A heathen man can say this text, set ' brethren ' aside ; a heathen man could tell you. Transit (jloria mundi (d), and ' The fashion of things pass away.' He sees them, and thereupon could infer the negative part. There- fore we should not be worldly. By the light of nature, a man that hath no religion may be sound in that, and therefore not to care much for earthly things, considering that we must be gone.
A heathen man could speak very sweetly this way, as Plutarch, and Seneca, and the rest. What fine speeches had they this way. Oh, but the positive part, that is, when we see all things here are vain and fading, to know what we must cleave to, that is proper to religion, to know Christ, and the good we have by Chxist. When we have him we have all. He is the food of our souls. These things are proper to religion. And therefore let us arise from the consideration of the vanity of all things to the positive part, to interest ourselves in that that is better than all things. Which if we have, we have all ; and then we shall make a right use of this. * lu the margin here, • Application to the sacrament.' — G.
THE SPIRITUAL MAN S AIM.
NOTES.
(rt) r. Gl. — ' T]i(^ro is a (liininisliiiif,' in tlio word "show."' Tlio ' diminntion ' is lliat spoken of at tlui Lci^inuiiig of iho |iara<,'rapli ; tlial it is not said the world, but only eyr^iia, the fashion, or show of the world.
(h) P. 51. — 'Deceives and turns us aside.' The verl) is rruDayu . . . nra^ayn ya^ TO eyjiiia rw k6<jim\j tovtov. Cf. Ps. x.Kxix. 4-6. 1 John ii. 17, and Rev. x\-i. 1. fliavo not met wiili flic altrniativo translation oflfcred ; therefore cannot say wlio tlie ' some ' are, inlc'iided by Sihhes.
(c) P. 52. — ' All is but acting a part.' The whole of this passage recalls the famous ' All the world's a stage,' of tin; greatest of Sibbes's contemporaries (cf. As you like it, II. 7). It is interesting to noti(^o tho.sc not unfrequcnt tacit references to Shake- speare and Bacon found in Sibbes.
[d) P. 57. — ' Transit gloria mundi.' This saying ' Sic transit gloria mundi,' forms the beginning of a sequence of the Romish Church ; and is used at the inauguration of the popes. Cardinal Wiseman, in his ' Recollections,' lias described the accom- panying ceremony with much pictorial beauty and efiect. G.
THE RIGHT RECEIYING.
THE RIGHT RECEIVING.
NOTE.
This sermon of ' Riglit Receiving,' from 1 Corinthians xi. 2b, 29, forms No. 19 of the first edition of a folio vohimc, entitled 'The Saint's Cordials.' 1 lie seiiarateiitle-page is given below. * Tliis sermon was exclnded from tlio subseiiucat, editions of IC37 and lGo8, Probably the original edition of the ' Cordials ' waa sui«v;(>tit<ously puljlished from ' imperfect notes ;' but it seems to have been revised by the author, with the result shewn in the various readings of the after editions, many of which in other of the sermons are large and important, and all interesting as shewing Sibbes' care. ' Right Receiving' was, no doubt, along with others, withlicld from the editions of 1G37 and 1G58 because of the looseness and unsatisfactorinesa of the report of it. Of tlio ' Cordials,' more tlian of any other of his works, Sibbes' migi.t well make the com- plaint in his ' Ki)istlo ' to the ' Bruised Reed,' Cf. Notem loc. As ' Right Receiving ' is the iirst contribution from the ' Conlials ' to the works of Sibbes in our edition, I subjoin the full title page of the volume in its three editions, which will facilitate after references. t J ?• Throughout, in re])rinting ' The Saint's Cordials,' I take for text the edition published during Sibbes' own life— 1629 — adding the ' various readings ' of 1G37 and 1GG8. — G.j
-•'-TnE Right Receiving. In One Sermon. Which shews, wherein unworthy receiv- ing consists. What it is to eate Judgement to ones selfc. The properties wherein we are to examine our selves. Divers sacramentall actions in receiving. The examination of the Heart and Affections. And what is to be done tur triall of our estates in the matter of Sanctilicatiou, &c. [A wood-cut here of a ' burning candle ' in an old fashioned ' candlestick,' with the motto, ' Praslucendo Pereo. ] Vpright- nes Hath Eoldnes. John G. 5-4, 55. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternall life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. London, Printed in the yeare 1G29,
t The Saints Cordials. As they were delivered in svndry Sermons upon speciall Occasions, in the Citie of London, and else-where. Published for the Churches good. [Woodcut as in *.] Vprightnes Hath Boldnes. Isa. 40. 1, 2. Comfort yee, comfort yee my people, saith our God : Speake yee comfortably to Hierusa^.sm, and cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquitie is pardoned ; for shee hath received of the Lords hand double for all her sins. London, Printed for Robert Dawlman dwelling at the Brazen-Serpent in Pauls Church-yard. [No date, but the separate Sermons within the Volume are dated 1G29.]