Selected quad for the lemma: child_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
child_n	father_n	fear_v	pity_v	2,202	5	10.4985	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09958	The doctrine of the saints infirmities Delivered in severall sermons by John Preston Doctor in Divinity, Mr. of Emanuel-Colledge in Cambridge. And late preacher of Lincolnes Inne.	Preston, John, 1587-1628.; Goodwin, Thomas, 1600-1680.; Ball, Thomas, 1589 or 90-1659.; Marshall, William, fl. 1617-1650, engraver.	1636 (1636)	STC 20219; ESTC S115062	47,226	230

weake childe as from a strong nor from a sicke servant as from a healthfull it is his wisedome to consider what we are and accordingly to deale with us and therefore we may bee sure that he wil not cast us off for our infirmities but as a Father beares with his Sonne that feares him though hee spyes many faults in him Like as a Father pittieth his children so the Lord pittieth them that feare him For hee knoweth our frame heremembreth that wee are but dust Psal. 103. 13. 14. So the Lord hath compassion on them that feare him Why because he knowes whereof we are made he remembreth that we are but dust So wee see that when the Israelites had so provoked God that he could scarce hold his hands off them yet he staied his hand even then when he was ready to strike And many times saith the Text Psal. 78. 38. 39. But he being ful of compassion forgave their iniquities and destroyed them not yea many a time turned he his anger away and did not stirre up his wrath For he remembred that they were but flesh and that they were even a wind that passeth away and commeth not againe He called backe his anger because he remembred they were but flesh And herein God shewes his wisedome and wee ours A wise man lookes for no more of his servant then he is able to doe but on the contrary a foolish man expects asmuch from a weaker as from a stronger and fals presently upon him if hee does not as much So wee our selves shew our wisedome in other things as for example If there were a little Gold and much drosse mingled together A wise man will not for the drosse sake cast away the gold but purifie and trye it So if we have corne although there be some cockle in it yet a wise husband-man will not reject it but winnough it and purge it So God being a wise God doth not cast us off presently for our infirmities if there be any truth and sincerity in us And as God is wise so compassionate and beares with our infirmities The Taske-masters wanted compassion and therefore expected more from the Israelites then they were able to do So whilst we were under the Law there was a burthen laid upon us which neither wee nor our our fathers could beare but now if wee bee once undergrace the Lord doth not lay such loads upon us But if there bee truth in the heart he accepts of our endeavours although accompanied with many weaknesses A second reason is taken from the covenant for so long as a man is in the covenant his infirmities cannot cut him off from Gods mercy Now it is certaine wee may have many infirmities and the covenant remaine unbroken for every sin doth not breake the covenant but those that untye the marriage knot As in marriage every offence doth not disanull the marriage but onely the breach of the marriage vow to wit adultery So onely heere those sinnes that breake the covenant which untie the marriage knot as it were and that is First when wee take any new master and this wee doe when wee let any sinne reigne in our hearts if we set up any sinne that commands and rules us then the covenant is broken for thou hast chosen a new Master Secondly if we take another husband and this we doe when we make a league with sinne if wee be in league with any thing in the world that doth draw our hearts from God we breake our covenant in choosing another husband But other failings doe not breake the covenant and whiles it remaines in force wee have interest in Gods mercies for hee cannot forget his covenant which if hee should yet Christ is the Mediator and would put him in minde of it A third reason is drawne from the common condition of all the Saints Take all the Saints that ever lived and every one of them have had infirmities Now if God should be too extreame to marke our iniquities Psal. 130. 3. 4. who should stand If God should cast off all that have infirmities then none should be saved and then wherfore hath Christ dyed But saith the Psalmist Mercy is with thee therefore thou art to be feared That is if God were so severe a master that he would endure no failing then he should have no servants But it is his mercy that makes him to be feared And thus we see that infirmities doe not cut us off from Gods mercy if wee be sound at the heart but withall we must remember these two cautions First though infirmities do not utterly exclude us from the mercies of God yet they may bring upon us many and sore afflictions and hinder us of many blessings here we must remēber these distinctiōs First there is a voluntary infirmity which proceeds from our owne wils by how much the more will is in an infirmity by so much the more God is provoked to anger and to punish and afflict us But there is another infirmity which ariseth from some impediment which a man would faine remove but he cannot As for example A man would faine remember all hee heareth but he cannot because his memory is fraile and he cannot help it he would convert many to God but he cannot because he hath weak parts He would faine have such a lust removed but God doth not please to set his Spirit at liberty though he do his uttermost endeavour for that must still be remembred for if a man saies hee would pray fervently morning evening yet sits still doth not set upon the duty and strive to do it this is the act of the sluggard So also in other things Secondly there is an infirmity that ariseth from want of groweth for there are some Babes in Christ some buds that are but tender even as a tree hath some buds and sprouts as well as branches And these sucke sappe from the as well as the branches Now God beares much with those that are such and will not presently punish them for their failings hee will not in this case quench the smoaking Flaxe nor breake the bruised Reede Hee will not put new Wine into old vessels hee knowes there is much of the old man still in them and therfore wil not enjoyne them to such great duties as they are not able to performe hee will not put too much on them at the first Hee mands us not to reject or despise those that are weake Rom. 14. 13. Let us not therefore judge one another any more but judge this rather that no man put a stumbling-blocke or an occasion to fall in his brothers way And sure then himselfe will practice that rule that he prescribes to us But now there are other infirmities that arise from sicknesse in those that have beene strong And through some distempers are become sicke and are fallen from their first love as in the 2 of the Rev. 2. 4 5. Neverthelesse