A12190:547
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.
2. Heat.
2. Heate.
For we know Moisture and Heat, 1these two are the causes of all kindly growth. If a tree have more moisture then heat, then it is waterish, if it have more heat then moisture, then there is no bigness in the fruit. So true it is, that moisture and heat are the causes of fruitfulness, in a good proportion. So Gods children having the Sun of Righteousness always shining upon them, and being always under the Dew of grace (the promise being, to ⟨p. 252⟩be as the Dew to Israel) having all Dew to fall upon them for moisture: and having the Sun of Righteousness to shine upon them to make them fruitful, their leaf never fails, they never give over bringing forth fruit: because they have in them causes perpetuating fruitfulness, though not alike. Because Christ by his Spirit is a voluntary, and not a natural cause of their fruitfulness. That is, he is such a cause as works sometimes more and sometimes less, to show that grace springs not from our selves, and to acquaint us with our own weakness and insufficiency. Heaven is the perfection of all both Graces and Comforts.2 Wherefore Peter calls the state of Heaven, an inheritance, immortal and undefiled, that fades not away: Why is that an estate of grace and comfort more then this of this world? Because it is a never fading estate, there they are alway in one tenure, and because Christ shows himself alway there, there is abundance of water to moisten them, and heat to cherish them. There is no intermingling or stopping in growth as is here; therefore it is an inheritance that fadeth not away, having the supply of a perpetual cause of flourishing.
For we know Moysture and Heate,