Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	hear_v	lord_n	pray_v	6,088	5	6.6801	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A89336	The touch-stone of conversion. Or, Marks of true faith. Wherein the impenitent sinner is rowsed. True beleever discovered. And doubting saint resolved. / By that excellent man of God now in heaven, Mr. Arthur Morton Scotch man.	Morton, Arthur, Scotch man.	1647 (1647)	Wing M2820; Thomason E1141_1; ESTC R210080	110,861	289

sin and serves much for aggravation see if thou hast not sinned against thy knowledge and if thou hast done so thou art worthy of and shalt receive double stripes Knowest thou and was it not often told thee that thou shouldst keep the Sabbath in thy thoughts and discourses that thou shouldst renew thy repentance that thou shouldst what ever thy other employments be grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ that thou shouldst apply thy heart unto spirituall wisdom that thou shouldst not onely hear and read but go apart and meditate upon Gods Word and as occasion serves and thy abi●itie shall permit to speak of it I say hast thou known these things and have they been oft-times told thee and yet because they were painfull thou hast forborn to do them O how many stripes mayest thou look for 2. See if thou hast not sinned against thy conscience for this is yet more then to sin against knowledge to wit when not onely one knows a thing in generall but when by his generall knowledge of it his conscience gives him particular warning to do or to abstain the Spirit of God prompts him to it and yet notwithstanding he goes his own way this is a most heavie sin it is a wounding of the conscience and a grieving of the Spirit of God yea and in a degree of that which the Apostle saith Hebr. 10. a despighting of the Spirit of grace See then if ever thou hast sinned this way against the motions of Gods Spirit and warnings of thy own conscience that the Spirit of God and thy own conscience have suggested unto thee that such a thing was to be done and yet thou didst it not or such a thing not to be done and yet thou didst it and certainly if thou hast thou hast need greatly to be humbled this is to sin stubbornly and rebelliously 3. See if thou hast sinned out of presumption that is to say presuming upon the Lords mercy many sin this way and conclude with themselves the Lord is mercifull and easie to be intreated readie to forgive and therefore although I sin I shall get pardon yea although I should sin all my life long I shall get mercie easily at last this is a grievous kind of sinning and an uncouth way of conclusion and it is a dangerous conclusion for thy own soul for none so readie to refuse mercie as those who have thus sinned presuming upon mercy turning the grace of God unto wantonnesse for what saith the Lord Deut. 29. If any man hearing the words of this curse shall neverthelesse blesse himself in his own heart c. I will not spare that man saith the Lord and if ever thou get mercie think on it thou shalt not find it so easie to be gotten nor the Lord so easie to be intreated Gods children find it hard enough all their life time to get and wilt thou get mercie for a word of thy mouth as it were And as it is a most dangerous conclusion in regard of thy own soul so is it a most ungratefull and unnaturall conclusion in regard of the Lord thy God to say that because he is good and gracious and mercifull and readie to forgive thee that therefore thou wilt continue to sin against him to provoke him to wrath shouldest thou not rather conclude Is he so gracious indeed Alas that ever I should offend him I will no more do so by his grace and assistance were it not a wicked thing for a man to use another so to wit to abuse his lenity and goodnesse and clemencie and kindnesse fye upon such a conclusion 4. See if thou hast sinned scandalously either by thy sin being an evill example unto others and strengthening them in their sins whereby certainly thou must not onely be accountable for thy own sins but for others also Or else by thy sin hast given others occasion to think and speak ill of thy profession and so hast been a scar-crow to Religion Or else by thy sin hast made these thou hast had to do with to take such a prejudice at thee that neither thy words nor thy works can any thing further their edification there is no sin more to be taken heed to then this scandalous sinning and therfore be carefull against it And if thou hast been guiltie of it humble thy self greatly for it 4. Consider the means against which thou hast sinned Now under means I comprehend both the means of Gods Word and of his works whereby he labours to reclaim us See then how thou hast sinned against his works and that both against his benefits and favours and also against his judgements and afflictions whereby he studied to reclaim thee And first for the first Certainly this is no small aggravation of thy sin in Gods sight that thou hast sinned against so many benefits and favours Thus we see the Lord by Nathan aggravates Davids sin I took thee from the sheepfold when thou wast small in thy own eyes I made thee king over my people and have given thee the throne of thy Master and thus and thus have I done unto thee and yet thou hast sinned against me The like catalogue will the Lord present thee with unlesse thou prevent him and judge thy self he will say unto thee I have bestowed upon thee such gifts and perfections of bodie and minde which I have denyed to others and such a measure of outward things appertaining to contentment as many would think themselves well dealt with if they should have but the half of these things I have kept thee from many grievous inconveniences which I have inflicted upon others I have further delivered thee from many distresses and carried thee through difficulties yea I have done so and so unto thee made thee eminent in regard of many others and yet for all this thou hast sinned against me thou wouldest not for my sake renounce thy pleasures to resist such a corruption nor thy ease to discharge such duties what a just challenge thinkst thou will this be how will thy own conscience subscribe to it and thy countenance blush at it Consider also if thou hast not finned against the Lords judgements and afflictions which he sent to reclaim thee and fairly to warn thee and so hast kicked against the pricks Isaiah or the Lord by Isaiah makes this aggravation Why should ye be stricken any more ye will revolt more and more And Jer. 5. Thou hast strucken them but they have not grieved thou hast consumed them but they have not received correction This is also a great aggravation of sin The Psalmist saith Be not like the horse or the mule which cannot be holden in but by bit and bridle but this is to be worse then horse or mule even us to be holden in with bit and bridle Both these aggravations Ezra puts together Chap. 9. v. 13 14 And after all that is come upon us for our evill deeds and for our great trespasses

soul Ho all ye that hunger and thirst all ye that are weary and laden Every one may have a strong consolation who hath fled for refuge c. Obj. O but I fear I hunger and thirst not I am not weary and laden I have not fled for a refuge and so want this condition A. This very fear of wanting the condition shews that there is in thee a desire an hunger and thirst for mercy as also a fear and consequently a flying for refuge to the hope that is set before thee a wakening a seeking a What shall I do to be saved for otherwise thou wouldest never be affected nor take to heart nor fear the want of the condition wherefore art thou so troubled and feared for want of the condition but because thou art hungering and thirsting for that which thou thinkest is the condition would make belong to thee to wit mercy and forgivenesse and fearest and art troubled for want of the condition to be deprived of it So then thou who art troubled and fearest to want the condition required in those to whom mercy is offered doest indeed hunger and thirst for mercy doest indeed fear and wouldst fly unto the refuge for were it not so there would not be all this fear with thee thou wouldst even be as the rest of this secure world and as perhaps sometimes it hath been with thy self never care how it went with thee in so principall a point whether thou hadst the condition or not Now then to such as thou art who fearest who doest hunger and thirst the Promise is clearly universall it doth belong to all such none is excepted as ye heard in the places before cited Ho all ye that hunger and thirst c. Who is he that feareth the Lord and obeyeth the voice of his servant let him trust in the Name of the Lord c. A fifth notable Mean to beget Faith or to strengthen it concerning the remission of our sins it is to consider the gracious and precious new Covenant wherin the Lord hath covenanted with us even with us who be the seed of the faithfull I am thy God and the God of thy seed And 2. who hast received the seal thereof in Baptisme that he will be mercifull to our iniquities and remember our fins no more this new Covenant was first made with Adam Gen. 3.15 and renewed with Abraham Gen. 17.7 But is most sweetly and at length set down Psal 85. Isa 55. as also 42. v. 6 7. and 16. Chap. 39.21 So Jer. 31. repeated Heb. 8. Chap. 32.39.40 and 50. Ezek. 36. Now this very thing in generall that the Lord hath made a Covenant with us to pardon our sins should greatly strengthen our faith concerning the remission of them for so it is that we have not onely the Lords promise for this point which certainly in it self is fully sufficient but we see he hath gone further on to draw us from infidelitie the which we are so prone unto and to move us to beleeve he hath made a sure and solemne contract and Covenant with us to forgive us our sins If we have an honest mans promise concerning any thing we will in some sort yea even in a good measure rest upon it but if he hath indented with us and hath by contract bound himself unto us c. this puts us out of all doubt concerning the matter especially where there is no doubt of abilitie and power How much more then should we confide when the businesse is between us and the Lord God of truth Who keepeth truth for ever Psal 146. Now there be three properties of this new Covenant serving greatly to strengthen our faith to wit 1. The surenesse and steadfastnesse of it 2. The freenesse of it 3. The compleatnesse and absolutenesse of it 1. Then it is a most sure and steadfast Covenant unchangeable unalterable everlasting what can be more comfortable this is clear Isa 55. where it is called The sure mercies of David 2 Sam. 23.5 Although my house be not so with God yet hath he made with me an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure whereupon he rejoyces and addes This is all my salvation and all my desire Psal 89.34 35. My Covenant will I not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of my mouth Once have I sworn by my holinesse that I will not lye unto David And certainly how can it be but a sure Covenant when it hath Christ the Son of God for the suretie and cautioner Heb. 7.22 Surely of a better Covenant how may we be sure who besides so sufficient a principall hath so responsible a caution And also to be the witnesse of it Psal 55. Now he is the faithfull witnesse the Mediator of it Heb. 9.15 Mediator of the new Covenant and hath sealed it with his own death and blood and in the history of the Sacrament Further to shew us the surenesse of it the Lord cals it the everlasting Covenant never to be made null nor broken on the Lords part Gen. 17.7 Isa 55.3 Jer. 32.41 Ezek. 16.6 as also Psal 89. 2 Sam. 23.45 Q. But you will say although the Lord will not be the first yet when we break with him as we do continually will not the Lord then as he may most justly break with us and so alter the Covenant A. No for it is an everlasting Covenant and surely were it so it should not be everlasting but of very short continuance But this is the point when we break the Covenant on our part by our daily transgressions the Lord neverthelesse with whom there is no varying nor shadow of turning is not like the son of man that he should repent but keeps still his part of the Covenant being a God who keeps Covenant and mercy and gives unto us liberty to renew our part of the Covenant by faith and repentance so that happy is the soul that once doth get within this Covenant this point is evident by that which I have spoken of the greatnesse of Gods mercy notwithstanding the renewing of our sins he bids us pardon seventy times seven times in case of repentance how often then will he pardon who is infinit in mercy as far as the heaven is above the earth so much are his waies above your waies thou sinnest daily it is true but he hath allowed thee daily to crave pardon and so to expect forgivenesse of sins as well as to pray every day for our daily bread Iniquities prevail against us but thou wilt be mercifull to our transgressions saith David Mercie and forgivenesse belongeth to thee although we have sinned against thee This point is also notably cleared and confirmed by that 1 Joh. 2. If any man sin saith he even after he hath entred into the Covenant what shall become of him shall he be cast out of the Covenant again No but the same who is the Mediator of the Covenant and by whose means he first entred into the