174 IZAAK WALTON AND HIS FRIENDS 



RICHARD SIBBES 



(1577-1635). 



"They that turn many to righteousness shall shine as 

 the stars for ever and ever." 



He appears to have been born in Suffolk, and 

 was educated at St John's College, Cambridge. 

 He was "■ converted " by the preaching of Paul 

 Bayne, a Puritan writer of note. He was made 

 preacher at Gray's Inn, and, in 1626, Master of 

 St Catharine's College, Cambridge (then Catharine 

 Hall), which greatly flourished under his rule. 

 His best known books are Tlie Bruised Reed, 

 The Soul's Conflict, and The Returning Backslider. 

 The first book is said to have converted Eichard 

 Baxter. When at Cambridge Sibbes preached 

 often at St Mary's Church and appears to have had 

 great influence in the pulpit, his hearers, it is said, 

 with probable truth, including Milton. Walton in 

 his will specifically bequeathed copies of the two 

 first-mentioned books, desiring the legatees to read 

 them so as to be well acquainted with them. In 

 Walton's copy of the last-mentioned book he wrote 

 his famous couplet : — 



" Of this blest man let this just praise be given. 

 Heaven was in him before he was in Heaven," 



This book is, with two other books by Sibbes, in 

 the Cathedral Library at Salisbury. Sibbes died at 



