Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	jesus_n	sin_n	sinner_n	3,659	5	7.4408	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A69129	Conscience with the power and cases thereof Devided into V. bookes. Written by the godly and learned, William Ames, Doctor, and Professor of Divinity, in the famous University of Franeker in Friesland. Translated out of Latine into English, for more publique benefit.; De conscientia. Et ejus jure, vel casibus. English.	Ames, William, 1576-1633.	1639 (1639)	STC 552; ESTC S114737	107,148	176

seriously 1. The nature and desert of his sinnes For he which seriously considers that his sins doe deserve and will procure his death and destruction he cannot but seeke by all meanes to prevent it by the mortification of sinne for either sinne or the sinner must needs die Rom. 8. 13. 2 The love and mercy of God the Father toward him a sinner in sending Christ to take away his sin For the love of God will constraine us to seeke that for our selves which God so earnestly sought for us 1 Iohn 4. 11. 3 The love of Jesus Christ in undergoing and fulfilling all things that were required for the taking away of our sinnes For this grace and love of Christ if it worke but upon us as it ought will constraine us to set about this worke 2 Cor. 5. 14 15. Those were the very Nailes whereby Christ was fastned to the Crosse and not those materiall ones which his murtherers did use for this purpose 7. The application of the resurrection and life of Christ unto vivification is when Faith doth effectually collect this life of grace from the resurrection and life of Christ. Rom. 6. 11. Now it is effectually collected by a meditation of the efficient cause and end and fruits of the resurrection of Christ Col. 3. 1. The meditation of the efficient cause affordeth this argument If the said spirit which raised up Christ from the dead dwellin me it will also raise up my soule from the death of sinne to the life of grace Rom. 8. 11. The meditation of the end this As Christ was raised up that sinne might have no more dominion over him but that he might for ever live to God so also must we Rom. 6. 9. 10. The meditation of the fruits yeilds this argument As Christ being raised up sitteth at the right Hand of his Father in Heaven so ought we also to live as Citizens of Heaven Phil. 3. 20. 8. He ought 3. by a lively Faith not onely to apprehend the generall promises of salvation but those particular ones also which doe in a singular manner pertaine to sanctification Ex. 30. 24. 9. He ought 4. To yeeld up himselfe wholly to the holy Ghost to be acted and led by him in all things Ro. 8. 13. 14. The second Question by what motives may a man be stir'd up to labour for Sanctification 10. Ans. If he consider 1. That without holinesse no man shall see God Heb. 12. 14. Mat. 5. 20. 2 That holinesse is the Image of God and that perfection wherein we were created at the beginning Eph. 4. 24. 3 That holinesse is the end of our election redemption and vocation Eph. 1. 4. 1 Tim. 4. 7. Tit. 2. 14. 1 Cor. 1. 2. 4 That it is not the least part of glory and eternall blisse Eph. 5. 27. 5 That there can be no true Faith or justification or adoption without sanctification Iac. 2. 26. 2 Pet. 1. 10. 1 Cor. 6. 11. The third Question what are the signes of true sanctification Ans. 1. A reformation of all the powers and faculties of the whole man 1 Thess. 5. 23. 2 A respect to all the Commandements of God Psal. 119. 6. Iames 2. 10. 3 A constant care to avoid all sinne Pro. 28. 14. 4 A walking before God Gen. 17. 1. Acts 24. 16. 1 Cor. 10. 31. Col. 3. 23. 5 A combat betwixt the flesh and the spirit CHAP. 11. Of the combate of the Spirit against the Flesh. QUestion how may the combat of the spirit against the flesh which is in the regenerate be distinguisht from that fight which is oft found in the unregenerate when they sinne First Ans. 1. They differ in the causes For 1. the reluctation which is in the wicked proceeds either from horrour and a s●…vish feare of punishment or from some evill disposition which is easily overcome but the spirituall combat ariseth from a certaine new nature which of its owne accord is carried after those things which are pleasing to God and doth firmly and constantly shun and make opposition against whatsoever is contrary 2. That fight and reluctation which is found in wicked men takes place only in such grosse sinnes as either are condemned by the Law of nature or are wont to be abhor'd by all such as are in any small measure illuminated but the spirituall combat of the regenerate is exercised against all sin though it never come to be perfected in any grosse crime Secondly 2. They differ in the objects For that fight which is found in the wicked is either betweene the dictate of their Conscience and the inclination of the will or between some light inclination of the will to some morall good things and heady affections which rule and beare sway but that combate which is in the regenerate consisteth in the opposition and strife of a certaine new and supernaturall quality of spirituall life which hath its seat principally in the will against corrupt inclinations which dwell indeed within them but beare no sway over them Thirdly 3. They differ in the effects For 1. that fight which is in naturall men may and is wont to consist with a dayly and ordinary course of sinning But the combate of the spirit doth alwayes cause that although there may be many slips and infirmities the course and tenour of a mans life be squared and ordered according to the will of God 1 Iohn 3. 9. 10. 2 That opposition in naturall men although it may sometime be a cause why some good is done by them yet it cannot make a good principle a good end and a good manner of working all which the combate of the spirit against the flesh doth bring along with it 3. The fight of naturall men doth ordinarily admit such actions as are for the substance of them evill but the spirit doth so prevaile for the most part that it admits not a sinne in the fact it selfe although there may be a failing in the degree and manner of doing 4. For those evills which the unregenerate man doth commit this fight that is within him hinders not but that the sinne may be in all respects consummated in regard of the precedent consultation and purpose the concomitant pleasure and delight and the following obstinacy and impenitency but the spirit by its combate with the flesh doth abate the power of sinne partly before the commission party in the commission and doth afterward utterly breake it 5. That reluctation which is in naturall men seekes onely to represse and keepe sinne under but the spirit in its combate contends alwayes for the very mortification of sin and the highest perfection of grace although before death it be not attainable CHAP. 12. Of growth in Sanctification THe fifth Question is whether wee ought to content our selves with this that wee have some beginnings of sanctification 1. Answ. No there are two duties to be performed yet by us in either of which if wee be negligent all our labour is lost

to the Will From hence we speake truely and by the consent of all Nations say I will Will. CHAP. VIII Of Conscience examining and reviewing actions WE are to treat next of that reviewing which is conversant about our actions and state 1 I call this a Reviewing rather then a knowledge First because a bare and naked knowledge is not sufficient for this act of Conscience but things must bee weighed over and over Secondly because there is a knowledge which goeth before and accompanieth the action but this Reviewing followeth it 2 This Reviewing is a reflect act of the Vnderstanding whereby a man understandeth and with iudgement weigheth his owne actions with their circumstances It is commonly called Cōsideration or meditatiō on our wayes It is called in the Scripture A respect or beholding by the mind Psal. 119. 15. Considering Psal. 50. 22. Thinking or thinking againe Psal. 119. 59. Laying of the heart Hag. 1. 5. a Saying in the heart Ierem. 5. 24. Saying to the heart Hos. 7. 2. Returning to the heart 1 Kings 6. 47. a Laying to heart Ier. 12. 11. Mal. 2. 2. and lastly a Proving or examining of our selues 2 Cor. 13. 5. 3 The cause of the Reviewing of our actions ought to be First a care to please God in all things Secondly a feare of sinning For if we review our actions upon other grounds it is not an act of Conscience because it respecteth not the judgement of God which without doubt it is necessary an act of Conscience should doe 4 The manner of this Reviewing doth consist in these two things First that wee consider our owne actions not materially onely but formally also that is that we consider not onely what we haue done as it is an action but likewise what and after what manner it is done as it is good or evill As for example It is not an Act of Conscience for a man to thinke whether he hath overcome his adversary or not but whether in so doing he hath committed murther or not whether it be just or unjust that he hath done 2. The actions and the rule must be compared together For as he that speaketh the truth knoweth not that he speaketh truth unlesse he compares his speech with the thing it selfe So hee that doth well or ill cannot know the same unlesse he compare the fact with its proper rule The rule of this triall or judgement must not be our natural reason the custome of others or the like but the Law or revealed will of God For otherwise Gods judgement is not respected to which Conscience looketh but mens 5 The time which is to be allotted to this Reviewing In regard of evill deedes is in Scripture noted sometimes to be before some threatning of God 2 Sā 24. 13. sometimes after a threatning but before the Iudgement be executed Mal. 2. 2. and sometime after that God hath inflicted his Iudgements Hag. 1. 5. but the sooner we goe in hand with it the more acceptable it is unto God and more profitable it is unto us Hence it is that this Meditation of what we doe dayly is reckoned amongst the dayly exercises of the godly Iob 1. 5. 6 Through want of this Reviewing comes 1. Impenitencie in the greatest sinnes Isai 44. 18. Eccles. 4. 8. Presumption in greatest misery Reu. 3. 17. and so great a Stupiditie that those which know many other things are altogether ignorant of themselues and what they doe Hence it is that some after they haue sworne rashly and are admonished of their sinne almost with the same breath affirme with an oath that they did not sweare 7 The peculiar effects of this Reviewing of our waies are 1. in regard of God A right judgement of our waies Ezek. 19. 25. and thankefulnesse 2. In respect of ourselues Humility and 3. In respect of others Equity and Gentlenesse Tit. 3. 3. 4. CHAP. IX Of the application of the Law by Conscience to the person upon the Reviewing of the Action 1 THe third act of Conscience followeth whereby the conclusion is gathered from the premises This conclusion is an act of Conscience whereby a man applyeth unto himselfe the Law of God which concerneth either his Action or Condition 2 This conclusion therefore dependeth partly on that generall Law which is pronounced by the Synteresis in the major Proposition and partly on that Reviewing of the action or condition which is contained in the minor Proposition So that it gathereth together the strength of the former acts of Conscience and maketh the Iudgement thereof perfect 3 Like as therefore Conscience is a Law in the major Proposition Rom. 2. 14. and in the minor a Witnes Rom. 2. 15 So in this conclusion Conscience is most properly a Iudge 1 Ioh. 3. 20. For as in the Proposition Gods Law is declared and in the Assumption the fact or condition of man is examined according to that Law So in the conclusion the sentence concerning man is pronounced according to his fact or condition by vertue of the Law that hath beene declared 4 It is well defined therefore by Application because in such a conclusion Gods Commandement and mans fact are mutually joyned together and as it were linked with man whilst both passe sentence on him 5 This Application though in its owne nature it follow the former acts of Conscience like as the conclusion of a syllogisme is sayd to follow necessarily from the premisses yet through mans fault it falleth out often That Conscience doth not doe it for a time Both propositions are granted yet the cōclusion is not made as for example A man may in generall know and grant that every man that worshippeth not God is cursed and may also be conscious to himselfe that he is no true worshipper of God and yet not Iudge himselfe accursed One may also understand sufficiently that God is ready to pardon him who repenteth of his sins He may likewise haue witnes in himselfe of his owne repentance yet cannot presently apply to himselfe pardon and the mercy of God 6 This Staying or Hind●…ing the Conclusion is more usuall in passing Iudgement upon evill actions but happeneth sometimes also in such as are good 7 Wee haue an example of the first sort in those Iewes of whom the Apostle speaketh Rom. 2. 18. 20. 21. And in David himselfe 2. Sam. 12. 5. 6. who knew well enough what his most evill fact deserved by law and likewise could not be ignorant of that which he had committed but halted in the application of the conclusion 8 An example of the latter kind wee haue in all those Believers who repent truly yet for a long time cannot apply Gods mercy to themselues The causes why Sinners doe it not are 1 Because they doe not consider seriously enough Gods law and their owne facts for the conclusion proceedeth from the power efficacy of the premisses 2. Because they haue flat contrary conclusions in their Iudgements to the Law of God