Works (Vol 1) - Sibbes - XXII - Church's visitation Sermons II & III

Required reading
The Works Volume 1 by Richard Sibbes (Available from Amazon or free here) - Continue the discourse entitled 'The church's visitation' by reading sermons II and III.

My summary
Today we continue the treatise on 1 Peter 4:17-19.

Like last week, the text for Chapter II is 'For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?' (1 Peter 4:17).  We observe:
(i) the seeming prosperity of the wicked shall have an end;
(ii) that it is wisdom to consider the end of graceless persons;
(iii) the description of them - they are such as obey not the gospel.

Then in Chapter III Sibbes moves onto the next verse: 'And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?' (1 Peter 4:18).  We see that:
(i) the righteous shall be saved;
(ii) the righteous shall scarcely be saved - the way to come to salvation is full of difficulties.

What grabbed me
Good to be reminded that it is immensely difficult to be a Christian.

Just one of the reasons Sibbes gave us: 'Besides, it is a hard matter in regard of Satan ; for he is a great enemy to the peace of God's children. When they are once pulled out of his kingdom, he sends floods of reproaches and persecutions after them, and presently sends hue and cry, as Pharaoh after the Israelites. Oh, how it spites him ! What ! shall a piece of dust and clay be so near God, when I am tumbled out of heaven myself! Though I cannot hinder him from salvation, I will hinder his peace and joy; he shall not have heaven upon earth. I will make him walk as uncomfortably as I can. Thus the devil, as he is a malignant creature, full of envy against God's poor saints, so he is a bitter enemy of the peace and comfort which they enjoy ; and therefore troubles them with many temptations from himself and his instruments, to interrupt their peace, and make the hearts of God's people sad all he can. '

If Satan can't experience peace, he certainly won't let God's people experience peace!

Next week's reading
Continue the discourse entitled 'The church's visitation' by reading sermons IV and V.

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.