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	sin_n	temptation_n	2,738	5	9.1133	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A73546	A discourse of the sinne against the Holy Ghost Grounded upon Matt. Chap. 12. vers. 22.-23. Tending to the comfort of such persons as, being afflicted in conscience for their sins, are, by the delusions of Satan, brought to the brinke of despaire, through feare that they have fallen into that unpardonable sinne. Written some space of time since, by that godly and judicious divine M. William Bradshaw, sometime fellow of Sydny Colledge in Cambridge; and publish'd by his sonne Iohn Bradshaw.	Bradshaw, William, 1571-1618.; Bradshaw, John, 17th cent.	1640 (1640)	STC 3515.5; Wing B4156; ESTC S91179	48,035	158

unpardonable For the first he saith that all Sins one onely excepted may be pardoned yea though a man should revile and blaspheme even the Son of God himselfe For the second hee affirmes that one Sinne onely is utterly impardonable and that Sinne is the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost In the former part when our Saviour saith that every Sin and Blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men His meaning is not that they shall certainly and absolutely be forgiven to all men so that no man for any Sin whatsoever shall goe to Hell if he can keep himself from that one sin that commeth after For then there should goe but a few to speake of to Hell whereas it is cleere by Gods Word that the number of those that shall be saved is but a small number in comparison of those that shall be damned Furthermore the Scripture is as cleere that men are and shall be damned for other Sinnes besides this The rich glutton in the Gospell was not damned for this Sinne Luke 16. but for his unmercifulnesse to Lazarus that miserable spectacle at his dore And our Saviours Sentence of condemnation that hee shall pronounce at the latter day against those on his left hand M●t. 25.41 42 43. shewes the contrary Yea this Doctrine so taken should be a Doctrine of the greatest liberty that ever was taught and a very dissolving of the Law For then might men murther and whore and steale and lye and sweare and forsweare and doe any thing without danger of Hell so that they kept themselves from this Sinne. But his meaning is that this one Sinne excepted there is no other particular Sinne how high or hainous soever but it is pardoned in some or other may be pardoned in any and shall bee pardonable in all if the fault bee not in themselves 1 That they have been pardoned in some the Scripture doth amply testifie That Mother Sinne of all in eating the forbidden Fruit was forgiven in Adam and Eve and in all the Elect though eternally punished in the Reprobate So the Sin of Drunkennesse in Noah the Sinne of lying and consening in Rebeckah and Iac●b the Sinne of Incest in Lot the Sinne of Murder and Adultery in David the Sinne of Apostasie and Idolatry in Solomon the Sinne of Oppression in Zachee the Sinne of robbing and stealing in the Thiefe on the Crosse the Sin of bloudy and spightfull persecuting of the Saints of God which commeth neerest the Sin impardonable in the Apostle Paul 2 That they may be forgiven and are pardonable in any appeares by this that they have been pardoned in some For if a Sinner can say that such or such a Sinne which hee is guilty of hath been pardoned in such or such a person why should he despaire as if God would not or could not pardon it in him That which God hath done in any hee can doe in thee 3 That all other Sinnes are pardoned in all except the fault bee in themselves is evident also For as God forceth none to sinne so hee forceth none to continue in Sinne And it is not for Sinne so much that he damneth any as for the continuance therein without Repentance And there are none that live in the Church and have the use of their understanding but hee vouchsafeth them sufficient means to bring them to Repentance if they would use them and seeke after them Hee vouchsafeth indeed to some greater and more effectuall means than to other some and doth worke more powerfully in the means But there can none complaine and say that they wanted means and that the fault was not in themselves that they repented not Vse 1 This point serves to comfort those that are afflicted and mourne and groane under the burthen of their Sinnes and through the sight of their Sinnes are brought as it were to the Gates of Hell and to the pits brinke of despaire How should the consideration of this support them against all such Temptations that our Saviour himselfe should with his owne mouth professe that all Sinnes but one are forgiven to men So that be their Sins never so many never so great yet if it be not that Sinne there is hope of mercy if due means be used and they doe not desperately exclude themselves there-from 2 This serves not to encourage and hearten any to goe on in their wonted course of sinning but rather the contrary It is the unspeakable goodnesse of God to be ready to pardon all manner of Sins But it 's grosse folly and impiety in Sinners to thinke and conceit that hee will pardon any but such as use means for the getting of a pardon The Prince is a gratious Prince in pardoning Traitors or Murtherers But this consideration that the King may doe it or hath done it is no motive to make those that are Traitors or Murtherers secure much lesse to goe in their Treasons and Murthers But they must be content to sue out yea to pay deare oft for their pardons or else their hope will lye in the dust So is it with God It 's true he is mercifull and ready to pardon any Sinne yet he hath and will condemne the greatest part of the World and he will pardon none but such as use the means to sue out and purchase their pardon by forsaking their Sinnes by true Repentance and humbling themselves b●fore the Throne of Gods mercy for them with a full resolution never to returne againe to them 3 The consideration of this may serve for a speciall stay to them who by the subtill Temptations of Satan are made to beleeve that they have committed the impardonable Sinne here spoken of And commonly Satan abusing their Ignorance puts these conceits into the minds of those which are the farthest from that Sinne to wit humbled and afflicted Sinners Whereas those are least troubled with the feare thereof that either have committed it or are neerest to the committing of it This therefore may help them somewhat who know not so well what the Nature of that Sinne is to consider what particular Sinnes God is reported in the Word to have forgiven to his Servants and to consider whether their owne Sinne bee not one of the same kinde which if it be they may thence then infallibly conclude that it is not that impardonable Sinne. All other Sinnes then are at the least pardonable yea they have been pardoned in some or other and may be pardoned in any But in whomsoever this Sinne is found which we principally intreat of to wit of Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost he is certainly without all redemption a fire-brand of Hell We cannot of any other Sinner pronounce an absolute and definitive Sentence of damnation no though he should breathe out his last gaspe in filthinesse and blasphemies of this wee may Hee that hath committed this Sin is branded for Hell and is more than bored or burnt in the Eare for Satan Quest But why will not God pardon this Sinne Answ

We can give no reason why but his Will It shall not be pardoned because he will not pardon it Hee hath from Eternity decreed the contrary and the maine ground of his Decree is his Free-will So that a man can answer no otherwise to this question than this why the Lord should punish Iudas his betraying and not Peters forswearing Ob. But doth not this lessen the Lords Mercy For what may some say Can man then in sinning goe beyond the Lord in mercy Can a man by any Sin drowne the mercifulnesse of God towards him Answ Though the greatnesse of Sinnes forgiven argue the greatnesse of Gods mercy and though it argue greater mercy to forgive all Sinnes than some onely and all men than some yet you see this that God hath decreed not to shew mercy upon all men And as wee must not tye his Love and Mercy which is most free to the persons of all men so wee must not tye it to all Sinnes any further than himselfe hath tied it It should suffice us that God is so infinite in mercy as to forgive some men and to forgive in some men all Sinnes saving one If he had saved but one Man and pardoned but one Sinne in that one Man if it were possible for any one Man to commit but one Sinne his Mercy had been infinite Hee might as freely have excepted any yea many other Sinnes as whoredome pride perjury Apostasie c. But this we must know that God as he is infinite in mercy so he is infinite in his justice And in his holy wisedome and providence he so mingleth and conjoyneth these twain that the one limiteth the other So that God is so farre forth mercifull as will stand with his infinite justice and so farre forth just as will stand with his infinite Mercy His Mercy doth not drowne his Iustice nor his Iustice his Mercy 2 Goh sheweth Mercy to Sinners that hee might glorifie himselfe in his mercy But in shewing mercy to such a Sinne hee might rather seeme both to staine his Mercy and to disgrace his Iustice 3 There is no Sinne whatsoever that makes God mercilesse but in respect onely of the person In this regard therefore is this Sin unpardonable because the Lord hath decreed that none shall commit it but Reprobrates in whom every Sin is unpardonable 4 This very Sinne potentially is forgiven in all the Elect. For it is not of themselves that they doe not commit it but of God who bridles their wils For even they also have the seeds of all Sinnes in themselves as the Cubs of Woolves and Foxes of all mischiefe and ravening though they either cannot yet do or dye ere they do hurt ought Vse 1 In comparing the Condition of this Sinne with the persons that here commit it We may note that no outward state and condition of men whatsoever are freed by their places and callings from being Reprobrates and Castawaies Who are ●n this World neerer in place to God then the Ministers and Tea●hers of the people who are as it were Saviours unto others yet ●hese and onely these in all the Word of God are mentioned to ●ommit that unpardonable Sinne. Which should make us to take heed ●ow wee condemne the true Religion for the wickednesse of their persons that teach it And againe not to content our selves with this that we have a place in Gods Church For we may have the highest rooms and yet stand guilty of grievous Sinnes yea the higher roomes wee are in many times the higher Sinnes are committed of us Who in higher place then Iudas and who committed a greater Sinne 2 Here is matter of Consolation for the Godly who desir● above all things to bee freed fro● Sinne and to whom nothing i● more combersome then the burthe● of Sinne that though they canno● be wholly rid of it while they liv● here yet the Lord hath prescribe● bounds unto their Sinnes so tha● they cannot go so far in Sin again● God as a Reprobate may Fo● no godly man can commit thi● Sinne. 3 For as much as it is bootles● for them that have committed th● Sinne to crave mercy of God ort● hope for grace with God and tha● Satan therefore hath no more forc●ble Engine to worke despaire tha● by perswading humbled Souls that they have fallen into it It behooveth all such before they open the Gates of their Soule to despaire to try whether they have committed it or no. 1 If thou dost or hast felt any marke of the Childe of God in thee yea or no. For hee that hath any inward marke of Gods Childe is still Gods Childe and cannot commit it 2 Feare of committing it is a signe of not committing it For it 's a desperate Sinne. And such persons as commit it use not to be so much troubled that they have committed it as that they have not opportunity to commit it againe and againe Experience it selfe teacheth this in your grand malitious persecutors of Religion they use not so much to be troubled for that evill and mischiefe that they have done as that they cannot doe more And thus it was with these Scribes and Pharisees 3 An unfained dislike and hatred of all the malitious enemies of Religion and a speciall affection caeteris paribus to all the lovers of the Gospell 4 An abhorring and loathing of our selves for it and an acknowledgment of it with a desire of pardon when we suspect our selves to have committed it are undoubted arguments of a soul that never committed this sin 4 The more fearefull and desperate the state and condition is of those that commit this sin the more it stands all men in hand to take heed of it to keepe as far as may be from it and to use all preservatives that may be against it And to this end 1 To know it and conceive aright of it that they may the more detest and abhorre it 2 To take notice of those means by which men have fallen into it that they may more carefully shun and avoid all such courses 3 To take especiall heed of those sinnes that border neerest upon it and have most affinity with it 4 To be throughly perswaded of the curse of God due to sin and of the blessings of God promised to all obedience 5 To be fully assured that even the least sin that is deserveth everlasting damnation 6 To beware of all presumptuous sins lest else by little and little they come to make the greatest sin no sin 7 To set the mercy of God in the pardon of sin at a high price 8 To bee oft meditating of the joyes of heaven and the torments of hell the former whereof this sinne once committed doth irrecoverably deprive men of and in bonds indissoluble oblige the committer of it to the later FINIS

end the Lord of hi● mercy give us all right understandings humble hearts te●der consciences the feare of h●● Name the love of his truth sincerity of faith and truth obedience that our faylings m● neither become fallings nor o● fallings irrecoverable that 〈◊〉 we sinne we may repent if 〈◊〉 repent wee may be forgiven we be forgiven wee may be a●cepted and if accepted we m● for ever be glorified through IESVS CHRIST our LORD Thine an unworthy Minister of Iesus Christ IOHN BRADSHAW April 1. 1640. Martii 30 1640. Imprimatur THO WYKES MATH CHAP. 12. VERSE 22. THen was brought to him one posses●ed with a Devill blind and dumb ●nd he healed him so that hee that ●as blind and dumb both spake and ●aw 3. And all the people were amased and said Is not this the Sonne of David 4 But when the Pharisees heard it they said This fellow doth not east out the Devils but through Beelzebub the Prince of Devils 5. And Iesus knew their thoughts and said unto them Every Kingdome divided against it selfe is brought to desolation and every City or House divided against it selfe shall not stand 6. But if Satan cast out Satan hee is divided against himselfe how shall then his k●ngdome st●nd 27. And if I by Beelzebub cast o● Devils by whom do your childr●● cast them out they therfore sh●● be your Iudges 28. But if I cast out Devils by 〈◊〉 Spirit of God then is the Ki●●dome of God come unto you 29. Or else how can one enter in● strong mans house and spoile● goods except hee first binde strong man and then spoile may his house 30. He that is not with me is aga●● me and hee that gathereth 〈◊〉 with me scattereth 31. Wherefore I say unto you * Or All manner of Sinne. 〈◊〉 Sinne or Blasphemy shall bee 〈◊〉 given unto men but the Bla●●●my against the Holy Ghost 〈◊〉 not be forgiven unto men 32. And whosoever shall spe●● word against the Sonne of 〈◊〉 it shall be forgiven him but 〈◊〉 soever shall speake against 〈◊〉 Holy Ghost it shall not be f●●●●ven him neither in this W●●●● nor in the World to come OF THE SIN AGAINST THE Holy-Ghost MATH CAP. 12. VER 22 23. THough there be no one thing wherein God hath decreed to glorifie himselfe more than in his ●●rcy in forgiving mans sinnes ●d though the greater the sinnes 〈◊〉 the more his mercy shall shine ●he pardoning and remitting of ●●m yet is there one kinde of sinne ●●ainous and horrible so vile and ●●minable that being once com●●ted it shall never be pardoned it being of that nature that it wo●● staine the mercy of God in 〈◊〉 pardoning and remitting of it 〈◊〉 this is the sinne that is called 〈◊〉 Blasphemy against the H●●● Ghost The nature and quality of 〈◊〉 Sinne is set forth in this part of 〈◊〉 word as also Marke 3.28 1. Io● 16. Hebr. 6.4 5 6. 10.26 27 Of the Doctrine whereof a 〈◊〉 may say as the Philosopher 〈◊〉 sometime of the Edition of 〈◊〉 Physicks The Nature of this S● is set downe in the word of 〈◊〉 and it is not set downe in the 〈◊〉 of God For it is so darkl● downe that those that are not ●●cised in the word cannot at 〈◊〉 to the understanding of it an●● it is so set downe and laid fo●● the same word that those that 〈◊〉 the Scripture worthy their st●● may if they will bestow 〈◊〉 paines come to the understan● of it In this History the Evange●● enjoyned and directed by the 〈◊〉 ●host whose publique Notary and ●●cribe he was to register unto the ●hurch one Example of the same 〈◊〉 which one may receive much ●●ght concerning the Qualiry and ●ature of that Sinne. In handling whereof I will ●mit all other points but those that ●ay tend to the illustration of this ●●nne which I trust will not bee 〈◊〉 profitable unto any in this place ●ough I must confesse in setting on the same I more respected my ●e than any of you in that the ●nt of the distinct knowledge ●●reof hath driven mee to bestow ●●ne meditations upon it So much ●●t therefore of it as this portion Scripture hath given unto mee ●n content to impart unto you ●●ugh if you will have an exact ●●full knowledge of it you must ●row further light from those ●●er places of Scripture that pur●ly also intreat of the same The Drift and Scope then of ●everses is to shew us in a parti●r Example what is the Nature and Quality of that unpardon●● Sinne. The parts whereof wee will ●●sider not as they are in themsel● but as they have reference to 〈◊〉 Sinne that so by that means may the better cut off all ma● that shall not tend to the illustra● of it though in themselves ne●● good and profitable There are therefore six thing● pressed in this History conce●● that particular Sinne that is specified which may give 〈◊〉 light to all other of the same k● 1. The Conception of this S● 2. The Birth of it 3. The Name of it 4. The Nature of it 5. The Conviction of it 6. The Condition of it The first part Of the Co●tion of this Sinne. The Conception of it 〈◊〉 means of a wonderfull miracle our Saviour Christ wrought 〈◊〉 one that was possessed bodily an uncleane spirit That d● beame of light that streamed from this miracle shining upon their Consciences did animate and quicken this hellish Monster in the Scribes and Pharisees as it appeares afterward For it is with the light of Gods Spirit as it is with the rayes of the Sunne shining upon divers Objects it produceth divers Effects it bringeth forth through the variety of the soile not the Rose onely but the Nettle not the Fig-tree onely but the Thistle not the Vine onely but the Brier it animateth and quickneth not cleane alone but uncleane Creatures also as Toads Adders Hornets and such like So the divine Truth of Iesus shining upon divers persons it brings forth divers effects and those cleane contrary in some by the blessing of God it produceth many excellent Graces in other some many foul and hideous Sinnes through the Corruption of the soile Hence may we draw these Conclusions concerning this Sinne. The first Conclusion The Sin against the Holy Ghost is quickned as it were by the light and heate of some speciall divine Truth for so is this particular Sin in this place That light of the divine Truth shining about them was i● that first stirred and tempered their Corruption and wrought and framed that monstrous Sinne that had never been begotten if it had neve● shined on them So that the very cause why thi● Sinne is committed is by reaso● that such or such a divine Truth doth present it selfe to the Eye o● their Conscience which if it di● not they would not commit such a Sinne. For Example These wicked Scribes and Pharisees if neither this nor any such like mean● had been used whereby they migh● have perceived

God but he is also call●● the power of God in the sa●● place 1 Corinth 1.24 Y●● the Holy Ghost is called the po●er of God Luke 1.35 the po●er of the Almighty shall ov●● shadow thee Neither is it clea● how the Holy Ghost is prope● the goodnesse of the Godhe● sith the goodnesse of God is m●nifest to the world-ward also Christ the Sonne of God tak● our Nature and laying down life for us out of whose fuln●● we all receive and grace 〈◊〉 grace Secondly were it so that th● attributes were proper to 〈◊〉 three Persons as is mentioned and that in matter of expression towards the world for so they understand it acknowledging all the persons to bee in themselves qually powerfull wise and good I say admit this to be true yet how are sinnes of Infirmity against the power of God or sins of Ignorance against the wisedome of God What can we make of this If sins of Infirmity be sins against the power of God then it must either respect the Infirmity as Infirmity or the sin as sin if the Infirmity as infirmity or weakenesse it is no more against the power of God then all naturall infirmities and weaknesses are in any creature whatsoever but if sin as sin then it is more properly against the Holinesse of God then his power Besides when we say such a sin is against such an attribute we meane it doth especially di●honour that attribute and ta●● it in vaine as desperation is sin against the mercy of God b●cause it dishonours his mercy 〈◊〉 limiting it presumption is a s●● against the justice of God b●cause it is abused by it But si● of Infirmity doe not abuse or l●sen the power of God but rathe● illustrate it But if they say th● they meane a bare passive de● contrariety such as is betwe●● blacke and white light and dar●nesse or the like then it is gra●ted but in the meane time the● give us a very lame and unev●● trichotomy of three sorts of sin● For they cannot deny but the si● against the Holy Ghost is mo●● then a bare passive contraries to the holinesse and goodness● thereof for it comprehends in 〈◊〉 an active opposition resistance repugnancy abuse dishonour despight against the Holy Ghost Therefore to conclude this fourth thing It is called the sin against the Holy Ghost because although it be equally a transgression against the whole Trinity who as they are equall so in every sin are equally offended yet it seemes most to reflect upon the Holy Ghost by which Christ as man did all his great workes Matth. 12.28 If I by the Spirit of God cast out Devils c. by which to this day things are wrought that tend to the reparation and sanctification of man fallen by which Christ is made ours and we Christs therefore it is called the Spirit of Grace and despight is said to be done to the Spirit of Grace Neither doth this thwart what is specified in the ensuing Discourse where it is said t● have this name because it i● committed against the grace and gifts of the Holy Ghost fo● I grant that too but as it is a● offence it is properly against 〈◊〉 person They sin indeed agains● those gifts and graces by repe●ling them and making themselves for ever uncapable of thē but yet herein they offend properly the Spirit of God Chrysos● in Mat. Spiritus antem sancti gratia multis magnis parvulis signis se ipsam manifestaverat ●am prophetae per spiritum omnia locuti sunt omnes illi vatere● multa de ipso acceperant documenta by wh●● properly and immed ately tho●● graces are to be wrought in them And though the Pharise● knew not distinctly whethe● there was an Holy Ghost or 〈◊〉 as a third person in Trinity proceeding from the Father and th● Sonne yet notwithstanding th● could not but acknowledge a divine holy spirituall power proce●ding from God and closing wit● men by which the Prophets formerly and Christ now among●● them did and spake so many holy and great things See 1 Kin. 22.24 Thus have I good Reader as briefly as well I could laid open those foure things which seeme hard in this matter and that I hope without any intrenching upon the ensuing Treatise My aime herein is thy satisfaction if I misse of it it may be it is either thy prejudicate thoughts or slight perusall of what is written But if thou hast duely weighed all things in the ballance of the Sanctuary found any thing too light tell me of it and I will either satisfie thee if I can or crave pardon of God and thee if I cannot However cover the failings of me thy brother from others so long as they doe not endammage others and Iesus Christ for ever cover thine For my part I could doe no lesse then I have done in publishing this small Worke following I was told by a late friend a little before his decease that some Divines of his acquaintance in the West of this Kingdome had Copies of the same a● intending if I had none to publish theirs I thought it therefore very convenient to precede them in that Worke. First that none might be more forward to continue the memory of my deceased Father in any thing that might be usefull to the Church then I my selfe and next to prevent other Copies that happily written at the second and third hand or more might be much different from the originall In inditing wherof I know the Authors ayme was at these things mainely First to comfort such afflicted mindes as thinke they have committed this sinne but have not Secondly * Quod non probatur ab aliquo esse commissum nisi cum de corpore exlerit Au●ust Epist 50. To prevent all rash judgement of the persons of others whom we are apt to judge guilty of this sin but are not Thirdly to admonish men of it and to teach them to avoyd the way that leades to it Fourthly to instruct all concerning the true guise and nature of it What acceptance other Treatises of his those especially of Iustification and preparation have found in the world is knowne to the world this also may finde some offence I know it can give none The Author desires not thy prayers who hath been dissolved and beene with Christ now full twenty two yeares those that he cannot enjoy for his sake bestow on me how short soever I fall of him how unworthy soever I be of them I have beene somewhat too large and perhaps the Reader seeing the Treatise little and the Preface long will be ready to say as he that seeing a little City and a great paire of Gates said the City perhaps will run out of the Gates The Apophthegme is common But to prevent such a thing I will shut up the Gates closing up all with my prayers that this fearefull sinne may a seldome be committed if it b● Gods will as it is pardoned To which