A friend recommended this to me, and I have enjoyed starting to read it.. (I've not got very far, but intend to continue!)
The 2 things that have spoken to me so far, are:
Christ most mercifully inclines to the weakest. He puts an instinct into the weakest things to rely upon something stronger than themselves for support. The vine stays itself upon the elm, and the weakest creatures often have the strongest shelters. The consciousness of the church's weakness makes her willing to lean on her beloved, and to hide herself under his wing.
... If we have this for a foundation truth, that there is more mercy in Christ than sin in us, there can be no danger in thorough dealing. It is better to go bruised to heaven than sound to hell. Therefore let us not take off ourselves too soon, nor pull off the plaster before the cure be wrought, but keep ourselves under this work till sin be the sourest, and Christ the sweetest, of all things.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
"Therefore let us not take off ourselves too soon, nor pull off the plaster before the cure be wrought, but keep ourselves under this work till sin be the sourest, and Christ the sweetest, of all things."
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love the above excerpt. It speaks to me on many levels, but I guess Sibbes seems almost to be recommending that we embrace the full consequence of sin (which is despair) so we can then fully appreciate, know and experience Christ's substitutionary atonement :)
we have this in book form if you want to borrow it when we've unpacked our books!?
ReplyDeleteAnother good read is 'you can change - God's transforming power for our sinful behavioour and negative emotions' You can get it from amazon just over a fiver :-)