Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	grace_n	great_a	sin_n	12,671	5	4.8839	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A76090	[Chrysammoi] Golden sands, or, A few short hints about the riches of grace. Part I begun to be opened from the words of the Apostle, in Eph. 2,7 ... : dedicated to the royal bud of our English hopes, Princesse Elizabeth / by John Bachiler ...	Batchiler, John, ca. 1615-1674.; Elizabeth, Princess of England, 1635-1650.	1647 (1647)	Wing B1073A; ESTC R42998	28,635	167

multitudes of vast debts supply the wants of thousands suffer old scores and new to increase upon him from a numberlesse number of bankrupt and bad debtors and that continually would it not break him over and over could he be able to hold up his head or keep his trade going yet Grace doth this and break 's not As there are multitudes of sinnes and debts which the Saints can never take off so Grace hath multitudes of mercies to crosse them out and as those debts are vast and exceeding great so Grace hath as tender and great mercies even bowels rowling bowels of pitty to forgive It abundantly pardons Esay 55.7 and where sinne abound's there to a Beleever this Grace superabounds Rom. 5.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One would think the very back of Grace should crack under it that it should be totally impoverished and undone But behold it is so far from sinking or giving out that as if it had suffered no losse at all or met with no bad debtors but had received its due unto the utmost it liv's and maintain's its port with as much magnificence as ever Grace reigneth saith the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 5.21 keep 's Court in Heaven like an Empresse notwithstanding CHAP. V. The Ransom which Grace layes down for the Saintss THirdly consider the Ransome which Free Grace lay's downe for the Saints The best of them before conversion are under a double bondage 1. In the hands of a most cruell Tyrant 2. Of a most exacting Creditor First of a most usurping tyrant Sinne which exerciseth dominion over them and to which they also for a time yeeld themselves as servants to obey it Rom. 6.6 20. Sin reign 's like a Lord of mis-rule the most Princely Off-springs of heaven the most royall births among the Saints have known the sorrows of vassals under it They also till a Deliverer com's are sold under sin Rom. 7.14 as slaves are sold for a base price and to doe base work And as for the Devill with his fellowes all the while the poore Saints are in this kind of bondage under sinne they are but the tyrants executioners bloody ones indeed they are for besides the horrid threats of death and hell with which they scare them how sorely do they whip them to all those cruell services in which they are employed by sin Beleeve it they strike smartly who will take off they lay on most deadly blowes scourges that draw blood apace and cut deepe even to the very bone As the task-masters of Egypt made the Children of Israel serve with rigour hard bondage and made their liv's bitter what with their work and their sore beating them Exod. 1.13 14. Thus these Diabolicall tormenters lay about them most severely using the precious sons of Zion as if no better then the Skullions of hell Nor wil they suffer a moments rest to them but make them work even in the very fire among fiery temptations to allude to that of the Prophet Hab. 2.13 Now so long as the Saints are under such a mercilesse tyrant and such Dragon-lawes so fiercely imposed and executed how great a bondage is it Secondly they are in the hands also of a most exacting Creditor Divine Justice for whatever Free-grace please to doe in bearing its owne losses and forgiving its owne debts yet Justice will not be so satisfied neither for it selfe nor for all those other Attributes which have been as much wronged as ever Grace it selfe was the Saints are as much behind hand with Justice Wisdome Faithfulnesse Goodnesse Patience and all the rest therefore Justice serv's an Arrest upon them and that not only in its own name but in the name of all the other Creditors yea it keeps them in safe custody without bayle or main-prize and to prison they must goe there to lye till they have answered for all wrongs and pay'd all debts even to the utmost farthing which if they can never attain the wrath of God seizeth on them in pains unutterable for evermore Mat. 5.25 26. In this most miserable double bondage in the state of unregeneracie doe the poore Saints lie and are like to continue so unlesse freegrace com's in for their reli●se which at one time or other it is sure to doe and with so powerfull an hand too that immediately it rescu's them from all these miseries at once And the meanes by which Grace doth this is by laying downe a Ransom even the same which before we told you went for the price of a purchase also the life-blood of Christ He is the great Lord Treasurer of heaven Free-grace her Cash keeper at whose onely appointment 't was for in this businesse she rul's all that he came downe from his glory with all the fulnesse of the Godhead in him bodily He brought all his wealth with him that he might be sure to take off all reckonings before his return Well when he did come and that by free-grace her sending what was the work she set him about was it not to performe her promises and make good her engagements for the poore Saints Goe saith Grace to him goe downe from heaven goe and ransome such and such whom I have elected Loe I am ready saith Christ Psal 40.7 8. I goe willingly and as he said he did according to all the Commission that Grace gave him he most punctually perform's Grace order's him to lay down a ransome and he doth so and that such a ransome as is every way and to all purposes effectually sufficient He gave his life a ransome for many Mat. 20.28 the word imports a double ransome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 à 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 solvo to pay or to loose as when one unty's bands or fetters answerable to the double bondage mentioned First a ransome by power whereby the captive with strong hand is rescued from the oppressor Secondly a ransome by price whereby full satisfaction is made to the Creditor either in ready money or something else equivalent and so the Prisoner set free both from the gaole and the debt too Now in both these senses the death and blood-shed of Jesus Christ is become a ransome to the Saints First it sets them free from the power of sinne the Devill death and hell by conquering and triumphing over them Who gave himselfe for us that he might redeeme us from all iniquity Tit. 2.14 As Grace before delivered from sinne in respect of the guilt of it by forgiving it and therein declared the riches of it as the Apostle tells us Eph. 1.7 By whom speaking of Christ we have the forgivenesse of sins according to the riches of grace so here also it deliver's from the dominion of sin even through the redemption of his blood as we there also have it And by the same blood he sav's from death and hell too yea and him that hath the power of them both which is the devil Heb. 2.14 Through death he destroyed death

and perfect knowledge in natur's secrets that by Gods owne appointment he gave names to the living creatures which were all so pertinent and significant that the text saith they stood unaltered Gen. 2.8 And whatsoever Adam called every living creature that was the name thereof Now the holy spirit much more knowes what is in every thing especially in this rich Grace to the nature whereof it selfe is so intrinsecally coessentiall It was this spirit gave the Starres their names at first and the Heavens also that very name by which now they are called and he also understood himselfe when he gave Grace its Name Men may indeed be mistaken call things by better names then they deserve Hence Copper sometimes goes for gold and Bristoll-stones for Diamonds they may over-value things through their ignorance but who can charge the holy Spirit thus It He sayth grace is rich wee must needs conclude 't is so indeed for what is rich if that be not which this holy Spirit account's so Thirdly that the Saints might be actuall sharers and enjoyers of this grace it cost much and that from him who knew it was worth the price he pai'd for their fruition of it else would never have bought it at so deare a rate The life-blood of the Prince of Peace the Lord of glory the beloved Son of God himselfe went for it called Gods own blood Acts 20.28 therefore necessarily pretious 1 Pet. 1.19 Saint Paul speak's emphatically 2 Cor. 8.9 Ye know the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ that though he was rich yet for your sakes he became poore that you through his poverty might be made rich He was rich 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cui opes plurimae i. e. he had abundance a most plentifull affluence of all riches as the word import's yet for your sakes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Significat extremam Christi inopiam quasi mendicitatem Vorstius Ad extremam inopiam redactus Beza 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prop●●è mendicus qui nihil habet nisi quod ostia tim acceperit Step. Mat. 2611. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 peculium i.e. possessio proprio peculiari empta pretio he became poore even so miserably poor that he even beg'd his bread for so it properly signifies he laid out his whole estate scarce left himself worth a groat as the Proverbe is even begger● himselfe that he might purchase this grace unto the Saints which is therfore called the purchased possession Ephes 1.14 he emptyed himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philip. 2.7 poured all out from himself that he might fill them their treasuries to the brim If it be said had not the Saints an interest in this free grace from all eternity when they were at first made objects of it by God himselfe and that without any consideration had unto Iesus Christ as Mediator Was it not theirs then by free gift And doth not the first title to it hold good still And if so how then are we said to have no share in it without his blood Ans The election of the Saints and decreeing of all that glory which they shal one day be invested with in heaven was indeed a pure act of Free grace yet so that all the three persons as one God equally concurred in it so in that sence one Person had not a greater hand or was sooner in the act of election then the other therefore the Saints are therein alike beholding to all three Father Son and Spirit But secondly consider all the three Persons in the severall parts as wee may so speake which they act towards the accomplishment and execution of all that blessednes which was at first joyntly intended by them for the Saints and then the actuall fruition thereof will most eminently depend upon the shedding of Christ's blood The case being much otherwise in supernaturals then in things sublunary In this world if a man hath but a single title to a thing provided it be a just title though it be but by gift onely or by purchase onely he enter's the possession of it without interruption But the Saints cannot doe so for although they have an interest in the riches of free-grace by gift yet their actuall injoyment of them must be by purchase The Son as Mediator must really invest them with that which Himselfe as God together with the Father and the Spirit did really intend for them From hence it is that his blood as it is a Ransom in one sense of which anon so 't is the price of a purchase in another and that so necessarily that the Saints could never have actually injoyed their blessednesse without it The consequence of all which is That as it hereby appear's what a richnesse there is in this blood that could purchase such precious Grace and what a richnesse in that love that was willing to lay down such a price for it so also what a richnesse there is in this grace that could be procured upon no cheaper termes Fourthly these riches of grace are the wealth of God himselfe the very gold of heaven Men are reputed rich either in bags of money cabinets of jewels brave lands and goodly buildings yea and some of them in Crownes and Kingdomes but all God's jewels his money his Revenues yea and his whole Kingdom 's wealth ly's in this one rich commodity his grace Ephes 2.4 God who is rich in mercy c. When Moses desired to know what God's glory was and to have a sight of it the Lord caused all his goodnesse to passe before him and his name to be proclaimed The Lord the Lord God mercifull and gracious c. As if hee had said Moses wouldst thou know wherein my Glory consists It is in my Goodnesse Mercy and Grace The same answer must be given to those that enquire wherein his Riches and great abundance ly's 't is in his Grace CHAP. III. What that is in Free-grace that mak's it so rich a thing NAmely the most incomparable and soveraign excellency therof the singularity of its most beatificating sweetnesse it being as 't were the Root of all those attributes whereby in so peculiar a manner the most blessed God is so transcendently amiable sweet and glorious to the Saints Nor is there any thing wherein wee can suppose the richnesse of this grace consists more then in that never-fading and semp-eternall Efloriscation of it the Flowring out as one may say of Gods good nature in the fairnesse of its blossome from its owne most aromatick root For as they say Love in man is the Root of all the other vertues so after a sort may we say of God's free grace that it is the root of his Mercy Pitty Patience Goodnesse Kindnesse c. yea that only whereby he is the highest and chiefest Good By this it is that he is the inexhausted fountaine of all those streames of Blessednesse that flow forth

overflow all the Creation over the eternall spring and Well-head of all those fresh seas and oceans of the swelling tides and bottomlesse depths of ineffable sweetnesse and love to all his elect both men Angels And how then can the unparalleld richnesse of it be estimated Set Christ and his blood aside and what is it can be thought upon that can come up to the price of one dram of it for a poor soule it would beggar all the Angels in heaven to doe it Stars are but the dust of heaven and yet one single staris richer in its substance then the whole globe of earth The soul of the meanest man alive is more worth then a world as he himselfe tel's us who went to the price of soules what then shall we think of this grace by which alone it is possible a soule may be saved And indeed herein ly's very much of the Richnesse of it that it is the onely All-head so soveraigne to save yea so much of the richnesse of it that Seraphims want Arithmetick to summe up the value thereof That balm which never fails of healing in no case whatsoever that Cordial which alwayes quicken's and keep 's alive at the very touch of it how inestimable is the worth of it for that very reason But we are forced to fall off frō this so high a speculation to something that com's better under our shallow apprehensions The severall wayes by which the Riches of Grace are participated by and divided among the Saints FIrst consider the losses which Free Grace sustein's from the Saints Had Adam stood and his posterity after him what a revenue of love obedience and honour should God have had for almost 6000. yeares Millions of millions had come in unto him treasuries of glory which by means of that unhappy fall he hath totally irrecoverably lost For though the wicked rout of men which shall certainly perish and goe down to hell at last must thereby undergoe eternall torments for the making of some kind of payment to Divine Justice yet the Elect goe free altogether free as touching their own individuall persons so that Grace is an absolute loser by them hath no payments at all from their hands no not one single farthing for all the rents that have beene so long behind Secondly consider the debts which Grace freely forgiv's to the Saints Their sinnes are their debts witnesse our Saviour's owne words Mat 6.12 Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors Now 1. How innumerable are these debts what multitudes of transgressions of all sorts are the Saints guilty of David was a man after God's owne heart yet heare what he saith Psal 19.12 Who can understand his errors and more fully Psal 40.12 Innumerable evils have compassed me about A man would soone lose himselfe in the observation of the very actuall aberrations which are multiplyed by him continually but what are these to the swarmes of searet corruptions within him that lye out of sight 2. How great and vast are the summes which these debts amount unto thinke on that also The Saints cannot sinne at so cheap a rate as others Christ is a King to them and God is Their Father Now suppose a Child that hath had costly breeding yea and more love then ordinary from his carefull and tender Father should breake out in some act of violence and indignity against his Father that hath deserv'd better at his hands or suppose a professed subject who by all the lawes of nature nations is obliged to loyalty under his gratious Soveraign should become guilty of Rebellion Nay to rise yet a great deale higher suppose a favorite at court one that is familiar with the King that know's his secrets liv's in his very heart that ever stand's before and even next his chaire of State and which is yet more one whose life hath beene sav'd and that many times over by the mercy and clemency of this his Lord the King And besides all this hath been advanced to eminent places of Honour with all the marks of Royall love upon him I say suppose such a favorite as this should asperse the Name deface the picture rend the Arms clip the coyn contemne the Lawes vilifie the government of the King Suppose he should suggest plots unto or any way strengthen the hands of those that seek his life or would make an Assault upon his Crown and Dignity Would not this man's crimes be more then ordinarily treasonable For a stranger that liv's under another Prince or a sworne enemy to doe this would be the lesse wonder but for one so many wayes and so strongly ty'd by all the bands of Humanity ingenuity gratitude obedience yea and of friendship it selfe which is ever wont to bind with silken cords I say for such an one to fall into so foule a fault what punishment can be a sufficient expiation for it And yet all the sinnes of the Saints even every one of them are more or lesse of this horrid nature For God is a Father to them though not to others and Christ is a King to them even a King acknowledged and owned by them though not by others Therefore for them to Crucifie him afresh or be any way in the least accessary to such mutinies and rebellions against him as are found in the hearts even of the very best of them how great a wrong is it surely the sinnes of the Saints then are debts of no petty or small values And it were well if this were all for over and above there are other debts of another kind and these as great and as innumerable as the former which the Saints perpetually run into And if this rich grace did not suffer them to doe so they must all famish and starve quickly even as the proverb is for cold and hunger not one of them being able to put bread into their mouthes or get a rag for their backs without a supply from the hand of grace They all live on credit and take up on trust so that should they cease from borrowing they would soon cease to be And 't is not a little that Grace furnisheth them withall not such trifling summes as shillings or pounds but with hundreds with thousands with millions And it is not but for now and then onely or very seldome but which add's abundantly to all the rest 't is constantly They not only never wipe out old scores but on the quite contrary still are beginning new ones multiplying scores without number Oh the piles of debt-bookes that lye heaped up in Free-grace her Counting-house All which as Grace suffer's with riches of patience so she forgiv's at last with riches of mercy Now that Grace is able to doe this that without feeling it or being impaired at all by it how convincing an argument is it of the riches of it Should any man alive even the richest of the whole race of Adam doe so should he lose mighty revenues forgive