Gods call to his people to turn unto him; together with his promise to…
Gods call to his people to turn unto him; together with his promise to turn unto them. Opened and applied in II. sermons at two public fasting-days appointed by authority. / By Mr. John Davenport: B.D. and Pastor to the First Church of Christ at Boston in New-England. ; Published by the desire of sundry friends.Gods call to his people to turn unto him; together with his promise to turn unto them. Opened and applied in II. sermons at two publick fasting-dayes appointed by authority. / By Mr. John Davenport: B.D. and Pastor to the First Church of Christ at Boston in New-England. ; Published by the desire of sundry friends.
John Davenport 1597–1670printed by S.G. Samuel Green for John Usher of Boston, 1669
27, [1] p. ; (4to) · 9.3k words · Evans 137 · Wing D360
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
4. Speedily get sin done away; for the sentence is gone out, as soon as sin is committed, though the execution be deferred for a time, Eccles. 8.11, 12. and the Decree is in travail before it brings forth, Zeph. 2.2. and it may be sin is not finished, Jam. 1.15. as Judas, though he was a Thief, was let alone till he had betrayed his Master. See Zech. 5.2, 3, 8, 9. Sin may lye like a sleeping debt, which is not demanded for many years, but if the debtor hath not an Acquittance, the Creditor may call for it when he will, and cast him into prison.
Use 3. for Exhortation: To be like-minded to God, Eph. 5.1. You call God Father; be merciful, as your heavenly Father is merciful, especially in forgiving: and Christ teaches us in prayer ⟨p. 27⟩to call God Father, and to beg of him forgiveness, and in […] thereunto to forgive others that have offended us. See how Christ argues for this, in Mat. 6.14, 15. and he teaches us to urge it as an argument in our prayer, for the settled comfort of our forgiveness, Luk. 11.4. Obj. But wherein must we follow God in this? Ans. 1. In his forgiving at the mediation of Christ, Eph. 4.32. When a repenting sinner comes to Christ, and Christ mediates for him, God for Christs sake forgives; so should we one that hath offended us, and is sorry for it, and useth the mediation of friends, for his reconciliation to the offended party. 2. In his preventing mercy, which shows his readiness to forgive,
. When he was a great way off, yet coming, his father had compassion on him, ran unto him, &c. was more quick to pardon, then the son to seek it: see the effect of it in the son. So should we, not stay till an offender hath come up to the height of our expectation, but encourage beginnings of repentance. 3. In not standing too strictly upon a full satisfaction, answerable to our imagination of the greatness of our wrong, which many times is above the offence, and above what we are able to convince the offender of. See that Parable in
. to the end. 4. In his ending controversies with sinners in such a way, between himself and them, as may keep them from public shame; whence Gods forgiving, is called his covering sin,
. his Justice made him think of putting her away, but his Love and goodness, to do it privily: the contrary is condemned in Christians, that will not arbitrate matters, but go to Law,
Vse 3. for Exhortation: To be like-minded to God, Eph. 5.1. You call God Father; be merciful, as your heavenly Father is merciful, especially in forgiving: and Christ teaches us in prayer ⟨p. 27⟩to call God Father, and to beg of him forgiveness, and in 〈…〉 thereunto to forgive others that have offended us. See how Christ argues for this, in Mat. 6.14, 15. and he teaches us to urge it as an argument in our prayer, for the setled comfort of our forgiveness, Luk. 11.4. Obj. But wherein must we follow God in this? Ans. 1. In his forgiving at the mediation of Christ, Eph. 4.32. When a repenting sinner comes to Christ, and Christ mediates for him, God for Christs sake forgives; so should we one that hath offended us, and is sorry for it, and useth the mediation of friends, for his reconciliation to the offended party. 2. In his preventing mercy, which shews his readiness to forgive, Luk. 15.20. When he was a great way off, yet coming, his father had compassion on him, ran unto him, &c. was more quick to pardon, then the son to seek it: see the effect of it in the son. So should we, not stay till an offender hath come up to the height of our expectation, but encourage beginnings of repentance. 3. In not standing too strictly upon a full satisfaction, answerable to our imagination of the greatness of our wrong, which many times is above the offence, and above what we are able to convince the offender of. See that Parable in Mat. 18.22. to the end. 4. In his ending controversies with sinners in such a way, between himself and them, as may keep them from publick shame; whence Gods forgiving, is called his covering sin, Psal. 32.1. so should we: Therefore this is noted as the effect of love, 1 Pet. 4.8. See the description of Joseph, the reputed husband of the Virgin Mary, Mat. 1.19. his Justice made him think of putting her away, but his Love and goodness, to do it privily: the contrary is condemned in Christians, that will not arbitrate matters, but go to Law, 1 Cor. 6.7.
Use 4. for Comfort, to repenting sinners under Affliction: Think not that you shall never be freed from them, but be assured, that if thy heart be humbled, and thy sin mortified, God is as willing as able to remove it. No man is in a hard condition, but he that hath an hard heart. See 1 Pet. 5.6. Humble your selves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.
Vse 4. for Comfort, to repenting sinners under Affliction: Think not that you shall never be freed from them, but be assured, that if thy heart be humbled, and thy sin mortified, God is as willing as able to remove it. No man is in a hard condition, but he that hath an hard heart. See 1 Pet. 5.6. Humble your selves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.
