Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	day_n	holy_a	lord_n	5,913	5	4.1120	3	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A15334	A Christian and learned exposition vpon certaine verses of that eight chapter of the Epistle of that blessed Apostle Paule to the Romanes, and namely, vpon verse, 18.19.20.21.22.23. VVritten long agoe, by T.W. for a most deare friend of his in Christ, and now lately published in print, for the benefite and good of Gods people wheresoeuer.	T. W. (Thomas Wilcox), 1549?-1608.	1587 (1587)	STC 25620.5; ESTC S106381	90,228	156

his ascention into heauen and glorification hath hadde in respect of his humanitie or manhoode the vse of earthlie and corruptible thinges than the which what can be almost a more grose or intollerable blasphemie But letting these vaine speculations and odde conceits passe let vs see what profitable doctrines either for instructions or comfort wee may learne out of this discourse that the Apostle maketh touching the creatures and their restitution First in that God here sendeth vs vnto the creatures for our better instruction to learne of them he would thereby set out vnto vs our blockishenesse vnaptnesse and inabilitie to good things Neither doth the Lorde heere onely obserue this order but in many other places of his worde giuing vs thereby to vnderstand both how hard a thing it is as in respect of our corruption and howe necessarie for our good to represse and beate downe in vs that great ouer-weening which wee haue of our selues as for example wee see it vsed in Deuteronomie Deut. 31.1 Isaiah 1 2.3 Ierem. 2.12 Micah 6.2 and in the bookes of the Prophets oftentimes as in Isaiah Ieremiah Micah and sundrie others and yet for al this we wil not be humbled but many of vs in the height of our imaginations suppose that wee of our selues are apte and able to great matters whereas the Scripture sheweth the cleane contrarie affirming 2. Cor. 3.5 that vve are not sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues but our sufficiencie is of God And againe that it is God that vvorketh in vs both the vvill and the deede phil 2.13 and that of his good pleasure onclie assuring vs in an other place that the naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God 1. Cor. 2.14 and in this very chapter telling vs in plaine termes Rom. 8.7 that the vvisedome of the fleshe is enimitie against GOD for it is not subiect to the lavve of GOD neither indeede can be All which may teache vs to hate and condemne and that from the bottome of our hearts the dotages of Pelagians and Semipelagians as Papists and suche others who either in whole or in parte stande so stifelie for the maintenaunce of mans free-will and that in this mere naturalles as they call it and may instruct vs againe to walke in the simplicity and humblenes of our hearts before GOD as men that see nothing but botches and biles and all maner of corruption and weakenesse and wantes in our selues that so wee may be cured of him that onelie can heale vs and be strengthned and supplied from him that is the GOD of all might and power and hath all power in his owne hands to bestovve plentifully vppon them that in fayth Iames 1. and lovvlinesse of minde dravve nigh vnto him and yet neuer vpbrayd them vvith it neither Secondly in as muche as the creatures are become subiect to the vaine vse of man and to a flitting vanishing estate as in respect of themselues and al this is brought to passe by the means of sin we may learne not onely what stincke and corruption hangeth vpon iniquity as which tainteth both the parties committing the same and infecteth as it were al the rest of the whole order of nature but also that for as much as transgression brings forth these pestilent fruits effects and namely that besides other manifold inconueniences as gods dishonor slander of his truth offence of his children griefe of our owne soules c. it maketh the verie creatures vncleane and vnprofitable vnto vs that therefore we should learne to flie from sin as from the face of a serpent neuer to vse Gods creaturs but in all humble and vnfained confession of our sins on the one side and in reuerent reading hearing and meditation of his vvord 1. Tim 4. and in hartie praier vnto his maiestie for the sanctifieng of them vnto vs on the other side that so the pollution of sin being taken away holines from God being communicated vnto vs his creatures may be profitable to nourish our outward man not onelye in some outward duties of this life but in all obedience of his blessed truth through Christ Thirdly me thinketh we may here very plainely beholde and see Gods great and vnspeakable mercie towards vs poore and miserable men that wee are Psal 8 for wheras by the meanes of transgression we had iustly depriued our selues bothe of that soueraigntie ouer all the creatures mentioned manie times in the worde and of the vse of them also making them what wee could thereby altogither vnproficable vnto vs it was is yet notwithstanding his good pleasure who hath prepared the hope of a better life for vs to allow vs and let vs haue euen in this life not only a sober and reuerend but euen a most large liberall vse of thē that so we being by them for a while fostered fedde here wee might in the ende come to the full fruition of that glory which he hath laide vp for vs in the heauens which rich and abundant kindnes of his bestowed euen then vpon vs vvhen vvee vvere his deadly ennimies shold prouoke vs not onely to humble thankfulnes towards his maiestie both in word and deed for his infinit mercie but should instruct vs to striue with care and conscience to walke euen in the days of this our flitting and transitorie life woorthy so great grace bestowed vppon vs. Yea it should further teach vs in a frantike and free heart not only to vse as in respect of our selues but to communicate to al others particularly to our enimies according to the measure of mercie that GOD hath dealt with vs as their necessity shal require anie of the blessings that the Lord hath powred vppon vs according to that holy commandement Rom. 12.20 Prou. 25.21 If thine enimie hunger feed him if he thirst giue him drinke Lastly wee may heere plainely see to the wonderful ioy and peace of our bodies and of our souls into what great excellencie of glorie GODS children at the resurrection shall be aduanced for the illustrating and inlarging whereof all the creatures shall then be renewed and restored euen as they were at the beginning made also for them And this shoulde teache vs all to spend the dayes of our pilgrimage here in feare and trembling that at the length wee may thorough the goodnesse of GOD in his Christ be gathered home into our eternall tabernacles there to raigne with him for euer He that will giue and gather any other either sense or doctrine out of this place than as before may shew himselfe to be drunken with vaine speculations yea drowned in them but shal neuer attain to that edification vvhich is of God and wherevnto indeed they that are of God should striue setting aside all vaine iangling and curious questions whatsoeuer not determinable by the rule of the worde Hitherto for this matter which being concluded as before

and the profession of his truth will giue vs as it were hys strength making vs thereby not onely able to continue and hold out but to ouercome be conquerors yea more than earthly conquerors Rom. 8.37 as the apostle himself speaketh in the later end of this eight chapter there being alwayes this one speciall difference betwixt vs and them that though they ouercome to day yet they may through the sudden alteration change and inconstancie of the thinges of this life be subdued to morrow or the next daie as you would say whereas those that are made partakers of the eternall victorie that Christ hath gotten against al his and our enimies both bodilie and spirituall shal neuer be vanquished and ouercome againe And though that our aduersaries in their continuall malice may attempt many matters against vs and perhappes now and then also giue vs some blowes and woundes yet here is the glorie and comfort of christians that euen in the middest of fierie flames and all other greuous trialles whatsoeuer that the wicked according to the vvill of God lay vppon vs 1. Pet. 4.16 wee are still more than conquerors euen then when we seem to be ouercome which no worldly honour can attaine vnto no not then when it is at the top and height as you would say of the prosperitie and flourishing thereof An other reason that the apostle vseth to cōfort the saints seruaunts of God withal in the daies of their distres greuous afflictions is taken fi ō that glory that we suffring with him shall haue perfectly togither with him when hee shall appeare in great power and glory to iudge the quicke and the dead And the force of this argumēt is contained in these words that vve may also be glorified vvith him wherof there is likewise very good reason namely that forasmuch as the crosse and christian profession are companions that seldome or neuer are found asunder in this life amongst the children of God the truth whereof appeareth by the manifolde testimonies of Gods holy vvorde 2. Tim 3.12 Acts 14.22 and the infinite examples of his sons and seruants who in the days of their flesh haue in this behalfe bin made excellent mirrors or looking-glasses for the rest to beholde themselues in and forasmuch also as the cup of afflictions that the Lord maketh his seruants to drink of here is though not alwaies as in regard of it selfe it being many times a iust deserued punishment laide vpon vs in Gods iudgement as a correction for our sinnes yet aswell in respect of God who by his almightie power commaunding the light to shine out of darkenesse 2. Cor. 4.6 hath sanctified the same to that ende as also in respect of the fruits and effects that it bringeth foorth in Gods children as pacience constancie mortification and many such excellent things is as I was about to say a most certaine pledge of a farre better estate in an other life 2. Tim. 2.12 that therefore also wee shoulde euen assure our selues in our sufferings for Christ that vvee shall likevvise be glorified with him for if mightie men of the earth as princes and others forget not to satisfie such as haue beene partakers with them of their trialles and troubles and attended vppon them in their sickenesses griefes and such like but thinke it greate dishonour to their states and dignities if they doe not recompence them according to their trauelles onelie but euen in a franke and liberall mind that they haue many times beyond the same much lesse will or can Christ Iesus our sauiour be either vnmindfull of or leaue vnrewarded those men or those sufferings that they or we haue indured as for his sake and the holy profession of his blessed trueth and the rather bicause he is not as a man or as the sons of men that make yea that are ouertaken with the sin of pride or disdaine towards other when he himselfe is exalted or of forgetfulnesse of penurie in the dayes of peace and plentie or of hardnes of heart when the bowelles of compassion are to be displaied or of a wauering and an vnconstant minde louing now and hating anone but always continueth like vnto himself in euery thing becomming familiar and as you woulde say debasing himselfe vnto his owne hauing them in continuall remembrance for their good manifesting all kindenesse and tendernesse of heart towardes them and that in most bountifull manner in all graces both bodilie and spirituall temporall and eternall Iohn 13.1 louing them also euen vnto the end as the scripture saith And this kinde of argument is vsed not onelie here but in many other places of holy scripture the Apostle affirming elsewhere 1. Cor. 11.32 that vvee are therefore chastned of the Lord that vve should not be condemned vvith the vvorld the selfe-same Apostle telling vs in an other place 2. Tim 2.12 that if vvee suffer vvith him vvee shall also reigne vvith him Wherevnto no doubt our sauiour Christ hymselfe likewise hath a speciall respect in these words of that excellent praier which he maketh in the seuenteenth chapter of the gospel according to Saint Iohn Iohn 17.24 Father I vvill that they vvhich thou hast giuen me be vvith me euen vvhere I am that they may beholde my glorie vvhich thou hast giuen mee And this also is the more vrged euerie where almost not onely for the declaration of the excellencie and certainty of the thing it felfe that so we might be brought to be in continual loue and liking of the same Phillip 3 8. counting all things losse and dung as in regard thereof but also bicause that vvee that are dull of hart and slovve to beleeue Luke 24.25 specially the things that be so farre beyond the reach of our reason and wit and remaine so high and glorious as eternall life and blessednes is might euery day more than other be thereby strengthned in the assured apprehension and application of the same vnto our own soules that so wee might in the middest of all our troubles and trials either outward or inward both spend end the days of the poore pilgrimage that we haue in this life in the peace of a good hart thorow the liuely feeling of the incorruptible crown of euerlasting glorie Oh a thousand yea ten thousand times blessed happy are they on whom god hath bestowed that grace and mercie and infinitly miserably on the other side and wretched are they that are not made partakers of so excellent goodnes I will say but this onelie touching this point men shall neuer indure with christian comfort and true patience indeede any affliction of the flesh or any assaults of the minde much lesse shall they be able to combat and fight wyth hope of a conquest against eyther the one or the other wythout the sweet tasting of this at the least in some measure or except they haue some goodnesse and grace in this behalfe powred foorth

as if he should say they are in no case machable or comparable this also being the Apostles speciall purpose not to reason of the value or price of such afflictions as the faithfull indure or suffer for Christs sake in this life but to shew rather that whether wee respect the qualitie or quantitie of them as a man woulde say and compare the same with eternall life and saluation we may easily yet gather therevpon that we shal be infinitly more blessed with Christ when we shal in the kingdome of heauen be gathered vnto him and vnited with him as our true and onely head than euer we were miserable while wee liued here vppon the face of the earth And the truth of this may appeare not onelie by the plaine wordes and very drift and purpose of the apostle as before but also by his maner of speech hee speaking not cōparatiuely specially in extolling of our sufferings which he greatly debaseth by affirming them no maner of way worthy of eternall glorie but rather in magnifieng of euerlasting lise Yea the worde it selfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being vsed in his right and proper signification which as the grammarians doe wel witnes is affirmed of those things that being weighed one with another are found to be of equall poise or weight with a negatiue particle put before it to abolish the credit that wee woulde carry with our selues and before others in about our sufferings and to extoll the wonderful excellencie of the heauenlie kingdome can not choose but euince and gaine this point at their handes Touching other allegations as namely that out of Prouerbes 3. and 2. Corinthians 4. for we mind not to stand vppon places alleadged out of the bookes called Apocrypha as Ecclesiasticus Tobie and such like in as much as they are but produced onely for the phrase and yet prooue not the matter for which they are brought forth we shall God willing answere the same in some more conuenient place specially sith we haue bene long already in this confutation this being sufficient for this present to let the worlde vnderstand that they are brought foorth very impertinently and onelie to no purpose but contrarie to truth also There remaineth only one reason that seemeth to haue some pith in it to wit that wee may as well affirme that the workes of sin demerit not damnation as that the sufferings of Gods saints deserue not eternall saluatiō but this indeed as the former hath neither bones nor marrowe nor sinnows nor flesh nor any thing else that may giue it force or strength For howsoeuer arguments taken from contraries may be strong in humane reason and yet there they be not so vniuersall but that something may be iustly obiected against the same yet in matters of religion faith and the seruice of God they haue not any such sure footing as these men fantasie That righteousnes and sinne be contraries as also saluation and damnation no man in his right wits I thinke will deny but that the one should arise from man as wel as the other no man vnlesse he be starke madde and insensible yea peeuishly hereticall Mat. 7.16 will euer affirme Doe men gather grapes of thornes Iames 3.11 or figs of thistles Doeth a fountayne send forth at one place svveet vvater and bitter Can not only the barren but the brierie heart of man yeelde such good fruit as the oliues and figges of Gods righteousnesse Or can that florishing tree of eternall goodnes in the Lorde bring foorth briers and brambles Their owne vulgate translation in a place of the prophet Hosea affirmeth the contrarie saying Hosea 13 9. Destruction is thyne O Israell onely in me is thy helpe As though he should say men by meanes of their sinne pull iudgements and destruction vpon themselues but if they attaine to health and saluation they can no where finde it but in the Lord onely by which exclusiue terme also wee may see that saluatiō is not to be looked for or to be found either in our selues or in others but in the Lorde alone who iustifieth the vvicked Rom. 4.5 and shevveth mercie to vvhome it pleaseth him Rom. 9.15 And doth not the Lorde himselfe most plainely propound this trueth saying in the prophet I euen I am the Lord Isai 43.11 and beside me there is no sauiour Cast away from you for shame these grosse conceits of your owne and in time humble your selues to the trueth of the Lord O ye his aduersaries which in many places of the same confuteth you and iustifieth our assertion Out of an infinit number take one place which is so plaine and euident that though you your selues labour to darken it by an obscure translation and would wring your selues out of the snares that it hath cast vpon you by your corrupt gloses yet can you neuer shift it I meane that last verse of the sixt of the Romans where he telleth vs in the first place that the vvages of sinne is death Rom. 6.13 not onely naturall for that all must taste of Hebr. 9.27 God hauing appointed that all men shall once die and after that commeth the iudgement but eternall proper and peculiar to the condemned onely and consequently sheweth vs that eternall life which hee opposeth against eternall death and damnation is the gift of God through Iesus Christ our Lord setting there-against mans sinne and corruption not mans imagined righteousnes as they would haue it but Gods great gift goodnes bestowed vpon vs in and for Christ Iesus sake onely wythout which of a trueth not onely no one man could euer be saued but all flesh must of necessitie perish In logike there is a rule which also they themselues approoue of namely that as we haue great scarcitie of true differences for many things so the reason of that want is not in the naturall thinges themselues for no doubt but euerie seuerall kinde hath his right difference but in that lacke of light iudgement and experience which lieth lurking in euery one of our selues The like wee can not pretend here both bicause God is more perfect than nature as who is Lord thereof and also bicause he hath inlarged himselfe so that we may plainly perceiue and see the truth of this point And if naturall things may by their seuerall differences be certainly deserued one of them from an other how much more truly surely may we distinguish God from men and the workes of his holinesse and grace from the deeds of our cursed corruption Why do we not deale herein as we do in worldly affaires If wee will rightly discerne of them wee will oppose things that be contrary indeed one of them against another as blacke against white war against peace c. Bicause wee rest persuaded that so they may be best discerned no man in this case dealing so fondly as to compare yellow and blacke togither or to resemble a colour with a thing that is not

more they also shal be deliuered in as much as God careth much more for them and much more tenderlye loueth them by how much he hath giuen vnto them more infinyte and euident testimonies of his fauour and more excellent promises for the life present and that that is to come Verse 21. Because the creature also Here is the second cause why the creatures doe earnestlie waite for the time of the reueiling of the sons of God namely because they haue hope that then and not till then they shal be fullie freed from all that corruption that lieth vpon them by meanes of mans sin and transgression thorowe the appointment of God The word creature is vsed here in the same sense that it is in the other two verses before going shal be deliuered that is freed quite clean discharged to wit also in that great daie of the Lord and not before for till then it is the lords ordinance apointment vvho maketh his sun to shine Mat. 5.45 his rain to raine vpon the iust and vniust that both good bad shal be pertakers of his rich mercie though it bee true that the one sort shall haue it to comfort and consolation both of bodie and soule in this world in the worlde to come and the other to terror and iudgement both outward and inward both here there also And the woorde of deliuering that the Apostle vseth would be marked as by which he noteth the free estate that they shal be brought vnto which also the greek word it self doth very elegantly import containing in it selfe expressing in the vse of it this much that they shal be deliuered from the wretched estate of bond-slaues or bond-men into the glorious and comfortable condition of free seruants as you woulde say being excepted from that vniust tyrannie or gouernement that the wicked exercised ouer them and freed also from that fearefull estate to which they were constrainedly subiect from the bondage of corruption that is from that same corruptible flitting and vanishing estate wherevnto they are nowe subiect and which lieth vpon them as a most heauie burthen or yoke of bondage which they are still constrained dailie to drawe in and beare as bondslaues do their state till it shall please GOD to giue them a better and more free condition Into the glorious libertie of the sons of God Hee meaneth not that they shall be partakers of the same eternall glorie with Gods children for if that were true then what difference shoulde there be betwixt Gods faithfull seruants bruit beasts Besides wee all knowe and beleeue that without faith there is as no purifieng of hearts so no entrance into heauen and that gift of beleefe vnreasonable creatures shall neuer attaine vnto neither yet all men bicause as the Apostle saith Faith is not of all men 2. Thess 3.2 it being a peculiar grace bestowed onlie vpon Gods elect and chosen children If any would say that this might serue mightilie for the manifestation of Gods mercie I answe are first that God knoweth best when where and vpon whom also to disclose his goodnes without light or instruction from vs next that they shoulde more plainely appeare in sauing reasonable creatures euen the very reprobate and wicked than in sauing these dumbe and insensible things And if Gods mercie were to be reuealed that way why not in sauing that that was furthest from saluation I meane the diuell and damned spirits who both by reason of their sinne and in that they are past hope of a better condition are further sundred from eternall life than the senslesse and brutish creatures that I may say nothing of the excellencie of their nature as it was by creation being farre more fit in that respect for eternall life than the carnall and grose nature and constitution of beasts and other things But that is impossible both as in regarde of God who hath reuealed the contrarie in his worde and also as in respect of vs to whome we knowe and beleeue that all things are impossible that God hath declared by his truth shall not be done and therefore also the other but a fond conceit of mens idle heads This rather as I take it he meaneth that in their kind and manner they shal be made pertakers of a far better estate then they had while the world indured because that God shall fullie and wholye restore the world being fallen into corruption thorow the transgression and sinne of mankinde which yet as seemeth to me maie more plainely appeare in that amplifieng by the contraries hee opposeth subsequent libertie against former bondage which that hee might the more inlarge hee calleth it not simplie freedome or libertie but libertie of glorie as it is in the greeke text meaning thereby according to the phrase and proprietie of the Hebrue toong glorious libertie or liberty that bringeth glory with it vnder which terme of glorie he compriseth the excellent estate that they shal be in after their deliuery frō their former basenes seruitude As for the words following namly of the sonnes of God to which wee must referre glorious libertie before mentioned they must bee vnderstoode as it were by a certaine proportion or similitude thus that as in that great daie and not before gods children shal be graciously freed from all dangers and distresses of this life whatsoeuer either in bodie or soule and on the other side made perfect pertakers of eternall blessednes so the creatures then and not before shal be deliuered from the vanitie of man their owne corruption and restored to a far better estate then presently they inioy which also maye appeare by the words that the Apostle vseth setting glorious libertie deliuerance and freedome against seruile bondage and slauerie Verse 22. For vve knovve If anie man would demaund how this could bee prooued Paule and the faithful together with him runne to the holie testimonie of their owne conscience the assured persuasion that they haue there of the matter speaking as if it were thus Our own hearts tell vs that we sigh and groane they tell vs also that for asmuch as the creatures by meanes of sin suffer as we suffer that therefore vnder that burthen they do in their kinde sigh and groane togither with vs. I say in their kinde bicause that all these things are attributed vnto them by that figure or kinde of speeche whiche is before rehearsed Neither dooth the Apostle meane hereby to giue any warrantize or strength to the od speculations dreames dotages reuelations of fanatical spirits as of the Montanists Euthrusiasts Mahometists others heretofore or of the Anabaptists familie of loue and Papists and amongst them their monkes in these our daies For first and formost he declareth nothing here but that which he had receiued as truth in the certaintie of the spirit and that also grounded and setled vppon the vnmoueable rocke of the worde and vpon that same particular feeling