| Title | : | The Soul's Conflict |
|---|---|---|
| Author | : | Richard Sibbes & Two Sparrows |
| Release | : | 2014-05-08 |
| Kind | : | ebook |
| Genre | : | Religion & Spirituality, Books, Christianity |
| Size | : | 1192263 |
| There be two sorts of people always in the visible church, one that Satan keeps under with false peace, whose life is nothing but a diversion to present contentments, and a running away from God and their own hearts, which they know can speak no good unto them; these speak peace to themselves, but God speaks none. Such have nothing to do with this Scripture, Ps. 42:11; the way for these men to enjoy comfort, is to be soundly troubled. True peace arises from knowing the worst first, and then our freedom from it. It is a miserable peace that riseth from ignorance of evil. The angel “troubled the waters,” John 5:4, and then it cured those that stepped in. It is Christ’s manner to trouble our souls first, and then to come with healing in his wings. (From the Preface) • To The Christian Reader • On The Work of My Learned Friend Doctor Sibbes • The Soul’s Conflict with Itself • General Observations upon the Text • Of Discouragements from without • Of Discouragements from within • Of casting down ourselves, and specially by sorrow — evils thereof • Remedies of casting down: to cite the soul, and press it to give an account • Other observations of the same nature • Difference between good men and others in conflicts with sin • Of unfitting dejection, and when it is excessive. And what is the right temper of the soul herein • Of the soul’s disquiets, God’s dealings, and power to contain ourselves in order • Means not to be overcharged with sorrow • Signs of victory over ourselves, and of a subdued spirit • Of original righteousness, natural corruption, Satan’s joining with it, and our duty thereupon • Of imagination, sin of it, and remedies for it • Of help by others. Of true comforters and their graces. Method. Ill success • Of flying to God in disquiets of souls; eight observations out of the text • Of trust in God; grounds of it; especially his providence • Of graces to be exercised in respect of Divine Providence • Other grounds of trusting in God, namely, the Promises, and twelve directions about the same • Faith to be prized, and other things undervalued, at least not to be trusted to as the chief • Of the method of trusting in God; and the trial of that trust • Of quieting the spirit in troubles for sin; and objections answered • Of sorrow for sin, and hatred for sin, when right and sufficient. Helps thereto • Other spiritual causes of the soul’s trouble discovered and removed; and objections answered • Of outward troubles disquieting the spirit, and comforts in them • Of the defects of gifts, disquieting the soul; as also the afflictions of the church • Of divine reasons in a believer. Of his minding to praise God, more than to be delivered • In our worst condition we have cause to praise God; still ample cause in these days • Divers qualities of the praise due to God, with helps therein; and notes of God’s hearing our prayers • Of God’s manifold salvation for his people, and why open, or expressed in the countenance • Of God, our God, and of particular application • Means of proving and evidencing to our souls that God is our God • Of improving our evidences for comfort in several passages of our lives • Of experience and faith, and how to wait on God comfortably. Helps thereto • Of confirming this trust in God: seek it of God himself. Sins hinder not: nor Satan. Conclusion and Soliloquy Richard Sibbes was an Anglican theologian. He is known as a Biblical exegete, and as a representative, with William Perkins and John Preston, of what has been called "main-line" Puritanism because he ever remained in the Church of England and worshiped according to the Book of Common Prayer. |
