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	lord_n	psal_n	4,045	5	7.5057	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A69170	Salomons pest-house, or tovvre-royall Nevvly re-edified and prepared to preserue Londoners with their families, and others, from the doubted deluge of the plague. Item, a laudable exercise for those that are departed, or shall depart out of the city into the country, to spend their time till they returne. A handfull of holy meditations vsefull and requisite for Gods people ... By the reuerend, learned, and godly diuine I.D. preacher of Gods word. Whereunto is added Mr Hollands admonition, and Mr Phaers prescription for bodily physicke. Also, London looke-backe: a description or representation of the great and memorable mortality an. 1625. in heroicke matchlesse lines, by A.H. of Tr. Colledge in Cambridge.	I. D., preacher of Gods word.; Holland, Henry, 1583-1650? Spirituall preservatives against the pestilence.; Houssemaine, Nicolas de, d. 1523. Régime contre la peste.; Holland, Abraham, d. 1626. London looke-backe.; Phayer, Thomas, 1510?-1560.	1630 (1630)	STC 6176; ESTC S117096	52,379	80

for that hee is a place of refuge three things are able to prooue First the witnes of God himselfe second the confession of the righteous third the word running here vsed by king Salomon As for the Lord he doth attribute vnto himself this name by the pen of the holy Ghost calling himselfe a secret place Psal 91.1 a throne of Grace Heb. 4.16 a refuge Psal 9 9 a fortresse Psal 18 2. a strong tower and such like more Secondly this is the confession of the righteous Of Dauid the father in diuers places Psal 18 2. The Lord is my fortresse and my refuge and in the 32.7 Thou art my secret place and compassest me about with ioyfull deliuerance and so Psal 94 22. This is also the confession of the sonne in this place and of all the Saints of God vnto whose confessions I referre you as they are set down by the holy Ghost in the booke of God Thirdly the word runneth implieth as much which giueth me entrance to the second point opening vnto vs the feet which we need to goe vnto this place the which if ye are desirous to know The feet to carry vs thither they are two in number Faith and Praier Faith the first for if by faith we stand 2 Cor. 1 24. by faith we may also goe to the Lord who is faithfull Now how could we goe vnto him by the feete of prayer if wee did not beleeue in him Rom. 10.14 The second is prayer a spirituall legge to beare vs thither noted by Salomon making mention of running by Ionah speaking of comming Chap. 2 ver 7. And my prayer came vnto thee in thine holy temple By the Apostle when he speaketh of going let vs therefore goe vnto the throne of grace Heb. 4.16 Lastly by the holy Ghost vsing this word Climbing Apoc. 8.4 Both the name of the place which is appointed for vs to goe vnto and the spirituall legs which the Lord hath giuen vs to carry vs thither doe preach vnto the sonnes of men the admirable goodnes mercy of the Lord toward them In this world we are as pilgrims Psal 119. hauing here no continuing Citie Heb. 13.14 and while we are at home in the body wee are absent from the Lord. 2. Cor. 5.6 In which pilgrimage Many are the troubles of the righteous Psal 34. O the great goodnes of the Lord then that hee hath giuen vs feete to come vnto him and made himsefe a place of refuge for vs in all our troubles which goodnesse is comfortable vnto the faithfull for as it is a comfort vnto the pilgrim shepheard or souldier to haue in the heate of the day a place of refuge to refresh their wearied members So likewise what a comfort is it for you O afflicted soules in the heat of your afflictions to haue the name of Iehouah for a sacred Sanctuarie the Lord is not like vnto the Princes of the earth who desire not to be molested with the requests of their distressed subiects It is a ioy to the wearied student that he may sometime come home to his fathers house recreate himselfe Into this world the Lord hath sent vs as in an Vniuersitie which although it is farre off from our fathers house yet the Lord hath giuen vs spirituall feet by which in a moment wee can ascend vnto our fathers house and recreate there our wearied spirits This world is a waste desart if wee neede any thing here are the legges by which speedily we may runne to this place and prouide our selues If the Lord hath cast vs downe vpon our beds and that wee cannot vse the feet of our bodies behold he hath giuen vs other feet to vse in stead of these King Ezekiah visited with the plague could not vse the feet of the flesh but with the feet of the spirit went vnto this place known vnto him by the name of Iehouah Ionah is locked vp in a prison in the belly of the Whale the Lords prison and cannot stirre himselfe and yet by the vertue of these feet out of the depth he ascendeth to the holy temple of Iehouah The hose to put on Now that these feet may be able to beare vs thither and that they may not faile vs in our voyage they must put on the hose of faith and as the Apostle speaketh our feet must be shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace And as the feet to that Image of Daniel were part of yron Eph 6.15 part of clay which the Prophet expoundeth partly strong partly weake or broken Dan 2 42. So the feet of our prayers are according to the hosen wherewith they are couered if they put on feare and distrustfulnesse they will be shiuering and sinking downeward of clay weake and impotent if they put on faith and confidence in the mercies of God they will be feet of yron strong stable and firme keeping vs vpright and will carrie vs to the very throne of grace A dirction to know the way Further as they that depart into the Countrey if they know not the way to the place whereunto they goe must haue a guide or a direction because they should not erre So in the going to this place because there are so many false guides and directions the Lord himselfe hath giuen vs a Card of direction to lead vs thereunto the witnesse of his holy word written and sealed that can neuer deceiue vs. As the fierie pillar in the desart shewed the way vnto the Israelites So this word of the Lord is a fierie pillar vnto vs in the darke desart of this world to shew vs the way to that heauenly Canaan it is the lanthorne vnto our feete and a light to our pathes Luk. 12.35 Psal 105. and therefore according to the direction of our Sauiour Let our ioynes be girded and let vs beare in our hands this shining light The right or interest which the faithfull haue to this place Fourthly to go to this place it is necessarie to know what right or interest we haue in it In the places whereunto men betake their selues in the time of plague either they haue some right or interest there because they are their owne or because they haue some friends or acquaintance there that will receiue them or lastly because they haue either hired or purchased a house So likewise vnto the name of Iehouah the place where we ought to goe in the time of plague as also at all other times we haue a speciall right and interest First because it is our owne for he is our God and our Lord not by nature but by gift and donation Secondly there we haue acquaintance and our best friends God our father Christ our brother the holy Ghost our comforter Thirdly because we haue purchased it not we our selues by corruptible gold or by our merites but Christ for vs by his precious blood hath obtained this place of refuge for vs in our troubles Dauid 1. Chro.

beseech thee O Lord Loe here O proud son of Adam of thy selfe thou hast nothing but like a poore suppliant begger thou art constrained to goe before the gate of that right God aswel the king that sitteth vpon his throne as poore Lazarus that sitteth before the doore of the rich man Thirdly his memory the subiect wherof was the Lord O holy remembrance Although he had as it were forgotten him by his sinne in his prosperitie yet he remembreth him by his praier in his affliction O the excellencie of praier it is a remembring of our best friend whose remembrance is comfortable to our distressed soules The subiect of our memoris haue beene along time commodities pleasures riches honor triumphs therfore ô England behold another subiect to exercise the art of thy memory If then we haue forgotten him by our feruent prayer in our sin let vs now remember him by our seruent praier in our affliction Many haue practised the art of memorie according to the memoratiue Art and precepts of memorie which appoint places and their furniture for the helpe of such as are vnexperienced but let vs practise the art of this holy memorie let God be the subiect in this our afflictiō let these be our helpes First let vs remember in our praier the commandement of God Psal 50. Secondly the name of him whom we call vpon that it is Iehouah Lord our God a God not in shew but in substance and performance a strong God a towre of defence they that know this name wil trust in him Psal 9.10 Thirdly what he is by nature how sweet and amiable how rich in mercie Eph. 2. Fourthly what he is by promise how faithfull and true 2. Tim. 1.3 Lastly what he is by couenant made vnto Abrahams seed not in the blood of bulles but in the bloud of the seed of Abraham Further Dauid hath shewen his wisdome that in the choice of the place taking his marke aright and directing his petition to the true and proper periode Imitate the wisdom of king Dauid in his choice he that goeth to a place runneth aright and wisely if he be wise and not by crooked and erroneous waies Dauid sheweth vs the right way for to what place should we goe but to this when our sorrowes are multiplied shall we follow the waies of the wicked and say with them Malac. 3. It is in vaine that I haue serued him and what profit is it that I haue kept his Commandements Or shall we runne vpon the way of impatience adding griefe to griefe liuing the life of Caine or dying the death of Iudas drowning our soules in a gulfe of desperation Shall we spend the time in bannings execrations cursing the day and night the earth that beareth vs the ayre that inspireth vs Not so O Christian soules call vpon the name of the Lord with Dauid there was neuer name so worthie to be called vpon in heauen or earth so mightie for deliuerance so sure for protection so gainefull for successe so compendious to cut off vnnecessarie labours as the name of Iehouah Hauing vnderstood the Conscience Humilitie Memorie 6. The causes to mooue vs to goe to this place and Wisedome of Dauid let me open to you the reasons to mooue perswade vs to go to this place Fiue things mooue the sons of men in the time of plague to depart from contagious places vnto a purer ayre First the counsel of the Physicians Secondly the practise of others Thirdly the danger or perill which they are like to fall in Fourthly desire of health and life Fifthly the experience of successe Let the same be motiues vnto vs in this infection to perswade vs to run speedily vnto this Arke of Noah First it is prescribed by the whole Colledge of the spirituall Physicians by God the father Psal 50.15 King Dauids Physician by God the son who prescribing the remedies which men ought to vse in the last dayes in which the Trinitie of punishments Famine Warres and Pestilence should reigne giueth this counsell Luke 21.36 Watch and pray continually by Prophets Apostles wise men Iam. 5.13 Eccle. 38.9 and 17.23 Secondly the practise of the spirituall Physicians as they haue prescribed it so they haue also practised it haue fled vnto this place to this Sanctuarie went the renowmed Patriarkes the godly Princes the holy Prophets the blessed Apostles the Prince of glory the son of the immortal God the constant Martyrs whose examples ye shall find in the store-house of the Scriptures The example of the bodily Physicians of which some depart in the time of plague hath much force to make vs hasten our departure how much more ought the practise of the spiritual Physicians spurre vs forward vpon our spirituall voyage Thirdly the danger which is threefold In nobis circa nos contra nos In vs round about vs against vs. In vs the plague of sin round about vs the fire of the present plague against vs Sathan who seeketh to make vs curse the Lord and the fire of Gods wrath and anger To auoid this threefold danger run to the Towre and to this blessed Zoar. The fourth motiue is the desire of life and health we need at this time a double health the health of the soule and body let vs therefore goe boldly vnto the throne of grace that we may receiue mercy and find grace to helpe in time of need Heb. 4.16 Why went that woman which was diseased with an issue of blood twelue yeares vnto Christ Matth. 9.20 but that she might receiue her health vers 12. The sicknesse of the plague is an issue of blood which being once opened will euer run and keepe a course if it be not stanched by the power and mercie of God which mercie is onely obtained by going vnto his sacred name to obtaine this double health Dauid went vnto this place 1. Chron. 2 1. that the plague of his soule might be healed and the bodily plague be remooued If we are as it were dead for sorrow prayer will reuiue vs for it is Vita animae the life of the soule as Chrys termeth it Est anima ipsius animae It is the soule of the soule If we goe into the Countrey which cannot saue vs how much more ought we to flie to this name which hath the power to do it this his power being accompanied with mercy and kindnesse for thou O Lord art good and gracious and of great compassion Psal 8 6 Fiftly experience of good successe is the last motiue they which haue fled to this place haue not beene stopped by the way but haue had good speede Goe vnto King Hezekiah Iob Dauid and the rest and they will preach vnto you by experience the experience of this successe This successe is grounded vpon three things as vpon three firme pillars the Power the Will and Promise the Goodnesse and mercie of God His power I haue heard it that power belongeth vnto God Psal 62.11

There was neuer affliction or sore so great but the hand of that Physician hath beene able to matter it the least finger of his right hand being of more puissance then the whole arme of flesh His will and promise Psal 91.1 Ioel. 2.32 Iam 5.15 Eccle. 31.9 Matth. 7.7 Ioh. 14.13 The King of heauen is not like vnto the Princes of the earth or vnto that Philip of Macedon who answered vnto the widow comming in his Court to him to be heard I am not at leisure vnto which also shee answered iustly then be not a King any longer for seeing that he hath promised it he is also willing his promise being signed with the finger of the holy Ghost and sealed with the blood of his beloued and annoynted Neither is he like vnto him Matth. 7. who answered trouble me not my doores are shut the gate of heauen is alwayes open for vs. God reuoketh not his promise as King Salomon 1. Reg. 2.20.21.23 Aske my mother for I will not say thee nay and yet behold how this time is changed Adoniah hath spoken this word against his owne life of the Lords promise wee need not doubt but with Dauid boldly we may speake Psal 86.7 In the day of my trouble I will call vpon thee for thou wilt heare me Thirdly His goodnesse mercie and liberalitie which is so great that he giueth meat to the yong rauens which call vpon him Psal 147.9 Doubt not then but that hee will heare the supplications of men whom he hath made a little lower then the Angels to crowne them with glorie aboue other creatures Psal 8.56 Let therefore saith Augustine thy prayer ascend and Gods mercie will descend shall wee distrust his goodnesse who is rich to all that call vpon him Rom. 10.12 Or shall we suspect his bountifulnesse which powreth out plentifully his blessings vpon all flesh Rom. 8.32 And although we haue offended him yet our offences will not stop his mercies Men when they haue done any good turne to any if they bee neuer so little offended they cast men in the teeth with the benefits they haue done them and vpbraid them with the good turnes they haue shewed wherefore men are loath to make request to such for any thing If wee goe vnto the Lord we shal not meete with one that is of such a disposition and nature Iam. 1.5 he as the Apostle speaketh reproacheth no man nor keepeth his anger for euer Psal 103.9 The willingnesse mercie and goodnesse of the Prince to haue vs maketh vs also willing to goe to him who more willing then he that is our Father our Sauiour then he that hath suffered for vs scoffings spittings bands stripes and death it selfe Neuer lap of the mother hath beene so open to her babes as the bowels of Gods compassions are open to the righteous Harken to this yee faint spirits be strengthened yee weake hands and feeble knees receiue this comfort that he hath deliuered he doth deliuer hee yet will and can deliuer I ende this point with the 13.14 and 15. verses of the 10. Chapter of the Epistle to the Romanes wherein behold a singular and compendious gradation As they that would come to King Salomon sitting vpon his throne were faine to runne vp sixe staires for his throne was mounted vnto by sixe staires so the perfection and consummation of man going to the throne of the true Salomon Iesus Christ ascendeth and ariseth by sixe degrees the highest and the happiest staires being inuocating and sauing prayer and deliuerance These are then the fiue reasons by which wise Christians ought to be guided I imitate King Dauid only resorting to the wings of the Lords fauour And herein we should be wise if we leuel our hearts and affections at the very right center and marke of prayer which is the name of Iehouah alone and the period or scope in whom our requests must end Fiue sorts of men erring in the going to this place But alas there are fiue sortes of men which make choice of other places reiecting the wisedome of Dauid the counsell of the spirituall Physicians and the practise to the Saints of God going a crooked a circular and endlesse way not towards the marke nor with a right foot as the Apostle speaketh Gal. 2. The first kind flie first to the helpe of mortall man and with Asa make speed to the bodily Physician to the confections of Arte or to the purer ayre not once mindfull of this place but when all helpes faile them and that the Lord sendeth his Sergiant and heauenly Pursiphant to arrest them then they returne to runne to this place What name shall we giue you O yee of little faith but the name of weake Christians Put not your trust in the sonne of man for there is no helpe in him Psal 146. There is a second sort which runne onely to the ordinarie creatures deriding the name Iehouah yea denying that there euer hath beene or is yet at this present such a place to be found wh●…eunto the righteous is preserued such as Dauid describeth in the 10. Psalme 3.4 Which seeke not God but contemne him and thinke they shall neuer be mooued O yee meere Atheists what name deserue you but that name which the Lord himselfe giueth you Psal 14.1 the name of fooles If Cain hath beene ●…ct●d because hee offered an vnworthie sacrifice what deserue they that offer none at all The third sort runne to a place whose name is Hell seeking to Sathan and his artes gadding to the woman of Endor or to the Idoll of Ekron as Saul as Nero as Iulian Returne returne O yee wretched and bewitched sonnes of men with the name of deuillish idolaters The fourth sort seeketh to dwell vnder the protection and assurance of their merites and good workes but these alas as Bernard writeth on the 91. Psalme are ill lodged and haue a poore Tabernacle the diuell hath soone blowen that away The last sort are the superstitious Papists who in the time of plague runne to the house of the Spider to be preserued to stickes and stones mettals and papers Angels and Saints and principally to Saint Sebastian for as euery sicknesse disease hath his Apothecarie and Physician among them So the plague hath Saint Sebastian vnto whom with their families they runne to bee preserued That execrable Psalter of the Virgine Marie compiled by them maketh her to be this secret place whereunto wee ought to runne the prayer of Dauid which he made being visited with the plague Psal 38. is blasphemously abused in this maner O Lady rebuke me not in thine anger neither chastise me in thy wrath The 91. Psalme is in the like maner abused Who so dwelleth in the secret of the blessed Virgin c. But O ye blind seducers of soule it may be first a chalenge vnto you all that neither Dauid Iob or Ezechiah visited with the plague went to Cherub or Seraphin Gabriel or Raphael Abraham or Moses whom

your Coach beloued it is as one saith as a Chariot of fire bearing vs aloft in the presence of God able to mount vs aboue the Eagles of the skie to seeke the Lords assistance In the time of plague there was heretofore appointed a Waggon or Coach to carry the sicke to the Pest-house there to bee healed there is no better Chariot to carry our soules vnto the house of heauen to bee healed by that heauenly Physician then humble prayer Some delight to goe vp and down and see their friends our best friends at this time at altimes who can do vs the most good are God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost let vs visite them therefore continually by our prayers Others in writing letters what is prayer else but as it were a letter sent to God in which wee declare our neede and as a letter is an amiable discourse and conference of one friend with another as if they were both present So is our prayer as a friendly letter or discourse of vs which are absent from home with our best friend the Lord as if wee were present with him in heauen Send this letter and letter vpon letter yee that are now exiled shew vnto the Lord your need pray vnto him that hee will bring you home againe and remooue that in his mercy which keepeth you backe Lastly some in running of Races or in Hunting but yee beloued in this afflicted time runne the way of Gods Commandements as Dauid Psal 119. runne to the name of Iehouah with the righteous Prou. 18. runne the race which is set before you and that with patience looking vnto Christ Iesus Hebr. 12.1 and so runne that yee may obtaine that which you sue for Hunt not after the pleasures of this life but after the liuing God and as the Hart brayeth for the riuers of waters so let your soules pant after the liuing God Psal 42.1 That the Lords Hunter Psal 91. hunt vs not but that the Lord may deliuer vs from the snare of the Hunter and from the noysome pestilence Psalme 91.3 Vse therefore this comfortable Exercise the childe is neuer better but when it is in his fathers and mothers lap So shall you neuer be better but when by prayer you creepe as it were in your heauenly Fathers bosome it will kindle your loue toward him as the loue of louers is kindled the more they come together and if yee remaine there the next ensuing Winter feruent prayer will bee in stead of fire to kindle in your hearts the loue of God Fourthly the profit of this Exercise commendeth it much 4 Profitable it is not onely delectable but also profitable Some which are in the Countrey at this time spend their time I doe confesse profitably 1 To vs. riding vp and downe to buy commodities against the future but prayer is a farre profitabler Exercise for this time for it is not onely profitable to our selues but also vnto others yea to the whole Realme And as the Apostle speaketh of Godlinesse that it is profitable for al things so I may say of prayer that it can obtaine any thing profitable for vs in two respects First to obtaine that we haue not Secondly to keepe that we haue obtained First if thou lackest knowledge and wisedome prayer is the meanes to obtaine it Iames 1. If thy vnderstanding bee darke pray with Dauid Psalm 119. Open mine eyes O Lord that I may see the mysteries of thy Law If thou lackest zeale pray with Dauid Psal 119. Lord incline my heart vnto thy law c. And because this world is a desart where we may easily erre pray with Dauid Psal 50. Leade me in thy pathes c. If our soules be infected with the plague of vanitie and couetousnesse the meanes to remooue it is prayer Psal 119. O Lord remooue farre from me vanitie and encline not my heart to couetousnesse The meanes to obtaine a contented minde is also prayer Prou. 30. Pouertie nor riches giue mee not c. If thou desirest to thinke vpon thy mortalitie by the subiect which now is presented to thee pray with Dauid Psa 90. Teach vs O Lord to number our dayes that wee may apply our hearts to wisedome If yee desire to returne it is not your sports and delights but your praiers that must bring you backe 2 Sam. 24. If yee desire the ceasing of the begun plague it is your prayer that must remooue the cause that the effect may cease As praier obtaineth so it keepeth that you haue already obtained such are not your Exercises which ye your selues haue inuented O sonnes of Adam for by them you often loose that which you had purchased ryotously which Alexander blamed in his friends wasting and consuming your whole ability 2 The others There is another thing which ought to perswade you to this Exercise which is that it is profitable to others prayer doth more good then Almes for by our Almes we can helpe but a few but by our prayers wee can helpe thousands and thousands yea those which are farre off Prayers are the almes of the rich as well as of the poore for Pharaoh did as well begge for prayers as poore Lazarus for crummes Yee rich men that are in the Countrey bestow these almes vpon the poore as well as the almes of your purses and in this afflicted time seeke more to profite the whole Realme by your prayers then by your commodities I end this point with the saying of Augustine Plus profeci orando quā legendo 5 To strengthen vs. I haue more profited by praying than by reading Fiftly this Exercise is commendable because it is able to strengthen vs Some in the Countrey doe spend their time in Exercises by which they may maintaine their health and strengthen their bodies that they may bee able to doe any thing the Exercise of praier is good to make vs recouer the health of our soules which was waxen weake as this present begun plague and your present exile both doe witnesse Yea it is able to make vs doe admirable things Was it euer heard that mightie Potentates as there haue beene many Alexander the great Iulius Caesar and the rest could make the Sunne or the Moone to stand still in the firmament And yet this hath done the praier of Iosuah Haue there euer beene any armies so great and mightie which could make the Earth to tremble vnder their feet No beloued the mightie armie of Xerxes could not doe it and yet this hath done the praier of the Apostles Act. 4. Who hath euer heard that it hath been possible to mortall man to raise the dead and to giue life to the deceased The Physicians doe acknowledge their impotencie and yet this hath done the praier of Elizeus Heb. ●… As the Apostle then in the commendation of faith rehearseth the wonders which they haue wrought by faith So it may bee said of praier which is done in faith