He means to save, then there follow those afflicting affections of grief and shame. From thence come a dislike and hatred of sin and a divorce between the soul and the beloved sin, so that whereas there was before a scepter of sin in the soul, now God begins to dispossess that strong man. Then follows a strong desire to be better, and a holy desperation, so far, as that if God in Christ be not merciful, then the soul says, "What shall become of me?" As the Spirit lets in some terrors, so likewise He gives us some hopes, such as, "What shall I do to be saved?" implying a resignation of the will to take any course, if only he may be saved, and then all the world for one drop of God’s mercy in Christ. [Richard Sibbes]

It is hard to discern the working of Satan from our own corruptions, because for the most part he goes secretly along with them; he is like a pirate at sea who fires upon us under our own colors. Like Judas to Christ, he comes as a friend, therefore it is hard to discern; but it is partly seen by the eagerness of our lusts, when they are sudden, strong and strange, so strange sometimes that even nature itself abhors them. The Spirit of God leads sweetly on, but the devil hurries a man like a tempest, as we see in Amnon for his sister Tamar. Again, when we resist the motions of God’s good Spirit, dislike His government, and give way to passion, then the devil enters. Let a man be unadvisedly angry, and the devil will make him envious and seek revenge; when passions are let loose they are chariots in which the devil rides; some by nature are prone to distrust and some to be too confident; now the devil joins with them and so draws them on further; he broods upon our corruptions; he sits as it were upon the souls of men, and there broods and hatches all sin. All the devils in hell cannot force us to sin. Satan works by suggestions, stirring up humors and fancies, but he cannot work upon the will; we betray ourselves by yielding before he can do us any harm; yet he ripens sin when cherished in the heart and brings it forth into actual transgression. [Richard Sibbes]