Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	call_v	lord_n	sinner_n	2,337	5	7.5568	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A39678	The reasonableness of personal reformation, and the necessity of conversion; the true methods of making all men happy in this world, and in the world to come Seasonably discoursed, and earnestly pressed upon this licentious age. By J.F. a sincere lover of his native countrey, and the souls of men.	Flavel, John, 1630?-1691.	1691 (1691)	Wing F1180B; Wing F1466_CANCELLED; ESTC R214634	80,393	172

I hope it shall effectually lead me to repentance and dissolve for ever the strongest tyes betwixt me and my lusts SECT II. Conversion of the vilest Sinner possible THAT it is possible for the greatest and most infamous Sinner to be recovered by Repentance and Conversion and thereupon to find mercy and forgiveness with God is a truth as sure and firm as it is sweet and comfortable Three things will give full evidence of it 1. That their Sins do not exceed the power and sufficiency of the causes of Remission 2. That such Sinners are within the calls and invitations of the Gospel 3. That such Sinners are found among the instances and Examples of pardoning mercy recorded in the Scriptures And if the Causes of Pardon be sufficient and able to produce it if the Gospel-invitations do take them in and such sinners as these every way as vile and wicked have not been shut out but received to mercy then 't is beyond all doubt that there is at least a possibility of mercy for such sinners as you are I. 'T is past all rational doubt that the Causes of Remission are every way sufficient and able to produce the forgiveness of such sins as yours are For consider with your selves The power of 1. The Impulsive Cause 2. The Meritorious Cause 3. The Applying Cause 1. The sufficiency and ability of the Impulsive Cause of Pardon which is none other but the Free-grace of God the immense riches and treasures whereof do infinitely exceed the accompts and computations both of Angels and Men Exod. 34. 6 7. And the Lord passed by before him and proclaimed The Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin Mic. 7. 18 19. Who is a God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgressions of the remnant of his heritage He retaineth not his anger for ever because he delighteth in mercy He will turn again he will have compassion upon us he will subdue our iniquities and thou wilt cast all our sins into the depths of the Sea Once more Rom. 5. 20. Where sin abounded grace did much more abound So that whatever thy sins have been they do not they cannot exceed the ability and power of the Grace of God the all-sufficient Impulsive Cause of Remission That infinite Abyss or Sea of mercy can swallow up and cover such mountains of guilt as thine have been 2. Nor do thy sins exceed the power and ability of the Meritorious Cause of Remission namely the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ for that Blood is the Blood of God Act. 20. 28. He is the Lamb of God whose blood is sufficient to take away the sins of the world John 1. 29. There is but one sin in the world exempt from Remission by this blood and if thy heart be now wounded with the sense of sin as I here suppose it to be that 's none of thy sin how heinous soever thy other sins be 3. Nor do thy sins exceed the ability and power of the Applying Cause of pardon namely the Spirit of God For though I should suppose thy mind to be clouded and overshadowed with grossest ignorance thy Heart to be as hard as an Adamant or Nether Mill-stone thy Will stiff and obstinate thy Affections enchanted and bewitched with the pleasures of Sin yet this Spirit of God in a moment can make a convincing beam of light to dart into thy dark mind make thy hard heart relent thy stubborn will to bow and all the affecti●ns of thy Soul to comply and open obedientially to Christ John 16. 9 10. The Spirit when he cometh he shall convince the world of Sin c. Thus you see whatever your guilt be it does not exceed the abilities of the Causes of Remission On what an Encouragement is this II. And there is yet further Encouragement in this that if you will open your Bibles you may find your selves within th● Calls and Invitations of the Gospel And no man can say that man is without hope that is within a Gospel-invitation Consider Isa. 55. 7 8. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon for my thoughts are not your thoughts c. Here you have the nature of Conversion described Negatively and Positively by forsaking your ways and thoughts and turning to the Lord The way notes the external course of the Conversation the thoughts denote the internal frame and temper of the Mind both these must be forsaken And turning to the Lord denotes the sincere dedication of the whole man to God all which is possible and easy for the Spirit of God to do and this being once done abundant Pardon is assured If you say you cannot think it God tells you in the very next words That his thoughts are not your thoughts but as far above them as the Heavens are higher than the Earth Read to the same purpose Isaiah 1. 18 Rev. 3. 20. John 7. 37. III. And to make the possibility of Remission yet clearer know for your encouragement that as vile infamous and prodigious Sinners as your selves are recorded and found amongst the instances and examples of forgiven sinners in Scripture Paul was once a fierce and cruel Persecutor and Blasphemer yet he obtained mercy 1 Tim. 1. 13 14. That sinful Woman recorded Luke 7. 37 38 was an infamous and a notorious sinner yet her sins which were many were forgiven her v. 47. Manasseh was a Monster of wickedness as you may read 2 Chron. 33. yet found mercy And if you view that Catalogue of sinners given in 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. you will seem to find among them the very forlorn-hope of desperate sinners advanced nearest to Hell of any men upon Earth yet see ver 11. what is said of some of them And such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are justified All these things plainly shew I say not the Certainty that you shall be but the Possibility that you may be pardoned which is a mercy and encouragement unspeakable SECT III. The Conversion of prophane ones highly probable AND because Satan labours to discourage them that are gone in sin so far as you are by cutting off all hope● of mercy from them and bringing them to this desperate Conclusion Damned we know we shall and must be and therefore as good be damned for more as less If we had lived sober and civil lives we might have had some hope but because we have no hope 't is as good for us to take our full swinge in sin as to think of returning by Repentance and Conversion so late in the day as this is To obviate this deadly snare of Satan I shall here further add That there is not only a Possibility of your recovery but in some respect

a stronger Possibility that such as you may be converted and saved than there is for those that have ●ed a smoother and more civil life in the world and wholly trust to their own Civility for their salvation instead of the imputed righteousness of Christ. This plainly appears by that convictive Expression of Christ to the Scribes and Pharisees Mat. 21. 31. Verily I say unto you That the Publicans and Harlots go into the Kingdom of Heaven before you Publicans the most infamous among men and Harlots the worst of women yet these are sooner wrought over to Christ by Faith and Repentance than the more civil and self-righteous Scribes and Pharisees And indeed 't is far easier to come at the Consciences of such sinners by Conviction than at the others They have nothing to ward off the stroke of conviction It must fall directly and immediately upon their Consciences The most smooth and civil part of the world trust to their own righteousness and this self-confidence like Armour of proof resists all attempts to bring them to Christ for righteousness Nothing ●ixes men in a state of evil more than a strong conceit that their Condition is good But such as you are whose whole lives have been polluted with prophaneness and all impiety your Consciences will more easily receive convictions of your present danger and of the necessity of a speedy and thorow change You cannot think as others do that you need no Repentance or Reformation In this respect therefore you lie nearer the Door of Hope and Mercy than other Sinners do If therefore it shall please the Lord whose grace is rich and free to the vilest of sinners to pluck out such as you as brands out of the burning by thorough conversion to Christ you will not only become real Christians as all true Converts are but the most excellent useful and zealous amongst all Christians As you will be most eminent Instances of his Grace so will you be the most eminent Instruments for his Glory As you have gone beyond other sinners in wickedness so you will strive to exceed them all in your love to Christ Luke 7. 47. She loved much for much was forgiven her You 'l never think you can do enough for him who hath done such great things for you Who more fierce and vile before Conversion than Paul who was a Blasphemer a Persecutor and injurious 1 Tim. 1. 13 And who among all the servants of Christ loved or laboured for him more than he How did he rather fly than travel up and down the world in a flame of Zeal for Christ As you have been Ring-leaders in sin so you will not endure to come behind any in zeal and love to the Lord Jesus Yet not thinking this way to make him a requital for the injuries you have done him that would be the most injurious act of all the rest But to testifie this way the deep sense you have of the riches and transcendency of his goodness and mercy to you above others SECT IV. Conversion frequently and fatally mistaken BUT here I must warn you of some common but most dangerous Mistakes committed in the world with respect to Conversion unto God Except these be seasonably prevented or removed none of you will ever stir or move further than you are towards Christ. Amongst others beware especially of these three following fatal Mistakes That of 1. Baptismal Regeneration 2. Common Profession of Christianity 3. Formality in Religious Duties 1. There is a notion spread among men and almost every where obtaining That the Scriptures mean nothing else by Conversion but to be baptized in our infancy into the visible Church and that this Ordinance having past upon them long ago they are sufficiently converted already and that men make but a needless stir and bussle in the world about any other or further Conversion But Sirs I beseech you consider how dangerous a thing it is to take your own Shadow for a Bridge and venturing upon it drown your selves If Baptism be Conversion enough why doth Christ say Mark 16. 16. H● that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned Baptism without Faith signifies nothing to Salvation but Faith without Baptism where it cannot be had secures Salvation And why doth the Apostle say Gal. 6. 15. Neither Circumcision nor Uncircumcision availeth any thing but a new Creature Or what needed Christ to have pressed and inculcated the indispensible necessity of Regeneration upon Nicodemus as he doth Joh. 3. 3 5 7. who had been many years a circumcised Jew This your dangerous dependance upon your Baptismal Regeneration is what hath given such deep offence and prejudice to many though without just cause against that Ordinance I lament it as much as they that men should turn it into such a deadly snare to their own Souls yet will still honour Christ's abused Ordinance 2. Some think the common profession of Christianity makes them Christians enough They are no Heathens Mahometans or idolatrous Papists but Protestants within the Pale of the True Church that is professed reformed Christians But Friends I beg you to consider that convictive Text 1 Cor. 4. 20. The Kingdom of God is not in word but in power Many there be that in words confess Christ but in works they deny him And why were the foolish Virgins that is professed reformed Christians shut out of the Kingdom of God if the Lamps of verbal profession without the Oyl of Internal Godliness were enough for our Salvation Mat. 25. 3 12. Believe it Sirs many will claim acquaintance with Christ upon this account and expect favour from him in the great day of whom he will profess he never knew them Mat. 7. 22. Christ need not have put men upon striving as in an Agony to enter in at the strait Gate if Baptism in our Infancy or Verbal Profession of Christianity were all the difficulties men had to encounter in the way to Heaven 3. Formality in external Duties of Religion is another fatal mistake of Conversion Have not these been the inward thoughts of your hearts As bad as we are though we take liberty to swear be drunk and unclean sometimes yet we say our Prayers keep our Church and hope for Heaven and Salvation as well as those that are more precise But tell me Gentlemen seriously What do you say or plead for your selves more in all this than those convicted Hypocrites did Isa. 58. 2. Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my ways as a Nation that did Righteousness and forsook not the Ordinances of their God They ask of me the Ordinances of justice they take delight in approaching to God Or to come nearer yet to your Case and cut off at one stroke for ever this vain Plea of yours read and ponder God's own Censure of it in Jer. 7. 8 9 10 11 12. Behold ye trust in lying words that cannot profit Will ye steal murder commit Adultery and

Step too for the Lord's sake Gentlemen that blessed Step beyond meer Civility to serious Godliness Oh that I knew what Words to chuse and what Arguments to urge that might possibly prevail with you My Witness is in Heaven I would do any thing within my power to procure your temporal and eternal Happiness I beg you in the bowels of Christ Jesus as if I were upon my bended knees before your feet turn not away your eye or ear from these Discourses Ponder and consider once and again what hath been rationally debated in the First Part about your Reformation and what hath and shall be offered in this Second Part. Oh my God! thou that hast counted me faithful and put me into the Ministry thou that hast inclined my heart to make this attempt and encouraged me with hope that it shall not be in vain to all them that read it if it must be so to some I beseech thee lay the hand of thy Spirit upon the heart and hand of thy Servant strengthen and guide him in drawing the Bow of the Gospel and directing the Arrows that they may strike the Mark he aims at even the Conviction and Conversion of l●u●d and dissolute sinners Command these Considerations to stay and settle in their hearts till they bring them fully over to thy self in Christ. I. Consideration And first O that you would consider how the whole of your Life past hath been cast away in vain as to the great end and business you came into the world for You have breathed many Years but not lived one Day to God Your Consciences could never yet prevail with you to get out of the noise and hurry of the World and go along with it into some private retiring-place to debate the state of your Souls and think close but for one hour to such aw●ul Subjects as God Soul Christ and Eternity Heaven Hell Death and Judgment Do you think Gentlemen that you came into this world to do nothing else but to eat and drink sport and play sleep and die Ask your selves I beseech you whether the life you have hitherto lived have looked to your own eyes like an earnest ●light from Hell and a serious pursuit of Heaven and Salvation How much nearer are you got to Christ now than you were when in your Cradles The sweetest and ●ittest part of your life is past away in Vanity and there 's no calling one day or hour of it back again II. Consideration Consider Gentlemen for Christ Jesus sake you have yet an opportunity to be eternally happy if you will slight and neglect opportunities of Salvation no longer The Door of mercy is not yet finally shut up The Lord Jesus yet waits to be gracious to you Such is his astonishing grace and mercy he will pardon and pass by all that you have done against him if now after all you will but come unto him that you may have life Turn ye turn ye for why will ye die Your Swearing and Blaspheming your Drunkenness Unclea●ness and Enmity at Godliness shall never be mentioned if you will yet repent and return Ezek. 18. 21 22. If the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed and keep all my Statutes and do that which is lawful and right he shall surely live he shall not die All his transgressions that he hath committed they shall not be mentioned unto him If you say these are hard and impossible terms to Nature 'T is true they are so and God's e●d in urging them here upon you is to convince you of your natural impotence and drive you to Christ that by union with him the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in you III. Consideration Let it be throughly considered 'T is no less than Salvation and your own Salvation too which depends upon your Conversion How diligent was Christ in purchasing Salvation How negligent and remiss are we in applying it Oh what compositions of sloth and stupidity are unconverted Sinners How do they sit with folded arms as if it were easy to perish Is this your running and striving to obtain the Palms and Crowns of Immortal Glory Work out saith the Apostle Phil. 2. 12 13. your own salvation with fear and trembling 'T is for Salvation and nothing less you are here pressed to strive And what care pains or so●licitude of ours can be equal and proportionate to so great a thing as salvation If every thought of the heart were rescued from all other concerns and the mind stand continu●lly ●ixed with utmost intention upon this Subject 〈◊〉 such a Subject deserves it all and much more But when you consider it is not an ther 's but your own Salvation you are striving for how powerfully should the Principle of Self-preservation awaken and invigorate your utmost endeavours after it The Law of Charity and Bowels of Mercy would compel us to do much to save the Body and much more the Soul of another and will they move us to do nothing for our own Salvation Say not if I should be careless and neglective yet God is good and gracious if this Season be neglected there be more to come Alas that 's more than you know 'T is possible your Eternal Happiness may depend upon the improvement of this present opportunity There 's much of time in a short opportunity IV. Consideration Do you think your hearts would be in such a dead careless and unconcerned ●rame al●o at this great and awful matter of your Conversion and Salvation if those things were now before your eyes which certainly and shortly must be before them How rational and necessary is it for you now to suppose those very things as present before you which you know to be near you and a few Days or Hours will make present Here let me make a few Suppositions so rational because certainly future and near that no wise man will or dare to slight them as Fictions or Chimaera's I. Supposition Suppose your selves now upon your Death-beds your heart and breath failing your eye and heart-strings breaking all Earthly Comforts failing and shrinking from you These things you know are unavoidable and must shortly befall you Eccles. 8. 8. Suppose also in these your last Extremities your Consciences should awake as probably they will there being now no more Charms of Pleasure and sinful Companions to divert of stupifie them what a case will you then find your selves in What a cold sweat will then lie upon your panting bosoms What a pale horror will appear in your countenances Will you not then wish Oh that the time I have spent in vanity had been spent in the Duties of serious Piety Oh that I had been as careful of my Soul as I was of my Body What are the pains of Mortification which I was so afraid of to the pains of Damnation which I begin to scent and apprehend I thought it hard to pray mourn and deny my self but I shall find it harder to