Selected quad for the lemma: world_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
world_n	apostle_n	sin_n	sin_v	1,996	5	9.1338	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A65293	The doctrine of repentance, useful for these times by Tho. Watson ...	Watson, Thomas, d. 1686.	1668 (1668)	Wing W1122; ESTC R38513	84,062	186

patience to be content to live any longer O blessed Repentance that hast such a light side with thy dark and hast so much sugar at the bottom of thy bitter cup. 15. The next Motive to Repentance is to consider the evil of impenitency An hard heart is the worst heart it is called an heart of stone Ezek. 36. 26. If it were Iron it might be mollified in the furnace but a Stone put in the fire will not melt it will sooner fly in your face Impenitency is a sin grieves Christ Mark 3. 5. Being grieved for the hardness of their hearts It is not so much the disease offends the Physician as the contempt of his Physick Not the sins we have committed do so much provoke and grieve Christ as that we refuse the Physick of Repentance which he prescribes This aggravated Iezabels sin Rev. 2. 21. I gave her space to repent yet she repented not An hard heart receives no impression it is untuned for every duty It was a sad speech Stephen Gardner uttered on his death-bed I have denied my Master with Peter but I cannot repent with Peter O the plague of an obdurate heart Pharaohs heart turned into stone was worse than his waters turned into blood David had his choice of three judgements plague sword and famine but sure he would have chosen them all rather than an hard heart An impenitent sinner is neither allured by entreaties nor affrighted by menaces Such as will not weep with Peter shall weep with Iudas An hard heart is the Anvi●… on which the hammer of Gods justice will be striking to all eternity 16. The last Motive to Repentance is the day of judgement is coming This is the Apostles own Argument Act. 17. 31. God commands men every where to repent because he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world There is that in the day of judgement which may make a stony heart bleed Will a man go on thieving when the Assizes are nigh Will the sinner go on sinning when the day of judgement is so nigh Thou canst no more conceal thy sin than thou canst defend it and what wilt thou do when all thy sins shall be written in Gods Book and engraven on thy forehead O direful day when Jesus Christ clothed in his Judges Robe shall say to the sinner stand forth answer to the Indictment brought against thee What canst thou say for all thy oaths adulteries and thy desperate impenitency O how amazed and stricken with consternation will the sinner be and after his conviction he must hear the sad sentence Depart from me Then he who would not repent of his sins shall repent of his ●…olly If then there be such a time a coming wherein God will judge men for their impieties what a spur should this be to Repentance The penitent soul shall at the last day lift up his head with comfort and have a discharge to shew under the Judges own hand CHAP. IX Exhorting to speedy Repentance THE second branch of the Exhortation is to press persons to speedy Repentance Act. 17. 30. Now God commands men every where to repent The Lord would not have any of the late Autumn fruits offered to him God loves early penitents that consecrate the spring and flower of their age to him Early tears like Pearls b●…ed of the morning dew are more orient and beautiful Oh do not reserve the dregs of your age for God lest he reserve the dregs of his cup for you Be as speedy in your Repentance as you would have God speedy in his mercies 1 Sam. 21. 8. The Kings business required haste So Repentance requires haste 'T is natural to us to procrastinate and put off Repentance We say as Hag. 1. 2. The time is not yet come No man almost is so bad but purposeth he will amend but he adjourns and prorogues so long till at last all his purposes prove abortive Many are now in Hell that purposed to repent Satan doth what he can to keep men from Repentance when he sees they begin to take up serious thoughts of reformation he bids them stay a while longer If this traitor sin must die saith Satan let it not die yet So the Devil gets a reprieve for sin it shall not die this Sessions at last men put off so long that death seizeth on them and their work is not done Let me therefore lay down some cogent Arguments to perswade to speedy Repentance 1. Now is the season of Repentance and every thing is best done in its season 2 Cor. 6. 2. Now is the accepted time Now God hath a mind to shew mercy to the penitent he is on the giving hand Kings set apart daies for healing Now is the healing day for our souls now God hangs forth the white flag and is willing to parley with sinners A Prince at his coronation as an Act of Royalty gives money proclaims pardons fills the conduits with wine Now God proclaims pardons to penitent sinners now the conduit of the Gospel runs wine now is the accepted time therefore now come in and make your peace with God now break off your iniquities by Repentance 't is wisdom to take the season The Husbandman takes the season for sowing his seed now is the seed-time for our souls 2. The sooner you repent the fewer sins you will have to answer for Were you at the death-bed of an old sinner when conscience begins to be awakened and should hear him crying out here are all my old sins come about me haunting my death-bed as so many evil spirits and I have no discharge here is Satan who was once my tempter is now become my accuser and I have no Advocate I am now going to be dragg'd before Gods judgement-seat where I must receive my final doom Oh how dismal is the case of this man he is in Hell before his time but you who repent betimes of your sinful courses this is your priviledge you will have the less to answer for nay let me tell you you will have nothing to answer for Christ will answer for you your Judge will be your Advocate 1 Ioh. 2. 1. Father will Christ say here is one that hath been a great sinner yet a broken-hearted sinner if he owes any thing to thy justice set it on my score 3. The sooner we repent the more glory we may bring to God 'T is the end of our living to be useful in our generation better lose our lives than the end of our living Late converts who have for many years taken pay on the Devils side are not in a capacity of doing so much work in the Vineyard The thief on the Cross could not do that service for God as St. Paul did But when we do betimes turn from sin then we give God the first-fruits of our lives we spend and are spent for Christ. The more work we do for God the more willing we