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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A80396	A pattern of mercy. Opened in a sermon at St. Pauls, before the Right Honorable, the Lord Mayor, and the Lord General Monck: February 12. 1659. / By Tobias Conyers, minister at St. Ethelberts, London.	Conyers, Tobias, 1628-1687.	1660 (1660)	Wing C5994; Thomason E774_8; ESTC R207295	28,966	47

and melancholy Sect who sleighted the Hierarchy of Moses dissented from the common way of Worship and held Community as Josephus reports of them He suffered the Herodians Mark 3. 6. a politick and ambitious Sect who thought Herod the Aschalonite to bee the Messiahs the sent of God and thence called Herodians It is likely they were abused into that opinion from the misconstruing the prophecie of Jacob Gen. 49. 10. That the scepter should not depart from Judah nor a Law-giver from between his knees till the Shilo came Hence they might conclude that Herod was the Shilo because the ensigns of Royalty and Government ceased from the Asmonean race and Herod a stranger the son of Antipater an Idumean succeeded by unjust usurpation in the Government of Judea He suffered the Samaritans who though they acknowledged the five Books of Moses yet denied the Authority of the Prophets because they judged them not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inspired by God and likewise sleighted the Temple consecrated at Jerusalem and worshipped the God of Israel upon mount Gerizim Where first they had a magnificent Temple built by Sanballat a Samaritane-Prince in opposition to Jaddus the High-priest of the Jews and when it was afterward destroied and razed to the ground by Hircanus the Maccabaean the earth remained sacred to them on which it stood and continued a place of Worship to the daies of our Saviour Joh. 4. 20. Our father 's worshipped in this mountain c. He suffered the Sadduces mentioned Mat. 22. who denied the souls immortality and all future estate and being after this life many of them serving God zealously and strictly according to the prescript of Moses his Law upon no other expectations then a temporal reward upon earth In the Gentile world the mercifulness of God appears that he does not rain down fire from heaven to avenge himself of those Idolaters who worship the Host of Heaven the Sun Moon and Stars which he hath created And still he beareth with almost incredible clemency and mercy in the Christian world those strange monstrous and absurd conceptions that are framed of him he suffereth himself to be represented as unjust unwise unmerciful and whatever is unworthy of his eternal Truth and God-head And there are two things that render his Mercy more eminent and conspicuous 1. In that he is infallible in his judgement liable to no mistake or mis-apprehension and consequently may be absolute and definitive in his sentence and determination albeit he knoweth most certainly the difference 'twixt good and evil light and darkness truth and error yet he buildeth nothing thereupon unless in some extraordinary cases to man's outward prejudice and damage but endeavoureth by the light shining in us by the inspirations and notices of his spirit by the convictions and authority of his word to reduce humane conceptions to a likeness with and conformity unto the fair and beautiful Idea's set up in his own mind and declared unto us in his holy Word of Truth 2. In that he is of Power sufficient to vindicate the sacred honour and credit of his Truth and to avenge himself upon the Erronists the Transgressors thereof He hath the power of life and death health and sickness poverty and plenty and were he so minded he needs not be beholden to any arm or power to assist him If it were objected God punisheth not Murder Theft c. it doth not follow that therefore we should not To this I answer The case is not the same all men have a perfect and distinct knowledge what Murder is what Theft is but in matters of Opinion concerning Religion and the things of God there is the greatest variety and discrepancy imaginable and * The Church of Rome excepted no man does so much as pretend or lay claim to an unerrancy or infallibility of Judgement Besides it is agreed that the civil Magistrate does ex Offlcio punish the breach and violation of the Laws of Nature and the Laws of God where he is authorized and appointed so to do let it be shown primitively that under the Gospel he ought either ex officio precepto vel exemplo to judge determine and censure opinions abstracted and wholly remote from secular consideration or let it be shewn wherein or when the People did chuse them either for their Representatives in Religion or make them Judges in matters of Opinion and Conscience and the Controversie will presently cease and the Dispute end 2. The mercifulness of God appears in that he suffereth the breach and transgression of his Laws and does not speedily avenge himself of the transgressors He looketh into our houses and there he findeth profaneness sensuality riot excess He looketh into Chambers and more secret retirements and behold wantonness intemperance luxury uncleanness He looketh into our places of commerce and there he findeth deceit fraud cozenage He looketh into our places of Judicature and behold favours partiality injustice oppression Or as it is Amos 6. 12. in cicutam mutatur jus fractus Justitiaein absynthium Judgment turned into Gall and the fruit of Righteousness into Worm wood He looketh into our Churches and places of Worship and for Knowledge he findeth Zeal for Piety Interest and for Devotion little else but Curiosity spectatum veniunt Our Churches are turned into Theatres whereinto we come to see and to be seen not remembring that great Theatre wherein we must all appear before the Judgement-Seat of Christ In our hearts he beholdeth envy jealousie emulation cruelty in our lives disorders and confusions and yet God holdeth his hand he endeavoureth the reformation not the destructionof of his creatures So great was the mercy of God that David seems to awaken him and stirred him up to Judgement Psal 119. 126. It is time for thee O Lord to work for they have made void thy Law And the Apostle Peter is forced to make an Apology for God to the profane scoffers why he seemed to defer his coming and neglect Judgement in taking vengeance upon the World 2 Pet. 3. 9. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise as some men count slackness but is long-suffering to us ward not willing that any should perish i. e. God does not forget his promise neither is he unmindful of Judgement but he is loath to come in upon the World at unawares as a Thief in the night to overtake them in the height of their presumption and security and therefore he extends and lengthens out the day of Grace that none might perish if 't were possible but that all might come to repentance 2. We come to speak positively 1. Mercy it is the same with Pity and in this sence God is merciful he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 full of bowels pitiful and compassionate towards the children of men he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pater miserationum the Father of Compassions Numerus pluralis est emphaticus There dwells no hatred no malice with God no rancour exasperation

We complain much of the want of Love of that hatred malice and jealousie that we finde stirred up amongst the present Gospellers and Professors in Religion me-thinks it should be with us the Students in Divinity as it is with those Students and Proficients in Philosophy at the University who though they do often dispute their Opinions pro and con in the Schools and Halls yet do they love one another nevertheless though one be for Aristotle another for Ramus a third for Zeno a fourth for Epicurus yet doth it not occasion the least animosity breach or dis-affection We all acknowledge one God the resurrection from the dead salvation by Jesus Christ future rewards and punishments the necessity of Virtue Righteousness and Holiness that no man hath power of himself to do any thing that good is that all grace strength and suffic ency are of God These are every mans Concessions neither do I know any man living that does so much as dispute or question the truth of them We agree in the greater why do we differ in the less How much would it make for the Church its peace encrease and enlargement could we give unto one another some few Granes of Allowance in this case 2. It is best for the State for the settlement of the peace and prosperity thereof This I offer to humble consideration there wants nothing so much to make us happy and glorious as mercifulness one unto another there is nothing more tender then a mans conscience the Grashopper is a burden to it those that will suffer others to touch them in their Estates to touch them in their Dignity and Greatness both which are very dear to them will not endure to be touched in their consciences This hath broken us so oft in pieces that men are not content to secure their own Christian libetty unless it be with the infringement of othet mens May the Princes and Magistrates of this World to use the expression of a sober person take heed of coming too near that Mount which Jehovah hath sanctified for himself and for his Son Jesus to set their Thrones on We are for peace and settlement and that upon such a Basis as may stand to the good liking both of God and men till he come who shall call in the Commissions of all the Kings and Rulers of the Earth may the foundations therefore be laid in Principles of Justice Righteousness Moderation that the glory of our Nation may grow up in Renown The Consciences and Judgements of men are the proper Territories and Dominions of Christ whosoever shall enter by any other Authority then this upon these Sacred Demeans intrencheth upon anothers Right I passe this Use with these following Limitations In general by what hath been spoken we do not seek to infringe the Magistrate's just Power or to lessen his duty as he is a Christian we willingly yeild him the dignity of being Gods Deputy and if he please Custos utriusque tabulae 1. That they vouchsafe to see to the observation of the Lords Day not onely that men forbear their Callings but also that they come to Church or such places of Worship where Divine Service is performed that under a pretence of Liberty of Conscience men take not an occasion to transgress the Laws of sobriety and holiness For were this Lords Day an Ordinance onely of man it becomes every man to submit to it for the Lords sake 2. That nothing that hath been spoken extend to deter the Magistrate from punishing swearing profanation of the Lords Name all immodesty and violation of the Laws of Nature for these are things that all men have agreed in as worthy of punishment and if there were no warrant from the Word of God yet volenti non sit injuria he that is willing hath no injury done him 3. Nay I would even subscribe to punish blasphemy according to the Judicial Law if there were any persons lawfully appointed who could infallibly determine 2. Br. Let us imitate the mercifulness of God in pardoning Injuries and forgiving offences one against another let us take out our Saviour's Lesson Let us pray for our enemies do good to those that hate us so shall we heap coals of fire upon their heads But alas how far are we from this God-like temper Every man almost seeks to be Deus ultionem a god of revenge We write favours and benefits on the Sand but injuries in Marble never to be blotted out Though we crave and expect all forgiveness from Heaven daily yet we exercise very little upon the Earth Instead of extenuating one anothers offences we heighten and aggravate them in our bills of debts and trespasses for fifties we write hundreds and for hundreds thousands As God is prone to forgive so we are to take revenge one upon another I wish there were not that occasion for me to tell you how much you are unlike unto God For pity lo cruelty for love envy hatred and iealousie and for pardon behold revenge every man studies the Law of Retaliation to return like for like which our Saviour expresly abrogated Matthew 5. 38. Let me borrow an Apostrophe O cruel Revenge of a venomous and dangerous malignity which filleth the heart with Plagues the life with Furies and the World with Tragedies What havock dost thou make what flames dost thou kindle unless Grace and Reason give some temper and alleviation A spirit from beneath raised from Hell injurious to civil Society pernicious to States and Kingdoms kindled by pride nourished by flattery sharpened by insolent Tongues which makes their lives a continual crime and their memories that exercise it a perpetual execration Christians what shall I now say farther to perswade you to Moderation Clemency Pardon Forgiveness If the example of God the pattern of Christ the practise of the most eminent Saints If this will not do it what will Onely let me re-mind you of that great day which is ready to dawn upon the world when the Judge of heaven and earth shall come riding upon the clouds with ten thousand Angells in his company and shall take his seat in the air when that general Assize shal be kept wee shal all come to hold up our hands for mercy at his Bar. Let me tell you from God in whose name I now prophesie unto you that unless you here display the ensigns of your mercy on earth neither will God hold forth the Scepter of his mercy and pardon unto that day 3ly Let us imitate God in his bounty and liberality that I may speak a word for the poor who causeth the Sun to shine and the rain to fall both upon the just and the unjust I speak now to the rich thè great and mighty in this world You live upon the alms of heaven subsist by divine bounty and are maintained at his cost and charge he keepeth a plentiful house and hath made large provision for You onely in the disposition of things he hath left the

or cruelty is lodged in his eternal breast he loved man in the state of his innocency uprightness and obedience and when man degenerated he turned his love into pity and his delight into commiseration and even then when his Justice makes him severe it is exercised to speak after the manner of men with reluctancy and regret The pity and compassion which we so much admire in men are but weak umbrages and representations of Gods and yet the first wants not its due praise and commendation The Court of Areopagite mentioned Asts 17. so much famed in the World put to death a young child for that he took an unnatural pleasure in depriving the very Birds of their sight and letting them flye for his recreation fearing least he who exercised so timely an apprentiship of Cruelty upon Birds might in his more ripe years exercise it upon men The like is reported of the Senate at Carthage who censured one of their own Citizens for no other cause in the world but that he had civilized and made tractable a Lyon supposing so frequent a conversation with wild Beasts had made him put off all humanity and pity and degenerate into the nature of that Beast with whom he had so much conversation Marcellus the Roman Consul being commanded by his Masters at Rome to raze Syracuse even then when he saw their Commands put into execution and beheld the great City on fire he began to relent and out of his good nature to shed tears in abundance wherewith if it had been possible he would have quenched those flames which himself had kindled And Caesar Titus whom for his clemency they called the delight of mankind beholding the streets of Jerusalem covered with the dead bodies of the Jews found his heart much touched but when he saw the glorious Temple all on fire and the Jews themselves that were entered thereinto would not suffer it to be quenched he could then contain himself no longer but with hands to Heaven protested that it was the act of the gods and not effect of his disposition But as the heavens are high above the earth even so are the compassions of men exceeded by the compassions of God behold a greater then Marcellus a greater then Caesar Titus is here Sin hath set the world on fire and we like the Jews will not suffer it to be quenched God came down from heaven in his own person communicated his thoughts to the Patriarchs before and after the Flood beseeched his people by his Prophets and lastly by his own Son the man Christ Jesus and still endeavoureth by his Word and Spirit to quench this great flame and conflagration kindled by sin so that if it be not quenched but proceed to devour the souls of men God Almighty may with Caesar Titus enter his just protestation that the destruction of the World is an effect of our Wickedness and not of his own inclination and disposition The love of our gracious God is more to be judged of by what he would do for us then by what he does for us though to speak the truth he hath done all that did become a great Wisdom checked with Justice to do Even as the love of a tender-hearted Father is more seen by what he would do for his obstinate and ungracious Son were he a capable subject then by what he ever actually does for him He frowns upon him gives him correction dis-inherits him and goes down into the grave with a resolution of not doing him the least good thing for him in the sence the World calls good and yet whilst he lived his heart was set upon him his bowels yern towards him his desires are great that he might enrich him and his complaints many that he was not a subiect capable of his favour In like manner the love of our heavenly Father is rather to be estimated by what he would do for us then what he does for us were we capable subiects of his Grace and Favour according to that Deut. 5. 29. O that there were an heart in them that they would fear me that it might be well with them and their children for ever The Soveraign Creator he hates not any thing in the World because the whole World is the rare and singular Workmanship of his hands for as his Wisdom is free from Error so are his Works devoid of repentance all things are eminently in him and under the covert of his pure and simple Omnia unum sunt in Deo cum Deo c. Ber. Scrm. Essence are hid all creature-perfections whatsoever Nec aliunde Justus aut Bonus quam unde Magnus that I may borrow the expression of that contemplative and devout person which is English't thus That form of Divinity which makes him Great makes him by the same means Wise Just and Good which is the true reason that he can no more hate or neglect any thing that he hath made then the Architect or Master-builder can sleight his own piece which he findes agreeable to the fair Idea's of Art set up in his own mind God having thus united all in himself therefore he loves all and regardeth all as raies of his own light issues of his own bounty productions of his own Wisdom and Goodness the venom and malignity of the Toad and Aspick the poyson of the Scorpion which are so destructive to ours are very good and suitable to their natures that which is to us poyson is to them blood and spirits the giving it to us and the taking it away from them we find equally preiudicial to both their natures and ours May I shut up this point in the words of a learned man God hates nothing nor curseth any thing but what he is not and he is all sin excepted It is that alone which he abhorreth which he accounts worthy of all detestation which he chastiseth here and which he pursueth with an armed hand to the Gates of hell and beyond the Gates of hell and which he will never forgive in its proper subject either in this world or in the world to come 2. Take Mercy for Pardon and in this sence God is merciful he is known by this great Title which he assumed in that Solemn Publication Exod. 34. 7. Keeping Mercy for thousands forgiving Iniquity Transgression and Sin It is the glory of a man much more of God to pass by an offence God cannot desire sin as no man can wish to be displeased but man having sinned it is infinitely pleasing to the Divine Nature to shew mercy pardon and forgiveness He that hath set us that Rule Matth. 18. 22. That we should not onely forgive till seven times but until seventy times seven wil not transgress it himself God excepts against no mans person but as it is Prov. 28. 13. Whosoever confesseth his sins and forsaketh them shall have mercy Because God respecteth no mans person therefore he excepteth against no mans person As he hath no mans person

in admiration because of advantage so he hath no mans person in disdain because of preiudice As there is no person excepted from the general pardon of the Gospel upon the terms proposed therein so is there no sin excepted save onely that sin unto death the nature of which may consist either in the contempt or despair of the pardon it self The mercy of heaven shineth forth in this that God is pleased to take our submissions accept of our acknowledgements and admit us to repentance Esau found no place for repentance though he sought it with tears Heb. 12. 17. i. e. He found no place for repentance with his Father Isaac for as it is in the same verse how that afterward when he would have inherited the blessing he was rejected pointing unto the story Gen. 27. But with God is mercy and with him is plenteous redemption True indeed God pardons no mans sins before they be repented of there are no indulgencies granted in heaven and obtained on earth by unrepentant sinners To say that some mens sins are pardoned before they be committed or that they are pardoned past present and to com or which is all one that they are pardoned from eternity is questionless a Doctrine to borrow the expression of a learned man that transcends the licentiousness of Popery and is of worse consequence then the Roman Indulgences and were there another Luther now alive he would enter his dissent from this Doctrine and make it another ground of separation 3. If you take Mercy for the vouchsafement of grace and favour unto a person or people and in this sence God is merciful having called all the World unto peace and felicities by the Gospel the Scriptures declare it Experience so far as it extendeth confirmeth it all Reason and Authority establisheth it 1 Col. 23. If you continue in the Faith c. not moved away from the hope of the Gospel which ye have heard which was preached to every creature which is under heaven i. e. not only to the Jews but also to the Gentiles it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in every creature which intimates not onely the vocal and external but also the internal and spiritual preaching of it In this Gospel we are told of the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things then that of Abel Abel died in former time and his blood cryed Justice Christ dyed in the fulnesse of time and his blood cryed Mercy We are told of a potent Advocate that continually intercedeth for us in Heavens Court We hear of the full and most gracious promises that Almighty God can make to all burdened and heavy laden souls and that whosoever comes unto him in the Name of Christ he will in no wise cast out And all this is laid down in a most plain and intelligible way sine fraude fuce without any secret Will any double mind or mental reservation God hath washed his hands in innocency and is free from the death of all men the dsteruction of men is of themselves and the blood of souls upon their own heads A question might here be moved How the mercifulness of God is consistent with his Severity we all understand how Mercy is consistent with Justice but how Mercy and Severity stand together is the subject of our present Inquiry and disquisition We find the Apostle puts Goodness and Severity together Rom. 11 22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on them which fell severity but towards thee goodness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Severity comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Metaphor taken ab arte Agricola from the cutting off unprofitable branches and so made applicable upon occasion unto God who cuts off unprofitable members both in Church and State In the solution of this question 1. I shall give you several instances of Divine Severity 2. I shall by a common distinction make peace betwixt the one and the other setting God's Severity and Mercy at a good consistency together Instances are many 1. Of the fallen Angels when all was peace in Heaven and a blessed security inviron'd them a thought of Pride did but spring up in them Aquinus thinks it was no more and God changed countenance presently tumbled them out of Heaven and as the Apostle Jude speaks Cap. v. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath reserved them in everlasting Chains unto the Judgement of the great Day 2. After that God had made unto himself another friend of flesh and blood placed him in Paradice conversed with him most familiarly made him his Substitute Vice-gerent and Deputy here on earth imparted unto him not only being with the rest of the creatures but his image likeness and similitude provided him an Associate and Companion that might bear him company in this his abode on earth and yet behold the Severity of God he committed but one sin and that of no great importanee neither as might seem to an eye of flesh and blood the eating of an Apple the tasting of the forbidden fruit and that not of his own contrivement and malice but at the solicitation and importunity of another and yet we see what ensued upon this trespass the amity and friendship 'twixt Heaven and Earth was broken mans communion with God was interrupted and he thrust out of Paradise and condemned to perpetual misery and exile with his posterity 3. Lots Wife did but look back from behind her in statuam mutatur she was turned into a pillar of Salt and so she stood for many years as a monument both of severity and disobedience till Time that consumes all things removed her Gen. 19. 26. 4. Uzziah with a good intent laid hold of the Ark 2 Sam. 6. 6 to keep it from falling when the Oxen shook it and because his hands were common and unconsecrated God there smote him and he dyed by the Ark of God 5. A poor man was but gathering a few sticks on the Sabbath day and God commanded him to be stoned Numbers 15. 36. In the New-Testament Ananias and Sapphyra did but conspire together to tell a lye and it cost them both their lives Acts 5. The Corinthians men subject to the like passions and infirmities that we are behaved themselves irreverently at the Lords Table and the Text tells us 1 Cor. 11. 30. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for this very cause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep Notwithstanding all this the Mercy of God is very well consistent with his Severity if we consider a threefold acceptation of Severity Severity is either in temper and disposition in purpose and decree or in act and execution In the first acceptation Mercy and Severity are absolutely inconsistent he that is severe in his temper and disposition cannot be likewise tender compassionate and merciful in his disposition these two are as contrary and imcompatible as light and darkness cold and heat that do mutually expel