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	holy_a	lord_n	6,480	5	3.6555	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A67085	The key of saving knovvledge, opening out of the holy Scriptures, the right way, and straight passage to eternall life, or, A dialogue wherein the chiefe principles of the Christian religion are unfolded for the enabling of Christian people, to understand the Word of God ... composed by Geo. Walker ...	Walker, George, 1581?-1651.	1641 (1641)	Wing W360; ESTC R39413	43,048	124

beleeving applying of Christs righteousnes to themselves is the justifying act of Faith And whereas the historicall saith of Devils and carnall men is only an assent unto the Word of God that it is true arising from carnal reason and arguments convincing the judgement without any affection to the truth or any relying on it On the contrary every act of beleeving any word or promise of God if it proceeds from a true Faith in the elect is not a naked assent ruled by humane and naturall reason but guided by Gods Spirit and joyned with a relying on God and his Word upon the Divine authority of the speaker and may be brought as an evidence of their salvation may in that respect be called a saving beliefe as we see at large Heb. 11. where beleeving that the worlds were framed by the Word of God And that God would bring a flood upon the world and destroy all except them that were in the Arke made by his appointment and that he would give the land of Canaan to the seed of Abraham the Israelites and after 400 yeares deliver them out of Aegypt and such like acts of beleeving proceeding from an holy spirituall Faith are declared to bee saving Faith Quest How doth actuall beleeving set a work all other graces and increase them more and more in the Elect regenerate and justified Answ. By the sense feeling and sweet fruition of Christ and his righteousnesse satisfaction and intercession it brings us to the sight and experimentall knowledge of the goodnesse bounty love and mercy of God to us in Christ And being justified by Faith we have peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ and rejoyce in hope of the glory of God and hereby the holy Ghost sheddeth the love of God abroad in our hearts so that being inflamed with the love of God wee begin more and more to hate and abhorre our owne vile corruptions and sins which are offensive to his holy Majesty We are ashamed and confounded because we have by our sins so often provoked so gracious a God and mercifull Father wee grieve and mourne and sorrow with godly sorrow to repentance wee strive and wrastle against our lusts and by the assistance of the Spirit tame and subdue them so that sinne can no more reigne in our mortall bodies we contend to sollow hard after God to cleave to him in love and to bee still more more united to Christ in love and zealous affection of heart And in holinesse and newnesse of life we study and strive to be conformable to his image and in a word we are stirred up to use all care and endeavour that wee may abound in all good works and still forgetting those things which are behind may reach forth unto those things which are before and presse hard towards the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus In all which workes of saving grace as God moves us by his Spirit so we being moved enabled and made a free people do cooperate and work together with him till we come to the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ and be fitted to see God in glory Quest What outward meanes are to bee used whereby the Spirit of God may worke in the Elect and beget and increase Faith and beliefe with all other saving graces in them Answ. The chiefe outward meanes is the Word of God without which God doth not ordinarily shed his Spirit on them beget them again and by his Spirit work saving grace and the works of grace in them For they are borne again of incorruptible seed that is of the Spirit by the Word of God 1 Pet. 1. 23. and regeneration which is Gods shedding of the holy Ghost on them through Christ and the first saving worke even the ground worke of all other saving graces is not to be found where the Word is not Preached By the Word of Christ the holy Gospell only the Spirit speaks inwardly to mens hearts and leads them into all truth John 16. 13. By the Word preached hee begets Faith for Faith commeth by hearing and none can beleeve except heheare Rom. 10. 14 17. The Word is the whole and perfect rule of Faith and whatsoever the elect beleeve to salvation is conteined in the Word and there only to be learned John 3. 39. The threatenings of the Law are the meanes by which the Spirit discovers to beleevers the danger of sin and their own misery humbles them in their own eies and drives them out of themselves to Christ by repentance The precepts of the Law prescribe to them the right way in which they ought to walk and is a lamp to their feet and light to their steps Psa. 119 105. The Word of the Gospell is the Covenant of life and sets before them the goodnesse bounty love and mercy of God in Christ and by it the Spirit inflames them with the love of God with joy and delight in God and with zeale for his glory and stirres them up to imitate God in works of mercy love and charity and in all holinesse and sanctification till they be conformed to Christ and to serve honour and worship God And in a word the whole Scripture which is the sure infallible Word of God given by Divine inspiration is profitable for doctrine for reproofe for correction and for instruction in righteousnes that the man of God may bee perfect thorowly furnished unto all good works 2 Tim. 3. 16. 17. Quest How must the Word of God bee used that it may be such an effectuall meanes of the Spirit to worke all these gracious effects in Gods elect people Answ. It must not only be read out of the Sacred Scriptures in which it is recorded by the Prophets and Apostles but also preached and expounded by godly able and learned Ministers who are called and sent of God Rom. 10. 15. For they are Gods watchmen who have a charge given to watch for mens soules Ezek. 3. 17. Heb. 13. 17. They are his Shepheards and Overseers to feed his flock with his Word the Bread of Life Act. 20. 28. Ezek. 34. 1 Pet. 5. 2. Ephes. 4. 11. And by delivering Gods message faithfuly they obteine this honour to themselves to bee called the Angels of the Lord Mal. 2. 7. and Gods Ambassadours 2 Cor. 5. 20. and to be spirituall Fathers under God who beget children to God in Christ by the Gospell 1 Cor. 4. 15. Quest What other meanes are to be used Answ None but such as God hath prescribed in his holy Word to wit the Sacraments which are seales annexed to the Word publike Prayers Invocation and Worship of God And also good education and private Prayers and instruction and often reading of Gods Word alone and in private Families Quest What is a Sacrament Answ. It is a religious action prescribed by God in which by using outward visible rites consecrated to be signes seales pledges and

labourer for the good of your soules according to the utmost of my power and Your welwilling though weake Pastor GEO. WALKER A briefe Dialogue wherein the Father examineth his Son concerning the principles of Religion in which he hath formerly instructed him Quest MY deare Child why doest thou complaine because of thy sicknesse and many paines and infirmities which often doe befall thee seeing thou by thy sins pullest them upon thee and causest God thus to punish and correct thee Answer Indeed in my book of the of the Psalmes of David I am taught to confesse that I was shapen in iniquity and that in sin hath my mother conceived me but this is the fault of you that are my parents from whom I received in my birth and with my first being this sinfull corruption Quest It is true that wee brought thee into this world a poore sinfull wretch But doest thou not know that this corruption commeth not from our selves as the first causes of it but from our first parents in whom thou and we and all mankind have sinned against God and lost that image and likenesse of God in which wee were created and are so infected with the poyson a●d malice of the Devill which hee breathed into our first parents that wee have no power or will to do the good which God requireth of us in his Law but are forward to run into all sins which God forbiddeth Answ. I remember now when you put me in mind of it that you have taught me oftentimes that God created all things good at the first and in Adam he created all man-kind in his owne image and likenesse and that the Devill by the Serpent did tempt the woman and breathed into her his poyson and drew her into sin and by her infected Adam who was the root and stock of all man-kind and by drawing him into transgression did corrupt him and all man-kind defaced Gods image in us al and stained and defiled our nature so that eversince we are by nature children of wrath and disobedience who of our selves have no power to will or do any good but do run into sin and actuall transgression continually Quest I see and perceive by this that you are ready to forget those instructions of godlinesse which you have often learned and have need to have your memory often rubbed up And therefore I will stirre you up to remember the things which I have often taught you by asking you questions concerning the chiefe points of Christian Religion which you have learned that they may be more deeply printed in your mind and that you may have them more ready to put them in practise when occasion shall be offered Answ. I acknowledge my selfe bound in a double bond of thankefulnesse unto you both for your godly paines in t●aching me saving Knowledge and for your fatherly care to ma●e me remember the things which you have taught me that I may both beleeve and practise the things which God requireth of me for the obteining of eternall life and blessednesse Quest My paines of teaching you are a pleasure to me when I see you willing to bee instructed And if you answer readily the questions which I shall aske you concerning the grounds of Religion which I have heretofore taught you I shall rejoice in hope and confidence that God hath chosen you to be a vessell of honour called you to the state of Grace and prepared you for the state of glory in Heaven Answ. I acknowledge with all thankfulnesse Gods infinite love mercy and bounty to me in that hee hath ordeined me to be borne of Godly and Christian parents who as they were meanes to bring me into the world a corrupt sinfull child of Adam so are Gods speciall instruments to beget me to God a new creature in Iesus Christ by instructing me in his holy Word by which his holy Spirit doth take possession of my soule worketh in me Faith and renueth me after the image of Christ wherefore I am ready according to my best understanding and memory to answer every question which you shall aske concerning the things which I have before heard and learned from your mouth humbly beseeching God to print in my heart and to enable me by his grace to practise in my life the things which by your often urging and pressing are printed in my memory Quest My first Question therefore shall be about that which is the first work of God by which he gave to man-kind their first being I meane the creation of Adam and all man-kind in him tell mee what you have been taught concerning it Answ. First I have learned that God created the whole world and all things therein Gen. 1. 2. Quest What God is he who did performe and perfect so great a work Answ He who is the one only true God and besides whom there is no other God Deut. 6. 4. Isay 45. 5. Quest What a one do you conceive this God to be Answ. I conceive him to bee such a one as his most proper name Jehovah doth signifie Quest What doth that name signifie Answ. It signifieth that he is and hath his being of himselfe from all eternity without beginning and without end and that bee giveth being motion breath life and all other things to all creatures which live move and breath and to all other things which have been are or shall bee in the world and without him nothing can ●e or come to passe Exod. 3. 14. Quest What do you learn from thence Answ. I learne First that God is most absolute of himselfe and depends upon none other neither needeth either for his being glory or blessednesse any help or for the increase of them Secondly that he is before all things and is the first cause of them Thirdly that he is eternall even one who was before all times and is and shall be the same for ever without beginning and without end Fourthly that he is immutable and unchangeable in his nature essence and being and in his counsels will and all other his attributes and properties Fiftly that he is most perfect one who wanteth nothing but hath in him all excellencies to the full so that nothing can bee added to him to increase his goodnesse or blessednesse Sixthly that he is infinite and incomprehensible no tongue can utter no eye can see nor eare heare nor heart conceive nor reason and understanding comprehend him or his excellencies Quest Wherein doth his infinitnesse consist Answ. It consists in this that he hath no bounds nor limits but is above all degrees of comparison his whole essence is at all times pr●sent in all places and neither Heaven nor the Heaven of Heavens nor all places in the World can conteine him or measure his Substance He is infinit in Wisdome Knowledge Power Goodnesse Mercy Iustice Will Counsell and all other Attributes and Properties able to do whatsoever he will He seeth and knoweth all things which are have

beene shall be or can be and his Will is the rule of all things and is limitted to no rule or law but is it selfe the rule and law of all things Quest If God be infinite in Essence and Will and all Attributes and wholy present in all places by his whole Essence and all his Attributes How comes it to passe that he sheweth his glory above the Heavens more than in the World which is below and in one place hee do●h shew more power and justice and in another place and to other persons hee sheweth more goodnesse gra●e and mercy Answ. There is great difference betweene God as he is in himselfe and as he is seene felt and apprehended by his creatures in his Word and Workes Though he is Omnipotent and can do all things yet he doth not worke all things in all to the full according to his infinite power but only so much as he pleaseth when where and in whom he will as in his Wisdome he thinkes fit for every one Neither can wee see and conceive Gods Essence and properties in themselves but in the effects and works of them which are limitted by his Will and Wisdome And though hee worketh by degrees and by measure Yet his Essence and essentiall properties are without measure and degree and his Word is fitted to our capacy Quest What other properties do you conceive to be in God Answ. There is no shadow of excellency Vertue Goodnesse or Grace in any creature but it is in God Essentially and Substancially one and the same thing with his very Essence and Substance He is Essentially Good Wise Iust Mercifull Gracious and Loving and even Goodnesse Wisdome Iustice and Mercy it selfe And as the Apostle saith that God is Love so we may truely and most properly say of him that he is Goodnesse Wisdom Iustice and Mercy and yet hee is in himselfe a most pure and simple Essence free from all mixture composition and division Quest Wherein doth this purity and simplicity of God consist Answ. It consists First in this that though God filleth Heaven Earth and is in and withall creatures Yet his substance is not mingled with any of them Secondly that hee is not compounded of things different neither of act and power as other Spiriturall substances are nor of matter and forme Substance and Accidents such as quantity quality and the like as bodily creatures are Thirdly that he cannot bee divided into severall parts as mens bodies are He is not of the same kind and nature with any other thing whatsoever But is a most pure simple Spirit or Spirituall substance in comparison of whom the most pure Spirits and Angels are but grosse substances and impure In a word his Substance and properties are all one and the same thing and wheresoever he is present there his whole Essence and all and every one of his essentiall properties are actually present even in all places at once Quest If God be only one most pure and simple Why do the Scriptures speak of three persons the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost and doe call every one of them IEHOVAH and God Though there is but one God and one Iehovah even one most pure and simple Nature and Essence Yet in this one pure simple undivided Essence there are three distinct persons the Father Son and Holy Ghost all which three are but one Iehovah and one God and every one of them is called Iehovah and God because they are all of one and the same simple and Divine Essence Quest How are they then three persons distinguished one from another Answ. They are distinguished not by their Essence and Nature which in all three is one singular and undivided but by their personall subsistence and properties Quest Which are they Answ. First the Father subsists of himself and is not begotten of any but begets the Son The Son is begotten of the Father from all eternity and receives his personall subsistence from the person of the Father alone The Father and the Son together breath out the Spirit and the Spirit hath his subsistence by proceeding from them from all eternity Secondly in order the Father is the first the Son the second and the Holy Ghost the third though in time and dignity none of them is before or after other but all are coeternall consubstantiall and coequall of the same dignity glory and Majesty Quest How can he who is Jehovah and God eternall proceed and receive his personall subsistence from another Seeing Jehovah the true God is of himselfe and can receive nothing from any Answ. It is true that the persons considered according to their nature and substance which is common to all three and is one and the same in them all cannot beget nor be begotten nor proceed one from another For if God absolutely considered could beget as he is an absolut essence or be begotten or proceed then there might be more Gods than one But a person or personall subsistence in that one simple essence of God may beget another person but not another God and may be begotten and proceed not from the simple essence of God but from another person in that one Essence Wherefore the Son is begotten not as he is one and the same Essence with the Father but as hee is another person in that Essence and so the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Son as he is another person in the same Essence And so Iehovah the true God doth proceed from none nor receiveth any thing from any but a person which subsists in the Essence of God and is Iehovah the true God receiveth subsistence from another person in the same Essence Quest I see you do rightly conceive of God the Creator both in the unity of his Essence and in the Trinity of persons Now tell me which of the three persons created the world Answ. Though the Father is called the Creator of whom are all things Yet he alone did not create the world nor any thing in it but the Son and the Spirit also did work with the Father and had an equall hand in the Creation of every thing For in all the outward works of God that is the joynt operation of all the three persons Quest How doth it appeare that the creation is the work of all the three persons Answ. By plaine testimonies of holy Scripture for in the description of the Creation we have expresse mention of the Word that is the Sonne and of the Spirit Gen. 1. 1 2 3. and David Psal. 33. 6. saith by the Word of the Lord were the Heavens made and all the Host of them by the breath of his mouth that is b● the son the Spirit For the Sonne is called the eternall Word one God with the Father by whom all things were made and without whom nothing was made that was made John 1 1 2 3. And the Apostle Colos. 1. 16. saith that by Christ the Son all

remembrance of him in the state of humiliation and of his infirmities obedience and sufferings which in that estate he did undergo in the forme of fraile flesh and bloud for us and to stirre us up so to apprehend him and feed on him by Faith For Christ did not redeeme us and pay our ransome by any thing which he did as God before his Incarnation nor by any thing which he doth as man exalted and glorified but as hee God and Man in the dayes of his flesh fulfilled the whole Law and suffered all punishments due to mans sin so hee paid our ransome brought in eternall righteousnesse and made full satisfaction to Gods Iustice and these are the things which together with himselfe are signified and sealed by Bread and Wine and are Spiritually given to and received by the Faithfull in this Sacrament Quest How can true Beleevers bee said to receive Christ and his benefits seeing they are already united to him and have Communion of them all and his satisfaction and righteousnesse is made theirs before in their regeneration when they were first effectually called and made fit to partake of this Sacrament Answ. The Spirit of God by this Sacrament rightly administred doth as by a sure pledge confirme and increase their Faith and set it a worke to lay hold on Christ and to apply him and his righteousnesse and satisfaction to themselvs more strongly and sensibly and by this meanes they are more feelingly united to him in love and affection and have a more sweet communion with him of all his benefits which doth like a plentifull feast refresh and feed their soules strengthen them in all grace and this is as it were a new and fresh receiving of Christ and the benefits of his Life and Death more abundantly in greater measure than they had him before Quest You have well declared the efficacy of the Sacraments and how the Spirit worketh by them Now tell me what the other meanes are and first what is prayer and invocation both publike and private Answ. Prayer and Invocation if it bee publike is the speech of the whole Congregation and if it be private of one person or more directed to God in the Name of Iesus Christ wherein all needfull blessings and increase of grace are asked and desired in Faith and Hope that God will give them for Christ his sake in such a measure as he in his wisdome doth know to be fit for every one Quest How is grace thereby increased Answ. The Spirit of God by stirring our hearts to pray and by putting fit words in our mouths or in the mouths of them who are the mouth of the Congregation inflameth our affections exerciseth our Faith kindleth our desires and reviveth the sense and feeling of our wants And by directing us to pray to God in the Name of Iesus Christ he maketh us implicitely to acknowledge and confesse that God is the author of all blessings and giver of all grace and so maketh us to give to him in our prayers all the glory with all humble thankfulnesse And God who is gracious rich in mercy faithfull and true in his promises will accept our holy and humble desires and for Christs sake and his own truths sake grant our requests and give a supply of grace and an increase of blessings Quest How doth the publike worship of God increase grace Answ. The publike worship of God performed outwardly and frequently in the congregation of his people by holy preaching and reverent hearing of his Word prayses thankes singing of Psalmes and reverent gestures and behaviour according to Gods Word is a speciall meanes by the inward operation of the Spirit to kindle and increase devotion in the hearts of all his people It is their using of his talents and improving of his graces in them to his glory And God hath promised that as they get more gaine of grace Mat. 25. 29. so hee will still adde more unto them and will surely establish them give them the gift of perseverance and uphold them by his grace unto the end till they be received to glory and come to eternall life and blessednesse Quest Wherein doth the eternall life and blessednesse of the Elect consist Answ. In the eternall sight knowledge and fruition of God in his Heavenly glory Ephes. 5. 27. For when Christ hath fully purged and sanctified his Church and people and made them fit to see God then will he present them before his glorious Maiesty to dwell in his presence where is fulnesse of joy and pleasures for evermore Psal. 16. 11. Quest Where shall they enjoy this blessednes Answ. In the Heavens where a Kingdom is prepared for them Luk. 12. 32. and John 14. 2. an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled which shall never fade away 1 Pet. 1. 4. which is farre above all that the eye hath seen or the eare heard or that ever entered into the heart of man 1 Cor. 2. 9. Quest When shall they come to possesse this blessed inheritance Answ. They have the earnest of it in this life in the state of grace even the Spirit of adoption by which they are sealed up to the day of full redemption and even here in this life they finde that sweetnesse and communion with God that though they see him not yet beleeving they rejoyce with joy unspeakeable and full of glory But when their soules are loosed out of the prison of the body then shall their spirit bee made perfect and they shall in that better part depart hence and be with Christ and reigne in glory untill the last great day of account the generall judgement At which time the Lord Iesus Christ shall descend from heaven bring them with him And he the Prince of Angels with the commanding voyce of the Archangell shall call all the Angels of God to attend him and to gather before him al his Elect from the foure winds from one end of Heaven to the other and by the power of his voyce and the sound of the trumpet of God shall raise up their dead bodies purged in the grave from all the degrees of corruption and brought up in a most glorious forme like unto his own glorious body Which bodies shall not be prevented by the Elect and Faithfull then alive on earth but shall bee first raised up and joyned with their glorified soules before those then living shall be changed and in a moment in the twinckling of an eye shall they all together be ready to meet the Lord in the ayre whither they shall be caught up and being set at his right hand shall receive this comfortable sentence Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world and so they shall bee ever with the Lord and raigne with him in glory world without end 1 Thes. 4. 17. 2 Tim 2. 12. Rev. 22. 5. Quest But what shall become of all wicked