We must therefore have a care in this case that we discredit not those heavenly commons, -= but we must find our strength increased. If before we could be able to beat down one sin, we must now be able to beat down three. Jonathan in the first of Samuel, when Saul was in the pursuit of his enemies, charging that they should taste no food till they had gotten the victory, hereupon saith he, ' My father hath troubled the people, because he hath forbidden them to eat, whereby their strength faileth,' 1 Sam. xiv. 19. So when God cometh to feed us, let us find strength, let us see, are not our eyes enlightened as were Jonathan's, being cleared after he had tasted a little honey ? Have we not better hearts than before ? Shall we not make a greater slaughter of our enemies than before ? If we find this, what a hand shall we get over our enemies ? Let us therefore eat, and so eat, that we labour to go * foi-ty days in the strength of this meat,' 1 Kings xix. 8, until we come to the full and final possession of Horeb, the mount of God ; and so shall the Lord take delight to refresh us. We shall get new hearts, new courage, and we shall more and more tread down Satan under our feet ; and, as the apostle speaketh, ' The God of peace shall at length tread him finally under our feet,' Rom. xvi. 20; when we shall have the blessed fruition of our dear Saviour, and the eternity of those unspeak- able joys, to reign with him for ever. Which God grant, and that for Chi-ist Jesus' sake ! Amen.
* That is, ' meals.'— G.
JUDGMENT'S REASON.
JUDGMENT'S REASON.
NOTE.
The 'Two Sermons' from 1 Cor. xi. 30, 31, also appeared originally in the folio vohimo entitled ' The Saint's Cordials,' in tlio first — 1G29— edition of which they form Nos. 3 and 4. Their separate title-page tlierein is given below.* In the editions of the ' Saint's Cordials' of 1G37 and 1G58, they form Nos. 5 and 6, under a different title, which will also ho found below.f Our text, as explained in note to ' Right Receiving,' follows the edition of 1629. Those of 1637 and 1658^ are designated by the letters B and C respectively in the ' various readings' appended to each page. ' Readings' peculiar to C are noted by numerals 1, 2, &c. G.
«IVDGEMENTS
REASON. In Two Sermons.
WHEREIN THAT GREAT QVESTION
IS DECIDED, AND THE AFFLICTED
SATISFIED ;
Why God sends so many crosses and troubles in this life ; both upon his best Servants ; and those who are not yet brought into the way of life.
[The woodcut of ' Right Receiving' here.]
Vprightness Hath Boldnes.
Hebb. 12. 10.
For, they verely for a feio dayes, chastened us after their own pleasure : but hee for
our profit, thot we might be partakers of his Holinesse,
LONDON,
Printed in the yeare 1629.
t The Art of Self-Ivdging.
Delivered
In A Preparatory Sermon
To The Sacrament :
At Coleman-street Church in London.
By R. Sibbs D.D. Master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge and preacher of Grayes Inne London.
The second Edition. [Same woodcut as in 1629.]
Esay 57. 15. For thus saith the high and lofty One, that inhabetith Eternity, whose Name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy Place: with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to re- vive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
London,
Printed for R. Dawlman, at the brazen Serpent in Pauls Churchyard. 1637.
X The edition of 1658 is marked ' The Third edition,' and ' Printed for Henry Cripps at his shop in Popes head Alley. 1658.' It spells ' self' and ' street' with final ' e,' and substitutes a different woodcut. Cf. title-pages subjoined to note to ' Right Receiving. — G.
JUDGMENT'S REASON.
SERMON I.
For this came many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should nothe judged,' dc. — 1 Cor. XI. 30, 31.
I NiTEND at this time especially to stand upon the duty of judging, as being fittest for the occasion.* But yet, by God's assistance, we f will take the words X in order, because I desire to speak somewhat of the other which follow.
* For this cause many are sick,' &c. After the holy apostle, the seeds- man of God, had sown the seed of heavenly doctrine, Satan also by his instruments had sown his cockle of abuses among the Corinthians, of which, amongst many, this was one, to come irreverently to the holy communion. Whereupon God was forced to take them into his own hands ; and lest they should be ignorant of the cause, the blessed apostle points them here, as it were with the finger, to the cause of the visitation among them, § for their irreverent and unprepared coming to the Lord's table, ' For this cause,' &c. In the words we will speak of,
1. The cause of the correction among them.
2. And then of the kinds of it : ' Many are sick, and weak, and sleep.'
3. And then of the care, if it had been used, that might have prevented those contagious sicknesses among them : ' If we would judge oui'selves, we should not be judged.'