Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	incline_v	law_n	mercy_n	16,188	5	9.8317	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A39932	Aytokatakritos or, the sinner condemned of himself being a plea for God, against all the ungodly, proving them alone guilty of their own destruction; and that they shall be condemned in the great day of account, not for that they lacked, but only because they neglected the means of their salvation. And also, shewing, how fallacious and frivolous a pretence it is in any, to say, they would do better, if they could; when indeed all men could, and might do better, if they would. By one, that wisheth better to all, than most do to themselves.	Ford, Thomas, 1598-1674.	1668 (1668)	Wing F1511B; ESTC R222667	153,768	273

raise the mist that clouds and darkens him so as to wander after vanities and lye● and forsake his own mercies And all serves as I suppose to our present purpose Men are commonly worse in their practices than in their principles as I said before and yet I deny not that they are corrupted in both For it is not to me imaginable how a man should be corrupted in one and not in the other But this we find by experience which is all I mean That men commonly have better principles than practices Hence so many that are sound in the Faith as to their perswasions of the truth of Religion in their lives are most abominable And what need we any more witnesses to convince and condemn these men Their own opinions are enough to confute their practices and prove ●hem rebels against the light And can they complain they have not light to see their way ●o Heaven They have enough and too much unless they could use it better How usual is it for notorious Sinners and most abominable vicious persons to plead for the Ten Commandments when I know no body against them but such as they and their fellows They know and can repeat the Ten Commandments and say they are Gods Commandments And yet a civil man cannot abide within the breath of these men because every other word almost is an Oath with them A man would hardly believe that men should lead their lives all the week in such excess and all manner of uncleanness and yet on Sundayes cry out so devoutly as they seem to do at the reading of every Commandment Lord have mercy upon us and encline our hearts to keep this Law Do not these men proclaim Gods commands to be their principles and yet contradict them in all their practices They dare not they cannot for their hearts say with their mouths that Swearing and Drunkenness and Adultery c. are not Sins and transgressions of Gods Laws and yet they live in a constant practice of all such abominations Now what shall we think of these men They have a Light sufficient to shew them the errour of their way They do not indeed set it on a candlestick but rather under a bushel Though it be not quite put out yet it shines not so as they can see any thing by it as they ought And I can conceive no other reason Why the light in these men is so useless but only that it was never strong enough to work an absolute thorow conviction as when Gods Spirit convinceth of Sin c. Ioan. 16.8 The lusts of these men were never subdued to the power of their principles Th●y could perhaps some of them discourse the vanity of the creature and the emptiness of all worldly things even to admiration and ye● all the while love the World and the things of the World no men more Grant that there is in such men sometimes a reluctancy it cannot but be faint and feeble and in effect as good as none at all Nay what if I say it serves only to enhance their lusts the more as weak opposition gives an enemy the greater advantage 〈◊〉 let out more of his rage and strength than otherwise perhaps he would Certainly men ●o made up of a mixture of passion and some reason are as much plung'd into all sensual and beastly pleasures as any becau●e the stream of their lusts is stronger than to be stopt by any principles they have Yea they are in a more ready way to put darkness for light and to call evil good than any men alive so as at last the light that is in them is no better than the blackness of darkness It was even so with the Pharisees Luc. 16.14 When our Saviour had most excellently discours'd the right use of all earthly riches and shew'd that men cannot serve God and Mammon They heard these things and derided him A practice too common amongst others when a savory Doctrine about some duty press'd home upon Conscience hath found no better entertainment with many of the Auditors than a dry scoff or some bitter reproachful language against the Preacher But why did the Pharisees deride our Saviour There was a reason and it is express'd in the same place They were covetous The love of money is the root of all evil 1 Tim. 6.10 There never was an Heretique or Apostate or any man reprobate to every good work that had not this or some other root of bitterness springing up and turning him aside to be hardned past all hope in his ungodly way Demas hath forsaken me 2 Tim. 4.10 And if you read on it is to be seen in the next words Why He had embraced this present World All ages afford great store of such s●d Instances Many like Ionathan as one saith follow the chase with a greedy pursuit till they light on the honey Demas had no sooner left Paul but he went to Thessalonica where he became an Idol-Priest as some report When such men have been provoked by missing of expected preferments or have had the lure of promotion flung out to them the next news you hear of them is that they are not where you left them but are gone some-where and if you desire to know look in Iud. v. 11. and you sh●ll find what way they are gone and upon what account and what will be the issue of all at last if you please to observe that also by the way They you must know hoyse up and strike sayl again as the wind serves and sometimes tack about only to steer a course that will serve for present security or future further advantages When Religion is in fashion they presently fall in with a goodly out-side profession so as few can keep pace with them But when once the wind that was on their backs begins to turn and blow in their teeth then as we say faces about and who more zealous Persecutors than such hot-spur Professors Now may I not say of these Have they not heard and known Doubtless they cannot be ignorant Balaam knew well enough that he ought not to curse Israel and yet the wretched Wizard attempted it again and again because he loved the wages of unrighteousness and Balack's proffer'd rewards blear'd his eyes as he saw not what he did see So is it with every man that hath no more grace than he 'T is no hard task for any man of ordinary understanding to conclude That the way of Uncleanness Drunkenness Swearing c. is not for professed Christians or civil rational men to walk in Yea many have sometimes resolv'd against them with vows and imprecations and yet the next opportunity of a temptation breaks all these bonds and the Doggs are turned to their vomit again The reason of all is clearly to be seen and it is this They have their lucid intervals as other madd men have and then they can see a little the baseness of their own wayes But as soon as Lust

he drives them against their wills or without their privity Hos. 2.14 I will allure her c. Though Conversion be not altogether suspended on the liberty of mans will but God undertakes for it yet his way is sweet and taking with Sinners who are allured as one observes on the place God by Grace destroyes not Nature but rectifies and perfects it whiles as Austin saith Omnipotenti facilitate ex nolentibus facit volentes He bends and enclines mens hearts as the Rivers of Wa●e● Pro. 21.1 Now Water that runs one way may be turned and made to run another way But the Water in its course alwayes runs according to its natural inclination Certainly the worst these men can say of God is That he would have turned them and they would not be turned but they resisted him in all his strivings with them And then where lyes the fault Let any reasonable man judge 3. This Argument as I said before aimes at making God to be not only such a one as our selves but much lower 4. God is just as well as mercifull and his Justice is as natural and as essential to him as his mercy And if so Why I pray may not God glorifie himself in the one as well as in the other If he may not give some reason Why. But if God may glorifie his Justice as well as his Grace I ask How God can glorifie it more beyond all exception otherwise than thus viz. In destroying those who have had all means sufficient to save them and willingly rejected all because they did not like them 5. I have yet somewhat more to say in answer to this Objection and it is so much as I hope may satisfie any that are soberly minded They who thus argue might do well to consider What that Grace is which they say is not given them For that Grace where-ever it comes in its full power and efficacy sets men at the greatest distance yea and defiance with all their wonted sinful wayes Now here may be a great mistake and these men may seem to desire they themselves know not what I believe they would fain have the Grace of God to preserve them from suffering Hell-torments when they are going out of the World never again to serve the desires of their flesh But do they desire indeed to shake hands with and to bid an everlasting Farewell to their filthy Lusts so long as they have any ability or opportunity to serve them For to this the Grace of God calls them and for this they have had many gracious earnest invitations which they have sufficiently slighted and cast off with as much scorn and contempt as could be They have never heeded what they have heard from God himself speaking and calling to them by the Commands Promises and Threatnings of his written Word or by the motions of his Spirit or the checks of their own Consciences or any Dispensations of his in any Providences Now what do these men mean in saying God hath not given them grace when they slight and set at naught all the saving Methods which he makes use of to affect their hearts and work them over to ● thorough-compliance with himself Why do not they attend their own work which is to heed what God commands promises and threatens in his Word and to reform their hearts and lives accordingly Why do they not lament and bewail the baseness of their own sinfull hearts and natures humbly acknowledging all their iniquities and loathing themselves because they are loathsome in the sight of the Lord Why do they not confess and forsake their sins that so they may find mercy as Solomon assures them Pro. 28.13 Why do they not begg of God strength to resist Sin and use the means which God hath ordered for that end viz. Fasting and beating down their bodies Why do not they avoid the occasions of Sin and keep themselves farr from those places and companies where they are sure to meet with many temptations Why do they not frequent the company of those who will admonish them upon all occasions and advise them about ordering all their wayes No They 'l do nothing of what is their duty nor what I am sure they have power to do but only sin and seek all occasions to sin and then quarrel God and say He hath not given them grace This is in effect to say They would have God to save them against their wills Obj. But God can make me willing if he please Sol. I know God hath a Soveraign power over the hearts of all men but what then Would they have God to alter all the saving Methods of his grace and force upon them what they have refus'd so often with all disdain and indignation imaginable They desire no grace but what may keep them out of Hell And scorn all grace that 's offered them for reforming their hearts and lives They are like those froward Patients that would have their Physicians cure them without any applications made to them as our Saviour heal'd the lame and the blind by a word of his mouth working wonders such as had not been heard or known Not to say that such arguings are absurd and unreasonable These men must have low thoughts of God and his infinite Excellencies who would have him shape the whole course and method of his Grace and Providence according to their sinfull Interests and Humours To say no more make it our own case When once we have done our endeavours us'd all intreaties yea and it may be added due corrections to our instructions and admonitions and waited long for a desirable issue knowing the Party we have to deal with might if he had a mind change his course we think we can acquit and clear our selves as indeed we may before all the World from having any hand in his undoing himself And will not the righteous Judge think we acquit himself at the last day in condemning all the ungodly refusers and despisers of his Grace and Mercy I shall say no more but as God said to Iob He that reproveth God let him answer it As if he should say He that reasons the case so the word may well be rendred or argues against me Let him answer if he can what I have said and have yet to say Thou Job hast been very bold and forward to question and quarrel my wayes of Providence as if they were not such as they should be But I would have thee know I am able to guide and govern the World without any assistance or advice of thine Hast thou so mean low and unworthy thoughts of me and mine infinite Excellencies as to imagine I am to learn of thee or any other how to order and dispose the works of my hands I think I have said enough to convince thee But if this do not satisfie thee I have yet more to say and beware in time to provoke me no further for if thou do thou shalt be sure to

ever pray or praise God so as thou durst expect acceptance upon thine own account Sure thy desire to be heard and accepted upon the account of the Lord Jesus Christ shews the contrary Why dost thou then talk idly of what thou hast done and suffered Obj. I make no account of meriting at the hands of God Sol. I know not what thou mak'st account of but why dost thou build so much upon so rotten a foundation as thine own Works and Doings And that thou dost so is apparent by thy Pharasaical boastings that thou art not as other men are Why do so many when they are asked a reason of the Hope that is in them so readily answer that they have not so behav'd themselves as not to hope well about their Salvation The best Saints have made it an evidence of their Faith and Hope and Joy in God as Nehemiah and Paul c. But too many we may fear make it the ground and foundation and therein miserably deceive themselves For 't is Faith alone receiving Christ as he is freely offer'd that gives us all our interest in God as it disclaims all Self-righteousness and Creature-confidence and gives God all the glory of our Salvation by his rich Grace For our good Works whatever they are they are no part of our Righteousness before God but only our evidences that we have Believed as God hath Commanded and so are in the only right way to our everlasting Salvation as we hope for it in Heaven But this is a Mystery far above thy reach viz. To do all as if thou must be saved by thy Works and yet when all is done to look on all as abominable before God and to rest thy self and all thy Works upon Gods free Grace in our Lord Jesus Christ for Acceptance as much as if thou had'st done nothing at all Thou reckon'st upon Works of Piety Mercy and Charity which thou hast done not considering that thou hast somewhat even in them to be p●rdon'd and that no Satisfaction to Gods Justice can be made by any thing never so well done by any Creature or by all of them together If any shall think I wrong them in this I confess what I hope and believe that there are many sound and sincere Believers who are really acquainted with the Mysterie of Living by Faith But I have not Charity enough to perswade my self that all Professing Christians are such as know by experience what it is to live by Faith in the Righteousness of the alone Saviour whiles they see nothing in themselves but just matter of Condemnation Once for certain to deny our own Righteousness is the hardest part of Self-denial and every experienc'd Christian will I am confident be ready to avow this But too many that profess Faith in Christ are too like the Iews who made great account of Sacrifices and Offerings not understanding or heeding Christ in them though he was the Life and Soul of them and without him they were but an empty shadow or an unsavoury Carcass indeed an Abomination What adoe is made by many about the Sacraments to be applyed to young and old as if the opus operatum in Gods Ordinances were of such avail where there is no Grace concurring with them The Sacraments are indeed Necessary by reason of Gods Command and as means of his appointment for our edification in Grace and Communion with God They are the Seals which God hath annex'd to the New Covenant and the contempt or neglect of them when they may be us'd and applyed in Gods way and order is no small transgression Nor can we justly expect the End so long as we neglect the Means which God hath appointed for obtaining it But yet there is not such a necessity of the Sacraments as of Christ and Faith in him and we may have and hold fast these without the Sacraments else woe to those poor Souls who by the hand of God one way or other in any kind are debarr'd the use of them 'T is more than probable that many children died in Israel before they were circumcised which was not by Gods order till the eighth day And yet we dare not therefore say they were cast-awayes The Passover was probably in some of the Kings reigns utterly neglected or else observ'd only in private if yet it was so as in Ahaz his time For he shut up the doors of the Lords house which so stood shut till Hezekiah opened them in the first year of his reign And how could the Iews in Babylon keep the Passover or offer any Sacrifice for 70. years together And yet who dare say that the faithfull and godly among them all that while had no communion with God Was not the Ark in a private place so as the people enquir'd not at it in the dayes of Saul 1 Chron. 13.3 True the want of Ordinances duly administred in the publique Assemblies is a sad calamity and a token of Gods displeasure against a people But yet God never leaves his people without sufficient helps to acquaint themselves with him in such a sad condition and there is no such necessity of them as enforces any to an undue and disorderly administration of them besides the rule of that Word and Law which hath enjoyn'd them We had need beware of giving to them what we owe to Christ alone and faith in his name lest we be guilty of seeking after righteousness as it were by the works of the Law Ro. 9.32 What adoe is made also by too many about duties of worship when it is to be fear'd their Religion goes very little further and there is little care of improving the Word and Prayer to any other purpose after attendance on them is once at an end The Word is precious and so are all duties of worship to all such as know by experience the blessed effects of them upon their own Souls But 't is an easie mistake for men to rest in the duty done and think all is well if they have been at it though little be done after it to express the vertue and power of it or to shew any impressions of it on the Soul There are other duties to be done of all Christians to shew the life and power of godliness in them and if these latter be wanting all attendance on Ordinances will be little other than an empty outside Formality The same may be said of Family-duties Morning and Evening daily perform'd if there be not a conscionable performance of the moral Law in justice fidelity mercy and charity us'd and practic'd in all our dealings with men And when we have done all both the one and other yet Christ and his righteousness are all in all to us and the rest no better than a filthy ragg But of this more in the next that follows Secondly A second Mistake seems to lye as much on the other hand viz. When men count of being s●ved by faith and hope in Christ