Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
earth_n	grace_n	heaven_n	lord_n	5,528	5	3.6383	3	true

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A28172	Fellowship with God, or, XXVIII sermons on the I Epistle of John, chap. 1 and 2 wherein the true ground and foundation of attaining, the spiritual way of intertaining fellowship with the Father and the Son, and the blessed condition of such as attain to it, are most succinctly and dilucidly explained / by ... Hugh Binning.	Binning, Hugh, 1627-1653.	1671 (1671)	Wing B2930; ESTC R14103	146,932	280

continuing in â—ebellion pardoned and forgiven and is there any thing more contrary to câ—mmon sense and reason to be in Godâ— favour and yet not accepting that favour to be a friend and yet an enemy to have sins forgiven and yet not known nor confessed these I say â—ound some plain dissonancy and discord to our very fiâ—st apprehensions Certainly this is the way to declare the glory of his grace in the hiding and covering of sin even to discover sin to the sinner else if God should hide sin and it be hid withal from the conscience both thy sin â—nd Gods grace should be hid and covered neither the one nor the other would appear Take it thus then the confession of sin is not for this end to have any causal influence upon thy â—emission or to procure any more favour and liking with God but it is simply this the confession of sin is the most accommodat way of the profession and publication of the grace of God in the forgiving of sins Faith and Repentance are not set down as conditions pre-required on thy part that may procure salvation oâ— forgivenesse but they are inseparably annexed unto salvation and forgivenesse to the end that they may manifest to our sensible conviction that grace and freedom of grace which shines in forgivenesse and salvation He is just and faithful c. Herein is the wonder of the grace of God increased that when we are under an obligation to infinit punishment for sin and bound guilty before his Justice that the most great and potent Lord who can easily rid himself of all his enemies and do all his pleasure in Heaven and Earth should come under an obligation to man to forgive him his sins A strange exchange man is standing bound by the cords of his own sins over to the Justice of God he is under that insoluble tye of guiltinesse God in the mean time is free and loosed from the obligation of the first Covenant that is his promise of giving life to man we have loosed him from that voluntary ingagement and are bound under a curse and yet behold the permutation of grace man is loosed from sin to which he was bound and God is bound to forgive sin to which he was not bound He enters in a new and voluntary ingagement by his promise and giveâ— right to poor creatures to sue and seek forgivenesse of him according to his faithfulnesse Yet in this plea as it becomes us to uâ—e confidence because he gives us ground by his promises so we should â—eason it with humility knowing how infinitly fâ—ee and voluntary his condâ—â—cension is being alwayes mindful that he may in righteousnesse exact punishment of us for sin â—ather then we seek forgivenesse from him and yet seek it we ought because he hath ingaged his faithful promise which opportunity to neglect and not to improve either through fear or security were as high contempt and disobedience to him as these sins by which we offend him Ceâ—tainly the very Nâ—me of God revealed to us or known by natures light those general characters of his Name Mercy and Goodness Power and Greâ—tness might sâ—ffice to so much as to make us in the apprehensions of our own guiltinesse and provocations of his Holinesse to look no other way then to his own merciful and gracious nature suppose we had nothing of a promise from him by which he is bound yet as the very apprehension of the general goodness and unlimited bounty and original happiness that is in God ought naturally to draw the creature towards him in all its wants to supplicat his fulnesse that can supply all necessities without lessening his own abundance eâ—en â—o if we did only apprehend that God iâ— the fountain of mercy and that he is infinitly above us and ouâ— injuries and that all our being and well-being eternally consists in his sole favour this I say alone considered might draw us to a pouring out our heaâ—â—s befoâ—e him in the acknowledgment of our guiltinesse and casting our selves upon his mercy as the term is used in War when there is no quarteâ— promised and no capitulation made it is the last refuge of a desperat sinner to render unto God upon mercy to resign himself to his free disposal Since I cannot but perish may a soul say without him there is no way of escaping from his wrath I will rather venture and go in to the King and if I perish I perish there is more hope in this way to come to him then to flie from him perhaps he may shew an act of absolute soveraign goodnesse and be as glorious in passing by an offence as just in punishing it Do I not see in man in whom the Divine Majesty hath imprinted some characters of conscience and honesty that it is more generous and noble to forgive then to revenge And do I not see generally among men clemency and compassion is commended above severity and â—igour though just especially towards these who are inferiour weak unable to resist and have yeelded themselves to mercy Now shall I not much more apprehend that of God which I admire in a sinful man Shall not that be most perfect in him which is but a maimed and broken piece of his image in lost man Certainly it is the gloâ—y of God to conceal an offence as well as to publish it and he can shew as much Greatnesse and Majesty in Mercy as in Justice therefore I will wholly commit my self to him I think a man ought to reason so from the very natural knowledge he hath oâ— God But when ye havâ— not only his Name and Nature published but his Word and Promise so often proclaimed himself come under some â—ye to receive and accept graciously all sinners that flie in under the shadow of his wings of mercy then O with how much perswasion and boldnesse should we come to him and lay open our sins before him who not only mâ—y pardon them and not only is likely to do it seing he hath a gracious nâ—ture but ceâ—tainly will pardon them cannot but do it because his faithfulnesse requireth it Certainly he hath superadded his Word to his Name his Promise to his Nature to confirm our faith and give us ample ground of strong consolation There is another more suitable notion about the justice of God in forgiving sin it hath some truth in the thing it self but whether it be imported here I dare not certainly aâ—firm Some take his faithfulnesse in relation to his word of promise and his justice in relation to the price and ransome payed by Christ importing as much as thiâ— what ever sinner comes to God in Christ confessing their own guiltinesse in sincerity and supplicating for pardon he cannot in justice refuse to give it out unto them since he hath taken compleat satisfaction of Christ. When a sinner seeks a discharge of all sin by vertue of that blood the Lord is bound by his own â—ustice to give

of justice and mercy in the businesse of mans redemption and there is nothing so much declareâ— inâ—init wisdom as the mâ—thod order and frame of it Mercy might have been shewed to sinners in gracious and â—â—ee pardon of their sins and dispensing with the punishment due to their persons yet the Lords justice and â—aâ—thâ—ulnesse in that fiâ—st commination might be wronged and disappointed by it if no satisfaction should be made for such infinit offences iâ— the Law were wholly made void both to the punishment as also to the peâ—son Thereâ—ore in the infinit deeps of Gods wisdome there was a way â—ound out to declare both mercy and justiâ—e to make both to shine gloâ—iously in this woâ—k and indeed that is the great wonder of men and Angels such a conjunction or constellation of divine attributes in one work And inâ—eed it is only the most happy and â—avourable aspect that we can behold the divine Mâ—jesty into The Pâ—almist Psal. 85. expects mucâ— good from this conjunction oâ— the Celestial Attâ—ibutes and prognosticks salvation to be near hand and all good thingâ— as the immediat effect of it There is a meeting there as it were of some honâ—urable personages vers 10 11. as are in Heaven the meeting is strange if you consider the parties mercy and truth righteousnesse and peace iâ— mercy and peace had met thus â—â—iâ—ndly it had been lesse wonder but it would seem that righteousness and truth should stand off or meet only to reason and dispute the businesse with meâ—cy But here is the wonder mercy and truth meets in a â—â—iendly manner and kisseth one another ther 's a perfect agreement and harmony amongst them about this matter of our saâ—vation Theâ—e was a kind of paâ—ting at mans fall but they met again at Christs birth here is the uniting principle truth springing out of the earth because he who is the truth the life was to â—pring out of the earth therefore righteousnesse will look down from Heaven and countenance the businesse and this will make all of them meet with a loving salutation Now as this was the contexture of divine attributes in the businesse of redemption so our Lord and Saviour taketh upon him divers names offices and exercises different functions for us because he knoweth that his Father may justly exact of man personal satisfaction and hath him at this disadvantage and that he might have reâ—used to have accepted any other satisfaction from another person thereâ—ore he puts on the habit and â—orm of a supplicant and intercessour for us and so while he was in the flesh he ceased not to offer up prayers and supplications with strong cryes and tears and hâ— is said still to make intercession for us â—â—as he learned obedience though a Son so he learned to be a humble supplicant though equal with God because our claim depends wholly on grace he came off the bench and stood at the bar not only pleading but praying for us intreating savour and mercy to us and then he personats an Advocate in another consideration and pleads upon termes of justice that we be pardoned because his Father once having accepted him in our stead he gave a satisfaction in value equal to our debt and peâ—formed all that we were personally bond to so then you may undeâ—stand how it is paâ—tly an act of jâ—stice partly an act of meâ—cy in God to â—oâ—give â—in to believers though indeed mercy and grace is the predominant ingredient because love and grace was the very fiâ—â—t rise and spring of sending a Saviour and Redeemer and so the original of that very puâ—chase and prize He freely sent his Son and freely accepted him in our stead but once standing in our â—ooâ— justice craves that no more be exacted of uâ— since he hath done the businesse himself A sinner stands accused in his own Conscience and before God therefore to the end that we get no wrong there is a twofold Advocate given us one in the Eâ—rth in our Consciences another in the Heavens with God Christ is gone up to the highest Tâ—ibunal where the cause receives a definitive sentence and there he manageth it above so that though Satan should obtrude upon a poor soul a wâ—ong sentence in its own conâ—cience anâ— bring down a false and counteâ—feit Act as it were extracted out of the Register of Hâ—â—ven whereby to deceive the poor soul â—nd conâ—emn it in it self yet there is no hazard above he dare not appear there beâ—ore the highest Court for he hath already succumb'd on ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ when Christ was here the Prince of the worlâ— was judged and cast out and so he will never once put in an accusation into Heaven because he knoweth our â—aithâ—ul Advocate ã€ˆâ€¦ã€‰ nâ—thing can passe without hiâ— knowâ—edge and consent And this is a great comâ—oâ—t that all infeâ—iour sentences in thy perplexed conâ—ciâ—nâ—e which Satan through violence hath imposed upon thee are râ—â—â—inded above in the higheâ—â— Court and shall noâ— stand to thy prejudiâ—â— whoever thâ—â—â—e that desires to â—orsake sin and come to Iesus Christ. But how doth Châ—ist plead can he plead us not guilty can he excuse or deâ—end our sins no that is not the way that accusation of the Word and Law against us is conâ—essed is proven all is â—ndenyably clear but he pleads satisfied though guilty he presents his satisfactory sacrifice and the favour of that perfumes Heaven and pacifieth all he shewes Gods bond and discharge of the recept of the sum of our dâ—bt and thus is he cleared and we absolved Therefore I desire you whoever you are that are challenged foâ— sin and the transgression of the Law if ye would have a solid way of satisfaction and peace to your consciences take with your guiltinesse plead noâ— not guilty do noâ— excuse or extenuat but aggravat your guilt nay in this you may help Satan accuse your selves and say that you know more evil in your selves then he doth and open that up before God but in the mean time consider how it is managed above plead thou also satiâ—fied in Christ though guilty and so thou may say to thy accuser if thou hast any thing to object against me wâ—y I may not be saved thougâ— a sinner thou must go up to the highest Tribunal to propone it thou must come before my Judge and Advocate above but for as much as thou dost not â—ppear there it is but a lie and a murdering lie Now this is the way that the Spirit advocats for us in our Consciences Iohn 14 and 15.26 ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ it is rendered here Advocate theâ—e Comforter both suit well and may be conjoyned in one and given to both for both aâ—e comfortable Advocats Christ with the Father and the Spirit with us Christ is gone above for it and he sent the Spirit in his stead as God hath â— deputy-judge in man that is mâ—nâ— Conscience so the Son our Advocate with God hath â— deputy-advocate to plead the cause

never so much multiplied come to nothing amount not beyond nothing but set him before them put Christ on the head of them and he signifies more then they all do and gives them all some estimation in the compt And so they stand in Pauls calculation Phil. 3. which he makes with very great assurance and confidence yea doubtlesse I count all dung but the superexcellent knowledge of Christ. Christ is only the figure that hath signification and gives signification to other things But in this businesse the consideration of the persons interessed he and us maketh us behold a great Emphasiâ— in the Gospel he a propitiation and that for our sins is â— strâ—ngâ— combination of wonders If it had been some other person lesse distant from us that wâ—râ— thus given for us and standing in our room then we would have better understood the exchange Things of like worâ—h to be thus shufâ—ed together and stand in one â—nothers place is not so strange But between the persons mentioned him and us there is such an infinit distance that it is wonderful how the one descendâ— to the room of the other to become â— sacâ—ificâ— for us O that we could expresse this to our own hearts with all the Emphasis that it hath He the Lord and we the servantâ— he the King and we the poor beggers He the brightnâ—sse of his Fathers glory and we the shame and ignominy of tâ—e whole creation he counting it no robbery to be equal with God and being in the form of God and we not equal to the worst of creatuâ—es because of sin and being in the form of devils Had it been â— holy and righteous man for sinners it had been a strange enough exchange but He is not only holy and harmlesse but higher then the heavens O what a vast descent was this from heaven to earth from a Lord to a servant from an eteâ—nal Spirit to mortal flesh from God to creatuâ—es and to descend thus far for such persons not only unworthy in themselves such as could not conciliat any liking but such as might procure loâ—thing as is described Ezek. 16. and Rom. 5.6 and 1 Pet. 3.18 While we were enemies and might have expected â— commissioner from heaven with vengeance against us Behold how the mysterious designe of love breaks up and opens it self to the world in sending his own Son for us and this is exceedly aggravated from the absolute freedom of it that there was nothing to pre-ingage him to it but infinit impediments in the way to disswade him many impediments of his affection and many difficulties to his power and then no gain nor advantage to be expected from such creatureâ— notwitstanding of such an undertaking for them Now herein is the strongest support of saith and the greatest incentive to love and the mightiest perswasive to obedience that can be I say the strongest support of â—aith for a soul apprehending the greatnesse and hainousnesse of sins and the inviolablenesse of Gods righteousnesse with the purity of his holinesse can hardly be ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ that any thing can compeâ—â—â—â— ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ infinit wâ—ong that is done to his Majesty though ordinaâ—ily the small and superficial appâ—ehenâ—ion of sin makes a kind of facility in this or an empty câ—edulity of the Gospel The reason why most men do not question and doubt of the Gospel and of their acceptance before God is not because they are stablished in the faith but rather because they do not so seriously and deeply believe and ponder their own sins and Gods holinesse which if many did they would find it â— greâ—ter difficulty to attain to a solid and quieting perswasion of the grounds of the Gospel they would find much adoâ— to settle that point of the â—eadinesse of God to pardon and accept sinners But now I say all this difficulty and these clouds of doubts will evanish at the bright appeaâ—ance of this Sun of Righteousnesse that iâ— at the solid consideâ—ation of the glorious excellency of him that was given â— ransome for us herein the soul may be satisfied that God is satisfied when he considers what a person hath undertaken it even Iesus the righteous the only Son of God in whom his soul delighteth whose glorious divine Majesty puts the stamp of infinit worth upon all his sufferings and raiseth up the dignity of the sacrifice beyond the sufferings of all creatures For there are two things needful for the full satisfaction of a troubled soul that apprehends the hainousnesse of sin and hight of wrath nothing can calm and settle this storm but tâ—e appearance of two things First of Gods willingnesse and readinesse to pardon sin and save sinners Next of the anâ—werablenesse of a ransome to his Juâ—â—ice that so there may be no impediment in hiâ— way to forgive Now let this once be estabâ—ished in thy heart that such an one so beloved of God and so equal to God is the propitiation for our sinâ— that God hath sent his only begotten Son for this very businesse unrequired and unknown of us then there is the â—learest demonstration of these two things that câ—n be of the love of God and of the worth of the ransome What difficulty câ—n be supposed in it actually to pardon thy hainous sins when his love hath oveâ—come infinit greater difficulties to send one hiâ— own Son to procure pardon John 3. Certainly it cannot but be the very delight of his heart to forgive sins since he spared not his Son to purchâ—se it since he hath had such an everlâ—sting design of love which broke out in Christs coming and then such a person he is that the merit of his sufferings cannot but be an valuâ—ble and sufficient compensation to justice for our personal exâ—mption because he is one above all of infinite highnesâ—â— and therefore his lownesse hath an infinite worth in it of infinite fulnesse and therefoâ—e his emptinâ—sse is of infinite price of infinite glory and so his shame iâ— equivalent to the shame and malediction of all mankind So then whâ—â—soâ—ver thou apprehend of thy own sins or Gods holinesse that seemeth to render thy pardon difficult lâ—y but in the ballance with that fiâ—st the free and rich â—â—pression of the infinite love of God in sending such an one for a ransome and sure that speaks as much to his readinesse and willingnesse as if a voice spake it just now from heaven and then to take away all scruple lay the infinit worth of his person who is the propitiation with thy sins and it will certainly out-weigh them so that thou may be fully quieted and satiâ—fied in that point that it is as easie for him to pardon as for thee to conâ—esse sin and â—sk pardon nay that he is more ready to give it thee then thou to ask it But in the next place I desire you to look upon this as the greatest incentive of affection O how should it inflame your hearts to consider that such an one became â— sâ—crifice

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