Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A53077
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The covenant of grace effectually remembred being the substance of a sermon or two / preached by a minister of the Gospel.
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Newcome, Henry, 1627-1695.
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1682
(1682)
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Wing N894; ESTC R13264
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17,290
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32
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Children after many Generations in faithfulness unto them and who can tell but these bad Children's Children may likewise come in 3. It may be if the Covenant was better understood and better kept and better taken hold of for Children than it is it might more effectually operate for them in the case they are in who knows but that Mercy might sooner be obtained for them and they might yet turn to their Fathers God and the disobedient might yet come in again to the wisdom of the just 4. And who knows yet what may be done for these Children of the Covenant God may remember Mercy for them and bring them back again 5. And doth not God remember his Covenant for such Children in that tho they have not the desired grace of the Covenant yet God give them the discipline of the Covenant Psal 89.31 32 33. God doth correct them duly for their Trangressions and they are usually crossed as some others in their Circumstances are not It is not ordinary for bad Children of good Parents to prosper in the World they may account to be crossed which I take to be Gods remembring the Covenant of their Fathers for them to withhold them thereby from some degrees of wickedness and to keep them still in the way of cure and recovery by their afflictions So that he doth remember his Covenant for ever with respect to our Children 10. For the Church of God He still will have a Church the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it The Enemies shall not be able to root it out God hath not cast off his People when they are in greatest distresses he hath remebered for them his holy Covenant When his People were in Egypt in great distress and bondage Psal 106 4â— he says I have heard the groanings of the Children of Israel Exod. 6.5 whom the Egyptians keep in Bondage and I have remembered my Covenant And we know how effectual it was for their thorough and speedy deliverance when there is none shut up nor none left he will then own his Relation to his own People He sware to Abraham to give him that Land whereas yet he had no Child when so long there was so few when oppressed so long in Egypt yet it is done at last If the promise seem to run under ground yet it shall break out again in a mighty stream Isa 43.1 to the 8. His Covenant for his whole People as his Church as the body of Christ the fulness of him that filleth all in all Eph. 1.23 shall obtain it in two things especially 1. That whatever advantages Enemies get shall in the end make against them It is but to ripen them for their ruin they do but in one misery fill up the measure of their iniquity and the full account will be brought upon them and they shall not do what they will neither 2ly Whatever the Church suffers shall in the end tend to its advantage the very sufferings for the truth shall advance it Philip. 1 12. all tends to the furtherance of the gospel the blood of the Martyrs is the seed of the Church 3ly How should we be always mindful of this Covenant 1. To close with it In an utter disclaim and abhorrence of all worth of thy own to lay hold of the grace of the Covenant â—ieb 6.18 To fly for refuge to the hope that is set before thee let the righteousness of Christ reign in thy Soul continually Phil. 3.8 9. Count all but loss and dung that you may win Christ and be found in him If he be extream to mark what is amiss who can stand but by the Covenant there is forgiveness with him we are undone but for the Promise that hath no foundation but meer Mercy and Goodness Psal 103.3 4. Isa 56.4 6. The Eunuchs and the strangers that take hold of the Covenant shall find favour This explicite owning of the Covenant is our duty and interest as in all the benefits of it Isa 44.5 The Soul consents to the match to belive and to recive Christ They delivered and gave up themselves to the Lord and unto us 2 Cor 8.5 We Ministers as the friends of the Bridegroom sue for consent in this case we pray you in Christs stead that ye be reconciled unto God 2 Cor. 5.20 And men should be mindful always to do their duty on this account 2. To keep it Gods Mercy is Everlasting to them that keep his Covenant and remember his Commandments to do them Psal 103.17 18. They are mindful of the Covenant that feel themselves under the force of its obligation that observe the terms and the condition of it that they may keep up their title to all the benefits of it Exod. 19.5 If ye will obey my voice indeed and keep my Covenant then ye shall be a People unto me above all People for all the Earth is mine If ye will have me remember my Covenant for you you must be mindful to live by the rules of it to take heed that you forget not the the Covenant of God Isa 44.17 but that with purpose of heart you cleave unto the Lord Acts 11.23 3. To trust to it God would be believed and relyed on He would have men to set their hope on him Psal 78.7 He taketh pleasure in them that fear him and in those that hope in his Mercy Psal 33.18 The Church relies for pardon upon the Covenant which is compounded of Mercy and Truth Mic. 7. ult He takes pleasure to be trusted Be always mindful of his Covenant so as to trust in the Lord at all times Psal 62.8 for every thing Soul and Body Self and Others Private and Publick 4. To plead it Remember thy word to thy Servant wherein thou hast caused me to put my trust Psal 119.49 says holy David And Nehemiah when he prayed for the Church in great distress he pleads with God in prayer from this That he is God that keepeth Covenant and Mercy for them that fear him and observe his Commandments Neh. 1.5 and 9.32 the best Plea we can have at the Throne of Grace and that which an infinitely good God that remembers his Covenant for ever delights to be argued with 5. To renew it Frequently and Solemnly Jer. 30.21 22. and 50.5 and this upon solemn occasions and ordinances for that purpose wherein we have opportunity to take fresh hold of it and to renew our engagements in it 6. To improve it Against temptataitions 1. To sin When tempted to sin remember the Covenant is this according to the Covenant am I not bound to do otherwise Is not my own hand against me As I hope for the priviledge must I not do the duty of the Covenant 2 Tim. 2.19 1 Cor. 6. uli I am devoted and vowed and espoused to the Lord and I cannot be free to sin 2. To despondency Why whatever my condition is this well-ordered Covenant is all my Salvation and my desire 2 Sam. 23.5
see the light His power shall be great to forgive the greatest sinners He hath the absolute Supreme Power to forgive all manner of transgressions he is not limited and he can find in his heart to forgive the greatest sinners and when they come he remembers his Mercy effectually for them 1 Tim. 1.15 the chiefest sinners may here find Mercy O says the Psalmist and so any Soul that hath felt Guilt will say the same Blessed is the man whose sin is forgiven Psal 32.1 2 3 4 5. c. Let his condition be what it will sick poor despised no matter what it be if forgiven he is blessed The truth is I was sullen and loath to yield and kept silence I would not be in any fault or if I was I would not take to it I would not honour him for a time by my submission but I was in sad case that while all consumed within me and then at last I said I will confess my transgression I will yeild and humble my self and not hide any thing in the case but throw my self upon his Royal grace in the way of submission and repentance And no sooner did I say thus and conclude thus and act thus but I found acceptance thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin And so will he always do with poor sinners that repent He hath not proclaimed Mercy as expecting that none will lay claim to it or trust to it and so boggle at it or go about to diminish and lessen it to those that come in upon it O no he delights to shew Mercy and remembers his Covenant fully and effectually in this case 3. For grace to repent It is his Covenant to accept us when we repent and also to help us to repent They are blessed whose sins are forgiven Psal 32.2 and in whose spirits there is no Guile that is that honestly and without hypocrisy do repent that do not sin with thoughts to repent of it nor do not repent with thoughts to sin again this is guile Now the poor Soul may be convinced of the evil and danger of sin and may rejoyce in Mercy offered to the penitent but says it Wo and alas How shall I repent how shall I be able to repent truly if I do repent my heart is hard and deceitful O how shall I come acceptably unto God that I may find Mercy Is this thy case why God will remember his Covenant to the Soul that he hath made willing to make it able His Covenant is to take away the hard and to give a soft heart to write the Law in the heart Jer. 31.33 he hath promised to give the Spirit to them that ask him Luk. 11.13 When we are converted at first or after God hath remembred his Covenant for us and hath blessed us in turning us from our iniquity Act 3.26 And by exalting Christ to be a Prince and Saviour to give repentance and forgiveness of sins Acts 5.26 He will not forgive if we turn not heartily to him but he expects not that we should turn in our own strength what he requires he also promises Turn you at my reproof I will pour out my Spirit upon you whenever any sinner hath repented God hath remembred his Covenant for him to help him therein and none ever cryed for help in this case but God hath in faithfulness afforded grace unto him 4. For perseverance The poor sinner is turned and hath found the difference in the change but is apt to forget himself and is subject to fall sadly but God remembers the Covenant and he orders it that the Soul shall not fall finally It is by the Covenant that our standing is secured Jer. 34.40 he will not forsake us nor suffer us to depart from him He will put his fear into our hearts that we shall not depart from him We are kept by the mighty power of God through faith to the day of Salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 Joh. 10.28 29. Grace being a Creature might no doubt be lost but our Salvation is lodged where it cannot be lost It is in the Covenant and in Christs hands He will not suffer our faith to fail he will take order to bring us back by repentance when we go a stray It is in this faithfulness and truth of God that our standing is secured and therein it cannot fail The Lord will not cast off his People since it hath pleased him to make them his People 1 Sam. 12.22 when he sees a poor believer step out of his way he remembers his Covenant and sends some conviction or some affliction to make him bethink himself that he may turn back again what a sad havock would be made amongst them in a little time if God did not remain faithful to his Covenant and remember it for us from this it is a poor Soul may have confidence and it is not impudence to say I have gone astray like a lost Sheep but Lord seek thy Servant Psal 119. ult bring back and restore thy poor Servant * They quarrel thee and would give over The bargain made to serve thee but thy love Holds them unto it and doth cover Their follies with the wing of thy mild dove Not suffering those Who would to be thy foes Herb. God hath remembred his Covenant for us or we had long since forsaken Christ and given over to follow after him 5. For support and comfort under Temptation It is possible for one that feareth the Lord and obeyeth the Voice of the Prophet to be in the dark and to see no light yet even then let him trust in the Lord Isa 50.10 and stay himself upon his God He never forgets to be gracious he can never shut up his loving kindness in displeasure but he will refresh and give light again and he discernably at the time remembers his Covenant for them in that whilst he hides his Face he draws their heart after him oft sorrowful sinners are afraid to sin and are willing to do any thing which it may be they would not be so ready to if they had the peace and joy which they want He is faithful to them in all their desertions and further than it is best for them their troubles shall neither encrease nor continue Light is sown for all the righteous and gladness for the upright in heart It is sown and it will come up Psal 97.11 It is sown in the Covenant and in the Promise and it is sown in their humiliation of Soul and it is sown in the holiness of their hearts and harmlesness of their lives and in the best time it will come up they shall return with joy and bring their sheaves with them Christ the blessed Mediator of the Covenant was tempted and he knows how to pity and succour them that are tempted Heb. 2.18 The soul in this case may say as Mic. 7.8 9. When I fall I shall arise when I sit in darkness the Lord shall be a light unto me