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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A12190	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.	Sibbes, Richard, 1577-1635.	1639 (1639)	STC 22500; ESTC S117394	275,564	592

works the fruit of grace and comfort in us and afterwards rewards and crownes his owne fruite but we add imperfections and inventions of our owne and so marre or staine all but we deale with a gratious God in covenant who pitties us as a Father doth his children accepts and rewards what is his and pardons what is our owne Therefore let this much be effectuall for the guiding of our lives and comforting of us in a good course If we take ill courses we must looke for no fruit from God but fruits of his displeasure if we eate of the forbidden tree we shall eate and reape the fruits of our own waies bitter fruits for in this case Jesus Christ who is a sweet Saviour will be a Judge to us and he who is the Lambe of God will be angry so as we shall reape the fruit of his indignation In the Revelation Reve. 6.16 divers are brought in desiring the hils and mountaines to fall upon them to cover them from the presence of the Lamb. Let us not therefore turne a sweet Saviour to a rigorous Judge by adventuring upon courses wherein we cannot looke for fruit but let us commend our soules in well-doing unto him as unto a faithfull Creator and Redeemer 1 Pet. 4.19 And as it is Proverbs 3. Let us acknowledge him in all our wayes for it is good to acknowledge and looke to him that is looke to him for strength quickning successe grace and light to direct us acknowledge him in all our wayes and treasure up this comfort that all fruit is found from God If wee take good courses wee shall ever be fruitfull and have fruit from him out of his fulnesse for saith hee From mee is thy fruite found The end of the thirteenth Sermon THE FOVRTEENTH SERMON HOS 14.10 Who is wise and he shall understand these things prudent and he shall know them for the wayes of the Lord are equall the just shall walke in them but the transgressors shall fall therein THese wordes seale up the whole Prophecy for the Prophet immediately before prophecying of the captivity discovers to them at length their sinnes as we heard their Idolatry adding new Idols to their former Idols Baall to the Calves the Princes remooved the bounds old orders and lawes the Prophets they were fooles and did not see the judgements of God hanging over their heads and none of them all could see their gray-haires that is the signes of their owne ruine After which out of a Christian love care and conscience of his duty by direction of the Spirit of God hee prescribes an excellent way how they should carry themselves by returning to the Lord take words unto your selves renounce all false confidence in Ashur and all domesticke helps at home horses and the like and flye to God as your best Sanctuarie Then hee shewes what God will doe to them answer all the desires he had put into their hearts I will heale their Backeslidings and love them freely c. Now because these were great matters of great consequence to make them either happy in the observing them or miserable in neglecting them you see how he shuts up all in a most weighty close Who is wise and he shall understand these things prudent and he shall know them for the wayes of the Lord are equall c. Wherein the scope of the Prophet is to stirre up a holy regard of what hath beene spoken he would not have all lost for want of attention or application and therefore he here stirs them up to a holy use of all which stirring up is excellently and figuratively cloathed with an Epiphonemy or acclamation who is wise and he shall understand these things c. He doth not say let men understand these things but who is wise and who is prudent Let them consider of these things and then the Exhortation is back't with many Reasons 1. Jt is wisdome and prudence to regard these things that J have spoken who is wise and who is prudent 2. And then againe they are the wayes of God that are spoken off and they are straight and equall in themselves 3. And they leade to happinesse directly without winding and turning a man is sure to attaine his journeys end in them and if they will take example of those who onely are exemplary to them he tels them the Iust shall walke in them they shall not walke alone they shall have the company of a cloud of witnesses who prosper and walke on cheerefully in this way and attaine happinesse in the end 4. Then the last argument is taken from the contrary end of all them who cavill and snarle at Gods wayes and truth that thinke themselves witty to picke quarrels with somewhat in Gods booke as it is a common fashion now a dayes to have a divinity of mens owne Transgressors such as are opposite to Gods wayes they shall fall in these wayes that is they take offence at these wayes and so fall into sinne and by falling into sinne fall into misery till at last they fall into Hell which is the end of all quarrellers with divine truth they fall and dash themselves upon them and so eternally perish Now these are strong and forcible reasons to inforce care and attention of what hath been spoken it is Wisdome and Prudence and the wayes of the Lord here are streight and then all godly people walke in them and those that stumble at them are sure to perish and doe perish in them not that they are a cause of their perishing but by reason of the malice of men finding fault and picking quarrels with them they fall first into sinne and then into misery thus we have the scope of the words Who is wise and he shall understand these things First of all we must know that the Prophet here in this figurative speech makes a kinde of Exclamation who is wise he doth as it were secretly mourne at the Apostacy and fewnesse of those that be truely wise as if he had said I have given you many directions and shewed you what sinnes lead to destruction I have shewed what course yee are to take and the bountie of God to those that Returne but Who is Wise and Prudent to regard these things Jn the words therefore in regard of the speaker the Prophet we may observe this ere we come particularly to them the character of a holy mercifull gratious and wiseman that when he hath spoken things to excellent purpose he would not have those things lost but out of mercy and compassion mingled with a great deale of heavenly wisdome would have the best fruit of all he hath spoken Which was the custome of the men of God in the Scriptures the Spirit of God leading them to strike the naile home when they taught truths to lay the word close upon the conscience as much as they could What is the whole book of Deutrenomie as the word signifieth but a repeating of the former

the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good workes Vse 1 Since then the wayes of God are so Right Just Pure and Perfect this is first for Reproofe of them that adde hereunto as our Romish adversaries who doe heerein by their traditions and additions condemne God either of want of Wisedome Love and Goodnesse or of all So as all defects charged upon the Word are charged upon God himselfe who did not better provide and fore-see for his Church what was good for it But the Wise man condemneth this their audacious boldnesse where he saith Adde thou not unto his words Pro 30.6 least he reproove thee and thou be found a lyar They barre reading of the Scriptures or to reade them in english especially least the people become Heriticks They thinke it safe to reade their owne bookes and idle dreames but reject the Word of God and then as Ieremy speakes What wisedome is in them Jer. 8. ● Surely none at all for the onely wisdome is to be governed by Gods most holy word Vse 2 Againe it is for Instruction unto us to rest and rely upon this so holy right pure and perfect word Since it is so sure and firme we are to rest upon the Promises and tremble at the threatnings though we see not present performance of them because not one of them shall faile Mat. 5.28 For saith Christ Heaven and Earth shall passe away but one jot and title of the Law shall not faile What maketh so many judgements to overtake men but their unbeliefe what made their carcases to fall in the wildernesse so as they could not enter into the land of Canaan but their unbeliefe for saith the text of them They could not enter because of unbeliefe Heb. 3. ●9 Infidelity and not beleeving God is the roote and cause of all our woe It beganne with our first Parents and it cleaveth too close unto us even unto this day This commeth from our Atheisme and selfe-love that if a mortall man promise or sweare unto us we beleeve him and rest upon his word but all that the great God can doe unto us by Promises Commandements Threatnings Allurements and gratious Examples will not make us give credit to his word but rather believe Satan and our owne false and deceitfull hearts As for instance Isa 1.18 Isa 50.10 Heb. 13.5 God hath promised that If our sinnes were as red as scarlet yet he will make them whiter then the snow though they be never so strong for us yet he hath promised to subdue them If our wants be never so great yet if we will trust in God he hath promised to relieve us and hath said that he will not faile us nor forsake us if wee cast our care upon him So for the Threatnings we must beleeve that there is never a one of them but they shall come to passe as sure as the promises shall bee made good If these thoughts were firmely fetled in us that the wayes of the Lord are right and therefore must be all accomplished in their time it would make us restlesse to flie from sinne and the punishments threatned which all lye at the doore Gen. 4.7 and will quickly be upon us if they be not avoyded by sound and hearty Repentance Vse 3 Lastly if every commandement be right sure and just then when God commandeth doe it though the apparent danger be never so great and though it be never so contrary to flesh and blood pleasure profit or preferment yet know it is firme and sure and that our happinesse stands in doing it our misery in disobeying it As we know it was with Adam what a suddaine change did his disobedience worke in himself all the world since being leavened with that miserable contagious fal of his And for the whole word this is a generall we never want any good but for want of love and obedience unto it Psal 119.165 Great Prosperity shall they have saith David who love thy law and no evill shall come unto them And we never had nor shall have any hurt but from our unbeliefe and disobedience to the holy pure and perfect word of God which is attended with comfort and prosperity heere and ●●dlesse Glory heereafter The wayes of the Lord are right In the next place If the wayes of the Lord be right and streight so streight that they leade directly to the right end then it is cleere Observ That the best way to come to a good and right end is to take Gods wayes For it is a right way and the right way is alwayes the shortest way Therefore when men take not Gods wayes prescriptions and courses they goe wide about and seldome or never come to their intended end Gods way is the right way and therefore brings a man to his right end Sometimes men will have their turnings their diverticula and vagaries but they find by experience that Gods wayes they are the right wayes so as they never attaine to comfort and peace untill they come againe into those wayes God untill then suffereth them to be snared and hampered and to eate the fruit of their owne wayes and then they see the difference of Gods wayes and theirs and that Gods wayes are the best and the streightest wayes unto true happinesse Indeed God suffers sometimes men that will have their owne wayes to come quickly to them as some men hasten to be rich and God suffers them to bee rich hastily yet they are none of Gods wayes which they take but climbe up by fraud and deceit I but that is only a particular end which God suffereth them to attaine by bie wayes but what will be the up-shot Where will all these wayes end at length surely in Hell For when a man goes out of the right and streight and direct way to be great in the world he is like a man vvho goes out of his way vvhich is further about who yet when he is in that vvay goes on through thicke and thinne because he will gaine some way He goes on through thickets and hedges faire and foule where he gets many scratches brushes and knocks Do any thinke in the world to attaine his particular ends vvithout the direct vvayes of God God may suffer him to attaine his particular end but vvith many flawes knocks and brushes upon his conscience vvhich many times he carrieth vvith him unto his grave and findes it a great deale better both to attaine unto his particular ends by Gods wayes and to have no more of any thing in the world then he can have vvith a good conscience For though they be good men oft-times God suffers such men to have bruses in their conscience all their dayes that they and others may know that the best way is the streight and right way which at last will bring us best to our end Having thus made it good That the wayes of the Lord are right now for conclusion of all

second place an uniforme course of life Such a one doth not duties by starts now and then but constantly therefore we must judge of men by a tenure of life what their constant wayes are sometimes though they be good men they may step awry into an ill way and yet come in againe Sometimes an ill man may crosse a good way as a theefe when hee crosseth the high-way or a good man steps out of the way but this is not their way they are both out and to seek of their way A wicked man when hee speakes of good things he is out of his way he acts a part and assumes a person he is unskilfull to act therfore he doth it untowardly But a mans way is his course a good mans way is good though his startings be ill and an ill mans way is naught though for passion or for bie ends hee may now and then doe good things Therefore considering that the walking in the wayes of God is uniforme and orderly let us judge of our selves by the tenure of our life and course thereof And let those poore soules who thinke they are out of the way because they run into some infirmities now and then comfort themselves in this that God judgeth not by single actions but according to the tenure of a mans life what hee is For often-times Gods children gaine by their slips which makes them looke the more warily to their wayes for ever after that He that walkes in the way to Heaven if he be a good man hee lookes to make surer footing in the wayes of God after his slips and falls He labours also to make so much the more haste home being a gainer by all his slips and fals Let none therefore be discouraged but let them labour that their wayes and courses may be good and not onely so but to be uniforme orderly and constant and then they may speake peace to their owne soules being such as are here described The just shall walk in them Againe he that will walke aright in Gods wayes hee must be resolute against all opposition whatsoever for wee meete with many lets hinderances and scandals to drive us out of the way Sometimes the ill lives of those who walke in these wayes sometimes their slips and fals sometimes persecution and our owne natures are full of scandals subject to take this and that offence and then we are ready to bee snared on the right hand or feared and scared on the left And our nature so farre as it is unsanctified is prone to catch and ready to joyne with the world therefore wee have need of resolution of spirit and determination as David Psal 119.106 I have determined O Lord and I will keepe thy lawes I have sworne that I will keepe thy righteous judgements this is a resolute determination And then againe pray to God with David that he would direct our wayes Oh that my wayes were so directed to keepe thy lawes I see that my nature is ready to draw me away to evill and perverse crooked courses I see though I determine to take a good course that there is much opposition therfore good Lord direct mee in my course direct thou my thoughts words and carriage Therefore that we may walke stedfastly let us resolve with setled determination praying to God for strength otherwise resolution with dependance on our owne power may be a worke of the flesh but resolve thus these are right wayes and streight they leade to Heaven Happinesse and Glory therefore I will walke in them vvhatsoever come of it We have all the discouragements vvhich may hinder us in the vvayes of God For as vve are travellers so vvee are souldiers vvarfaring men that meete vvith many rubbs thornes therefore to vvalke amidst such dangerous vvayes vve must be vvell shod vvith the preparation of the Gospell of peace that is Patience and reasons taken from thence God hath provided spirituall armour in the Word against all oppositions that meet vvith us so that by Resolution and Prayer to him using his meanes vve may goe through all Novv for a further helpe for us to vvalke constantly and resolutely in the vvayes of God Take first the helpe of good company if vve see any man to walke in a good way let him not walke alone but let us joyne our selves with those that walke in Gods wayes for why doth God leave us not onely his Word to direct us which way to goe but likewise examples in all times but that we should follow those examples which are like the Pillar of fire which went before Israel unto Canaan Wee have a Cloude and a Pillar of examples before us unto which he alludes Hebr. 12.1 to leade us unto Heaven not onely the Word but examples in all times Phil. 3.17 Walke as you have us for an example saith Paul therefore it is a character of a gratious disposition to joyne with the just and those who walke in the wayes of God We see there is in all the creatures an instinct to keepe company with their owne kinde as we see in Doves Sheepe Geese and the like So it comes from a supernaturall gratious instinct of grace for the good to walke and company with the good helping them on in the way to Heaven It is therefore a point of speciall wisedome to single out those for our company who are able to help us thither as it is for travellers to choose their company to travell with Againe if we would walke aright in the wayes of God let us have our end in our eye like unto the traveller looke on Heaven the day of judgement those times either of eternall happinesse or misery which vve must all come too The having of these in our eye will sterne the whole course of our life for the end infuseth vigor in our carriages and puts a great deale of life in the use of the meanes breeding a love of them though they be harsh Therefore we must pray and labour for Patience to conflict with our owne corrruptions and those of the times we live in This is unpleasant to doe but when a man hath his aime and end in his eye this inspires such vigor and strength in a man that it makes him use meanes and courses contrary to his owne naturall disposition offering a holy violence unto himselfe as thus it is not absolutely necessary that I should have this or that or have them all or in such and such a measure but it is absolutely necessary that I should be saved and not damned therefore this course I will take in these wayes I will and must walke which leade to Salvation Let us therefore with Moses have in our eye Hebr. 11.26 the Recompence of the reward and with our blessed Saviour the head of the faithfull have before our eyes the joy that was set before him which will make us passe by all those heavie things that he passed through Let us with the holy

Law and Gospell the whole Word of God which he calleth right not onely because 1. They are Righteous in themselves but 2. Because they reforme whatsoever is amisse in us and rectifie us and 3. VVorke whatsoever is needfull for our good and salvation Now more particularly Gods wayes are 1. Those wayes wherein he walks to us or 2. The wayes that he prescribes us to walk in and 3. Our wayes as they are conformable to his Any of these are the wayes of God of all which more heereafter The wayes wherein he walkes to us Gods wayes to us because many of them are untraceable as unsearchable to us are not here meant As those of Election Predestination and Reprobation the reasons whereof if we take them comparatively cannot be searched out why God should take one and not another it is an unsearchable way But take a man single out of comparison the wayes of God will appeare to be right even in that harsh decree which many men stumble so much at for none are ever brought in the execution of that decree to be damned but you shall see the wayes of the Lord right who a long time together offers them a great deale of mercy which they refusing and resisting the Holy Ghost taking wilfully contrary courses worke out their owne damnation So that at length the issue of those unsearchable wayes will appeare to be right in every particular howsoever the comparative reason at the first why God singles out one man and not another will not appeare As for the wayes of his Providence in governing the world and ruling of his Church The wayes of his Providence c. this is the way of God which is right all which wayes though we cannot in all particulars see in this world yet in Heaven in the light of glory we shall see what cannot now be seene in the light of grace and nature For there be misteries in Providence who can tell the reason why of men equally good one should bee sorely afflicted and the other should goe to Heaven without any affliction in a smooth way none can give a reason of it but we must subscribe to the hidden wisdome of God whose wayes are unsearchable in his Providence yet are they most right though they be above our conceit If wee could conceive all Gods wayes then they were not Gods wayes for in his wayes to us he will so carry them as he will shew himselfe to bee above and beyond our shallow conceits But the wayes especially here meant are the wayes which he prescribes us to walke in and they are 1. What we must beleeve and then 2. VVhat we must doe there is First Obedience of Faith and then Obedience of life These are Gods wayes prescribed in the word and only in the word Now our wayes when they joyne with Gods wayes that is when our life Our wayes joyning with Gods wayes purposes and desires of the inner man in our speeches carriage and conversation agree with Gods wayes then in some sort they are Gods wayes the just shall walke in them They shall walke in these wayes that is in those wayes which God prescribeth As for those wayes wherein God walkes to us we have not so much to doe here to consider them But by walking in the wayes which he prescribes we shall feele that his wayes to us will be nothing but mercy and truth Psal 25.16 The wayes of the Lord are right those wayes that he prescribes to men to be beleeved and done they are right and streight that is they are agreeable to the first rule of all Right is the judgement and will of God He is the first truth and the first good the prime truth and good which must rule all others Mensura mensurans as they use to speake in Schooles the measure that measures all other things for all other things are onely so farre right as they agree to the highest measure of all which is Gods appointment and will So the wayes of God are said to be right because they agree to his word and will they are holy and pure as himselfe is just pure and holy The wayes of the Lord are right Right as they agree to that which is right and streight and right likewise because they lead directly to a right end We know a right line is that which is the shortest betweene two tearmes that which leads from point to point is the shortest of all other lines So Gods wayes are right and streight there are no other wayes which tend directly to happinesse without error but Gods wayes all other wayes are crooked wayes So Gods wayes are right as they looke to God and as they looke unto all other inferiour courses they are right to examine all our wayes by being the rule of them And they are right as they looke to Gods will and are ruled by him The wayes of the Lord are right Hence observe we in the first place that the first thing wee should looke too in our conversation must be to know this for a ground Observ That man is not a prescriber of his owne way and that no creatures will is a rule We must imbrace therefore no opinion of any man or any course injoyned or prescribed by any man further then it agrees with the first truth and the first right Gods wayes are right right as a standard that is a measure to measure all other measures by So Gods will and truth revealed is a right rule and the measure of all other rules whatsoever Directions therefore which we have of things to be beleeved and done from men must be no further regarded then as they agree with the first standard Therfore they are mistaken and desperately mistaken that make any mans will a rule unlesse it be subordinate to that which is higher at which time it becometh all one with the higher rule When a man subordinates his directions to Gods then Gods and his are all one Otherwise without this subordination wee make men gods when we make their will a rule of our Obedience The wayes of the Lord are right But of this onely a touch by the way the maine point hence is The Word of the Lord is every way perfect and brings us to perfection Observ As we may see at large prooved Psalme 19.7 c. Where whatsoever is Good Comfortable Profitable or Delightfull either for this life or the life to come is all to bee had from thence And the Wiseman saith Pro. 30.5 Every word of God is pure c. A similitude taken from gold which is fined till it be pure as it is expressed in another place The words of the Lord are pure words Psal 12.6 as silver tryed in a fornace of earth and purified seven times 2 Tim. 3.16 And so the Apostle to Timothy All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for Correction for Reproofe for instruction in Righteousnesse that