'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — November 18

These words express the glorious power of the Spirit in a mature Christian, and serve as our pattern. 'I have learned', said Paul. This is very significant. It is not the learning of education, but of holiness. All the degrees in this world cannot teach it. Paul did not learn it at Gamaliel's feet, but from Christ, and through much affliction. Nature never teaches it. It is learned with many stripes in the school of Christ. God carries his children through this world through a variety of conditions. Sometimes we lack, and at other times we abound. This allows our graces to be tested. We will find that God's love is stable, certain, and constant in a variety of conditions. God does not change, and his love is constant however our lives might change. We must learn not to quarrel with God's government. Let God do as he pleases as he brings us to heaven. It is no matter what the way is like, or how rugged it is, as long as he brings us there. God's grace is able to carry his children above all conditions. A man of grace is not overly dejected with abasement or overly lifted up in abundance, but carries himself in a uniform manner. He is able to abound or lack without yielding to the temptations of those estates. He can abound without pride and lack without impatience. God is his portion. If a ray of light is taken away, he still has the sun. In the poorest estate, God is his still. He can lack and abound without murmuring and without dejection of spirit. Those that are not brought up in Christ's school are not able to do this. If they abound, they are proud, and if they are cast down, they murmur, fret and are dejected, as if there were no providence to rule the world. This is the excellency of a Christian; he has learned to abound and lack without being trapped by their snares.

Devotional Readings taken from Puritan Devotional Readings 'Voices From The Past Vol.1.'
Richard Sibbes, Works, V:177-180
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