Selected quad for the lemma: father_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
father_n	ghost_n	glory_n	son_n	22,021	5	5.9032	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A51819	A sermon on the sincerity and integrity of the heart preach'd before Her Majesty, at White-Hall, February the 28th, 1693/4 / by T. Mannyngham ...	Manningham, Thomas, 1651?-1722.	1694 (1694)	Wing M500; ESTC R6583	9,885	33

pieces as an Anatomy before God then he offers all his Resolutions and Designs to be examined by that Spirit that searches all things And truly whoever shall refuse to undergo this Trial has reason to doubt that there is some Hypocrisie remaining in him some falsness of Heart some allowance of Sin some way of Wickedness that he cannot yet bring himself to part with We must not think that 't is the priviledge only of some few Saints to appeal to God in such a Case as this no Man can say his Prayers without doing that which amounts to the same thing he cannot ask forgiveness of God without a penitent Heart and no one can be said to repent without a sincere endeavour to avoid all Sin for the future of which Resolution he knows that God is the Judge The Integrity of the Heart does not oblige any one to say that he has never sinned or that he has no Inclinations to Evil or that he has already obtain'd a Victory over all his sensual and worldly Desires or that he can promise to himself never to fall into Sin again these are not the things that are necessarily requir'd to make good the Iutegrity of the Heart but if we have seriously considered our ways and do utterly abhor every thing that is Evil if our good Resolutions are fixed and our Prayers are wholly bent toward the pleasing of God in newness of Life then are we such true Penitents and such sincere Christians as God will approve of even when he himself has searched our Hearts and known our Thoughts then are we such as he will carry on to greater perfection as he will lead in the way Everlasting Which is the 3d. and Last thing to be considered viz. That 't is only this Sincerity and Integrity of the Heart that can entitle us to the favourable assistance of God whereby he will lead us in the way Everlasting Where there is not an honest Heart there can be expected no fruit of righteousness Sincerity is the only Soil wherein the word of God can be truly planted and where the Graces of the Gospel can spring and flourish When we see men lead unprofitable Lives under the influence of good Instruction under the outward Observances of Religion and under all the real Advantages of being very eminently vertuous if they were not wanting to themselves then we may be sure that they are not sound at Heart that all their Religious Actions are blasted by some secret Hypocrisie and that they cannot prosper in Holiness by reason of some reserved Sin There is some gainful Injustice that they will not yet lay aside there are some frauds and cheats that they will not yet seperate from their Imployments and Callings there is some lurking Revenge which they have not yet accomplished some Malice which they desire to execute or some Sensuality which they know not how to renounce and if there be any of these ways of Wickedness in many professed Christians no wonder that they do not thrive in Piety and that their Souls grow thin and meagre under the best Provisions in Religion and the greatest Plenty of the Gospel There is some accursed thing some secret consciousness of an unrepented Guilt that spoils those Duties which they cannot wholly neglect and yet from which they receive but little benefit whilst their Souls are in such a wretched condition divided between God and the World they do every thing deceitfully and with a double Heart instead of repenting they only prevaricate with God instead of confessing their Sins they try to palliate them when they should search their Corruptions they only cover it and when they should heal their wounded Souls they only skin them over That which we read in the Text if there be any wicked way in me the Margint of our Bibles has it if there be any way of Pain or Grief in me and it is most certain that where there is not an Integrity of Heart there men will find no comfort in Religion the Ways and Commandments of God are always grievous to such they walk in the Paths of Duty with a Leg that was broken and is not well set but has still some Splinters in it that put them to continual Pain They come to God with a trembling and a king Heart and can have no Confidence no filial Trust and Relyance when they appear before him there is some root of bitterness within that spoils the relish of all their Religious Duties They pray but without Faith and Devotion they do many things in Religion but without a true Principle of Obedience they sometimes receive the Sacrament but 't is with horror rather then gladness of Soul with fear of eating and drinking their own Damnation rather then with raised Affections and a Spiritual Appetite Believe it there is no Strength no Proficiency no Comfort to be found in Religion unless you can bring your Hearts to renounce all ungodliness and every wicked way Unless you cleanse your selves from all Maliciousness Injustice Hatred and Contentions Sensuality and Pride from all Filthiness both of Flesh and Spirit But if upon a serious Examination we find our selves to be sincere and that we are willing to please God in all things according to our Understandings and according to our Power then we may promise to our selves a gracious Acceptance of our honest and diligent Endeavours a protection and guidance of our Persons in our lawful Callings and Imployments and a favourable construction of our unvoluntary Slips and Infirmities Then God and his Holy Angels will be ready to asist us to preserve us from Dangers to arm us against Temptations to lead us in Truth and Righteousness in Piety and Vertue which is the sure the certain the everlasting way Where there is no design or purpose of Wickedness there the Heart is prepared for God to write all his Laws upon it and as it increases in purity it will be capable of receiving his Laws in a deeper Impression and a fairer Character Sincerity in the lowest degree is the true Image of God on the Soul thô drawn but in weak Colours a proficiency in Holiness will add a further perfection to it and quickly give it a stronger Life The honest Mind receives new Illumination from the Spirit that searches it and the Thoughts of that Conscience must needs be more awful where God has been more eminently present Goodness and Power and Wisdom and Mercy delight to encamp about all those who are fully resolved to serve God in the Integrity of their Hearts they have a disposition that fits them to receive the Influences of the Spirit whereby they shall be mightily strengthened in the inner Man they have a worthiness to be admitted to the highest Mysteries of the Christian Religion to the nearest Communion with God in Holy Duties where they shall find their good Resolutions confirmed their pious Purposes encouraged their honest Affections rais'd and their Sincerity advanc'd into further degrees of Established Virtue and whilst they keep on in the plain Path of Duty and an upright Conversation they shall be safely conducted thrô this Wilderness of Temptation and Misery to the Blessed Mansions of Everlasting Peace and Glory Now to God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Ghost be all Honour and Glory Praise and Thanksgiving now and for Ever more FINIS