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	sin_n	sinner_n	3,410	5	7.5691	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A87161	A glimpse of divine light, breaking through a cloud of errours. Being an explanation of certain passages exhibited by anonymus, to the commissioners of White-Hall, appointed for approbation of publick preachers, against Joseph Harrison Gospel-preacher at Lund-Chappel in Lancashire, for the supposed delivering of which, he was denied approbation. / Published by the said Joseph Harrison, and proposed to the consideration of all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity.	Harrison, Joseph.	1655 (1655)	Wing H897; Thomason E841_7; ESTC R207225	67,448	83

and increased with goods and have need of nothing And knew not that she was wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked Rev. 3.17 Fourthly Christians are sensible of and often humbled for many proud risings and secret boastings in their hearts occasioned by the sight and sence but of some outside fleshly performance whereby they think they have gained praise of men and seem to themselves to differ from others Ye are puffed up your glorying is not good 1 Cor. 5.2.6 3. Spiritual Christians when they that is the formal professors glory in their own righteousnes or when they that is they themselves glory really in the Lord do then most commonly in that imagined kind of glorying glory in their sins that is do publish or publickly declare though with detestation of and hearty compunction for their sins First what great sinners they were before their conversion and how God prevented them with his mercy calling to them before they ever looked after him I was a blasphemer a persecuter and injurious {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Sed misericordia sum donatus as Beza but I was had mercie on because I did it ignorantly in unbelief 1 Tim. 1.13 which last words though some conceive added by way of extenuation yet doth Chamier out of Salmero interpret as added by way of aggravation of his sin Qausi diceret Deus vidit me per incredulitatem coecatum ut maia mea non agnoscerem ideò merâ suâ misericordiâ praevenit me peccatum enim causam esse summae bonitati ut subveniat As if he should have said God hath seen me blinded through unbeleef so that I could not acknowledg my misdeeds therefore he hath prevented me with his meer mercie for sin is a cause to infinite goodness that it may come and help and compares it with that parallel Gen. 8.21 Secondly what great sinners they yet are though converted according to that 1 Tim. 1.15 Christ came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief Thirdly that the Law {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Subintravit or obiter subiit as Erasmus came in unexpectedly as to the Iewes Scilicet Not that righteousness as they imagined but that the offence might abound Rom. 5.20 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} was added as an appendant to the promise {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} for transgressions sake Gal 3.19 Scilicet To side with sin against the person or to be the strength of sin 1 Cor. 15.56 And not {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} as Christ was delivered Scilicet for the taking away of sin from the person or siding with the person against sin by conferring either justifying or sanctifying grace Iohn 1.17 Rom. 4.15 And that yet for all this Where sin abounded {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Grace did much more abound Rom. 5 20. Fourthly that Christians are divinely ordered though never compelled permitted though never commanded to sin against God that hence God may prove true and every man a lyer That as it is written He may be justified in his sayings and clear when he is judged Rom. 3.4 Or that the most sanctified man may come sensibly to know that there is weakness and wickedness remaining in his heart which as yet he never saw as it is evident in the case of Hezekiah and Peter the one being left to himself for this very end after a most solemn profession made to God of the uprightnesse of his life Isa. 38.3.39.1 2. 2 Chron. 32.31 The other after a most zealous confession of the strength of his faith Mat. 26.33 34. Fifthly That as the Devil through his subtilty and malice doth often bring the greatest evil to them out of their good works Scilicet pride against God and Ignorance of self-nakednesse Rev. 3.17 So doth God through his infinite wisdome and goodness often bring great good out of their sins Scilicet the advancement of his free mercy in pardoning them at their worst condition when they have least to say for themselves and against the Devil and his severe justice in condemning the Devil at his best condition when he hath most to say for himself and against them witness his dealings with Adam Gen. 3.14 15. with David 2 Sam. 12 13. with Hezekiah 2 Chron. 32.26 and with Peter Luke 23.61 62. And now though this publication and penitential confession of sins be to a single eye and a spiritual man instrumental for the glorifying of Gods grace shining clearly in the glass of the Gospel above that cloudy appearance in the Law the casting down of man in himself and the rendering of sinne most odious and abominable yet looked upon with a double eye and to a carnal man it is all one with a real glorying in or a publick narration of our sins accompanied with a conceit of an excellency in and a delight arising from them For first Let christians confesse with Paul I was a blasphemer a persecuter and injurious and yet I was had mercy on or God who is rich in mercy for the great love wherewith he loved us quikened us when we were dead in trespasses and sins Eph. 2.4 and these men presently conceit that they teach people to commit those sinnes to prepare them for mercy or converting grace and that they not only deny good works to be the way to get salvation But assert bad works to be the way to obtain justification at the hands of God Secondly If christians confess after the receiving of grace and mercy that they are the chiefest of sinners or count all things but losse for the excellencie of the knowledge of Christ Iesus their Lord for whom they have suffered the losse of all things and do count all things but dung that they might winne Christ Phil. 3.8 And these men conclude peremptorily that they delight in committing the chiefest of sins and are professed enemies to all good works Thirdly if christians recite that of Paul the law entered that sin might abound but where sin abounded grace did much more abound These men proclaime them Antinomians against all Law and unlesse they will recant and use it not only {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} as becometh the nature of a Law 1 Tim. 1.8 but {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} in the very place and steed of the Gospel they will not let to swear that they are Libertines and teach men to continue in sin that Grace may abound Rom. 6.10 Fourthly If christians confesse with David Against thee thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight that thou mightest be justified in thy sayings and over come when thou art judged These men not understanding how the unrighteousnesse of men serveth to commend the righteousnesse of God censure them either to judge God unrighteous who taketh vengeance or that it is mans duty to lye that the truth of God may thereby more

presence and various workings in and upon things by an Occult influence causeth to Christians their Seed-time and Harvest cold and heat Summer and Winter day and night a time to be born and a time to die a time to weep and a time to laugh a time to keep silence and a time to speak a time to love and a time to hate c. Eccl. 3.2 3. c. according to that Mar. 2.19 Can the children of the Bride-chamber fast or as Luke can ye make the children of the Bride-chamber fact while the Bridegroom is with them As long as they have the Bridegroom with them they cannot fast The presence of the Bridegroom pointeth out and maketh it a day of feasting unto such children what ever be the condition either of Iohn or the Pharisees Disciples But the dayes will come when the Bridegroom shall be taken away from them and then shall they fast in those dayes The absence of the Bridegroom pointeth out and maketh it a time of fasting mourning to those children though may be neither the Disciples of Iohn nor the Pharisees be troubled at the want of any such thing to which accordeth that of Iam. 5.13 If any among you be afflicted let him pray is any merry let him sing And hence it is that neither the Priest nor the Levite that pretended to walk precisely according to the Mosaical rules but the good Samaritan a man looked upon as irregular and an Antinomian by them is said by Christ to be neighbour to him that fell among theeves and proposed as an example to the Lawyer Do thou likewise that is shew mercy as this Samaritan hath done when thou seest a man in misery for that is the time to love indeed and he is thy neighbour which way soever he travels or what countrey-man soever he be Luke 10.29 and see 1 Iohn 3.17 2 Cor. 9.7 Secondly The Leper of Samaria that returned back and gave thanks as the present occasion required according to 1 Thes. 5.18 Ephes. 5.20 is commended above the nine that came from Iudaea and went on forwards according to the letter of the legal command to shew themselves unto the Priests Luke 17 15 16 17 18. Thirdly The blessed man is said to be like the tree by the Rivers of water that bringeth forth his fruit in his season Psal. 1.3 not so much working rationally or upon consideration of what will follow his doing or not doing as bearing fruits naturally from an internal principle of life in such a time as the husband-man expects and comes to seek for it Luke 13.6.7 Such a one was Timothy Phil. 2.20 who naturally or from his birth-principles as the word implieth cares for their estate And the blessed man Ier. 17.7 8. Thirdly we read not that either the Patriarks before the Law or Christ and his Apostles since the Law prescribed certain times afore-hand wherein they looked upon themselves as bound to perform such and such duties But they stood alwayes ready as in the volume of the Book it is written of them to do the will of their God yea his law was in their hearts Fourthly Christians now in the time of their darknesse or rather in the time of lights apperance which makes them truly see darknesse and their own blindnesse and in the confessionary part of their prayers acknowledge that they know not what to do or say unless it please God in much mercy by his Spirit to direct their minds and move and work their hearts to that which is the good acceptable and perfect will of God Rom. 12.2 we know not they will say in the very day of trouble when they ought to pray indeed what we should pray for as we ought But the Spirit it self maketh intercession for us with Groanings which cannot be uttered and he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit because he maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God Rom. 8.26 27. The seventh Passage Christians when they Glory glory in their sins THis passage seems to relate to the practice of Christians what it is that De facto they do glory in when they glory and not to the faith of Christians what it is that they believe De debito when they glory they should glory in And now there is a great difference in Theology betwixt these Queries Scilicet what Christians should do De debito and what Christians ordinarily do De facto To the first though it be not directly contained in the passage yet for clearing both the truth and my self I answer First negatively Christians when they glory should not glory in their own righteousness for first we are all as an unclean thing and all our righteousnesse as filthy ragges Isa. 64.6 Accounted by Paul {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} quasi {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Dutig or dogs-meat fit to be thrown to the dogs of the concision and not to be reserved as food for the spirits of those that have Jesus Christ to rejoyce in Phil 3.3 8. Secondly Christ adviseth Not to let the left hand know what the right hand doth Mat. 6.3 And though he himself be pleased in mercy to say Well done thou good and faithful servant Mat. 25.21 yet he teacheth us to say though we did all things that are commanded us That we are unprofitable servants Luke 17.10 Thirdly The Pharisee is checked for preferring himself before the Publican though he acknowledged all the distinguishing works to come from God Luke 18.11 14. See Phil. 2.3 And those that pleaded Lord Lord have not we c. gathering acquaintance with God from a recital of the more than ordinary works which they had done in his name Hear God professing unto them I never knew you Depart from me ye that work iniquity Mat. 7.22 23. Mat. 25.44 Fourthly It is of grace not of works least any man should boast Eph. 2.9 I will make mention of thy righteousnesse even of thine only Psal. 71.16 Fifthly Glorying in our own righteousnesse and duties or performances argues a resting and rejoycing in them and seven of our eminent Divines five now Commissioners appointed c. Assert That Christians when they abound in much doing and well doing should be still as much afraid of resting in doing well as of committing ill And be content to have all flowers withered that refresh them without Christ And when after humiliation and casting down for sin they begin to stand upright as they think upon the legs of their prayers performances inherent graces and qualifications and righteousnesse and holinesse expressed in their lives and conversations They may yet notwithstanding all this be brought not to glory in themselves but in Jesus Christ and willingly come down from the throne of their own conceits sufficiencies abilities and lye at the footstool and threshold of Iesus Christ That seeing they know nothing are nothing have nothing do nothing they may be