Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	faith_n	grace_n	repentance_n	2,335	5	7.5639	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A41331	The real Christian, or, A treatise of effectual calling wherein the work of God is drawing the soul to Christ ... : to which is added, in the epistle to the reader, a few words concerning Socinianisme ... / by Giles Firmin ...	Firmin, Giles, 1614-1697.	1670 (1670)	Wing F963; ESTC R34439	271,866	392

else there is an impossibilitie of my serving this end the exalting the glory of Grace Hence this word Above the setting up or loving any thing above God hath place only there in Scripture where the thing set up or loved by my self may stand in opposition to God then self-love proves destructive indeed But where doth Mr. Rogers find this Command in Scripture that though the Soul doth so seek its own salvation as it willingly embraceth Christ upon his own terms yet that in believing and closing with him it sets up the glory of Gods Grace above its salvation and so self-love not obeying but crossing this Command ruines the Soul eternally Let any man observe the Prophets Christ and his Apostles how they preached and see through the whole Scripture if this were not their way to draw men to repentance to believing in Christ with these Arguments of salvation and good things to us but as for the glory of Gods Grace that honour which he hath in our repentance in our believing that is mentioned nothing so much as the others though he hath glory it is true in it and will have it more yet that Argument is little inculcated but to command or move with this the setting up this glory above salvation I find it not nay we see how vile we are that though the Lord doth follow us and press us to repentance to faith to walking with him from Arguments that concern self our own salvation and happiness yet how little did these Arguments and do they at this day prevail O gracious condescension of God! O vile heart of man Did Mr. Rogers and do Ministers now find that people are so eagerly set to seek their own salvation according to the Gospel Do crouds of people come in so thick that he had need stave them off and keep them out with this puzzling notion I am sure I could observe no such thing when I lived by him though there were some blessed be God in the place yet more would have been welcome I am sure very few in his latter dayes came in if any From this observation of the way of preaching which the Prophets Christ and all his Apostles took I have wondered what our Ministers of late did mean that they could not be content to preach as the Prophets Christ and his Apostles did but must thus puzzle perplex and grieve the spirits of Christians who truly close with and love Christ with their strains and notions which neither Prophets Christ nor his Apostles ever delivered God from eternity did intend the manifestation of the glory of his Mercy mixed with Justice in our for ever blessed Surety in some persons This is the end he propounds and this end this efficient who propounds it will take care that it be brought about it lyeth upon the Efficient who propounds it to himself to effect it in order to this end he creates man though creation serves for a means as well for the manifestation of Justice as Mercy in a pure estate makes a Covenant with him leaves him to his own will permits the fall I purposely avoid disputes about the fall but permission I think will not be quarrell'd with though I know what disputes there are here also being fallen See Bradward de causa Dei l. 1. cap. 33. he sends a Redeemer gives faith in him justification pardon holiness renewing of nature rewarding faith and obedience continued in to the last with salvation and glory All these being means to bring about this end the manifestation of the glory of his Grace mixed with Justice All these means lye in the Efficients hand one way or other for he did not concur to the fall as he doth in other means so to order them that be sure he fails not of the end he propounded God cannot send a Redeemer give faith in him justification peace pardon holiness perseverance in all with salvation to crown all but his end must of necessity appear so that he cannot fail of his end The believer pardoned redeemed sanctified saved doth give him the glory of this Grace and serves his end the Efficient hath his end In the work of faith and obedience walking with God there I set God above my self above my own will and lusts so in parting with any thing that is lawful to enjoy any creature comfort when it comes to be opposite to God here the glory of God is above me here lieth my duty this serves as means to that end this is his gift he is the principal Efficient as the first cause though formally Faith Repentance Obedience be my Acts. But to bring in this as a duty in my first closing with Christ that I set up this end manifestation of his Grace above my salvation I cannot find this in Scripture The first Agent looks to and takes care for his end There are several persons have conspired to take away the Kings life their treason is discovered the King is willing and resolves to make manifestation of his clemency and mercy upon the Traytors petitioning to him promising loyalty to him for the future he freely pardons them in pardoning of them he doth clearly manifest his clemency and mercy all men know as they could say of the Kings of Israel and say the King is a merciful King he bears the glory of it the pardoning of the Traytors is a means to his end it was the King ordered the means though he did not put in this clause See that you exalt my mercy above your life His end did not depend upon this whether they did exalt his mercy above their lives Alas poor men their lives are dear to them and they do exalt his clemency No he hath his end all the Kingdom bears him witness and other Nations by him that he is an exceeding merciful King and deserves praise So it is here the attaining of Gods end doth not depend upon this that I ser up the glory of his Grace above my salvation for he hath his end in saving heaven earth and hell must all confess as doth the saved Soul the pardoned Traytour cry out O the depth of the riches of the Grace and Mercy of this God but for the word Above I let that alone and not mind it Arg. 4. If Repentance towasds God and Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ Acts 20.21 be conditions sufficient to put a man into a state of salvation then the exalting of the Grace of God above my salvation is a condition needlesly added But Repentance and Faith are sufficient Ergo. For the Consequent To add more than the Gospel requires to put a man into a state of salvation is needless yea it is boldness for any man to do it it is in effect an adding to the word as if God did not know what were sufficient but we must teach him and if needless then there is no danger of this self-love destroying the Soul as is asserted by him The Antecedent is true

with his Son-in-law Mr. Shepherd go both the same way yet Mr. Shepherd writing last hath done it more fully Mr. Hooker not putting forth his Book himself as I conceive therefore I shall attend Mr. Shepherd especially being I wrote to him about it and have his Letter in answer by me Let us see then whither we have brought the Soul the Spirit of God hath convinced it of its sinful undone miserable condition hath made it acquainted with fears and sorrows rising from that Conviction hath beaten it out of its self-confidence and self-righteousness it is very poor in its own eyes he hath made it willing or not unwilling to be divorced from its sins and lusts glad to take Christ upon any terms so it may have him What is next Faith in Christ close with him poor Soul say I take him upon those terms the Gospel tenders him which thou sayest and that truly thou doest heartily submit to and thinkest it is the best bargain that ever thou madest This Doctrine I dare preach to thee No saith Mr. Shepherd between those preparations and Faith in Christ there comes in one more to make up sound preparation What is that I pray The Soul in that condition must lye under God to be disposed of as he please quietly contented to lye still at his feet p. 125 143 150. But I pray what mean you by this That is It must have no sinking discouragements no secret quarrelling but content quiet though God will never work grace never manifest grace never pity it never help it never succour it never give it his Love p. 140 154. In one word saith Mr. Thomas Hooker if the Soul be rightly humbled it is content to bear the state of Damnation Souls Humiliation p. 112. This then is another requisite to right preparation for Christ So Mr Hooker Souls Humil. p. 145. expresseth it plainly p. 112. that the Soul so prepared as I have mentioned be content to be without Christ and bear the state of damnation if God will have it so These holy men tell us of damned Saints what else to call them I know not The Soul before it comes to Christ hath no goodness at all nothing that we can call Sanctification or Grace in them by way of habit these men acknowledge yet here I think is an Act and a high one too of Grace if it must be by the Word requiring it before the Soul hath Faith in Christ such a subjection to the holy Will and Soveraignty of God that if he will deny it the greatest good the rational Creature is capable of and inflict upon it his dreadful wrath to eternity the Soul is quiet contented well satisfied with his pleasure Can any man call this any other but Grace and it must be performed also from a habit of Grace Mr. Shepherd doth not tell us this is wrought by actual grace without a sanctified habit When Aaron heldhis peace Levit. 10.3 David was dumb Psal 38.9 I think they did manifest Grace in their quiet subjection to Gods Justice and Soveraignty But what petty nothings were their tryals unto this which the convinced Soul is now called to and yet must have no Grace Either Nature or Grace must do this not Nature I am sure then it must be Grace and yet no Faith no Christ no sanctified habit of Grace in it Content quiet well apayed satisfied words which both these Worthies express their minds by are words that carry much in them they imply not only a non-murmuring and devil-like fierceness flying out against God as Mr. Shepherd phraseth is but they carry in them abundance more something that is positive as will appear by both these Worthies Mr. Shepherd p. 147. makes this his second Argument to prove his Position Why art thou quiet and still when God denies thee any common mercy Is it not because the Lord will have it so Now look as we say of him that hates sin as sin that he hates all sin so he that is meekned with Gods good pleasure in any one thing because of his good pleasure in it upon the same ground will at least desire to stoop in every thing c. So if God will deny thee mercy c. By the way note this must not be any grace though the Soul hath this frame of heart for he speaks of one as yet not come to Faith Now in this Argument of his we shall find there is something positive and more then a non-murmuring There are many outward common mercies which God hath given to others and those of his own people but denied them to me which I could be glad of and think I should bless him if I had them yet I do not only not murmur against God and quarrel with him because I am denied them but I am very well pleased quiet and content with his Will in denying them a positive quiet well-pleased frame I feel upon what grounds I am so content whether only upon the account of his Soveraignty that I do not now express but may speak to it when I come to answer his Argument Mr. Hooker p. 139 140. shewing us how the humbled Soul answers the Devils Objections I shall only give the sum of one or two not willing to transcribe all 1. Satan objects Doest thou think to get mercy from the Lord when thine own Conscience dogs thee Go to the place where thou hast lived to the chambers where thou lyest see thy abominations God hears not the prayers of such vile sinners The Soul answers I have denied God and he may well deny me and if the Lord will cast me away and reject my prayers I am content But saith Satan this is not all for God will give thee over and leave thee to thy self thy lusts and corruptions thy end will be worse then thy beginning thou shalt call and cry and be overthrown God will leave thee to thy corruptions and lusts they shall prevail against thee thou shalt fall fearfully to the wounding of thy Conscience scandal of the Gospell and the reproach of thine own person To this the Soul answers If the Lord will give me up to my base lusts leave me to my sins and I fall one day yet let the Lord be honoured let not God loose the praise of his power and justice and I am contented if God leave me Blessed God what Divinity is this But Satan replies when God hath thus left thee to thy sins he will break out in vengeance against thee and get praise from that proud heart of thine The Soul answers If the Lord do come in judgment against me I am contented Hath the blessed God left no other way to answer the Devil but this Did the the Saints of God of whom we read in Scripture answer the Devil only thus We read of some that have been under their temptations but I remember not these answers But by what we read in Mr. Hooker we may observe this is not a bare

all these have born up bravely by your faith above sinking and afflicting thoughts and solaced your Soul with the joyes of Heaven if it be so magnifie mercy and yet pity those who would walk with God uprightly and do for the main but have not yet attained to that measure you have but if you have not been under these conditions and experienced what the temptations are if you will teach them their duty how they should walk do it but yet let it be with compassion the poor body will complain we live an Animal as well as a rational and spiritual life and though I know God can send in that which shall lift up a Soul above all discouragements under these conditions yet that all Christians under these conditions have such influences of grace and comfort from God alwayes abiding by them to do it though sometimes a glimpse they meet with I do not find it Secondly As to the fixing of the thoughts upon such an object so as no other thoughts intermix themselves more than they should in prayer I have nothing to say against it if this be the duty that we must separate so much time for these thoughts or meditations only What others find of intermixing of thoughts in prayer I know not but this I know who hath cause to be ashamed and humbled for such intermixings had we not a High-Priest to bear the iniquities of our holy things I know it would go ill with some body When the mind of a man is like a Spannel that runs before his Master one while he keeps before him in the path presently he is hunting on the other side the hedge then into the path he comes again and runs a while by and by gone again thus the mind one while attends the business it is about presently it slips aside to other matters then in again but to hold it firm fixed in the work alwayes in the path this some body finds hard But when we come only to thinking meditating who will fix this Quicksilver The Bird hops off one bough to another stayes long on none this vanity and inconstancy is a wretched distemper and this makes the duty of meditation so hard If the heart be laden with sorrows or filled with fears it can fix the mind upon the Objects which cause these fears or sorrows if it be enlarged with joy delight it will fix on the Object that causeth it so if love and desire be greatly drawn forth after an Object it will fix the mind upon the Object Voluntas imperat intellectui quoad exercitium actus Impellit intellectum ad considerationem But the affections must be much enlarged else they will not fix the mind Hence many Christians I do not mean such as bear the name only but real and serious Christians if I have any skill to judge by the inward acquaintance I have with them and observation of their conversation have complained much and said they find this to be such a hard duty when they set themselves apart only to think and meditate that they cannot perform it after that manner which Divines write not out of a corrupt spirit and enmity to the duty for they are very willing with it and try to do it but cannot fix their minds and make them hold to the thing they propound but for secret prayer there they make up what they cannot in meditation And in truth the prayers of many Christians what are they but their spiritual meditations expressed in words to God But if other thoughts should come in are they as sinful as in prayer wherein we deal with God immediately in Divine worship Thirdly For the time allotted for this duty one hour or half an hour To hold the mind fixed one hour or half an hour together without any other thoughts intermixed about Heavens Joyes or iudeed about any other Grace what say poor Christians to this Hath the blessed God revealed this to be his will hath he set down the time how long Christians must meditate What if a Christian cannot hold his mind fixed a quarter of an hour what if not half a quarter doth he break any Command or Rule of God form editation I know very well the Scripture speaks of meditating in the Word day and night but the meaning of that Text I hope is not according to this duty of meditation which is urged in this manner Many poor Christians who cannot meditate of Heavens Joyes or other Graces half an hour nor quarter without thoughts intermixing do yet labour to meditate in the Word both day an night Psal 1.2 that is endeavour to have their conversation framed according to the Word both day and night I honour much that holy man whose name I have forgot but he was Minister either in Wales or near Wales the same man it was as I remember whose conversion was so observable two Livings he had before his conversion but discharged not his duty to one being at a Fair and buying something at a Pedlers Stall he rends off a leaf of Mr. Perkins Catechism to put the thing into which he bought and reading a line or two in it God set home something out of it which did the work presently he parts with his best Living kept the least and proves a faithful Labourer in Gods Vineyard This holy man was observed by those who lived in the house with him to keep Fasts alone and they observed this was his manner sometimes to walk then fall down upon his knees to prayer and was not at prayer but a very short time may be five or six minutes then walk again and pray again a few minutes and thus spent his day in meditation and prayer This man I much honour that could do thus and so I do those who can meditate if two hours or ten hours but to set down times how long men should meditate I know no ground for that First I conceive under favour meditation is then rightly performed when the affections are wrought up unto a sutableness with the object I am meditating upon Would I meditate upon the vanity of the Creature to which I see my self enslaved too much if I can by meditation come to see the vanity of it by the Spirit of God assisting me that I find my affections are more loosened from is get more above it and take up more in God I conceive meditation hath in its measure attained its end If it be any lust or sin that I would see the evil of it if the Spirit helps me in meditation to see the evil of it so that I fear it I tremble at it my will turns away from it and begs grace and strength against it a heart to hate it meditation hath its end If my Object be God Christ Grace Holiness and I would see the good of these if the Spirit assisting me I come so to see the good of these that my will chuseth love desire run out after these with an unsatisfied spirit