A12177:104
The Christians end. Or, The sweet sovereignty of Christ, over his members in life…The Christians end. Or, The sweet soveraignty of Christ, over his members in life…
The Christians end. Or, The sweet sovereignty of Christ, over his members in life and death Wherein is contained the whole scope of the godly mans life, with divers rules, motives and encouragements, to live and die to Jesus Christ. Being the substance of five sermons preached to the honourable society of Gray's Inn, by that learned and faithful minister of Gods Word, Richard Sibbes, D.D. and sometimes preacher to that honourable society.The Christians end. Or, The sweet soveraignty of Christ, over his members in life and death VVherein is contained the whole scope of the godly mans life, with divers rules, motives and incouragements, to live and die to Iesus Christ. Being the substance of five sermons preached to the honorable society of Grayes Inne, by that learned and faithfull minister of Gods Word, Richard Sibbes, D.D. and sometimes preacher to that honorable societie.
London: printed by Thomas Harper and Eliot's Court Press for Lawrence Chapman, 1639
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
That we may be directed to pitch upon a right end. We may know by the principles of nature.1 A man is not for himself, and from the order that God hath placed him in: all things below are for him, but he is for something above himself: he is not of himself, and therefore not to himself. God only is of himself, by himself, and to himself. Every thing under God is of God, and by God, and therefore to God. As Saint Augustine saith,2 Thou hast made us for thee, and our hearts rest not till we come to thee. As the Rivers never r•st till they discharge themselves into the Ocean.
That we may be directed to pitch upon a right end. VVe may know by the principles of nature.1 A man is not for himself, and from the order that God hath placed him in: all things below are for him, but he is for somthing above himself: he is not of himselfe, and therfore not to himselfe. God onely is of himself, by himself, and to himselfe. Every thing under God is of God, and by God, and therfore to God. As Saint Augustine saith,2 Thou hast made us for thee, and our hearts rest not till wee come to thee. As the Rivers never r•st till they discharge themselves into the Ocean.
- 1A man is neither for, or to himself.A man is neither for, or to himselfe.
- 2The heart is not quiet till it resteth in God its Centre.
And being not his own end, it is his wisdom and understanding to look principally, to that which is his last and best, and main end which is GOD and Union, and Communion with God in Christ, who is God in our nature; God-man, the best of all, and therefore it is fit he should be the last. He communicateth all good to them, that be his, and preserveth all the good he communicateth. He is for ever