Tag: Richard Sibbes

The Soul’s Conflict and Victory Over Itself by Faith by Richard Sibbes: Sibbes Gets a Lot out of Psalm 42:11

DETAILS:
Publisher: Monergism Books
Publication Date: July 1, 2022
Format: Paperback
Length: 230 pg.
Read Date: September 4-18, 2022

What’s The Soul’s Conflict… About?

This is a treatise on:

Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted
within me? hope thou in God; for I shall yet praise him, who is
the health of my countenance, and my God.—PSALM 42:11.

Sibbes has two types of believers in mind for this—those who are at peace with the world, who enjoy comfort, and those who are constantly troubled. He seeks to disquiet the former and help the latter to find peace.

He spends a chapter giving an overview of the psalm before diving into the discussion. Following it, the book is pretty cleanly divided into two parts—The Soul’s Conflict and The Soul’s Victory Over Itself. It was pretty easy, despite the lack of a Table of Contents saying “Part II,” to tell when Sibbes switched to the Victory side.

Both of these sections are typical of the Puritan era—squeezing every last drop of water out of the rock that was the topic. There is some exegesis, and a little interpretation of the passage, but it can feel like Sibbes was given an assignment for a listicle—here are 12 reasons your soul can be cast down.

So, what did I think about The Soul’s Conflict…?

Faith is an understanding grace; it knows whom it trusts, and for what, and upon what grounds it trusts. Reason of itself cannot find what we should believe, yet when God hath discovered the same, faith tells us there is great reason to believe it. Faith useth reason, though not as a ground, yet as a sanctified instrument to find out God’s grounds, that it may rely upon them. He believes best, that knows best why he should believe. Confidence, and love, and other affections of the soul, though they have no reason grafted in them, yet thus far they are reasonable, as that they are in a wise man raised up, guided, and laid down with reason; or else men were neither to be blamed nor praised for ordering their affections aright; whereas not only civil virtue, but grace itself is especially conversant in ruling the affections by sanctified reason.

I got to the point, I admit, that I had a hard time getting through the first part of the book, and wondered how long it was going to go on. I know that Sibbes actually could’ve—should’ve—gone on longer to be truly exhaustive about the ways we deceive ourselves, find ways to rebel, and so on. I acknowledge I might be one of the ones he targeted as “too comfortable,” who really needed to study and meditate on those parts before going on to the encouraging section.

Or maybe I’m a victim of 21st Century abbreviated attention-span. Or both. But it did go on so long that it felt like he was just stretching things to make word count (I know that’s not true—he didn’t have one). I had a similar reaction in the last couple of chapters of the Victory section, but it took a little longer for that to happen.

I know I’m coming across as negative here, I don’t mean to be. I liked this, just not as much as I expected to. I go into a Sibbes book expecting a 5 Star experience. If I don’t get it, I probably complain too much. Both sides were insightful and helpful—I think I profited more from the last section, a lot of it was great, and some of the better material I’ve read from Sibbes. I certainly think I’d have a different reaction at another time—and I am going to return to this in a couple of years. Both to understand it better and to see how I react.

In the meantime, for a great example of Puritan spirituality, of a spiritual doctor diagnosing and treating his patients (read: readers), you can’t do better than Sibbes (even if he gets tedious). It’s truly rewarding.

3.5 Stars

The Glorious Feast of the Gospel by Richard Sibbes: An Entirely Okay Collection of Sermons

By HCNewton

On November 7, 2021

In Non-Fiction, Theology/Christian Living

The Glorious Feast of the Gospel

by Richard Sibbes

Paperback, 166 pg.
The Banner of Truth Trust, 2021

Read: October 31, 2021
Grab a copy from your local indie bookstore!

What’s The Glorious Feast of the Gospel About?

The subtitle to this when originally published was “or Christ’s Gracious Invitation and Royal Entertainment of Believers,” it’s a series of nine sermons on Isaiah 25:6-9.

Banner of Truth reprinted the original title page, which does a better job of summarizing the book than I could. It states that among other things, “these Comfortable doctrines” are addressed in the book:

1. The Marriage Feast between Christ and his Church.
2. The vaile of Ignorance and Vnbeliefe removed.
3. Christ’s Conquest over death.
4. The wiping away of teares from the faces of Gods people.
5. The taking away of their Reproaches.
6. The precious Promises of God, and their certaine performance.
7. The Divine Authority of the Holy Scriptures.
8. The Duty and comfort of waiting upon God.

So, what did I think about The Glorious Feast of the Gospel?

I was genuinely excited when I saw that the Banner would be publishing a new Sibbes book, but it didn’t live up to my hopes. I’m going to go with the assumption that this wasn’t the right time for me to read this book. I just didn’t connect with it—I’m not saying it was bad, it just left me with a feeling of “meh.”

Sermons 5, 6, and 9 did grab me—proving that I’m not totally dead inside. Sermon 5, in particular, on the comforts of the Gospel as seen through “And all tears shall be wiped away from all faces” (v. 8), made the experience of the book worthwhile.

Once upon a time, Richard Sibbes was my “go-to” Puritan, so I do find it surprising when I don’t connect that well with a book by him. So, my assumption is that when I read this again in 2023-5, my reaction will be different. But for today, this was an okay book, but not a must-read.

3 Stars

This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase from it, I will get a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, opinions are my own.

Opening Lines: The Bruised Reed by Richard Sibbes

By HCNewton

On October 10, 2021

In News/Misc., Non-Fiction, Opening Lines, Theology/Christian Living

We all know we’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover (yet, publishing companies spend big bucks on cover design/art). But, the opening sentence(s)/paragraph(s) are fair game. So, when I stumble on a good opening (or remember one and pull it off the shelves), I’ll throw it up here. Dare you not to read the rest of the book.

from The Bruised Reed by Richard Sibbes:

The prophet Isaiah, being lifted up and carried with the wing of a prophetical spirit, passes over all the time between him and the appearing of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Seeing with the eye of prophecy, and with the eye of faith, Christ as present, he presents him, in the name of God, to the spiritual eye of others, in these words: `Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth’ (Isa. 42:1 3). These words are alleged by Matthew as fulfilled now in Christ (Matt. 12:18 20). In them are propounded, first, the calling of Christ to his office; secondly, the manner in which he carries it out.

CHRIST’S CALLING

God calls him here his servant. Christ was God’s servant in the greatest piece of service that ever was, a chosen and a choice servant who did and suffered all by commission from the Father. In this we may see the sweet love of God to us, in that he counts the work of our salvation by Christ his greatest service, and in that he will put his only beloved Son to that service. He might well prefix it with `Behold’ to raise up our thoughts to the highest pitch of attention and admiration. In time of temptation, apprehensive consciences look so much to the present trouble they are in that they need to be roused up to behold him in whom they may find rest for their distressed souls. In temptations it is safest to behold nothing but Christ the true brazen serpent, the true `Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world’, (John 1:29). This saving object has a special influence of comfort to the soul, especially if we look not only on Christ, but upon the Father’s authority and love in him. For in all that Christ did and suffered as Mediator, we must see God in him reconciling the world unto himself (2 Cor. 5:19).

What a support to our faith is this, that God the Father, the party offended by our sins, is so well pleased with the work of redemption! And what a comfort is this, that, seeing God’s love rests on Christ, as well pleased in him, we may gather that he is as well pleased with us, if we be in Christ! For his love rests in a whole Christ, in Christ mystical, as well as Christ natural, because he loves him and us with one love. Let us, therefore, embrace Christ, and in him God’s love, and build our faith safely on such a Saviour that is furnished with so high a commission.

See here, for our comfort, a sweet agreement of all three persons: the Father gives a commission to Christ; the Spirit furnishes and sanctifies to it, and Christ himself executes the office of a Mediator. Our redemption is founded upon the joint agreement of all three persons of the Trinity.

A recent bit of shopping led me to flipping through a few Sibbes books on my shelf—there’s something about his language (especially those first two sentences) that no one today could (should) get away with, but feels entirely appropriate from him.

Also, both his language and subject make me want to keep on reading (and I’ve read it at least 4 times). Your results may vary, but this is catnip to me.

Quick Takes: Grace Defined & Defended by Kevin DeYoung, Josiah’s Reformation by Richard Sibbes, The Future of Everything by William Boekestein

By HCNewton

On October 13, 2019

In Theology/Christian Living

One or two of these didn’t end up being as “quick” as I’d intended, but I still don’t think of them as full-fledged posts, I think I’d need another 3-6 paragraphs each before I’d think of them as done. Oh well, what’s important (to me) is that they’re done and I can move on to the next books under consideration.
—

Grace Defined and Defended: What a 400-Year-Old Confession Teaches Us about Sin, Salvation, and the Sovereignty of God

by Kevin DeYoung

Hardcover, 95 pg.
Crossway, 2019

Read: May 5, 2019

Read the Official Synopsis here.

At their very heart, the Canons of Dort are about the nature of grace—supernatural, unilateral, sovereign, effecting, redeeming, resurrecting grace, with all of its angularity all of its offense to human pride, and all of its comfort for the weary soul. That’s what Dort wanted to settle. That’s what they were jealous to protect. Some words are worth the most careful definitions, just as some truths are too precious not to defend.

This is the second book about the Canons of Dort I’ve read in this 400th Anniversary year, and it’s (not surprisingly) a handy little book.

DeYoung starts off with an introduction sketching the theological and historical context for the Canons of Dort, and explains why we should care about them today. It’s called “In Praise of Precision” and sets the tone for the whole book (the above paragraph is from it).

Then he moves into an examination of each Main Point of Doctrine (what most translations call “Heads of Doctrine”), one chapter for every Point. DeYoung covers them concisely, but thoroughly (well, as thoroughly as you can while being concise). It’s polemical as it has to be, but no further. Honestly, DeYoung saves his most pointed words for those who (on paper, anyway) agree with the Canons, but don’t share the spirit of them.

I’d prefer something deeper, but that’s never what you’re going to get from a DeYoung book, I know it. So that’s not something I hold against it. Really, my only complaint is that there’s no conclusion. The book screams for one, if nothing else, just a couple of pages tying the Points back to the introduction. But other than that, I don’t think I have a bad thing to say about it.

It’s succinct, accessible, full of DeYoung’s typical charm and focused on the precision those assembled at Dort. It’s an entry point to the Canons of Dort, but there are more in-depth studies that readers should pursue (e.g., this)—but this will get you started in the right direction. I should add that it’d be a decent enough examination of them if you’re not curious enough to read more (but you totally should).
3 Stars

Josiah’s Reformation

by Richard Sibbes

Kindle Edition, 176 pg.
Banner of Truth Trust, 2011

Read: May 19-26, 2019

Read the Official Synopsis here.

For the longest time, Richard Sibbes has been my go-to Puritan. His writing taps right into my heart. The doctrine is strong, the application wise, but throughout it all he’s convicting and assuring (in the best way). This collection, sadly, just missed for me.

This is a collection of four sermons from 2 Chronicles describing the work of Josiah. It’s a call to sincerity in the faith, of killing hypocrisy within, of the change that the preaching of free grace can make in the heart which spills into our lives. First and foremost, the goal isn’t the benefits of Christ and desiring them, but to desire Him, to love Him—which will protect from hypocrisy and surface holiness by driving us to something deeper and truer. He then preaches about the art of self-humbling and mourning for our sin. The final sermon focuses on the true desire of the renewed heart—being gathered to Christ. Who doesn’t need to hear/read this message?

It was probably me coming to it when I did, and nothing off in Sibbes’ work. I can’t point to a problem with the book, I just never connected with it. I can see the encouragement, the comfort, the urging to pursue holiness—it’s all on-target, Biblical and well-written. But it left me feeling disappointed. Again, it’s probably really good, and in a couple of years when I try it again, I won’t understand my reaction.
3 Stars

The Future of Everything: Essential Truths about the End Times

by William Boekestein

Paperback, 135 pg.
Reformation Heritage Books, 2019

Read: April 7, 2019

Read the Official Synopsis here.

This is a great primer on Eschatology—it covers all the major points, develops them pretty well and shows how one can continue in the study of them as well as how they connect to the other points of the study of the End without losing sight of the rest of life and doctrine.

After setting the stage with a discussion of what Eschatology entails and how we can best understand prophecy, Boekestein moves on to Personal Eschatology—the death that awaits everyone (barring Christ’s return) and then what happens between that death and The End.

Then he moves on to General Eschatology (the End for everyone as a whole), with chapters on Christ’s Return, the meaning of the millennium, the general Resurrection, final Judgement, Hell and the New Heavens and Earth.

The last two chapters involve applying Eschatology to the New Covenant and Missions. How are we to act, think, and live in light of the coming End? These are things that are too often ignored when it comes to the study of Eschatology and it’s wonderful when they’re focused on.

One thing I really appreciated about this was that with the majority (possibly all, but I didn’t take notes on it) of the references to the Psalms that he made, Boekestein quoted/footnoted the Trinity Psalter Hymnal that the URCNA and OPC published last year. It’s a great way to get those metrical versions of the Psalms into your head, and hopefully into your heart (and vice versa).

One other thought I had while reading this is that there’s no need for my pastor to write a book on Eschatology. From his frequently cited sources, his perspectives, and even some of his phrasing, this could easily have had my pastor’s name on it. This doesn’t help any of you, but it is something I couldn’t stop thinking about.

I do wish his coverage of Postmillennialism was a bit more nuanced (and positive). I’m not a card-carrying post-mill anymore, but I still know the position isn’t quite as deficient and problematic as he makes it out to be.

This would a great introduction to Reformed eschatology—I want to stress the Reformed part, because the tradition is rich in its eschatological vision. Not in a focus on the end of the world, the timing of it, and how that’ll look, etc., etc. But how everything since the Ascension has been moving toward this point under the Kingship of Jesus Christ. It’s an assuring book, a helpful book, a great starting point (or refresher) for anyone studying Eschatology. Particularly for those who have no interest in starting such a confusing and volatile subject.
4 Stars