Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	dear_a	earthly_a	good_a	14	3	2.0942	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B25425	Troposchēmalogia: Tropes and figures; or, A treatise of the metaphors, allegories, and express similitudes, &c. contained in the Bible of the Old and New Testament To which is prefixed, divers arguments to prove the divine authority of the Holy Scriptures wherein also 'tis largely evinced, that by the great whore, mystery Babylon is meant the Papal hierarchy, or present state and church of Rome. Philologia sacra, the second part. Wherein the schemes, or figures in Scripture, are reduced under their proper heads, with a brief explication of each. Together with a treatise of types, parables, &c. with an improvement of them parallel-wise. By B. K; Tropologia. Book 4.	Keach, Benjamin, 1640-1704.; De Laune, Thomas, d. 1685. Tropologia. aut	1682 (1682)	Wing K101A; ESTC R7039	690,855	608

Beauty cannot hold its own against the ill Effects of a Disease especially if lasting When thou with Rebukes dost correct a Man for his Iniquity Psal 39.11 thou makest his Beauty to consume away like a Moth c. V. The scorching Heat of the Sun is but for a short time in the heat of the Day So the Persecution lasts but for a short time Our Afflictions which are but for a moment c. Sorrow may continue for a Night but Joy shall be in the Morning c. VI. In the Time of Heat and hot scorchings of the Sun Men use to betake themselves to some shadowy Places for Refreshment So in the Day of Affliction and hot Persecution the Church of God and each sincere Christian hath a shadowy Place to retire unto God affords sweet Refreshment to his suffering Saints VII In a Time of great Heat the Fruits of the Earth and many green Things are dried up and wither away and a Famine many times follows So by the means of a hot and cruel Persecution many Christians who seemed zealous for God and to have much Greenness upon them in a Day of Liberty and Prosperity are dried up like the fruitless Fig-Tree and wither away and also sometimes a Famine of the Word follows VIII In a Time of great Heat and Drought those Trees that are planted by rhe Water-Courses flourish sweetly notwithstanding So all faithful and sincere Christians in the hottest Time of Persecution shall flourish and not cease from yielding Fruit Blessed is the Man that trusteth in the Lord. For he shall be as a Tree planted by the Water-side Jer. 17.8 and that spreadeth out her Roots by the River and shall not see when Heat cometh but her Leaf shall be green and she shall not be careful in the Year of Drought neither cease from yielding Fruit. Affliction compared to Wormwood Lam. 3.19 Remembring mine Afflictions and my Misery the Wormwood and the Gall. WOrmwood properly is an Herb well known amongst us upon the account of its exceeding Bitterness hence a common Proverb rises 'T is as bitter as Gall or Wormwood c. Parallels WOrmwood and Gall and other bitter Things are physical very good in divers Distempers So Afflictions are good spiritual Physick the diseased Soul receives much Profit by them many ways 1. They purge out the corrupt and noxious Humors of the Soul 2. They tend to abate and pull down the Tympany of Pride 3. They are good against spiritual Deadness 4. They are good against spiritual Barrenness nothing when sanctified makes a Soul more fruitful 5. They kill Worms as Wormwood naturally doth principally the Worm of an accusing Conscience that breeds out of the Corruption of the Heart and Life c. II. Wormwood Gall or Aloes are not commonly given alone but are mix'd with other Ingredients otherwise 't is hard to take them down So God mixeth Mercy with Affliction in the midst of Judgment he remembers Mercy towards his own People Babylon shall have nothing but Gall and Wormwood it shall be without any Composition of Mercy or Pity hence said to be a Cup without mixture c. III. Wormwood and Gall are exceeding bitter and make such things bitter as are given with them tho sweet in their own Nature So Afflictions especially some sorts of Afflictions are very bitter and irksom to the Flesh they also make bitter all our earthly Sweets Quest Perhaps some may say When are Afflictions so exceeding bitter c. Answ 1. When God strikes us in our best and dearest earthly Enjoyments when he takes away an only Son a Husband a Wife or by a Fire or otherwise takes away all our earthly Substance stripping us quite naked of every thing Then Afflictions may be said to be bitter like Gall and Wormwood 2. When God brings upon us one Affliction after another To day thy Cattel are taken away and then presently upon it thy Children by a severe Judgment and after all thou art struck with a sore and dismal Affliction in thine own Body Thus it was with Job When God deals thus with a Man or Woman Afflictions may be said to be bitter But then again 3. When God strips a People or particular Person not only of all their outward Mercies or earthly good Things but also of all their spiritual good Things too such Things as are dearer to them than their Lives then Afflictions may be said to be bitter Should God at once bring so severe a Stroke upon us as to deprive us of all our Civil Rights and Privileges suffering an Enemy to break in upon us who would not regard our good and wholesom Laws by which every Man's Propriety is secured to him and not only so but deprive us of the Gospel and blessed Ordinances thereof and drive our Ministers into Corners or burn them to Ashes in Smithfield and set up Popery and tyrannize it over our Consciences This Affliction would be bitter like Wormwood and Gall Which God in Mercy prevent 4. When Afflictions are very heavy and sore upon us and we cannot find out the Cause and Ground why God contends with us then they may be said to be very bitter It was this which made holy Job Job 10.2 so much distressed in his Spirit Shew me wherefore thou contendest with me He did not doubt of the Justice and Righteousness of God in them but as suspecting some Evil in himself as yet unseen or not discovered to him 5. When God afflicts his People or a gracious Soul very sorely for Sin for this or that Sin which they know they are or have been guilty of O this goes to their Hearts to think they should provoke their heavenly and dear Father against them to chastize them so severely 6. When we are under great Afflictions and God hides his Face or withdraws himself from us then Afflictions are bitter This is to be outwardly afflicted and inwardly too 7. When Afflictions are lasting or of long continuance then they are very bitter A small Burthen or Weight born long will weary a strong Man but if it be very heavy and abiding it is much more grievous 8. When God afflicts a Man in Indignation when he lets flie his tormenting Arrows against him from the fierceness of his incensed Wrath forcing him to drink off his Cup without mixture it being all bitter and no sweet Thus God deals sometimes in a way of Judgment with wicked Men tho never so with his own People and to such Afflictions are bitter indeed Inferences FRom hence we may perceive what an Evil Sin is that God will not spare his own Children when they offend him Sin is a bitter thing as appears by the Effects of it Afflictions are many times the Fruits and Effects of Sin II. It shews us also that there is a great difference betwixt the Afflictions and Miseries of the Godly and the Wicked Quest But some may say How may a Christian comfort himself or get support

a Saviour but also as a Sovereign not only as a Priest to die and appease the Wrath of God for us but also as a Prince to rule and reign in us 14. What Obedience therefore flows from thy Faith Dost thou boldly and visibly profess Jesus Christ following him whithersoever he goeth not closing in with one of his Precepts only but obeying all of them from thy Heart which thou art convinced of and knowest to be thy Duty Then shall I not be ashamed Psal 119.6 Rom. 5.1 when I have respect to all thy Commandments 15. What Peace hath Faith brought to thy Soul Being justified by Faith we have Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ Secondly From what hath been noted we may infer There is an absolute Necessity of Faith 1. In respect of Gospel-Revelation Without Faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 2. There is no Salvation without it Rom. 3.26 Thou must be beholden to another for a Righteousness because thou hast broken the Law that pronounceth the Curse against thee thou hast none of thy own that will be accepted in the sight of God He that believeth not shall be damned Vnless ye believe that I am He Joh. 8.22 ye shall die in your Sins 3. There is a Necessity of Faith because all Boasting is excluded Rom. 3.27 God's design in our Salvation is wholly to exalt his own Free-Grace It is of Christ's procurement and thou must go unto him for it or go without it Thirdly If Faith be much more precious than Gold then labour for it above Gold be not contented with a little of it but wisely provide your selves with good Store Grow in Faith get a strong Faith Quest Will not a small or weak Faith save us as well as a strong Answ Yea if it be of the right kind tho never so small the Person that hath it is as fully justified as he that hath the greatest degree nd measure of it Yet it concerns thee to get a strong Faith for these Reasons following 1. Because thou mayest meet with strong Assaults and Temptations from Satan and thou hast no way to resist him but by the Shield of Faith and it may be a little Faith will not be sufficient to withstand those Exercises and Assaults thou mayest meet with 2. Because God expects much Faith of those he hath afforded much Means unto I looked it should bring forth Grapes Isa 5.4 God looks for Fruit answerable to the Cost and Charge he hath been at with a People or a particular Person 3. Because God may bring you into such a condition that you may have nothing else to live upon Hab. 3.17 The Fig-Tree shall not blossom neither Fruit be in the Vines c. That is a Time for the Saints to live by Faith and if their Faith be small what will they do then 4. Because as thy Faith is more or less so will thy inward Peace and Joy be in Christ Jesus He that hath but a small degree of Faith is often at the foot of the Hill and under doubtings and becloudings in his own Spirit 5. Because such as have but little Faith will find the Way to Heaven harder and more difficult than they who have much of it or are strong in Faith Weak Folks are hard put to it to get up a high Hill 6. Because it is a strong Faith that glorifies God most as it appears in respect of Abraham Rom. 4.19 20. He being not weak in Faith considered not his own Body being dead He staggered not through Vnbelief but was strong in Faith giving Glory to God Quest But what is the Cause that some Christians are so weak in Faith Answ 1. Some are but just brought forth lately converted they are like new-born Babes Can you expect a Child in the Cradle should be as strong as such as are twenty or thirty Years old 2. Perhaps some have but little Faith because they want the Means of it which others have It may be they have more Law preached to them than Gospel more Terror from Sinai than Joy from Mount Zion 3. Again some may be weak in Faith because they pore more upon their own inward Corruptions than they meditate on Christ's Righteousness more on their own Emptiness than on Christ's Fulness They see their Debts but have not their Eyes upon their Surety who hath discharged and blotted all out 4. Others may have little Faith because they do not improve that which they have they are not industrious Traders they do not labour after and cry to God for more Faith The way to grow rich is to be diligent Lord encrease our Faith 5. Some have no more Faith because they give way to Temptations and let their inward Corruptions too much prevail Weeds will hinder the Growth of precious Flowers Self-Love worldly Pleasure Pride and Passion choak and obstruct its Growth Faith is a tender Herb. 6. Perhaps Christians have no more because they mind not those precious Grounds and Encouragements which God in Mercy hath offered for the encrease strengthning and growing of Faith Quest How may I know a weak Faith from a strong Answ 1. A weak Christian one weak in Faith looks more within than without grounds more on the good Desires and Heavenlinesses of his Affection than the Covenant and Promise of God Joh. 14.19 Now a strong Christian looks to Christ Because I live ye shall live also 'T is not because my Affections live my Obedience lives or I have Life in Obedience or performance of external Duties but because Christ lives By whom I live Gal. 2.20 2. A weak Christian consults more the Power of the Enemy than he doth the Strength of God Christ and the holy Spirit and is much acted by Sence in respect of Means how this or that should be done Psal 78.19 Can God furnish a Table in the Wilderness But a strong Saint believes in Hope against Hope a strong Faith takes up in the Power Grace and Sufficiency of God The Lord is on my side Psal 56.4 I will not fear what Man can do unto me 3. A weak Faith grows weaker and weaker and ready to let go its hold at every discouragement If a Corruption or Temptation prevails all his Hope of Heaven is almost gone presently Thus it was with Peter Help Lord I perish But strong Faith is rather strengthned thereby as appears in the Woman of Canaan You may judg of a strong Faith by its Power over the Enemy I have written unto you 1 Joh. 2.14 young Men because you are strong and the Word of God abideth in you and you have overcome the Wicked One 4. A weak Faith is much for doing that so he may have Peace and Comfort within What must I do c. And as his Obedience to God is kept up Acts 16.30 so is his Comfort not but that great Peace is to them that keep the Law and that are found

never fell from their first Estate Christ is not to them a Redeemer for their Restoration but only a Head for their Confirmation But why Angels are called Sons of God will appear in the following Parallel Metaphor Parallel A Son is the Off-spring of the Father ANgels are the Off-spring of God Adam was called the Son of God by Creation so may the Angels because created by God II. A Son is greatly beloved by the Father II. Angels are greatly beloved of the Almighty III. Sons attend honour and wait upon their Father they are about his Table and at his Command III. Angels wait upon God they stand about his Throne and are always ready to obey his Command and seek his Glory IV. Sons are greatly dignified they are near to their Father and have great Power and Authority in the Family IV. Angels are greatly dignified they are very near to God Mat. 18.10 always beholding his Face and are mighty in power Mr. Caryl saith They are called Sons of God because of Power being called Principalities and Powers c. V. Sons serve their Father cheerfully willingly and readily they obey not as Slaves or Servants V. Angels serve God with abundance of Cheerfulness and Willingness they go about their Work with a Filial or Son-like Cheerfulness and Delight VI. Sons are like their Father they have some Resemblance of him in Nature and Qualifications VI. Angels have some essential Likeness to God God is a Spirit and incorporeal the Angels are Spirits in their Nature and incorporeal Tho the difference between God and them is as great as can be conceived in this respect God is the creating Spirit and they are created Spirits God is an infinite Spirit they finite Spirits Yet the Angels bear as the Learned observe some resemblance to God in their Essence as well as in their Qualification and may in this respect be called the Sons of God likewise VII And lastly Sons imitate their Father Do good to them that hate you saith Christ that you may be the Children of your Father which is in Heaven That is Imitate God as some Children do their Fathers carry it towards evil Men as God doth and this will be an Evidence that you are the Sons of God and he will honour you with the Title of his Sons VII Angels imitate God in Mercy in Love and Compassion as also in their good Works their Ways being all holy just and good pure and righteous and shewing much Kindness and Tenderness to the Children of Men. They doubtless are patient towards the froward and undeserving Mortals they are of most excellent Natures and Dispositions No Creatures do imitate God so plainly or fully as they do and from hence they may be called the Sons of God Inferences THis may teach us how to carry our selves towards God our Father We should labour to be like the Angels Our Saviour hath taught us to pray That the Will of God may be done on Earth as it is done in Heaven Mat. 6.10 We who are God's Sons on Earth should imitate the Sons of God in Heaven We should serve God as cheerfully and with the like Alacrity of Heart as the holy Angels and labour not only to imitate the Angels and be like them but also to imitate God himself for He hath set himself before us for our direct and immediate Example Mat. 5.44 And hereby God will not be ashamed to be called our God He will not grudg us the Honour and Title of Sons which as it appears by this is a most glorious Dignity and Privilege even such a one that is conferred upon the holy Angels of Heaven c. The Holy Angels compared to an Host or Army Gen. 32.1 Jacob went on his way and the Angels of God met him Verse 2. And when Jacob saw them he said This is God's Host And he called the Name of that Place Mahanaim that is two Hosts or Camps Luke 2.13 And suddenly there was with the Angel a Multitude of the Heavenly Host praising God c. ANgels so named of the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Angelos in Hebrew Maleac Messenger or Legate one sent or employed in any Work are in these Scriptures called God's Host or Army not that he needeth them to protect himself or suppress his Enemies being infinitely stronger than all the Armies he himself hath and then what is the Strength and Force of all the Armies of his Enemies Therefore when God is said to have Armies it is either to signify First That he hath all things at his Command and is full of Power Or secondly That altho he can do all things by himself yet he will use the Agency of his Creatures to effect his Purpose Metaphor Parallel AN Host or Army have a Prince or General who is the Head of them THe Lord's Host or Army of Angels have a Prince or General who is their Head and Leader viz. the Lord Jesus Christ who is c●lled the Head of Principalities and Powers II. An Host or Army consists of many Companies amongst which there are divers Ranks and Orders and yet all in Subjection to their Prince and chief Leader II. Angels the Lord's Host consist of many Companies or Legions Mat. 26.53 Thinkest thou that I cannot pray to my Father and he shall send me more than twelve Legions of Angels Christ spake in the Roman Phrase who reckoned their Armies by Legions as we by Regiments Six thousand six hundred sixty six was the Number of a Legion then the Number of twelve Legions was Seventy nine thousand nine hundred ninety two a great Army But how many more no Man can say Christ pitched upon a great certain Number to shew saith Mr. Caryl he could have what Number he pleased if he did but call for them We are come saith the Apostle to an innumerable Company of Angels The Lord's Camp is very great The Chariots of the Lord are twenty thousand even many thousands of Angels Psal 68.17 We read of many Degrees or Orders of Angels which some account to be nine 1. Cherubims that is Angels of Knowledg as St. Hierom interprets the Word but others from Cherub a Figure or Image Others from Chi a Note of Similitude and a Chaldee Word which signifies Puerum Juvenem a Youth And so as a learned Writer observes they were usually represented in the shape of a young Man to shew them to be intellectual Creatures of a young Man to express their Vigor and Strength with Wings to declare their Agility and Swiftness These we read were placed at the East End of the Garden of Eden with a flaming Sword Gen. 3.24 Exod. 25. 1 Kings 1.6 Ezek 10. Psal 104.4 and their Figures were appointed to be placed over the Mercy-Seat in the Tabernacle and Temple 2. Seraphims the Angels or Zeal Their Name is from an Hebrew Word which signifies to burn or burning according to that of the Psalms He maketh his Ministers a Flame of

Woman in Travail and Anguish as of her that bringeth forth her first Child The Voice of the Daughter of Zion that bewaileth her self Jer. 4.31 that spreadeth forth her hands saying Wo is me now for my Soul is weary because of Murtherers Be in pain labour to bring forth O Daughter of Zion Mich. 4.10 like a Woman in Travail For now shalt thou go forth out of the City and thou shalt dwell in the Field and thou shalt go even to Babylon there shalt thou be delivered the Lord shall redeem thee from the hand of thine Enemies IV. A Mother when she hath brought forth her Children layeth them to her Breasts to feed and nourish them and letteth them lie in her very Bosom taking abundance of Care and Compassion of them IV. So the Church of God when she hath in a spiritual manner brought forth Children she giveth them her two precious Breasts which are the sound and sacred Doctrine of the Old and New Testament those she draweth forth to give her new-born Babes the sincere Milk of the Word that they may grow thereby 1 Pet. 2.1 1 2 3. Prov. 31.1 V. A godly Mother giveth good Counsel and Instruction to her Children It was a great Mercy to Timothy that he had such a good Woman as Eunice to be his Mother who took care to give him good Education and brought him up religiously 't is said he knew the holy Scriptures from a Child V. So the Church of God giveth good Counsel and Instruction to all her Children Saints are not only fed by the Church but well taught also Solomon exhorts the Sons of Wisdom to hear the Instruction of their Father Prov. 1.8 and not to forsake the Law of their Mother The true Church teacheth nothing for Doctrine but what she hath received from the Mouth of Christ She doth not like the Mother of Harlots teach for Doctrine cursed Fopperies idle ridiculous and superstitious Ceremonies which are a Reproach to the Christian Religion and a great Hindrance both of the Jews and Heathens from owning of it They are all holy Rites pious and undeniable Laws and just Rules of Discipline consonant to the holy Word of God that she teacheth all her Children VI. A Mother ought to be obeyed and reverenced in all things by her Children her just Commands must be submitted to 'T is a great Evil to rebell against a Mother VI. So the Church of God ought to be obeyed and reverenced in all things 'T is an abominable Evil to slight or disobey the Church our spiritual Mother Her Instructions and Admonitions must be received with all due care and readiness and those who stubbornly and obstinately refuse to submit are guilty of great Sin VII A wise and godly Mother greatly loves and is tender of all her Children She taketh care to carry it evenly towards every one of them not to indulge any one out of a fond and great Passion and slight another because not so beautiful and amiable to look upon VII So the Church of God taketh care to carry it tenderly and with much Wisdom to all her Children She acts not partially towards them to countenance one more than another the weak and poorest Saint is as dear to our spiritual Mother as the strongest and richest of them VIII A tender Mother hath much Compassion and Bowels towards her weak sick and helpless Children her Heart akes many times for such VIII So God's Church is filled with Bowels of Pity and Compassion towards her weak and distempered Members How is she troubled for such as are under Temptations or fallen into any spiritual Distemper of the Soul The Churches Bowels should exceed the Bowels of a natural Mother to her sick Children upon this account IX A gracious and godly Mother loveth those Children best that are most dutiful and who dearly love and are most like their Father IX So the Church of God loveth those Children or Saints best that are most diligent dutiful and obedient to Christ and to all the good and wholesom Laws of the Family who love and are most like God in Mercy Mat. 5.45 Heavenly-mindedness in good Works and Acts of Pity and Charity to the Poor these she esteems and prizes highly X. A Mother is allowed by the Father to chastize or correct those Children that grow heady and proud or any ways misbehave themselves to the dishonour of the Father and reproach of the Family X. So the Church is allowed nay required by Christ to correct by gentle Reproof those Children or Members that do transgress the Law of God and if they grow heady proud and stubborn she reproves them sharply but if that will not reclaim them but that they still proceed in a rebellious Mind and misbehave themselves she proceeds further and taketh the Rod of Church-Discipline and withdraws her self from them and denieth them to come to the Table with the rest of her Children Nay if they fall into any scandalous Evil to the Reproach of Christ his Truth and the Houshold of Faith she chastizeth them with the Rod of Excommunication and putteth them quite out of the Family Deliver such an one unto Satan 1 Cor. 5.5 for the Destruction of the Flesh that the Spirit may be saved in the Day of the Lord Jesus XI A Mother is sometimes allowed in the absence of the Father to be chief Governess in the Family and to chuse according to the direction of the Father a Steward over her House and other inferior Officers and as they behave themselves she ought to encourage them and continue them or otherwise turn them out of their Offices XI So the Church of Christ in his absence is appointed to govern all the Affairs of his House and according to those holy Laws and Directions left by him ought to chuse a Steward viz. a Bishop Minister or Pastor to take the Charge of the great Affairs of the Family and other inferior Officers as Deacons c. to take care of the Poor And as the Pastor or Deacons behave themselves she ought to encourage him or them and continue them in their Places but if they fall into Sin or neglect their Work and are unfaithful in their Places she hath power to correct and turn them out always provided she acts according to Rule Against an Elder receive not an Accusation 1 Tim. 5.1 under two or three Witnesses XII A Mother tho her Children prove never so vile and ungodly hath no power to kill them if she doth tho they are her own Children she is deemed by the Law as a Murtherer and as such must die XII So the Church of God tho some of her Members prove very vile and will not be under her Government or turn Hereticks sucking in damnable Errors yet the most she can do is to pass the Censure of Excommunication against them An Heretick Tit. 3.9 10 after the first and second Admonition reject c. And therefore the

their Service couragiously Heb. 10 34 Prov. 28.1 They took joyfully the spoiling of their Goods The Wicked flie when none pursue but the Righteous are as bold as a Lion Shall such a Man as I fly was the Saying of a brave Souldier of this Captain's When Modestus the Emperor's Lieutenant threatned Basil with Confiscation of Goods Banishment and Death how couragiously did he bear it If you have any thing else threaten it for these things are nothing This was somewhat like that of Paul notwithstanding Bonds Imprisonment and Death was threatned against him yet saith he None of these things move me Acts 20.24 Rom. 5.3 neither account I my Life dear unto me c. We glory in Tribulation 4. Saints endure Hardness constantly the whole Life of a Christian is a Time of Warfare till this Life is done his Warfare is not done Job 17.9 The Righteous shall hold on their Way and he that hath clean Hands shall grow stronger and stronger A Saint must never cease being a Souldier Godliness must be his Trade as long as he lives As Satan will never have done tempting so he must never cease from resisting his Temptations 5. And then all this is done sincerely he hath holy Aims and Ends in what he doth XVIII A good Souldier spares none of the Enemy when he hath such a Command given him And Saul for not complying with the Requirement of God in this respect lost his Kingdom viz. in sparing Agag the King and the Fat of the Cattel when the Word of Command was 1 Sam. 15. Go smite Amalek and utterly destroy all that they have and spare them not but slay both Men and Women Infant and Suckling Oxen and Sheep Camels and Asses c. XVIII So a Saint or good Souldier of Jesus Christ spares not one Lust Every Sin like the cursed Amalekites must be put to the Sword He is no sound Christian that suffers any Sin to abide quietly in his Heart or Life unmortified If there be any one Darling-Lust spared it is a palpable Sign of Hypocrisy Some Men are ready to excuse their evil Lusts as Saul did They will cover their covetous Designs under the Pretence of doing good and distributing to the Necessities of the Poor but alas this will not do Obedience is better than Sacrifice A Saint must kill all put all his Sins to the Sword or die to them One Sin spared as Agag was will exclude thee the Kingdom of Heaven Rom. 8.13 If ye live after the Flesh ye shall die but if ye mortify the Deeds of the Body ye shall live XIX A good Souldier will keep with his Colours It is punishable by Martial Law for a Souldier to lie behind his Colours and Death without Mercy to depart quite from them XIX So a good Souldier of Christ will keep and abide with the Banner of Truth The Gospel saith Ainsworth is the Saints Ensign Isa 5.26 And he will lift up an Ensign to the People c. Christ will lash such as lie behind Peter was made to weep bitterly for straying from his Colours And it will be Death without Mercy to those that quite depart from the Truth and embrace Heresy or Idolatry And here let me caution all Christians to take heed lest they are deceived by their Enemies Satan like a cunning Pirate sometimes transforms himself into an Angel of Light he puts out false Colours comes with a seeming Banner or Ensign of Truth he can make use of Scripture when it will make for his purpose to deceive XX. A good Souldier will not turn his Back upon the Enemy to the dishonour of his Captain tho his Life be in danger he will not flie nor cowardly betray his Trust XX. So a good Souldier of Jesus Christ will not turn his Back to flie from the Enemy or utterly depart from the Truth whatsoever befalls him such is his Love to the Lord Jesus and Zeal for his Glory And besides he knows if he doth the great Danger he exposeth his own Soul to thereby for among all the Armor that Christians should take unto them we read of no Back-piece for if they turn their Back they are gone and undone for ever If any Man draw back Heb. 10.38 my Soul shall have no Pleasure in him XXI A Souldier is greatly animated and encouraged in all his Encounters and sharp Conflicts with the Enemy by considering the Reward and Honour he shall receive if he manfully holds out and gets the Victory XXI So a Saint is carried on with much Zeal and Courage by the consideration of the eternal Reward he shall receive in the end This made Moses despise the Glory of Egypt and refuse to be called the Son of Pharaoh's Daughter He saw him who was invisible and had an Eye to the Recompence of Reward Heb. 1● Christ himself this way animates his Followers and faithful Souldiers I appoint to you a Kingdom Be you faithful unto Death Rev. 2.10 2 Tim. 4.8 9. and I will give you a Crown of Life I have saith Paul fought the good Fight and finished my Course and kept the Faith And henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness which God the Righteous Judg will give me at that Day and not to me only but to all them that love his appearing XXII Some Souldiers of an Army are now and then singled out as Champions to engage an Enemy alone Tho every Champion be a Souldier yet every Souldier is not a Champion A Captain will not chuse any Souldier to this Work but such only as he knows are Men of Courage and Experience c. XXII So Christ sometimes calls forth one of his spiritual Army to engage the Enemy alone and as a Champion of the Truth to sacrifice his Life in the behalf of it What greater Honour can be conferred upon a Christian than this Such a Champion was St. Stephen Antipas c. who were brave Men Acts 7. Rev. 2.13 Saints of undaunted Courage and Resolution who loved not their Lives unto Death Metaphor Disparity NO earthly Souldiers know what the Event or Issue of their Wars will be they cannot tell whether they shall overcome and get the Victory or not tho they be never so valiant and couragious in their Service and faithful and true to their Captain and Leader BUt a true Christian knows and is assured that he shall overcome and obtain the Victory He fights not at an uncertainty the Issue of the War being made known unto him by Christ in his Word And altho a Christian may sometimes doubt of the Truth of his own Sincerity yet being sincere he doth not doubt of obtaining the Conquest II. Earthly Souldiers many times lose their Limbs and precious Lives in Fight and it is not in the Power of the wisest Captain in the World to repair or make up that Loss again II. But Christ's Souldiers never engage their Enemies to the Loss of Limbs

Place EXpositors differ about the Meaning of these Words Mercer and Vatablus as Mr. Burroughs observes would carry it thus Laute ut Agnus mox mactatur As a Lamb when it hath large Food it is soon slain so God threatneth Ephraim that he will soon make an end of them only he will let them prosper for a while and feed them largely but it shall be for the Slaughter c. But others rather understand that God would bring Ephraim under such Affliction as should humble them and make them as a Lamb Feed them as a Lamb parcè ac tenuiter not fed as an Heifer that noted their Prosperity but fed as a Lamb that noteth their Adversity For the Food of a Lamb differeth from the Food of an Heifer That which will feed a Lamb will starve an Heifer or an Ox. They have saith God been proud and wanton in the Enjoyment of Peace and Plenty but now they shall have short Commons I will bring them down and lay them low at my Feet they shall be as a Lamb that picks up Grass in the Wilderness as a Lamb in a large Place That is saith Mr. Burroughs they shall be dispersed among the Countries They would not be satisfied in Canaan which was a narrow Place and with the Sheepfold of mine that was therein and now they shall have more Room they shall go into a large Place but it shall be into Captivity But now fully to take in the direct Sence of the Text I will feed them as a Lamb in a large Place that is as a Lamb that shall be alone one Lamb. He speaks of a Lamb singly because that they should be scattered one from another They had Society and might have abode in the sweet Enjoyment of it had they not sinned their Mercies away but since they did not make good use of their Peace and Communion together God threatneth to scatter them one in one Place and another in another Place and they should be as a Lamb alone in the Wilderness succourless helpless shiftless bleating up and down Which affords us a profitable Parallel Simile Parallel A Lamb in a large Place that feeds in a Wilderness alone is very solitary and as it hath been observed wanders about bleating seeming greatly troubled for want of Company SO when God scatters his People by Persecution because they have not prized nor improved that Peace and Plenty which he hath afforded them in their own Fold nor regarded the Sweetness of Christian Society and Communion together they shall wander about bleating as it were being greatly troubled for want of that Fellowship they once enjoyed Thus it was with the poor Jews II. A Lamb alone in a large Place wandering up and down in a Wilderness among Wolves Lions c. is in great danger of being devoured every moment when such as remain in the Fold with the Flock are generally safe and very secure II. So a poor Christian that strays abroad or gets out of God's Fold and is as a Lamb in a large Place is in great danger of being spoiled and devoured every moment when such Christians as abide in the Church and keep close to the Fellowship and Communion thereof are safe Also Christians that are scattered and forced by Persecution from the Society of the Saints are obnoxious to many Deaths and Dangers III. A Lamb in a large Place or Wilderness hath none to help it who watches or takes care of such a Lamb It hath no Shepherd to look after it none that regards it III. So those Christians that stray abroad or are forced to wander in a bewildered Estate have no Fellowship with God's People nor are they under the special Care or Charge of any of his particular Ministers none regard them Which is a sore and lamentable State IV. A Lamb in a large Place is forced to seek its own Food and provide for it self when such as remain in the Fold or in the Flock the Shepherd takes care of them and daily feeds them they have no Want when the poor Lamb in the Wilderness is in hard Weather near starving IV. So Such Christians as stray abroad and walk alone not belonging to any particular Church have little Food but what they can find themselves they have not those sweet and blessed Refreshments at the Lord's Table and in the daily Communion with God's People as such have who are orderly Members This made the Spouse cry out Tell me Cant. 1.7 O thou whom my Soul loveth where thou feedest and where thou makest thy Flocks to rest at Noon c. Inferences FRom hence we may infer what a sore Evil it is to be scattered from the Flock of God Some slight Christian Society and think the Yoke of Christ is too hard and uneasy for their Necks they account it Bondage and not Liberty they do not like Christ's Fold And how just is it with God to blind the Eyes of such and leave them to wander in the Wilderness and let them feed as a Lamb in a large Field being exposed to the Danger of many Enemies 2. Some Men love their Liberty and they may have Liberty enough but such may be their Liberty that it may prove as one well observes their Misery To keep in the Compass of God's Commands is the best Liberty of all as David professeth Then shall I have Liberty when I keep all thy Commandments Other Liberty will most certainly bring us into Straits and ruine us if we do not take heed and return unto God Many want Elbow-Room and would fain get out of God's Limits tho such may at present have Peace yet mark well their End It is a fearful Judgment to be left to wander 3. Prize Christian Society then and account it your Mercy that you are not as a Lamb in a large Place and improve the Mercy you now enjoy lest God bring that heavy Judgment upon you to break and scatter you as many have been in Days past and made to seek their Bread in a howling Wilderness The Heart of a Saint compared to an Heart of Flesh Ezek. 36.26 And I will give them a Heart of Flesh c. I. A Heart of Flesh is a tender thing every small Prick will make it bleed So every Sin nay the smallest Sin will offend and make a tender-hearted Christian cry out much more a great Sin II. A Heart of Flesh is a soft Heart the Philosophers Description of a soft thing is that it easily gives way to a Touch So a true Christian a tender-hearted Christian will yield to God's Word to his Reproofs to his Commands c. Lay your Finger upon a Stone and that yields not but lay your Finger upon Flesh and that will yield 2 King 22.19 So will a Saint Josiah's Heart melted when the Law of God was read to him his Heart gave way and yielded to God's Word and trembled at the Judgments denounced he had a Heart of Flesh a tender and soft Heart

and nothing that is given him will go down neither Food nor Physick or if he doth take it yet it will not stay with him 't is a very bad sign so when a Sinner refuseth all good Counsel that is given him and instead of vomiting up by true Repentance his Sin he vomiteth up the Physick and Food of his Soul that should do him good and despises all Reproof Prov. 28.1 hardning himself against it he is near to Destruction 6. And Lastly When a Man is wounded and that Balsam Means or Medicine that seldom fails to work a Cure in others yet will do him no good but contrary-wise whilst in Cure and under the best Means he grows worse and worse there is little hopes of him so when a Sinner under a powerful and Soul-saving Ministry and divers sore Afflictions is not at all reformed but grows worse and worse his Condition is bad it may be that Sermon that works no change at all in him hath tended through the Mercy of God to the Conversion of several Souls who were as sorely wounded as he If a Physician gives the best Medicine he has and lays on a most Soveraign Plaister and yet the Patient saith Sir that which you prescribed hath done me no good I wonder saith he it seldom fails me I fear your Condition I must give up I have done what I can for you the Lord pitty your Soul you are no Man for this World 't is an Argument that Wound or Sickness will be unto Death when the best Preaching the best Means that can be made use of will not work upon a Man's Heart he is under Losses and Affliction and divers melting Providences but nothing will do Inferences IS Sin a Wound or doth it wound the Soul wound the State Nation and Church of God We may then infer from hence the Folly of Men and Women who love and hug their Sin Wilt thou O Sinner hug a Serpent in thy Bosom that strives to sting thee to Death what Fools are wicked Men 2. Let us learn from hence to bewail the Condition of our sinful Relations let the Husband mourn over his unbelieving Wife and the Wife mourn over the unbelieving Husband Fathers grieve for their unconverted and wounded Children and Children grieve for their wounded and unconverted Parents c. What are they that thou lovest so dearly and who lye in thy Bosom mortally wounded and wilt thou not be troubled for them what not one Sigh nor Tear come from thee for them be astonished O Heavens what a hard Heart hast thou 3. Seek out for help you that are unconverted delay not and let such who are healed do what they can to get help and Cure for their Friends if a Husband a Wife a Father a Child or Brother be dangerously sick or wounded externally how ready are you to enquire for some skilful Physician or Chyrurgion and what speed will you make and will you not be as tender and as careful of their Souls 4. Take heed you do not draw others into Sin What not only wound thy own Soul but be cruel also to the Souls of others wilt thou murther thy self and murther thy Friend too 5. What blind Wretches are they that make a mock at Sin See Fools 6. Let it be also matter of caution to all to take heed they rest not satisfied with slight healing Jer. 8.11 They have healed the hurt of the Daughter of my People slightly c. This may be done many ways 1. Some rest satisfied and lick themselves whole with the thoughts of federal Holiness think they are in Covenant with God through the Faith of their Parents thus the Jews Mat. 3.9 We are Abraham 's Seed we have Abraham to our Father my Parents were Godly and so they might and yet thou a Child of the Devil and be damned for all that 2. Some fly to their Godly Education but that will never heal their Wounds 't is not what a Godly Family thou wast brought up in and what good Instruction thou hadst but what thou art and what a change there is in thee what Faith and Fear of God is there wrought in thy Soul 3. Others apply the Mercy of God when they begin to feel Conscience to terrify them Exod 34.6 and their Wounds appear but never consider his Justice remember God is graci●us and merciful c. but will in no wise clear the Guilty 4. Others trust to a partial Reformation of Life they are other Men to what they were once Soul 't is not Reformation or leaving all manner of gross scandalous Sins but a change of Heart and Regeneration thou must seek after 5. Some apply the Promises of God to Sinners before their Wounds were ever lanced or their Sores laid open and the Corruption let out this is but skinning over the Sore and to leave it to fester and rancle inwardly the proud Flesh must with some corroding Plaister be taken down thou wantest through Humiliation for Sin 6. Many satisfy themselves because they are not such great Sinners as some are Remember Luk. 13 3 5. I tell ye nay except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish 7. Some fly to their Duties they sin and are wounded and they think Prayer will make them whole 8. Some boast of their Knowledg and Experiences c. they can discourse and talk well nay and will tell you they are Members of the Church too and this may be and yet they die of their Wounds and go to Hell O take heed you are not slightly healed Quest Well but it may be you will say What should we do to be throughly healed Answ There is but one Physician can heal these Wounds none but the Lord Christ only has the healing Medicine his Blood is the Balsam which thou must apply by Faith And if thou wouldest have a perfect Cure thou must be put to pain He that would be healed must suffer his Wounds to be lanced and searched to the bottom 2. Take the Physician 's Counsel and carefully follow his Directions come to him presently whilst it is to day or thou art a dead Man 3. If it be so that he says thy right Hand must be cut off bear the Pain or thy right Eye must be pulled out submit to him Whatsoever is dear to thee that hinders the Cure thou must deny thy self of 4. A Purge thou must take or thy Wounds cannot be healed the evil Humors or the Filth and Corruption that is in thy Heart must by the Spirit of Grace be purged out John 3.3 5. Thou must become a new Creature Except a Man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God Sin a Plague 1 Kings 8.38 What Prayer and Supplication soever be made by any Man or by all thy People Israel which shall know every Man the Plague of his own Heart c. Levit. 13.2 3 4 5 6. And it be in the Skin of the Flesh like the Plague of

wounded in every Faculty of his Soul or rational part so likewise he is in his sensitive part his Eyes are full of Adultery his Lips are unclean R●m 3. ●3 his Throat is like an open Sepulchre the Poyson of Asps is under his Tongue his Ears are deaf and dull of hearing that which is good IV. As some Wounds a Man receives are very deep and reach to the Heart so Sin makes a deep Wound Man is not only wounded in every part but very deeply wounded Je● 4.18 Gen. 6 5. This is thy Wickedness because it is bitter because it reacheth to thine Heart Their Heart deviseth Wickedness c. Every Imagination of the Thoughts of his Heart is only evil continually Jer. 4.14 Hence saith God Wash thine Heart from Wickedness c. V. Some Wounds are corrupt filthy and very loathsome the Wounds Sin makes in the Soul Isa 1.6 are very filthy and abominable From the sole of the Foot even to the Head there is no soundness in it but Wounds and Bruises and putrifying Sores they have not been bound up neither molified with Ointment My Wounds stink and are corrupt VI. Some Wounds smart and are very painful causing the Patient to cry out in great anguish Sin makes such a Wound in the Soul that it causeth such who have their Spiritual Feeling to cry out the pain is so great that a Christian cannot without Divine Help Psal 38.8 9. bear up under the smart and torture of it I have roared saith the Psalmist by reason of the disquietness of my Heart Lord all my desire is before thee and my groaning is not hid from thee Lev. 13.2 3 4 5 6. VII Some Sores or Wounds are infectious like Plague-Sores or the Leprosy they infect the Cloaths and Garments of the wounded and diseased Person and not only so but the very House where he dwells and the People also that come near him or converse with him Sin is of an infectious Nature no Plague more catching and infectious than the Sore or Plague of Sin it defiles all a Man's best Actions and makes all our Righteousness like filthy Rags If ye daily converse with or are frequently in the Company of some wicked Men 't is a thousand to one if you are not the worse for it Who can touch Pitch and not be defiled therewith We are commanded to keep our selves unspotted from the World 't is a hard matter to keep clear of these Spots and Pollutions wicked Men are defiled with Sin is of such an infectious Nature that it hath corrup●●d the Earth Isa 24.5 The Earth is defiled under the Inhabitants thereof c. Nay some conceive the Sin of Man hath darkned in some respect the glorious Heavens Job 25.5 with the Sun Moon and Stars that they shine not so splendidly as they did at the first VIII Some Wounds are of a festering and spreading Nature whilst the Patient is under Cure they grow worse and worse The Wounds or Sins of some Men tho they are under Cure i. e. sit under a powerful and Soul-searching Ministry fester as it were 2 Tim 3.13 they instead of growing better grow worse and worse like as the Apostle speaks of Deceivers IX Some Sores Wounds and Scabs bring Shame upon such who have them Sin is such a Sore and so hateful a Scab that it causes Shame and Confusion of Face Sin is the shame of any People Phil. 3 19. and yet how do some glory in it They glory in their Shame Sin is the soul Disease the Hurt nay all the Hurt Sorrow and Shame Sinners meet with came in originally by Sin by yielding to the Devil and by adulterating from God no running Sore no Scab no breaking out in the Flesh like Sin in the Heart and Life of a Sinner Ezek 18. Joh. 8.22 Rom. 8.13 X. Some Wounds are Mortal Sin makes a mortal Wound The Soul that Sins shall die and unless ye believe that I am he ye shall die in your Sins If ye live after the Flesh ye shall die c. I do not say there is no Help nor Cure for these Spiritual Sores and Wounds yet I must say they are incurable as to Man no Man can find by all his Skill and Art any healing Medicine And upon this account the Lord said of Judah and Israel their Wound was incurable they had brought themselves into such a Condition that none could help them nor bring them out O Israel thy destruction is of thy self but in me is thy help Indeed some Men are so desperately and dangerously wounded that there is little hope of them they have all the signs of Ruine and Eternal Death upon them imaginable Quest It may be you will say When may the state of a Person be said to be desperate and almost if not altogether past hope or wounded even unto Death Answ 1. If a Man sins and is sorely wounded and yet continues in his Sinful Course the Sting is not pulled as it were out of his Flesh I mean out of his Heart nor is he willing it should there is little hopes at present of this Man Can a Wound be healed and yet the venemous Sting stick fast in him A continual course or custom in Sin tho they be small Sins comparatively may prove deadly 2. When ●in is in the Affection 't is dangerous You know when the Heart is wounded and corrupt there is no hopes of Life if in times of Infection you can keep it from the Heart you are well enough Physicians tho they have Medicines to keep Infection from the Heart yet they have no Medicine to cure the Heart if once the Distemper gets into it When a Man closes in with his Sin likes it loves it and makes Provision to fulfil the Lusts of it 't is a dangerous sign 3. When the Wound spreads and increaseth or a Person grows more vain carnal and filthy 't is a sad sign Some Men have been for a time cautions and somewhat tender their Consciences have restrained them from yielding unto Sin but afterwards they came to grow more hard and bold and have adventured on this and the other Evil and so by degrees from little Sins make no Conscience of greater till they are notorious in Wickedness and this after common Illuminations this is a sign they are near Hell 4. When a Person is sorely and grievously wounded and yet is unsensible does not cry out nor feel any pain 't is a sad sign Come to some wounded Persons and ask them how they do they will answer you Very well I ail nothing then Relations begin to weep so some Sinners through a custom of Sin grow insensible they are past feeling they are not only without pain themselves but laugh at such who complain of their Sores upon the Head and mourn for their Sin of this Man you may write in Red Letters Lord have Mercy upon him 5. When a Man is dangerously wounded