Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	bless_a	father_n	lord_n	5,208	5	3.8746	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A37263	Truth and innocency vindicated against falshood & malice exprest in a late virulent pamphlet intituled, (A true account of a most horrid and dismal plague began at Rothwell, &c.) without printer's licenser's or author's name thereunto) : together with an account of the Kettering visitation / by R. Davis ... ; to which is added, Mr. Rob. Betson's answer to so much as concerns him in the said libel.	Davis, Richard, 1658-1714.; Betson, Robert. Answer to some part of that pamphlet called, A plain and just account of a plague being at Rothwell.	1692 (1692)	Wing D435; ESTC R10047	98,027	94

Truth and Innocency VINDICATED AGAINST Falshood Malice Exprest in a Late VIRULENT PAMPHLET INTITULED A True Account of a most Horrid and Dismal PLAGUE began at Rothwell c. Without Printer's Licenser's or Author's Name thereunto Together with an Account of the Kettering VISITATION By R. Davis a poor Despised Servant of Christ Psalm X. vii His Mouth is full of Cursing and Deceit and Fraud Vnder his Tongue are Mischief and Vanity Ver. viii He lyeth in the lurking places of the Villages In the secret places doth he Murther the Innocent His Eyes are privily set against the Poor Jer. XX. x. For I heard the Defaming of many Fear on every side Report say they and we will report it To which is Added Mr. Rob. Betson's Answer to so much as concerns him in the said LIBEL LONDON Printed for Nath. and Robert Ponder and are to be Sold by Randal Taylor near Stationers-Hall by Mr. Coolidge at Cambridge Mr. Prior Shop-keeper at Colchester Mr. Noble at St. Edmund's Bury Mr. Haworth Grocer at Ipswich Northampton Wellingborow Kettering Oundle Harborow Litterworth Vpingham Bedford Kimbolton and Canterbury YOU are hereby Allowed to Print and Vend a certain Book Intituled Truth and Innocency Vindicated against Falshood and Malice Expressed in a Late Virulent Pamphlet Intituled A True Account of a most Horrid and Dismal Plague began at Rothwell c. Without Printer Licenser or Author's Name thereunto Written by Richard Davis And for so doing this shall be your sufficient Warrant November 4. 1692. Edmund Bohun Truth and Innocence Vindicated against Falshood and Malice c. IT seemed good to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus by a more than usual method of his Providence to put me into the Ministry who am less than the least of all Saints not many years ago And afterwards to call and send me from London a place of Ease and Advantages and from all the advantageous Proffers that were then made me which did bid fair for the World in conjunction with his service by the same unaccountable hand down to Northamptonshire and there to a place and a people that I knew not afore Where it pleased him in a short time not only to make my service acceptable to the Saints and useful to their edification but also to own the labours of the meanest of his Servants with success in the work of Conversion for the manifestation of the excellency of his own power So glorious a work of Christ upon the wheel must needs be expected to awaken all the rage of Satan against it which hath sufficiently appeared in the various Artifices he hath used ever since to oppose blacken and defeat it and to overturn the Church and tread me under foot We were first invaded by him with those strange and unusual Distempers on the Bodies of several so remarkable as to the manner of the Disease and the numbers of the Afflicted that it not only amazed us but startled all others that saw and heard thereof which hath given an occasion to all the Reflections and Censures that have been past upon us since The Designs of that grand Enemy of Souls were apparently these 1. To render me a suspicious Man versed in some evil Art both to the Magistrates and the People 2. To deter People from coming to hear me 3. To cast an Odium upon the Afflicted and make them liable to Suspicion to be under no other Influences but what were Diabolical 4. To terrify and discourage the Afflicted themselves 5. To weaken my hands and cast me down in the service of Christ But under these Tryals the Lord afforded these Supports 1. That tho' the strictest Enquiry was made yet nothing of Conjuration could ever be fastned upon me Besides my Conversation known to so many in City and Country baffled so ridiculous an Imagination 2. His second Design was in some measure over-ruled for good also for the Noise and Novelty of the Dispensation brought many under the preaching of the Word which probably otherwise would not have come And many of them that came to feed their Eyes on our Calamities were reached by the power of God in his Gospel 3. Nor did he altogether prevail in his third for the Conversation and Experiences of those Afflicted give a sufficient Testimony to the contrary 4. And as to his fourth Design he is trampled upon for the Afflicted meet with so many Consolations from the God of all Grace that they are comforted under their Tribulations with those Comforts wherewith they are enabled to comfort others Blessed be the Name of the Lord. 5. And as to my self under great Discouragements and Disconsolateness I was supported by the Father of mercies by his powerful giving in of those words John 11. 4. and at another time with those words John 13. 7. So that they and I resting on his Word are made through grace quietly to hope and patiently to wait for the Salvation of the Lord under that dusty Cloud of Reproaches we are covered with expecting that in his own time he will expound that mysterious Providence But when the Adversary failed in this Attempt he stirred up some to emit a railing Letter reflecting on my Conversation I know not where it was forged but it was industriously spread by an ill Man in the Town up and down the Country which like a Squib having spluttered a little while puffed away to nothing Some Friends hearing thereof sent down their Letters-Testimonials concerning my Behaviour which shall be hereafter inserted These Attempts being frustrated he takes up other Instruments for now he prevails with a professing People to engage in the opposition There were private grumblings and mutterings before amongst them Our Doctrine was too bright our Faith too high our Discipline too strict for them But this secret Prejudice burst not forth to an open Flame till some good Men took occasion from my Ordination because it was not according to their Model to censure that and me liberally to all sorts of People whereupon the Tongues of Professors were now let loose to cavil at every thing and find fault with all our proceedings Hereupon they were instigated to contend quarrel oppose and reflect continually terming our Faith a Fancy our Profession a Noise our Conversation and Discipline proud strict and morose and affirming that without doubt we were all under a Delusion By this the ignorant multitude were incensed afresh and encouraged by these to go on in all manner of Raillery Reproach and Reflection as if their Tongues had been set on Fire from Hell Being also surther galled with the Reformation the Lord stirred us up to in the Church in our Persons and Families their Misconstructions Misreports Censures and Revilings encreased which were communicated to London and other places by Letters that fled up and down very thick They concluded I was too much followed c. A Spirit of Envy is dangerous like Gunpowder what will it not blow up Men to Now came a

therefore with this Assertion That if Justification be an immanent Act of God as God absolutely considered it is an Act of Eternity But if a transient Act of God considered as Judge and an Act of his revealed Will 't is an Act of Sin The Law doth not prepare for Conversion The Spirit of God doth not make use of the Law for Conversion I Answer The Law or the Covenant of Works doth not prepare for Conversion That the Spirit of God doth not make use of the Law in Conversion is an addition of their own Mr. Davis objected in his Sermon But the Law is said to convert To this he answered That it is the Law of the Gospel which is this I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy c. The Law cannot convert because the works of the Law are under a curse to the Soul To the best of my remembrance I framed my Objection thus It is written Psal 19. 7. The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the Soul Answer By this Law is meant the Doctrine of the Gospel or the great Law of distinguishing Grace held forth in the Gospel puts forth converting power which was proved by comparing this with Gal. 2. 19. Rom. 8. 2. together with Rom. 9. 15 16 and 18 as also with 2 Tim. 1. 9. lastly with Rom. 3. 27. from all which places 't is evident the Gospel converts a Soul Rom. 1. 16. I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ it is the power of God to salvation to every one that believeth So 1 Cor. 4. 15. For in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel 'T is also evident from the holy Scriptures That as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse Gal. 3. 10. How then can the works of the Law convert a Soul The Law giveth an impious sight of Sin My judgment is That Convictions of the Law in a state of Nature are impure because the state is so and the effect thereof in such a state are impure also Rom. 7. 5 7 8. see more under Head 14. All the Law doth is to drive persons farther off from Christ and make some go away and hang themselves This is put with a false grain too This I preached That the Law convincing and condemning a Man for Sin in a state of Nature hath a tendency to drive Souls to despair and that is far enough from Christ And some forced with the terrors thereof have executed themselves witness Judas Mr. Davis preached Believe not others who prophesie Lyes in the Name of the Lord. Whosoever weareth a rough garment to deceive and tells them of John Baptist ' s preparing the way and preaching up his roughness his preparatory works and that you must bring these qualifications they prophesie Lyes in the Name of the Lord. Persons misery is their qualification I am not concerned how they wrest matters But this I affirm That they that preach up the preparatory works as qualifications that must recommend persons to Christ so far they depart from their Commission and so far they prophesie Lyes in the Name of the Lord. And if there be any thing that makes persons the Subjects of God's free mercy it is misery The Physician is not for the whole but the sick Such as preach up Preparatory Works are Legal Preachers hinder Peoples Comfort and keep them under Bondage We should begin with high Confidence and hold it fast unto the end Such as are afore-mentioned are Legal Preachers hinder Peoples Comfort and keep them under Bondage The Gospel commands Sinners to believe and to be strong in Faith whether they attain to it or no. The Gospel hath no Degrees of Commands As first commanding a more imperfect Faith mix'd with a great deal of Unbelief and then a more perfect Faith and less Unbelief The Imperfections of our Obedience must not be the Measures of Gospel-Commands I never said Sinners must arrive to such a degree of Faith before it can be saving But this I do affirm That the Gospel doth require of Sinners to believe in Hope against all Hope And there are several Instances in the New Testament of such great Faith at first And the Word of God commands us to hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast to the end Heb. 3. 6 14. chap. 10. 19 22. and likewise ver 35. There is the Redeemer Ay saith the Soul but I must be humbled more and pray more I say you may repent and be damn'd for this is slighting the Gospel Do you know how much you would have afore you come to Christ I Answer I shall not mind their wrested Sentences But this I have preach'd and this I will stand by That Souls that delay their Obedience to the Gospel-Command of believing on the Lord Jesus Christ under pretence that they are not humbled enough and qualified enough for Christ do slight the Gospel I also say further That there are many that have had legal Repentance enough that are now in Hell It is said Judas repented and yet he perished ☞ Sinners must come to Christ immediately and be united to him in all their Sins and Filth This I know I have preached as my Judgment That Sinners must come to Christ as Sinners and not as made Saints first And the Gospel biddeth them come immediately To day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts Heb. 1. 3 7 8. Nor do I know where they must leave their Sins afore they come to Christ In that moment they are United to Christ is the Change made they do not continue in a filthy State any longer Yet I do not see how their State is changed or they can leave their Sins before an actual Union with Christ Some hold There must be Preparatory Works Which is a Stumbling-block I Answer That such as do preach up Preparatory Works as afore-mention'd do lay Stumbling-blocks in the way of Sinners A Person may sincerely desire after Holiness and yet be nothing Nay he may desire Christ to reign over him and yet not be savingly convinced Answ I do think it is possible a Person may have sincere desires after that which the New-coin'd Divinity calls the Lesser Holiness afore Faith as Conditional of their Justification and yet be nothing because they seek to be Justified by the Works of the Law And so it was with the Jews Rom. 9. 31 32. Rom. 10. 20 21. And it is possible they may desire Christ to reign over them to subdue many of their Iniquities to this intent that for their subdued Iniquities they might be Justified When then are you savingly convinced You are savingly convinced when you can believe Christ died for you Robert Page attested as affectionately in this as when he witnessed Mr. Bear was one of us when he is not But to the Matter in hand I judge then a Soul savingly convinced when he is so convinced of Sin and Misery that he sees nothing but the Righteousness