(m) P. 332. — ' Augustine answers, that they shall not rise,' &c. Cf. as in note o.
(n) P. 332. — ' St Jerome upon that place (Mat. xxii. 8) affirms,' &c. Cf. note/.
(o) P. 333. — ' Augustine answers,' &c. Cf. index-references of Augustine under Eph. iv. 13 ; also Chr\sostom and Jerome. The point comes up repeatedly in these and in all the Fathers.
(p) P. 333.—' Again, Tcrtullian differs,' &c. Cf. note a. G.
SIBBES'S LAST TWO SERMONS ; FROM CHRIST'S LAST SERMON,
HONORATISSIMO DOMINO,
DOMINO EOBEETO COMITI WAEWICENSI,*
HAS MELLITISSIMI THEOLOGI ElCHAEDI SlBBS, S. ThEOL. DocTOEIS,
(qtjem peechaetjm haeuit, cujusque concionantis auditor beat assiduus
UNA CUM NOBILISSEMA FAinLIA),
CYGNEAS CONCIONES,
IN PIENTISSIMI AUTHOEIS AFFECTUS, NECNON IPSORUM SINGULAEIS OBSEQUn
iivrjfLoavvov.
D.D.D.
Thomas Goodwin, f Philippus Nye. J
* Eobert Earl of "Warwick, is a historic name in himself, and from his relations to the illustrious house of Sidney. See all the Peerage books.
t That is, Dr Thomas Goodwin, who discharged the office of editor to many of the Puritans besides Sibbes, e.ff., Burroughes, Thomas Hooker. Consult Dr Hal- ley's ' Memoir,' prefixed to vol. ii. of works in this series.
X One of the most venerable worthies of Puritanism. Born in 1596, he died in 1672. See ' The Nonconformists' Memorial,' vol. i, 96-7. Q.
LAST TWO SERMONS.
Note.
For the circumstances under -whicli these ' Two Sermons ' were delivered, consult our Memoir, c. xi. ult. Our test is taken from the 4th edition. Its title-page is given helow.* Three editions preceded, as follows : —
(a) 1st, 1686. 4to. Pp. 69.
(b) 2d, 1636. 4to. Pp. 65. [The ' Prayer' first added to this ed.]
(c) 3d, 1637. 4to. Pp. 103.
(d) 4th, 1638. 18mo., as helow.— G.
* Title-page —
TWO
SERMONS
Vpon the first words of
Christs last Sermon,
lOHN 14. 1.
Being also the last Sermons of
ElCHAED SiBBS D.D.
Preached to the honourahle socie- ty of Grayes Inne, lune 21. and 28. 1635.
Who the next Lords day follow- ing, dyed, and rested from aU his labours.
2 Sam. 23. 1. These are the last words of the sweet singer of Israel.
The fourth Edition. LONDON, Printed by Thomas Harper, for Law- rence Chapman, and are to be sold at his shop at Chancery lane end, in Holborne, 1638.
THE AUTHOE'S PEAYER BEFOEE HIS SEEMON.
Gracious and holy Father ! which hast sanctified this day for thy own service and worship, and for the farthering of us in the way of salvation ; and hast made a most gracious promise, that when ' two or three be gathered toge- ther in thy name, thou wilt be there in the midst of them :'* vouchsafe, then, we beseech thee, the performance of this thy promise unto us, now gathered together in thy name, to pray unto thee, to hear and speak thy holy and blessed word, and so sanctify our hearts by thy Holy Spirit at this time, that we may perform these holy services as shall be most to thy glory and our own comfort. Unworthy we are in ourselves to appear in thy most holy presence, both by reason of the sins of our nature, and the sins of our lives, even since that time that we have had some laiowledge of thy blessed truth ; which holy truth we have not entertained nor professed as we should have done, but oftentimes against the light that thou hast kindled in our heai'ts by thy Word and Spirit, we have committed many sins ; and, amongst the rest, we confess our sins against thy holy ordinance ; our not preparing our hearts unto it, nor profiting by it as we should and might have done ; giving thy Majesty hereby just cause to curse thy own holy ordinance unto us. But thou art a gracious and mercifal Father unto us in Jesus Christ, in the abundance of thy love and mercy. In him we come unto thee, beseeching thee, for his sake, not to give us up to these inward and spiritual judgments ; but vouchsafe us a true insight into our own estates, without deceiving of our own souls, and fi'om thence, true humilia- tion. And then we beseech thee to speak peace unto us in thy Clu'ist, and say to our souls by thy Holy Spirit, that thou art our salvation. And for clearer evidence that we are in thy favour, let us find the blessed work of thy Holy Spirit opening our understandings, clearing our judgments, kind- ling our affections, discovering our corruptions, framing us every way to be such as thou mayest take pleasure and delight in. And because thou hast ordained thy holy word ' to be a light unto our feet, and a guide and direc- tion to all our ways and paths, 'f and to be a powerful means to bring us more and more out of the thraldom of sin and Satan, to the blessed liberty of thy children, we beseech thee, therefore, to bless thy word to these and all other good ends and pm-poses for which thou hast ordained it. And grant, we beseech thee, that now at this time out of it we may learn thy holy will ; and then labour to frame our hves thereafter, as may be most to thy glory and our own comfort, and that for Jesus Christ his sake, thine only Son, and our blessed Saviour. Amen.|