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	sin_n	15,720	5	5.7661	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A60326	Comforts against the fear of death. Being some short meditations, composed by that precious gentlewoman Mrs. Anne Skelton, late of Norwich Wherein are several evidences of the work of grace in her own soul, which were the stay of her heart, against the fear of death; from which may be discerned the name of a true Christian spirit. To which is added some short notes of a sermon preached at the burial of that choyce servant of God in St. Andrews in Norwich. By John Collings M.A. and one of the most unworthy embassadors of Jesus Christ for the preaching of the gospel in the late city.	Skelton, Anne.; Collinges, John, 1623-1690. aut.	1649 (1649)	Wing S3932A; ESTC R221500	38,402	100

say not that Faith as my act doth justifie me but it is instrumental as it 's hand to receive Christ and unite thee to him those righteousness alone is the meritorious cause of thy Justification Now here is a promise for thee to rest on John 3. 16 36. Whosoever believeth in Christ shall not perish but have everlasting life And he that believeth in the Son hath everlasting life Now my Soul exercise thy Faith apply this promise to thy self I beleeve and therefore I shall have everlasting life Labor for that reflect act of thy Soul to know more that thou dost beleeve The sincerity whereof in thee is in some measure approved by thy resigning and giving up thy self wholly to him as the Apostle Gal. 2. 20. I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and th● life which I now live in the flesh I live by the Faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me Desiring as well to be ruled and guided by him as saved by him purged as pardoned freed from the power as the punishment of sin cleansed from the filth as discharged of the guilt of sin What though thou art not able wholly to put it in practise but lost full of and come short in performance thereof was not this the Apostle Paul his own case which he so ●●●gely deploreth Rom. 7. 15. 23. I allow not that which I do for what I would that do I not but what I hate that do I. I see another Law in my members rebelling against the Law of my mind and leaving me Captive to the Law of sin which is in my members It sufficeth to warrant the sincerity of thee my Soul and Spirit in this case that with the same Apostle in the same place Thou takest notice of thy failings art grived for them there is in thee a nature or part that abhors them thou watchest against them endeavorest what thou canst to reclaim thy self upon discovery of falling laborest by carnest prayer to God against them and continuest constant in the use of the means sanctified by him for spiritual strength and abillity and restest on Christ and expectest from him power to overcome thy corruptions Therefore comfort thy self herein O my Soul and apply this to thy self for thou art but in the same case that Apostle Paul was then in who at that very time had truth of grace and was even then in a most happy and blessed condition Therefore fear not though thou findest many temptations either to despair or to think all thy hope but presumption none of the Saints or Servants of God was ever heard praying to be rid utterly of their corruptions forthwith and at once Suffice them and thee it may and must that he will one day rid them utterly of all and mean while to support thee Know that thy corruptions shall never so prevail against thee as to reduce thee again to the sway and soveraignty it once had in thee when it had its throne in thee these shew that there is a part in thee that is regenerated as Paul had Now to such as these are the promises of God made good Malla 3. 16 17. A book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and thought upon his name And they shall be to me saith the Lord of H●sts in thee day a flock and I will spare them and man spareth his own son that serveth him 2 Chron. 30. 18 19 20. Hezekiah prayeth to the Lord to be merciful to him that prepareth his whole heart to seek the Lord God though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the Sanctuary And the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people Psal 33. 18 19. Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him and upon them that trust in his mercy to deliver their Souls from death and to preserve them in famine Psal 37. 40. The Lord shall help them and deliver them from the wicked and shall save them because they trust in him Psal 34. 22. The Lord redeemeth the Souls of his Servants and none that trust in him shall perish Oh my Soul set thy Faith a work lo here are promises for it to rest on apply them to thy self for they are precious Another Sign or Evidence of Grace is thy constant desire of and love to the Ordinances of God whereby these may be attained and that for this very end that thou mayst know what God requires of thee and be enabled to practise it and get strength against thy corruptions endeavouring to apply thy self thereto with delight in the use of them This evidently testifies the sincerity of thy desire love and affection to God as David urget●● oft and presseth the like for himself Psa 119. 11. I have hid thy promise in my heart that I might not sin against thee Also Vers 24. Thy testimonies are my delight and my counsellors And Ver. 33. Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes and I will keep it even to the and. Also Vers 40. Behold I desire thy commandments quicken me in thy righteousness Hypocrites desire the and only delight in them for by and sinister ends not enduring them where they find they cross their corruptions But the closer they come home to thee and most strike at thy corruptions the better thou likest and more lovest them thou dost not spare any sin I have sworn that I will Psa 119. 106 keep thy righteous judgments Another evidence of Saving Grace is thy hatred of every false way desiring God to discover to thee thine iniquity that thou art most prone or aptest to fall into by natural inclination custom or company This was made an argument of Davids integrity Therefore O my Soul make thou the same application to thy self also to uphold and comfort thee And dost thou not groan under the ●urthen of thy inward corruptions and thoughes as well as actual transgressions Wouldst not thou fain be rid of them Is it not thy greatest grief that thou dost dayly so sin against God who is so good so loving and merciful to thee Thou darest not deny it Oh that I might and could so live as never to commit any one sin more so long as I live to offend so good a God as he is to me not no more grieve nor quench his holy Spirit in the motions of it ● I resolve so to do Oh that I could do so Another sign of true Grace Hast thou not respect unto all Gods Commandments desiring universality of sincere obedience to all alike not shunning any one nor reserving any sin to thy self So David Psa 119. 5 6. O that my ways were directed to keep thy Statutes Then should I not be ashamed when I have respect unto all thy Commandments And when fallen dost thou not loath thy self the more for that and renew thy faith in Christ and repentance as sin is renewed

more and thou shalt have more Grace that is the only way to obtain it And remember Mr. Archers Answer once to thee concerning this particular Dear Sister Let not that make thee doubt thou christ no truth of ●ence which is an Evidence or effect of Grace and is not until Grace be ●t is no sign thou hast not Grace but their thou hast Grace These things which make thee doubt added to the former make me assumed of the goodness of thy state Satan ever makes that to be feared and doubted that is true and good These be conflicts of corruption Satan which company Grace These be that smoak that argues fire and Christ will not by 〈◊〉 the smonking Flax They be effects of Sanctification therefore be comforted here with I beseech you Another sign of truth or Grace is Thy very fear and jealousie of thy own unsoundness and deceitfulness of thy heart this acquits thee of hypocrisie and justifies thy sincerity this is a holy jealousie fear of falseness to God and that th●se are not in sincerity in thee For first These dispositions in thee desires and endeavors being signs or Grace must of necessity be granted to be signs of sincerity since that that is no grace in truth that is not sincere Secondly thy diligent search and inquiry into thy self and jealousie of thy self is an evident argument of the sincerity of thy heart and that thou wouldst not deceive thy self with flattery false or vain hopes Another signe of true Grace is thy putting thy self upon tryal of others that thou didst not rest satisfied with thine own tryal of thy self but desiredst Gods Ministers whom thou didst judg most sincere strict and faithful much pressing them to deal truly plainly and freely with thee without any flattery as they will one day answer it to the great God of Heaven And they bear witness to thee my soul from Gods own Word of the much of Grace in thee Thou didst not account thy own poor weak endeavors ●o search and try thy self sufficient although thou didst it to the utmost of thy power and ability apprehending that they might be more able to discover some deceit of thy heart that thou couldst not finde out There follows another signe of saving grace that is yet farther Thou hast put thy self upon the Lords own tryal How often hast thou in secret gone to thy God on thy knees and earnestly intreated and beseeched him to search thy heart and reins thy most secret sins and intimate corruptions and that he would shew thee thine iniquity and cleanse thee from thy sin not willing to hide any one from him so David Psal 39. 23 24. Search me O God and know my heart try me and know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in me And the Lord hath at sometimes made answer to thy heart That he is thine and thou art his shewed some little glimpse of his love and favor to thee as it were at 〈…〉 which hath been more joy of heart to thee then if thou hadst a thousand worlds Therefore O my soul praise thou this God of love and all that is within me praise his holy name as Psal 103. 1. Oh magnifie his free-grace mercy and love that he hath given thee some love-tokens as pledges of more hereafter Oh my soul raise up thy self to sound out the praises of the Lord and all that is within me bless his great and glorious name For truly he hath delt bountifully with thee Oh how can I how shall I express my thankfulness unto him Surely I will tell others what the Lord hath done for my poor soul that they also may trust in him For truly it s never in vain to seek and wait and trust in the Lord. Therefore O my soul do not be no more cast down and so disquieted within me Trust in God for I shall that is he will give me cause to give him thanks he is my present help and my God As David said so say I. Oh that I could chide my soul out of its unquiet condition seeing I cannot I will complain to God of it and desire him to do it for me as David did Psal 43. 6. O my God my soul is cast down do thou raise and comfort it for thou art able to do it Though I cannot I know thou Lord art able to cheer and revive my drooping spirits and thou wilt cause me to taste how good thou art that I may set forth thy ravishing sweetness unto others acquainting them what great and unexpressible goodness the Lord hath manifested to me O dwell my soul a while here suck more sweetness out of this love of God O how great is this love of God that pardons all thy sins of nature and custome o● long continuance as well as later great as well as smaller of omission as well as commission sins of ignorance and knowledg secret sins and more open sins sins in thought word and act sins of thy youth and ●●per age He blots them out all as a creditor that takes his pen and blots out all debts leaves none to condemn O the greatness of this infinite love of God O stand still and behold what love the Father hath shewed wonder and be amazed and ravished with this love of all loves O the riches of this love of God to thee O admirable superabundant surpassing love O excellent precious sweet unheard of love O wonderful indeed rare unspeakable unutterable unexpressible incomprehensible love O love everlasting one dram whereof is better then life it self much sweeter then the hony and the hony comb Another Evidence of Grace is the sweet intercourse that hath been betwixt God and thee my soul Sometimes thy praying to him his answering thee Gods upholding and quieting thee sometimes in greatest dangers so Job and David Therefore stir up thy faith and live by it for time to come Thou hast humbled thy soul and God hath comforted thy soul Now he hath this communion with none but his own children Another Evidence of Grace is Thy hearty sorrow and grief for thy sinning against mercies and unthankfulness for them and not profiting by them arising from the consideration of Gods goodness to thee whom thereby thou dost offend These are undoubted signes of Grace Psal 51. 3 4 5 6 10. I acknowledg my transgressions and my sin is ever before me Against thee thee onely have I sinned and done evil in thy sight that thou migh●est be justified when thou speakest and be cleared when thou judgest Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me Psal 19. 12 13. Cleanse me from my secret sins keep thy servant also that presumptious sins raign not over me Rom. 7. 14 15 22 23 24. For we know that

promised to supply that good save from that evil Why then my soul shouldst not thou joy in hope of it or mayest thou not have hope since God hath promised it And why doth not thy hope beget joy in outward things it doth so Thou mayest see the full joyes of Heaven Christs presence Gods face perfect glory and these all enjoyed by thee all enjoyed I say by hope and that by such an hope as cannot fail Rom. 5. 5. as makes not ashamed It s sure and presents the things hoped for most sure for it hath the certainty of Faith for its ground and that is the certainty of God himself For Faith buildeth on Gods promises and they are most certain confirmed by two immutable things First The Word of God Secondly The Oath of God Heb. 6. 16 17 18 19. For men swear an oath for confirmation it is then an end of all strife God willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel confirmed it by an oath That by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie we might have a strong consolation Which Hope we have as an Anchor of the soul both sure and stedfast Yea thy Faith and Hope hath as the immutability so the fidelity and truth of God to rest upon he can as well cease to be God as not to be so good as his Word It hath also the purpose and de●ree of God for Gods promises are onely the expressions of his purpose and decree And as the Mercy of God so it hath also the Merit of Christ the efficacy of his Obedience Passion and Intercession And thus also its sure for Christ hath merited all good things for thee present and to come whether it be p●rdon of sin victory over sin subduing thy corruption the favor of God or what ever else thou wantest And it s necessitated now by Gods Justice also That being satisfied by Christ and his satisfaction by God accepted Oh why then shouldst not thou joy in hope of all these O consider the strength of all these Arguments to cause and increase Hope and Joy in thee The joy of the Lord is our strength Neh● 8. 10. Therefore O my soul be thou no mo●e so cast down for time to come why art th●u o● why should●st thou be so O rouz● up and encourage thy self in thy God and strengthen thy Faith by meditating on the truth and goodness of these promises their excellencies sweetness and usefulness to thee and by Resis●ing doubtings and so stir up thy Faith in them This is the place of living by Faith therefore O my soul live thou by Faith that is finde out a promise of what ever thou wantest and ●enture on it with e●pectation hoping above hope and so fetch every thing thou needest f●om the promises O that tho● wo●ldst sing that triumphant Song that the Apostle Pa●l doth Rom. 8. 38 39. I am perswaded that n●ither de●th nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor thin●s present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate the● from the ●●ve of God which i● in Christ Jesus our Lord. O my soul pray and strive so to do O that thou couldst say as the same Apostl● doth Phil. 1. 23. I des●re to be d●●olved and be with Christ which is best of all Truly in the mean while God alone is thy portion for thou hast taken him so to be And if God alone be present with thee it s enough He were not God i● he were not All-sufficient Now thou hast him in Faith in pledges and earnest yea in possession why then dost thou not enjoy him why dost thou not shake off that senceless drowsiness which makes thy life unpleasant and uncomfortable as though thou hadst none of God O leave off over-heaviness to those that want God to those that either know him not or know him displeased not in Christ Thou Lord shalt guide me with thy counsel and afterwards bring me to glory as Psal 73. 24 25 26 28. Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee My flesh and my heart ●aileth but God is the strength of my heart and my port●●n for ever It is good for me to draw neer to God I have put my trust in the Lord God and ●o he answers I will not leave thee nor forsake thee no never as Heb. 13. 5. No at no time When thou art therefore in any strait or distress that thou knowest not what to do then go freely and boldly to the throne of grace in the Name through the Mediation of Christ There 's a friend that will help thee and relieve thee sustain and deliver thee When all other helps ●ail yet I say he will never fail thee do I say so nay verily of a truth it is God himself saith it by his Spirit speaking in his Apostle Therefore build on it ●●st on it as most certain For as God is truth it self so are all his promises let them be beleeved by thee Press the Lord with his own word or promise and he will perform them even to thee Lord thou hast said that sin shall not have dominion over us as Rom. 6. 14. O let it not have have dominion over me make good that word of thine to me O when shall that time once be O that thou wouldst this day nay this very hour at once kill all sin in me Lord thou hast said Thou wilt Mich. ● 19 subdue our iniquities O Lord do thou it in me for they are too strong for me Is any thing to hard for God no sure surely thou hast power enough to do it And thou saidst thou ar● willing O what then hinders O my God let thy Spirit come s●nd it with power and make its vertue to appear in subduing all sin in me and raising me up to a new a holy life such a life as thou wouldst have me live Lord thou hast said That we shall seek thee with all our hearts and that thou wilt befo●●d of us Jere. 29. 13 14. O remember thine own everlasting Covenant made with thy ●ervants Jere. 32. 40. That thou wilt put thy fear in their hearts and they shall not depart from thee And thou hast said Thou wilt comfort us and we shall be comforted even as one ●hom his mother comforts I● 66. 13. Lord make good these promises in which thou hast caused thy servant to trust O keep thy servant that ●o presumpt●ous sins prevail over me And clea●se me from ●y secret sins yea from all my sins of thought then shall I be ●pright and I shall be inn●cent and free from the great transgressions Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight O Lord my Strength and my Red●●mer A SERMON Composed for the FVNERAL Of that pr●●ious Woman Mrs ANNE SKELTON of S.