Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	goodness_n	gracious_a	lord_n	4,964	5	4.1344	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A77017	A sermon preached before the reverend Committee of divines, the 20th of May 1646 At their usuall place of meeting in Westminster. Vpon a text given the day before, by that godly and learned member of the Assembly Mr John Ley chair-man. By Sampson Bond minister of Gods word, at Mayden-head in Berks. Printed according to order.	Bond, Samson.	1646 (1646)	Wing B3586A; Thomason E346_13; ESTC R201010	38,967	59

vertue in our selves which nature hath expressed in the chiefe members of our bodies and exemplified in the best creatures almost in every kind if we examine wee shall find the meekest to be the best Shall wee behold Moses among the Israelites we reade of God sending this gratious testimony after him that he was the best of men because the meekest in all the earth Shall wee behold Christ among the people we heare him Matth. 11. saying Learne of me that I am meeke and lowly in heart and you shall find rest to your soules Shall we behold Paul among the Corinthians the Galatians and all others we find him desiring all to put on the bowels of Compassion Meeknesse Mercy and naturall Affection c. so mercy and meeknesse were Peters I mean the Apostle way which he went to restore his countrey men the Jewes for though they had murthered his and our Lord and Master and much injured his fellow servants the Apostles yet he speaketh to them as a Father or a carefull Master he telleth them indeed of their fault but with much meeknesse and mercy for he aggravateth it not that he might not drive them to desperate courses but excusing it by their ignorance he offereth them grace and pardon upon very easie termes that grieving for their sinnes of a deeper dye they would looke upon him by faith whom they had pierced and with wicked hands nailed to a tree thus far wee see that in respect of men the meekest are the best so of other creatures I will instance but in a few the Prophet doth make way for mee in the eight Psalme All sheep and oxen yea and the beasts of the field c. David speaking of the Beasts of the field he instanceth in sheep and oxen which all know to be not only the meekest and mildest of all the rest but most profitable to man therefore the best The grand Philosopher testifieth that the Master Bee either hath no sting at all or never useth it thus also in respect of Beasts the tamest and gentlest are the best inferior a fulminant they are Lyons and Bears that rore yell and teare In the next place shall we search the Heavens the upper Region of the ayre is alwayes calme and quiet they are the lower Regions that are stormy men of baser and inferiour natures are boysterous tempestuous and abusive The superiour Spheres and those stars fixt in them move regularly and uniformly they are the erratick and vagabond stars that wander from one Planet to another and are without order nay there is an Antipathy between them and Regularitie or Vniformity Lastly let us looke above the Heavens upon him qui regit sidera that distributes to the stars their severall influence and is the first mover of them all He even he himselfe is slow in his proceedings against rebellious sinners for example see Jericho behold Adam and Eve God was longer in destroying Jericho then in creating the whole world And when Adam and Eve had sinned with a heigh hand reaching the forbidden fruit and eating it it was the coole of the evening before the voice the Lord was heard in the Garden and the voice that was heard was of God Walking not running So true is that of Moses Exod. 34. God is mercifull gracious abundant in goodnesse and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sinne Are all these Attributes in God and can man be content to be without them nay to have the contrary dwell within him to be mercilesse ungracious abundant in ungodlinesse and falshood keeping malice for thousands forgiving no man c. nay which yet cryeth lowdest in the eares of God and man thinking himselfe innocent righteous just and good Oh let no man much lesse such stand too much upon his owne innocencie and integrity Vae laudabili vitae hominum si remota misericordia discutias eam woe be to the commendable life of men if it be searcht into without mercy and scand exactly the Cherubins themselves continually looke towards the Mercy-seat and if wee expect mercy at the hands of the God of meeknesse wee must meekly shew mercy wherefore you especially you whom God hath exalted above your fellowes remember that no vertues are so generally commended as meeknesse and mercy true wisdome consists herein witnesse the spirit of God Jam. 3. the wisedome that is from above is first pure then peaceable gentle and easie to be intreated full of mercy and good fruits and the fruit of righteousnesse is sowne in peace of them that make peace no fruit of the spirit so sweet and pleasant as this on the contrary no fruit of the flesh so tart and bitter as jealousie and wrath which God curseth by the mouth of Iacob Gen. 49. Cursed be their anger for it was fierce and their rage for it was cruell but on the other side blesseth meeknesse by the mouth of our Saviour Mat. 5. Blessed are the meeke for they shall inherit the earth when the earth was cursed it brought forth thornes and thistles and briars which are good for nothing but to be burned wherefore as we desire the blessing of God let us take heed of thornes and thistles and bryars they are fruits of a cursed earth heare the counsell of Saint Iames Let no root of bitternesse remaine in you that yee may receive with meeknesse the ingrafted word which is able to save your soules our roots of bitternesse are like so many Serpents full of poyson and of all wrath is the most fiery which will set all in a combustion if it be not quenched by the infusion of divine graces especially the graces of meeknesse and mercy Aristotle briefly defineth it {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the bridle of wrath which because it is a passion of all other most head-strong it requireth both a strong curbe and a skilfull Rider how to prevent the occasion of quarrels and stop the passages of wrongs to nip the seeds of discords this is a worke for grace and wisdome both because if anger take root like an inveterate disease it will hardly be cured Seneca strikes the same note though on a different string in premis finibus hostis arcendus est nam cum portis se intulit modum ae captivis non capit above all things saith he keepe the enemy from entring the Citie for if he once thrust his head into the gate hee will give thee the Law and not take it from thee Certainely the bone was never well set that easily slips out of joynt a man full of juyce and sap of grace is like greene wood which is long before it be kindled mercy is not hasty is not violent it breaks no bones yet there are some who like best a resolute Chirurgion who be the patient never so impatient will doe his duty and quickly put him out of his paine though in the meane time he putteth

it was their duty to improve their talent of wisdome spirituall understanding so it is the duty of every good man to improve his talent of knowledge and spirituall gifts according to that saying 1 Tim. 4. to meditate on those things he readeth and heareth that his profiting may appeare to all and to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ admit that the Christian Romans should have learned no new thing by divers of Saint Pauls Sermons yet this would not have excused their grosse carelesnesse in case they had neglected their duty of hearing for instruction of ignorance is not the onely end of hearing there are many others as to glorifie God to countenance the Ministry of his Word by their presence to encourage others to the diligent and constant hearing of the Word by their example who happily may more need instruction then themselves againe that men may be put in mind of those things which indeed they knew before but either forgot or made as little use of them as if they had never knowne them Lastly to perform all religious duties in a better manner that they may for the future receive more comfort in their private devotions and more benefit by the publick Ministry of the Ordinances of our blessed Lord and Master these or the like considerations made the true beleeving Romans as joyfull in obeying as their Apostle was humble in desiring and although by grace they were both knowing and willing yet the deadnesse and dulnesse of their natures to the best things made way for this powerfull and sweet exhortation to rouse and stir them up I beseech you this Phrase denotes two good qualities in Saint Paul gentlenesse and earnestnesse both to perswade the willing soule this was his constant course I wil instance but in one 2 Cor. 10. Now I Paul my self beseech you by the meeknesse and gentlenesse of Christ in these and the like passages Saint Paul is an example for the Reverend Assembly themselves and all other faithfull Dispensers of the sacred mysteries of the Covenant of grace gentlenesse and meeknesse are such Load-stones that they draw nay pierce the hardest heart so powerfull that they make a Rock drop tears it is not the storme of haile and rain that ratleth upon the tyles and maketh such a noyse but the stil kind showre that sinketh deepe into the earth {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} We find by experience that hee that maketh an incision in the body of a Patient that hath tough and hard flesh putteth him to little or no paine at all but if he mollifie the flesh first and then apply his sharpe instrument the party begins to be sensible and shrinketh at it It seeems Paul was well acquainted with this truth therfore that hee might doe good upon his hearers he first makes their hearts tender I beseech you and then pricks it Now that which makes the heart tender is not heat of passion is not rage is not the spirit of furie but the spirit of meeknesse Doe not we see that the soft drops of rain pierce the hardest stones and the warme blood of a Goat dissolveth the Adamant which the strongest Axe cannot break this faire and gentle meanes is laid downe by our Apostle 1 Cor. 4. What will yee shall I come unto you with a rod or in love and the spirit of meeknesse as if he had said for my part consider me in my selfe I had rather come in love and meeknesse Nature seemeth to prescribe this method which always sendeth a flash of Lightning before we heare a clap of thunder and nothing is strucke which is not blasted before Art doth the like Si frustra molliora cesserint ferit venam for Physicians first minister weake and gentle potions and as the disease groweth apply stronger medicines Good Surgeons like Machaon in Homer {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} first lay plasters and poultesses to wounds and swellings and never launce or burne the part till the sore fester and other parts be in danger thus S. Paul shewed himself a skilfull Surgeon of soules he knew desperate remedies are never good but when no other can be had hee knew that if the Romans were of a great spirit and well given they will not entertaine violent and compulsive remedies if they be ill cannot be amended by such meanes viz. extreame courses wherefore that he might gently and comfortably move them with his finger whom peradventure he could not wag if he should put his whole body and strength wisely applyeth himselfe after this manner I beseech you which brings us to our second particular of our last generall the Matter By the mercy of God This is the matter by which hee so humbly beseecheth them though we find by daily experience that in God there are miserationes multae yet there is but one mercy which is his essence from whence issue motus miserecordiae divers motions and acts of that infinit mercy as there is but one spirit yet divers gifts and graces of that spirit so there is but one mercy yet from that one mercy flow divers motions and acts this mercy in God is infinite and happy is it for us that it is so misery is infinite in us we therefore stand in need of an infinite mercy with this mercy Paul doth reason that his earnest desire may bee effectuall as if a another should intreat her children by her wombe that bare them and her paps that gave them suck in like manner Paul doth supplicate I beseech you by the mercy of God Oh my Christian Brethren then consider is God mercifull and shall man bee cruell is the Master meek and mild and shall the servant Be fierce and furious shall God give the Lambe in his Scurchion and man the Lyon if he who ruleth the Nations with a rod of iron and breaketh them in pieces like a Potters vessell will not breake the brused reed shall reeds break reeds the sensible mercy which we daily receive from our Creator should teach the creature of what degree soever whether in the Mount or in the Plaine mercy and compassion these are vertues which our Lord Jesus himselfe richly setteth forth with a title of Blessednesse over them and a large promise of great possessions by them as Mat. 5. Blessed are the meeke for they shall inherit the earth Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercy these graces of meeknesse and mercy are not more acceptable in the sight of God than agreeable to the nature of man witnesse our moist eyes ready to shed teares upon any sad accident witnesse our tender and relentings heart apt to receive the least impression of griefe Why hath God given us soft hearts but to melt into compassion why moist eyes but to shed teares as well for the grievous affliction of others as our owne sinnes what shall not grace imprint that