Labour to Be Established

Earlier this year, I shared with you my hearty recommendation for what I believe to be one of the most pastorally helpful books out there—Richard Sibbes’ The Bruised Reed. This morning, I was thinking about his book and was lead to this quote. In the future, I think I will share more quotes from Sibbes as I believe him to be a good physician of the soul. May God grant us some shaking and settling as we work out our salvation with fear and trembling.

“Notwithstanding, when we cast into times and places wherein doubts are raised about main points, here people ought to labour to be established. God suffereth questions oftentimes to arise for trial of our love and exercise of our parts. Nothing is so certain as that which is certain after doubts. Nil tam certum quam quod ex dubio certum. Shaking settles and roots. In a contentious age, it is a witty thing to be a Christian, and to know what to pitch their souls upon; it is an office of love here to take away the stones, and to smooth the way to heaven. Therefore, we must take heed that, under pretence of avoidance of disputes, we do not suffer an adverse party to get ground upon the truth; for thus we may easily betray both the truth of God and souls of men.”

- Richard Sibbes, The Bruised Reed, 54.