A12190:1049
The returning backslider, or, A commentary upon the whole XIIII. chapter of the prophecy…The returning backslider, or, A commentarie upon the whole XIIII. chapter of the prophecy…
The returning backslider, or, A commentary upon the whole XIIII. chapter of the prophecy of the prophet Hosea Wherein is showed the large extent of Gods free mercy, even unto the most miserable forlorn and wretched sinners that may be, upon their humiliation and repentance. Preached by that learned and judicious divine, Dr. Sibbs, late preacher to the honourable society of Gray's Inn, and master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge. Published by his own permission before his death.The returning backslider, or, A commentarie upon the whole XIIII. chapter of the prophecy of the prophet Hosea Wherein is shewed the large extent of Gods free mercy, even unto the most miserable forlorne and wretched sinners that may be, upon their humiliation and repentance. Preached by that learned and judicious divine, Dr. Sibbs, late preacher to the honourable society of Grayes Inne, and master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge. Published by his owne permission before his death.
London: printed by George for George Edwards, 1639
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Then again he is gone to the Father to clothe us with a sweet relation, to make the Father our Father. For he saith, John 12.17. I go to my Father and to your Father; So that he is not ashamed to call us Brethren, by virtue of this we may go to God and call him Father, and when we die we may without presumption say; Father into thy hands I commend my spirit, for the Father loves us as he loved Christ, with one and the same love, though in a far different degree. What a comfort is this, that when we die, we go to our Father that is better then any earthly Father; Therefore it should joy us when the time of our departure comes: We see old Jacob when he saw the Chariots come out of Egypt, how his heart leaped because he should go to see his Son Joseph: So when death is sent to transport us to Christ, to Heaven, had we a strong faith we should be exceeding glad.
Then againe he is gone to the Father to cloath us with a sweet relation, to make the Father our Father. For he saith, Iohn 12.17. I goe to my Father and to your Father; So that he is not ashamed to call us Brethren, by vertue of this wee may goe to God and call him Father, and when wee die wee may without presumption say; Father into thy hands I commend my spirit, for the Father loves us as hee loved Christ, with one and the same love, though in a farre different degree. What a comfort is this, that when we die, we goe to our Father that is better then any earthly Father; Therfore it should joy us when the time of our departure comes: We see old Iacob when he saw the Chariots come out of Aegypt, how his heart leaped because he should go to see his Sonne Ioseph: So when death is sent to transport us to Christ, to Heaven, had we a strong faith we should be exceeding glad.
And let us learn here the art of faith from Christ, I go to the Father, saith he, there was a great deal of time yet to pass, no less then forty days after his Resurrection before he went to the Father, yet he saith, I go to the Father, to show that faith presents things future as present; Faith sees Heaven as present, and the day of judgement as present, and doth affect the soul as if they were now existent. If we had a Spirit of faith it would thus present things far off as nigh at hand. Therefore when we meet with any thing that may make our way to Heaven seem long or