Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	abundant_a	gracious_a	lord_n	1,650	5	4.2037	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A45885	A discourse concerning repentance by N. Ingelo ...	Ingelo, Nathaniel, 1621?-1683.	1677 (1677)	Wing I182; ESTC R9087	129,791	455

that all should be as they are Shall Error be set for a Rule If one be born deformed or wanting some of those integral parts which make up a Body would any that is in his Wits be willing to be conform'd to that unnatural Idea If a man had a Child born defective in any Limb blind lame or any way mishapen would he not think it a great favour if it might be granted to him to have this Child born again in a handsom form and restored to a beautiful proportion Wise men have ever thought that it is a greater monstrosity to be mishapen in Soul the Mind corrupted the Affections corrupted with Lust and so made dishonourable to the state of Human Nature The Holy Scripture doth very justly call this a Corruption of Human Nature for every thing deserves that name when it hath lost that power which is the proper Excellency of its Nature and by which it is fitted to its End This Degeneracy is so great that the Holy Scripture saith Men are degraded by it into the condition of brute Beasts 2 Pet. 2. 12. and in other places The Philosophers saw it by the Light of Nature and have spoken more highly in the case Arrian calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. the most unhappy among Beasts and adds that if there be any thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more wretched and abject a man depraved with sin is that The Poets meant the same when they spoke of the Transformation of Vlysses his Companions who by Debauchery were turned into Swine grunting in Circe's Prison and there thrusting out their Snouts through the Grates in which they were kept Slaves So monstrous is the state of the Soul when it is made to truckle under every ungoverned Passion Second Motive This is enough to have shown the reasonableness of Repentance and I might now add the danger which a sinner incurs by Impenitence for he makes himself liable to that Vengeance which God will take for the contempt of his Orders But before I speak of that I shall discourse of my second Motive to Repentance which is taken from the Goodness of God who is willing to forgive the Penitent sinner and that is so great an Encouragement to this Duty that the Apostle says it leads us to Repentance That it doth so will be seen plainly in the Account which I shall give of it in six Particulars 1. The first Encouragement is that Declaration which God hath made concerning his own Nature that it is not implacable but that he is willing to forgive those who have sinned if they repent of their sins This Goodness of the Divine Nature God made to pass before Moses when he desired to see the the glory of the Godhead when God proclaimed himself to be the Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious long suffering and abundant in goodness and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiveing iniquity transgression and sin This glorious Name was given as that by which God was willing to be known to the World and it doth give us notice of that which doth most concern us to know of the Deity God by his Royal Prerogative hath power to forgive if he please By right of Creation he is the Sovereign Rector of the World He who made all things must need have authority to give them Law it is fit that all Creatures should obey him who gave them their Being As he hath power to give Law so also to threaten in case of Disobedience and so he only is Dominus poenarum the punishment of sin is solely at his appointment for whatsoever mischief sin may do in the Consequences of it to others it is his Law which is violated by it it is his Authority which is affronted But as God hath only right to punish so if he please it is his Prerogative not to punish His Threatnings are Conditional and so in themselves capable of Relaxation He may depart from his Right if he will and forgive us what we are not able to pay He may pass by those wrongs for which we can never make him amends as indeed we cannot for one Sin For as Daniel said To the Lord our God belong Mercies and Forgiveness though we have rebelled against him As it his Royal Prerogative that he can forgive so it is his Divine Benignity that he is willing to do it The goodness of God for which we constantly adore him is a voluntary propension of the Divine Nature to do good to his Creatures according to their several Capacities and he hath a particular Love to Mankind which makes him willing to promote their Happiness and as sin is the only hindrance of that he hath declared his love by his willingness to prevent the mischievous effects of it by forgiveness Here the Divine goodness doth magnifie it self against our wickedness the Divine Wisdom finds a way to save the Offender from the ruin of his own Folly and God's Justice shows it self wise and good not reaching after that satisfaction which cannot be had to wit not requiring that the Offence be undone for that cannot be nor yet seeking the utmost which may be had which is that the sinner be destroyed but is content with such a Reparation as may be made of the Divine Honour by Repentance by which sin is extirpated and the sinner saved I have spoken of this Particular more largely to fix a right Notion of the temper of the Deity in mens Souls It is no small comfort to us that we know God is not necessitated to execute his Threatnings and that he is of so Benign a Nature that he is willing to part with his Right rather than ruin his Creatures This is a mighty Encouragement to Repentance and should make every sinner say as the Prophet did Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his Heritage He retaineth not his anger for ever because he delighteth in mercy Art thou so good though I have been so bad I will rebel no more I hope in thy Mercy I will return We read that Benhadad and his great Army invaded Israel and when they were beaten the very Report that the Kings of Israel were merciful made them come with Sackcloth upon their Loyns and Ropes about their Necks Suing for Pardon with all the signs of Penitence and Submission We are told also in the Story of Augustus Caesar That there was one Corocotta a Spanish Thief so famous for doing Mischief that the Emperor promised Ten thousand Sesterces to him that should bring him alive into his presence Here upon Corocotta fearing his danger if he continued his Course and having heard of the generous temper of Augustus carried himself to him It could not be the hope of the price set upon his head that could make him do so for what pleasure can a man take in telling money when he is going to