The Returning Backslider, Illustration – Sermons
RIC: SIBBS S: THEOL: D: AVL: KATHARINAE CANTAB: MAG: NEC NON HOSPITIO GRAI: A S: CONCIONIBVS. Aetat. Suae 58.
THE RETVRNING 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.
JEREM. 3. 10, 11.
Goe and Proclaime theſe words towards the North, and ſay, Returne thou Backſliding Iſrael, ſaith the LORD; and I will not cauſe mine Anger to fall upon you: for I am mercifull, ſaith the LORD, and I will not keepe Anger for ever.
OnelyOnly acknowledge thine Iniquity, &c.
LONDON, Printed by G. M for George Edwards in the Old Baily in Greene-Arbour at the ſigne of the Angell, MDCXXXIX.
To the Reader.
GOod Reader this Treatiſe begs the favour of thoſe, concerning whom eſpecially it is ſaid Chriſt came for, poore trembling ſiners, the blind, the priſoners of hope, & ſuch who by the aſſiduity, iteration and multitude of Satans diſcouragements & temptations, ſit as it were in darknes, & in the valley of death, to whom every ſowre thing is ſweet. Becauſe theſe moſt of all reliſh and ſtand in need of mercy: for when the leaſt flame of that unſupportable wrath, breakes forth in ſhew, which is powred out like fire, and kindled by the breath of the Lord of Hoſtes like a river of brimſtone, which can make the mountaines quake, the hils melt, burne up the earth and all that is therein, the poore ſoule for the time thinking on nothing but blackeneſſe and darkeneſſe of tempeſt, whilſt by paſt ſinnes, without ſight of the Mediator ſtares them in the face with millions of unconceiveable horrors and aſtoniſhments; then to ſee light in darkneſſe, Mercy in wrath, the Sunſhine of righteouſneſſe, a gratious God appeaſed by a Mediator, with ſome ſight and ſenſe of its intereſt therin, this muſt needs overjoy the troubled ſoule: which is the maine ſubject of this booke: how gratious God is to encourage miſerable ſinners to returne: what incouragements and helps hee gives them: what effects his gratious working hath in them: and how ſweetly they cloſe with him againe. Wherefore though this meſſe comes not unto thee ſet forth in a Lordly diſh, not having paſſed ſince the preaching thereof, under the exquiſite hand of the moſt worthy Author, yet deſpiſe it not: for many times though things of greater judgement affect the underſtanding moſt, yet things of leſſer conciſeneſſe, worke more upon the affections in a plaine flowing way: which happineſſe with all other felicities he wiſheth thee, who is ever
Thine in the beſt bonds J H.
THE SVMME OF THIS TREATISE.
THE time when Hoſea propheſied, pag. 2.
The people of God are exhorted to repentance by many motives, pag. 3.
Gods anſwer to their petitions, pag. 4.
God comes not ſuddenly upon his children, but gives them warning, pag. 6.
Which ariſeth from the goodneſſe of his nature; pag. 7.
Spirituall meanes beſt for preventing judgments, pag. 7.
In returning to God there muſt be a ſtop, pag. 8.
Humiliation what it is, pag. 9.
Reſolution what it is, pag. 9.
How to know the truth of our Humiliation, pag. 10.
Where there is a falling into ſinne there will be a falling into miſery, pag, 12, &c.
God is willing to be at peace with us, pag. 16.
In all our diſtreſſes we muſt come to God in praier, pag. 17, 18, &c.
Why we muſt bring words with us though God knowes our mind, pag. 22.
That words and purpoſes muſt concurre in prayer, pag. 23.
Confeſſion how it is to be made, pag. 24.
Why all iniquity is to be praid againſt, pag. 25.
The tryall of a ſound deſire, pag. 26.
Mercy begged above all, pag. 27.
Whether we ought not to thinke of our former ſins, pag. 28.
How we may know our ſinnes are forgiven, pag. 29, &c.
The miſery of thoſe that have not their ſinnes forgiven, pag. 32.
Gods favours are compleate to his children, pag. 33.
The loadſtone of the ſoule is good, pag. 34, &c.
How we may know bleſsings come from the love of God, pag. 37, 38, &c.
The uſe of vowes, pag. 42,
&c. of a broken heart, pag. 45, &c
What the ſacrifice of praiſe is, pag. 48, 49.
Why lips are mentioned for praiſe, pag. 50.
Helps to praiſe God, pag. 51, 52,
Doubting kils thankefulneſſe, pag. 53.
Aſſurance is the nurſe of thankſgiving, pag. 54.
We ſhould take advantage of our diſpoſitions, pa. 59.
Incouragements to praiſe God, pag, 60, &c.
How to know when praiſe is accepted, pag. 63.
Reformation muſt be joyned with prayer, pag. 66.
True repentance is of the particular ſin, pag. 67, 68, &c.
The creature cannot helpe of it ſelfe, pag. 71, &c.
We are not to place our confidence in forces at home or abroad, pag. 77.
Warre is lawfull, pag. 78, 79.
How we ſhall know when we exceed in confidence in the creature, pag. 80, 81.
Boaſting is Idolatry, pag. 82, 83.
The danger of carnall confidence, pag. 84.
The emptineſſe of the creature, pag, 85, &c,
Men naturally prone to Idolatry, pag. 92, 93, &c.
Bitterneſſe of ſinne cauſeth repentance, pag. 99, 100, 101.
Our affiance ought not to be upon the creature but upon God, pag. 102.
What Religion is, pag. 103, 104.
Why the world hates Chriſtians, pag. 105.
Mercy a moſt ſweet object, pag. 106, 107, &c.
Why God ſhewes mercy to the diſtreſſed, pag. 110, 111, &c.
Worldlineſse to be hated, pag. 115, 116, &c.
How to retort Satans pollicy in our extreamity, pag. 119.
Where God gives a ſpirit of prayer he will anſwer, pag. 126, 127.
Why we ſhould come before God in prayer; pag. 128, 129.
That Gods Church and Children are prone to backeſliding, pag. 131, &c.
How ſhall we know we are ſicke of this, pag. 134, &c.
Repentance not to be delayed, pag. 139.
Want of conviction makes us careleſse, pag. 150, 151, 152.
God is willing to ſave us, pag 143, &c.
The ſcope of the new Covenant, pag. 149.
The greateſt ſinne is to deny God the glory of his Mercy, pag. 150.
An incouragement to ſearch our ſins deepely, pag. 151, &c.
How to know God hath pardoned our ſins, pag. 156 157, 158.
Why carnall men are ſo quiet, pag. 159.
How to know the pardon of ſin, pag. 160.
Why God ſuffers infirmities, pag. 161, &c.
Why the ſoule muſt be humbled, pag. 165.
How God loves freely, pag. 172, 173, &c.
Gods anger againſt ſinne, pag. 183, 184, &c.
Repentance turnes away Gods anger, pag. 188, 189. &c.
How anger felt may be remooved, pag. 193.
How to know afflictions are not in wrath though continued, pag 195, 196, 197.
That God hath a ſalve for every ſore, pag. 202.
Gods love is a fruitfull love, pag. 205, 206.
Why Gods grace is compared unto the Dew, pag. 207.
Grace comes inſenſibly and inviſibly, pag. 209. …0, &c
How to come to have grace to ſanctifie and alter our nature, pag. 218.
Chriſtians grow like Lillies, pag. 219, 220.
The firſt ſpring of the Goſpell was ſpeedie, pag. 221.
Water every yeare turned into wine, pag. 222.
Of a neceſsity in growth, pag. 224.
We muſt claime the promiſes, pag. 225.
Whence comes the ſtability of Gods children, pag. 227, 228, 229.
Why Gods children are not comfortable, pag. 230, 231, &c.
How to be rooted in grace, pag. 237.
VVe muſt labour to know the promiſes, pag. 239.
Why Chriſtians feare their eſtate is not good, pag. 241, 242, 243.
The benefit of fruitfulneſſe, pag. 256, 257, &c.
The Church yeelds a ſhadow, pag. 264, 265, &c.
The family the better for a good governour, pag. 271, 272, &c.
Gods children ſhall revive as corne, pag. 279, 280, 281.
Chriſtians compared to the Vine in fruitfulneſse, pag. 283, 284, &c.
VVhy Chriſtians ſend forth ſo ſweet a ſent, pag. 292, 293, &c.
A fruitfull converſation very ſavoury, pag. 297, 298, &c.
True renouncing of ſinne muſt be with indignation, pag. 307.
The ſoules aime pag. 308, 309.
VVee muſt not onelyonly leave ſinne but loath ſinne, duplicate page duplicate page pag. 310, 311, 312, &c.
Limitation for expreſsing our hatred to ſinne pag. 317, 318, &c.
How we may come to hate ſinne, pag. 321, &c.
The conſideration of what we are and hope to be will keepe us in good temper, pag. 328.
Of Idolatry, pag. 333.
The reaſons of Ephraims hatred of Idolatry, pa. 334, 335, &c.
The Idolatry of Chriſtians, 344, &c.
The ſcope of the new covenant, pag. 355, &c.
Corporall and ſpirituall adultery, pag. 359.
VVhy we muſt not have any more to doe with Idols, pag. 366, 367.
Helps to hate ſinne, pag. 368, 369, &c.
Nothing loſt by renouncing Idolatry, p. 373, &c.
Never better with a Chriſtian then when he hath renounced all wicked courſes, pag, 378, 379.
How God ſees the afflictions of his children, pag. 380, 381, &c.
The moſt comfortable creature in the exceſſe harmefull, pag. 385.
Renouncing Idolatry brings protection, pag. 386, 387, &c.
VVe are ſubject to ſcorchings here, pag. 391.
The miſery of thoſe that have not God for a ſhadow, pag, 392, 393, &c.
From man comes nothing that is good, p. 403, &c.
VVhy ſome have more grace then others, pa. 408. 409, &c.
Againſt future feares, pag. 416, 417, &c.
There are but few truly wiſe, pag. 426, 427, &c.
VVorldly wiſedome what it is, pag. 432, 433.
True wiſdome carries men to Gods word, pa. 435.
Gods wayes to us, pag. 441, &c.
The word of the Lord perfect, pag. 445, 446, 447.
The beſt way to a right end is to take in Gods waies, pag. 448, 449.
VVho be just men, pag. 450, 451, &c.
The dispoſition of juſt men, pag. 457, 458, 459.
Men muſt have ſpirituall life before they can walke, pag. 461, 462, &c.
Helps to walke, pag. 467, 468, &c.
VVhy we ſhould walke in Gods wayes, pag. 472. 473, &c.