Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	great_a	let_v	sinner_n	1,997	5	7.5506	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A51033	The way to true honour and happiness A friendly address to all parents, masters of families, and landlords, the persons most capable to honour ... , and to gain honour to themselves, by beginning and carrying on a rational reformation. To which is added, [A] memorandum for mothers. By John Mitchell, M.A.	Mitchell, John, fl. 1697.	1697 (1697)	Wing M2287B; ESTC R221889	23,817	48

their Ears with hearing any wicked vain or idle words till they be able to tes●i●ie against them and r●buke the Tongue that speaks them For Children are capable to think as soon as to see and to form Idea's as soon as to hearken They are capable to remember before they can judge or determine Therefore let them hear none speak who have not learned the Language of Canaan and let them converse with none but those who are acquainted with the Lord Jesus and can help to make them so Let the Streets and Publick Places be an abomination unto them until Holiness to the Lord be written on the Foreheads of all who walk there 4. Seasonably and gently bow their IronSinew before it become too strong that is make their Will plyable Teach them to be denyed and to deny themselves Let them not know that you give them their Will in any thing Humour them not in any thing they cry for And let them have what is fit at another time rather than when they call for it If you let them have their own Will they will soon torment you and ruine themselves An unbridled Will makes an ungovernable Person But when you have effectually and prudently brought the Will into good subjection and order more than the half of your work is done 5. Throw water on their Wild Fire that is let not Passions prevail Let Frowns Rebukes and Rods curb restrain and suppress their immoderate Passions and irregular Desires Let Discipline chastise and keep in order these Wild Beasts till Reason be able to tame them Let them know by your Countenance and Behaviour that Patience Meekness and Sobriety are lovely and commendable Vertues Beware of giving bad Example here 6. Regulate their Diet nourish their Bodies but do not pamper them Let them know that Temperance is a Vertue and that Fasting is Physick Let their Food be course and plain for Strength and Nourishment not for pleasing the sensual Appetite And as soon as possible let them gain their Bread by the Sweat of their Brow according the Command Gen. 3. 19. 2 Thes. 3. 10. 7. Moderate their Apparel and do not feed their ●ide Adorn their Minds before you deck their Bodies ●●ch them the use of ●loaching and let Gaudiness be 〈◊〉 Abomination to them Suffer them not to be proud 〈◊〉 that which covers their Shame 8. Moderate their Recreations let them never be ●e and let every thing they do be useful and instructive ●●pen their Reason and inform their Judgment 9. When they are capable of being instructed then ●ch them first by the Ear before you make a Book ●ir Burden Let them have a good Treasure of sound 〈◊〉 useful Truths in their Memory and be able to answer ●any Questions before you ●ix their Eyes upon a let● 〈◊〉 And that ye may build them high in Faith and Ho●●ss be careful to lay a sure and solid Foundation 〈◊〉 therefore let Humility be the first Vertue that you ●●t in them And for this end make them acquaint●●ith themselves Let them know That they are 〈◊〉 degenerate Off-spring o● sinful Adam shew them the ●●ption of their Nature in all the parts of it what 〈◊〉 ought to have been and what they are in their cor●ed State Make known to them the Purity and Ho●●ss of God's Nature and Law and that every sin is an ●ence against God and a Transgression of his Law 〈◊〉 them the Evil of Sin and the dreadful consequents 〈◊〉 that every Sin deserves Death and Damnation and 〈◊〉 this is due to them because they are Sinners guilty 〈◊〉 unclean Creatures Enemies to God by nature and ●●els against his just and holy Laws Let them know ●t whatever good they receive and enjoy is purely 〈◊〉 God's Free Grace and Bounty and not of their own ●●●ving and that it is of God's great Mercy Patience 〈◊〉 Long-suffering that they are not thrown into Hell ●ady 10. When you have thus awakened their Minds con●●ed their Judgments humbled their Hearts and sof●● their Spirits then ●ou may make known to them 〈◊〉 Lord Jesus Christ the only Saviour his Person his ●●ures Mediation and Offices and what way he is given for Mankind offered unto them and must be received by them in order to their Reconciliation with God Shew them the Doctrine of the Covenant of Grace and the Method and Terms of Salvation and what is the nature and extent of that Holiness which is absolutely necessary to fit them for Glory and Happiness Heb. 12. 14. Teach them to understand the Person the Offices the Dictates Motions and Operations of the Holy Ghost the Sanctifier and Comforter Teach them to understand the nature and manner of the Temptations of their spiritual Enemies and how to resist and overcome them Make them acquainted with the Doctrine and Duty of Prayer and oblige them to pray by themselves not by a formal repeating of Words but expressing the humble and hearty desires of their Souls from a sense of their own wants of God's Goodness and gracious Promises of Christ's Merits and Mediation and of the Holy Spirit 's Assistance and Intercession and teach them to trust in God and wait for a return of their Prayers and in every thing to be thankful to him Particularly teach them to believe in to prize esteem and love the Lord Jesus Christ as the Fountain and Foundation of all the Blessings and Benefits which they enjoy and expect Io. 14. 6. and that they are bound in Covenant with him by their Baptism 11. Being thus instructed and prepared it will be easy for you to teach them to Read and to understand the Word Preached for their further Edification and to inform their Judgment and excite their Practice in all the Parts of Publick Worship And when they are examined and approved by the Governours of the Church they may be admitted to renew their Covenant with God publickly and solemnly at the Lord's Table 12. When they are thus prepared fenced and fortified by the pious care and faithful diligence of Parents and especially of you MOTHERS then may they go abroad and be sent to School to learn Languages Arts and Sciences and such Accomplishments as are requisite and useful for them which they will easily attain to 〈◊〉 the Mind is so enlightned in the Knowledge of 〈◊〉 ● there I shall leave them to the Conduct of faith●●chers But do not you leave them while life lasts 〈◊〉 However you may be pleased with your Childrens ●●●●dings yet never flatter them never commend 〈◊〉 till they really deserve it Never call them good 〈◊〉 be effectually so tell them that Perfection is 〈◊〉 Duty and that yet they are far from it but must ●●rance to higher degrees of Grace and Holiness Now MOTHERS these are some hints of that 〈◊〉 you ought to do for the Sanctification and Salva● of your Children This is no matter of indifferency 〈◊〉 your indispensable Duty Prov. 1. 8. and 6. 20. ●●●ore neglect it not it cannot be done in a short time 〈◊〉 little pains therefore delay it not but begin 〈◊〉 and proceed diligently and endeavour to obtain 〈◊〉 Honour of being the happy Instruments of a glori●●● Reformation in England and may all your endea●●●● be crowned with happy Success 〈◊〉 It is not good to burthen Children and break 〈◊〉 Spirits with too much Religion it raises Prejudi●●● in them and gives them false Notions and apprehen●● of God and Religion 〈◊〉 Surely this Language proceeds from the Devil this greatest Instruments because it is so directly con●y to the Dictates of God's holy Spirit Prov. 22. 6. 〈◊〉 a Child in the way he should go and when he is old 〈◊〉 depart from it Eccl. 12. 1. Remember thy Grea●● the days of thy Youth c. 2 Tim. 3. 15. Timothy i●●●mended for knowing the Holy Scriptures from a 〈◊〉 whereby he was made wise unto Salvation 〈◊〉 We have not leisure to take all this care and 〈◊〉 upon our Children 〈◊〉 You find leisure to beger nurse feed and cloath 〈◊〉 to take care of the Body and will you neglect 〈◊〉 Soul He who gives you time and all that you en 〈…〉 appoints you this Work and will reward you ac●●ing to your management of it Therefore let nothing be a hindrance now which cannot excuse you at that ● of Account Yea let compassion to the Fruit of your ● dies be a forcible motive to excite your diligent ● zealous endeavour for its Sanctification and Salvat ● And when you have done your utmost still acknowle●●● your selves unprofitabls Servants and that all you'● done is to no purpose without the sanctifying Grac● 〈◊〉 the HolySpirit Therefore continue your earnest Sup●cations to the good and gracious God the giver of ev● good Gift that he would give his Holy Spirit to m● your Labours successful and effectual and the Rig●ousness of his beloved Son to make your Endeavour● 〈◊〉 ceptable with him Therefore tho' you ought and 〈◊〉 obliged to use every Mean of his Appointment yet 〈◊〉 to no Mean rely upon none of your Performances 〈◊〉 all your dependance be upon the Lord Jesus Christ beg the Spirit of Christ for your Assistance and the 〈◊〉 rits of Christ for your Acceptance And in every th● give Thanks and Praise to God the Father Son 〈◊〉 Holy Ghost FINIS

The Way to True Honour and Happiness A FRIENDLY ●DDRESS TO ALL ●ARENTS 〈…〉 ters of Families AND ●ANDLORDS 〈◊〉 Persons most capable to Honour 〈◊〉 and to gain Honour to them 〈…〉 by beginning and carrying on a 〈…〉 IONAL REFORMATION To which is Added 〈…〉 emorandum for Mothers 〈◊〉 Iohn Mitchell M. A. LONDON 〈◊〉 I. Dawks for B. Barker by the Fountain-Ta 〈…〉 the Foot of the Hay-Market near Pell-Mell 〈…〉 d by R. Baldwin in Warwick-lane 1697. Price stitch't 4 d IT is earnestly desired That Magistrates Landlords and other Rich People would distribute some Copies of this little Book among their Tenants and Servants and among poor People that many may be awakened to a sense of their Duty and may concur and unite their Endeavours for carrying on that Glorious REFORMATION which all sober Persons are longing and praying for Dan. 12. 3. They that turn many to Righteousness shall shine A Friendly ADDRESS TO ALL PARENTS ●asters of Families AND LAND LORDS c. Dear Friends ●N reading the New Testament you may 〈◊〉 see That the Practice of Christianity is 〈◊〉 degenerated and in observing the ways 〈◊〉 of Men you do see that the Nation is 〈…〉 rupted Vice abounds and Wickedness 〈…〉 ails Almost none walking in the ways 〈…〉 ety and Vertue and very few walking in 〈◊〉 ways of Civility or Honesty All Fami●● all Persons have corrupted their Ways most are vitious and all are negligent there is none Righteous no not one The Justice of the Eternal Majesty is provoked his Laws contemned his Mercy despised his Grace abused his Promises and Threatnings disregarded and all the Methods of his P●●vidence neglected And what shall be the end thereof The Word of God gives us ground to hope that a real and speedy Re●ormation may be a Mean to prevent deserved Condemnation Isa. 55. 6 7. But without this let none presumptuously expect Mercy For the Righteous Judge of the world is unchangeably just and holy and will not yea cannot pardon impenitent Sinners for it were against the Declarations of his Eternal Truth which is firmer than the Pillars of Heaven and Earth For tho' the Mercies of God and the Merits of Christ ar● infinite yet neither of these can save one Impenitent Sinner for He who cannot lye hath said Luke 13. 3 5. Except ye repent ye shall likewise perish Mat. 18. 3. So that true Repentance and a thorow Re●ormation is the only door of Hope and way to Escape Quest. But how shall this Reformation be done who shall begin and promote it Answ. Some Person must beg●n it otherwise it cannot be done and who is so capable ●s you my Friends Indeed Magistrates and 〈…〉 s●ers may do much but they cannot do all 〈◊〉 so ●it as you Masters of Families and 〈…〉 lords to Reform the Nation and to reap 〈◊〉 Honour and Reward of so Noble and Glo 〈…〉 a Work The whole Nation depends 〈◊〉 you and lodges within your Doors and 〈◊〉 can say with good resolution courage 〈◊〉 zeal as that good Man said Ios. 24. 15. 〈◊〉 for me and my house we will serve the Lord 〈◊〉 may you signalize your selves for Men of 〈…〉 our and gain the honour due to Conque 〈…〉 over the power of Darkness And tho' 〈◊〉 meet with opposition and discouragement 〈◊〉 yet after wards when Men are inlight 〈…〉 and made sensible of their own good the 〈…〉 ole Nation will respect and honour you yea 〈…〉 ren and Earth will smile upon you and join 〈◊〉 you in Songs of everlasting Joy and 〈…〉 mph Object Alas What can we do We need 〈…〉 ormation as well as others Most of us are 〈…〉 orant and all of us are Guilty we know 〈◊〉 what to do we cannot Re●orm our selves 〈◊〉 less others Answ. It is true you have neither Skill 〈…〉 ll nor Power to Reform others until your 〈…〉 res be new Creatures you cannot direct o 〈…〉 rs in the way which you know not and you 〈◊〉 not assist others in the work which you 〈◊〉 not you cannot lead others while your 〈◊〉 are Blind nor strengthen others while 〈◊〉 selves are weak in Grace Therefore Self-Reformation must go before Family-Reformation you must first learn before you can teach And for your Assistance this Method is humbly offered to each of you 1. Retire from the world for some time and remove from thy mind all thoughts of it and all Concerns about it that there may be room for Spiritual Meditation 2. Consider that thou hast a faculty or power of thinking whereby thou art capable to know spiritual Things and to converse with spiritual Beings And that this spiritual part of thee is out of its Element and acting contrary to its Nature when it is employed about earthly Things 3. Consider that thou gavest not Being to thy self for thou canst not make thy self wiser nor taller thou canst not give to thy self the things which thou wantest thou canst not add one finger to thy Hand nor one joint to thy Body neither can any other Creature give them to thee And this will oblige thee to believe that there is a Supream Being which made all things and upon whom all do depend 4. Being convinced that there is a God or a Supream Being who made and maintains all things and to whom all are accountable surely there must be some acknowledgments of dependance upon him and of Duty towards him and this will oblige thee to enquire after his Will Laws and Commands 5. And since his Will and Laws are to be 〈◊〉 no where so likely as in that Book which 〈…〉 lled the BIBLE and which is commonly 〈…〉 ed for his Word thou wilt think it thy 〈◊〉 to enquire diligently and seriously into 〈◊〉 Book and remark every thing contained 〈…〉 ein which will wonderfully inform thy 〈◊〉 and direct thy Judgment and shew thee 〈◊〉 his will and ways and thy state and duty 〈…〉 Particularly this Holy Book will teach thee 〈◊〉 Six Things without the knowledge 〈…〉 ereof thou art not safe and canst not be 〈…〉 ppy 1. That Man was created innocent and ho 〈…〉 endued with the Image of God whereby 〈…〉 was admirably furnished and fitly qualifyed 〈…〉 glorify and enjoy God 2. That God the Creator made a Covenant 〈…〉 Man including all his Posterity promi 〈…〉 g them Life and Happiness upon their Obe 〈…〉 ence and threatning them with Death and 〈…〉 isery upon their Disobedience 3. That Man did disobey and rebelled a●●inst his Maker and turned away from him 〈…〉 made himself and all his Posterity 〈◊〉 〈…〉 miserable so that the holy Nature of God 〈…〉 orred him the righteous Law of God con 〈…〉 ned him and the Honour and Justice of 〈…〉 required that the Curse of the Law should 〈…〉 inflicted upon him 4. Man being thus become abominable and 〈…〉 serable he was altogether unable to restore himself to his former State he had no power to satisfy the Justice of God no skill to intreat his

are dead and Consciences asleep 〈…〉 seem to rejoice and be merry when they 〈◊〉 the Objects of their Desires but their 〈◊〉 is both shallow and short Prov. 14. 13. Even ●ughter the Heart is sorrowful and the end 〈…〉 t Mirth is heaviness 〈◊〉 is true the Children of God may ●ave 〈◊〉 sad and sorrowful hours before they be 〈…〉 ed of their Reconciliation with God the 〈◊〉 and sense of their corrupt Nature their sinful State and sinful Practices their estrangement from God and the sense of his displeasure against sin their daily rebelling corruptions and restless enemies do cost them many Groans Sighs and Tears much Sorrow and Lamentation yet the end of that heaviness is joy Psal. 30. 5. Weeping may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning In the midst of all their Sorrows and Sufferings the faithful Servants of God can draw present Comfort solid Joy and spiritual Rejoycing from these five Springs which never fail 1. From the Fountain of God's Bounty and Goodness who gives to all Men liberally They recounting the great Mercies and many Blessings which they enjoy and finding that they far exceed the Troubles they undergo their hearts are filled with Praise and Thanksgiving whereby their Minds are eased and their Souls comforted so that they can joyfully serve the God of their Mercies even when he seems to frown upon them Iob 1. 21. and 2. 10. and 13. 15. 2. They find the Spirit of God carrying on the work of Sanctification in their Souls in his ordinary method first humbling the Soul and breaking the heart exciting to Mourning Contrition and Repentance before he intimate Pardon and Forgiveness And they know that he who is now a sancti●ier and worker of grace will e're long appear to be a Comforter and 〈…〉 ne●s of grace Mat. 5. 4. Psal. 126. 5 6. Rom. 〈…〉 16. They know that the Penitent have 〈…〉 omise of Pardon and finding Repentance 〈…〉 rking in their Hearts by their hatred and 〈…〉 hing of sin in hope of pardon of Sin 〈…〉 ce with God and Inheritance among them 〈…〉 t are sanctified they joy in the Lord and 〈…〉 oice in the God of their Salvation 3. The VVord of God assures them that 〈◊〉 are spiritual Pleasures sufficient to fill the 〈…〉 res of the Soul Io. 16. 24. 1 Io. 1. 4. Ps 〈…〉 11. And their Spirits do experimentally 〈…〉 est this Truth so that they are filled with 〈…〉 oy and Peace in believin● Rom. 15. 13. and 〈…〉 glory even in Tribul 〈…〉 n Rom. 5. 2 3. 4. The Promises of God are an overflowing 〈…〉 ntain of Joy Peace and Comfort to all the 〈…〉 ithful The Child of God esteems them 〈…〉 etious and would not part with them for 〈◊〉 whole world 2 Pet. 1. 4. Psal. 110. 72. These Promises do fully assure us that Sor 〈…〉 and Mourning shall come to an end and 〈…〉 Joy Peace and Com●ort shall succeed and 〈…〉 ure for ever Io. 16. 20. Isaiah 51. 11. 〈…〉 21. 4. 5. The Children of God do rejoice and 〈…〉 re inward comfort in their Union with 〈…〉 i st and Conformity to him Since he who their Head did live here a Life of Sorrows 〈◊〉 Sufferings and then entred into his Glo 〈…〉 they rejoice to suffer with him that they 〈…〉 be glorified together with him 1 Pet. 4. 〈…〉 Rom. 8. 17. So you see and you ought to believe that if you sincerely love and serve God you may have solid Joy and continual Comfort from these five grounds 1. From God's love and goodness 2. From the Workings and Witness of the glorious Spirit 3. From the Truth of God 4. From his gracious Promises And 5. From your interest in Christ and likeness to him Yea Prayer and Meditation will never fail to refresh the Soul and chear the heart So that it is your great mistake to think that Religion yields no Pleasure but is a dull and Melancholy State ●it is great ignorance and delusion that makes ●s ●en to think or speak so contrary to God's Word and his Childrens Experience Prov. 3. 17. All her ways are ways of pleasantness and all his paths are peace Psal. 34. 8. O taste and see that God is good blessed is the Man that trusteth in him Psal. 63. 5. My Soul shall be satisfied as with Marrow and Fatness and my Mouth shall praise thee with joyful Lips Yea there is no true Pleasure in the world but in the ways of Religion because none else can satisfy the Soul All earthly Pleasures are Brutish and ●it for the Body that earthly part of us and are common to us with the Brutes and which some of them enjoy in a larger measure than we do Only spiritual Pleasures are fit for spiritual Beings If this be your temper that you take more pleasure in earthly Things and bodily Concerns than in Religious Exercises and the divine Promises besure you are yet in your ●atural and sinful State and cannot be sa●ed till you be renewed regenerated and ●orn again Rom. 8. 5 6 7 8 13. Io. 3. 3. 10 Object Our Consciences tell us and we confess ingenuously that the chief cause o● our Neglect of these Duties is our Sloth and Lazi●ess Prov. 15. 19. Answ. This is as dangerous deadly and ●mning a Sin as you can be guilty of and will ●ore slily and as effectually undo you as the ●ost heinous Crimes Mat. 25. 26 30. The ●thful and unprofitable Servant is condemned as ●ll as the wicked Prov. 18. 9. Every omission of a Duty is the commission ●f a Sin Iam. 4. 17. Rom. 12. 11. Now my Friends I am perswaded that ●●st of you will approve of and assent unto ●hat is here proposed and you will own that ●is every ones Duty and Interest to help for●ard a Reformation You do faintly wish O ●at the world were better O that People ●ere more honest and faithful O that my ●hildren were good and tractable O that my 〈…〉 vants were more honest and trusty O that ●eighbours were more kind and friendly ●c But Wishes are vain where E●deavour●●e wanting Prov. 13. 4. Prov. 21. 25. Therefore since your Judgment approves and your Conscience consents let not your Will gainsay and your Practice contradict But agree with your self be all of one piece let all the Faculties of your Soul and Powers of your Body be employed in carrying on one Design to wit the Glory and Honour of God and the eternal Happiness of Souls 1 Cor. 10. 31. Phil. 2. 4. Let not not this Paper be a witness against you nor a mean to condemn you but rather a motive to excite you and an instrument to perswade you Let your Conscience be so informed and exercised now that you may not be afraid nor asham'd of its Testimony at the day of Judgment Take heed to your selves what Conscience you have For Conscience will damn and Conscience will save A MEMORANDUM FOR Mothers And those who expect to be so Honoured and