Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A47051
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Modesty and faithfulness in opposition to envy and rashness
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Jones, James, fl. 1683-1684.
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1683
(1683)
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Wing J957; ESTC R228697
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22,022
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14
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person might have mist of it also 9thly I believe that for as much as Sinners in general have deserved Damnation and none of them able to give Divine Justice satisfaction for themselves the great and glorious God may magnifie his Mercy upon some and glorifie his Justice upon others as seemeth good unto his Insinite Wisdom see Rom. 9.22 What if God willing to shew his wrath and make his power known endured with much Long Suffering the Vessels of wrath fitted for destruction Verse 23. And that he might make known the Riches of his glory on the Vessels of mercy which he had afore prepared unto glory also see Rom. 9.20 Nay but O man who art thou that repliest against God And let the Pamphleteer consider what he hath done in speaking so reproachfully of the Servants of the Living God both amongst the Dissenters and the Church of England also and in drawing such blasphemous Conclusions concerning God from their Principles Fifthly High and desperate Rayling is in the said Pamphlet Take notice of page 11. in these words Now if a sound true notion of God be the first and foundation principle of Religion and consequently of a true Church then such as have it not but the manifest conâ—rary can be no true Church because upon a wicked false foundation such as I am sure is among the Sectaries and if such a villanous Body of people is the best and true Church that even in their first principles thus bloodily murder their Maker in his most admirable Attributes of Wisdom Holiness and Goodness I do wonder what kind of people the world is And then over again he has these words VVhat shall we say of such monsters that murder God their Maker shall we join with them as a pious Church Now consider a few Queries upon this bloody matter First What has the poor Wretch forgot what Work he was about viz. High pleading for the Church of England as the only Church of God in the World and now strike deadly strokes at her heart through the tender sides of the Dissenters in a most Abominable abusing both the one and the other about the Eternal Decrees of God as if their Opinions in those things were an in-let to all the most Abominable Wickedness that is in this World and a murdering of God our maker to boot 2dly What doth the man think that the Church of England will receive such a Child as a true Son who most boldly affirmeth that such as hold Gods decrees to be unalterable cannot be a true Church of God but a villanous body of People when it is well known that the Dissenters who are Calvinists and the Church of England do very well agree about the Eternal Decrees of God 3dly What has the child a mind to call his Mother Whore as soon as he is born O what a Monster is this that after two or three times sucking hath got sharp Teeth and long Nailes and most unnaturally falls a biting and scratching his Mothers tender Breast It s well known that the Breast of the Church of England doth afford the same good Milk as is among those Dissenters that he doth so highly and bitterly rail against viz. The Doctrine of Gods unalterable Decrees concerning the children of men 4thly What is the man mad in his mind because the Protestant Dissenters do not believe that the living God is not such a one as he is who hath altered changed and shuâ—…ed in his Opinions Principles and Practises about Religion the Lord rebuke his Soul with that Word Psal 50. vers 20. Thou thoughtest I was altogether such a one as thy self And now let it be soberly considered how the Pamphletere hath strained himself in railing against the poor Dissenters now in the time of their Affliction even as Shimei did rail against poor David 2 Sam. 16.7 Come out come out thou bloody man and thou man of Belial Now mark this mans Words of the Dissenters A villanous body of People that in their first and main Principle thus bloodily murder their Maker in his most admirable Attributes and useth the Words of Jacob Cursed be their anger for it was fierce and their Wrath for it was Cruel O my Soul come not into their secret unto their Assembly mine honour be not thou united what shall we say of such Monsters that murder God their maker shall we join with them as a pious Church Now these Dissenters that he meaneth are those called Calvinists and what their Principles are is well known to and approved of by the Church of England except it be some particular Clergymen called Arminians as also some Dissenters are who notwithstanding do abhor this Abominable Stupendious Railery and though they differ in their Opinions about the Decrees of God yet they have charitable Apprehensions of each other and a cordial love to each other each party knowing that there is a Godly care on both sides to maintain a Godly Conversation in themselves and make sure of Salvation for themselves But as for the Pamphletere who is a shame to himself and others let him read his Transgression and punishment in Psal 50.19 Thou givest thy mouth to Evil and thy tongue frameth deceit Vers 20. Thou sittest and speakest against thy Brother thou slanderest thine own Mothers Son Vers 21. These things hast thou done and I kept silence thou thoughtest I was altogether such a one as thy self but I will reprove thee and set them in Order before thine Eyes Sixthly Forgery is in the said Pamphlet at an abominable rate in that the Pamphleteer doth heap up many particulars which he cannot prove therefore they must be charged upon himself as matter forged and framed in his own Working Pate Consider page 12. where he formeth several questions and Answers according to his own mind which take as followeth First Would they have the Arch-bishops down Yes no doubt Secondly Would they have the rest of the Bishops down Yes Thirdly Would they have the best Clergy about the City and Subburbs down Yes Fourthly Would they have all the Clergy in England down Yes Fifthly Would they have all the Ecclesiastical Revenues viz. The Unlawful Maintenance by Tythes down Yes Sixthly Would they have all the Schools of Learning down Yes because the Language of the Beast that opposes the Spirits Teachings set forth by Samuel How comes from thence Seventhly Would they have the Laws for maintaining of the poor down Yes From which particulars consider these things First consider how like a Child the pamphleteer doth behave himself who not being able to throw sticks at a live Cock makes a paper Cock and then taketh great pains to throw it down Secondly Consider how hard he is put to it to make up the number of seven follish Questions in making two about the Bishops and two about the Clergy Thirdly Consider his base design to render and Represent the Dissenters Obnoxious and Odious to the Bishops and Clergy and to stir up
Unto which I Reply humbly and modestly thus 1. What had this Envious Wretch a mind to expose the Dissenters to the rage and fury of those that neither fear the Laws of God nor the good Laws of the Realm that are for the restraining and punishing of men for gross wickedness now this horrible abusing of the most high God as he calleth it is charged upon all those Dissenters that hold the Doctrine of Gods particular Election of some of mankind to eternal salvation 2dly What kindness hath this Pamphleteer shewed to or what service hath he done for the Church of England by his former desperate discourse for as much as it is well known that the Doctrine of particular Election is the Principle and Doctrine of the Church of England and has been highly maintained by the most famous Ministers against those of a contrary mind viz. such as are called Arminians and though some of the Ministers of the Church of England and some of the Dissenters do oppose the aforesaid Doctrine yet as they are men of good humanity they have more manners and as they are men of Christianity they have more grace then to use such blasphemous expressions and to draw such diabolical Conclusions concerning the Professors of such Election and the Electing Gracious God But no marvel that he whose Principle is that men may fall from true and saving grace should himself fall from seeming grace 3dly And now I will humbly offer my opinion and faith concerning Election First I do believe that God from all Eternity or before the World begun hath Elected some of the Children of men unto Eternal Salvation and in due time hath and doth and will bless them with saving Conversion in order thereunto Eph. 1.4 According as he hath Chosen us in him before the Foundation of the World that we should be holy and without blame before him in love 2 Thes 2.13 But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you Brethren because God hath from the beginning Chosen you to Salvation through Sanstification of the Spirit and belief of the Truth 2dly I believe that God in his gracious Decree of this Election hath fixed upon every one of the particular persons that should afterward be eternaly saved Psalm 139. vers 16. Thine eyes did see my Substance yet being unperfect and in thy Book all my Members were written which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them which Scripture must be understood of the Members of Davids natural Body or of Christ's Mystical Body if of Davids natural Body then we may surely say God hath not a less regard to and care of Christs mystical Body but doth certainly know all the Members thereof and hath them down in his Book whilst as yet they are not visible in the world 2 Tim. 2.19 Nevertheless the Foundation of God standeth sure having this Seal the Lord knoweth them that are his Now God doth not only know them that are his when Converted but before Conversion Consider those words John 10.14 I am the good Shepherd and know my Sheep and am known of mine Verse 16. Other Sheep I have which are not of this Fold them also I must bring and they shall hear my voice and there shall be one Fold and one Sheepherd Verse 26. But ye believe not because ye are not of my Sheep as I said unto you Verse 27. My Sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me Conversion and Salvation of perticular persons were both in God together as the act of his infinite mercy and rich grace before the world began Consider that Word well 2 Tim. 1.9 Who hath saved us and called us with an Holy Calling not according to our Works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ before the World began And consider also that Word in Rom. 11.5 Even so at this present time also there is a remnant according to the Election of Grace and vers 7. The Election hath obtained it and the rest were blinded Fourthly I believe that as saving Grace here and Eternal Glory hereafter unto all them that are saved is Gods undeserved mercy Even so also those that are suffered to go on in their Sins here and shall be damned for their Sins hereafter is unto them but Gods deserved Justice Fifthly I believe that God hath not laid any Necessity upon men to be Wicked for God doth not force any man to sin but man being created upright abode not in that State but sought out many Inventions as in Eccl. 7.29 The whole Lump of Mankind is involved in a sinful state and so is become unable of himself to do any thing that may save himself for the very Saints of God are not saved by works of Righteousness which they have wrought see Tit. 3.5 Not by Works of Righteousness which we have wrought but according to his Mercy he hath saved us by the Washing of Regeneration and Renewing of the Holy Ghost Sixthly I do however believe that though not any man can make himself so good as to be saved by it yet most men may be abundantly better then they are by improving the Light of Nature and those Natural parts they have wherein some excel others together with an improvement of the common Mercies and Blessings of God and more especially by attending upon the meanes of grace and may hereby escape those black and bloody Crimes that the Pamphleteer doth most basely innumerate and may also be in a hopeful way of Conversation and so of Salvation like the poor man that lay at the pool of Bethesda John 5.3.5 Who though he was not able of himself to go in the Pool he lay in the way of a cure but if men will follow Wickedness with greediness they are in the ready way of Damnation without any ground of hope for Salvation Seventhly I believe that Salvation of Sinners is founded altogether upon Christ and laid up only and alone in Christ viz. In his person as God and Man in his perfect Righteousness in his painful Sufferings in the garden and upon the cross in his Resurrection from the dead in his Ascension into Heaven and in his Intercession in Heaven and shall be most fully compleated at the Resurrection of the dead and the second coming of Christ when the vile bodies of Saints shall be like the glorious body of Jesus Christ and so shall ever be with the Lord. Eighthly I believe that if God of his own free grace and rich mercy had not made the Eternal salvation of some particular persons infallibly certain by decreeing their saving conversion before time and blessing of them with it in time it would have been hazardous whether any sinners should have been saved for as much as a very great multitude of mankind yea and many that have seemed to be in a â—air way for Salvation and have mist of it by the same Reasons every particular