"These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so."

Acts 17:11

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Richard Sibbes Quotes (1577-1635 AD)

Richard Sibbes, (Sibbs or Sibs,) 1577-1635 A.D., Anglican or English Puritan, "Preacher to the Honourable Society of Grayes-Inne, and Master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge."

Richard Sibbes, from "The Returning Backslider":

"Walking is an action of life, there must be life before there can be walking, a man must first have a spiritual life, whereby he may be just, and then hee will walke as a just man. For as wee say of a bowle (it is Austins comparison) it is first made round and then it runnes round, so a man is first just and then he does justly. It is a conceite of the Papists that good works doe justifie a man: Luther sayes well, that a good man doth good works. Good works make not the man, fruit makes not the tree, but the tree the fruit. So we are just first; and then we walke as just men. We must labour to be changed and to have a principle of spirituall life, then we shall walke and have new feete, eyes, taste, eares, and senses: all shall then be new." – Richard Sibbes

Source: "The Returning Backslider" by Richard Sibbes (1639 Edition, Sermon XVI, page 461) - Free EBook.

"The use hereof is first against those, that complaine of their troubles and miseries, as though God and men had dealt hardly with them, whereas their owne waies indeed have brought al these evills upon them, God is a sufficient wise and holy disposer and orderer of all the wayes of men; and rewarder of good and evill doings; God being wise and just in his disposing of all things, it must needs follow, that it shall goe well with those that are good; as the Prophet speaks; Say unto the just, that it shall be well with them; for the reward of their workes shall be given them. And if it fall out otherwaies than well with men, the blame must be laid on their owne sinne. As the Church confesseth, and therefore resolveth: I will beare the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned againsth him; untill hee plead my cause, and execute judgment for mee: hee will bring mee forth in the light; and I shall see his righteousness. [Micah 7:9). If Adam sinne hee shall find a hell in a paradice; if Paul returne and returne, to God hee shall finde a heaven in a dungeon." – Richard Sibbes

Source: "The Returning Backslider" by Richard Sibbes (1639 Edition, Sermon I, page 13) - Free EBook.

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Richard Sibbes, from "The Bruised Reed":

"Suffering brings discouragements, because of our impatience. 'Alas!' We lament, 'I shall never get through such a trial.' But if God brings us into the trial he will be with us in the trial and at length bring us out, more refined. We shall lose nothing but dross (Zechariah 13:9). From our own strength we cannot bear the least trouble, but by the Spirit's assistance we can bear the greatest." – Richard Sibbes

Source: "The Bruised Reed" by Richard Sibbes.

"Those who are given to quarrelling with themselves always lack comfort, and through their infirmities they are prone to feed on such bitter things as will most nourish that disease which troubles them ... We must not judge of ourselves always according to present feeling ... We must beware of false reasoning, such as: because our fire does not blaze out as others, therefore we have no fire at all. By false conclusions we may come to sin against the commandment in bearing false witness against ourselves. The prodigal would not say he was no son, but that he was not worthy to be called a son (Luke 15:19). We must neither trust to false evidences, nor deny true; for so we should dishonour the work of God's Spirit in us, and lose the help of that evidence which would cherish our love to Christ, and arm us against Satan's discouragements. Some are as faulty in this way as if they had been hired by Satan, the accuser of brethren' (Rev. 12:10), to plead for him in accusing themselves!" – Richard Sibbes

Source: "The Bruised Reed" by Richard Sibbes.