Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	let_v	lord_n	show_v	6,710	5	5.2022	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A29368	The freeness of the grace and love of God to believers discovered in reference to 1. their services and suffering, 2. their consolations, and 3. their salvation and eternal glory : together with the excellency of the fear of God, the goodness and pleasantness of brotherly love, the wisdom of hearing the voice of the rod, repentance the only way to prevent judgements / delivered in several sermons by the late reverend and faithful minister of Christ, Mr. William Bridg ...	Bridge, William, 1600?-1670.	1671 (1671)	Wing B4454; ESTC R19668	79,842	192

you unto the self same thing whilst you live here then you are at his right hand now and then you may be sure to stand at his right hand at the day of judgement and so shall be sure to be saved for ever to all eternity Fourthly Those that are tender to Christs little ones that are tender to those that are despised in this world and ready to help and assist them according to their wants they shall surely be saved for ever Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you For I was an hungred and ye gave me meat I was thirsty and ye gave me drink I was a stranger and ye took me in I was naked and ye cloathed me sick and ye visited me in prison and ye came unto me And the righteous answer Lord when did we see thee sick or naked or hungry and fed thee and cloathed thee why saith he In as much as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren ye have done it unto me Mat. 25.35 So I say look who these are that are tender of Christs little ones and are ready to help them and to relieve them according to their wants and necessities those are they that shall be saved to all eternity Fifthly Those that strive together for the Faith in times of affliction those are they that shall be saved for ever Phil. 1.27 That ye stand fast in one spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel So I say look who those are that in the time of persecution strive for the faith they shall surely be saved and that to all eternity Yet one thing more Sixthly Those that come to Christ in time of Temptation they shall be saved freely to all eternity for saith our Saviour Christ John 6.39 And this is my Fathers will that hath sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day in verse 37. saies Christ him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out and I will give you the reason saith he For it is the will of my Father that I should lose none which he hath given unto me but that they should rise at the last day How is it therefore with you Holy and beloved brethren in the Lord Do you come to Christ in your Temptations Do you strive together in love for the faith in time of persecution Are you tempted Are you brought low Remember this that Christ is able to raise you up and to save you to all eternity and therefore O soul doubt not of your salvation But some may say I am guilty of this doubting what shall I do that I may not doubt of my salvation This is too large a subject to speak to now I shall only say this to it Let me desire you to study much the freeness of the grace of God in general and consider also much and frequently the particular instances of grace and mercy that God hath shewn to others and you will find it is all of free grace yea and this scripture shews you that all is of free grace and therefore though it be a hard thing for us to get assurance of our salvation yet the particular instances and examples of the mercies that God hath bestowed upon others should much incourage us and bear us up and should stir us up to get assurance Grace and mercy being shewn to others doth not only shew that it may be had but that mercy hath been had When you see the Ice trodden then you say you will venture So say such a one was unworthy such a one prophane and yet he hath obtained mercy and why may not I Therefore if you would have assurance of your salvation think much of the freeness of the grace of God and withal consider the particular instances and examples of others that have obtained this mercy and that in a way of free grace and love too Fifthly And lastly to conclude Is it so that God saves the soul freely and that our salvation is only by the free grace and love of God Why then should we not come with boldness for salvation since it is so free O let none be discouraged but let it stir us up to come with boldness and to plead for it if it be free Is salvation free and will not poor sinners come to receive it Come O come freely for salvation Christ Jesus is willing to make good his own name and this is his name he is called Jesus and he shall save his people This is the will also of my Father that you should come unto me John 6. Christ Jesus hath now salvation in his hands and will you not come and ask for it But methinks I see salvation in your faces methinks I hear a voice among you saying What shall we do to be saved In answer to which thus Believe in the Lord Jesus and venture your salvation upon him And then if you will be saved you must become as little children for saith our Saviour unless you become as little children you cannot be saved Mat. 18.3 You cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven As little children how Why not seeking great things Little children do not seek great things you must become as little children low and humble not seeking great things for great things become not little children You must be willing to part with all at Christs command and for his service and for want of this the young man went away without eternal life Go and sell all that thou halt and follow me and he could not do it and he lost Heaven by it he would keep Earth and he lost Heaven by it But once more Be not only willing to part with all for Christs sake and at his command but go and cast your self at adventure upon his free grace and love and then go and work and perform duties and pray and use indeavour work as if there were no grace to be saved by and bear thy s●●● still upon free grace work as if the●● were no grace and build upon the grace of God as though there were no works Thus do and you shall be freely saved to all Eternity for ever and for ever SERMON IV. NEHEM 5.15 The latter clause of the Verse But so did not I because of the fear of God IN this Chapter there are three things most considerable First The voice or cry at the beginning of the Chapter And there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their Brethren the Jews And then Secondly You have made known to you what Nehemiah did in this case in the 6 and 7 verses And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words then I consulted with my self and I rebuked the Nobles and the Rulers c. Thirdly You hear more of Nehemiahs acting at the 14 and 15 verses Moreover from that time that I was

accounts Read what the Psalmist saith Psal 31.19 O how great is thy goodness which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee that thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the Sons of Men. Yea further if you truly fear the Lord The eye of God shall be upon you for good unto him will I look that trembleth unto him will I look that feareth saith the Lord. Again if you truly fear the Lord the Lord will delight in you Yea God will be a God unto you God will be a strong Tower to you and he will sanctify all unto you and to say no more They that fear the Lord shall want no good thing O what a blessed thing is it then to fear the Lord for from him God will with-hold no good thing and thus you see the Issue of this fearing of God Consider it consider I say the consequence and Issue of it and let it be so many motives to stir you up more and more to fear the Lord. So much shall serve for the Doctrinal part Now then by way of Application Here we may see what a sad excuse that will be which many make That say they do but as others do but Alas this is an excuse fit for the lips of those only who fear not God at all But Secondly If this Doctrine be true then here you may see who those are that fear God in truth there are many pretenders to it but we find here that those that truly fear the Lord cannot will not do as others do They will not do as others do in the matter of their choice in the matter of their worship nor of their calling nor in what they are intrusted with nor in their refreshments nor in their Afflictions nor in their right and propriety and if it be so how few are there that fear the Lord in Truth They that truly fear God say always as Nehemiah But so did not I because of the fear of God There are many that lie quiet under sins of Omission and under sins of Commission too but so will not I because of the fear of God Do others sin and do others act contrary to the will of God yet let us not do so but let us say with Nehemiah But so will not I because of the fear of God O therefore let me desire all to fear the Lord And for you that do fear the Lord be you comforted for comfort belongs to you Everlasting mercy belongs to you who fear the Lord Jer. 31.3 I have loved you with an Everlasting love But it may be some will say I am afraid I do not fear the Lord and so this comfort doth not belong to me why consider First Do you make conscience of what you do doth your conscience accuse you or not for what you do do you find conscience accuse or excuse Secondly Have you not sinned in the dark when none could accuse but God only and do you Act and walk and live and labour as if you were in the presence and sight of God if you do thus then you do fear the Lord And then it shall be well with you Eccles 8.12 Again Thirdly Do you run and speak one to another if so then this is to fear the Lord for it is said that they that feared the Lord spake often one to another Mal. 3.16 And Fourthly Do you truly desire to fear the Lord then look into Nehemiah and observe his spirit well and do accordingly And to say no more Have you had advantages to make you rich in this world and would you not take them because of the fear of God then certainly you have received free grace and you have the Spirit of God for this is a true sign that you have true grace in your hearts and that you are one of them that truly fear the Lord and therefore be you comforted for comfort belongs unto you everlasting mercy belongs unto you But it may be some will say Suppose I do not fear the Lord what shall I do that I may fear the Lord fear him as I should do fear him more and more For answer If you would fear the Lord in truth Then First Be humbled for want of this fear That man is not far from grace who is humbled for the want of grace a man will never be humbled for unbelief unless he be humbled for the want of it Secondly Go to God and beg of him to fulfil his promise God hath said I will put my fear into their hearts Now go to God I say and beg and desire him that he would make good this promise to you Thirdly If you would fear God in truth then observe what that is that is neerest and dearest to you and give that up to God You know Abraham offered up Isaac his only Son and saith God By this I know thou fearest me And further Fourthly If you would fear the Lord in Truth then worship God according to his own appointment take heed of mingling of Gods worship with any of mans Inventions for he that doth so feareth not God nor worshippeth him according to his own appointment And then Fifthly If you would fear the Lord in Truth then take heed of sinning when you have an opportunity Again Sixthly If you would fear God more than love the Lord more labour to strengthen your love to God Again Seventhly If you would have your fear strengthned more and more then study much the free grace of God in giving out his mercy to one more than to another Two in a field the one taken and the other left Two walking together the one taken and the other left If you would strengthen your fear study much the free grace of God Eightly If you would fear the Lord in Truth Live much in and study much upon dependance wholly upon God it is our great duty to depend upon God If a man be upon a high Tower and another holds him from falling by the hand only he will certainly be very fearful of offending him that holds him so why we are thus in the hand of God and our dependance is upon him for every thing how fearful ought we then to be of offending this God O study your dependance upon God more and more and Again Use the world as using it not deal with men as in the presence of God and when you are dealing with men be sure to deal with God before all the men of the world Again Let your eye be very much upon the Severity and Justice of God upon his severity and Justice consider Gods severeness to Adam in eating the forbidden fruit and his severeness to Moses for a word that for one word God would not let him enter into the promised land and consider his severity to David for numbring the people Yea Again consider That God cannot only destroy the body but soul and body too Therefore O man fear him that can destroy both body and soul when

they do not receive an answer presently they are gone but be sure you do willingly stay Gods leasure Thus I say would you have comfort you must observe these things to go to Gods Office to shut your eyes and to cast your selves at adventure upon the free grace of God and then you must stay Gods leasure Thus doing you shall be truly comforted and when you have obtained this comfort and are thus truly comforted Then take these few rules with you and so I conclude First Take as much pains to keep your comfort as ever you did to get it Secondly Labour more and more to increase it for if it do not increate it will certainly decrease Thirdly Be comfortable to and comforting of others for how do you know but that God hath comforted you to this very end that you might comfort others Paul was so and be sure to shew comfort for comforts sake Brethren and Beloved in the Lord Do not receive this grace in vain But go all you that have this comfort and magnify the riches of Gods grace the freeness of the grace of God that hath comforted you and say What such a one as I comforted Others of thy Children Lord have walked closely with Thee but I have walked loosely and shall I be comforted and not they O what free grace is this I have been a great sinner Lord and what am I comforted O what free grace is this There are some that have walked in the light and they are now in darkness but I have walked in the dark and yet am now in the light O what free grace is this Go away therefore and magnifie the riches of Gods grace in the matter of your comforts Thus you have heard how the freeness of the grace of God is written upon all your comforts your comforts and consolations are all deeply inamelled with the free grace of God and that much of his free love is laid out in your comforts and consolations And thus I conclude with the words of my Text Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God even our Father which hath loved us and given us Everlasting Consolation and good hope through grace Comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work SERMON III. EPHES. 2.8 For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God IN the former exercise I have been shewing you the freeness of the love and grace of God in the matter of our comforts and divine consolations I shall now in the third place shew you the freeness of the grace of God in reference to our salvation and eternal glory and therefore follow these words which the Apostle speaks at the latter end of verse 5. By grace are ye saved and so you see the same in verse 8. For by grace are ye saved and that not of your selves it is the gift of God But why should he say the same words again in so short a compass Why it was to shew not only that his heart was full of the free grace and love of God but to shew also that he thought he could never speak enough of it and therefore he repeats it by grace ye are saved For by grace are ye saved that is to say from first to last you are saved by the free grace and love of God From whence then I take up this Doctrine Doct. That there is much of the free love and grace of God laid out in the matter of our salvation and eternal glory For the clearing of this point I shall endeavour to shew you First That it is a matter of infinite happiness and of great concernment to go to Heaven and to be saved for ever Secondly To shew you how this mercy is obtained this mercy of salvation and eternal glory I shall shew it is of free grace and free love Thirdly I shall answer two Objections Fourthly I shall shew you wherein the free grace and love of God appears in the matter of our salvation Fifthly Shew you why God chuseth to save the children of men in a way of free love and grace 1. I shall speak a little by way of Introduction It is a great matter and of infinite concernment to be saved and to go to Heaven forever For First You are thereby saved from wrath to come you count it here a great matter to be delivered from the wrath of man but it is a far greater mercy to be delivered from the wrath of Devils to be delivered from their fury and malice and not to lye at their mercy to all Eternity Yea Secondly You shall be delivered from all sorrow both inward and outward and if so how blessed and happy are you for you shall die in the Lord And blessed are the dead that die in the Lord for they rest from their labours c. Rev 14.13 It is a mercy to have meat and drink and a bed to lye on but it is a greater mercy not to need them in Heaven you shall be freed from these needs and necessities You walk here but it is with a burden you hear now but it is with a burden you repent now but it is with a burden But in Heaven you shall be freed not only from the guilt of the neglect of duty but from the burden of duty also Heaven knows of no duty that hath a burden with it Thus you shall be freed Again Thirdly You shall not only be freed from these troubles but you shall also be brought into a possession into an inheritance that is incorruptible that fadeth not away where you shall enjoy the company of Saints and Angels and that without suspicion or jealousie one of another here you have the company of Saints but either you suspect them or they you either they are jealous of you or you of them but Heaven knows no suspicions no jealousies Saints live there without suspicions Fourthly If you go to Heaven and be saved you shall then be filled with glory if you have but a little taste of glory here you are ready to break under it under a little glory but the time will come when you shall be filled with glory and your hearts shall bear up under it your bodies shall be changed your vile bodies shall be changed and made like unto Christs glorious body you shall be filled with glory soul and body both Yea Fifthly If you be saved your graces shall be alwaies in Act alwaies in exercise your understandings shall be fully inlightned your difficulties shall be renewed and you shall see them all little and easie unto you and your wills hearts and affections shall be drawn out to God with infinite satisfaction and infinite delight I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness Psalm 17.15 All delight ariseth from enjoying things suitable now what is more suitable for a rational creature than to enjoy his ends when a Husband hath been at sea from his wife half a

to go forth against this Nation you may observe how he stands hovering as it were over the Nation but if God should resolve to go out against us would you know how to prepare to meet with God Then you must observe what those evils are that do provoke God and labour and strive against them till they be removed and in order hereunto First If you would meet with God in the way of his Justice and Anger then you must get Christ into your Arms as I may say and so go forth and meet God It is written of one that when he would gain favour of his King he use to get the Kings son in his Arms and so he got the favour he desired so if you would find favour with God get Jesus Christ into your arms and so go forth to meet him Secondly If you would meet with God in the way of his anger and Justice then you must humble your self before him and submit unto him There are two parts in Humiliation Sorrow for sin and submission to God now it may be you are wanting in one of these therefore labour to abound in both and so go forth to meet God Thirdly If you would meet with God in the way of his anger and Justice then do you live justly and deal justly and righteously He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God Micah 6.8 O my friends labour to do what God commands and what God expects Now when he comes out against a people in the way of his Justice he expects that they should be found doing Justice read the 9. verse The Lords voice cryeth unto the City Hear ye the rod and who hath appointed it Gods voice is to scare us and to cause us to leave sin and to turn unto him and therefore he sayes Hear ye the rod and who hath appointed it Fourthly If you would meet with God in the way of his anger then present unto God your free-will offerings and pray unto him and seek his face when Jacob went forth to meet his brother Esau he sent presents to him and his brothers face was changed O what will become of those that never prayed one prayer more in private for all this anger and wrath of God that seems to be coming out against us Fifthly If you would meet with God in his anger then get suffering grace How can you be able to meet with God in the way of his anger in suffering Times if you have not suffering grace Sixthly If you would meet with God in his anger be sure to be doing the work of your present day shew mercy to those that want mercy They that are merciful shall obtain mercy with God what will your money avail you in the day of Gods wrath The only way to meet with God in his wrath is to shew mercy Seventhly If you would be able to meet with God in the way of his anger then wait upon God in the way of his Judgements and in due time you shall be able to say This is our God Loe this our God we have waited for him and if God be going lay hold of him take hold upon him for so we are commanded Haiah 27.4 5. Fury is not in me c. Or let him take hold of my strength that he may make peace with me and he shall make peace with me Eighthly If you would meet with God in the way of his anger then lay aside your particular Interests and think it your duty and desire to do it Lastly If you would prepare to meet with God in the way of his anger then now whilst you have a little time Goe and set your self and your house in order that whatsoever may come you may have nothing else to do but to dye And then if God do come in Judgement and Anger you may be able to say I have heard the Rod and have trembled and have prepared to meet with God And if God should not come in wrath but some other way yet you will have great comfort in your preparing to meet with God For either God will come out against the Nation in anger or he will not if he do not you will not lose by your preparing to meet him but if he do and you are prepared to meet with him then will God meet with you in Love because you have prepared to meet with him in Anger Therefore as you desire to be found doing the work that God would have you to do in this Case Think of and remember what hath been spoken All you that hear this word of God prepare to meet with God you know not how soon the Lord may come out against you in wrath his dispensations in the world seem to run backward and forward Therefore be alwayes ready and prepared to meet with God which way soever he may come according to this of our Text Thus will I do unto thee O Israel and because I will do thus unto thee prepare to meet thy God O Israel ●INIS Bridgs seven Sermons