Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	goodness_n	lord_n	merciful_a	1,997	5	8.9155	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A28353	The souldiers march to salvation wherein is shewn the lawfulness of voluntary serving upon the assured knowledge of a just cause, how it is lawful and necessary for prest souldiers to obey authority in case of doubting ...	Bland, Francis.	1647 (1647)	Wing B3156; ESTC R13075	31,824	51

walked with God and served my Neighbour in love and charitie yee have bereaved mee of my libortie yee have restrained mee and in close prisons and dungeons shut mee up and all this though yee have not done to mee in the members of my naturall body yet have yee done it to these little ones the members of my misticall Bodie who are as precious to mee as mine owne life For their sakes I tooke upon mee the forme of a Servant I gave my spotlesse blood and endured the bitter paines of death and Hell for their Redemption Surely to hear this will much amaze and confound for if he were speechlesse upon the check who wanted the Wedding garment needs must he be dumb and without excuse whose garments are rolled in blood and as red as Scarlet and Crimson Dyed in the blood and sufferings of the Innocent One short Observation more would I desirously commend to your Christian piety and therewith take leave it being consolatory that I may be free as in mine own intentions so in others estimation from suspition of having spoken or written any thing which hath not proceeded from unsaigned Charity the proper fountain of all Christian Action● Whereas these Souldiers who had been addicted to violence rapine and other vices and were men accounted the worst alive as afore from sundry Authors is observed now comming to Iohn confessing and sorrow full for their fins and desiring directions which they might ob●erve in seeking salva●ion are not rejected of John as men without hope but are rather received and instructed what to do and how to demean themselves for the future with an intimation of safety upon the performance of that which is prescribed We collect That great sinners repenting and reforming themselves may obtain salvation If there had not been time of repentance and hope of salvation upon repentance and amendment he would not have exhorted these souldiers to amendment S. Hierome hath a collection not unlike hereunto upon the Epistles of Jesus Christ to some of the Churches First the Church of Ephesus had left her first love the Church of Pergamus also was not free from all offence for she had in her some which did hold the doctrine of Balaam which taught to eat things offered to Idols and to commit Fornication and such as held the doctrine of the the Nicolaitans and the Church of Thyatira did suffer the false Prophetesse Jezabel which seduced men to commit Fornication and to eate things offered to Idols Yet all these the Lord exhorts to repentance and that under a threat of a punishment to come upon them except they did repent but he would not have pressed to repentance except he would grant pardon to them that repented And another ancient Author observes as much of other Churches mentioned in those Sacred Epistles In the Church of Sardis the imperfection of workes in the Laodiceans confidence in riches is reprehended And yet these he admonisheth to repent and that under threatnings except they repented But he would not threaten him that repents not except he would pardon him that doth repent This ariseth from the goodnesse of the nature of God as may be seen in the Proclamation which past before his manifestation to Moses The Lord mercifull and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodnesse and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity and sinne And the Prophet will tell us from GOD that he hath no pleasure in the death of him that dieth For this end Jesus Christ the Son of God came into the world that he might seek and save that which was lost and that hee might call the sinners to Repentance yea even such sinners as in the eye of man none could exceede even them that put him to death for whom hee prayed Father forgive them for they know not what they doe Of whom we finde some afterward hearing their sin in crucifying and murdering the Lord of life taxed by Peter pricked in conscience and crying out like the souldiers in the Text What shall wee doe c. and by Peter directed to this medicine of Repentance and Baptisme with a promise of forgivenesse of sins and receiving the Holy Ghost Of these we may say and inferre with S. Austen This people it was of whom Christ was crucified of whom he was hanged on a Tree of whom hanging there he was derided of whom he was thurst thorow with a Speare of whom was given unto him Vineger mingled with Gall to drink yet for these he prayes Father forgive them for they knowe not what they doe And what is there that is not to be forgiven to him that is converted when the blood of Christ being shed was thus forgiven The application hereof shall be comprised in two words First seeing great sinners repenting and reforming themselves may be forgiven it calls us to repentance as the prophet Ezekiel first propounding and promising pardon upon repentance and amendment calls them to reformation and casting away their transgressions and this he doth as it were by an expostulation or reasoning the matter For why will ye die O house of Israel As if hee should say If yee will not repent and 〈…〉 and are guiltie of your own destruction and that not only by 〈◊〉 committed but also by the remedie of Repentance neglected And this also is confirmed of God by ●n oath As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the death of a sinner but that the wicked should turne from his way and live Turne yee turne yee from your evill wayes for why will ye die O house of Israel Hereon is thus much noted Repentance therefore is life when it is perserred before death Thou therefore O sinner so seaze upon it and so imbrace it as a shipwrackt man doth some trusty piece of a plank broken out of the shipp this shall lift thee up being sunk under the waves of thy sins and draw thee into the haven of Gods mercy Secondly it comforts those that are truely penitent for their sinnes wherein they have long lived or are of great guilt and offence in the eyes of God as Murder Whordome oppression and such like upon their repentance and amendment they are pardonable if they will wash and make themselves cleane then though their sinnes were as Scarlet they shall be white as Snow if they be redde like Crimson they shall bee as Wooll Can any blood or sin whatsoever die a deeper colour then the sacred blood of the Sonn of God and yet wee see that forgiven to the Jewes repenting and embracing the faith For when they wounded in conscience they are directed to this remedie with hope of cure and safety Which may teach us That no man should dispaire of the forgivenesse of his sinne when they obtained pardon that killed Christ as saith Saint Austen wee will end with a saying of the same Father which may serve unto us both