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
A42363	The Christians great interest: or A short treatise, divided into two parts the first whereof containeth, the tryal of a saving interest in Christ. The second, pointeth forth plainly, the way how to attain it: wherein somewhat is likewise spoken to the manner of express covenanting with God. By W. Guthrie, minister of the gospel in Scotland.	Guthrie, William, 1620-1665.	1681 (1681)	Wing G2273; ESTC R218716	96,110	156

God should have humbled himself and become a servant and have taken on our nature and have united it by a personal union to ●e the blessed God-head and that he should have sub●●cted himself to the shameful death of the Cross and ●●del this that men who were rebels should be reconciled unto God and be made eternally happy by being in his holy company for ever But I say all that was his own device and free choice Yea moreover if God had not soveraignly commanded men so to close with him in and through Christ Isa 55. 1 2 3. Mat. 11. 28. 1 Joh. 3. 23. 2 Cor. 5. 10. no man durst have made use of that device of his So then although with Abigale ● may say let me be but a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my Lord 1 Sam. 25. 41. Yet since he hath in his holy wisdom devised that way and knoweth how to be richly glorified in it Ephes 1. 18. John 17. 10. and hath commanded me as I shall be answerable in the great day to close with him in Christ as is said I dare not disobey nor enquire into the reasons of his contrivements and commands but must adventure on the business as I would not be found to frustrate the grace of God and in a manner disappoint the Gospel Gal. 2. 21. and falsifie the record which God hath born of his Son that there is Life enough in him for Men 1 John 5. 10. 11. and so make God a lyar and add that rebellion to all my former transgressions Object I am a person singularly sinful beyond any I know Therefore I dare not presume to go near unto Christ Jesus or look after that salvation which is through his rightousness Answ Is your sin beyond the drunkenness and incest of Lot adultery covered with Murder in David Idolatry and horrid Apostacy in Solomon Idolatry Murder and Witchcraft in Manasseh anger against God and his way in Jonah forswearing of Christ in Peter after he was forewarned and had vowed the contrary bloody persecution in Paul making the Saints to blaspheme c. now wo ●o him who is imboldned to si● by these instances recorded in Scripture and adduce● here to the commendation of the free and rich grace●● God and to encourage poor penitent sinners to fly un●● Christ I say are your sins beyond these Yet all the● obtained pardon through Christ as the Scripture doth shew Know therefore that all sins do lye alike level before the free grace of God who loveth freely Hos. 14. 4. and looketh not to less or more sin If the person have a heart to come unto him through Christ then he is able to save to the utmost Heb 7. 25. Yea it is more provoking before God not to close with Christ when the offer cometh to a man than all the rest of his transgressions are for He that believeth not hath made God a lyar in that record he hath born of life in the Son and he who doth not believe shall be condemned for not believing on the Son of God that shall be the main thing in his indictment John 3. 18. So that much sin cannot excuse a man if he scare at Christ and shift his offer since God hath openly declared that this is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation Christ came to save sinners whereof I am chief Even he who is chief of sinners in his own apprehension is bound to believe and accept this saying 1 Tim. 1. 15. Object My sins have some aggravating circumstances beyond the same sins in other persons which do much terrifie me Answ What can the aggravations of thy sins be which are not parllell'd in the fore-cited examples Is thy sin against Great Light So behooved many of these we spake of before Was it against singular mercies and deliverances So was that of Lot and Noah's drunkenness Was thy sin done with much ●eliberation So was Davids whilst he wrote the letter against Vriah Was it against or after any singular manifestation of God So was Solomons Was it by a small and despicable tentation So was that of Jonah and of Peter if we consider the hainousness of their transgression Hast thou rei●rated the sin and committed it over again So did Lot so did Peter so did Jehosaphat in joyning with Ahab and Jehoram 1 Kings 22. 2 Kings 3. Are there many gross sins concurring together in thee So were there in Manasseh Hast thou stood long out in Rebellion that as all the former is thy shame but so did the thief on the Cross he stood it out to the last gasp Luke 23. 42. If yet thou hast an ear to hear thou art commanded to hear Mat. 13. 19. Although thou hast long spent thy money for that which is not bread Isa 55. 1. 2. Thou hast the greater need now to haste and to flee for refuge and if thou do so he shall welcome thee and in no wayes cast thee out John 6. 37. especially since he hath used no prescription of time in Scripture So that all those aggravations of thy sin will not excuse thy shifting off the Lords offer Object In all these instances given you have not named the particulars whereof I am guilty Nor know I any who ever obtained mercy before God being guilty of such things as are in me Answ It is hard to condescend upon every particular transgression which may vex the conscience yea lesser sins than some of those I have mentioned may hugely disquiet if the Lord blow the fire But for thy satisfaction I shall condescend upon some truths of Scripture which do reach sins and cases more universally than any man can do particularly See Exod. 34. 7. God pardoneth iniquity transgression and sin that is all manner of sin Ezek. 18. 21 22 30. If a man turn from all his wickedness it shall no more be remembred or prove his ruine Job 6. 37. Him that cometh he will in 〈◊〉 wayes cast out that is whatsoever be his sins or aggravations of them John 3. 16. Whosoever believe● shall be saved that is without exception of any sin 〈◊〉 any case Heb. 7. 25. He is able to save to the utmost the●● who come to God through him no man can sufficiently declare what is Gods uttermost Mat. 12. 31. 〈◊〉 manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men that is there is no sort of sin whereof one instance shall not be forgiven in one person or other except the sin against the Holy Ghost These and the like Scriptures do carry all sorts of sin before them so that let thy sins be what they will or can be they may be sunk in one of these two truths so as thy sin can be no excuse to thee for shifting the offer of peace and salvation through Christ since any man who will is allowed to come and take Rev. 22. 17. we will not multiply words The great God of Heaven and Earth hath soveraignly commanded all who

sinneth not 1 Joh. 3. 9. For the Lord hath resolved and ordained things so that his hand shall undoubtedly so be upon all believers for good that they shall never get leave to hate him and be so pluckt out of his hands 2. Because of this union there is as a strange sympathy and fellow-feeling between God and the believer The Lord is afflicted with the mans afflictions he doth tenderly carefully and seasonably resent it as if he were afflicted with it Isa 63. 9. He who toucheth the believer toucheth the apple of the Lords eye Zech. 2. 8 He is touched with the feeling of their infirmities Heb. 4. 15. And precious in his sight is their blood Psal 116. 15. In a word what is done to them is done unto him and what is done unto them is not done unto him Mat. 10. 40. 25. 40 45. On the other part the zeal of his house sitteth in the heart of the believer Psal 69. 9. The Lords reproach lighteth on the believer if it go well with his affairs that is the business of his people So there is a strange sympathy between God and believers all by vertue of the union between them because of which men should hate every thing which would compete with him in their love or affections and should disdain to be slaves to the Creatures since these are the servants of their Lord and Husband and their servants through him What a hateful thing is it for a Queen to whore with the servants of her Prince and Husband It is also a shame for a Believer to be afraid of evil tidings since the Lord with whom he is one alone ruleth all things and doth whatsoever pleaseth him in Heaven and in Earth 1 Cor. 3. 21 23. Psal 112. 6 7. and 115. 3. The other great consequent of believing is an admirable unpararell'd communion by vertue whereof 1. The parties themselves do belong each to other The Lord is the God of his people he himself Father Son and Holy Ghost is their God in all his glorious Attributes his justice as well as his mercy his wisdom power holiness c. for He becometh the God of his people as he often speaketh in the Covenant On the other part the Believers are his people in their very persons they are his as the Covenant doth speak They shall be his people their head their heart their hand c. whatsoever they are they are his 2. By vertue of this communion they have a mutual interest in one anothers whole goods and geer in as far as can be useful All the Lords Word doth belong to the Believer Threatnings as well as Promises for their good all his wayes all his works of all sorts special communications death devils even all things in so far as can be useful 1. Cor 3. 21 22 23. On the other side all which belongeth to the Believer is the Lords heritage children life wife credit all is at his disposing if any of these can be useful to him the Believer is to forego them else he falsifieth that communion and declareth himself in so far unworthy of Christ Luke 14. 26. 3. By vertue of this communion there should be much familiarity between God and the Believer The Lord may meddle with any thing which doth belong to the believer and do to him what seemeth good to him and the man is not to mistake or say unto God What dost thou but in so far as concerneth his duty yes he is still to say in every case Good is the Word and Will of the Lord Isa 38. 8. 2. Kings 4. 23 26. On the other part the believer may in an humble way be free and familiar with God in Christ he may come with boldness to the throne of Grace and not use a number of complements in his addresses unto God Heb. 4. 16. For he is no more a stranger unto God Eph. 2. 19. so as that he needs not speak unto God as one that hath acquaintance to make every hour as many professors do and it maketh a huge inconsistency in their Religion The believer also may lay open all his heart unto God 1. Sam. 1. 15. and impart all his secrets unto him and all his tentations without fear of a mistake The believer also may enquire into what God doth in so far as may concern his own duty or in so far as may ward off mistakes of the Lords way and reconcile it with his Word John 13. 15. The believer is a friend in this respect as knowing what the Master doth see Gen. 18. 23. c. Jer. 12. 1. Isa 63. 17. The believer also may be free with God to go in daily with his fallings and seek repentance pardon and peace through Christs Advocateship Acts. 5. 31. 1 John 2. 1. O how often in one day may the believer plead pardon if he intend not to mock God or to turn grace into wantonness The Lord hath commanded men to forgive seventy times seven in one day and hath hinted therein a parable how much more the Master will forgive Mat. 18. 22 28. The believer also may be free to entrust God with all his ovtward concernments for he doth care for these things Mat. 6. 30 32. 1 Pet. 5. 7. Yea the believer may humbly put God to it to make him forth-coming for him in all cases as beseemeth and to help him to suitable fruit in every season even grace in time of need Heb. 4. 16. Yea how great things may believers seek from him in Christ Jesus both for themselves and others 1 John 5. 14 15. John 14. 13. Isa 45. 11. It is the shame and great prejudice of his people that they do not improve that communion with God more than they do Christ may justly upbraid them that they ask nothing in his Name John 16. 24. By what is said it doth appear of how great consequence this duty of believing is by which a man closeth with Christ Jesus whom the Father hath sealed and given for a Covenant to the people It is so honourable for God answering his very design and serving his interest in the whole contrivment and manifestation of the Gospel And it is so advantagious to men that Satan and an evil heart of unbelief do mightily oppose it by moving objections against it I shall hint some most ordinary Object I am so base worthless and faithless of my self that I think it were high presumption for me to meddle with Christ Jesus or the salvation purchased at the rate of his blood Answ It is true all the Children of Adam are base and vile before him who chargeth his Angels with folly Job 4. 18. All Nations are less than nothing and vanity before him Isa 40. 17. There is such a disproportion between God and men that unless he himself had devised that Covenant and of his own free will had offered so to transact with men it had been high treason for men or Angels to have imagined that