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
A61805	A dissuasive from revenge in a discourse upon these words, Recompense to no man evil for evil, Rom. 12.17. By Nicolas Stratford, D.D. Dean of S. Asaph.	Stratford, Nicholas, 1633-1707.	1684 (1684)	Wing S5933; ESTC R223758	31,693	162

〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Max. Tyr. Dissert 2. evil to wrong another 't is alike evil to retaliate the wrong that is he who first does the injury does that which is bad he that returns it doth nothing better A third Plato in Crit. concludes That since it is simply evil to do an injury therefore he that hath suffer'd one must not avenge it because he of necessity does an injury who retaliates it Yea some of the Philosophers have gone so high as to affirm that if there be any difference between the one and the other he that revenges the injury is of the two the more highly criminal I shall be bold to affirm sayes Maximus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Max. Tyr. Dissert 2. Tyrius That if there be an excess of one injury above another he that revenges is more unjust than he who was beforehand with him in doing the wrong And Seneca says I shall not doubt to averr that he is more wicked that avenges Non dubitabo dicere magis improbum esse eum qui illatam ulciscitur quam qui infert injuriam Sen. than he who began the injury One reason of which is manifest because he offers violence to his own Conscience before he can do so to his injurious Brother by doing the very same evil himself which he before condemn'd in him Conscience certainly cannot but tell him that 't is as a great sin in him to wrong another as 't is in another to wrong him that he is as much bound not to trespass upon his Neighbours Rights as his Neighbour is bound not to trespass upon his When therefore either by words or actions he returns that evil to his Neighbour which he before condemn'd his Neighbour for doing to him he must of necessity controll the dictates of his own Conscience and be self-condemn'd And what an intolerable wrong this is to himself however insensible he may be of it at present he will come to understand when his Conscience which is now debauch'd by false and foolish principles and miserably inslav'd to his Passions and Lusts shall once come to be disabus'd and set at liberty How will it then accuse and upbraid and condemn him what Vengeance will it then take for all those rude indignities he hath offer'd to it Secondly By retorting of wrongs we lose many great and unvaluable Benefits which by the patient indurance of them we should receive by the wrongs themselves As those Animals 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Plut. de capiend ab Host utilitat says Plutarch which are most healthy and of a strong stomach digest Serpents and Scorpions and some there are which turn Stones and Shells into nourishment whereas those that are weak and diseas'd do nauseate even Bread and Wine So fools corrupt and abuse Friendship whereas those that are wise know how to make a good use of Enmity and to turn it to their own advantage 'T is certain there is no injury so bad but if we are not wanting to our selves we may improve it to our great gain Your Enemy perhaps has a spiteful eye upon you watches narrowly for your halting puts a bad construction upon your innocent words and actions catches at every little fault he observes in you and magnifies every mote into a beam What should you now do I will tell you or rather let a Heathen tell you I mean Plutarch Instead of doing so to him again be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Plut. de cap. ab Host util more cautious and circumspect keep a stricter watch over your your self neither speak nor do any thing rashly and inconsiderately amend whatsoever hath been amiss endeavour to out-do him in whatsoever is praise-worthy be to him an example in Justice and Goodness in thy Words irreproveable in thy Actions pure c. By this means you will extract good out of evil and make that which was design'd for your Disease to become a sovereign Medicine You will out-wit and defeat your Adversary and make him sore against his will to become your Friend And therefore Diogenes Plut. ibid. when one asked him by what means he might revenge himself on his Enemy Answer'd more like a Christian than a Heathen by being thy self a virtuous and good man Besides there is no injury you receive but as it is design'd by God so it is apt of it self to promote and exalt those Graces which are the Strength and Ornament the Riches and Glory of a Christian such I mean as Charity Humility Meekness Gentleness Patience Long-suffering and the like These are all exercis'd by him who calmly suffers and does not proudly throw back the injury and by exercise they are strengthened and brighten'd made more vigorous and illustrious And by improving in these Graces we are render'd more like to the blessed Jesus who in the practice of these especially hath proposed himself as a Pattern to us Yea we are made conformable to God over all blessed for ever who glories chiefly in this That he is the Lord God merciful Exod. 34. 6 7. and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sin And what should we more ambitiously affect than to resemble the most glorious and infinitely blessed Being Especially when we consider that as we become more like him in Holiness here so we shall be also advanc'd to a greater likeness to him in Glory hereafter for by how much the greater the injuries are which for his sake we meekly sustain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost ad Rom. Hom. 22. by so much the greater shall be our Reward in Heaven and the more glorious our Crown In brief so many and so great are the Spiritual advantages for which we stand indebted to our Enemies that Saint Chrysostome speaks of it as a matter of admiration See says he what great Gains accrew to thee by meekly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Chrysost in Matth. c. 18. Hom. 62. bearing of injuries First And which is indeed the greatest the Remission of sins Secondly Fortitude Patience and Perseverance Thirdly Meekness Gentleness and Humanity For he that knows not how to be angry with those who grieve and afflict him much more will he be complaisant to his Friends Fourthly An uninterrupted calm and tranquillity of mind to which nothing is equal c. So that we may justly conclude with the same Father That by how much the more injurious by so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost ibid. much the greater Benefactor our Enemy is since the Good we get by him encreases in proportion to the evil we suffer from him Yea which is yet more wonderful Whereas the only thing we fear from our Enemies is some outward evil either in our Body Goods or Name a meek and charitable return to the injury he hath done us will not only defeat his malice but on the contrary will render it highly advantageous by procuring to us

Religious services shall be rejected as unclean as long as he is out of charity with his Neighbour This we are taught by our great Master If thou bring saith he Matt. 5. 23 24. thy Gift to the Altar and there remembrest that thy Brother hath ought against thee for any injury thou hast done him leave there thy Gift before the Altar do not dare to present it to God but go first and be reconciled to thy Brother that is do thy indeavour to appease his anger and to get him reconciled to thee and after thou hast so done then come and offer thy Gift And if God would not accept a Gift from him who had done an injury till he had sincerely indeavour'd to make satisfaction for it would he not much rather have abhor'd it if at the very time when he offer'd it he design'd or wish'd any mischief to his Neighbour And as all the Sacrifices of old were rejected when sowr'd with the leaven of malice in him that brought them so as little acceptable will all our Christian Sacrifices be unless attended with Charity and Forgiveness in those that offer them For as with the merciful God will Psal 18. 25 26. shew himself merciful so with the froward he will shew himself froward I need not tell you that he is no fit Guest for the Feast of Love who harbours hatred in his heart against any man since our Church in the Office for the holy Communion hath expresly forbidden all such to approach the Lord's Table supposing that the Cup of Blessing would to them be turn'd into a Cup of Wrath and that they would eat Judgment to themselves instead of Mercy But which is worse Not so much as any Prayer that is made by them however fervent and importunate will ever be accepted Yea so far will it be from being acceptable that it will be indeed an Abomination to the Lord. Nor need we wonder at this for as the Father before quoted reasons If any one who has offended thee who art 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Chrysost Hom. 20. in Matth. but a man should humbly address to thee and implore thy Pardon and while he lay prostrate at thy feet espying his Enemy should presently leave off his suit to thee and fall foul upon him would he not instead of atoning thee provoke and inflame thy Displeasure to a greater degree against him If so how much more reason is there that God should be angry with those Prayers that are presented by persons of such a malignant and wretched temper Yea should such persons as these not only offer up their Prayers to God but their Blood too should they give their Bodies to be burnt die 1 Cor. 13. 3. Martyrs to the true Religion 't would be a Sacrifice unacceptable to God And in what a miserable state must that man be all whose Prayers and Praises and other most holy things are turn'd into sin And yet this is not the worst his misery is still greater For 2. As long as he refuses to forgive his Brother he puts a bar to the forgiveness of his own sins He that revengeth Eccl. 38. 1 4 5. saith the Son of Sirach shall find Vengeance of the Lord and he will keep his sins in remembrance he sheweth no mercy to a man which is like himself and how doth be ask forgiveness of his own sins If he that is flesh nourish hatred who will intreat for pardon of his sins And as I have already shew'd our Saviour himself expresly tells us that if we do not forgive neither Mar. 11. 26. will our Father which is in Heaven forgive our Trespasses Yea when God gives us a Pardon 't is upon condition that we also pardon others If therefore we fail in our part our Pardon will be recall'd and all our sins will return again in their full weight and vengeance upon our own heads as our Saviour also teaches us Matt. 18. 34 35. Now as the man is bless'd to whom the Lord will not impute sin so how inexpressibly curs'd and miserable must he be upon whom the Lord will lay the guilt of his Iniquities For 3. The inevitable consequence of this is Loss and Pain endless and unsupportable Such as in malice resemble Devils in this world they shall have their portion with Devils in the next be everlastingly separated from the presence of God in whose presence there is fulness of joy and suffer the Vengeance of that eternal fire which they themselves by the coals of their Revenge have kindled And who can dwell with devouring fire who can dwell with everlasting burning If in their cool and sober moods they think the phantastick pleasure of Revenge a sufficient Recompence for those evils let them still go on and gratifie their Diabolical appetite Sixthly Nor can we think this hard measure from God if we consider that it is no more than what they themselves daily pray for For as often as they use the Lord's Prayer or any other Prayer conformable to it they pray to God for their own Damnation The reason is obvious because we pray forgive us our Trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us that is we ask the forgiveness of our sins against God but upon condition that we also forgive the trespasses of our Brethren against our selves If therefore we do not forgive we in effect pray that God would never forgive us but deal with us according to the merits of our sins And can the man who studies Revenge think of this without horrour and trembling Can he think the Punishment his own sin deserves so small that he can find in his heart to pray to God for it rather than remit the Punishment of his Neighbours offences If it be possible that any mans understanding should at present be so darken'd and his Conscience so stupefied with the fumes of his inordinate Passions yet when he shall feel the Vengeance which he now prays for when he shall come to know experimentally what the wages of his sins are he will be sufficiently sensible of the madness of his choice How will he then rage against himself and aggravate his own folly How will he become his own Tormenter and execute himself the Vengeance of God upon his own soul I might farther inlarge upon this Argument but I think it needless More than enough hath been already said to convince you that he who recompences evil to his Enemy hath no Enemy in the world so bad as himself that he brings more mischiefs upon his own head than 't is in the power of any other either men or Devils to do Should we therefore be so impious as to have no regard to the Religion we profess yet methinks we should be powerfully sway'd by our Interest If for God's sake we will not mortifie this Devilish Passion yet shall we not do it for our own Have we no compassion for our selves Or can our Lusts so perfectly