Post by Eli Brayley on Jul 14, 2008 9:12:45 GMT -7
This is a precious book for anyone who has been bruised; when God is revealing to your heart the deep roots of your sin nature and you feel far away from the Lord. Contemporaries of Sibbes called him "the Heavenly Doctor Sibbes" and "the sweet dropper" because of his sensitive and pastoral care, like a good doctor. Yes, this truly is a wonderful book full of comfort.
"We need bruising so that reeds may know themselves to be reeds, and not oaks. Even reeds need bruising, by reason of the remainder of pride in our nature, and to let us see that we live by mercy."
"Christ's way is first to wound, then to heal. No sound, whole soul shall ever enter into heaven. Think when in temptation, Christ was tempted for me; according to my trials will be my graces and comforts. If Christ be so merciful as not to break me, I will not break myself by despair, nor yield myself over to the roaring lion, Satan, to break me in pieces."
"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. And when God's hand is upon us in any way, it is good to divert our sorrow for other things to the root of all, which is sin. Let our grief run most in that channel, that as sin bred grief, so grief may consume sin."
