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
A57477	The preciousnesse of Christ unto beleevers. Or, A treatise wherein the absolute necessity, the transcendent excellency, the supereminent graces, the beauty, rarity and usefulnesse of Christ is opened and applyed. By John Robotham, preacher of the Gospel	Robotham, John, fl. 1654.	1647 (1647)	Wing R1733; ESTC R208474	115,896	303

furtherances of salvation Adde hereunto that adoption communion with God and with his Saints and assurance of eternall ●lory are all of them the blessed concomi●ants of sinne pardoned We recover the Image of God and in some measure the freedome of our wills unto good when our Consciences are washed and our sinnes pardoned We have a continuall feast in our soules and songs in the very night of affliction when our sinnes are pardoned Wee are freed from the spirit of bondage our hearts are strong we are as bold as Lyons and desire nothing more then the presence and comming of the Judge when our sinnes are pardoned Oh what a confluence of all blessednesse and happinesse is there in Jesus Christ if we have him wee are rich we are full we have all if wee be without him all that we have how excellent soever it be is as nothing we are miserable wretched lost and the very worst of creatures all the maledictions and curses of God lie upon us and death when it comes will gnaw upon us everlastingly Certainly Christ must needs be exceeding precious with whom wee enjoy such a world of blessings and without whom wee are so extreamely unhappy The Lord give us to know the things that belong unto our peace Christ procures for us the pardon of sinnes and the pardon of sinnes is not a solitary blessing it comes not alone but with a long traine of good things at the heeles of it Christ therefore that obtaines it must needs be precious and excellent in the highest degree Thirdly it is Christ alone that doth as it were unmask and unvaile the face of God and helps us to such a manifestation and sight of it as our nature is capable of his glory in the absolutenesse and perfection of it no creature can behold When Job had set forth the greatnesse of Gods wisdome and power expressed in his marvellous workes he concludes thus Loe these are part of his wayes but how little a portion is heard of him but the thunder of his power who can understand Job 26. last verse now that thunder of Gods power is the highest degree of it the Apostle expounds it when he saith that God is able to doe above all that wee can either aske or thinke we can aske much and we can thinke more yet wee can neither aske nor thinke so much as God can doe here 's the thunder of his power Zophar also saith that we cannot finde out the Almighty unto perfection he compares it in height to Heaven in depth to Hell in length to the Earth and in breadth to the Sea yea he makes it higher deeper longer and broader then all these And God himselfe tells Moses that no man can see his face and live We may see Jehovah's back-parts but his face that is his absolutenesse and perfection cannot be seen and therefore he is called the invisible God Yet howsoever this doth not a little set forth the excellency and worthinesse of Christ that Revelation which wee have of God we have it by him and hereof wee may see a notable figure in Moses The Lord proclaimed his mercy his patience his goodnesse his Truth and his justice before him these are his backparts and more then these he could not see and therefore it is said that the Lord covered Moses with his hand while he passed by But to come now to the point where was Moses when he had this vision and appearance of the Deity he was in a clift of the Rocke now verily that Rock was a shadow of Christ wee see the glory of God through him per speculum as it were in a glasse Christ is the lively Image of God 2 Cor. 4. 4. He is the brightnesse of his glory and the expresse character of his person Heb. 1. 3. There is no excellency in the Father which is not compleate in the Sonne and by the Sonne we come to know it so saith the Apostle God who hath commanded the Light to shine out of darknesse hath shined in our hearts to give the Light of the Knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4. 6. both this expression and that in the Hebrewes before-mentioned where Christ is called the brightnesse of Gods glory are a metaphor taken from the beames of the Sunne As the Sunne is manifested by his owne brightnesse viz. by his beames for wee cannot see the Sunne in Rotâ in his Charret or circumvolution but by his beames so the inaccessible Light of his Fathers glory is revealed tanquam per radios ac splendorem as it were by beames and brightnesse shining most clearely in Christ and the roote and Fountaine of that brightnesse is in Christ's God-head but darted upon us through the manhood according to that testimony Joh. 1. 18. No man hath seen God at any time the onely begotten Sonne which is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him The bosome is the place and seate of secrets now it is Christ onely that opens the bosome declares the secrets and reveales the glory and brightnesse of Gods face unto Beleevers therefore hee must needs bee exceeding precious Thirdly if wee consider Christ in Reas III all his relations either as he i● man or as he is Mediator or as he is God wee shall find him in all these to be most precious and excellent First of all as Man he was holy and harmel●sse and separate from sinners Heb. 7. 26. a Lambe without blemish and without spot 1 Peter 1 19. The Apostle relates to the Paschall Lamb which was to be so conditioned it was behoofefull that Christ should not onely be man but also a man perfectly holy and righteous else he could not have been a competent and sitt●ng Saviour yea he had been so farre from satisfying for the sinnes of others that he must have dyed for his owne And besides it was requisite that there should be that beautifull analogy and proportion between him that lost all and him that recover'd all that as Adam who plaid the Bank-rupt was perfect so should the Redeemer be Christ indeed in a certaine place doth turne off from himselfe the appellation of good in a sense of perfection One called him good Master but he replyed why callest thou mee good there is none good but God Matth. 19. 16 17. But why doth Christ doe so was not he perfectly good yes but the other was not ware of his God-head when he cal'd him so he looked upon Christ saith Chrysostome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as upon a meere naked extenuated debased man and yet he attributes unto him a more then humane goodnesse and perfection according to the errour of the Pharisees whose Disciple no doubt he was The Pharisees held that even men by a strict observance of the Law might attaine to perfection of Righteousnesse and sanctimony in this life and such a thought no question had this Schollar of theirs concerning Christ so that if wee looke well

purging a regenerating and a renewing Spirit Lastly This Spirit sealeth our adoption our filiation or son-ship unto us By adoption wee are received into the number of the sonnes of God and by the Spirit of Christ we come to be assured of this prerogative The Spirit of God seales up our salvation and blessed state unto us The Apostle saith That God hath sealed us and given us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts 2 Cor. 1. 22. He hath given us the earnest of his Spirit for the assurance of our heavenly inheritance The Apostles manner of speaking is taken from the custome of men who to assure and confirme others in the truth of their promises and covenants are wont to set their seale to bills and bonds and such like instruments so God sets his seale to all his promises and to the covenant of grace which he hath plighted with us by giving us his holy Spirit to renew us to imprint his image upon our soules and to beare witnesse within us that we are his children and consequently heires of life and glory everlasting Now this Spirit is expresly called the Spirit of the Son Gal. 4. 6. Because the Holy-Ghost sealeth up our adoption in Christ so that through Christ it is made sure unto us Let us now summe up all which hath been said of this gift if Christ hath not withheld his gracious Spirit from us but hath given even that unto us to enlighten us to sanctifie us and to assure us of our adoption and salvation where can we finde greater favour then this and where should our mindes be lifted up into the opinion of any thing more then of Christ Doubtlesse the giver of such a precious gift ought himselfe to be much more precious unto us If wee make great account of the gift much more ought we most highly to esteeme of the bestower of it Lastly Christ bestowes upon Beleevers Mot. 6 precious priviledges and they are many but I will speake onely of these two Accesse to the throne of grace Good successe of our prayers First Beleevers have blessed accesse Let us come boldly unto the throne of grace saith the Apostle that wee may obtaine mercy and finde grace to helpe in time of need Heb. 4. 16. The Apostles phrase is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word which signifieth libertie of speech and boldnesse of face when a man intrepidly and undauntedly utters his minde before great ones without blushing without weaknesse of heart without shaking of his voyce without haluccination imperfection and faltring in speech when neither majesty nor authority can take off his courage so as to stop his mouth and make him affraid to speake With such spirits would the Apostle have us to come unto God by prayer wee must come with paresie with confidence of heart and freedome of speech This is a fruite of our accesse to the throne of grace to which doubtlesse the Apostle would never have exhorted us if wee were not blessed with such a priviledge Againe A like exhortation wee have Heb. 10. 22. Let us draw neare with a true heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in full assurance of faith that is in stedfastnesse of faith without wavering without doubting The Apostle meanes it of our full assurance of Gods favour and acceptance of our persons in Christ In the Law the high Priest going into the Sanctuary did beare upon his shoulders and in his pectorall or brestplate the names of the twelve Tribes of Israel Now this figures unto us the great love that Christ beares unto his people he hath them alwayes at his heart hee loves them most tenderly and dearely he beares them also upon the shoulders of his mighty protection carrying them a loft out of the reach of all adversary power And he is gone into the heavenly Sanctuary with Vrim and Thummim with the names of his people upon his breast for a memoriall before the Lord continually so that now through his mediation we may draw neare unto God in plerophorie and full assurance of faith nothing doubting but that God will for his sake accept both of our persons and of our prayers Secondly Beleevers have not onely accesse to God but also good successe of all their suites and petitions which they put up unto him Christ by his office of mediation and intercession is an advocate for his people and doth in his own person appeare before God for them he takes upon himselfe their suite and their cause as an Advocate in Law doth his Clients Hence is that exceeding sweet and consolatory promise of the Apostle 1 Joh. 2. 1 2. If any man sinne saith he wee have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins Here is never a word but hath sweetnesse in it Marke I pray first he saith If any man sinne not as though there were some that did not sinne for that this very Apostle beats against expresly in the end of the first Chapter but when he saith If any man he speakes cordiall things he speaks to the heart and comfort of sinners shewing that with God there is no accepting of persons but all without exception of any for exteriour adjuncts and qualities doe finde grace in his fight through Christ this is plainly the inference of the indefinite particle Any Secondly He saith That wee have an Advocate an Advocate is a forensicall word and it signifieth properly one that is called to or assumed as an Assistant as a friend as an helper as an Intercessor such Advocates did guiltie ones among the Greeks and Romans assume to themselves Now such an Advocate is Christ unto us he is our Patron he is our spokes-man he it is that pleadeth our cause for us he it is that by the merite of his expiation doth intreat for us The Devill is called our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Adversary another Law-terme 1 Pet. 5. 8. he lays in hard against us and therefore he is elsewhere called the Accuser of the Brethren and guiltie we are too but Christ is our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Advocate and he intreats the Judge for us he implores mercy and clemency for us Thirdly The Apostle saith that wee have an Advocate with the Father with him still at his right hand so with him that he is his own naturall Sonne so with him that he needs but onely shew himselfe for us and without speaking any word wee are accepted At that day namely at that day when I shall be ascended into heaven yee shall aske in my Name saith Christ and I say not unto you that I will pray the Father for you for the Father himselfe loveth you because yee have loved mee and have beleeved that I came out from God Joh. 16. 26 27. In these words Christ bids us not so to depend and hang upon him as to have no confidence in God the Father as if he were angry with us and did not love us Christ is

so an Advocate with the Father as that the Father is made ours fully and perfectly and so the eager and malicious adversary can doe nothing against us Fourthly Our Advocate is Jesus a most sweet and heart refreshing name it signifieth a Saviour one that doth not onely intreate for us but perfectly save us other Advocates may intreate and not prevaile but Christ intreates and prevailes and so saves his people from their sinnes Fiftly He is called Christ there 's an addition and increase of comfort in this name it signifies anointed Christ was anointed to be our Prophet to shew us the waies of life and salvation he was anointed to be our Priest to offer a reconciling sacrifice for us And he was also anointed to be our King to protect us and to destroy all our enemies Sixtly Our Advocate is called the Righteous by an eminency none so righteous as he he is perfectly righteous so that he needs not as other Advocates to plead for himselfe he pleadeth onely for us and he must needs have good successe in his pleading because he is righteous himselfe he is the Righteous just and a justifier absolutely and compleatly righteous by his own inherent purity and conveying righteousnesse to us by imputation Lastly our Advocate is such an one as stands in our roome and takes the whole penalty and punishment due to us for our offence upon himselfe therefore the Apostle addes that he is the propitiation for our sinnes that is he is the sacrifice that implores and begs pardoning Mercy for us Hence the bloud of sprinkling that is the bloud of Jesus Christ is said to speake better things then that of Abel Heb. 12. 24. for of Abels God speaks thus the voyce of thy brothers bloud crieth unto me from the ground Abels bloud cried unto God for vengeance to be executed upon Caine that murdered him but the bloud of Christ crieth unto God for mercy to be shewed unto poore miserable sinners Now then if Christ be our Advocate if he be an Advocate with the Father alwayes in his presence alwayes neere and deare unto him if he be an Advocae mighty to save if he be an Advocate separated and sanctified of God himselfe and anoynted to beare Office for us if he be an Advocate perfectly righteous and blamelesse in his owne person if hee be such an Advocate as is willing to stand in our stead and to beare the burden of our deserts like him that cried out when he saw his friend ready to be sl●ine Me me Adsum qui f●ci in me convertite ●er●ū Me mee I am he that did the fact turne your sword upon me Lastly if he be such an Advocate as refuses none but receives all without exception that come unto him if Christ I say be such an Advocate such a days-man so every way qualified and furnished to doe us good then surely it cannot be but that the prayers which we present unto God in his name must finde acceptance and obtaine a glorious returne Whatsoever you aske the Father in my name he will give it you saith Christ Joh. 16. 23. Christ puts incense upon our prayers and mingles them with the sweet odours of his owne merits he is the onely Altar of Christians sanctifying all their gifts and sacrifices Thus you have a taste of the excellent priviledges of Beleevers through Jesus Christ they have accesse to the Throne of Grace and all their petitions find acceptance with God returning as the Spies did out of Canaan with great and weighty clusters of blessings or as Jacobs sonnes did from their brother Joseph full and loaden with good things Oh then how precious how lovely how longed for ought Jesus Christ to be who accumulates and heapes such royall favours upon us who stores us with such rich and inestimable gifts who gives us free ingresse into the presence of God and regresse from him with joyfull hearts who makes way for our prayers that they may come as things of worth unto his Father and sends them back againe with good newes and glad tidings of blessed successe how precious I say and how highly to be esteemed and regarded is such a Benefactour as this how ought wee to draw out all our love and the very strength of our affections to cast them upon such a lovely object as this and to embrace Jesus Christ who hath done for us above all that wee can either name or thinke I passe now to some meanes by which we may awaken and stirre up our affections unto Christ And herein I shall give no other directions then the Church doth to the daughters of Jerusalem in Cant. 5. 10. c. And the occasion was this The Church was seeking Christ earnestly and diligently and in her seeking enquires of the daughters of Jerusalem for her beloved upon which the daughters utter these words What is thy beloved more then another beloved ô thou fairest among women The Church for answer and as a meanes to draw forth the affections of the daughters sets forth exactly the high perfections and excellencies of Christ shee doth anatomize him in every part and particularize him in every excellency setting him forth thus First the Church describes Christ in generall and that two wayes 1. Positively 2. Comparatively First positively my beloved is white and ruddy verse 10. that is he is of the most compleate perfect healthy constitution The strongest complexion and constitution is noted by these two colours white and ruddy and it denotes unto us the power and omnipotency of Christ whereby he is able to doe the greatest things in the world Also his whitenesse denoteth his purity and Righteousnesse and ruddy his owne bloud and sufferings and likewise his vengeance on his enemies for he hath his garments dipt in bloud Isaiah 63. 2. Secondly comparatively he is the chiefe of ten thousand or having 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the banner above ten thousand Christ is the Standard bearer of ten thousand that doth excell all men and Angels and all other creatures in the world Now in Armies the goodliest men use to carrie the Ensigne or banner so Christ is incomparable beyond all other and hath the perfections of Angels of men and of all creatures beside Againe the Ensigne is a warlike Instrument and the bearer thereof one of the chiefe so Christ is for the Ensigne of his people Isa 11. 10. And all the Armies in Heaven and earth doe follow him Rev. 19. 11. the Saints they worship him the Angels they adore him for he is the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah and he is the first-borne of God set above all the Kings of the Earth Secondly the Church descends from her generall commendations of Christ to that which is more particular setting him forth by all the members and lineaments of his body First the Church begins with Christs head which is the most eminent part of all the body His head is as the most fine gold verse 11. that is