A12190:795
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.
Thus it is clear, that God will be a shadow to his people, as the fir-tree: which is an allusion to that grand passage of his providence in conducting the children of Israel out of Egypt where (God to guide them) provided a cloud by day, 1and a pillar of fire by night, the same pillar which was lightsome to the Israelites was dark to the Egyptians, which cloud and pillar of fire continued, ⟨p. 390⟩(God conducting them) till they came into the land of Canaan. He shadowed them by day with a cloud and lightened and heated them by a pillar of fire at night, thus conducting them till they came to Canaan. So we passing through the wilderness of this world till we come unto our celestial Canaan Heaven, God will be a clouds by his gracious special providence, to keep all ill whatsoever from us, and a pillar of fire to lighten and direct us till we come to our heavenly Canaan, where he will be all in all,2 when we shall need neither Sun nor Moon, nor have any thing to annoy us. There the noon-day shall not burn us with heat of the Sun, nor the fire by night, when we are in Heaven there shall be no annoyance of the creature there shall be no more want of light because we shall have all light & refreshing there for ever and ever. For as it is written, then all tears, all sorrow and cause of sorrow shall be for ever wiped away, an allusion whereunto we have comfortably set down Psal. 121.3 The more we shall enrich & refresh our memories with thinking of these things, the more comfort will sink into our hearts. The 111. Psal. is all spent on comfort in this kind. I will lift up mine eyes to the hills whence cometh my salvation: my help cometh from the Lord who made Heaven and Earth, all my help is from him, he will not suffer my foot to be moved, be that keeper Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. He will not slumber, that is, his eyes are always open to see, as his ⟨p. 391⟩ears to hear. Behold he that keepeth Israel […] neither slumber nor sleep, the Lord is thy keeper, thy shadow, so that the sun shall not site thee by day, nor the moon by night, the Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in, from this time for ever. Thus we see this Scripture is a large gloss and commentary upon this truth, that God with a special providence and protection cares for his children to keep them from all ill: