Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	ghost_n	holy_a	sinner_n	7,089	5	9.1918	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A11845	The bearing and burden of the spirit wherein the sicknesse and soundnesse of the soule is opened, and eight cases of conscience cleared and resolved for the setling and comforting of perplexed consciences / by John Sedgwick ...	Sedgwick, John, 1600 or 1601-1643.	1639 (1639)	STC 22149.3; ESTC S4896	93,717	382

but he gets out quickly the wicked falls backe into the courses of sinne againe lying downe in their falling backe their end being worse then their beginning Relapses 1. Voluntary Thirdly Relapses are 1. Voluntary 2. Involuntary Voluntary Relapses are such as have the propension complacencie of the heart in them the sea doth as naturally ebb as it doth flow and wicked men make their returnes unto sinfull courses with much more delight then their departures O how glad is a Jayle bird of the opportunity of liberty to goe to his old haunts and much more joyfull is every wicked man when hee is at liberty to feed himselfe upon his sinfull pleasures hee doth even bewaile his misery that hee was kept so long from them Involuntary Relapses are 2. Involuntary such as arise contrary to the intention and affection of persons it is not the pure love of sin that drawes backe the godly into sinning againe which may appeare in the consequent of their relapsing they are not now as a fish newly taken out and newly leapt againe into the water in their proper element a sinfull way and course cannot bee agreeable to their soules they finde no rest in a sinning condition but their soules are sicke and sad they weepe and are troubled exceedingly and can receive no comfort in themselves untill they see themselves recovered againe as wee may see in David and Peter Fourthly there are Relapses in 1. Conquest 2. Combate Relapses 1. In conquest Relapses in conquest is when a man out of malice and obstinacie of heart without all ground or cause is carried backe againe as a slave unto his sinfull doings some men never sticke at the matter their hearts find no manner of stop and nothing within puts an impediment to their returnes the heart and the sinne are now in league and they like the way of sinne exceedingly the state of wicked men in returning to their sinnes is much answering to the returnes of a man unto his bed to take his rest and sleepe hee loveth his bed and vexeth at every thing that keepes him from going into it just so the heart of every wicked man likes the sin but hates the impediment nothing at all doth awe him from sinning againe but the shame and punishment of sin and he accounts that word and friend his enemy which stops him in sinning Relapses in combate is when 2. In combate a man is reduced to his old sin but it is with much feare secret reluctancie and some opposition I see another law in my members warring against the Rom. 7.23 law of my minde and bringing mee into captivity to the law of sinne saith Paul a good man relapseth resisting his reducing into sinne is much after the manner of the bringing backe of an escaped prisoner when hee espies such as would take him hee runnes from them and hides from them and hee is not easily laid hold of or brought home againe many escapes he makes by the way and would rather die in the place then returne and so surely doth a Christian strive with griefes and teares and prayers against all returnes into sinne Fifthly Relapses in respect Relapses ● Hurtfull of their effects are 1. Pernicious 2. Profitable The unsound heart by falling backe into sinne growes more and more hardned and insensible more carelesse and froward in sinning more free and forward in sinning acting his old sinnes with greater love and delight then ever God doth good men good ● Helpfull by their relapsings though there bee no good in sinne yet it is good that sinne bee and the wisedome of God can and doth turne it unto the good of his I say this is the accidentall effect of the godly mans falling into sinne greater humiliation and sorrow greater watchfullnesse and feare greater dependance on God stronger covenants and resolutions deeper loathings and greater conquest over sinnes In these five didistinctions you may observe the difference of relapses in good and bad men 4. That the sinne of relapsing is pardonable it is such a sinne which God hath pardoned and hee can and will pardon Christ doth tell us that all manner of sinne and blasphemie shall bee forgiven unto men excepting that against the Holy Ghost Mat. 12. 31. under that phrase of all manner of sinne relapsing is included God doth not shut the gate of mercy against all relapsing sinners and because this is made a ground of trouble unto many Christians that they doe conceive such a sinne cannot bee pardoned I will briefely evidence the pardonablenesse of Relapses First that sinne unto which the promise of curing is made is pardonable to Gods children for God never cures sin but where hee first covers it but the promise of healing is Tvvo rea●ons proo●ing the ardona●lenesse of ●●lapses made unto backsliding Returne yee backesliding children and I will heale your backslidings saith God Ier. 3. 22. Hosea 14. 4. Secondly that sinne is pardonable to Christians unto which is annexed a possibility of repentance for God hath promised pardoning mercy to penitent sinners but a Christian may repent of it for repentance was required of backsliding Israel Returne saith God yea and it was practised also Behold wee come unto thee for Ier. 3. 22 thou art the Lord our God consider seriously of Peters condition were not his bitter and brinish teares the repenting of his folly in so often denying his master 5. That as there are meanes to keepe from relapsing so there are meanes to deliver out of relapsing into sinne wee may not weakely conceive that because wee have made our returnes into sinne contrary unto our promises and purposes that wee shall never get out of them againe this is the way to keepe the soule in hell Delivery from relapses upon earth I grant you 1. That revolting into sinne is greatly displeasing to God 2. That it is a difficult thing 1. Difficult to get out of a sinne into which a man hath often relapsed a man cannot be healed and recovered without much paine and much adoe the second or third time of the same disease Yet I pray you despaire not 2. Possible your hearts suppose the worst that the sinnes which you have fallen into againe are great and grievous sinnes and that they were not unwilling omissions or suddaine passions but had knowledge and premeditation in them that they were sinnes once repented of and solemnely vowed against 1. All this and much more makes the recovery to bee difficult not desperate 2. The sinnes that Abraham Lot and Peter fell into were great and hainous sinnes and yet they recovered againe 3. There is no disease beyond Gods cure or sinne above his pardon cannot God pardon sinne oft surely God that hath once mercifully recovered his falling backe will also doe it the second and third and fourth and every time for his Ob. But many fall backe into sinne and doe never recover themselves againe and this

of their unworthinesse they stand in their owne light Satan hereby taking advantage against them This I finde to bee a maine master-peece of Satans cunning that before a man is convinced of sinne hee maketh him so full and rich and worthy that hee cares not for the merits of Christ or the mercy of God he will not beg but buy a place in heaven Laodicea was rich and increased with goods and had need of nothing not knowing that shee was wretched and miserable and poore and blind and naked Rev. 3. 17. The Corinthians did so shine in their owne opinions and were in such selfe credit that they were rich and full raigning as kings but when a mans eyes are opened to see the sinnefullnesse of his sinnes then hee makes him very poore and his unworthinesse to bee such and so great that it is not for him to thinke of heaven or mercy or Christ a great temptation under which lieth lurking a white divell To relieve the soule in this case I shall propound these few considerations 1. That if unworthinesse were a sufficient ground to keepe men of from divine favour and eternall happinesse none of all the sonnes of men could ever bee saved for all have sinned and by sinne made themselves unworthy of mercy 2. That there is no subjective worthinesse antecedently required unto justification and salvation God well knew the unworthy condition of Israel when hee made them his people entering into the Covenant of life and peace with them Ezek. 16. can you conceive that there was any inherent worthinesse in them that did lie weltring in their owne blood beggars are not worthy of almes traitors are not worthy of pardons nor sinfull men worthy of Christ or mercy Luke 15. 21. and why should we dreame of having a requisite worthinesse of our owne if man had any thing in him he were altogether unfit to come in unto the free offer of grace we see the invitation is made to the monie-lesse and merit-lesse Christian Esa 55. 1. 3. That though worthinesse be not in the streame yet it is in the fountain and though there bee no subjective worthinesse in men yet there is an objective worthinesse in Jesus Christ which is tendred to sinners by grace and accepted by faith there is enough in Christ to make our persons lovely and acceptable to God without whom if we had all selfe-worthinesse wee should remaine in Gods eyes most unworthy persons This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased saith the Father Mat. 3. 17. 4. That notwithstanding mans owne great unworthinesse Assurances for acceptance under unworthines there is enough to assure him of divine acceptance for First Mercy in God is full and free it hath enough in it selfe to incline it selfe to gratious pardons and favourable acceptances God doth blot out transgressions not for mans sake but for his owne sake Esa 43. 25. Secondly mans chiefest selfe-worthinesse is to see his owne unworthinesse and to be humbled for it certainely such Esa 64. 6. Luk. 15. 21. as have base low esteemes of themselves and can dwell upon the guilt and merit of their owne sinnefullnesse judging themselves to hell for it such Phil. 3. 7. as can with Paul disclaime from all worth in themselves and doe see in all their parts and gifts and performances an inability to engratiate them with God such as can in the best of conditions and after the best of performances bewaile their weake expressions of duty acknowledging themselves to be most unprofitable Luk 17. 10. servants needing the mercy of a God and the merit of Christ these I say are men of the greatest worthinesse with God according to the old truth hee paies best for Heaven that seeth hee hath nothing at all to pay for Heaven Thirdly an unworthy sinner may plead out the Covenant of grace with God and the freenesse of the tenders of his mercy I know no man that can or doth more admire and magnifie divine mercy then a sinner truly sensible of his owne unworthinesse I know none more desirous of mercy then such I know none will be more ready to accept of Heaven and favour out of freenesse of grace then such I know none to whom the offer of salvation purchased by Christ is made but such and what now doth hinder them from comming in unto God pleading with him after this or the like manner Gratious Lord I am here before thee for mercy and for thy Christ I see in my selfe nothing worthy thee or thy Christ for I am wholy sinnefull if thou now wilt receive mee for thine owne and pardon mee my sinnes out of thine owne free grace and for the merit of thine onely Sonne alone thou shalt shew thy selfe a gratious God indeed O Lord that which draweth mee in unto thee for grace is thine owne free grace thou gavest mee the word and hope of comfort and therefore I durst not stand out Lord loe heere I am before thee without all confidence in my selfe O let it be unto mee according to the freenesse and richnesse of thy mercy refuse mee not though I am unworthy to be called thy sonne 5. That too much standing on selfe-unworthinesse is many times an argument of secret pride and opinion of merit men would faine bee some body with God and doe something for Heaven Lord how willing is man to have a finger in his owne salvation and to be at the least a co-adju●or with Christ in the office of his Redemption when as in truth it is mercy alone that must doe all and such are most in the way of comfort that referre their spirituall condition unto mercy setting up and advancing the free favour of God as the onely cause of their spirituall estate 1 Cor. 15. 10. tell mee sadly and seriously thou troubled soule if thou hadst more goodnesse in thee if thy graces were more perfect in thee and thy services had beene or could bee better performed by thee then thy hopes and assurances could and would rise within thee then thou couldest have confidence and settlement within thee yes and what is this I pray thee but the spice of pride and secret dependance on merit what wilt thou looke upon thy selfe and within thy selfe and draw out principles of salvation from thy selfe how art thou onely beholding to grace and to Christ for thy salvation when thou thus porest and priest into thy selfe if thou wilt be a cause of thine owne good thou must bee a ground of thine owne glory and if thou wilt bring thy penny thou wilt make thy selfe joynt purchaser with Christ tell mee O Christian hadst thou all thy desired qualifications would they or can they equall the favour of God and durst thou to stand upon this so as to build thy eternall welfare on it bee perswaded out of this vaine and empty conceit of thine and cease further to perplexe thy soule under the thoughts of thine unworthinesse God indeed lookes not out