The Works Volume 4 by Richard Sibbes (Available from Amazon or free here) - Begin 'A Christian's portion' by reading up to the paragraph commencing 'Use 1. Now to make some use of this point, 'all things are ours.'.
Today we begin Volume 4 of Sibbes' works and open the book with a reading from 'A Christian's portion' (also known as the 'Christian's charter').
After reading a commendation of the work by J. B. (probably Jeremiah Burroughs), Sibbes takes as his text, 'Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours; Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's' (1 Corinthians 3:21-23).
Firstly Sibbes observes that all people belong to Christians, just as Paul, Apollos and Cephas belonged to the Corinthian church.
Secondly he notes that all things belong to Christians, including:
(i) the world (natural, civil and ecclesiastical);
(ii) life;
(iii) death.
Thirdly Sibbes teaches us that all events belong to Christians, which include:
(i) the present;
(ii) the future.
Just one sample: 'The life in heaven begins at death. Death is the birthday of that life of immortality, and that is the life which can only truly be called life. When Christ came by dying to purchase life, it was not this sorry life on earth, but the life in the world to come, that life of immortal glory ; and death's day is the birthday of this life. And for our bodies, they are but refined by death, and fitted, as vessels cast into the fire, to be moulded, to be most glorious vessels after. '
For the Christian, death is the birthday of the beginning of a wonderful life. Not something to be feared.
Next week's reading
Conclude 'A Christian's portion'.
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
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