A12190:489
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.
1Now as Gods children are Lilies, and then grow as Lilies for sweetness, glory and beauty: so they are like Lilies especially, in regard of sudden growth. When God gives a blessing there is a strange growth on a sudden, as it is observed of this plant that it grows very much in a night; So Gods children, when his ⟨p. 221⟩blessing is upon them, they thrive marvellously in a short space. To make this clear,2 when the dew of grace fell in our Saviours time upon the Christian world, what a world of Lilies grew suddenly. Three thousand in one day, at one Sermon, converted by Peter: The Kingdom of Heaven suffered violence in John Baptists time, that is, the people thronged after the means of grace, and offered a holy violence to the things of God. So when this dew of grace fell, it was prophesied of it,3 The youth of thy womb (saith he) shall be as the morning dew. The Dew comes out of the womb of the morning, for the morning begets it. Thy youth shall be as the dew of the morning; that is, they shall come in great abundance, as we see it fell out in the first spring of the Gospel. In the space of forty years by the preaching of the Apostles what a deal of good was done through a great part of the world: How did the Gospel then break out like lightning by means of that blessed Apostle Paul, who himself carried it through a great part of the world.
1Now as Gods children are Lillies, and then grow as Lillies for sweetnesse, glory and beauty: so they are like Lillies especially, in regard of suddaine growth. When God gives a blessing there is a strange growth on a suddaine, as it is observed of this plant that it growes very much in a night; So Gods children, when his ⟨p. 221⟩blessing is upon them, they thrive marvellously in a short space. To make this cleere,2 when the dew of grace fell in our Saviours time upon the Christian world, what a world of Lillies grew suddenly. Three thousand in one day, at one Sermon, converted by Peter: The Kingdome of Heaven suffered violence in Iohn Baptists time, that is, the people thronged after the meanes of grace, and offered a holy violence to the things of God. So when this dew of grace fell, it was prophecied of it,