Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	great_a	sin_n	transgression_n	3,082	5	10.1157	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A05341	A sermon preached aboard of the Globe the 18. of May, anno 1617 At an anchor by the Cape of Good Hope, in the Bay of Souldania, 34. degrees to the southward of the æquinoctiall line. By William Lesk, minister of Gods Word. Entertained by the Honourable Companie of Marchants trading into East India, for the instruction and comfort of the fleet, by them sent forth for those easterne parts anno, 1614.	[Lesk, William].	1617 (1617)	STC 15493; ESTC S108492	35,356	52

and other Scriptures of the same or like nature by some maintained and from hence by others in large and learned discourses powerfully confuted I forbeare in this place so much as to name because the words rightly considered giue not the least occasion of any such discourse challenging rather the conueiance of comfort vnto the most hainous grosse and grieuous sort of those transgressours who labouring and heauie laden vnder the burthen of their sinnes come vnto Christ then any such generall interest in Christs death vnto all For as Sathan the common enemy of mans saluation hath great variety and store of sleights and subtilties to hinder our approach vnto the Throne of grace so this is none of the least that with great inlargement and amplifications he sets before our eyes the sins and offences which formerly we haue committed thereby to make vs despaire of Gods goodnes and mercie this was that Schoole where Cain learned that dolefull doctrine My sinnes are greater then can be forgiuen this was the stratagem which brought wretched Iudas vnnaturally to become the executioner of his owne body to speake nothing of many others who euen in our times by this meanes haue been brought to commit things farre misbeseeming their holy profession therefore for preuenting of so great harme otherwise like to ensue and fall vpon the creature it hath pleased the wisedome of Gods holy Spirit so to publish the riches and great depth of his mercy that Sathans subtilty may preuaile against none how great and grieuous transgressors soeuer in the least measure industrious and carefull of the saluation of their soules for this cause it is that sometimes in the plurall number hee is called the Father of mercies 2. Cor. 1 3 4. Blessed bee God euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort who comforteth vs in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble Psa 103.9 10 11 12 13. by the comfort wherewith we our selues are comforted of God sometimes a mercifull and gracious Lord slow to anger and plenteous in mercie such a one as will not chide alway nor keepe his anger for euer who dealeth not with vs after our sinnes nor rewardeth vs after our iniquities for as high as the heauen is aboue the earth so great is his mercy towards them that feare him as farre as the East is from the West so farre hath he remoued our transgressions from vs like as a Father pittieth his children so the Lord pittieth them that feare him and againe Exod. 34.6 7. The Lord the Lord mercifull and gracious long suffering and aboundant in goodnes and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiuing iniquity transgression and sinne and sometime he is said to be rich in mercy and grace God who is rich in mercy for his great loue wherewith he loued vs euen when wee were dead in sinnes hath quickned vs together with Christ Eph. 2.4 5. that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace and kindnesse towards vs through Christ Iesus Rom. 2.4 and in the Epistle to the Romans Despisest thou the riches of his goodnes forbearance and long suffering not knowing that the goodnesse of God leadeth thee to repentance I will spare them saith the Lord by the mouth of the Prophet as a man spareth his own sonne that serueth him Mal. 3.17 There is then no sin so odious and abominable in the sight of God but vpon a true sense and feeling of the lothsomnesse of the same by faith in the Mediator Iesus Christ free pardon and forgiuenesse is assuredly to be looked for and expected from the Throne of mercie and grace Come therefore vnto me all ye that are weary and heauy laden and I will giue you rest though your sinnes be as skarlet they shall be as white as snow though they bee redde as crimson they shall be as wooll for if the wicked will turne from all his sinnes that he hath committed Eze. 18.21 22. and keepe all my statutes and doe that which is lawfull and right he shall surely liue he shall not dye all his transgressions that hee hath committed they shall not be mentioned vnto him in his righteousnesse that he hath done he shall liue Ye that labour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as be skilfull in the original tongues make this difference between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the latter generally signifying whatsoeuer labour exercise and trauaile the first betokeneth a paineful wearisome sorrowfull and heauy labour so that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 labour is the cause of wearisomenesse or painefull and tedious emploiment and therefore the Septuagint and other Translations of the olde Scripture into the Greeke tongue haue vsed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in such places of the old Testament where the Originall expresseth such and so great ouerspending of the vitall parts by reason of too much sorrow griefe labour and toile that without present succour releefe and comfort nothing but death and fearefull dissolution is vndoubtedly to bee expected as in that of Deuteronomy Remember what Amalek did vnto thee by the way Deut. 25.17 18. when ye were come forth out of Aegypt how hee met thee by the way and smote the hindmost of thee euen all that were feeble behind thee when thou wast faint and wearie And againe Ahitophel offering his seruice vnto Absalon against Dauid 2. Sam. 17.2 sayth I will come vpon him while he is weary and weake handed and will make him afraid I haue giuen you a Land for which ye did not labour Iosh 24.13 and Cities which yee built not and ye dwell in them What! Did not Israel labour for the Land of Canaan for which they had many sharpe skirmishes and encountred with many seuerall oppositions Yes verily but because of the extraordinary assistance of Gods holy Spirit and vnaccustomed presence of his almighty power and out-stretched arme whereby they subdued those nations with great facility and ease they might well haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but they had not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was vnto them some kinde of exercise but not an ouer-spending and out-wearing of their strength sometimes againe the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is vsed for expressing of those places of the old Testament where the Originall signifieth a coniunction of labour sorrow trauell heauinesse and paine Man is borne vnto trouble as the sparks flye vpwards Iob. 5.7 And againe the daies of our yeeres are threescore and ten and if by reason of strength they be fourescore Psal 90.10 yet is their strength labor and sorrow Thirdly the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is vsed by the Pen-men of holy Scripture for expressing the varietie of tribulation calamity and crosse vnder which in this life the Saints continually groane 1. Cor. 4.11 12. Euen vnto this present houre we both hunger and thirst and

the seed Rom. 4.10 not to that onely which is of the Law but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham who is the father of vs all And in the will faith leaueth an assurance that God is both able and in due time wil make good in our particular the generall promises of Mercie and Grace according to that of the Apostle I am persuaded that neither Death nor Life nor Angles Rom. 8.38 39. nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Therefore it is that almost euery where the Holy Ghost speaking of things for Christ his sake in due time to be conferred and bestowed vpon vs he speaks of them in the time past as if alreadie we were in full possession thereof Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ Ephes 1.3 who hath blessed vs with all spirituall blessings in heauenly places in Christ Iesus in whom we haue edemption through his bloud the forgiuenesse of sinnes according to the riches of his grace but God who is rich in mercie Ephes 1.7 2.4 5 6. for his great loue wherewith he loued vs euen when we were dead in sinnes and trespasses hath quickened vs together and hath made vs sit together in heauenly places in Christ Iesus Such then is the assurance which faith leaues in the heart that the beleeuer speakes and thinkes of the promises of mercie and saluation as of things present whereof alreadie he is in full possession againe that in faith there is not onely a sure and certaine knowledge of the Historie of Gods holy Word but also an assurance of the loue and fauour of God in and for the mediation of Iesus Christ these subsequent Scriptures sufficiently witnesse Rom. 5.1 Being iustified by faith we haue peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ Now this is certaine that the knowledge of the Historie of Gods holy Word is so farre from quieting and bringing peace vnto the soules of men that on the contrarie it serues rather more and more to encrease amazement feare and terror in their hearts according to that of S. Iames Iam. 2.19 The Deuils beleeue and tremble they beleeue that is by the Historie they know the wrath of God to be so fierce against Sinne and Iniquitie that it can be expiate and done away by no other meanes but by the death of his onely begotten Sonne by the knowledge of the Historie of Gods holy Word they vnderstand themselues finally and without all hope of redemption wholly to be reiected and cast off by the Historie they know that IESVS is appointed Iudge both of Men and Angels and that for euer they shall haue their abode in euerlasting miserie and torment therefore they beleeue and tremble Man likewise in the knowledge of the Historie what can hee see but euery where manifest tokens of the wrath of God against sinne as Death Disease and diuers other calamities vsually ensuing and befalling vs whilest we liue here vpon earth and which most of all encreaseth our feare that the wrath and indignation of the Almightie is such and so great against all manner of iniquitie that it could by no other meanes be appeased but by the death of his onely begotten Sonne IESVS CHRIST all which bringing rather matter of horror and feare then peace vnto the soules of men there must be something else besides Historicall knowledge in that faith whereby being iustified we haue peace with God which can be nothing else but an assurance of the loue and fauor of Almightie God in and for the mediation and all-sufficient sacrifice of his dearely beloued Sonne IESVS CHRIST by whom also wee haue accesse by faith into this grace wherein wee stand Abak 1.4 To the same purpose makes that of Abbakuk The iust shall liue by faith No man liueth by an Historicall knowledge of the Word of God which as euen now at great length hath been deliuered furnisheth rather matter of horror desperation and feare then of life health happinesse and the like therefore the faith spoken of by the Prophet must besides knowledge be an assent vnto and assurance of the loue and fauour of God in and for the mediation of his Sonne Thirdly S. Paul in his Epistle to the Ephesians so plainely maintaines and powerfully auoucheth the assurance of faith which now we haue in hand that if there were no more this one Scripture may well serue for confirmation of the same Eph. 3.12 In whom we haue boldnesse with confidence by the faith of him and againe Let vs therefore come boldly vnto the Throne of grace Heb. 4.16 that we may obtaine mercie and find grace to helpe in time of neede Who knowing onely the Historie of Gods holy Word dare presume boldly and with confidence to approach and draw neere vnto the dreadfull Maiestie of Almightie God whom as an angrie seuere Iudge he seeth readie to powre downe the viols of his fierce wrath and indignation vpon the transgressors of his Law that faith then whereby with boldnesse confidently we present our selues before God besides knowledge of the Historie must of necessitie haue an assurance of reconciliation in IESVS CHRIST Gen. 4.4.5.24 49.20 This is that faith whereby Abel became more acceptable in the sight of the Lord then his brother Cain Enoch walked with God and was seene no more Iacob dying tooke order for his buriall in the promised Land Luke 7.48 and Marie Magdalene obtained free pardon and forgiuenesse of all her transgressions If therefore yee haue this faith Come vnto me all yee that labour and are heauie laden and I will giue you rest Come From this and other Texts of holy Scripture Psal 50.15 of the same or like nature as Call vpon me in the day of trouble and I will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me Mal. 3.13 Returne vnto me and I will returne vnto you Turne ye now from your euill wayes and from your euill doings Wash yee Zach. 1.4 make you cleane put away the euill of your doings from before mine eyes cease to doe euill learne to doe well seeke iudgement Esay 1.16.17.19 relieue the oppressed iudge the fatherlesse plead for the widow if ye will be obedient ye shall eate the good of the Land The Sanballats and subtle Sophists of these last dayes gather I cannot tell what naturall and imborne abilitie and power in man ex puris naturaelibus as they say to performe obedience vnto the Commandements of God because first it were in vaine to exhort aduise request and beseech such as wholly and altogether are impotent and vnable to hearken and obey againe the large promises of health and happinesse in case of obedience were mockages rather then true promises if there were no power at all in man to performe