Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	father_n	sin_n	sinner_n	3,110	5	7.5131	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A55754	Sun-beams of gospel-light shining clearly from severall texts of Scripture, opened and applyed. 1. A heavemly [sic] treatise of the devine love of Christ. 2. The Christians freedome. 3. The deformed forme of a formall profession. 4. Christs fulnesse, and mans emptinesse. By John Preston, doctor in divinity, chaplaine in ordinary to King James, Mr. of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher at Lincolnes Inne.	Preston, John, 1587-1628.; Preston, John, 1587-1628. Two treatises, viz. The Christian freedome, and The deformed forme of a formall profession.; Preston, John, 1587-1628. Plenitudo fontis, or, Christ's fulnesse and man's emptinesse.	1644 (1644)	Wing P3307A; ESTC R219005	93,300	192

the sorrow commanded is that which followes beliefe for the more I beleeve the promises the more I shal grieve for displeasing him But what is the way to get assurance of the forgivenesse of our sinnes may some say I answer That that be done which is to be done on our part beleeved which God hath promised First The things to be done on our part are these 1. Confession plainely and truly we must confesse them to God and to man when we our selves cannot overcome them 2. Contrition which is when a man is not stubborne and resisteth Gods will and will please himselfe to get his heart broken and to say as S. Paul saith Lord what wilt thou have mee to doe and then we are subject to his will To him will I looke that is of a contrite heart 3. Desertion or forsaking of sinne for He that forsaketh not his sinnes shall not prosper which is when we having the like occasions yet will not give way to him but follow our owne lusts Secondly That that be beleeved which God hath promised and that is that as hee hath said He will forgive our sinnes upon such and such conditions so we beleeve it And to make us to doe this these motions may perswade us 1. Because he is mercifull in whose mercy there are three things all very materiall and moving 1. It is naturall to him hee is not weary of shewing mercy as the eye is not weary of seeing nor the eare of hearing no more is God in shewing mercie but in us it is not naturall but an infused quality and therefore wee are weary when men provoke us often 2. His mercy is infinite but in men it is not so therefore come within compasse of this quality and hee will exercise it for no sinne is beyond Gods mercy this keepeth us from despaire for though they be great yet God is able to forgive them As the raine watereth as well the great field as the little garden and as the Sunne shines as well on mountaines as on Molehills and as it disperseth the thick mist as well as the least thinne cloud so doth Gods mercy passe by great sinnes as well as little But if our sinnes be exceeding great aggravated with circumstances and often committed then we cannot imagine that God will forgive us This is answered by the Prophet Isaiah God is more mercifull than man can be sinfull he is more mercifull than we can imagine My thoughts are as much above your thoughts as the heaven is above the earth 3. We see much mercy in men and in the mother of a childe now it is but as a drop out of the ocean of Gods mercy but as a spark to the whole element of fire If you being evill can give good things to your children how much more shall your heavenly Father c. See what the Scripture saith I am mercifull forgiving iniquity transgression and sinne the first word signifies originall sinne the second actuall the third rebellion all which God can forgive Secondly because it is the end of Christs comming into the world now no man will doe any thing especially so great a matter as to kill himselfe for no end Christ then dyed for the forgivenesse of sinnes This S. Paul urgeth the end of Christs comming was to save sinners otherwise the crosse of Christ had beene of none effect and his mediation of no use if men did not commit sinnes or if God should not forgive them therefore God must needs be ready to forgive Thirdly because God beseecheth us to be reconciled unto him through Christ now if God doth this if wee seeke earnestly hee will heare us The Prodigall being willing to come home to his Father he met him and received him joyfully so doth God hee chargeth his Ministers to compell men to come in that is to preach Gods mercy that he will forgive their sinnes and therefore the most acceptable action to God is to bring a sinner to him Fourthly the charge laid on us to beleeve wee are charged on the paine of death to beleeve and therefore it is most profitable for us and most pleasing to him hee takes it wel at our hands that wee should beleeve and by the hand of faith lay hold on him which hee would not doe if he were not ready to forgive Fifthly from the examples of others let us see what God hath done for them and it will make us beleeve he forgave Manasses as well as Ioshua he pardoned Mary Magdalen as well as Elizabeth and Paul as well as Peter he hath forgiven the greatest sinnes as well as the least and he will also deale so with us Sixthly from the effects of it which are these 1. It glorifieth God much Abraham beleeved and glorified God much for the greater the sinner is the more honour is given to God as the Physitian hath the greatest glory by curing the greatest wound so God hath the greatest glory by forgiving the greatest sins which wound the soule even to death 2. It moveth us to love God the more Mary loved much because much was forgiven her 3. It mollifies the most it causeth them to relent and weepe much more This is plaine by that place where it is said that when God forgave the greatest sinnes then they mourned and lamented as in those Converts Act. 2. 37. 4. It purifies the heart for no man lookes to keepe his heart pure untill hee be assured of the forgivenesse of his sinnes for till then hee cannot looke on God as on a Father but on the contrary when the sinne is not forgiven God loseth the glory of being a Father and the glory of his truth and of his mercy and that hardens the heart from relenting Seventhly from the price which was payed and which no sinne can goe beyond indeed if Christ had payed but a finite price wee might feare that our sinnes should not be forgiven If a man were in debt two thousand pound and there were but one pay'd hee might be discouraged but when there is infinitely more pay'd than the debt is this should make us beleeve our sinnes are forgiven us whatsoever they be seeing they be all but finite Eighthly from the tenour of the Promises which proclaime that they that beleeve and repent and forsake their sinnes shall finde pardon for them as a King that proclaimes that all traytors and rebels shall be pardoned if they would lay downe their weapons Now Non est excipiendum ubi ●ex non excipit There is no exception to be made where the law makes none God faith yea therefore hath said and sworne it that he will forgive our sinnes that we may beleeve it But I have committed the sinne oft Yet God will forgive thee Though thou hast oft committed whoredome yet I will forgive thee if thou turne unto me saith the Lord by the Prophet of the house of Israel Ier. 3.