A12190:502
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.
Answ. 1Especially from this, that they are now in the Covenant of grace, rooted in Christ who is God-man, in whom they are firmly rooted. In Adam we had a root of our own, but now our root is in Christ. All grace is first poured into Christs blessed Nature, and then at a second hand, Out of his fullness we all receive grace for grace. Being rooted in Christ we become firm, for there is in him an everlasting marriage and union.2 The Root beareth us, we bear not the Root: Christ beareth us, we bear not him. So now in the covenant of grace, all the firmness is out of us. Even as salvation it self was wrought out of us by a Mediator; so it is kept by a Mediator out of us: all goodness, grace, and favour of God to us is not in us but in Christ, but it is so out of us as Christ and we are one. But now we only speak of the cause of our firmness and stability, that because we are in the state of grace, we have an everlasting firmness as we are in Christ Jesus. God now making a second covenant, he will not have it disannulled as the first was,3 for his second works are better then his first. His first Covenant was, Do this and live, but his second is,4 Believe this and live: So as howsoever our state in grace be but little, yet it is of a blessed growing spreading firm nature, so sure, as what is begun in grace, will end in glory, where God gives the first fruits, he will give tenths, yea the full harvest, and all. Because by the covenant of grace, we ⟨p. 229⟩are one with Christ, who is an everlasting Head that never dyes. Sub-servant to this now we have promises in the covenant of grace, That we shall never depart from him, and that he vvill never depart from us to do us good, he puts an awband into our hearts, that we shall never depart from him: but this Point being often touched, leaving it, we vvill come to answer some objections.
Answ. 1