NOTES.
(a) P. 6. — ' Ked, well-coloured earth.' The allusion is to the name of Adam, or man — mj^, red, ruddy — and to his derivation, as recorded in Gen. ii. 7.
(b) P. 26. — ' In the Hebrew language ordinarily wise government is called judg- ment.' This holds of various Hebrew terras. In tJie passage explained (Isa. xlii. 1), the term rendered judgment, is J^S^Di which is equivalent to nili^) ^^"'•
T ; • T
(c) p. 28. — 2 Cor. x. 4, 5. Sibbes's translation of this somewhat difficult passage may be profitably compared with Alford, Stanley, Hodge, and others, in loc. It is surprising how many of these unpretending and almost incidental renderings anticipate the results of the highest scholarship of our time. He may not be — who is ? — invariably accurate critically, but he rarely fails in his insight into the ' mind of the Spirit.' G.
THE BRUISED REED AND SMOKING FLAX.
I
VOL. I.
NOTE.
The editions of the ' Bruised Reed and Smoking Flax ' knoTvn to the editor are, with the letters used to designate those collated for the present publication, as follows : —
(a) The Brvised Reede, and Smoaking Flax. Some Sermons contracted out of the 12. of Matth. 20. At the desire, and for the good of weaker Christians. By R. Sibbes, D.D. Zach. 4, 10, Who hath despised the day of small things ?
London, Printed for R. Dawlman, dwelling at the signe of the Brazen Serpent in Paul's Church-yard. 1630. 18mo. A.
This is the first edition.
{b) ' The second Edition, enlarged.' 1G31. 18mo. B.
(c) 3d edition 1631. 18mo.
{d) 4th „ 1632. ISmo.
(e) 5th „ 'corrected,' 1635. ISmo. E
(f) 6th „ 1638. 18mo.
{g) 6th „ [so designated] ' corrected, and divided into chapters.' 1658. 18mo. G.
The text of our reprint is E, as having been the last issued during the lifetime of Sibbes. The ' corrections' and ' enlargements' of B, and the original readings of A, are noted. These will shew the watchful pains which Sibbes took in the matter even of style. It also deepens the regret that so many of his writings labour under the disadvantage of posthumous publication.
The division ' into chapters,' which we probably owe to the celebrated John Goodwin, who also prefixed an admirable ' Epistle' to another of Sibbes's volumes (Exposition of Philippians, c. iii., &c., &c., 4to, 1639), it has been deemed advisable to retain. It is the form in which all subsequent editions have appeared.
The ' various readings,' are given as foot-notes.
O
I
TO THE EIGHT HONOURABLE
SIE HOKATIO VEEE, KNIGHT,
LORD VERE OF TILBURY, AND GENERAL OF THE ENGLISH FORCES
UNDER THE HIGH AND MIGHTY LORDS
THE STATES GENERAL OF THE UNITED PROVINCES IN THE NETHERLANDS : *
AND TO HIS PIOUS CONSORT,
THE LADY MAEY VEEE,t
increase of grace, etc.
Right Honourable,
Soldiers that carry their lives in their hands had need, above all others, to carry grace in their hearts, that so having made peace with God, they may be fit to encounter with men ; and having by faith in Christ dis- armed death before they die, they may sacrifice their life with the more
* Sir Horatio Vere was the youngest son of Geffrey de Vera, Esq., who again was son of John Vere, 15th Earl of Oxford. He was born at Kirkby Hall, Essex, in 1565. As the titles of the present ' Epistle Dedicatory ' shew, he was a military commander of note, only second to his illustrious brother Sir Francis. Keturning from a campaign in Bohemia, 'in 1622-3, the king (James I.), according to Camden, ' received him so graciously and thankfully, that forgetting himself, he stood bare to him.' On the accession of Charles I., in 1625, he was, in consideration of his eminent services, raised to the peerage, by the title of Lord Vere, Baron Tilbury. He was the first peer created by Charles. He died, May 2. 1635, only three months before Sibbes himself. Besides the tribute of the author of the ' Bruised Keed.' to the worth of Sir Horatio, Fuller has burnished his name as of one renowned for piety, meekness, and valour. A volume of poems, now rarely to be met with, was published on his death. It is entitled, ' Elegies, celebrating the happy memory of Horatio Vere.' (London, 1642, 8vo.) For full ' Memoirs ' of him, consult the Extinct Peerage books. G,
t Lady Mary Vere. — Anderson in his ' Memorable omen of the Puritan Times,' (2 vols., 1862, just issued,) has given a singularly interesting, and on the whole, accurate account of this remarkable Lady. (See vol. i. pp. 31-85.) It was to her the Parliament entrusted the care of the children of Charles I. She died on the 25th of December 1671, in the ninety-fijst year of her age. Gurnall preached her funeral sermon. G.
86 EPISTLE DEDICATORY.
courage and comfort, which to neglect, being a matter of eternity, is not valour, but desperate madness, because in this business, as in oversights of "war, there is no place for a second repentance, the first error being un- recoverable. In evils above the strength of man to prevail against* and his patience to endure, there God hath planted the affection of fear, which might stir us up to avoid the danger by flying to him in Christ, who being our friend, it is no matter who is our enemy : we may be killed, but cannot be hurt ; so safe it is to be under his command that hath command over death, hell, judgment, and all that we most fear. Yet such is our nature, that by familiarity with danger, we grow by degrees insensibly to be hard- ened against it, and to look no further than death, as if to die were only to give up the ghost, and then an end of all. And hereupon it is, that they that follow the wars are generally taken to be men not most religious ; the more respect those of that profession deserve, that have learned upon what terms to live and die, that are sure of a better life before they leave this, that have laid up their life in Christ ; amongst whom, Right Honourable, the world hath a long time taken notice of you, in whom both religion and military employment, meekness of spirit with height of courage, humility with honour, by a rare and happy combination have met together. Whereby you have much vindicated your profession from common imputation, and shewed that piety can enter into tents, and follow after camps, and that God hath his Joshuas and his Corneliuses in all ages. But I wiU not use many words of yourself to yourself, because though you have done much that may and will be spoken, yet you love not to hear or speak of what you have done.