A12184:296
An exposition of the third chapter of the Epistle of St. Paul to the…
An exposition of the third chapter of the Epistle of St. Paul to the Philippians also two sermons of Christian watchfulness. The first upon Luke 12 37. The second upon Revel. 16.15. An exposition of part of the second chapter of the Epistle to the Philip. A sermon upon Mal. 4. 2.3. By the late reverend divine Richard Sibbes, D.D. master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher at Gray's-Inn.An exposition of the third chapter of the Epistle of St. Paul to the Philippians also two sermons of Christian watchfulnesse. The first upon Luke 12 37. The second upon Revel. 16.15. An exposition of part of the second chapter of the Epistle to the Philipp. A sermon upon Mal. 4. 2.3. By the late reverend divine Richard Sibbes, D.D. master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher at Grayes-Inne.
London: printed by T. Cotes and John Dawson for Peter Cole, 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.
But there are other sufferings, that we and Christ suffer jointly, he as our head suffering with us his members; for as if the foot be grieved, the head is grieved, so the Christians sufferings are called Christs sufferings: and a Christian must look to suffer, if he be a lively member of the body of Christ. Yet is not every suffering of affliction Christs suffering, for a man may suffer justly for his deserts, notwithstanding even then when a man suffers for his faults, after repentance Christ may be said to suffer with him: and therefore the Fathers called the death of the repentant Thief, a martyrdom. For in all our sufferings Christ is in us, teaching and helping us to bear them with patience, and as a sanctifier of all of them to a blessed end, and as one that frames us to bear all of them, even as he himself did.
But there are other sufferings, that wee and Christ suffer joyntly, he as our head suffering with us his members; for as if the foot be grieved, the head is grieved, so the Christians sufferings are called Christs sufferings: and a Christian must looke to suffer, if he be a lively member of the body of Christ. Yet is not every suffering of affliction Christs suffering, for a man may suffer justly for his deserts, notwithstanding even then when a man suffers for his faults, after repentance Christ may bee said to suffer with him: and therefore the Fathers called the death of the repentant Thiefe, a martyrdome. For in all our sufferings Christ is in us, teaching and helping us to beare them with patience, and as a sanctifier of all of them to a blessed end, and as one that frames us to beare all of them, even as he himselfe did.
1This ought to teach us to conceive aright of the estate of a Christian, that he is not alone when he seems to be alone: Christ leaves them not in misery, no for in misery he is most near and present. It is therefore a good estate (though misery in it self be not desirable) for Christ desired to die, and not to die; and so we in several respects may do: for if we regard ⟨p. 113⟩death as a destroyer of nature, so is it not to be desired, but considering it as the will of God my father, so are we to desire it, and yield our selves to it: and accordingly we desire not afflictions for their proper natural good, yet in regard they are a means to prepare and fit us for heaven, we say with David its good for us to be afflicted.