Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	israel_n	lord_n	redemption_n	2,132	5	10.1091	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A01898	A childe of light vvalking in darknesse: or A treatise shewing the causes, by which God leaves his children to distresse of conscience. The cases, wherein [God leaves his children to distresse of conscience.] The ends, for which [God leaves his children to distresse of conscience.] Together vvith directions how to come forth of such a condition: vvith other observations upon Esay 50. 10, and 11. verses. By Tho: Goodwin B.D.	Goodwin, Thomas, 1600-1680.	1636 (1636)	STC 12037; ESTC S103254	155,960	295

in the other made to any grace in it selfe which it may rest upon yet the soule then looking upon God and considering what a God he is and what he sayes of himselfe of his mercy and kindnesse and free grace towards sinfull men The consideration of what meerely it knowes to be in God as he is revealed in the covenant of grace may support him This it is to stay upon his name Now to explaine this further to you By the name of God two things are meant First those glorious attributes especially of grace and mercy whereby God hath expressed himselfe and made himselfe knowne to us Secondly Jesus Christ as hee is made and set forth to be righteousnesse to the sons of men For the first in the 24. of Exod. ver 4 5 6 7. The Lord proclaimed his name The Lord God mercifull gracious long-suffering aboundant in goodnesse and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sinne and will by no meanes cleare the impenitent For the second I referre to that place Ier. 23. 6. speaking of Christ This is the name wherewith hee shall be called or made knowne to us THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESSE that is that Jesus Christ who is God hath righteousnesse in him for us which may be made ours So that when a poore soule in distresse is not able to say I see such or such signes or any evidence in my selfe whereby I can say God is my God or that Christ is mine yet because I see free grace enough in God and righteousnesse in Christ which I being a sinfull man and not a devill may therefore bee capable of and may come to have an interest in them though I know nothing in my selfe whereby I can challenge any present interest and because grace and mercy is his Name and Our Righteousnesse his Sonnes Name therefore I doe cast my selfe upon both for pardon and favour and thereupon my soule leanes staies and abides and from these it will not bee driven So that these two apprehensions meeting in the heart in truth help to make up this resting upon his Name here spoken of namely First that there is such free grace good will and mercy c. in God and that Jesus Christ is appointed and made to be our Righteousnes And secondly that I am capable of and may come to have an interest in both these and that though there be nothing in me which may challenge an interest in them yet there is nothing that excludes mee whereupon I cast my selfe upon God for both and there rest yea though I cannot yet say that ever I shall obtaine them And this where it is in truth and accompanied with that firme resolution of turning to God in all things aforementioned is as good faith as any of you have in your hearts And so I come to the proofe of this namely That when the name of God and Christ are thus simply and alone apprehended they may bee sufficient ground for faith to rest upon then which nothing can be more comfortable to a poore distressed beleever Num. 14. When Gods wrath waxed hot against his people as sometimes in like maner it doth against a poore soule that God began to say how long shall they provoke me ver 11. and speakes of destroying them and of making Moses a great Nation what hath Moses his faith recourse unto but to that proclamation of his Name you heard of before and urgeth that ver 17 18. Let the power of my Lord bee great according as thou hast spoken The Lord is long suffering and of great mercy forgiving iniquitie transgression and sin and he desires him to shew his power in pardoning because as much power is seen in overcomming his wrath as in making a world Let thy power be great it was his name you see that was alledged by Moses and prevailed with God for mercy So also for his Sonnes sake The Lord our Righteousnesse Elihu sayes Job 33. when a mans soule is in deepest distresse as in the 19 20 21 22. ver he describes it yet sayes he ver 23. If there be a messenger to shew a man his uprightnesse that is that righteousnesse that is laid up for men in the Lord Iesus then God is gracious to him and sayes deliver him and he resting thereupon his flesh returnes to him againe it is a meanes to stay him and restore him I mention these places of the olde Testament rather then of the new out of which you see Gods name and his Sonnes name are al-sufficient to uphold and support a soule So the pen-man of that Psalme whether David or whoever Psal 130. when hee was in his depths as ver 1 2. plunged over head and eares in sorrow and discomfiture what hath his faith recourse unto 〈◊〉 4. to Gods name to nothing that was in himselfe but simply to what his faith apprehended to be in God Mercy it with thee hee sayes no more in him and with him it is to be had and he confirmes his faith in that by this argument because else none would feare him and If thou wert extreame to marke what were amisse no man could stand or would be saved therefore surely sayes he mercy is with thee and therefore let Israel hope in the Lord ver 7. And why what because Israel sees he hath grace in himself no but because mercy is with him plenteous redēption v. ult which word redēption hath relation to his Sons name There is enough in him else he will have none and Israel is mentioned in his will as capable of it therefore sayes he I will waite and hope in the Lord. ver 5. and though hee could not say that God had forgiven him yet forgivenesse was with him and there hee pitcheth and resteth his soule as a beggar at a great mans doore when there is none else in the country able or willing to relieve him there he lyes though hee knowes not whether he shall have any thing or no. In my fathers house there is bread enough sayes the Prodigall there it is to be had and no where else and there is enough and crummes will serve me sayes the woman of Canaan thou art the Mediator thought she and it is thy businesse to save and though I am a dogge yet I am capable of having crummes Woman sayes Christ great is thy faith not such faith among all my disciples These trusted in his name and nothing in themselves So Psal 62. David sayes at the 5. ver He trusted in God for salvation and mercy and exhorts throughout the whole Trust in God fully and at all times in no creature ver 8. 9. And what was it he rested upon simply two attributes of his viz. Mercy and Power God hath spoken once that is irrevocably as Psal 89. 35. Once have I sworne c. and twice I have heard this that is often met with it in the word and thought of it sayes he that with God is power v.

justification to discover also what is in their hearts This is conceived to have been his end in deserting Iob to shew what strong patience unconquered faith was in him There be many gracious dispositions which actually have not opportunity to discover themselves bu● in case of this kinde of desertion some of those which are the highest acts of Grace and purest fruits of it and which are the surest evidences of the truth of grace would never appeare but in case of such desertion For instance then it is knowne whether a man love God for himselfe and for those excellencies of wisdome holinesse and goodnesse that are in him when yet hee knowes not whether he himselfe shall be ever the better for them yea or no Then also it is manifested to be pure sincere and unfained obedience Then it is seene his repentance is true when he repents not of it then when he is out of hopes of any reward for it Then it is seene his sorow is godly sorow when though the sentence of condemnation is read to him in his owne apprehension and conscience and he verily thinks he is taking his leave of God for ever and going to execution yet he can down upon his knees ask him forgivenesse and mourneth that ever he wronged him is angry and displeased with himself that a God so good so just should have so just cause to be angry and displeased with him and he findes he could have some rest and contentment that God is glorified upon one who hath so much dishonored him Such dispositions as these would never see the light if it were not for this darknes But as Natura vexata prodit soipsam Nature when conclusions are tryed upon it and it is put out of its course then it discovers it selfe even as anger discovers it selfe when a man is 〈◊〉 as if you would know the properties that are in herbes you must try conclusions with them So also here doth God with a mans graces and then they discover their most occult and hidden properties It were endlesse to go over all particular graces Especially for the tryall of Faith I will but more distinctly instance in that glorious grace of Faith Which in this tryall deserves more then all graces else and though in all the varieties of conditions we passe through it stands us in stead yet in desertions it alone doth wonders Standing like Sampson encountring and conquering alone when there is none to help Because likewise it is that grace which is called for in the Text Let him trust in the name of the Lord as being that grace which God principally tryes to discover the truth and magnifie the power there of in such desertions First this is certaine there is no grace God tryes more then this grace of faith 1. Of all graces God tries faith the most Therefore 1 Pet. 1. 7. Yee are in heavinesse through manifold temptations that the triall of your faith being much more precious then of gold which perisheth being tryed in the fire might bee found to glory praise and honour That is both to the honour of God who is beleeved in and also of faith it selfe which is the most glorious grace a Christian hath which God loves to try to that end the glory of it may appeare In the fifth verse he having said that we are kept by the power of God to salvation If any now should aske wherein is that power of keeping us most shewne He answers in and through faith Yee are kept by the power of God through faith and if you aske when and wherein is the power of God through faith seene most He instanceth in manifold temptations that the try all of your faith c. Now then as of all graces God would have faith tryed So 2. 2. Of all trials this of darknes is the greatest ● for 3. reasons of all temptations none try it more then desertion of Gods countenance this of darkness and of terrours other temptations strike but obliquely at faith but these lay direct battery to our faith for they strike at that which is the immediate aime and object of it namely that God is a mans God These speak the direct contrary to what faith endeavours to apprehend and that directly and not by consequence onely Again other temptations are easily borne and answered whilest the assurance of Gods favour remaines unshaken it answers them all and shakes them off as He the viper off his hand but when that shall begin to be questioned as in this case it is who is able to stand and what is able to strengthen a man then but the power of faith as Solomon sayes of the spirit of a man that it will beare all kinde of infirmities if it selfe bee whole but if it be wounded who can beare it So I say of assurance if it be weakened and battered the very foundations thereby are shaken a mans freehold toucht the roote struck now in such a case it is faiths peculiar office to stand a man in stead when nothing else can therefore hee sayes Let him trust c. because it helpes thus at this dead lift Againe thirdly in these conflicts of faith with desertions consisteth the height of our Christian warfare This is the highest pitcht battell the greatest and as it were the last brunt upon which all is either won or lost for in these a man encounters with God himselfe apprehended as an enemy God called out Iob to try him by fighting a single combate with Sathan and he became as I may so say too hard for Satan alone and God joynes against him also now then to beare the brunt and shock of his wrath and yet to stand upon a mans feete this to the utmost argueth the strength of faith Hosea 12. 3. It is said of Iacob That by strength he had power with God it argued strength indeed and this is done by faith by the power whereof Gods power rather supporting it a man relies on God when all his dealings would argue hee had forsaken a man that though God put on never so angry a countenance lookes never so sternely yet faith is not dasht out of countenance but can reade love in his angry lookes and trust God beyond what he sees it being the evidence of things not seene Then faith goes wholly out of it selfe and seeing nothing in it selfe but barely a capacity of mercy and plenteous redemption which it knowes to be in God This faith is a miracle of miracles for it is founded as the earth upon meere nothing in it selfe and yet beares the weight and stresse of sinnes devill yea of God himselfe And this is the faith ye are converted by in beleeving then on him that justifies the ungodly Rom. 4. 5. and that which we must live by when all comforts faile and this is that faith which must stand you in stead at death when the King of feares comes and besiegeth you and this is the faith

whose Name is holy that he dwells with him that is of a contrite spirit to revive the spirit of the humble Isa 57. 15. And bee further bold to tell him that there are but a few in the world that do seek him and if he should turne any away that doe he would have fewer for who would feare him Psal 130. 4. if there were not mercy in him and plentenus redemption If still he doth pursue thee his wrath lyes heavy on thee ask him what it is he aimes at Is it to have the victory and overcome when he judgeth as Rom. 3. 4. which David also knew when he humbled himself Ps 51. 4. Freely tell him that thou art willing to give it him to yeeld to him to stand out with him in nothing but art content to submit to his cōmanding will in all things to his condemning will also if so he pleaseth and that it shall be just as David there acknowledgeth if hee doth condemne thee and justifie thou him whilst he is condemning thee and say that at the latter day he shall need no other judge against thee then thy selfe Only beseech him to consider what honour it will be to him to pursue dry stubble Iob 13. 25. to break a poore dryed leafe that crumbleth under his fingers if he doth but touch it as Iob pleads to break a reed that is broken already Mat. ●2 20. Say thou art not a fit match for him and he hath said He will not contend for ever Isa 57. 19. especially when he sees any to lay downe the weapons as thou art content to doe Or is it aske him that he aimes to have glory out of thy eternall condemnation in hell tell him it is true he may and that this is some comfort to thee that he may have glory out of thy death and destruction who never yet had it out of thy life but yet desire him to consider this before he thrusts his sword into thee Zach. 13. 7. that hee did first sheath it in his Sonnes bowels and that he may shew as much power in overcomming his wrath as in venting of it yea and have also greater glory thereby for plead that thou art never able to satisfie him though he should throw thee downe to hell he may cast thee into prison but thou canst never pay the debt and what profit therefore will be in my blood Psal 30. 9. and therefore if satisfaction to his justice be his end he might better accept that which his Son made him and so he shall be sure to be no loser by thee and thereby not onely receive the glory of his justice but shew the riches of his grace and mercy also and so double the revenew of his glory in thee Or is it Lord that thou aimest to have more obedience from me then heretofore thou hast had plead that this is the way at present to disable thee for service for that while thou sufferest his terrors thou art as one among the dead listlesse not to his businesse onely but to all things else Distracted with terrours as Heman pleads Psal 88. 15. so as the powers and forces of thy soule are scattered and dissolved and cannot intend and attend upon their duty and besides this distraction in thy spirit plead that it consumes thy strength also 〈…〉 as David also often complaineth and makes an argument of it as Psal 39. 10 11 12 13. Remove thy stroke away from me I am consumed by the blow of thine hand When thou rebukest man for sinne thou makest his beauty to consume away as a ●oth Oh therefore spare me that I may 〈◊〉 strength before I goe hence and be no more seene And withall put him in minde that if he should go on thus to deale with thee as thou shouldest not be able to doe him much service so nor to doe it long For it will cut short my dayes Say this David pleadeth Psal 89. 46 47. compared with the 39. Psalme ver 12. How long Lord wilt thou hide thy selfe for ever Shall thy wrath burne like fire remember how short my time is As if he should have said I have but a little time here allotted me in the world though none of it bee shortned And further tell him that for that little time thou hast to live the more joy thou hast the more service thou shalt be able for to doe him and to goe about his worke more lively and more strongly For the joy of the Lord is our strength Nehem. 8. 10. and more acceptably also 2 Cor. 9. 7. for thou lovest a cheerefull giver And therefore intreate him to restore thee to the joy of his salvation so shalt thou bee able to do him more service in a week then in a year now long trouble of minde being as long sicknesses which make all thy performances weake and it is for his disadvantage to have his servants lye long sicke upon his hands And if it bee objected against thee that if thou shouldest bee trusted with much assurance thou wouldest abuse it and turne it into wantonnesse Reply that if he pleaseth he can prevent it by preparing thy heart aforehand for these cordials so as they shall worke most kindly on thee by writing a law of love towards him in thy heart which when his love shed abroad shall joyne with will worke most strongly and one graine of it have more force to purge out sinne to constraine and strengthen to obedience then a pound of terrors And say that though thou hast indeed a stubborn and selfe-loving heart yet he can make his loving kindnesse overcome it Cant. 8. 6. for it is stronger then death say thou hast love in thee which runs out enough to other things if he would be pleased to winne it to himselfe Suggest how that that soule mentioned Isa 57. had as stout and stubborne an heart as thou and went on frowardly notwithstanding all thy terrours and yet oh Lord thou tookest mother course with him and didst heale him againe and that by comforts I will heale him sayes God there and restore comforts to him ver 17 18. and that so if hee please he may deale with thee And if light and mercy yet comes not but still God seemes as it were to cast thee off then call to minde if ever thou hast had any true communion with him and thereupon begin to challenge him so doth the Church Isa 63. 16. when in thy case when his mercies were restrained to her she saies yet Doubtlesse thou art my father shee saw God was angry her heart hard ver 17. yet shee thought shee should know him Doubtlesse he is my Father and where is thy zeale the sounding of thy bowels so challenge him thou upon that old acquaintance thou hast had and held with him in former times Say Doubtlesse thou art my farther and my husband how strange soever thou cariest thy selfe now towards me for dost thou