A12190:822
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.
Use. 2 Here again for matter of judgement, you have a difference between the state of nature,1 and the state of grace, I mean of innocent nature, for in Adam we had a standing in our §1selves, being trusted with our own good, but now under the second Covenant, under the second Adam, Christ Jesus, we have many graces to fit us for Heaven, and many good works we do, but all the fruit we have and ⟨p. 407⟩yield is from God. So that now this is a grand difference, Adam as it were had the keeping of his own happiness locked up in himself, but we have our happiness, graces, and whatsoever is good for us shut up in Christ, as the Spring and Fountain, which is the reason of the perpetual stability and permanent condition of Gods children, once his and ever his. And put the case we want this or that help, yet this prejudiceth not the perpetuity of the condition of Gods children, because those graces which come immediately from Gods Spirit, may be conveyed sometimes without means, as well as with them. Therefore whatsoever decay is in the branches that are grafted into this noble Vine Christ Jesus, in whom we bare all the fruit we bear; yet notwithstanding there is life everlasting for us in the root, which is by little and little distilled into us. The leaves may fall, outward things may decay, but there is life alway in the root of a Christian, because he is in Christ, and hath his fruit from him: he cannot want fruit, no more then Christ can want influence and vigour.2 Which shows us the excellent state of a Christian under the new Covenant of grace, that now we fetch all out of our selves, and it is happy for us that we do so. For without Christ we can do nothing, as without the soul the body can do nothing, so without the Spirit of Christ, we can do nothing, from him is all. This is the reason why we must not trust to any grace in our selves ⟨p. 408⟩that comes from us, because grace comes from God in Christ, trust God the Spring whence it comes, whose the fruit is, God the Father in Christ, from whom all fullness comes, and is derived unto us: or else we make but an Idol of grace, if we trust too much to grace, look to the Spring whence all comes to us: From me is thy fruit found.