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	sin_n	sinner_n	3,410	5	7.5691	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A87056	Gods judgements upon drunkards, swearers, and sabbath-breakers. In a collection of the most remarkable examples of Gods revealed wrath upon these sins with their aggravations, as well from scripture, as reason. And a caution to authority, lest the impunity of these evils bring a scourge upon the whole nation. By W. L.	Hammond, Samuel, d. 1665.	1659 (1659)	Wing H623bA; ESTC R230554	59,944	204

Belshazar and used very much of long-suffering and patience to Pharaoh whose heart at last not taking warning he ●ardened what are examples of Gods Judgements upon others for if not to keep us from being the examples our selves And though Precepts in●eed are very binding yet they never shine so much as when set in examples We are all acquainted how little hold reproofs admonitions and exhortations from the Pulpit take of men therefore it is that I have great hopes that these examples may do good for as one in another case sayes A Verse may find him whom a Sermon flyes And turn delight into a Sacrifice So such as come not to hea● their sins ript open in a Soul● searching Sermon may by reading or hearing these examples be frightened at the voyce of Gods Judgements To consider the severity of God to those that fell may well make us think with our selves shall I that am guilty as much as others be yet in the land of the living will not the Patience Goodnesse and Long-suffering of God lead us to repentance I say examples are of more force to move nay to instruct then the Arguments and proofs of Reason or their precise Precepts for they shew things not onely ●n the Theory but in the practice and execution It 's reported of one Waldus in France that at the sight of Gods Judgement upon on● that was suddenly struck dead went home and admonished his friends to repent and turne from their evill wayes and wa● himself a famous Christian● from whom also sprang the name of the Waldenses Examples mix so with the Apprehensions as they force the mind to a deeper understanding and search of the ends and causes of them What I have collected are not of common examples which daily present themselves before our eye● but such as are the most notorious and remarkable and I question not but authentick those of modern and more late experience I have taken from such Authours as are living and who from their own knowledge have given testimony to the truth of them Now what am I that should undertake to direct others in that wherein I am to seek my self by walking below the strictnesse of what I prescribe to others and short of my own duty having it may be that found upon my trencher which I disswade others from as pernicious yet I consider the advantages of the undertaking and it may be this may be one to my self that these strict limits to others will girt me more straitly within the compasse of my own duty and though this hath been strugling for a Birth a long time yet now the truth and integrity of my intentions have prevailed to launch into a Sea of censures and if I aim at the good of others in the reformation of their minds and manners I am sure it cannot be any hurt to them or my self and this is the Rock on which I hope to stand against the proud assaults of envy or detraction for if any thing in the ayme or intention be good it 's made of more value by the diffusive Quality of it in disaffecting that humour of Aspendius who delighted to play on his Harp so that none should heare but himselfe I shall conclude in the words of the Apostle and pray That the love of God which hath appeared unto all men may teach us to deny all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world W. L. THE CONTENTS of the whole THe Character of Drunkards Page 1.2.3 Drunkennesse a sin against the lawes of Temperance and Sobriety and the practice of Heathens against it 4.5 The strict lawes of Heathens against Drunnkennesse 6. The spiritual evils of Drunkennesse 7. Drunkennesse the fountain of other sins 8.9 The outward evils which accompany this sin of Drunkennesse consumption of estate ruine of relations losse of health a shame to friends scorn to servants derision to boyes losse of sences c. 10.11.12 c. A friendly exhortation to such Gentlemen as are tempted to this sin especially to the most learned and ingenuous persons 16.17 c. Gods threatnings aginst Drunkennesse 21.22 Gods righteous and terrible Judgements upon such as take not warning in a collection of the most choyce examples such only as bear the strongest remark of Gods displeasure 23.24 to 45. Some few disswasives from this sin of drunkennesse 46.47 Of profane taking the Lords name in vain by cursed oathes c. 51. The several aggravations of this sin of cursing and swearing 52. Swearing a sinne directly against God himself ibid. It 's a sin of high ingratitude 53 The sin of the Devils in Hell 54 No profit by it ibid Heathens detest it 55 Dissuasives from it 56.57 The severity of former lawes and time against wicked swearing 57. Gods threatnings against it 58. Gods severity in his just Judgements upon such as practised it in a few sad and doleful examples 59 60. to 59. The sin of profaningg the Sabbath day a great sin 83.84 The strict command of God himselfe to observe it 85. Gods own practice for our example to keep one day in seven from labour c. 84. Gods end in commanding us to observe it is for our own good 88. The reasonablenesse of Gods command for one in seven 89. The breach of this day a great sin by many high aggravations of it c. 90. A sin against Gods daily blessings and mercy to us 91. A word to such as sit idly at home on the Lords day 92. A word to such as profane it by playing drinking c. 91. Perswasions to hear the Word and attend Ordinances as the greatest advantages to our soules 93.94 Objections answered 95. Gods threatenings against Sabbath-breakers 96.97 Gods severe examples of Judgement and Justice upon the profaners of the Sabbath day 98.99 to 125. Conclusion 125.126.127.128 OF DRUNKENNESSE AND GODS JUDGEMENTS UPON DRUNKARDS THe sin of Drunkenesse being the womb of all others I chuse first to speak of by shewing What a loathsome creature a Drunkard is how it 's condemned by the lawes of Nature as well as Nations the sad consequences of it to soul to body by setting a full point to his life when nature hath not yet made a Comma Ruining his family and relations leaving himself at last a prey to necessity and scorne to fooles The Aggravation of this sin to the Gentry who by their Birth Estates Parts c. are seated above the reach of such vulgar rudenesse and therefore should soare so high with a Noble mind as to scorne to prey upon such garbage as is only fit to feed swine with The threatnings of God against this sin with his Judgements for it First then A Drunkard may be called a Monster such as entred not into the Ark unlesse you account Noah one who fell through temptation he made no practice of it yet smarted for his pregnant curiosity to make an assay upon the unruly spirit of wine but let

ought to give all diligence and respect to this day as a day greatly valued prised and esteemed of by God himself Anno 1647. there was a deplorable accident a tremendous instance of the justice of God upon a person a ●armer in a Village called Little-●allerton in the County of Northumberland about six miles distant from New-Castle The Relation is thus The Minister teaching upon that Scripture 1 Epist. Pet. 2. cap. 2. latter part Who hath called you out of darknesse into his marvellous light and in the fore-noon Sermon insisting upon the spiritual darknesse and blindnesse of unregenerate men and aggravating the many evills attending upon that condition in this life and asserting the wofull condition period state and conditon of such as should die in that estate of spiritual darknesse how that to such is resreve● the blacknesse of darknesse which was occasionally improved to discove● the miserable condition of the damned in hell by reason of their separation from God called utter darknesse Mat. 22.13 and 8.42 25 1● At the ending of the first Sermon this miserable man accompanied others of his neighbours to the Al● house for refreshment the time of r●paire to the second Sermon bein● come some of them moved him to return with them to whom he replye● that the Minister was preaching upo● darknesse and he would not hear hi● till he should treat upon the light and so continued drinking in the Alehouse with some other profane souldiers and by having immoderately taken Ale and Hot Waters was in the height of his drunkennesse carried to bed in the Ale-house where after a short time he ended his miserable life dying in the very act of sin without any visible act of Repentance This Relation is inserted verbatim as I have it from a godly Minister of the Gospel in the same County and not farre from the same place and is indeed a sad example of Gods Judgement not only against the sin of profaning the Lords day but also of drunkennesse and contempt of the Gospel Now because I observe this day so greatly neglected by the generality of the Nation not onely neglecting to hear the Word preached which is able to save their soules but also violating of it by profanation give me a word and that only to such as professe the observance of it as lawfull for if such a slighting of this day grow we shall from it run to Atheisme by contempt of Gods holy Ordinances and Commandments Let us first consider the end of God in the Sabbath which is chiefly for sanctification of his name and what creature dare say he is not strictly tyed by all the obligations expressable It is a day of liberty not of bondage God can be sanctified without us he shineth not with borrowed lights these tapers that burne from mortall breach can adde no glory to God but as in his great mercy and condescention he is pleased to accept of us Then the intent of this day as to our advantages it 's for the eternall good of our soules that the Lord may by this occasion reach our slow understanding and with his Word preached that he may dwell with the humble and contrite spirit We are not only to avoyd profaning it by not Working Drinking Playing Idlenesse Travelling c but we ought to frequent the publick worship of God in the Assemblies of his people and there to hear his word with Godly reverence and fear The reasonablenesse of one day in seven for God and our own souls may convince us in a great measure of this day that is a sin less excusable that 's so reasonable that we may have the lesse to say for our excuse he gives us 6 for our outward affairs oh then who can grudge the 7th especially when God links in our immortal happinesse together with his own glory It was the custom of Christians in Trajan the Emperours time to meet on the Lords Day morning sing a Psalm receive the Sacrament and covenant to flie sin on that day and when Christians were summoned before the Heathen Governours and demanded Dost thou believe the Lords Day the answer was I am a Christian Take away the Sabbath sayes a Reverend Divine and Religion will soon wither and decay The Indians might as well have been chosen the subjects of this profitable Obedience and we in their conditions keeping instead of a Sabbath to God every day to the Devil It will be more tollerable I am afraid for them at that Great day than for us If we had been left to our own choice What squarer division of time could have been thought upon than one day for our souls and another for our bodies one for the World another for Heaven This had been the reasonable rule of proportion it s more grace than reason that God should desire but one day in seven and that day also to be for our eternal good Oh how inexcusable will it be for us that prophane it or neglect the advantages of it Is refraining from labour a toil to us Is to be eased of sin a burden Lord then let me be burdened for Lord thy yoke is easie and thy burden is light What is a more unspeakable mercy than for souls to have communion with God as well as our own hearts And as Divines say glory is but grace perfected So that eternal Sabbath of rest is but as I may say this perfected This sin is accompanied with many aggravations and this is none of the least that we have a will given us to refuse to prophane it Besides its a deliberate act of the mind it s not sudden as an oath or murder but in the very act it self thou canst not but know thou art sinning against the light of thy conscience it s the greatest sin that is accompanied with time to consider an enlightened mind to understand the evil to purpose to evil is an aggravation as high as the sin If aggravations face not this sin with a dreadful countenance consider and in reason think Is it not just with God to suffer thy frail composure of corruption to shrink under his heavy judgements that at night Gods protection should leave us as in our graves when we are in our beds Or canst thou expect any blessing upon thy outward estate when it is in the power of God to dispose of life being health estate and all Is it not just if we travel on this day that God should judge us with sudden death in the like severity as he hath made others examples of to all Ages Yet if God do suffer thy corn wine and oil to encrease fear a curse under the Strawberry leaves of thy enjoyments for a blessing is not the shadow of sin it will not follow thee in the wayes of wickednesse rather fear some judgement will overtake thy swift motion to impiety A word to two sorts First those that prophane it contemning not onely Gods Lawes but the Lawes of the Nation

windows broken the Iron barres of the windows bended and bloody and the poor wretch never more heard of These are sad instances of Gods displeasure if he would please in mercy to set them home upon some poor sinners In the year 1551. in Bohemia five drunkards were met together to drink who seeing a picture painted upon the wall for the devill drank healths to him the next night they were all found dead with their necks broken and their bodies crusht in pieces blood running out of their mouthes nostrils ears c. In the County of Cavan in Ireland a Gentleman of Castle-terra was much given to delight in drunken company wherein healths went down swiftly and glasses broke against the walls at every health by this sin he was so much addicted to wickednesse and impenitency as his sport was to repeat the Ministers Sermons in scorn and derision especially at one time having heard a Sermon upon faith demanded of the Minister if he could remove mountaines else he would not believe he had faith This Gentleman is by Gods hand struck with the small pox which gets into his throat in such extremity that he could not swallow any meat or drink to cool and refresh the violence of his internall heat that throat that had been the gutter and channel of many a pounds worth of drink could not now in torment like Dives suffer one drop to refresh him In this sad and bitter conflict he breaks out into these expressions to an honest man standing by Oh Thomas would I could now receive one of those glasses of drink which formerly I profusely and profanely have thrown against the walls And growing worse and worse without hopes of life perceiving no remedy but death for all his soares he breaks out again in his agony and torment oh that now I had but as much faith as a grain of Mustard-seed and so expired the 57. year of his Age I pray and cordially desire that such sinners as parallel this example may not be reacht with the like Justice Many there are in this Nation grown up to a height of Malice and Rage against Gods Ministers and some in this place boyled up to a proportion of envy ready to break The Lord break their hearts and humble their soules under that two-edged sword of his word that they may be saved in the day of the Lord A Gentleman of Quality being drunk and rising to urine evacuating that into the fire that prepared fuell for himself he fell into the fire and not being able to rise again his belly was gathered together like a piece of Lether the chamberlain coming in helped in that could not pity or help himself and though in great torture and pain through the piercing anguish of Gods Judgement yet he called for and drank off two and twenty double Jugs of Beer and so in this sad and lamentable estate died Roaring and Crying that he was damned for breaking his vow of Reformation Oh that the Lord would work a Reformation indeed that poor creatures may not thus fall under divine Justice too much to be feared as well to soul as body Remarkable is the example of that tragical story of two Drunkards who the fourth of July 1580. at Nekershofew in Almain came into an Inne called for bread and wine and drinking to an infinite excesse at last one of them drinks a health to God demanding what wine God would pledg him in and reaching forth his arm with a cup full sayes God I know not what wine thou likest best but this I think is too good for thee unlesse thou hadst sent better but such as it is I give thee take it pledge me presently and carouse it off every drop as I have done to thee or thou dost me wrong Here 's a piece of blasphemy which I am confident the most wretched creature in the world durst not speak sober Oh this sad sin we little know what the fruits of one drunken hour may produce This vile wretch no sooner ended his hellish courtesie but that just and wise God who must be provoked before he will execute his severe Judgements whom he had blasphemed pledged him with a witnesse for he left him as a pledge to the world of his wrath and displeasure against this sin His arme which he stretched out was never able to be pulled in again his body stupified as well as his senses not able to stirre from the place continuing a long time in this sad condition his eyes rolling to and fro in a terrible manner his breath and speech lost yet seemed to all alive The people flock in droves to see this sad spectacle of fury and vengeance some offer to remove him but could not horses are tied to him but could not stir him they put fire to him which would not take hold so perswaded God had set him there as a warning to Drunkards they left him so and to this day sayes my Author he stands as a Pillar and Mark to bid others avoid the like wickednesse least they participate of Gods wrath which though it moves a slow pace will in the end light heavier in as much as Gods patience provoked turns to the most irresistable punishment His companion who had escaped the imediate hand of God fell into the hands of Justice also for as the other died a terrible so this a shamefull death being hanged by the common people before the door of the house where the sin was committed O that you would consider this ye that forget God least he teare you in pieces and there be none to help At one of Alexanders great meetings appointed for his Officers and Favourits no lesse died with excesse of drink than 41. and after many a health Promachus at the bottom of four gallons of wine found the prize and jewel appointed for the Conquerour Another time he ended his own health and life by drinking a health out of Hercules Cup which to effect 35. drunk their last also These are direful and pregnant testimonies of Gods Judgements upon this impious custom of drinking healths Against that good law of the Spartans Vt bibat abitrio pocula quisque suo Every man to his own liberty Or that of the Goths where it was death to drink or force a health It s placed in the Records of time that Popelus second King of Poland doubting the fruits of his male-government to be the peoples deposing him by his Queens counsel faines himself sick sends for twenty of the Elective Princes out of Pomerania intreating their visit who as well now as at other times came and for their just reward and punishment of their great excesse in drink and custom of healths they now drunk their last without being drunk at all The King makes a Speech intreates his Son may be elected Heir to the Crown after his departure which they promise if the Nobility consented to their resolves The Queen to seal the bargaine brings a

Smiths Barn and though it grieved the holy man of God who was Minister of the place as the Sodomites did Lot yet he could not help it but in their profanenesse they proceeded not long after a fire kindles in the place of this impiety and burnes down not onely his House Shop and Barn but rages so vehemently as it reaches many other houses with ruin all being chief actors in this horrid profanenesse In the year 1634. upon a Lords day when the River Trent was frozen over fourteen young men were at foot-ball upon the Ice near Gainsborough and meeting all in a cluster together the wrath of God met with them and suddenly the Ice broke and they were immediately drowned Oh the justice of the Lord upon the prophaners of his Holy day The same painful and useful Author of Gods examples relates a sad one of Gods Judgements upon two fellows in Essex near Brinkely that were working in a Chalk-pit one of them boasting that he had vext his Mistresse by coming so late in from his Sabbath-dayes Sports and Recreations ● but sayes he I will anger her worse next Sabbath day which words were no sooner out but Justice seizes upon him for the Earth falls upon him and he never stirred more to his Sabbath prophanesse his fellowes limbs were broken both being sharers in the sin of the Sabbath are made also to be so in their sufferings and punishments The Lord will be known in the paths and wayes of his Judgements to such as will not be led and allured by his tender mercies And of one Mr. Ameredith a Gentleman of Devonshire being recovered from a pain which he had suffered in his feet one of his friends saying he was glad to see him so nimble the Gentleman replies He hoped his hopes should not be frustrated of the great expectations he had to dance about the May-Pole the next Sunday But behold the Lord in a just punishment for such impious and wicked resolutions and no doubt also for his former prophanesse on that day smites him suddenly with feeblenesse and faintnesse of heart ere he stirred from the place and with such a strange dizzinesse in the head that he was forc't to be led home and from thence to his last home before the Lords Day shined upon him Now tell me any that can what little hopes the poor souls thus ushered to the chambers of death have to keep an eternal Sabbath with God that will not keep his Sabbath from prophaning on earth Truly these are sad symptoms of Gods heavy displeasure against soul as well as body his mercy if any be in such dismal dispensations are occult and hidden the Lord in mercy warn poor sinners to avoid the wrath of such an Infinite God that such as will not be intreated to keep the Lords day as they ought may be terrified from prophaning of it Another as severe he relates which together with the three former are attested by sufficient witnesses At Walton upon Thames in Survey upon a great frost in the year 1634. three young men having in the forenoon heard a Sermon from 2 Cor. 5.10 We must all appear before the Judgement-seat of Christ c. they went over the Ice into an house of disorder and gaming where they prophanely spent away the rest of the Lords day and night also in revelling and drinking the one of them next day boasting merrily of his pleasure upon the Sabbath day and his adventure over the Ice All three on Tuesday return the way they went and upon the Ice suddenly sunk to the bottom like stones one of them onely miraculously preserved These judgements may be mercies to some that are yet prophaners of the Lords day if God please At Burton upon Trent Mr. Abberly a godly Minister often took occasion to reprove and threaten such as make no conscience of the Lords day by prophaning it in a more peculiar manner such as bought and sold meat upon this day which it seems was a sin as great and as commonly practised in this place as it was lately at Buntingford where in my journey some Gentlemen of Newcastle being my fellow-travellers we took occasion after Sermon to acquaint the Minister withal I pray God it may not be so still lest such a judgement befal the place as did this prophane wretch which was thus A Taylor being a nimble and active man dwelling at the upper end of the Town must needs in a bravado go to the further end to buy some meat before morning-prayer but coming home with both his hands full in the midst of the street he fell down stark dead I was sayes Doctor Teate an eye-witnesse both of his fall and burial and that it wrought a reformation in the place both among the Butchers and others It was a remarkable Providence and I wish I say that other places may be reformed of this bold and impudent sin or truly they may repent of it when it s too late A Pious Divine sayes he The Lord hath spoken so loud from heaven against Sabbath-sinners that I cannot be silent We hereabout have had in a short time terrible tokens of God severe vengeance upon such as mind not the service of his Day amongst our selves a sad example A Townsman going to gather Cherries on the Lords Day fell from the tree and in the fall was so battered and bruised that he never spake more but lay groaning in his blood until the next day and then died Another man not far from this place in Cherry-time as he was gathering fruit fell from the tree and with the fall was so hurt that he lay in anguish and dreadful dolour all the week till Sabbath day and then ended his miserable life And of a young man that on the Lords Day in a place nigh unto Mr. Goodwins scrambling with others for Peares thrown out in the Church-yard broke his main thigh-bone and the bone of his leg on the same side which was so miserably and strangely broken as that the Bone-setter who was a godly man told Mr. Goodwin though he had seen many yet he never saw the like God here dealt in mercy as well as in judgememt in that he 〈◊〉 him space to repent and see his sin The Lord warn us all by these examples A company of prophane young men in 1635. near Salisbury upon the Lords Day morning went to Clarington Park to cut down a May-Pole and having loaden the Cart with the tree and themselves with the bitter fruits of sin they are severely punisht by the hand of God For entring into the City of Salisbury through a place called Milners Bars unawares the Cart gives a turn and the end of the tree struck one of the Sabbath-breakers such a mortal blow that his brains flew out and there on the place he yeilded himself a conquered sinner by the Just hand of the Lord lying there as a sad spectacle of Gods indignation and sayes Mr Clark I enquired of