Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	good_a	lord_n	see_v	6,623	5	3.5167	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A75270	The virgin saint, or, A brief narrative of the holy life and Christian death of Mary Wilson with some memorable passages, and occasional speeches a little before her death added thereunto ; to which is also adjoyned a sermon, preached at her funeral by Mr. Geo. Nicholson, together with several consolatory letters, written by divers ministers, to her mournful father, Mr. Richard Wilson of Crosfield in Cumberland.	S. A.; Nicholson, George, ca. 1637-1697. Sermon preached at the funeral of Mrs. Mary Wilson.	1673 (1673)	Wing A28A; ESTC R42607	83,061	185

Aug. 23. 1672. I am Sir Yours The other Letter is as followeth Dear Friend I Am very sensible of your great Loss yet did 〈◊〉 hope that you had been comforted over our Dead But by your last I find that the ●ound bleeds afresh I shall desire the Father 〈◊〉 Mercies and the God of all Consolations to Apport your Spirit to make you to hear of Joy and Gladness and restore comfort to you and 〈◊〉 your Mourners But Sir Though Affection commands yet ●e Word of Faith forbids excessive Mourning ●e pray that God's Will may be done and we ●●ght to be quiet and to praise God when it is ●●ne knowing that God doth every thing in ●●fection of Wisdome and this present sad ●●pensation God only wise sees best for you ●●d doubtless it shall work for your good In ●our Afflictions Christ is afflicted and though ●●n feel the burden heavy yet He bears the ●●aviest end of the Cross and hath bid you to ●●sider Him that endured the Cross lest ●ou be weary and faint in your mind Haply ●ur Heart was too much let out to that your ●●lov●d and God would not have his Childrens ●ections set on things below himself Though ●thers fail and are gone yet Jesus Christ is the 〈◊〉 yesterday to day and for ever The Lords hand is not shortned that it cannot help and comfort Though the C stern be empty yet th● Fountain is full O go and take of that fully heap Jesus Christ and rejoyce in the God 〈◊〉 your Salvation and rise up from your dead lest your over-grieving displease God World Sorrow causeth death and therefore turn you into the right channel and sorrow after a god sort Knowing that as Sufferings abound shall Consolations abound much more in a●● through Jesus Christ and since you have so●● in Tears expect a performance of that Promi● That you shall reap in joy God told Abrahas Gen. 15.1 That he was his Shield and ● exceeding great Reward And Abraham said v. 2. Lord God what wilt thou give me sein go Childless A good man observes on th● place The weakness of Gods Children even Dear ones and Chief ones if things answer ●● their Desires they are a little impatient a● think less of many Mercies that both they ha● and are promised after to have because th● want some one thing that they would glad have and enjoy So was Abraham for want o● Child as if he should have said What is thou promisest seing this is wanting I have Issue This is a great corruption in us and must beware for if God were not merciful was the way to rob us of all to think light any for the want of some Blessing God of stones raise up Children and out of the Lions dead carkass give honey and I hope he will sanctifie and sweeten his rod that you shall say It was good that I was afflicted and find that of very faithfulness He hath caused you to be troubled As you feel the Cross of Christ so see the ranity of the Creature and the All-sufficiency of thy Creator God blessed for ever and happy you shall experimentally find that Christ ●● all in all and cry out with that Martyr None ●● Christ None but Christ Light is sown for the righteous and Joy for the upright in heart A wet Seed-time may have a good Harvest The Husbandman waits for the precious fruit of the ●arth So do you for the fruit and benefit of this Affliction It is good that a man should both ●ope and quietly wait for the Salvation of the Lord. The Lord waits that he may be gra●●ous to you and will be exalted that he may have Mercy on you Blessed are all they that wait ●● him Isai 30.18 The Lord fill you with all Joy and Peace in elieving and with all the Graces and Comforts of his Holy Spirit I am Sir Your very affectionate Friend Sept. 14. 1672. A Letter written to Mr. Rich. Wilson of Crosfield after the Death of his deart and onely Daughter upon the receipt of a Letter of Complaint from him for long Absence after promise of Presence My very Dear and Beloved Son in the Faith through our well-beloved Saviour Grace Mercy and Peace be to thee from God our Father and from Christ Jesus our Lord. THe receipt of yours upon the 20th instand hath occasioned this return I will readily acknowledge my too long yet necessitated absence in Body from you but I can really say and certainly assure you that I have been present in Spirit with you sorrowing for you and sympathising with you in your present Suffering And though I have not had one opportunity given for speaking with you at your earthly house yet several opportunities granted for speaking for you at our heavenly Habitation Silent it true I have also been as to speaking by Pe●● and Paper to you yet not mute as to Prayer and Intercessions to God for you on your be half That you may wisely weight seriousl● consider and spiritually improve the prese●● perplexing Providence in so sad a stroke for your Souls profit that you may partake of more of the Holiness of God and that you may drink deeper and more refreshing and Soul-satisfying draughts of Comfort in the Fountain than you did ever before in the Stream which is now dried up And whereas you hint that you apprehended I had serious purposes of giving you a Visit at such a Season you hit the nail o' th ●ead you mist not the mark neither were you ●istaken in your apprehensions but very right a your Judgment For what I purposed and then promised which was with a condition I did really intend to perform at the time appointed but the Lord by intervening Providen●●s prevented I may therefore say as the Apostle Paul in the like case about his Promise to come to the Church of Corinth 2 Cor. 1.17 When I was thus minded did I use lightness ●● did I mind those things that I minded according to the flesh as men do that rashly promise any thing and change their purpose at every turning of an hand that with me should be Yea and Nay that I should say and unsay and be diverse and inconstant to my self and words No but my words towards you were not yea and nay and for all possible endeavours to answer your expectations at the time prefixed they were not wanting but other more publick and weighty employments called louder for my then attendance on them and private concerns must give place to publick and particular to general I doubt not but your desires of my personal presence have been very ardent and earnest and my endeavours assure your self to satisfie and fulfil your desires have been every way suitably answerable and correspondent thereunto yet the Lord hitherto by his Providence hath hindered our meeting and communien what his mind and design herein is whether because of your too much depending upon instruments at present or of your too much shghting

The Virgin Saint OR A Brief NARRATIVE of the Holy Life and Christian Death of Mary VVilson With some memorable Passages and occasional Speeches a little before her Death added thereunto To which is also adjoyned A SERMON Preached at her Funeral By Mr. GEO. NICHOLSON Together with Several Consolatory Letters written by divers Ministers to her Mournful Father Mr. RICHARD WILSON of Crosfield in Cumberland London Printed for Jonathan Robinson at the Golden-Lion in Pauls Church-yard 1673. Jer. 2.2 Go and cry in the Ears of Jerusalem saying Thus sayth the Lord I remember thee the Kindness of thy Youth the Love of thine Espousals Prov. 31.30 Favour is deceitful and Beauty is vain but a Woman that fears the Lord She shall be praised Luke 2.19 But Mary kept all these Sayings and pondered them in her Heart Luke 10.42 And Mary hath chosen that good Part which shall not be taken away from Her To the Christian Readers especially to the Members of two Congregated Churches in Leathward Cumberland Assembling for Publick Worship in their Licensed Places respectively in Kirkoswold and Hesket Parishes by his Majesties most gracious Permission Authority and Protection Grace Mercy and Peace in Jesus Christ Most Dear Christians THe woful and tremendous misery of all Mankind by Nature since the Fall of Adam is in nothing more manifest than in their wilful Incredulity and affected Ignorance thereof joyned with astupendous Self-conceitedness of possessing or pursuing a sufficient Happiness even in all their self chosen Courses which they severally steer accounting no counsel command nor restraint Divine or Humane more cross to their imaginary Felicity than what is most contrary to their own conceits and wills And so strongly is it rivited into all natural apprehensions that if they might but have their own way and compass their own designs they should then be do as well as they desire Not knowing that the way of man is not in himself Jer. 10.23 it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps But their own way is their folly Psa 49.13 though their Posterity approve their Sayings Yea all are gone out of the way both of duty and felicity and there is none that understandeth Psal 14. there is none that seeketh after God in whom only is all Happiness And this is the common case of all the world in their natural condition as the Apostle infers and proves Rom. 3 9-19 And though all are not of equal Ignorance or Impiety but some by Nature Art and Industry are of clearer Intellects and more sublimated Capacities to know discourse discuss and determine matters of weighty importance as well Ecclesiastical and Spiritual as Natural and Civil as also by the superaddition of common Influences of the Holy Spirit in the use and improvement of Divine Ordinances are induced to walk commendably not only civilly and morally but also religiously far above the rank of the vulgar rude and dissolute multitude yea many real Saints too Yet through defect of effectual Calling out of Spiritual Darkness into Gods marvellous Light will be found short of the least of Gods little ones that believe in his Name and really in the rank of ignorant and ungodly ones Yea and many that are no less conceited of others Ignorance than of their own insuperable wisdome and knowledg as must be supposed So as any Cadency of insinuation to the contrary is resented a disparagement Jo. 9.40 Lu. 11.45 to be replied to with an Are we blind also and Thus saying thou reproachest us also Being consident that themselves are guides of the blind Rom. 2.18 19 20. lights of them that are in darkness instructers of the foolish teachers of babes having a form of knowledg and of the truth both of the Law and Gospel but wanting the powerful knowledg of the truth through want of a saving change of estate abide in the midst of all their knowledg † Joh. 3.19 destitute of all saving knowledg And unless the arm of the Lord be revealed Isa 53.1 8.11 as well as his truth declared and himself speak unto them with a strong hand as well as his Servants cry unto them with a loud voice they will not believe our report they will not be instructed Furthermore There are not a few as may be justly feared even in the Churchell of God who have been convinced as wes as exhorted Act. 2.40 to save themselves from this untoward Generation have also professed their Conversion before and to good satisfaction of many witnesses 2 Pet. 2.18 20. to have clean escaped from them that live in Error and from the pollutions of the world through the knowledg of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ And have solemnly avouched the Lord for their God and his holy service for the constant duty of their lives Deut. 26.17 are therefore rightly received into the Communion of Saints and duly participate in all their Priviledges who yet are more willing to be reputed holy than indeed to be so in all manner of Conversation as they are called and commanded 1 Pet. 1.15 16. 1 Jo. 2.15 whose apparent love of the world and things of the world bespeaks a defect of the love of the Father no less than their common careless neglect of secret converse with him which their own hearts were they not either too blind or too partial could not but accuse them of But shall I say Heb. 6.9 Brethren That I am perswaded better things of you and things that accompany Salvation though I thus speak Yea I must say with the same Author Phil. 1.7 It is meet for me to think thus of you all because I have you in my heart Inasmuch as both in my frequent Bonds and in the defence and confirmation of the Gospel against other manifold molestations ●e are partakers of † 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vocat Paulus illam suam captivitatem gratiam c. Piscator in loc Gratiam vocat quasi singulare a liquod beneficium vincula sua Beza in loc my Grace Neither write I these things to shame you but as my dearly beloved in Christ I warn you that I may awaken you to a serious and diligent search and trial of your Spiritual estates That you rest not in any Profession Performances or Priviledges whereunto ye have attained but as forgetting these things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before you press towards the mark for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus And Beloved ye are my witnesses and God also what the design of my Ministrie among you hath been Not to seek my worldly gain nor yours but you yea I have willingly neglected and greatly exhausted mine own Temporals to serve you in Spirituals that I might beget you 2 Cor. 12.14 11.2 and engage you to God espouse you to one husband and present you as chaste Virgins to Christ from whom I

you 〈◊〉 be glad that she is now in a full peaceable y●● glo●●ous condition and state in Heaven Y●● have great cause of rejoycing sith her joy 〈◊〉 begun which shall never end Now the Lo●● hath betrothed her to himself in Righteousne●● and that for ever Hos 2.19 I cannot reme●ber that you were ever absolutely against her Marriage no nor that you were against it at all provided that she got a good Husband She hath now gotten a good Match indeed the Marriage betwixt Christ and her Soul is compleated and consummated 2 Cor. 11.2 Rev. 19.7 8. Let us be glad and rejoice in him sith she is now married to Christ and will you not rejoice at least a little with your Daughter on ●her Wedding-day She hath sown in Tears and now is reaping in Joy Psal 126.6 And let this also a little prevail with you God gave you your Daughter but during pleasure He might have taken her away the very first day he gave her and have done you no wrong We are Tenants at Will God may when his pleasure is put us out of Possession and therefore we should learn with Job to submit our selves and bless his Name when he giveth or when he taketh away You shall shortly go to her she shall not return to you It 's but a little while and you shall for ever have her company Wherefore comfort your self with these words 1 Thes 4.13 14-17 18. This is all that I can further do to recommend your Case to your Lord who hath engraven you upon the Palms of his Hands If I were able to do more you may believe me that I gladly would Now the God of all Grace confirm and stablish your heart in Truth and Peace till the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God be obtained and I pray that God may be to your Soul the God of all Consolation I pray remember my Love to your Wife and to all our Christian Friends with you My Wife hath her Love remembred to you and begs your Prayers Blacklough Aug. 27. 1672. Your unworthy Brother J. H. The Copies of two Letters written to Mr. Rich. Wilson that tender and sorrowful Father which lately buried his dear and hopeful Daughter Dear Friend I Was informed of the sad tidings of the Death of your Daughter and yesterday yours of ●ugust 10. came to my hand and the Relation 〈◊〉 the manner of her Death did somewhat allay ●●e sorrow and since the Lord hath dealt boun●fully with her in giving her Grace and Glo●y you may sing I confess if you respect your ●ss it is so great that you may mourn and ●efuse to be comforted because she is not But ●nsider she was a Loan lent of the Lord. All 〈◊〉 Comforts are but lent Comforts and we are not to repine when God calls for them again but ●●tiently to submit to Gods holy Will Seing it 〈◊〉 the Lord who hath done it who hath abso●●ute Soveraignty over all his Creatures We ●●st be dumb and say nothing and as Aaron ●●ld our peace She is taken away in the flow●● of her Age but God knew it the best time to ●op her and haply she is taken away from ●e Evil to come She is entered into peace ●ou may account your self more happy that once you did enjoy her than now miserable that she is so suddenly removed for she is not lost but gone before us We shall go to her she will not return to us The Lord hath delivered her from Sin and Sorrow and you fro●● Fear and Care concerning her How happy would you have esteemed you● self if she had been match'd to one who ha● all desired Accommodations and to a Person who had been endowed with all possible A●● complishments both Sacred and Civil you● eyes seeing it Thus it hath been done to be● whom the King of Heaven had a delight to ●●nour He hath betrothed her to Himself for eve● and this day of her Espousals may be the Day 〈◊〉 the gladness of your Heart For this hath in the bowels of it many glorrous Mercies God hath done it and that is enough to satisfie any Sou●● and he hath done it for ever His heart is so 〈◊〉 it that there shall never be any breach of 〈◊〉 Conjugal Love and Communion Y●● have heard of the Patience of Job and ha●● seen the end of the Lord that the Lord is ve●● pittiful and of tender mercy and happily 〈◊〉 end of the Lord in this is for to draw you heart Heaven-ward Where not only you● Child but your best and chrefest Love is Be now more frequent in Heavenly Visi● and have your Conversation in Heaven a●● where your Treasure is there let your Heart also Mourn not that you go Childless but rejoice that you do not go Christless Neither ●●y I am bereft of the comfort of my life when ●●e God of all comforts is yours David at ●●glag comforted himself in the Lord his God ●o and do likewise for God is All-sufficient to apply all our wants and the Earth is never so ●●id of Comfort but there is Comfort enough ●●the God of Heaven in whom Wives Children ●nd every good thing are lodged You could not be assured though you say ●our Daughter never grieved you in all her ●●me that you should alway have comfort in ●●er But in the Lord Jehovah there is constant ●●msort and constant joy Psal 37.4 You ●now the Comforts of the world are but cisterns and may fail Therefore wipe away all Tears and go to the Fountain God whose Favour is ●●ter than Life and better than all in this life ●●n whose Light we shall see light However sorrow not like them that have no ●ope The Egyptians bewailed Jacob Seventy Daies Joseph his son mourned but seven Daies Which teacheth Christians to keep a mean in Mourning we may sorrow but it must be with sobriety and in measure When David's Child was dead he arose from the Earth and went into the House of the Lord and worshipped And Job when his Children were dead he blessed the Name of the Lord. And indeed the People of God turn all their Afflictions and Crosses into Prayers and Praises Grace makes every condition work Glory to God as God makes every condition work together for good to them that love him And if we bless God in our Afflictions then our Afflictions are Blessings to us Unto the Righteous saith David there arise Light in Darkness Comfort in Troubles and Deliverances out of all Distresses are the fruit of Gods Grace therefore wait on God in the way of his Judgments and you shall y●● find that he is good and can do you good● Though others dye yet God lives and eve● lives to do good When therefore you look o● the right hand and see your Dearly-Belove● gone then cry to the Lord and say Thou 〈◊〉 my Refuge and my Portion in the land of the ●●ving And ever remember that of the Apost●● Christ is all and in all