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
A77614	Precious remedies against Satans devices or, salve for believers and unbelievers sores. Being a companion for those that are in Christ, or out of Christ; that are high, or low, learned, or illiterate, staggering, or wandering; that slight, or neglect ordinances, under a pretence of living above them; that are growing (in spiritualls) or decaying; that are tempted, or deserted, afflicted, or opposed; that have assurance, or that want assurance; that are self-seekers, or the common-wealths caterpillars; that are in love sweetly united, or that yet have their spirits too much imbittered, &c. By Thomas Brookes, a willing servant unto God, and the faith of his people, in the glorious gospel of Christ, at Margarets fish-street hill.	Brooks, Thomas, 1608-1680.	1658 (1658)	Wing B4954; Thomason E1426_1	231,671	413

makes Proclamation that who-ever could bring the Rebell dead or alive he should have such a great summe of money The Rebell hearing of this comes and presents himself before the Emperour and demands the summ of money now saith the Emperour if I should put him to death the world would say I did it to save my money and so he pardons the Rebell and gives him the money Ah sinners shall a Heathen do this that had but a drop of mercy and compassion in him and will not Christ do much more Coloss 1. 19. Chap. 2 3 4. that hath all fulnesse of grace mercy and glory in himselfe Surely his bowels doe yerne towards the worst of Rebels Ah! if you will but come in you will find him ready to pardon yea one Nehem. 9. 17. Heb. but thou a god of pardons made up of pardoning mercy Oh! the readinesse and willingnesse of Jesus Christ to receive to favour the greatest Rebels The father of mercies did meet embrace and kisse that prodigall mouth which came from feeding with swine and kissing of Harlots Ephraim had Hos 4. 17. 5. 3. 6. 8. 11 12. 12. 14. 13. 12. vide committed Idolatry and was backsliden from God he was guilty of lukewarmnesse and unbelief c. yet saith God Ephraim is my deare sonne hee is a Jer. 31. 20. pleasant child my bowels are troubled for him I will have mercy or rather as 't is in the Originall I will have mercy mercy upon him saith the Lord. Well saith God Though Ephraim be guilty of crimson sinnes yet he is a sonne a deare sonne a precious sonne a pleasant childe Though he be blacke with filth and red with guilt yet my bowels are troubled for him I will have mercy mercy upon him Ah sinners if these bowels of mercy doe not melt win and draw you Justice will be a swift witnesse against you and make you lye downe in eternall misery for kicking against the bowels of mercy Christ hangs out still as once that warlike Seythian did a white flag of grace and mercy to returning sinners that humble themselves at his feete for favour but if sinners stand out Christ will put forth his red flag his bloody flag and then they shall dye for ever by a hand of Justice Sinners there is no way to avoid perishing by Christs iron rod but by kissing his golden Scepter The fourth Remedie against this Device 4 Remedie of Satan i● to consider that Iesus Christ has no where in all the Scripture excepted against the worst of sinners that are willing to receive him to belive in him and to rest upon him for happinesse and blessedness Ah sinners why should you be more cruell and unmercifull to your own soules then Christ is Christ hath not excluded you from mercy why should you exclude your owne soules from mercy Oh that you would dwell often upon that choise Scripture John 6. 37. All Iohn 6. 37. that the Father giveth me shall come to me and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out or as the Originall hath it I will not cast out Well saith Christ if any man will come or is coming to me let him be more sinfull or lesse more unworthy or lesse let him be never so guilty never so filthy never so rebellious never so leprous c. yet if hee will but come I will not not not cast him off So much is held forth in that 1 Cor. 6. 9 10 11. Know ye not that the unrighteous 1 Cor 6. 9. 10 11. shall not inherite the Kingdome of God Be not deceived Neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor effeminate nor abusers of themselves with man-kinde Nor theeves nor covetous nor drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners shall inherite the Kingdome of God And such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God Ah sinners do not thinke that hee that hath received such notorious sinners to mercy will reject you Hee is Heb. 13. 8. yesterday and to day and the same for ever Christ was borne in an Inne to shew that he receives all commers his garments were divided into four parts to shew that out of what part of the world soever we come we shall be received If we be naked Christ hath Robes to cloth us if we be harbourless Christ hath room to lodg us That is a choise Scripture Acts 10. 34 35. Acts 10. 34 35. Then Peter opened his mouth and said of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons But in every Nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse is accepted with him The three Tongues that were written upon the Crosse in Greeke Latine and Hebrew to witnesse Christ to be Iohn 19. 19 20. the King of the Jewes do each of them in their severall Idiom avouch this singular Axiome that Christ is an all sufficient Saviour and a three-fold cord is not easily broken The Apostle puts this out of doubt in that Heb. 7. v. 25. Heb. 7. 25. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the vttermost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them Now he were not an Al-sufficient Saviour if he were not as able to save the greatest as the least of sinners Ah sinners tell Jesus Christ that he hath not excluded you from mercy and therefore you are resolved that you will sit waite weep and knock at the doore of mercy til he shall say souls be of good cheer your sins are forgiven your persons are justified and your soules shall be saved The fifth Remedie against this Device 5 Remedy of Satan is to consider that the greater sinner thou art the dearer thou wil● be to Christ when he shall behold thee as the travel of his soule Isa 53. 11. Isa 53. 11. He shall see of the travell of his soule and be satisfied The dearer we pay for any thing the dearer that thing is to us Christ hath paid most and prayed most and sighed most and wept most and bled most for the greatest sinners and therefore they are dearer to Christ then others that are lesse sinful Rachel was Gen. 29. 30. dearer to Jacob then Leah because shee cost him more he obeyed endured and suffered more by day and by night for her then for Leah Ah sinners the greatnesse of your sinns does but set off the freenesse and riches of Christs grace and the freenesse of his love this maketh Heaven and Earth to ring of his praise that he loves those that are most unlovely that hee shewes most favour to them that hath sinned most highly against him as might be shewed by severall instances in Scripture as Paul Mary Magdalene and others who sinned more against Christ then these and who had sweeter and choicer manifestations of divine love and favour then these The sixth Remedy against this Device 6 Remedie of Satan

Belly Gods with drie eyes Phil. 3. 18. And Lots righteous soule was burdened 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vexed and racked by the filthy Sodomites 2 Pet. 2. 7 8. Every sinfull Sodomite was a Hazael to his eyes a Hadadrimmon to his heart Gracious soules use to mourne for other mens sins as well as their owne and for their soules 119 Psal 136. 158. and sins who make a mock of sin and a jest of damning their owne soul● Guilt or grief is all that gracious soules get by communion with vain souls In the sixth Verse he shewes that the punishment that was inflicted upon the incestuous person was sufficient and therefore they should not refuse to receive him who had repented and sorrowed for his former faults and follies 'T is not for the honour of Christ the credit of the Gospel nor the good of soules for Professors to be like those Act. and Mon. sol 1392. bloody wretches that burnt some that recanted at the stake saying that they would send them out of the world while they were in a good minde In the 7 8 9 and 10 Verses the Apostle stirres up the Church to forgive him to comfort him and to confirme their love towards him lest he should be swallowed up with over much sorrow Satan going about to mix the detestable darnell of desperation with the godly sorrow of a pure penitent heart It was a sweet saying of one Let a man Doleat de dolore gaudeat Jerome grieve for his sin and then joy for his grief that sorrow for sin that keeps the soule from looking towards the Mercie-Seat and that keeps Christ and the soul asunder or that shall render the soule unfit for the communion of Saints is a sinfull sorrow In the eleventh Verse he layes down another reason to work them to shew pity and mercy to the penitent sinner that was mourning and groaning under his sin and misery i. e. Lest Satan should get an advantage of us for we are not ignorant of his Devices A little for the opening of the words Lest Satan should get an advantage of us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 least Satan over-reach us the Greek word signifieth to have more then belongs to one the comparison is taken from the greedy Merchant that seeketh and taketh all opportunities to beguile and deceive others Satan is that wily Merchant that devoureth not widowes houses but most mens souls For we are not ignorant of Satans devices or plots or machinations or stratagems Non 〈…〉 he is but a titular Christian that hath not personall experience of Satans stratagems his set and composed machinations his artificially-moulded methods his plots darts depths whereby he out-witted our first parents and fits us a penny-worth still as he sees reason The maine Observation that I shall draw from these words is this That Satan hath his severall devices to deceive intangle and undoe the souls of men I shall first prove the point and secondly shew you his severall Devices and thirdly the Remedies against his Devices and fourthly how it comes to passe that he hath so many severall Devices to deceive intangle and undoe the soules of men Fifthly I shall lay downe some Propositions concerning Satan and his Devices For the proofe of the point take these few Scriptures Ephes 6. ver 11. Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is here rendred wiles is a notable emphaticall word 1. It signifies such snares as are laid behind one such treacheries as come upon ones back at unawares It notes the methods or way-layings of that old subtile Serpent who like Pans adder in the path biteth the heels of passengers and thereby transfuseth his venome to the head and heart the word signifies an ambushment or stratagem of War whereby the enemy sets upon a man ex ins●diis at unawares 2. It signifies such snares as are set to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 catch one in ones road a man walks in his road and thinks not of it on the sudden he is Catcht by thieves or falls into a pit c. 3. It signifies such as are purposely artificially and craftily set for the taking the prey at the greatest advantage that can be the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies properly a way-laying circumvention or going about as they doe which seek after their prey Julian by his craft drew more from the Faith then all his persecuting Predecessors could doe by their cruelty So doth Satan more hurt in his sheepskin then by roaring like a Lyon Take one Scripture more for the proof of the point and that is in the second of Timothy the second chapter and the last verse And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil who are taken captive by him at his will The Greek word that is here rendred recover themselves signifies to awake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 themselves The Apostle alludeth to one that is asleep or drunk who is to be awaked and restored to his senses and the Greek word that is here rendred taken captive signifies to be taken alive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word is properly a warlike word and signifies to be taken alive as Souldiers are taken alive in the wars or as Birds are taken alive and insnared in the Fowlers net Satan hath snares for the wise and snares for the simple snares for Hypocrites and snares for the upright snares for generous soules and snares for timerous soules snares for the rich and snares for the poore snares for the aged and snares for youth c. happy are those soules that are not taken and held in the snares that he hath laid Take one proofe more and then I will proceede to the opening of the Point and that is in the 2d Revelations and the 24. v. But unto you I say and unto the rest in Thyatira as many as have not Pareus in loc 1 Tim. 4. 1. this Doctrine and which have not knowne the depths of Satan as they speake I will put upon you no other burden but to hold fast till I come Those poore soules called their opinions the depths of God when indeed they were the depths of Satan you call your opinions depths and so they are but they are such depths as Satan hath brought out of Hell they are the whisperings and hissings of that Serpent not the inspirations of God Now the second thing that I am to shew you is his severall Devices and herein I shall first shew you the severall Devices that he hath to draw the soule to sin I shall instance in these twelve which may bespeake our most serious consideration His first Device to draw the soule to 1 Device sin is to present the bait and hide the hook to present the

were once glorious on earth and are now triumphing in Heaven did look upon the mercy of God as the most powerfull argument to preserve them from sin and to fence their souls against sin and not as an encouragement Psal 26. 3 4 5 6. to sin Psal 26. 3 4 5 6. For thy loving kindnesse is before mine eyes and I have walked in thy truth I have not sat with vaine persons neither will I goe in with dissemblers I have hated the Congregation of evill doers and will not sit with the wicked So Joseph strengthens himselfe against sin from the remembrance of mercy How then can I saith he doe this great Gen. 39. 9. wickednesse and sin against God He had fixt his eye upon mercy and therefore sin could not enter though the irons entred into his soul his soul being taken with mercy was not moved by his Mistrisses impudency Satan knock't oft at the door but the sight of mercy would not suffer him to answer or open Joseph like a Pearle in a Puddle keeps his vertue still So Paul Shall we continue in sin that Grace may abound God Rom. 6. 1 2. The stone called P●ntaurus is of that vertue that it preserves him that carries it from taking any harm by poison the mercy of God in Christ to our souls is the most precious stone or Pearle● in the world to preserve us from being poysoned with sin forbid how shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein There is nothing in the world that renders a man more unlike to a Saint and more like to Satan then to argue from mercy to sinfull liberty from Divine goodnesse to licentiousnesse this is the Devils Logick and in whom ever you find it you may write This soul is lost A man may a● truly say the Sea burns or fire cools as that free grace and mercy should make a soul truly gracious to doe wickedly So the same Apostle I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service So John These things I write unto you that you sin not What was it that he wrote He wrote that we might have fellowship with the Father and his Son 1 John 2. 1 2. and that the Blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sin and that if we confesse our sins he is just and faith full to forgive us our sins and that if we doe sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous These choyce favours and mercies the Apostle holds forth as the choycest means to preserve the soul from sin and to keep at the greatest distance from sin and if this won't doe it you may write the man void of Christ and grace and undone for ever The sixt Device that Satan hath to 6 Device draw the soule to sin is by perswading the soul that the work of Repentance is ●n easie work and that therefore the soul need not make such a matter of sin why suppose you do sin saith Satan 't is no such difficult thing to return and confesse and be sorrowfull and beg pardon and cry Lord have mercy upon me and if you doe but this God will cut the score and pardon your sins and save your souls c. By this Device Satan draws many a soul to sin and makes many millions of souls servants or rather slaves to sin c. Now the Remedies against this device of Satan are these that follow THe first Remedy is seriously to consider 1 Remedy Fallen man hath lost imperium suum and imperium sui the command of himselfe and the command of the creatures and certainly he that cannot command himselfe cannot repent of himselfe Da poenitentiā postea indulgentiam said dying Fulgentius that Repentance is a mighty work a difficult work a work that is above our power There is no power below that power that raised Christ from the dead and that made the world that can break the heart of a sinner or turn the heart of a sinner thou art as well melt Adamant as to melt thine owne heart to turn a flint into flesh as to turn thine own heart to the Lord to raise the dead and to make a world as to Repent Repentance is a flower that growes not in Natures garden Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may yee also doe good that are accustomed to doe evill Jer. 13. 23. Repentance is a gift that comes down from above men are not born with Repentance in their hearts as they are borne with tongues in their mouths Acts. 5. It was a vain brag of King Cyrus that caused it to be written upon his Tomb-stone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I could doe all things So could Paul too but it was through Christ which strengthned him 31. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give Repentance to Israel and forgivenesse of sins So in that 2 Tim. 2. 25. In meeknesse instructing them that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth 'T is not in the power of any mortall to repent at pleasure Some ignorant deluded souls vainly conceit that these five words Lord have mercy upon me are efficacious to send them to Heaven but as many are undone by buying a counterfeit Jewell so many are in Hell by mistake of their Repentance many rest in their Repentance though it be but the shadow of Repentance which caused one to say Repentance damneth more then sin The second Remedy against this Device 2 R●medy of Satan is solemnly to consider of the nature of true Repentance Repentance is some other thing then what vain men conceive Repentance is sometimes taken in a more strict and narrow The Hebrew word for Repentance is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to returne implying a going back from what a man had don it notes a returning or converting from one thing to another from sin to God The Greeks have two words by which they expresse the nature of repentance one is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to be carefull anxious solicitous after a thing is done the other word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is resipiscentia after-wit or after-wisdom the minds recovering of wisdome or growing wiser after our folly Ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dementia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 post it being the correction of mens folly and returning ad sanam mentem True repentance is a thorough change both of the mind and manners optima aptissima poenitentia est nova vita saith Luther which saying is an excellent saying Repentance for sin is nothing worth without repentance from sin If thou repent with a contradiction saith Tertullian God will pardon thee with a contradiction thou repentest and yet continuest in

Christ from receiving of Christ from embracing of Christ from resting leaning or relying upon Christ for everlasting happinesse and blessedness according to the Gospel and Remedies against those Devices Now the first Device that Satan hath to keep the soule off from believing in Christ from closing with Christ c. is BY suggesting to the soule the 1 Device greatnesse and vilenesse of his sinnes what saith Satan dost thou think that thou shalt ever obtain mercy by Christ that hast sinned with so high a hand against Christ that hast slighted the tenders of grace that hast grieved the spirit of grace that hast despised the word of grace that hast trampled under feet the blood of the Covenant by which thou might'st have been pardoned purged justified and saved that hast spoken and done all the evill that thou couldst No no saith Satan he hath mercy for others Ierem. 3. 5. but not for thee pardon for others but not for thee righteousnesse for others but not for thee c. therefore 't is in vaine for thee to think of beleeving in Christ or resting and leaning thy guilty soule upon Christ Now the remedies against this Device of Satan are these that follow THe first Remedie against this Device Remedy of Satan is to consider that the greater your sinnes are the more you stand in need of a Saviour the greater your burthen is the more you stand in need of one to help to beare it the deeper the wound is the more need there is of the Surgeon the more dangerous the disease is the more need there is of the Physitian Who but mad men will argue thus my burden is great there-I'le not call out for help my wound is Mad Logick deepe therefore I 'le not call out for balm my disease is dangerous therefore I 'le not goe to the Physitian Ah! 't is spiritua●●adnesse 't is the Devills Logick to argue thus My sinnes are great therefore I 'le not goe to Christ I dare not rest nor leane on Christ c. whereas the soule should reason thus the greater my sins are the more I stand in need of mercy of pardon and therefore I will goe to Christ who delights Mica 7. 18. in mercy who pardons sinne for his owne name sake who is as able and as Isa 43. 25. willing to forgive pounds as pence thousands as hundreds The second Remedie against this Device 2 Remedie of Satan is solemnly to consider that the promise of grace and mercy is to returning soules and therefore though thou art never so wicked yet if thou wilt returne God will be thine mercy shall be thine pardon thine c. 2 Chron. 30. 9. For if you turn again 2 Chron. 30. 9. unto the Lord your brethren and your children shall finde compassion before them that lead them captive so that they shall come againe into this land for the Lord your God is gracious and mercifull and will not turne away his face from you if ye returne unto him So Jer. 3. 12. Goe and proclaime Jer. 3. 12. these words towards the North and say returne thou back-sliding Israel saith the Lord and I will not cause my anger to fall upon you for I am mercifull saith the Lord and I will not keepe ang 〈…〉 for ever So Joel 2. 13. And rent you●●●rts and not Ioel 2. 13. your garments and turne unto the Lord your God for he is gracious and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnesse and repenteth him of the evill So Isa 55. 7. Let the wicked forsake his wayes and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him returne unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon or as the Hebrew read● it he will multiply pardons So Ezek. Ezek. ch 18. Chap. 18. Ah sinner 't is not thy great transgressions that shall exclude thee from mercy if thou wilt break off thy sins by repentance and return to the fountaine of mercy Christs heart Christs armes are wide open to embrace the returning Prodigall 'T is not simply the greatest of thy sins but thy peremptory persisting in sinne that will be thy eternall overthrow The third Remedie against this Device 3 Remedie of Satan is seriously to consider that the greatest sinners have obtained mercy and therefore all the Angells in heaven all the men on earth and all the Devils in hell cannot tell to the contrary but that thou mayest obtain mercy Manasseh was a notorious sinner 2 King Chap. 21. he erected Altars for Baal he worshipped and served all the hoast of Heaven He caused his sonnes to passe through the fire he gave himselfe to witchcraft and sorcerie he made Judah to sinn more wickedly then the heathen did whom the Lord destroyed before the children of Israel hee The Hebrew Doctors write that he slew Isaiah the Prophet who was his father in law caused the streets of Jerusalem to run downe with innocent blood c. Ah! what a devill incarnate was he in his actings and yet when he humbled himselfe and sought the Lord the Lord was intreated of him and heard his supplication and brought him to Jerusalem and made himselfe known unto him and crowned him with mercy and loving kindnesse as you may see in 2 Chron. 2 Chron. chap. 33. chap. 33. So Paul was once a blasphemer a persecutor and injurious yet he obtained 1 Tim. 1. 13. mercy So Mary Magdalen was a Luke 7. notorious strumpet a common whore one out of whom Christ cast seaven Devills yet she is pardoned by Christ and dearly beloved of Christ Luke 7. So Mar. 16. 9. in Mar. 16. v. 9. Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week he appeared first to Mary Magdalene out of whom he had cast seaven Devills Jansenius on the place saith 't is very observable that our Saviour after his resurrection first appeared to Mary Magdalen and Peter that had been grievous sinners that even the worst of sinners may be comforted and encouraged to come to Christ to believe in Christ to rest and stay their soules upon Christ for mercy here and glory hereafter that is a very precious word for the worst of sinners to hang upon Psal 68. v. 18. The Psal 68. 18. Psalmist speaking of Christ saith Thou hast ascended on high thou hast led captivity captive thou hast received gifts for men yea for the rebellious also that the Lord God might dwell among them What though thou art a rebellious child or a rebellious servant what though thou art a rebellious swearer a rebellious drunkard a rebellious Sabbath-breaker c. yet Christ hath received gifts for thee even for the rebellious He hath received the gift of pardon the gift of righteousnesse yea all the gifts of the spirit for thee that thy heart may be made a delightfull house for God to dwell in Bodin hath a story concerning a great Rebell that had made a great strong party against a Roman Emperour the Emperour

in Christ surely none Ah sinners you should reason thus Christ hath bestowed the choisest mercies the greatest favours the highest dignities the sweetest priviledges upon unworthy sinners and therefore O our souls doe not you faint do not you despair but patiently and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord who can tell but that free grace and mercy may shine forth upon us though we are unworthy and give us a portion among those Worthies that are now triumphing in Heaven The third Remedie against this Device 3 Remedie of Satans is that if the soule will keep off from Christ till it be worthy it wil never close with Christ it will never embrace Christ 't will never be one with Christ it must lie down in everlasting Isa 50. ult sorrow God hath laid up all worthinesse in Christ that the creature may know where to finde it and may make out after it There is no way on earth to make unworthy soules worthy but by believing in Christ Believing in Christ of slaves 't will make 〈◊〉 1. 12. you worthy sons of enemies 't will James 2. 23. make you worthy friends c. God wil count none worthy nor call none worthy nor carry it towards none as worthy but Believers who are made Reuel 3. 4. worthy by the worthinesse of Christs person righteousnesse satisfaction and intercession c. The fourth and last Remedie against 4 Remedie this Device of Satans is solemnly to consider that if you make a diligent search into your own hearts you shall find that 't is the pride folly of your own hearts that puts you upon bringing of a worthinesse to Christ Oh you would faine bring something to Christ that might render you acceptable to him you are loft to come empty handed The Lord cries out Ho Isa 55. 1 2. every one that thirsteth come yee to the waters and he that hath no money come yee buy and eate come buy wine and milke without money and without price Wherefore doe you spend your money upon Verse 2. that which is not bread and your labour for that which satisfieth not Here the Lord calls upon money lesse soules upon penni-lesse soules upon unworthy soules to come and partake of his precious favours freely but sinners are proud and foolish and because they have no money no worthiness to bring they 'l not come though he sweetly invites them Ah sinners what is more just then that you should perish for ever that preferre huskes among swine before the milke and wine the sweet and precious things of the Gospel that are freely and sweetly offered to you c. Well sinners remember this 't is not so much the sense of thy unworthinesse as thy pride that keeps thee off from a blessed closing with the Lord Jesus The third Device that Satan hath to keep poor sinners from believing in Christ from closing with Christ from resting on Christ c. is BY suggesting to them the want of 3 Device such and such preparations and qualifications saith Satan thou art not prepared to entertain Christ thou art not thus and thus humbled and justified thou art not heart-sick of sin thou hast not been under horrors and terrours as such and such thou must stay till thou art prepared and qu●lified to receive the Lord Jesus c. Now the remedies against this Device of Satan are these that follow THe first Remedie against this Device 1 Remedy of Satan is seriously to consider that such as have not been so and so prepared and qualified as Satan suggests have received Christ believed in Christ and being saved by Christ Mathew Mat. 9. 9. was called sitting at the receipt of custome and there was such power went along with Christs call that made him to follow We read not of any horrors or terrours c. that hee was under before his being called by Christ Pray what preparations and qualifications were found in Zacheus Paul the Luke 19. 9. Acts 16. chap. Jaylor and Lydia before their conversion God brings in some by the sweet and still voyce of the Gospel and usually such that are thus brought in to Christ are the sweetest humblest 〈◊〉 isest and fruitfullest Christians God is a free agent to worke by Law or Gospel by smiles or frownes by presenting hell or heaven to sinners soules God thunders from Mount-Sinai upon some souls conquers them by thundering God speaks to others in a still voyce and by that conquers them You that are brought to Christ by the Law do not you judge and condemn them that are brought to Christ by the Rom. 14. Gospell and you that are brought to Christ by the Gospel do not you despise those that are brought to Christ by the Law Some are brought to Christ by fire storms and tempests others by more easie and gentle gales of the Spirit The Spirit is free in the works of Iohn 3. 8. conversion and as the wind it blows when where how it pleases Thrice happy are those souls that are brought to Christ whether it be in a winters night or in a summers day The second Remedie against this Device 2 Remedie of Satan is solemnly to dwel upon these following Scriptures which do clearly evidence that poor sinners which are not so and so prepared and qualified to meet with Christ to receive and embrace the Lord Jesus Christ may notwithstanding that believe in Christ and rest and lean upon him for happinesse and blessednesse according to the Gospel Read the first of the Proverbs from vers 20. to the end and the 11. first verses of the 8. of the Proverbs and the six first verses of the 9. of the Proverbs and the 14. first verses of Ezek. chap. 16. and the 3. of John 14 15 16 17 18. 36. verses and the 3. of the Revelations vers 15 16 17 18 19 20. Here the Lord Jesus Christ stands knocking at the Laodiceans door he would faine have them to sup with him and that he might sup with them that is that they might have intimate communion and fellowship one with another Now pray tell me what preparations or qualifications had these Laodiceans to entertain Christ surely none for they were luke-warm they were neither cold nor hot they were wretched and miserable and poore and blind and naked and yet Christ to shew his free grace and his condescending love invites the very worst of sinners to open to him though they were no wayes so or so prepared or qualified to entertain him c. The third Remedie against this Device 3 Remedie of Satan is seriously to consider that the Lord does not in all the Scripture require such and such preparations Rom. 4. 5. God justifies the ungodly qualifications before men come to Christ before they believe in Christ or entertaine or embrace the Lord Jesus Christ Believing believing in Christ is the great thing that God presses upon sinners throughout the Scripture as all know that know any thing of Scripture Obj. But does not

is seriously to consider that the longer you keepe off from Christ the greater and stronger your sinnes wil grow All divine power and strength against sin flowes from the souls union Rom. 8. 10. 1 Iohn 1. 6 7. and communion with Christ while you keepe off from Christ you keep off from that strength and power which is only able to make you trample downe strength lead captivity captive and slay the Goliah's that bids defiance to Christ 'T is only faith in Christ that makes a 1 Iohn 5. 4. man triumph over sin Satan Hell and the world 'T is onely faith in Christ Mar. 5. 25-35 that binds the strong man hand and foot that stops the issue of blood that makes a man strong in resisting and happy in conquering Sin always dies most where faith lives most the most believing soule is the most mortifyed soule Ah sinner remember this there is no way on earth effectually to be rid of the guilt filth and power of sinne but by believing in a Saviour 'T is not resolving 't is not complaining 't is not mourning but believing that will make thee divinely victorious over that bodie of sinne that to this day is too strong for thee and that will certainly be thy ruine if it be not ruin'd by a hand of faith The seventh Remedie against this Device 7 Remedie of Satans is wisely to consider that as there is nothing in Christ to discourage the greatest sinners from believing in him so there is every thing in Christ that may encourage the greatest sinners to believe in him to rest and leane upon him for all happinesse and blessednesse If you look upon his nature his disposition his names his titles his offices as King Priest and Cant. 1. 3. Prophet you shall finde nothing to discourage the greatest sinners to receive Coloss 1. 19. Chap. 2. 3. Cant. 5. 10. him to believe on him Christ is the greatest good the choisest good the chiefest good the most sutable good the most necessary good he is a pure good a reall good a totall good an eternall good and a soul-satisfying good Sinners are you poor Christ Rev. 3. 17 18. hath gold to enrich you are you naked Christ hath royall robes hee hath white rayment to cloath you are you blind Christ hath eye-salve to enlighten you are you hungry Christ will be Manna to feed you are you thirsty Iohn 6. 48. Iohn 7. 38. he will be a Well of living water to refresh you are you wounded hee hath balm under his wings to heale you are Mal. 4. 2. Mat. 4. 23. Mat. 20. 28. you sick he is a Physitian to cure you are you prisoners he hath laid downe a ran some for you Ah sinners tell me tell me is there any thing in Christ to keep you off from believing No is there not every thing in Christ that may incourage you to believe in him Yes O then believe in him and then though your sinnes be as searlet they be as Isa 1. 18. white as snow though they be red like crimson they shall be as wool Nay then your iniquities shall be forgotten as well as Isa 43. 25. Isa 38. 17. Micha 1. 19. forgiven they shall be remembred no more God will cast them behinde his back he will hurle them into the bottome of the Sea The 8. and last Remedie against this 8 Remedie Device of Satan is seriously to consider the absolute necessity of beleeving in Christ Heaven is too holy and too hot to hold unbelievers their lodging is prepared in hell Revel 21. 8. But Revel 21. 8. the fear full and unbelieving c. shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire brimstone which is the second death If ye believe not that I am he saith Christ Iohn 8. 24. you shall die in your sins And he that dyes in his sins must to judgment and to hell in his sins Every unbeliever is a condemned man He that beleeveth not saith John is condemned already because Iohn 3. 18. he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten sonne of God And hee that Vers 36. beleeveth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Ah sinners the Law the Gospel and your owne Consciences has pass'd the sentence of condemnation upon you and there is no way to reverse the sentence but by believing in Christ and therefore my counsell is this Stir up your Isa 64. 7. selves to lay hold on the Lord Jesus and look up to him and wait on him from whom every good and perfect James 1. 17. Isa 62. 7. gift comes and give him no rest till he hath given thee that Jewell Faith that is more worth then Heaven and Earth and that will make thee happy in life joyfull in death and glorious in the day of Christ And thus much for the Remedies against this first Device of Satans whereby he keeps off thousands from believing in Christ The second Device that Satan hath to keepe poor sinners from believing from closing with a Saviour is BY suggesting to them their unworthinesse 2 Device Ah saith Satan as thou art worthy of the greatest misery so thou art unworthy of the least crum of mercy what dost thou thinke saith Satan that ever Christ will owne receive or embrace such an unworthy wretch as thou art no no if there were any worthinesse in thee then indeed Christ might be willing to be entertained by thee thou art unworthy to entertain Christ into thy house how much more unworthy art thou to entertaine Christ into thy heart c. Now the Remedies against this device of Satan are these that follow THe first Remedie against this Device 1 Remedy of Satan is seriously to consider that God hath no where in the Scripture required any worthinesse in the creature before believing in Christ If you make a diligent search through all the Scripture you shall not find from Iohn 5. 29. the first line in Genesis to the last line in the Revelation one word that speaks Mat. 19. 8. out Gods requiring any worthinesse in the creature before the soules believing in Christ before the souls leaning and resting upon Christ for happinesse and blessednesse and why then should that be a bar and hinderance to thy faith which God doth no where require of thee before thou comest to Christ that thou maist have life Ah sinners remember Satan objects your unworthinesse against you only out of a Designe to keep Christ and your soules asunder for ever and therefore in the face of all your unworthiness rest upon Christ come to Christ believe in Iohn 6. 40. 47. Christ and you are happy for ever The second Remedie against this Device 2 Remedie of Satans is wisely to consider that none never received Christ embraced Christ obtained mercy and pardon from Christ but unworthy soules Pray what worthinesse was in Matthew Zacheus Mary Magdalen Manasseh Paul and Sydia before their coming to Christ before their faith