Richard Sibbes
Richard Sibbes was an influential English Puritan theologian and preacher, born around 1577 in Tostock, Suffolk. He grew up in a family of modest means and pursued his education at notable institutions, including St. John's College, Cambridge, where he became deeply engaged in theological study and preaching. Sibbes was ordained in 1607 and gained recognition for his eloquent sermons, especially during his time at Holy Trinity Church in Cambridge and later at Gray's Inn in London, where his popularity necessitated the enlargement of the auditorium.
Known as "the heavenly doctor," Sibbes's sermons were published extensively during and after his lifetime, with works such as *The Bruised Reed* and *The Soul's Conflict with Itself* becoming notable contributions to practical theology. Despite pressures to conform to liturgical practices, he maintained his Puritan convictions while remaining loyal to the Church of England. Sibbes never married and continued to influence the Puritan movement through his writings and oratory. His works have retained significance for contemporary Christians seeking inspiration, emphasizing his enduring legacy in the realm of religious thought.
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Richard Sibbes
Writer
- Born: c. 1577
- Birthplace: Probably Tostock, Suffolk, England
- Died: July 5, 1635
Biography
Richard Sibbes was born around 1577, probably in Tostock, Suffolk, England, the son of wheelwright Paul Sibbes. The family later moved to Thurston, near Bury St. Edmunds. Sibbes was sent to Richard Brigs’s school in Pakenham and then to the King Edward VI Free School in Bury St. Edmunds, where his love of learning overrode his father’s urgent desire to set him up in trade. Instead, Sibbes matriculated at St. John’s College, Cambridge, in 1595, supported by a sub-sizarship (scholarship, by which the college provided funds in return for services) and handouts from friends. He obtained his B.A. in 1599, became a fellow in 1601, and received his M.A. in 1602. He was converted to Puritanism by the preaching of Paul Baynes in 1603 and was ordained deacon and priest in Norwich in 1607. He became one of the college preachers in 1609 and received his bachelor of divinity degree in 1610.
From 1611 to 1616, Sibbes preached at Holy Trinity Church, Cambridge, proving very popular. In the meantime, he was elected senior dean of St. John’s, but in 1617 he was summoned to London to preach at Gray’s Inn, where he proved so popular that the auditorium had to be enlarged. From 1618, his sermons were printed annually, and reprinting kept the custom going long after he was dead, until 1664. Some thirty volumes were issued during his lifetime, and many more thereafter. He became known as “the heavenly doctor” and must have been a very skillful orator.
In 1626 Sibbes became master of Katharine Hall, Cambridge, and was granted the vicarage of Holy Trinity Church in 1633. He never married. He wrote numerous introductions to works by his Puritan colleagues, but his own works were all produced initially as oral addresses. Two that he took particular care in preparing for publication became extremely popular after his death and have remained important inspirational works of practical theology ever since. The Bruised Reed and Smoking Flax, first printed in 1630—and still in print today—is a set of sermons based on Jesus’ citation of Isaiah in Matthew 12:20. A broader account of The Soul’s Conflict with Itself and Victory over Itself by Faith was in preparation when he fell ill; he put the final touches to the preface on July 1, 1635, and died four days later.
Sibbes’s refusal to wear vestments, despite considerable pressure from Archbishop William Laud, became a significant exemplar for the dissenting Puritans who came after him, although he remained steadfastly loyal to the Church of England. His works remained important—exactly as he would have wished—to the practicing Christians to whom they were addressed. The works are maintained in print by and for that audience rather than an academic one.