Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	lord_n	pardon_v	sin_n	9,714	5	5.0242	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A44168	A sermon preached in the parish church of St. Magnus the Martyr, by London-Bridge, on Sunday February 11th, 1699/700 at the baptizing of some persons of riper years, brought up by Quakers and anabaptists, but now conform'd to the Church of England / by Richard Holland ...	Holland, Richard, 1679-1706.	1700 (1700)	Wing H2436A; ESTC R804	17,510	35

Masters Table to Eat and Drink of those his Holy Viands in the other Sacrament of the Eucharist and there Enjoy in that Feast of Souls the Lord of all Glory by which we are Fed and Nourished even to Eternal Life And thus you see how your Earthly does exhibit and represent to you the Glory of your Heavenly Imployment and that if you would be Masters enjoy Liberty even the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God you must first be Bound must be admitted into the Family regularly and fairly as he has Ordain'd you must be Baptized every one of you in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ and then proceed from one Degree of Grace unto another so you will obtain what St. Peter's Congregation here aim'd at viz. To be Everlastingly Saved For this reason it is that the Font stands at the lower-end but at our Enterance into the Church where having been received and admitted into the Congregation and afterwards Instructed in our several Duties till we are well prepared for the Nobler Mysteries of our Profession the higher Cordials of the Gospel we then come to be advanced to the Lords Table that Holy Christian Altar at the Upper-end of all the most Honourable Place in Gods House that Royal Seat and Throne of the Blessed Jesus Where Injoying him in those his appointed Elements in their Season during the Course of our Lives with Honest Faithful and Repenting Hearts we shall perceive the constant refreshings of a good Conscience and Joyous Heart and at last be Translated to the Everlasting Arms of our Blessed Saviour and Enjoy Him in the highest Heavens But the first of those Holy Sacraments is our Province now In Discoursing upon which we shall a little more particularly consider 1. The Nature 2. The Necessity of it 3. The Qualifications for it 4. The several Duties we are Engaged in by it 5. The extraordinary Benefits and Advantages of it 1. For the Nature of Baptism It was always a Custom amongst the Jews that when any Proselyte was Receiv'd Enter'd and Admitted into the Church they were wont to use several Washings thereby denoting their Leaving off Forsaking or Washing away all their former Pollutions their old Prophane and Heathen Practises Nay the Jewish Authors say that not only Proselytes and those newly Converted from Heathenism but also the Natural Jews themselves were mitiated by these three things Circumcision Baptism and Sacrifices As this was the custom amongst the Jews so it pleas'd the Lord of Life the Author and Finisher of our Faith to appoint That whosoever should at any time be receiv'd into His Family admitted into His House and Fellowship shall be receiv'd by this very same Ceremony and Element of Water and the Holy Ghost has order'd this Form of words I Baptize thee in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Baptism then is the Door by which we enter into the visible Church of Christ and it is administred to Beginners in Christianity who are Initiated by Water This is done by Dipping or Sprinkling for the word signifies both and our Church makes the Action Indifferent leaving it to Discretion and to be regulated by Charity Dipping was first in use in hot Countries and when the greatest part were well grown People But when the Gospel was spread into colder Climates as ours Sprinkling only was thought sufficient And so does the wisdom of our Church conclude That if a Spoonful of Wine in the other Sacrament be as significative of the whole Mass of Christ's Blood as a greater quantity then a few Drops of Water may be a representative of Washing as well as a River And this Sprinkling perhaps the Apostles themselves used even in those hot Countries since we Read of them calling sometimes for Water in Houses to Baptize new Converts Acts 10. 47. 'T is to be done in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Intimating That what the Minister does is not of himself or on his own head but in the Name and Power by the Command and Commission of the whole Trinity God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Ghost And this Obliging the Person Baptized to own 1. The Glorious Trinity of Persons and consequently the whole Creed in the words of the Church Catechism to Believe in God the Father who made him and all the World 2. In God the Son who Redeem'd him and all Mankind That is who was pleased to undergo the Wrath of His Heavenly Father and all those Scourges due to our Sins that we might be free from Sin and Sorrow the power and danger of Death and Satan 3. In God the Holy Ghost who Sanctifies him and all the Elect People of God That is who Guides and Directs him and who Comforts and Refreshes him in the ways of Godliness As he thus owns and acknowledges the Holy Trinity so 2dly He yields himself an absolute Proselyte to the Faith of it excluding all other Gods or any other Authors and Patrons of Religion The● 3dly He devotes himself to follow the Rules and obey the Comands of this his new Master is always ready to be Govern'd and Guided by him and by all cheerful dispatch of Religious Duties demonstrates himself a very willing Disciple of this Blessed Trinity Now this Water and these Words is called the Form or the Outward part of Baptism And they have a great meaning in them which is called the Inward being a Death to Sin and a new Birth to Righteousness By Dying to Sin is only meant leaving it off washing away all Pollutions getting clear of them out of the Power and Dominion of them The Apostle also calls it A Quickening of us who were dead in Trespasses and Sins And St. John calls it Overcoming of the World For nothing makes a Man more a Slave than Sin nothing betrays Men more to Servitude then living in Sin nothing else but Sin can Domineer He then that overcomes it is a brave Commander is truly Master of himself and Enjoys the best Liberty And now very plain appears the meaning of a New Birth to Righteousness and being Born of God mention'd so frequently in Scripture which is only our Lords Enabling of us to Live Religiously and Act Honestly To have our Conversation here in Simplicity and Godly Sincerity and to keep our Consciences void of Offence both towards God and Man So we prove our selves Members of Christ and he will plentifully bestow upon us the Provisions of his Grace and Favour that is Mercy and Peace and Pardon of Sins here and Eternal Life Glory hereafter I come now to the Second thing To Consider the Necessity of Baptism The Word is here Be Baptized every one of you and this is if you have a mind to be Saved Besides which in St. John's Gospel c. 3. v. 5. Jesus himself says Except a Man be Born of Water and of the Spirit he cannot Enter into the Kingdom of

he that seeth he that heareth in Secret will reward openly we shall not fail then of Pardon and Forgiveness if we add that that 's next to be Consider'd to make up our Repentance and that is 4. A Forsaking of all our Sins and an utter abhorrence of them for the future He that Confesseth and Forsaketh it is that shall find Mercy Would we then perfect our Repentance and be truly Welcome to our Lord and Saviour in His House and Family Thus we must do Confess and Forsake own our former Follies and resolve upon a new and better Life promise to our Lord more Faithful Obedience and then take Care to perform it resign up our selves intirely to the Will of God and then indeavour to walk with him all the Days of our Lives So shall we be truly Wellcome to our Lord now in this Sacrament and ever afterwards in his House so shall we Enjoy the Comfortable Presence of the blessed Spirit here and even the Lord of Life in that Spiritual Banquet the other Sacrament And when these Earthly Services and Mercies shall fail us we shall receive Eternal Comforts be possest of Blessings Unspeakable and full of Glory so shall none of our former sinful Actions ever rise against us to Accuse or Condemn us or our Consciences to affright us but in Peace and Quietness in a Sedate and Calm Composure of Spirit we shall at last resign our Souls into the hands of God in sure and certain hope of a joyful Resurrection I am now in the 4. Place to consider the several Duties we are Engaged in by our Baptism and these are exactly set down in our Catechism when we Vow and Promise 1. To Renounce the Devil and all his Works the Pomps and Vanities of this wicked World with all the Sinful Lusts of the Flesh This Vow is of three parts The 1. To Renounce the Devil and all his Works By this the Church generally understands Renouncing of all false Gods and false Worship The World at the coming of our Saviour was full of Idolatry and therefore it was very proper that all those that were willing to engage in and be happy by the benefits of the true Religion should be obliged to Renounce absolutely all the false And this not only in Tongue but in Heart also not only in Profession but in Action As we are not to believe in pay Devotion to an Idol so nor are we to act any of those bruitish Villanies which took up the Lives of those Idolatrous Heathens As we are not to consult Witches and Devils so nor must we have such low and mean apprehensions of God and His wise Providence as to sink our Hearts and suffer them to be betrayed to any base and unlawful Compliances And therefore more especially by the Works of the Devil here was meant those abominable Villanies the Apostle says not to be Named among Christians which was the usual practise of those Heathen Idolators and for which the greatest of Gods Judgments have formerly been brought upon the Earth even fire and Brimstone upon particular Cities famous for those Brutalities Nay even that Deluge of Water upon the whole Earth But besides those there are others that may properly be called the Works of the Devil being such he delights in and is very diligent in Tempting us to Amongst these is Pride that Usurping and Ambitious Desire that made the first Devil and Dethroned him from an Empire in Heaven to the infernal Abyss of Hell such also is Lying for he is called a Lyar and the Father of it St. John 8. 44. Such also is Slandering for he is famously also called the Accuser of the Brethren such also is Malice and Envy being hateful and hating one another These are the proper Practises of him whom the Scripture calls a Murderer from the Beginning And such also is all Pleasure Contentedness and Delight in Sin and Encouraging and Tempting others to commit it all these are truly and properly called the Works of the Devil The second part of the Vow is To Renounce the Pomps and Vanities of this wicked World By these were meant formerly some Villanous and Unlawful Sports of the Heathens which we now thanks be to God know nothing of and as it respects us may be understood by them mostly all undue and sinful Compliances with any of the things of the World whether they be Riches or Pleasures or Honours whether it be Meat or Drink or Apparel whether it be Rest or Sport or Imployment or indeed any inordinate Enjoyment of any of these Earthly things Now many of all these things as they are Blessings when well used so when abused they become Curses Pomps and Vanities of this World and to be Renounced The third part of the Vow is to Renounce all the Sinful Lusts of the Flesh that is all Vile Affections and Beastly Humours and Greedy Cravings the Conquering of which is true Self Denyal and Mortification the great Duty of the approaching Season which I have endeavour'd to inculcate to you and which you will have many opportunities of improving in the knowledge of during Lent And so I come to the Second part of the Vow and Promise which is To Believe all the Articles of our Christian Faith which consists not only in the being rightly inform'd in the Articles of our Faith in Learning Endeavouring to Vnderstand and giving full Consent unto them but which perfects and compleats our Faith in Living accordingly in doing those things that will prove and well Demonstrate our Faith And particularly to explain this in the Apostles Creed When I say I Believe in God the Father Almighty I must Honour and Reverence Him as my God Love and Obey Him as a tender Father Fear and Own Him as he is Almighty Maker off Heaven and Earth Here I must attribute the Glory of all the Works of the Creation to Him admire his great Love in Communicating Being to us and all his Creatures give him only the Honour and Glory of Preserving and Blessing us and Love Admire and Praise his Universal Providence over the World At the same rate we must reduce to Practise all the rest of the Articles of our Faith and so doing is truly Believing of them The third part of our Vow and Obligation in Baptism is That we Keep Gods Holy Will and Commands and walk in the same all the Days of our Lives By which is meant that we will make it our Business as much as in us lies to walk according to the Direction of Gods ways that we will use our best Endeavours to work his Righteousness and apply our selves with all Diligence and Care to the discharge of all the several Duties of our Lives That we will not Practise Holiness by Fits and Starts only allow time for Devotions and Holy Duties when we have nothing else to do as is too much the Practise of some But that our whole Life shall be one continued Act of Honesty and

Piety and we always will Endeavour to grow in Grace and in the Knowledge and Love of our Saviour Jesus Christ that we will keep true and undaunted to the end and Fight our good Fight and Finish our Course and keep the Faith knowing that all this Labour will not be in Vain but that we shall receive an Ample and most Glorious Reward in the Final and Compleat Salvation of our Immortal Souls And this leads to the Last particular the Consideration of those glorious Benefits of Baptism By this it is that we assure our Salvation we enter into Covenant with the Lord of Life who has engaged himself we performing our parts to make us easie and happy here and glorious hereafter to afford us his Grace and Favour his Mercy and Love in this Life then to receive us to himself to partake of Eternal Glory in the Life to come By this we become Sons of God Heirs of Heaven and Members of Christ By this we have our Pardon Sealed and it is at our own Will and Pleasure afterwards whether we will be happy or not whether we will be Saved or Ruined By this we have the Favour and Grace of God Ascertain'd and in this we enter upon all those Glorious Fruits of our Blessed Lords Death and Passion of his Glorious Resurrection and Ascension And who can esteem these poor and mean things Who of any Sense and Thought can count them Indifferent Who but must highly Value and with all his Powers attempt to obtain them Happy most certainly are all they who are thought worthy of them Happy indeed all we who are capable of them who by the Care of our Parents in our Early Adoption and good Education may be properly said to be Born Heirs to them Happy our Nation that Enjoys the best of Churches and happy all those People who are brought up in the most Excellent Discipline of it Happy all we who had Christian and Conscientious Parents and were early Instructed in these Noble Principles thrice happy we who have so great and so many Encouragements to our Duty and may perceive so much Ease and Pleasure so much Joy and Satisfaction in the Discharge of it Happy are all they who square their Lives according to these Rules and makes it their Business to follow the Captain of their Salvation Happy all they who when denied and refused these Blessednesses by the Misfortune of Education or the Force and Violence of Commanding Relations do at last by the Grace of God and the Power of his Righteousness in their Hearts or by the Conviction of their own Sins and Misery in the want of a Saviour as the Men of Israel in the Text and these Persons here present do Heartily desire and in this Sacrament espouse Jesus Christ and Him Crucifyed Happy all those who omit no opportunities of securing all this Happiness Improving all these Glorious Priviledges Happy indeed the People that are in such a Case truly Blessed all they who thus have the Lord for their God I have still the Application to press to us all on these two Accounts both as we have obtained and as we have very Early and Long-ago obtained this Happiness To you first who now have obtained this Happiness this Christian Fraternity as you are now admitted into the Church of God and made Members of Christ suffer this Word of Advice You see how Glorious is your Imployment how great the Reward of it how Sacred the Profession is which you have now undertaken how serious and earnest are all the Rules and Laws of it You see how good is your security of reward from your Heavenly Father how necessary therefore is it for you not to be behind-hand but to make good your part You see that all the conditions are absolutely in Favour of you and that if you keep faithful to the end you 'll obtain such glory as does pass all understanding You see that you have enter'd upon an Holy Employment a Serious and Sacred Conversation you see what you have now Promised and Engaged even to put off and Renounce your former Natural Habits and Sinful Inclinations Nay you Solemnly have Vowed before God and good Witnesses a great Number of Christians in this Congregation that you would do your best so to do following the Commands of God and walking from henceforth in Newness of Life Lastly you see what you lose if you forfeit this your Trust and Break your Obligations and what you 'll gain You lose then no less than God and Heaven Joys Vnspeakable and full of Glory and you 'll gain only Disappointments and Vexations Torments and Trouble Vneasiness and the Gripes of Conscience while you 're on Earth and afterwards anguish of Soul Judgment with Despair all the Treasures of Hell even Eternal Desolations Be assured then that this is no Jest 't is no less than your Interest than your best Interest the Interest of your Souls And you will find that your Duty will require your utmost Care Baptism indeed begins an Happy Life but yet a Life not free from Trouble and Temptation the Devil is always very busie with New-beginners as soon as our Lord himself was Baptiz'd he had the Impudence to Attack and Tempt Him But he who overcame him will also guard you if you keep true to him and will take Care that you shall not be Tempted above what in will Enable you to bear and God grant that you may so Consider all these things as to answer the great end of this your Noble and so Glorious Call Lastly To all us who have been so long Engaged in this mighty Covenant let one Word be added We were early admitted into the Church with all the Ease and Satisfaction Imaginable with the Comfort of Friends the Joy of Neighbours the Assistance of Relations and all manner of Encouragement We have frequently repeated this Holy Contract Solemnly renewed it in the other Sacrament that of our Dear Lords Blessed Body and Blood Let us all remember and most earnestly Consider the Sacredness of our Obligation the necessity of our Obedience and the wonderful Indulgence of our Lord and Master who tho' we have been so long Bound and frequently have forfeited our Condition of the Contract and added many great Voluntary Obstinate and Vngrateful Violations of that most Holy Covenant yet is pleased not to take the Advantage of us but rather Forgive us and wait still for us is still open and ready to receive us willing and desirous to be Fully Reconciled to us And therefore we see the Reason for that Fatherly admonition we lately received from our Right Reverend careful Diocesan that that holy Sacrament be administred here in Gods own House at the place and times appointed by the Church not only to keep up the Honour of that Holy Sacrament of our Lord of late sunk to a most dreadful Disesteem by many but also that we our selves might there be Reminded of our own Promises our own former Vows and Obligations and brought thereby to a speedier Examination how we have answered those our Vows Let us all then who by this opportunity are refreshed with the Remembrance of our Duties let us take Care speedily to Return to our Lord Humble our selves before him truly Repent us of all our forfeitures and carelesness and apply our selves more diligently in our Masters Service for the future So shall we obtain Mercy and Ease Relief and Comfort Joy and Satisfaction while we continue amongst Men and when we shall have done with this World we shall receive a Welcome into the other ev'n to God Almighty our Eternal Father to our Lord and Master Jesus Christ who was Baptiz'd himself who Died and Rose again for us and to the Blessed Comforter who preserves and directs us To which most Glorious Trinity but one Only God let there be ascribed by all Men and Angels and created Brings all Honour Power and Glory Might Majesty and Dominion both now and Evermore Amen FINIS