Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	father_n	sin_n	sinner_n	3,110	5	7.5131	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A31961	An Exact collection of farewel sermons preached by the late London-ministers viz. Mr. Calamy, Mr. Watson, Mr. Jacomb, Mr. Case, Mr. Sclater, Mr. Baxter, Mr. Jenkin, Dr. Manton, Mr. Lye, Mr. Collins : to which is added their prayers before and after sermon as also Mr. Calamy's sermon for which he was imprisoned in Newgate : his sermon at Mr. Ashe's funeral and Dr. Horton's and Mr. Nalton's funeral.	Calamy, Edmund, 1600-1666.	1662 (1662)	Wing C241; ESTC R1910	251,365	374

conversion sins against prayers vows promises covenants and oaths O Lord if thou didst prefer thy bill against us we could not stand if we were weighed in the ballance of the sanctuary we should be sound too light But holy Father remember not against us our former sin ●…t rather have mercy upon us according to thy loving kindness cross and blot out our iniquitres blot them out so fully and wholly that it may be to us as to Judah in the promise that the sins of Judah should be sought for and not found Oh bathe our souls in that fountain that was set open for Judah and Jerusalem though our sins have been as scarlet let them be as white as snow though they be red like crimson let them be like wool We have read that a flood of sin brought down a deluge of water that they covered the tops of the mountains O let thy deluge of mercy cover the tops of the mountains of our sins It is the glory of a God to pardon great sins we desire to turn unto thee with our whole hearts do thou subdue our iniquities let us be not only cleansed but let us have the efficacy of the Spirit of Christ to wish us from the guilt of sin because we boast we are not under the law but under grace Be gracious to our Soveraign Lord Charles King of England Scotland France and Ireland it is thy promise that Kings shall be nursing fathers to thy children grant that under the shadow of his Majesty thy people may be protected that we may live a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty oh let thy people possess the land from Dan to Bersheba oh give us Scripture-Magistrates and Gospel-Ministers as long as the Sun and Moon endures Let thy Word be sanctified to us let it not be only as water to get out our spots but as a refiners fire to purge our dross take away our tin And Holy Father where thou hast begun a good work do thou go on and bring it to perfection let not the light that is in us be like the glimmering light of the evening but as the light of the morning that shineth more and more to the day Let our best wine be kept till the last let the end of our lives be the end of sinning Thou hast cast our lot in the midst of temptations of all sorts thou hast brought many of us through the red Sea but yet we are in the wilderness with Zeba and Z●…lmunna and those that dwell at Tyre the children of Ammon Moab and mount Seir and all the forces that Hell can make against us oh put upon us all the whole armour of God Now in these dayes of error gird us with the girdle of truth oh now in these dayes of falsily give us a ●…etmet of hope Now the devil darts at us give us the shield of faith oh give us the sword of the Spirit of the Word of God that it may enable us to confute the gain sayings of foolish men Oh help us to pray with all manner of prayer constantly servently faithfully feelingly that we may stand and not fall and that not in our strength but in Gods To this end be with us upon this thine own day our Manna falls every day and is doubled upon the Lords day oh let us be as thy servant John in the spirit upon thine own day let God by his spirit come into our spirits understandings consciences wills memories and affections that all our conversations without and affections within may be obedient to thy word Enable thy servant to deliver thy word faithfully God forbid thy servant should stand upon so sandy a foundation as the wisdom of man one Iota of thy word has more wisdom in it then all men and Angels have Good Father give thy people a hearing ear it is too much they have played by the light of thy candle and slighted thy Manna so long oh now therefore to day give us to hear and know and believe and do the things that concern our everlasting peace hear us for Christ his sake to whom with thy blessed self and Spirit be glory now and for ever Mr. Lye's Forenoon Sermon Phil. 4. 1. Therefore my Brethren dearly beloved and longed for my joy and crown so stand fast in the Lord my dearly beloved MY Beloved I do very well remember that upon the four and twentieth day of this instant month 1651. I was then under the sentence of Banishment and that very day did I preach my farewell Sermon to my people from whom I was banished because I would not swear against my King having sworn to maintain his just Power Honour and Greatness and now behold a second tryal Then I could not forswear my self the God of Heaven keep me that I never may I am apt to think I could do any thing for this loving Congregation only I cannot sin But since beloved there is a sentance gone out against us that we that cannot subscribe must not subsist this is the last day that is prefixed to us to preach I shall now speak to you God assisting me if my passion will give me leave just as if I would speak if I were immediately to die therefore hearken my Brethren dearly beloved and longed for my Ioy and Crown so stand fast in the Lord my dearly beloved Paul was now a Prisoner at Rome for the Gospel of Christ it was his second imprisonment and he was not far from being offered up a sacrifice for the Gospel he had preached This Gospel the Philippians had heard him preach and the godly Philippians having heard of his imprisonment they sent from Philippi to Rome to visit him and to supply his wants a gracious temper which I hope the eternal God hath given the Saints in London and for which if for any thing God hath a blessing in store for them Paul is not so much concerned in his own bands as in the Philippians Estate Epaphroditus tells him that there were Heresies and false Doctrines got in amongst them but yet the Philippians stood fast and herein Paul rejoyces writes this Epistle bids them go on stand fast keep their ground and to be sure not to give an inch but to stand fast knowing that at a long run their labour should not be in vain in the Lord. A most melting Compellation and a most serious Exhor●… 1. A melting Compellation My Brethren dearly beloved c. 2. A serious Exhortation and in it 1. the matter of the duty stand and stand it out and stand fast 2. The manner 1. So stand so as you have stood stand fast 2. In the Lord stand so and stand in the Lord in the Lords strength and in the Lords Cause to stand in your own strength would be the ready way to fall and to stand in your own cause for your own fancy would be the ready way to expose your selves to all manner of temptations Therefore my Brethren dearly

contribute your utmost endeavour to keep the Ark of God from being taken and here I shall shew you 1. What the Magistrate should do 2. What the Minister should do 3. What the People should do First What the Magistrate should do I shall say but little of them because I am not now to speak to them They are to use their Authority for the setling of the Ark for the Ark of Covenant will be like the Ark of Noah always floating upon the waters until the Magistrates settle it Thus David 2 Sam. 6. 1 2. he gathered together all the chosen men of Israel thirty thousand to fetch home the Ark. So Solomon he assembleth the Elders of Israel and the heads of the Tribes the Nobles the chief of the Fathers of the children of Israel unto Ierusalem with a great a deal of pomp to bring up the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord into its place O that God would incourage our Nobles and Magistrates that they might be solicitous to settle the Ark Magistrates must not do as the Philistines they had the Ark but what did they do with it They set it up in the house of Dagon but Dagon and the Ark could never agree Where false Religion comes in at one door the true Religion goes out at the other you must not put the Ark and Dagon together Secondly What must the Ministers do to keep the Ark from losing They must endeavour after holiness the Ark will never stand steddy nor prosper upon the shoulders of Hophni and Phinehas A wicked prophane drunken Ministry will never settle the Ark it must be the sober pious godly ministers that must do it How holy must they be that draw nigh to the God of holiness Thirdly What must the people of God do that the Ark may not be lost There be five things I shall commend unto you and then commend you to God 1. You must not Idolize the Ark. 2. You must not undervalue the Ark. 3. You must not pry into the Ark. 4. You must not meddle with the Ark without a lawful cal 5. You must keep the Covenant of the Ark. First You must not Idolize the Ark that was the sin of the people in the Text they thought the very presence of the Ark would excuse them and keep them safe and therefore they carryed the Ark into the Camp though they reformed not and repented not yet they thought the Ark would save them So many there be that think the Ark will save them though never so wicked but nothing will secure a Nation but repentance and reformation Secondly Do not undervalue the Ark this was Michals sin 2 Sam. 6. 14 15 16. When David danced before the Ark and Michal mocked him and despised him in her heart but saith he it was before the Lord and if this be vile I will be more vile Some men begin to say What need we any Preaching will not Prayers serve Others say What needs so much Preaching will not once a day serve Now this is to undervalue the Ark therefore let us say as David If to Preach the Word if to fast and pray for the Nation If this be vile then I will be more vile Thirdly We must not pry into the Ark this was the sin of the men of Bethshemesh 1 Sam. 6. 19. They looked into the Ark and God smote them and cut off fifty thousand and threescore men Be not too curious in searching where God hath not discovered or revealed For example there be great thoughts of heart when God will deliver his people and set his Churches at liberty And many men talk much of the year 1666. that shall be the year wherein Antichrist shall be destroyed And there are strange impressions upon the hearts of many learned men as to this year some go to the year 1669. and others pitch upon other times but truly if you will have my judgement and I am glad of this opportunity to tell you This is to pry too much into the Ark Remember the Text Act. 1. 17. It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his own power And thus to conclude upon any particular time if you find you are deceived it is the way to make you Atheists and that afterwards you shall believe nothing And those Ministers do no service or rather ill service to the Church of God that conclude of times and seasons A Popish Author saith that in the year 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there was a general belief over the Christian world that the day of judgement should be that year but when they saw it hapned not they fell to their old sinning again and were worse then before and believed nothing Well Gods time is the best therefore let not us pry too much into the Ark. Fourthly you must not meddle with the Ark unless you have a lawful Call to meddle with it This was the sin of Uzza 2 Sam. 6. 6 7. the Ark was in danger of falling and the goodman meaning no hurt to keep up the Ark took hold of it but he destroyed himself and made a breach and hindred the carrying of the Ark. We had a great disorder heretofore abundance of well-meaning people usurped upon the Ministerial Office they were afraid the Ark was falling and therefore they touched the Ark they laid hold on the Ark but their touching the Ark hath undone the Ark and themselves too O take heed of touching the Ark. Fifthly If ever you would preserve the Ark then keep the Covenant of the Ark keep the Law which the Ark preserves the Ark was a place wherein the Law was kept the two Tables keep the Law and God will keep the Ark but if you break the Law you will forfeit the Ark The Ark was called the Ark of the Covenant keep Covenant with God and God will preserve the Ark but if you break the Covenant of the Ark the Covenant made in Baptism and that Covenant often renewed in the Sacrament if you break Covenant God will take away the Ark. Mr. Watson's Prayer at Walbrook O Lord God All our springs are in thee It is good for us to draw ●…igh to thee through Iesus Christ Thou art all fulness the quintessence of all sweetness the Center of all blessedness thou art the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ and in him our Father thou art our light thou givest us these blessed opportunities of enjoying communion with thy self God blessed for ever These mercies are forfeited mercies we have abused the blessings of thy house we have grieved thy blessed spirit therefore it is just with thee to deprive us of these comforts and to make us know the worth of these mercies by the want of them Lord we desire to judge our selves that we may not be condemned with the world righteous art thou O Lord and just in all thy judgements we confess we are unworthy to have any converse with so holy a God we are polluted

dust and ashes not worthy to tread thy Courts and it is of thy mercy that we are not consumed How often have we pluckt fruit from the forbidden tree We have sinned presumptnously against the clearest Light and the dearest Love always have we sinned thy footsteps have dropt fatness thou hast shown mercy to us but the better thou hast been to us the worse we have been to thee thou hast loaded us with thy mercies and we have wearied thee with our sins when we look into our selves oh the poison of our natures what ever the Leper did touch was unclean thus do we by our spiritual leprosi●… infect our Holy things our Prayers had need have pardon and our tears had need have the blood of sprinkling to wash them how vain are our Vows how sensual are our affections We confess we are untuned and unstrung for every Holy action we are never out of tune to sia but always out of tune to pray we give the world our male affections and our strongest desires we should use this world as if we used it not and alas we pray as if we prayed not and serve thee as if we served thee not there is not that reverence nor that devotion nor that activeness of saith that there should be Lord if thou shouldest say Thou woul●…st pardon all our sins to this time only judge us for this prayer we unto us what breathing●… of unbelief and hypocrisie is there now when we approach unto thee we pray thee pardon us for Christs sake Who can tell how o●…t he dot●… offend we can as well reckon the drops of the Ocean as number 〈◊〉 sins we have filled the number of the Nations sins but have not fill●… thy bottle with our tears This is that that doth exceedingly aggravate 〈◊〉 sins that we cannot mourn for sin we can grieve for our losses but 〈◊〉 cannot mourn for our unkindnesses we have crucified the Lord of life sin has not only defiled us but hardened us nothing can melt us but the love of Christ nothing can soften us but the blood of Christ oh withold not thy mercies from us oh help us to eat the Passeover with bitter herbs let us look on Christ and weep over him let us look on a broken Christ with broken hearts and on a bleeding Christ with bleeding hearts let us mourn for our dis-ingenuity that we should grieve that God that 〈◊〉 ●…wayes doing us good Oh humble us for our unkindness and for 〈◊〉 sake blot out our transgressions they are more then we can number 〈◊〉 more than God can pardon Though we have lost the duty of Children thou hast not lost the goodness of a Father let us be held forth as patterns of mercy so shall we trumpet forth thy praise to all eternity whatever afflictions thou layes●… upon our bodies let not our sins be unpardoned let not sin and affliction be together upon us let there be peace in Heaven and peace in the Court of Conscience we have found this part of thy word true In the world we shall have trouble let us find the other part true In Jesus Christ we shall have peace Oh let peace and holiness go together make 〈◊〉 new creatures that we may be glorious creatures without faith Christ will not profit us when we can call nothing in the world ours let us call Christ ours Lord draw thine Image every day more lively upon us a more lively hope and a more inflamed love to Christ. Let us have a spirit of courage and resolution keep us from the fallacies of our own hearts keep us from the defilements of the times make us pure in heart that we may see God that we may have Gospel-spirits humble spirits meek spirits As Christ did take our flesh let us partake of his Spirit Why dost thou imbitter the breast of the creature to us but that we should find the sweetness of the promises There is as much in the promises as ever let us live upon God let us cast anchor in Heaven and we shall never sink Showr down thy blessings even the choisest of them upon the head and heart of our dread Soveraign Charles by thy appointment of England Scotland France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith Let Him see wherein His chiefest interest lies let Him count those His best Subjects that are Christs Subjects Bless Him in His Royal Consort i●… His Royal Relations the Lords of his privy Council let them be a terror to evil doers and encouragers of those that do well Bless all thine Ordinances to us make them to be fulness of life to every one before thee we are come this day to partake of them oh pour in wine and oyl into our souls let us be as a watred Garden let this blessed Sacrament be a poison to our lust and nourishment for our grace Hear ●…s be our God follow us with mercy crown us with acceptance and all for Christ his sake whom not feeing we love in whom believing we rejoyce To Christ with Thee and the holy Spirit be glory honour and ●…raise now and for ever Amen Mr. Watson's Farewell Sermon 2 COR. 7. 1. Having these promises dearly Beloved let us cleanse our selves IT is the Title that I intend now by the help of God to insist upon that sweet Parenthesis in the Text Dearly beloved wherein you have the Apostle breathing forth his affections unto this people he speaks now as a Pastor and he speaks to them as his spiritual Children Dearly beloved where you have First the Title Beloved Secondly The Exhortation to Holiness Let us cleanse our selves Thirdly The Means how we should be cleansed and sanctified Having these promises It is the first of these that I intend the Title that the Apostle gives to his children Dearly beloved From hence observe this Doctrine That the affections of a right Gospel-Minister towards his people are very ardent Dearly beloved there are two things in every Minister of Christ that are much exercised his head and his heart his head with labour and his heart with love his head with labour in the work of the Ministry I●… done aright it is a work fitter for Angels than for men●… it is our work to open the Oracles of God even thos●… sacred profound things that the Angels search into and if God did not help us we might soon sink under the weight of such a burden and as a Minister's head is exercised with labour so his heart is exercised with love and it is hard to say which of the two exceeds his Labour or his Love Thus is it here in the Text my dearly beloved In these words we have Saint Paul laying siege to these Corinthians and labouring to make a happy victory to conquer them with kindness dearly beloved Saint Paul's heart was the spring of love his lips were the pipe the Corinthians were the cistern into which this spring did run This holy Apostle was a mirror and pattern of love

them ill with them in life in death and after death A wicked man lives cursed and dies damned Sinners are Gods standing mark that he shoots at and he never misseth the mark You know what the Scripture saith There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth It is a saying of Latimer That is very sad fare where weeping is the first course and gnashing of teeth is the second But whence may this gnashing of the teeth come 1. It ariseth from the extremity of the torments that the damned suffer this makes them gnash their teeth with horrour they are not able to bear it and yet they know not how to avoid it 2. The Wicked gnash their teeth out of envy to think that the godly are happy and blessed those whom they reproached hated and persecuted they are happy in glory and they themselves are thrown down into Hell this cuts them to the heart to think of it and makes them gnash their teeth Luke 10. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you shall see Abraham and Isaack and Iacob in the Kingdom of God and you your selves thrust out And this is the first use shewing the misery of a wicked ●…han if all the curses in the Bible will make him miserable he shall be miserable God will make his Arrows drunk with his bloud Secondly Take heed that none of you here be found in the number of the Wicked Take heed of being of this black Regiment beware of the Devils colours fight not under this Banner It shall be ill with the Wicked the Sinner and the Furnace shall never ●…e parted In a word I beseech you take heed of those sins that bring to Hell fire There are saith St. Bernard fi●…ry sins that bring men to hell fire What are these fiery sin Why they are the fire of Malice the fire of Passion the fire of Lust the fire of Concupiscence and the fire of Revenge these fiery sins bring men to fiery plagues to Hell fire When you are tempted to any ●…in think with your selves How can I bear the lying in the fierceness of the Wine-press of Gods wrath for ever I have read a story of a Virgi●… that being tempted by a young man to commit folly sayes she to him If you will grant me but one request I will do what you desire What is that said he Why do but hold your Finger one hour in this burning Candle No he would not do that Said she to him Will not you for my s●…ke hold your Finger one hour in the Candle and would you have me lay my Soul burning in Hell for ever for the satisfying of your Lust and thus she refuted that temptation Why Doth Satan tempt you to Wickedness hold up this Text against the Devil as a shield to quench his fiery darts Satan it will go ill with the wicked If I embrace thy temptation I must be under thy tormenting for ever O therefore learn to be Righteous It shall be well with the Righteous Take heed of living and dying in sin It shall be ill with the Wicked the God of Heaven hath said it I will conclude all with a saying of Austin sayes he When a man hath been virtuous the labour is gone and the joy remains when a man hath been wicked the pleasure i●… gone and the sting remaineth Dr. Iacomb's Prayer at St. Martin's Ludgate BLessed God thou art a God blessed for ever thou givest mercy to all returning and repenting sinners Thou art worthy to be praised by all that draw ●…igh unto thee Thou hast vouchsafed to us one Sabbath more oh that we might all of us be in the spirit upon this Lord's day that whatever we do we may do it in the strength of God that we may offer spiritual sacrifices to God this day through our Mediator the Lord Iesus It is a very great condescention that thou shouldst suffer such as we are to come unto thee O Lord we are unclean we are unclean from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot we are overspread with the Leprosie of sin all the faculties of our souls are defiled our understandings are darkned our wills are corrupted We have affections but they are Carnal we have hearts but they are impure we have consciences but they are seared And as our inward man so our lives are unholy as the fountain is so is the stream besides that our general guilt that we brought into the world we are guilty of innumerable actual transgressions against thy holy Law We think oh Lord there are not greater sinners in the world than we Our sins are attended with many aggravations We have sinned against prayers against vows and promises we have had as much light shining before us as any in the world have had Great is our unbelief Oh that we could ●…ay these things to our hearts We do r●…fuse to come to Christ we go about to establish a righteousness of our own and neglect the righteousness of God by faith in Iesus Christ how are our hearts glewed to the present things of this world oh what do we do for thy glory how u●…reformed are we under all the ways of God that he has taken to make us a holy people Give us a sight of our sins oh Lord we confess sometimes we do make some formal confession but we do not find our hearts melted for sin as they should Oh take away from every one of us this heart of stone and give a heart of flesh give us tender hearts make us sensible of all our departing from thee Oh let us look upon Him whom we have pierced and let us mourn that the water of penitential sorrow may ●…low from us we are strangers to our selves we do not see what a Hell there is in our natures oh how should we put our mouths in the dust and loath our selves if so be there might be hope Oh Lord convince us of sin give us such a sight of sin as may make us fly to thee give us such a sight of our own guilt that may prepare us for the grace of God now we are stung with the fiery Serpent help us to come to Iesus Christ our hrazen Serpent give us thy holy Spirit to bring us out of the state of nature oh let that God that made us creatures make us new creatures oh Lord we are thine own work but we are dead in tréspasses and sins give us grace and speak a word to them that are dead put out thine almighty power and draw some sinner to Christ this day and those that have any breathings after thee oh thou that gavest them that desire carry on thine own work in them where thou hast begun a good work carry it on let sin as the house of Saul grow weaker and weaker and grace as the house of David grow stronger and stronger Oh increase our faith oh Lord in this time we do not only stand in need of grace but of a great

and God must needs lay that upon them Lam. 1. 12. 3. 1. 5. 10. 2. Sometimes of instruments thus Esau complains of his brother Is he not rightly called Iacob a Supplanter of his Father Hast thou but one blessing c. Gen. 27. 3 4. of any thing rather than of himself he doth not say Am I not rightly called Esau What a wretch am I that have despised and sold my blessing Mostly we complain of that which deserves no blame the guilty of the innocent 1 King 18. 7. Isa. 10. 5. Ier. 8. or we pore too much upon second causes or complain of instruments not of our selves or of wicked men not of wickedness of their Cruelty more than of their Blasphemy of their injuries against us more than as Gods enemies or more of revenge in our Complaints than murmuring our complaints concerning their afflicting us not accompanyed with our Prayers for their Conversion c. 3. Sometimes of God himself not as one of his children who complains 1. To God not of God thus Christ My God my God c. 2 With a holy Considence My God my God two words of faith for one word of fear c. 3. In his complaints is very tender of Gods glory affraid to think or speak a hard or uncomely thought or word of God 4. Carefully distinguishes between what God doth and what man doth observes and separates the unrighteousness of men from the righteousness of God 5. With humble inquiry what cause there may be of this dispensation Iob 10. 2. 34. 31. 6. With a disposition to bring up his will to God not that God should bring down his will to him if it be possible let this Cuppass however glorifie thy Name provide for thy own glory and do with me as thou pleasest But a sinful Creature is sometimes ready to call Providence in question Ezra 8. 12. or to break forth and charge God foolishly either of too much severity Ez. 18. 2. 25. or of too long delay Isa. 49 14. or their mournings are turned into murmurings Numb 14. 27. or their complaints are mixed with unbelief Psal. 78. 19. or their punishment not for their sin and nothing will satisfie them but deliverance Now this is not the way for this way of complaining is 1. Fruitless a House on Fire is not quenched with tears Murmuring will not scatter the Clouds 2. Causeless Thou hast thy life for a prey Ier. 4. 5 6. What a living man and complain and that when 't is for the punishment of his sins This kind of complaining is causeless if you compare sin and punishment together there 's no proportion for sin is a transgression against an infinite God punishment but an affliction upon the finite Creature Sin is an evil-against God punishment an evil against the Creature Or if you consider what sin is in its nature 't is a contrariety to Gods nature●… God is holy Sin impurity A contradictiou to God's will God saith Do this the Sinner saith I will not God saith Do not this abominable thing which I hate the Sinner saith I will It is the transgression of God's pure and holy Law nay it is a practical blaspheming against all the Names of God the rape of God's mercy and the dare of God's Iustice the challenge of God's Power Sin gives the lye to God's Truth and the fool to God's Wisdom And what can Sin do more than to take away God's good Name God's Being and that Sin would do Or 't is causeless if you consider against whom sin is i. e. God himself who is a jealous God now a Sinner takes another Lover into his bosom before his eyes yea he is a holy righteous omnipotent almighty living God Thoughts of this may well keep us from complaining Indeed whatever our affliction be we have as much cause to give thanks as to mourn whether you consider whatever the punishment be it might be worse or do but look well into it you will see more Mercy than Affliction Psal. 119. 75. 3. Sinful There is in it 1. Unthankfulness while we complain of one Affliction we overlook a thousand Mercies whereas true Grace is ingenuous and can see a little Kindness mingled with a great deal of Severity The Church of God in captivity comparing her afflictions with her mercies breaks forth It is of the Lord's mercy that we are not consumed Lam. 3. 22. Blessed be God it is not yet so bad but it might be worse 2 Cor. 4. 8. We are troubled on every side yet not distressed though laid wait for beset on every side put to strive aud struggle yet we escape God gives an issue in the Temptation we are perplexed but not in despair we are not so helpless that we know not whither to turn our selves we have a God to go to as bad as things are the name of the Lord is a strong Tower persecuted but not forsaken we are shaken out but not to shivers persecuted but not conquered our God hath not utterly forsaken us Cast down but not destroyed Ps. 118. 13. we are cast down but not cast off Thus Luther They may thrust me back but they cannot thrust me down they may crush me but they cannot kill me or they may kill me but they cannot hurt me they may shew their teeth but they cannot devour Is it a Feaver it might have been eternal flames Is it Scarcity it might be universal famine Is it the danger of losing the Gospel 't is the mercy of God it is not gone already Are we in Captivity we might have been in Hell Are we in Prison it might have been Tophet The Lord hath chastened me sore but he hath not given me over unto death Psal. 118. 18. Though men have lost their Bowels Gods compassions fail not God's as faithful as ever he hath taken away some of our mercies but he hath not taken away all he hath left us more than he hath taken They are new they are renewed every morning when old mercies are spent God sends us new he is the Father of M●…rcies begets new mercies every moment Who can number or measure his mercies of one day whatever our Fears are Oh blessed be God he loads us with mercies Now the Complainer over-looks all these there 's much unthankfulness in it and that 's a kind of Atheism She knew not that I gave her corn and wine c. Hos. 2. 8. 2. Pride Only by pride comes contention men never quarrel with God about their Condition but 't is long of the pride of their heart Proud man would fain sin and not hear from God would take liberty to sin but would not have God take liberty to punish I say 8. 3. God must take notice of our Duties not our Sin●… God shall hear of it if he take not notice of our prayers but it shall be by complaining if he take notice of our sins A proud man whatever he hath it is no more than his due and