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mercy_n heart_n law_n lord_n 21,919 5 6.6127 4 true
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A91798 A true catechisme concerning the word of God and the power of it, which is quick and lively in the heart the manner of its working by dividing and setting before the creature good and evil ... : also several questions answered by the experimental working of the spirit ... / written by one who is brought into the true Christian faith, and for the testimony of the same faith hath been cast into prison ... and scornfully called Quaker, whose name is Thomas Richardson. Richardson, Thomas. 1664 (1664) Wing R1415; ESTC R42602 17,030 43

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do not walk up to what they are perswaded in their heart is truth they being full of fears but if many do so for fear of the Law may not the Lord ardon such and shew mercy afterward Answer It is in God to pardon and to shew mercy upon repentance and forsaking sin and transgression but it is a dangerous thing to tempt and provoke the Lord by disobeying his voice slighting his visitation for it is with him to harden to give the creature to unbeliefe as he sees Cause so to day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts for they that neglect the day of their visitation wherein God calls them to repentance which is the day of mercy and healing his justice will find them out and how can it stand with the justice of God to own such as deny him hath not the Lord called many this day that will not hear may not the day come that such may call and cry and he will not hear are not such as know the truth and not obey it the fearful and unbelieving whom God will judge how dare thou who art afraid to confesse him before men count thy self a beleever or how dare thou build upon a hope in thy heart that he should hear thee when thou callest and thou deny him now he calls not this the hippocrites hope that must perish Question Thou speakest of a call that the Lord calls unto his people by how may I know when God calleth me or what is Gods call that I may know it Answer Gods call is by his word which is nigh in the heart that thou may hear it and do it it is so nigh thee that thou canst neither swear nor lie but the word is so nigh it will reprove thee and condemn thee Question Is that Gods call I have known that many times but whether doth it call me Answer The word in the heart calleth from the sin it is nigh to discover every sin it is a living word it is quick in making the sin known and calleth to abstain there are many are called but few are chosen Question What is the reason that many should be called and few chosen Answer The want of love to Gods word how should God Chuse such as hates to be reformed for God hath placed his word in the heart to reform the heart and many will talk of the word with their mouth but hates to be reformed by it in their hearts so as it is written every one that doth evil hateth the light but he that heareth the word and doth it such maketh their calling and election sure such yeildeth to the word that is so nigh to discover every oath and every lie though it might bring much gain the word is so nigh that calleth to forsake and rebukes also with such strokes of Judgement in the Conscience the righteous smiteth the Lord hath smitten and in smiting the fear of the Lord is learned the word is nigh in the heart that thou should hear it and do it the hearers and doers are such as yeilds and is willing to be taught by it but such as heareth the word and doth it not the word is as an hammer and smiteth them in their conscience that they go with a wounded Conscience and falleth under the wrath of God through disobedience Question Is there ability to be obtained as in matter of salvation as by hearing and doing or is it a matter of condemnation to hear it and not to do it Answer Yea there is matter of salvation in hearing and doing for it is written he that hear eth my word and doth it is compared to a wise man that built upon a rock but such as hear and do it not are compared to build upon the sand Question Hath man power to do the one and leave the other undone or may it not be imputed that it is a matter of works seeing that man may do it or leave it undone because thou saist hear and do or hear and not do Answer Yea there is power in man given him of God and he that is of God heareth Gods word the word is quick it is a speaking word is revealed in the heart speaketh against all manner of sin that ariseth in the heart so he that hath an ear to hear what the Lord saith such dare not lend an ear to the sin or to the wicked so the word is a law to the lawless the power stands in the word which is Gods stroke to the sinful part the love of this being felt in the heart Constraineth unto obedience and so begetteth a willingness in the mind for the word being powerful over-pours the heart which hath had its life in evil and overcomes the heart by love so that what by its love and what by its judgements the honest heart is made subject and this is none of mans works nor mans righteousness but the power of the word that the upright in heart heareth and doth by yielding obedience in heart unto it But he that heareth the word and doth it not are such as ●ive in Pride and Pleasures as Swearing Lying and even all manner of evil and hath many secret reproofs in their Consciences but will none of its reproofs and hates to be reformed by it for every one that doth evil hates the light so that their is a willingness in man naturally as being faln to do evil and being wholly inclined in heart thereunto there is power enough to do evil but hath no power of himself to do good but to leave all without excuse the Lord who hath no delight in the death of a sinner hath caused his light to appear in the sinful heart who by the word maketh the sin manifest so that many can acknowledge they do live in gross sins and that they are condemned in their own Consciences many times that the custom or habit of sin carrieth their hearts away to delight in iniquity so that the love of the evil carrieth or draws the heart after it and into it and that the creature hath power naturally to chuse the evil the heart being wholly bent thereunto yet this man or these sort of evil men are ready to confess upon examination that they many times do hear the word in their hearts that afflicts them and condemns them in their Consciences for not doing of it thus with many their is a Confessing but not a forsaking And therefore it is that they do not find mercy Question I astance some particulars that I may understand more plainly Answer For instance some men are given to Drunkenness and have an habit in that sin doth the Spirit of God lead into that sin nay then it must needs be an evil Spirit that leads into evil ways Now the word of God is nigh such a one even in his heart at the very time when the mind is running after strong drink or bad Company and the word sheweth the man the sin
and the danger yet the lustful mind rusheth into the sin as the horse to the battel and many times when man is overcome with strong drink then the word that forewarned of the evil when the creature is overcome with evil then the word in the heart afflicts the heart and soul and conscience What torment is there in body and soul and spirit who through the wilful mind in vexing God How doth the Lord vex such even in the very time and after such evil actions are brought forth yet the word that warned of the evil from it remains in the heart and condemns the creature many times for the misdeeds so as it is written Tribulation and Anguish upon every one that doth evil and to be short there may be felt in the heart good and evil the gift of God is the word of God every good gift and every perfect gift comes from above and God is the Author of it and there is an evil principle in the heart and that the Devil is the Author of and both these will move upon the heart the good moveth unto that which is good and the evil moveth unto that which is evil and as their is a yielding to either of these his servant thou art whom thou dost obey whether of sin unto death or obedience to righteousness but that which moveth to good if it be not obeyed it remaineth in the heart and changeth not its property but stands a witnesse in the heart against all wickedness and uncleanness and such as regard iniquity in their hearts the Lord will not hear their Prayer but he will make such to fear his wrath because of disobedience Question I perceive that man of himself hath not power to chuse the good and shun the evil but no want of strength to run into evil Answer Nay mans heart being overcome by the Serpents subtilty to redeem the heart again to God Christ the Way is to be made known in the heart who openeth the understanding and enlighteneth the heart and causeth man and woman to see into their own hearts what the hearts delight is in and whether they do to all men as they would be done by in outward dealing or no for he that is not faithful in the unrighteous Mammon who will commit to him the trust of the true riches Question It is true to deal justly and to love mercy is required and many men I hope who are in several forms of worship are indeavouring thereafter if that sacrifice be acceptable with the Lord. Answer The acceptable sacrifice is from a Believing heart who believes that God is and that he is a rewarder which is beyond a self righteousness which doth to be seen of men or to be so and so accounted for the just Spirit of God in the heart believed in constrains the creature to deal justly in all his dealings as in the sight of God for Gods fear stands in the heart which awes the man or woman who believe in Christ to deal justly and the same spirit constraineth to love mercy and also to walk humbly with God and this humility that I write of goes before honour Question How may I know a believer and an unbelieliever assunder seeing that the believers saerifice is accepted and the unbelievers rejected Answer By their fruits for a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit neither can an evil tree bring forth good fruit for such as the tree is such is the fruit a good man out of the treasure of his heart brings forth good fruit and an evil man out of the treasure of his heart brings forth evil fruit even as Cain and Abel for Abels sacrifice was accepted and Cains sacrifice was rejected Question What is the fruit that a good man brings forth out of his heart that I may take notice of it Answer The fruits of the Spirit is Love joy peace long-suffering gentleness patience and the like according to the Scripture Question What are the fruits that an evil man bringeth forth out of his heart Answer Murders adultery fornication uncleanness idolatry witchcraft mallice hatred variance strife and the like Question Why doest thou tell me of Abel and Cain that were so many years ago what doth their sacrifice resemble unto me Answer Abel and Cain they resemble two generations the wicked and the righteous Cain in envy persecuted the just as it is written He that envies is a murtherer and no murtherer hath eternal life abiding in him and such as live in envy this day perfecuting the just are of Cains spirit and of Cains generation and their sacrifice is rejected by the Lord. Question Why or to what purpose doth the wicked offer sacrifice if it be rejected by the Lord Answer Nay to no purpose the very prayers of the wicked are abomination with the Lord. Question But in case I be a sinner and in Cains nature finding in my heart much envy and wickedness wrath and malice and the like is there no way to finde mercy and forgiveness and redemption from sin Answer Yea by true repentance and godly sorrow which worketh true desires in the heart after the Lord and a true hunger and thirst after righteousness and also a hatred of evil feeling Gods fear placed in the heart for in the true fear standing that is the godly awe that keeps from sin the fear restraineth from evil and whosoever is restrained from evil it is by an invisible arme of God that rebukes the sinner by a secret reproof in the heart and conscience and this secret reproof being owned and loved and the sin forsaken the same arme that reproves the sin begets life in the soul so that the same arme that brings destruction to the sin in the heart the same arme which is the Spirit of God doth bring salvation to the soul for for this purpose is the Son of God come to destroy the works of the Devil and to work out mans salvation by placing the fear of God in the heart and so the fear of the Lord is to depart from iniquity and iniquity departing from a love and belief is raised up in the heart by the Spirit of God and this is the Faith that God is the Authour of And such as come hither findes the minde changed and turned from darkness to light from the sin and vanity to be guided by the Spirit and such come to see that to be spiritually minded is life and peace such feeleth the true Faith that removes mountains and reconcileth the heart to God and there is no other name under heaven whereby salvation cometh but by the Spirit of Jesus in the heart believed in that brings down pride that brings down envy and strife and every evil work and breaks down the partition wall and reconciles the heart to God and bringeth life to the soul who comes and his reward is with him Question It appears that true Faith God is the Author of But I would learn how this Faith