Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	death_n	lord_n	sinner_n	2,648	5	7.4070	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91314	A vindication of foure serious questions of grand importance, concerning excommunication and suspention from the sacrament of the Lords Supper, from some misprisions and unjust exceptions lately taken against them; both in the pulpit, by a reverend brother of Scotland, in a sermon at Margarets Church in Westminster, before the Honourable House of Commons, at a publike fast there held for Scotland, on the 5th of September last: and in the presse, by three new-printed pamphlets, by way of answer to, and censure of them. Wherein some scripture texts, (commonly reproduced for excommunication, and bare suspention from the Lords Supper onely,) are cleared from false glosses, inferences, conclusions wrested from them; ... / By William Prynne of Lincolns Inne, Esquire.	Prynne, William, 1600-1669.	1645 (1645)	Wing P4124; Thomason E265_5; ESTC R212424	79,558	71

receivers esp●cially the most scandalous and sinfull generally to re●orm all their evill wayes and carry themselves more obediently zealously towards God and Christ then ever they did before And we experimentally find that many sc●ndalous sinners even out of a meer naturall or hypocriticall conscience when they resort to the Lords Ta●le doe oft enter into solemne secret Vowes and Covenants between God and their ownesoules to amend their former evill wayes peruse and read some good pious books of devotion meditation and listen very diligently to the Word when preached which they will no whit regard look on ot hearken to at other seasons yea become good reall at leastwise formall converts Fourthly every Ordinance of Chtist and the Sacrament especially above others is a speciall meanes not onely of confirming but begetting and encreasing grace as I have proved and I make no doubt but many scandalous obstinate sinners have been and may be still reclaimed by their owne ptivate conscionable preparations examinations meditations prayers vowes and pious resolutions taken to themselves and by the publike confessions exhortations admonitions prayers i●structions used in the Congr●gation both before at and imediatly after their approaches to the Lord● Table yea I dare say ten to one would be reclaimed converted by such admission then will be converted or amended by their bare suspension from it Hence it was that Christ who came into the world to save sinners when he would reclaime and bring home sinners conversed familiarly with permitted them ever to come to him and hi● Ordi●ances not debarred them from them And the forecited Fathers alleage this for one reason why Christ admitted the very traytor Judas to the sacrament though he knew him to be a devill and cast-away because he would ●vercome him by this great mercy goodnesse lenity and leave no meanes of his convertion unattempted If therefore scandalous sinners seriously desire to receive the Sacrament as a principall meanes to subdue their iniquities reforme their lives and tye them faster unto God for the future making publike profession of the reality of their intentions in this kind as they all doe at lest in words and outward shew why such should be debarred fro● the Sacrament of the Lords Supper since really admitted to the Sacrament of Baptisme and all other Ordinances I cannot yet discerne any proofe or reason Thirdly whether Christ did ever intend that none but true reall beleevers and penitents should receive his supper Or whether he did not infallibly both know and really intend that many unregenerate impenitent persons would and ●hould receive it some of them to their cōvertion who belong to him others of them to their h●rt condemnation as well as true penitents for their comfort and salvation Our Antagonists do and m●st of necessity grant that close hypocrites persons who are not scandalous b●t blamelesse in their outward conversations endued withcompetent knowledge have an external right to the Lords supper though not truly regenerate and endued with saving faith and that no Mini●ler Presbytery or Classis can or ought of right to suspend such from the Sacrament for if reall Saints should onely approa●h the Lords Table how few would the number of Communicants be in all Congregations or what Minister Church or Classis might or could take such a jurisdiction upon them as certainly to define who are reall Saints and who not since the Lord onely knowes infallibly who are his They doe and must likewise yeeld that such persons as these hauing no justifying faith nor sincere repentance in them when they doe receive this Sacrament doe eat and drink their owne damnation as well as the prophanest obstinatest sinners If then these may be admitted to the Sacrament though they thus eat and drinke damnation to themselves not discerning the Lords body then why not others and if Christ hath ordiained the Sacrament of his Supper as well as the preaching of the Word and Gospell to be a savour of death to such unworthy as well as a savour of life unto life to worthy receivers then what reason in point of conscience can any Minister alleage why he should not administer the Sacrament to all who desire to receive it as well as preach the Gospell to those who desire to heare it since God hath his end in both the glory of his justice in the one as well as of his grace and mercy in the other Fourthly Whether all obstinate scandalous impenitent sinners before they come to participate at the Lords Tahle b● not in a present state of damnation and whether they doe not aggravate and e●crease their damnation by resorting to Sermons hearing reading praying fasting and every other publike duty they performe to God as well as eat and augment it by resorting ●o the Sacrament If yea which cannot be gain said and is yeelded by all then what matter of conscience or solid reason can be rendred by any rationall Christian why such perso●s should not at well be admitted to the Sacrament as to any other Ordinance or not suspended equally from all Ordi●ances as well as from it since all by accident ●hrough mens abuse and unprofitablenesse prove means of aggravating their sins and condemnation Either therefore our Opposites must suspend such person● from all Ordinances alike till they be reclaimed which themselves perchance will deem a preposterous course or else admit them to the Sacrament as well as to other Ordinances since all prove alike good or bad saving or damning to them Object If they alleage as some of them doe that suspension from the Sacrament though not from othe● Ordinances is but a step to excommunication and therefore warranted by those Texts and reasons which make for a totall excomunication from the Church and o●her Ordinances Answ. I demand first whether Christ himselfe whose Kingdome and Discipline you pretend excomunication to be and him to be the onely Law-giver of his Church hath made suspension onely from the Sacrament but not from other Ordinances a step to totall excomunication or a necessary or expedient forerunner of it as you grant he hath made publike admonitions exhortations reproofes and the like If yea then shew me where when or how by Scripture which I am certaine you cannot doe If not then this suspension from the Sacrament alone which is now contested for with so much eage●nesse as if Christs Kingdome and Church-discipline did wholly consist therein is but a meere humane invention and so no Ordinance of Christ nor any part of his Kingly government Secondly I shall demand whether those Texts which prescribe a totall exclusion from the Church Ordinances can be any way satisfied obeyed by a partiall execution of them Wh●n God commands any thing to be fully executed a halfe or partiall performance onely is no better in his esteem then plaine disobedience or rebellion as appeares in the case of a Saul's incompleat fulfilling●f Gods commission against the A●al●kites in sparing Agag and

the future Fourthly flexanimous exhortations admonitions comminations directions prayers by the Ministers in the Congregation before in after this duty which operate penetrate more upon Sacrament-dayes upon Communicants of all sorts as experience manifests then at other seasons Now whether the receiving of this Sacrament usually accompanied and set on upon mens spirits with such most effectuall powerfull likely meanes of conversion be not a most apt and proper Ordinance to regenerate reclaime convert ungodly scandalous sinners and more likely to regenerate and change their hearts lives then the bare Word preached or any other Ordinance at least wise more effectuall to convert and amend them then any rigorous suspensions of them from the Sacrament let every mans conscience and experience judge Fourthly all our Antagonists accord that we have a more immediate intercourse and communion with God and Christ in this Sacrament then in any other Ordinance whatsoever where in the outward elements we behold Christs death and passion visibly represented to our eyes and by them unto our hearts and more lively more particularly applyed and the remission of our sins more sensibly sealed to us then in any other Ordinance from whence I thus infallibly conclude against these Opposites That Ordinance wherein we most immediatly converse with God and Christ and have more intimate visible sensible communion with them then in any other is certainly the most powerfull and effectuall Ordinance of all othecs to humble regenerate conve t and beget true grace within us and most probable converting Ordinance of all others because the manifestation revelation and proximity of God and Christ to the soule is that which doth most of all humble and convert it as is evident by Job chap. 38. to 41. compared with chap. 42. 1. to 7. Isa. 6. 1. to 9. Luke 5. 7 8 9. Psal. 148. 14. Isa. 55. 6. Zeph. 3. 2. Hab. 10. 21. Eph. 2. 13. 17. James 4. 8. But the Sacrament of the Lords Supper by our Antagonists own confession is such Ergo it is a converting as well as a confirming Ordinance Fifthly what is it that makes the Word it selfe a converting Ordinance ●s it not the particular revelation and application of the promises of the Gospell of Christs merits death and passion to the soule by Gods holy Spirit not the meere outward voyce or sound 1 Cor. 1. 23 24. chap. 2. 2. to 6. If so as all must grant then certainly this Sacrament which by our Antagonists confession doh most particularly fully lively effectually and sensibly apply the promises yea the death passion and merits of Christ unto every Communicants eyes eares heart and soule far livelier then the Word preached doth 1 Cor. 11. 14. to 30. Gal. 3. 2. must be a converting Ordinance and not a meere consirming ordinance as they pretend Sixthly all grant that God doth as effectually teach convert work grace by the eye as eare For first the very book of nature and contemplation of the creatures instruct us that there is an invisible God is enough to leav men without excuse and through Gods blessing sufficient to raise up excellent meditations tending both to sanctification and conversion Psal. 8. 3. to 9. Psal. 19. 1 2 3. Ps. 100. 104. throughout Job 31. to 42. Rom. 1. 28. to 25. Acts 17. 23. to 30. c. 14. 17. Secondly all the externall Sacrifices of the old Law together with the Sacraments of Circumcision and the Passeover did instruct and teach Gods people who participated of them or were present at them by the eye and were both edifying and converting Ordinances as well as confirming as all doe and must acknowledge Thirdly the severall Miracles of the Prophets under the Law of Christ and his Apostles under the Gospell which converted thousands without preaching did convert and regenerate men by the eye without the eare the very sight of the Miracles being the ground and cause of their conversion and beleeving John 2. 11. 23. chap. 3. 2. chap. 4. 52 53 54. chap. 6. 2. 26. ch. 7. 31. chap. 16. 41. 4. chap. 12. 18. 19. chap. 11. 45 47 48. Acts 1. 12. to 17. chap. 6. 7 8. chap. 8. 6. 13. chap. 15. 12. Acts 19. 11 12. Matth. 15. 30 31. Luke 5. 25 26. 1 Kings 18. 38 39. Exod. 18. 31. Fourthly experience and Scripture informe us that the things we see with our eyes doe more affect and beget deeper impressions in our hearts then the things we heare Lam. 3. 51. Hence is that speech of our Saviour himselfe to those who had the happinesse to see his person Blessed are your eyes for they see c. Matth. 6. 16. Luk. 10. 23. Hence old Simeon when he beheld our Saviour was so ravished at the sight that he brake out into these patheticall expressions Lord now lettest th●n thy servant depart in peace according to thy Word for MINE EYES HAVE SEEN THY SALVATION c. Luke 2. 29 30. Yea Luke expresly records chap. 23. v. 46 47 48. that when the Centurian saw our Saviour on his Crosse giving up the Ghost he glorified God saying certainly this man was a righte●us man And ALL THE PEOPLE that cane together TO THAT SIGHT BEHOLDING THE THINGS that were done s●ote their breasts and returned If then all these visible objects Sacraments Sacrifices Types Miracles and the very beholding of Christs person passion without the Word were the most effectuall meanes of working contrition conversion beliefe and faith in Christ in the spectators by the eye why should not the visible expressions of Christs crucified body blood-shed passion on the Crosse most lively presented to our eyes and sences in this Sacrament even as if Christ himselfe were againe actually crucified before our eyes Gal. 3. 1. 1 Cor. 11. 25 26. have the like effectuall converting regenerating operation on our hearts and spirits as well as these other visible objects Seventhly all Divines accord that the most humbling melting sin-purging mollifying soul-changing meditation of all others that men can fix on is the serious contemplation of Christs bitter death and passion on the Crosse that our particular sinnes did wound pierce not onely his hands feet side but his very soule that he was bruised for our iniquities c. And yet that such is his suparlative goodnesse mercy pity that forgetting all these indignities provocations he heales us by those his very wounds which we have made and washeth away our sinnes in that very blood of his which we have shed No meditation comparable to this to reclaime ah obstinate sinner mollifie an adamantine heart humble a proud spirit reforme a sinfull life regenerate and convert a carnall heart And is not this most passionately lively really and effectually represented to our eyes hearts in this very Sacrament in a more powerfull prevailing manner then in the Word alone And can any then deny it to be as converting yea a more humbling regenerating converting Ordinance then the Word which is likewise commonly joyned

the best spoyles and destroying onely the vulgar Amalekites with the worst of the cattle and spoyle Your selves doe daily inculcate upon the Parliament and your Auditors a through and compleat Reformation in Church and State informing them that lesse will not be accepted of God or good men and will you content God will a halfe excomunication of scandalous notorious sinners by suspending them onely from the Sacrament when he requires a compleat sequestration and casting out of such from all publike Ordinances and Christian communion Answer me but this and you will soone satisfie your objection Thirdly what are the principall ends for which excomunication was instituted in the Church are they not First the punishment of the impenitent delinquent for his crimes whence it is stiled by you others a censure yea the terriblest censure and punishment of all Secondly the preserving of others from infection pollution by their ill example and conversation as Leapers in the Leviticall law and plague sick persons and Leapers by our laws now a●e to be shut up sequestred from the company of others during their contagions If so as you must needs acknowledge from ths 1 Cor. 5. 6 7 8. Gal 5. 9. 2 Tim. 2. 17 18. then if this censure be of Gods institution not mans how can you prove Chancellors to m●tigate or halfe it at your pleasures without Gods warrant how can you inflict it but in part when and where he requires the whole Are you f●ithfull or impartiall judges herein I presume you dare not say so Either therefore execute this censure throug●ly and impartially as God you say prescribes it or not at all least you 〈…〉 selves wiser or mercifullier then God him selfe Againe how can you 〈◊〉 others from infection by their society and examples if you doe not totally seclude them for the time you suspend them till they reforme themselves from all Christian society and publike ordinances as well as from the Lords Table onely Shall such converse and communicate daily with you in publique prayers Sermons Fasts reading the Scripture singing Psalmes c. and yet not so much as once communicate with you monethly quarterly or yeerly for feare of contagion or pollution by their ill example and society in that duty onely in which for the most part they are ever most seemingly penitent holy and devout Was ever any man so absurd or se●slesse as to avoid the company of a Leaper or plague-sick person once a moneth or quarter at his Table onely for feare of infection and yet meet with him daily or weekly in the self-same house and roome upon other civill occasions of businesse or discourse And can any Christians then be so irration●ll as to conceive that their daily or weekly communion with such scandalous impeni●ent sinners in all other publike ordinances will not endanger or pollute them nor make them guilty of their sinnes by participation communion or approbation and yet thinke their monethly quarterly or yeerly meeting and communicating with them at the Lords Table only will so poyson so infect them with their sinnes and guilt that they neither can nor dare with safe conscience admit them to or joyne with them in this ordinance onely though they ordinarily joyne with them without scruple in all others I beseech you deare Christian Brethren consider seriously of all these particulars apply them home to to your owne conscien●es weigh them by the sacred ballance of Gods holy Word the rules of right reason piety prudence and then I doubt not by Gods blessing if you be not obstinately wedded to your owne opinions more then to the truth you will speedily disclaime and confesse the weaknesse falsnesse deceitfulnesse of those ●rro●ious grounds whimseys wheron you have hitherto over rashly without any serious deliberation or discussion built this your partiall suspension from the Sacrament alone without exclusion from other ordinances which hath neither colour of Scripture nor solid reason to support it but both expresse against it Remember I beseech you that the a times of mens conversion and reformation are in Gods hands alone not theirs or yours that b the change of the heart and life is not him of that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy and worketh this blessed alteration both at what time and by what meanes he pleaseth he can make the Word and Sacrament effectuall to some scandalous sinners it may be c at the third perchance at the sixth possibly not till the eleventh or last houre of the day shall you therefore debarre them from them in the interim Consider how many of your selves perchance have lived impenitently unprofitably under the ordinances Sacraments for sundry yeers together and how long God did d wait to shew mercy upon you er● you did repent and amend and will you not exercise the e self same patience and indulgence towards others as God and others did towards you during your owne scandalous and impenitent lives Doth God f suff●r the tares to grow together in his Church with the wheat and to enjoy the rain and dew of his Ordinances till the very harvest without separation because possibly some who are for the present tares may afterward prove wheat wil you extirpate or deprive them from the Sacrament before Gods time without separation not following that golden rule the Apostle prescribes to every Minister who is the Lords servant g to be gentle towards all men patient in meeknesse instructing those that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledg●ng of the truth and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the Devill who are taken captive of him at his will Let us no● be more impatient and harsher towards any then God himselfe and Christ are and h would have us to be but let us i put on bowels of tender mercies towards them with long-suffering as they do God himself endures with much long-suffering in his Church the very vessels of wrath fitted for destruction endeavouring to overcome or leave them unexcusable by his Ordinances long-suffering And shall not we endure them or others though scandalous for the present who by these ordinances may become vessels of mercy as well as we Consider the k Parable of the marriage of the Kings Sonne where the King sent forth his servants to invite guests to the Wedding supper who gathered together ALL they found both BAD and good that the Wedding might be furnished with Guests and beware that ye fall not in point of the Sacrament into the very errour we condemne in Papists in regard of the Word who take away and deny the use of the Scriptures from the common people in the vulgar Tongue l because the unstable and unlearned wrest them as they did in Peters time never more then now to their owne destruction upon which very ground you take away the Sacrament