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
A86450	The valley of vision, or A clear sight of sundry sacred truths. Delivered in twenty-one sermons; by that learned and reverend divine, Richard Holsvvorth, Dr. in Divinity, sometimes Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge, Master of Emanuel Colledge, and late preacher at Peters Poore in London. The particular titles and texts are set downe in the next leafe.	Holdsworth, Richard, 1590-1649.; Holdsworth, Richard, 1590-1649. Peoples happinesse.	1651 (1651)	Wing H2404; Thomason E631_1; ESTC R202438	355,440	597

repentance that crucisies this sin but nature but his gam●ng and intemperance these he will keep A true convert makes no distinction of pleasant or unpleasant sinnes no here is my Dalilah begin with that first all iniquity is to be relinquished he that expects pardon of all must renounce all Thirdly there is another reason that thereby hee might draw them to an acknowledgment of the great goodnesse of God that he was able to pardon all Take away all iniquity all summed up together By saying all they acknowledg that God could and would remit all if they repent of all and leave all Note that there is no burthen of sinne so great but God can pardon it and take it away There is a greater all of Gods mercie then of our sinnes and of Christs merits then of our sinnes for all the sins of the world put together they are finite he is an infinite Majestie but in themselves God can number them for they are written in his booke The alsufficiency of that merit and sacrifice that Christ layd down and the price of that inestimable blood that is infinite There can be no number made of the vertue of those drops of blood which Christ shed there can be no number made of that mercie the drops of which God comprehends us with therefore mercie and merit is greater then sin If we can confesse all God can pardon all Look as in nature the Philosopher observed that infinite is of that extent that no finite can be proportionable as an infinite number though there can be none because another number may be added but an infinite number ten thousand millions it is as far off of infinite as tenne because there is no proportion because it may be multiplyed and multiplyed So though sins be many as millions it hath no proportion to the merits of Christ why because they are infinite that blood is of excellent vertue it can wash white because it is infinite it hath sufficiency to pardon all sin and do it easily So it is as if he had said O Lord we are ready to confesse all take all away what we can we alleadg against our selves we beseech thee shew mercie We know thy mercie is greater then our sins as we confesse all pardon thou all The Scripture sets it out by an all too the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin God hath made his promise so At what time soever a sinner repenteth I will blot out all his wickednesse That thereby they might be drawn to acknowledge his gooodnesse and mercie to exclude their sins therefore the Prophet expresseth it by this all Their sins were innumerable but Gods mercie is more innumerable their sins were great but Gods mercie is greater if they will have God to pardon all they must confesse all let this be the form you will use that is the second the extent Now the third is the mayn the manner of the removall they pray for Take away But I see the time is past therefore I will break off SERMON IIII. Hosea 14.2 Take away all iniquitie and receive us graciously c. AS every Nation in the world hath some peculiar language whereby they doe converse mutually one with another so it is true also of all the graces of God which the Apostle cals the fruit of the Spirit every grace of the spirit it hath a peculiar tongue or language a form of speech whereby Christians converse with God There is one language of faith another of repentance another of prayer another of zeale another of thankefulnesse Each of these they have severall words severall kinds of dialects whereby they expresse themselves The words of faith are victorious words the words of thankfulnesse are glad and chearfull words the words of zeale are fiery the words of prayer are winged the words of repentance bitter and heavy words Each of these languages and all sorts of words they have their particular tones and acccents whereby they expresse themselves whereby pronunciation is made For faith forceth out her words thankfulnesse poures out her words repentance drops them out zeal flames them out and prayer darts them out There is none of all these languages but we have a modell of them in this short Scripture The language of repentance that is in those words Turne to the Lord. The language of prayer in those Take away all iniquity The language of faith in those Receive us graciously Of thankefulnesse in those we will give the calves of our lips And lest any of these should be wanting we may find the fifth too the language of zeale that is in the Prophet that excited the people to these duties Take with you words and turne to the Lord or turne to the Lord and in turning take words and say c. Some of these words I have spoken of already you may remember I divided the whole into two parts A rule of excitement and a rule of direction The excitement to two duties the duty of action Turne to the Lord and the duty of elocution In generall take to you words and in particular it hath reference to this forme say thus to him make your prayers after this if you cannot doe that use this prayer that was the excitement The rule of direction or forme of prayer and thankefulnesse that he gives them followes That consists of two parts One part is for the donation of grace Take away all iniquity The other is promissorie for the returning of grace the grace of thankefulnesse So will wee give the calves of our lips I am yet in the former of these and that consists of two parts the precatory One part is deprecatory for the removall of ill Take away all iniquity The other is supplicatory that is for the pouring out or the effusion of good the best good the good of grace receive us graciously I am yet in the former part I considered three parts according to the three words for they have all their phasis It is not take away sinne but take away iniquity it is a word of weight It is not take away our iniquities or this or that iniquity but all the reason of that I gave also the extent of it for the removing of all you heard it The manner of removall that the people must beg that is in this Take away all a word that is very full of a large signification It is more then forgive Compare it strictly with the nature of the word and it is more then crucifie The forgivenesse of sins that properly concerns culpa Sin may be committed where it is forgiven according to the essence of it it is not alway wholly crucified and taken away It is more then subdue and mortifie and keep under sinne Sin may be mortified though the dregs and lees and seeds of it are still behind it shall never be put out wholly out of any vessel of election in this life But this word in the prayer extends to both Take away

forth and surpasseth all other his attributes it is that that glorifies God most that honours him yea that God himselfe hrnours most His grace and goodnesse appeared in the creation of the world that was a great mercy mercie budded out then but that was not so great a mercy as the pardon of sinne For nullitie though it be farre off from God yet it is nearer God then sinne and iniquity is because that is more repugnant and contrary to his nature it is more to pardon a sinner then to create a world it is more to pardon one sinner then to make a million of men It is over his works of power over his works of justice Justice is seen in punishing of sin God shews his power in that but there is a greater power seen in the pardoning of sinne it is plain His power in executing of justice it is as the strong man but his power in magnifying his mercy is as the stronger man for it binds the hands of justice the stronger man comes and binds the strong man Grace and mercie are the stronger attributes stronger then justice though both be the same in God yet in manifestation it prevailes and exalts it selfe against justice If Gods power be seen in punishing much more in pardoning because mercie conquers justice Besides see it in our selves for a man that punisheth another it argues he hath power over another but he that pardons him that deserves to be punished shews 〈◊〉 ●ee not only hath power over another but over himselfe because pardon is both an evidence of that power that should have been in punishing and of a further power in sparing So the force of mercy is double to that of justice it magnifies Gods power more it is the last act of divine justice the pardon of sinne Therefore in Scripture mercie hath the prerogative above all other attributes in many respects Of antiquity it is older in regard of manifestation we speake still for mercie and love budded out in the creation of the world we speak of the effects of it but justice was not manifested till man had transgressed It was one day older in the manifestation then judgement was then judgement took place when Adam transgressed mercie was before It hath the prerogative of alliance for though the justice of God be himselfe as well as his mercie as all is but one act in God his justice and wisdome and power and merci● all are himselfe yet mercy is his more proper work Therefore in Scripture judgment is called his strang● work I will bring a strange worke that is I will execute justice He calls it a strange worke as hetrogenicall and contrary to his nature he is forced to execute judgement our sinnes compell him If it were not for sinne he would not manifest judgements Though both be naturall yet mercy is more naturall in regard of the effect of it It is nearer Thirdly It hath the prerogative of latitude it hath a greater extent he executes justice seldome and upon some few all men tast of his mercie There is no judgement that God executes but mercie is mingled with it Goe over any that were executed since the beginning of the world still there was mercy in it but there is mercie often manifested when there is no judgement in it Here is the difference judgement is never entire but there is some mercie in it mercie is alway entire and there is no mixture of judgement in it See the effects in regard of extent God saith he will punish to the third and fourth Generation the Fathers upon the Children that is a long time but it is nothing to his mercie I will shew mercie to thousands of generations A thousand Generations is longer then the world shall last For there were but 42. generations from the Creation to Christ a hundered generations is like to be longer then the world shall last yet God will be mercifull to thousands of Generations if it last so long or if not hee will be so for ever a large periphrasis Mercy hath the prerogative of extent It hath the prerogative of honour it honours God more and God honours it more He makes mention by his spirit in Scripture when he mentions judgement and mercie mercy goes first My song shall be of mercie and judgement Mercie and truth are met together still mercie is first God gives it the prerogative Nay usually he mentions mer●●twice for once righteous Gracious and mercifull is God and righteous And at the last day when these two attributes shall be placed at the two hands of God wee shall see which attribute hath preheminence that hath the highest honour to stand at Gods right hand judgement shall stand at his left hand among the vessels of wrath mercy at his right hand among the sheepe and the elect Last of all it hath the prerogative of duration for though condemnation speaking of eternall condemnation and eternall life though condemnation be a line of as great length as eternall life that lasts for ever yet speaking of temporall punishment compared with the mercie of God so we see mercy out-lives justice in all the expressions of it and that by a great disproportion It is a great disproportion between yeares and months In Rev. 11. The holy Citie shall be trodden down 42. months but they shall reigne with me for a thousand yeares Though moneths be not moneths in that place I come not now to examine the meaning of moneths but see the comparison there is mercy for a thousand yeares there is judgement for 42. moneths they shall be troden under foote but they shall reign a thousand yeares It is a greater disproportion that is betwixt weeks and yeares see that in Dan. 9. Seventy weekes are determined for the transgression of my people that I may compasse them with everlasting kindnesse Seventy weeks are determined for transgression God measures judgements by weekes but hee reckons the continuance of his mercy by many yeares by ages by everlasting duration there shall be everlasting righteousnesse Yet further there is a greater disproportion between yeares and dayes yet in Isa 63. The day of revenge is in mine heart and the yeare of my redeemer is come Here is the day of revenge the yeare of redemption The day of revenge is in mine heart There days are years and years are dayes but in the expression of them God exalts mercie that wee may see it hath a larger sphere to move in Yet further there is a greater disproportion between a moment and a yeare nay between that and eternity For a small moment have I corrected thee but with everlasting mercie I will receive thee as it is in Isaiah God threatens to punish for a small moment but his mercy endures for eternity Now to sum it up the Prophet would make them understand thus much that nothing magnifies Gods grace and goodnesse more then the pardon of sinne that they might professe it that they might make it

justification in our hearts yet that grace of sanctification is imperfect and no man makes a perfect improvement of Gods gifts no man lives according to the measure of grace that God bestowes Therefore when we have done all we can we come short of what we ought Nay if we had done all we should all that God requires say you cannot merit you are unprofitable Servants you have done but your duty you have done but what God requires If the state of restitution cannot merit sin and impiety cannot merit There is in the best action that we performe in the work of Preaching and praying and alms and charity and deeds of piety so much Leaven so many infirmities that he that knowes the nature of sin and the latitude and small extent of piety in his heart when he Prayes he prayes not onely for the pardon of his sins but of his Prayers And when he preacheth he prayes not onely for pardon of his silence and neglect but of his performance if there be infirmities in the best there is no plea of merit Our work is onely this to flie to the Throne of grace in the name of grace that is it that is a prevaling forcible word with God to plead for mercy and beg for pardon because he is gracious It is a word that so prevailes that it carries alway mercy with it from Heaven it is that word that God delights in it is that word about which prayer clucks as the Wings of the Cherubims about the Mercy-Seate The Wings of Prayer must flutter about the Mercy-seate about mercy That is the second thing to shew what the foundation of the pardon of sin is none but mercy it is founded in grace therefore he adds it to the former Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously as an inducement to perswade God to take away all iniquity That is the second I will but touch the third The Third is he adds it as a clause of perfection that makes up the perfect enumeration of the graces Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously There is nothing that a Christian can beg in this World but it may be brought in the compasse of one of these two These two words are as the two Tables of Prayer like the two Tables of the Law in these two there are all kind of Petitions all the evill that is to be removed is in that Take away all iniquity and all good that is to be conveyed in that Receive us graciously So that he might make a Perfect Prayer for them yet very short and compendious and yet full Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously this is a Prayer that the Prophet studied this was the Prayer that the Spirit guided him to make for them Here are the two hands of Prayer Take away iniquity and receive us graciously If we divide Prayer as the Apostle doth into foure sorts that are rather parts then kinds of Prayer 1. Tim. 2. I beseech that Prayer and intercession and giving of thanks be made to God for all men they are all in this forme that the Prophet prescribes them Here is the deprecatory part for the removing of ill Take away all iniquity here is the supplicatory part for the pouring out of all good Receive us graciously Here is the gratulatory part We will give the Calves of our lips Take the division of Prayer according to that scantling that David makes Psal 34. For obedience gives the Law to Prayer he refers the duty of a Christian to two heads Eschew evill and doe good upon that hangs all the Law and the Prophets according to these two are the parts of Prayer one for the removall of evill another for the infusion of grace here are both the removall of the greatest evill take away iniquity and powre the choicest of thy mercies on us that is mercy Receive us graciously One part of the Prayer is for expelling of darknesse Take away iniquity the other for the shewing of the light of his Countenance Receive us graciously Lastly if we divide it as David divides prayer Psal 25. there he makes his Prayer Remember Lord and remember not these are the two heads an affirmative and a negative remember not my sins but remember me He desires God both to remember and yet to forget here are both these here is one part of the Prayer that God would be mindfull receive us graciously Another that he would not be mindfull Take away iniquity remove it out of thy sight forget our sins Here is one part that God would open his eyes and another that he would shut them shut them upon our sins open them upon our persons The one part of the Prayer fits the sin the other the sinner For sin they pray that God would put it from them and remove it for themselves they pray that God would take them to him and receive them to mercy Men when they punish sin they cut off the Sinner but they cannot take away the sin God is otherwise in his proceeding he takes away the sin and spares the Sinner To make up the perfect part of Prayer here is the evill to be removed and the grace to be bestowed Take away iniquity and receive us graciously here is that that concernes the time past Lord take away iniquity what we have done thou knowest here is that that concernes the time to come that we fall no more strengthen us by thy spirit receive us graciously As Cyprian speaks in another place it is the breviary of the whole Gospell as Tertullian saith it is the Compendium of all Heavenly Doctrine This text here is all the Gospell and all that is good in the Law it is the summe of the Gospell it is like the Lords Prayer here are six words in it answerable to the six Petitions Take away iniquity and receive us graciously as Christ divides that Prayer he refers all to two heads one for deprecation of ill Forgive us our Trespasses and lead us not into temptation deliver us from evill The other for the powring out of all good Hallowed be thy name thy Kingdome come thy will be done and give us dayly bread So here is for the removall of evill and the strengthning to grace take away iniquity and receive us graciously Here is a Patterne for us one halfe of his Prayer is spent for the pardon of sin the other halfe for the powring out of grace For a man to neglect to beg pardon that is to be unmindfull of the time past he that begs not grace is unmindfull of the time to come By pardon we returne and by grace we stand He that hath the consideration of Hell that will stir him up to beg pardon and he that sees the joyes of Heaven will beg grace for that is the path that leads thither to make a perfect prayer joine both The Prophet to give them a full forme he joynes these though briefly None of them could plead that they