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
A64966	Odos gath operbochēns the more excellent way to edifie the Church of Christ, or, A discourse concerning love : the design of which is to revive that grace (now under such decays) among Protestants of all perswasions / by Nathanael Vincent ...	Vincent, Nathanael, 1639?-1697.	1684 (1684)	Wing V415; ESTC R1364	76,586	160

that God would teach him that God would open his eyes and give him understanding Psal 119. which expressions shew a remainder of ignorance in him a trouble at it and a desire after a more perfect instruction 2. Holiness at present is imperfect in the best of men as well as Knowledg Other Graces cannot be perfect if Knowledge be not He that does not know the evil of sin so fully as he ought cannot hate it so much as he should He that is imperfect in his knowledge of God and Christ must needs fall short in his Faith and Love and holy Fear and Reverence There is not one sanctifying Grace in us but needs further degrees The Apostle makes it the constant work of Believers here below to be cleansing themselves from all filthiness both of the flesh and spirit and to be perfecting holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7. 1. 3. The victory over spiritual enemies is not yet fully obtained by militant Saints They are combating but they have not conquered they resist Satan and force him many times to flee but he returns again and renews his assaults and the God of peace has not yet done it though he has promised to tread him under their feet shortly Rom. 16. 20. They have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts but though the flesh is fastened to the Cross of Christ and therefore the old man is said to be crucified with him yet the flesh struggles upon the Cross the Body of Sin is not quite destroyed some fleshly and worldly lusts and affections are stirring which are not totally mortified Militant Saints are not as yet compleat Conquerours for their enemies still make a head and continue the war though at length they shall be made more than Conquerours through him that loved them Rom. 8. 37. 4. The Joyes of believers also are imperfect All tears shall at last be wiped away from their Eyes but at present their Eyes are full of them The worlds wickedness and folly in that wickedness professors degeneracy the Churches divisions and distresses and corruptions the dreadful tokens and signs of Gods displeasure if not of his departing finally their own spiritual distempers which are so far from being perfectly cured alas these are enough to hinder their joy from being perfect 5. Their Happiness is as yet but an imperfect Happiness All the world are miserable besides and the Saints are the only happy ones and yet these by many degrees are not so happy as they shall be This sad effect sin has by coming into the world that not a man not the best man can be fully happy till got out of the world The Churches true members are happy indeed because God is theirs Psal 144. ult because Christ is theirs but they must needs be happy only in part because God and Christ are but in part enjoyed In the second place I am to shew in what sense the Church should be continually increasing I. The Church should endeavour to increase in numbers and that the stone cut out without hands may become a great mountain and fill the whole earth Dan. 2. 34 35. 'T is the worlds misery that it hates and keeps at a distance from the Church of Christ But if this world were but taken into the Church and were brought to believe in the same Jehovah in the same Jesus and to yield Subjection to the same Gospel what a New and Happy world would there be presently This increase of the Church in numbers is to be endeavoured several wayes 1. Prayer should be constant and very fervent for this increase All the Sons and Daughters of Sion should be importunate that the City of God may be enlarged that the Church may not have a barren womb or dry breasts but that by reason of her numerous Offspring she may enlarge the place of her tent and without sparing she may lengthen her cords and strengthen her stakes and stretch forth the curtains of her habitation Isa 54. 2. There is mercy enough in God though the miserable sinners that come to him are never so great a multitude The fulness of Christ is so infinitely unmeasurable that 't is sufficient to supply and to enrich the whole empty and beggar'd race of Adam Heaven is of capacity to contain millions of inhabitants more Let us therefore pray that the conversion of Souls may be by thousands and that they may flie as a cloud and as doves to their Windows Isa 60. 8. 2. The promises of the Churches increase are to be believed and pleaded In what a strain does God speak unto his Church what Promises does he make her Isa 60. 3 4 5. The Gentiles shall come to thy light and Kings to the brightness of thy rising Lift up thine eyes round about and see all they gather themselves together they come to thee Thy Sons shall come from far and thy Daughters shall be nursed at thy side Then shalt thou see and flow together and thy heart shall fear and be enlarged Because the abundance of the Sea shall be converted unto thee And the Forces of the Gentiles shall come to thee And v. 11. Thy Gates shall be open continually they shall not be shut day nor night that still there may be greater confluence And v. 16. Thou shalt also suck the Milk of the Gentiles and shalt suck the breasts of Kings and thou shalt know that I the Lord am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer the mighty One of Jacob. These and such like Promises are certain that God who has made them is easily able to make them good His Glory and Name and his Sons Honour are much concern'd in fulfilling them And he is delighted to see his Saints desirous with a respect to his Name that these Promises may be performed 3. The Church is to be increased by the powerful preaching of the Gospel This Preaching by all means is to be encouraged for Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God Rom. 10. 17. Those that most preach Christ and least themselves are likeliest to enlarge the Church of God Those that are most skilful to convince men of sin that are wise to win Souls that know Christ themselves and how to reveal him to others and with greatest zeal do press the love and practice of Holiness these are the Pastours after the Heart of God and are likely to do as Jacob did to Laban vastly to increase the Flock of Christ The Apostle was so far from hindring the preaching of the Gospel that he was glad it was preached by those that did not preach sincerely Surely the Church may have some benefit and enlargement by such Phil. 1. 15 16 17 18. Some preach Christ even of envy and strife and others also of good will the one preach Christ of contention not sincerely supposing to add affliction to my bonds but the other of love knowing that I am set for the defence of the Gospel What then I Notwithstanding every way

neglected at this day as if it were not in the Bible Be not forward to pronounce judgment rashly concerning others Christ the Judge sayes to Christians Judge not Mat. 7. 1. You that speak so much of standing up for the Kingly office of Christ do not usurp his place and office by becoming Judges of your Brethren do not cast that great command of this King of Kings behind your backs Love one another Avoid partiality in speaking of others if you extenuate greater crimes in those of your own party and endeavour to conceal them and aggravate lesser things in those of another party and blaze them abroad you respect persons and are convinced of the law as transgressors Jam. 2. 9. and so far as there is partiality so far there is hypocrisie Jam. 3. 17. O Tongues of Professors How long will it be e're you be quiet How long shall your breath be li●● the East-wind blasting all about you When shall all your words be agreeable to the Word of God when shall your lips feed many and hurt none your reproachful backbiting railing language your lies and falshoods have been your sin and shame and the shame of Religion repentance and amendment is absolutely necessary else Salvation still will stand at a distance Isa 63. 8. For he said Surely they are my people Children that will not lye so he was their Saviour USE III. Of Exhortation to abound in Love which is so much for the Churches Edification My Exhortation I second with these Arguments 1. God is Love his love is unconceivably great towards his whole Church and every true member of it There is not the meanest or most mistaking Christian in the World but if sincere God sets his love and an high pric● upon Ungodly men are but like common stones but Believers are Gods Jewels and peculiar treasure above all people Exod. 19. 5. And if God thus loves them all surely they ought to love one another 1 Joh. 4. 11. And they that dwell in love dwell in God now to dwell in God is to dwell safely for he is the Rock of Ages and in Him Mercy and Grace and light and peace and joy are to be found 2. Christ the Head is full of love to all the Members among these therefore there should be a most ardent affection one to another and a great and sweet agreement Comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height and know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge Eph. 3. 18 19. And how will you be able to slander or injure or be bitter against any whom Christ loves with a love that passes all understanding 3. Love is preferr'd before Faith and Hope 1 Cor. 13. ult And now abideth Faith Hope Charity but the greatest of these is Charity Faith and Hope cease when we come to see and enjoy but Love never falls or ends Faith receives and Hope expects but Love gives the Heart to God and for his sake it gives liberally to its Neighbour Love is the bond of perfectness Col. 3. 14. Charitas multos multa unit Love ties all other vertues together and makes them more perfect and acceptable and it unites the members of the Church together which Church is the Worlds perfection Psal 50. 2. Out of Sion the perfection of beauty God hath shined 4. Love is a debt Rom. 13. 8. Owe no man any thing but to love one another You are not just to your Neighbour unless you love him and love to shew mercy to him He that loves not another defrauds him of what is due to him nay he is not only a Thief but a Murtherer 1 Joh. 3. 15. Whosoever hateth his Brother is a Murtherer and ye know that no Murtherer hath eternal life abiding in him And if he that wants love is a Murtherer 't is less to say that he is a Schismatick but he may truly be called the greatest Schismatick that is most void of love Haeresis fidei opponitur Schis●a Charitati Heresie is opposed to Faith and Schism to Charity and if so then they are furthest from Schism that are fullest of love and they are most Schismatical who are fullest of bitterness and rancour against their Brethren 5. The greater your love is and the more Catholick 'tis it makes every one of you the more common good the more Catholick blessing The Church is beholding to you and so is the world God himself is pleased to see your Charity so diffusive and active and your labour of love shall not be forgotten shall not miss of a reward USE IV. Of Direction How love may be revived and increased 1. Observe the great defects of love in you and be very much ashamed and abased before God How few of your actions and speeches have favoured of Love what workings have there been in your hearts contrary to it Judge not want of love a small offence since 't is so much call'd for both in Law and Gospel 2. Seriously lay to heart how much Christ himself is concerned in and for all his Members though their opinions may be different from yours This good Shepherd loves all his flock and he gave his life a ransom for every one of them Backbite not discourage not persecute not and especially destroy not any one for whom Christ died 1 Cor. 8. 11. Every particular believer should love the Universal Church and should have an interest in the Universal Churches love 3. Search the Scriptures that light may be increased The more true knowledge the more unity Eph. 4. 13. All sincere hearts have a strong disposition to agree together in the truths of God when once they are revealed to them Pray against Errours for as Errours are contrary to truth which in all the parts of it agrees with it self so they often contradict one another and naturally tend to make divisions 4. Be very bumble and self-denying There must be great yielding on all sides putting up many things or love will not be revived Humbleness of mind and meekness are the Companions of Charity and cherish it exceedingly Col. 3. 12 13 14. Put on as the elect of God bowels of mercyes kindness humbleness of mind meekness long-suffering forbearing one another and forgiving one another if any man have a quarrel against any Even as Christ forgave you so also do ye and above all these things put on Charity Abhor pride which is the cause of contention That is good counsel which I find in those Rabbinical Rhythins which if followed would increase love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus in English Let Wisdom above all possessions be Before Preferment chuse Humility Every ill property be sure depresse But principally stiff tenaciousnesse 5. Mark them which cause Divisions and Offences and avoid them They that agree in Doctrine and in the main things of Christianity should not easily be divided They should think more of those