Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	good_a	grace_n	work_n	6,662	5	5.6625	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A25212	Melius inquirendum, or, A sober inquirie into the reasonings of the Serious inquirie wherein the inquirers cavils against the principles, his calumnies against the preachings and practises of the non-conformists are examined, and refelled, and St. Augustine, the synod of Dort and the Articles of the Church of England in the Quinquarticular points, vindicated.	Alsop, Vincent, 1629 or 30-1703.; G. W.	1678 (1678)	Wing A2914; ESTC R10483	348,872	332

a Padlock upon 't so stuffed with Pen and Ink-horn Terms that it was almost as intelligible in Latin the same contumely does our Enquirer pour out upon the Articles of the Church which were the most famous Testimony that then for many Years nay Ages had been given to the Truth of the Gospel I conclude then that he must be very immodest that can entertain a thought so unworthy the Learning Religion and sincetity of our first Reformers which were their greatest Ornaments as they were of their Times and the Articles the greatest glory of them both I know it 's an easie matter to draw up a Proposition so dubiously that the greatest Dissenters may subscribe it but what is the advantage of such dawbing Policy Peace or Unity of Judgment Some Men indeed have got a Worm in their Pates and they fancy this an expedient for these ends but there 's no such matter for the Subscribers in this Case do not bow their jugdments to the Articles but gently bend the Articles to their judgment It 's not the Bank that moves to the Boat but the Boat that moves to the Bank and each Party thinks it self the stronger because it can draw in the obsequious Articles to abet their opinioons When therefore he insinuates that they of the Cal●…inistical perswasion in subscribing the Articles are forced to use Scholastick Subtleties to reconcile their opinions to them we entreat them to use Scholastick Sub●…leties who are of the other judgment to reconcile the Articles to their opinions and they will find all too little unless they borrow a Point or two of Conscience first to resolve to subscribe and then defend it afterwards as well as they can And when he intimates that they were only some few Divines of this Church that used this expedient we know well that till the appearance of the late A. B. Laud the generality of this Church were of the Dort perswasion Arminianism has been openly declared Schism Arminius himself an Enemy to the Grace of God by our greatest and most Learned Princes and the greatest of our Church-Men have declared against it as a stranger and enemy to our Church But all this as I observ'd was brought in to vilifie the Synod of Dort and that eminently Learned and Holy Person St. Austin whose Credit whilst the Enquirer would wound he shall but like the Viper in the Fable Break his own Teeth and never hurt the impregnable Steel 2. A second pretended Objection against the Church is That it is not sufficiently purged from the Dross of Romish Superstitions It 's a marvelous advantage to him that challenges another to fight if he may prescribe and impose the Weapon this Authority has our Enquirer and some of his Camerades arrogated as peculiar to themselves that they may put what objections they please into the Mouths of Dissenters For though they cannot in the largest Charity acquit a Party neither considerable for Number or solid Learning which yet by noise and Pragmaticalness and some other Artifices have vested themselves with the Name of the Church yet they are ready to clear the Articles of the Church from Popery and Arminianism I intend those alone who would obtrude a meaning upon the Doctrine as if it impugned particular Election Original Sin and asserted Free-will Iustification by our own Works and the rest of those Points whereof some mention has been made In the first of Car. I. The House of Commons exhibited Articles against one Mr. Richard Mountague the 5th of which was thus And whereas in the 17th of the said Articles it is Resolved That God hath certainly decreed by his Counsel secret to us to deliver from Curse and Damnation those whom he hath chosen out of Mankind in Christ and to bring them by Christ to Everlasting salvation wherefore they which be endued with so excellent a Benefit be called according to Gods purpose working in due time they through Grace obey that calling they be justified freely walk Religiously in good works and at last by Gods mercy attain to Everlasting Felicity He the said Richard Mountague 〈◊〉 the said Book called The Appeal doth affirm and maintain that men justified may fall away from that state which once they had Thereby la●…ing a most malicious scandal upon the Church of England as if he did differ herein from the Reformed Churches in England and th●… Reformed Churches beyond the Seas and did Consent unto those pernicious Errours commonly called Arminianism which the late famous Q. Eliz. and K. James of happy memory did so piously and Religiously labour to suppress And farther they charge him That the scope and end of his Book was to give ●…ncouragement to Popery and to withdraw his Majesties Subjects frrom the True Religion establisht From whence we have gained this Point that that Doctrine which denies Perseverance in them that were once Justified doth abet Arminianism and therein draw near Popery But if these men might expound the Articles they would deny the one and abet the other and therefore do draw too near Popery Hereupon Dissenters have a warrant under his own Hand to withdraw from the Church for says he p. 8. If the charge of drawing too near the Church of Rome were true or if it were probable it would justifie their separation from it In 5 Caroli I. The House of Commons made this protestation Whosoever shall bring in Innovation of Religion or by Favour or Countenance se●…k to extend Popery or Arminianism or other Opinion disagreeing from the truth or Orthodox Church shall be Reputed a Capital Enemy to this Kingdom and Common-wealth And so close has the connexion between Popery and Arminianism ever been adjudged that the Jusuites who throughly understand their Interest and the most proper and suitable means to promote it h●…ve p●…ht upon This as the best expedient to introduce That for 〈◊〉 ●…s in that Triumphant Letter of theirs to their Rector at 〈◊〉 they express themselves Now we have planted that Soveraign Drug of Arminianism which will purge the Protestants of their Heresie and it flourishes and brings forth fruit in due season Whence we are taught both our Disease and our Remedy The Disease under which poor England laboured was Protestancy the Remedy was the Iesuites powder or a round Dose of Arminianism which is it seems a specifick purger of that Humour That the Divines of this Church did formerly maintain a just suspicion that the Opinions of Conditional Election and falling away totally from Grace were an In-let to Popery we need no other evidence then that Letter written by the University of Cambridge to their Chancellor upon the occasion of Barrets and Baro's preaching up such like novelties It was dated March 8. 1595. If say they passage be admitted to these Errours the whole Body of Popery will break in upon us by little and little to the overthrow of all Religion And therefore they humbly beseech his Lordships good Aid and Assistance for the suppressing

for you do your duty you are very deligent in them God slights not Sacrifice but he requires a better Sacrifice that of righteousness 2. By way of Commination And there is no greater argument of Gods Displeasure then when he threatens to leave a people without reproof for their Neglect of duty Thus. 4. Hos. 17. Ephraim is joyned to Idols let him alone God 's not reproving for omission of a duty or commission of a sin is a sorry Reason that God lays little stress either upon the duty or the sin Thus again 14. Acts. 16. God is said to have suffer'd all Nations to walk in their own ways Gods keeping silence at and non-reproof of sin when once it shall be interpreted an indulgence of sin his future rebuke in Thunder and Lightning shall convince mistaken Sinners of the folly of their comment upon the Text of Gods forbearance And this seems the true sense of the place we are upon For v. 21. God uses parrallel language These things hast thou done and I kept silence but I will reproove thee 2 I blame his gloss of blasphemy He puts words in to Gods mouth which are the abhorrence of his soul. Let me have these latter and I shall not much complain for defect of the former Strange Doctrine this What God not Complain for want of obedience to his Commands He told us in the beginning that God was not a Captions Deity And now he would prove him one He tells us that God Instituted Sacrifices with great solemnity as the means of propitiating his Divine Majesty and now he introduces God of another mind let them use the means or not for averting his displeasure God will not much complain § 4. Another Instance is that mentioned Math. 12. Whereupon the occasion of the Disciples rubbing the ears of cor●… on the Sabbath day and Christs justifying their fact from the example of David who ate the shew-bread in a case of extremity Christ tells the superstitious Pharisees I will have mercy and not Sacrifice But this will not do his work For. 1. The plucking of the ears of corn in a case of extremity was not forbidden by the Law so Grotius Neque negat Christus opus esse famulam sed ex circumstantiis ostendit factum hoc Discipulorum Legis sententiâ non comprehendi est ergo Questio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 statús scripti voluntatis Christ denies not that it was a servile work but from the due Consideration of circumstances he proves that this fact of his Disciples was not included in the meaning of the Law So that the Question is between the Letter and the Equitable construction of the Law 2. The same Answer to the other instance of Davids eating the shew-bread A nnon Legistis si legistis hoc licitum esse didicissetis si non legistis pudent vos ignaviae vestra Have you not read says Christ If you have read it you must needs have learned that this fact is Lawful If you have not read it you may be ashamed of sloathfulness David ejusque Comites pars necessitate pressi quā nunc premuntur Discipuli mei secerunt contra 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Legis De Panibus neque tamen secisse censentur contra 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sequitur ergò nec Discipulos meos quicquam hoc facto adversus legis sententiam committere i. e. David and his Companions being urged with the same Exigence wherewith my Disciples are now urged Acted against the Letter of the Law concerning the shew-bread yet are they not to be thought to have transgressed the true intent and meaning thereof It follows therefore that my Disciples by their fact have not violated the intendment of the Law 3. That our Saviour tells them he will have mercy and not Sacrifice has no difficulty in it because 1. Negatives are often put for Comparatives I will have mercy and not Sacrifice is no more then I will have mercy rather then Sacrifice when I cannot have them both There 's no Question but if an Act of Mercy and an Act of instituted worship should stand in Competition all Circumstances concurring the Act of instituted Worship ought to give place we will suppose a Congregation assembled for the publick Worship of God and at the same time a fire breaks out the Church is not only Allowed but obliged to omit the publick worship at present and to employ their endeavours towards the quenching of the fire And he will render himself somewhat more then rediculous that would infer from hence that God lays little stress upon publick Worship or that God lays less stress upon the Churches Worshipping him in publick then upon the preserving of a House but only that the work of mercy must be now performed or the season is lost for ever whereas the Worship of God may be reassumed So that all the business is That a circumstance of undetermined time is of less weight in Gods Account then an Act of Mercy or Charity 1. Cor. 1. The Apostle tells them That Christ sent him not to baptise but to preach the Gospel that is not so much to baptise as to preach which yet will never inforce that Christ lays little stress upon the Ordinance of Baptism our B. Saviour 4. Luke 26. acquaints his Disciples That he that Hates not Father and Mother cannot be his Disciple And yet it 's true too that he that Hates his Father or Mother cannot be his Disciple But by hating is meant only less loving He that loves not Father and Mother less then me cannot be my Disciple Now let the Reader judge how absurd it would sound in his ears to hear such Doctrine That God lays very little stress upon our filial affection and duty to Parents A Doctrine worth it's weight in gold to such a Jew that would plead Carban against Commandment and evacuate the precept of God by his own Traditions And sometimes that duty which God lays the greater stress upon may give place pro hie nunc to that which he lays less weight upon a Father commands his Son to discharge such a service as he is addressing himself to his duty he finds his enemies Oxe or Asse ready to perish in this case I conceive the Son ought to suspend the execution of his Fathers command to save the life of a beast And yet the Debt of Iustice which I owe my Father is greater then the Debe of Charity which I owe an Enemy And thus much of his Old Testament instances 2 He proceeds now to those in the New which must prove that God lays little stress upon Circumstantials under the Gospel which he will first prove by this Argument If this says he was the case and condition of things under the old Testament where God seemed so punctual in his prescriptions so rigorous in his Animadversions and where he danger of ●…rring Capitally from the design of those institutions by the least Deviation from the line of