Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	let_v	lord_n	soul_n	14,434	5	5.5092	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A57013	Man's greatest concernment movingly press'd his chiefest happiness plainly opened, his many hinderances and intanglements discovered and removed, the indespensible and absolute need he hath of a saviour, and the fulness of Christ considered, the great length a man may come and yet be void of saving grace, together with the clear marks and evidences of a saving interest in Christ, motives pressing to self examination, with many excellent Christian directions / held forth in a letter written by that worthy man of God, that highly honoured witness, minister, and martyr to Jesus Christ, Mr. James Renwick, to two gentlewomen, August 13, 1687.	Renwick, James, 1662-1688.	1687 (1687)	Wing R1044; ESTC R35143	5,178	9

Man's greatest Concernment movingly press'd His chiefest Happiness plainly opened his many Hinderances and Intanglements discovered and removed the Indispensible and absolute Need he hath of a Saviour and the fulness of Christ considered The great Length a Man may come and yet be void of Saving Grace together with the Clear Marks and Evidences of a Saving Interest in Christ Motives pressing to Self Examination with many Excellent Christian Directions held forth in a Letter written by that worthy Man of God that highly honoured Witness Minister and Martyr of Jesus Christ Mr. James Renwick to two Gentlewomen August 13. 1687. Much Honoured Ladies THE Zeal which I desire to have for the Advancement of the Kingdom of Christ the Love which I bear to your Souls and my Sense of the Obligations which I stand under unto you in particular have moved me to take upon me to salute you with this Line There is not a rational Creature that doth not propone unto it self some chief Good the obtaining and enjoying whereof is the great Intent and End of all its Actions Who will shew us any Good But the woful Evil among Men is their setting up to themselves some n●ug●●● vain and petty Nothing and despising that wherein their real and chief Happiness doth only ly rejecting the Counsel of God against themselves This Mistake is deplorable for Man is an infinite Loser by it It is desperate for he refuses to be Instructed Hence so many different prevailing natural Inclinations and predomining Lusts as there are among the Children of Adam so many different chief Goods There be Gods many and Lords many I am sad to think upon the Folly and Madness of the poor Creature that thus doth forsake its own Mercy But let the World choose and follow what they please To us there is but one Lord. I am hopeful much honoured Ladies that ye are turning your Backs upon created and carnal Delights and setting your Faces towards Christ seeking after Union and Communion with him It is my Soul 's earnest Desire that it should be so and if the comfortless and distracting Vanities of a present perishing World shall wheedle and bewitch you that ye study not the Wisdom of God It shall bring great Grief and Sorrow of Heart unto me I say I am carried betwixt Hope and Fear I hope the Lord will work a good Work in you I hope it will be for I would have it to be and there are some Appearances of it And I fear that the pleasant and easy Yoke of Christ be looked upon as irksom and wearisome by you when I consider your Temptations and the seemingly promising Beginnings and fair Blossoms that I have seen in many which have fallen away without bringing forth mature Fruit. Do not take my Freedom in ill Part neither be offended with it for it cometh from Affection and my ardent Desire that ye should not neglect the great Salvation Religion is a great Mystery and a far other Thing than even the professing World taketh it to be There are many Hinderances in the Way of flying to Christ and closing with him The natural Blindness that is in Man whereby he neither sees his Sin and Danger nor his Saviour is a great Hindrance Rev. iii. 17 18. His natural Unwillingness and flat Aversation to the Way of Salvation laid down in the Covenant and held forth in the Gospel John v. 40. His hard-hearted Misbelief whereby he giveth no Assent to the Righteousness of Scripture Precept and Doctrine and Justice of Scripture Threatning nor Consent to Scripture Promises making fiducial Application of them John vi 38. Heb. xi 6. His whorish Addictedness to his Lusts Idols and carnal Intanglements whereby he doth not quite his Prophanity nor leave the Honour Applause Profit and Pleasure of this World Psal xlv 10 11. Song iii. 11. Chap. iv 8. His mistaking the Government of Christ counting it hard melancholick and unpleasant Matth. xi 28 29 30. His judging Religion but a Fancy and a politick Invention to amaze and amuse the Minds of Men Matth. xxii 5. His conceiving a Facility in Religion thinking there needeth not be so much ado about it and that he can do all that is needful when he pleaseth Matth. viii 19. John vi 44. His postponing the Business of Life eternal from Time to Time leaving that last in doing which ought to be first done resolving to amend e're he end whereby his vain Heart deceives him and Satan justles him out of all Time Luke ix 61. His peevish and foolish Impatience whereby he doth not forsake a present imaginary Good for a future real Happiness A Man may think it is a good Thing to enjoy everlasting Life but because that is an hereafter Happiness and lieth now only in Promise he cannot wait for it and take it as his Portion but grasps at what is present tho' it be neither comenting nor constant Psal iv 6. 2 Tim. iv 10 I say all these are great Hinderances see that ye get over these and all other Obstructions and lay hold upon Christ O that I could bewail the lamentable Condition of Man who is held in so many Chains ●rom this Work of great Concern and eternal Moment O much honoured Ladies consider the indispensible and absolute Need we have of a Saviour consider the awful Commands full Promises free Offers hearty Invitations and serious Requests given forth in the Word all crying aloud with one Voice unto you to match with the Lord of Glory Consider the Assurance that his own Testimony hath given you of dwelling with him throughout Eternity in his heavenly Mansions where ye shall see him as he is have a full Sense of his Love and a perfect Love to him again and ever drink of the Rivers of Pleasures that flow at his right Hand it ye shall embrace him upon his own Terms Consider the peremptory Certification of everlasting Destruction of dwelling with continual Burnings and lying under the Burden of his Wrath a Curse running always out upon you in the overflowing Flood if ye shall neglect to make your Peace with him and reject his Salvation I say consider those Things and give all Diligence to make your Calling and Election sure and see well that ye be not deceived for there are many Mistakes and a great Mystery in this Business Many think themselves to be something when as yet they are nothing and so deceive themselves and come short of the Grace of God instead of founding upon the immovable Rock of Ages they build upon the Sand of their own Attainments For Folk may go a great length and yet be void of true saving Grace they may have a great speculative Knowledge of the Matters of God and Mystery of Salvation and strong Gifts 1 Cor. xiii 2. They may abstain from many Pollutions and the gross Evils that others are given unto Luke xviii 11 12 13 14. They may externally perform many Duties as Reading Prayer and be very much