Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	great_a	lord_n	see_v	9,072	5	3.5745	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A45776	Levamen infirmi: or, cordial counsel to the sick and diseased Containing I. Advice concerning physick, and what a physician ought to be; with an account of the author's remedies, and how to take them. II. Concerning melancholy, frensie, and madness; in which, amongst other things, is shew'd, how far they differ from a conscience opprest with the sense of sin, and likewise how they differ among themselves. III. A miscellany of pious discourses, concerning the attributes of God; with ejaculations and prayers, according to scripture rule. Likewise an account of many things which have happen'd since the creation. To which are added several predictions of what may happen to the end of the world. The whole being enrich'd with physical, pious, moral & historical observations, delightful to read, & necessary to know. By D. Irish, practitioner in physick and surgery, now dwelling at Stoke, near Guilford in Surry, where he is ready to serve any person, to the utmost of his skill.	Irish, David.	1700 (1700)	Wing I1036; ESTC R221621	80,143	149

own Experience besides in all kinds of Temptations there is hopes Examples of a good Issue are frequent in each kind Yea tho' the Corporeal inhabiting of Satan is the greatest and fullest of Terrors yet the Evangelists testifie of many that have been Dispossest by the Powe● of Christ which Examples are writ for our Instructions against the like Afflictions which are Tryals only for a Time All God's Children have their Salvation founded upon his Eternal Decree of Mercy towards them 't is Published by the Preaching of the Gospel and is Written and Sealed in the Hearts of his Chosen by the power of the Spirit of Adoption which cryeth Abba Father and testifieth in Measure to some more and some les● according to the Dispensation of Grace There is no evident and undo●bted sign of Reprobation in any while they live because they may Repent only that Sin which is ●●lled the Sin against the Holy Ghost is not Pardon●●le and for which the Apostle forbids us to Pray This Sin against the Holy Ghost Divines expound 〈◊〉 be an open wilful Apostacy from God with a ●●alitious hate against the Profession of his known ●ruth Next unto this Sin is final Impenitence which ●●nnot be known till Death makes shew thereof and 〈◊〉 off all time of Repentance The first Example this kind was Cain who complained that his Sins 〈◊〉 greater than he could bear Such also was the ●●●guish of Esa● when he found no Repentance after 〈◊〉 had sold his Birth-right Saul if not a Reprob●te ●t was Possessed for the Lord sent an Evil Spirit to ●●crease his Torment but Iudas was wholly give● 〈◊〉 to Satan This notorious Traytor this heinous 〈◊〉 despairing Sinner before mentioned Executed 〈◊〉 Punishment upon himself which all Traytors ●●serve he took the Revenge due for the Betraying 〈◊〉 Innocent Blood upon himself with his own hands 〈◊〉 all whose Consciences are loaden with grievous 〈◊〉 feel the punishment they Merit in their own ●arts and many times are driven to cruel Despair ●n which nothing either more dishonors God or ●●ejudic●s Man Also the Prophane People of the ●orld that either know not Christ or know him 〈◊〉 vain outward Profession only if they finally con 〈◊〉 patterns of Iniquity they will prove in the 〈◊〉 dismal Examples of God's Vengeance But if 〈◊〉 greatest Offender Repent and turn to the Lord 〈◊〉 will wi●h Arms of Mercy receive and embrace 〈◊〉 Therefore do works worthy of Repentance 〈◊〉 beware you think no Sin greater than God's in 〈◊〉 Mercy since that Sin which is Unpardonable is only known to him from whom nothing is hi● hence in this as in all Misteries 't is the best way 〈◊〉 acquiesce and not to search into them further 〈◊〉 God hath Revealed by whose Oracles we are i●form'd that only one kind of Sin cutteth off all hop● of Salvation because it is of such a Nature that closeth up the Avenues of Repentance being 〈◊〉 height of all Iniquity even equal with that of 〈◊〉 Devils themselves who are shut out of God's fav●● for ever Now let us seriously consider whether you ha●● sinned against the Holy Ghost or not which if 〈◊〉 deed you have as your humour would lead 〈◊〉 where is the Renouncing of God's Religion whi●● you have hitherto profess'd and heartily embrac'● where is that Malice which procured this mischi●● what Persecution have you in word or deed 〈◊〉 against the Truth of God's Word what Sword 〈◊〉 you drawn against it what Volumes have you 〈◊〉 against sound Doctrine with a known and resol●● opposition to your own Conscience if your hum●●● be not able to alledge such Testimonies against 〈◊〉 self what have you to fear since this alone is tho●●● to be the Sin against the Holy Ghost Tho●● it is not certain since God has not any where 〈◊〉 what particular Sin it is therefore be 〈◊〉 too Cruel to your self least by final Despair 〈◊〉 prevent that Mercy you may by a timely Repenta●●● obtain Therefore dear Melancholicks I pray give 〈◊〉 these imaginary conceits of distrustful and danger prejudices against your selves and prepare your he●●● to receive the Comfort which the word of Pro●●ministreth unto you Remember that our Perfec● lyeth without us even in that unspotted Lamb 〈◊〉 ●esus whose Sacrifice is all-sufficient for all kinds of Sin This Perfection we are to hope for and attend the ●onsummation of the rudiments of Righteousness ●his and the advised consideration of God's Pro●ises in his Word with means used might easily ●elive● you and you may again as David was be ●esto●●d to the wonted Joys of the sweet Mercies of ●he Lord. ADVERTISEMENT This is to inform all Persons whom it may concern ●hat D. Irish doth and will if God permit in●truct his Son in the best and speediest way of curing Melan●holy and Madness And likewise those Luna●icks which are not Curable he will take them for ●erm of Life if paid Quarterly such and all others 〈◊〉 takes on Reasonable Terms allowing them good ●ires Meat and Drink with good attendance ●nd all necessaries far beyond what is allow'd at Bedlam or any other place he has yet heard of and ●heaper for he allows the Melancholly Mad and such ●hose Consciences are Opprest with the sense of Sin ●ood Meat every day for Dinner and also whole●ome Diet for Breakfast and Supper and good Table●eer enough at any time They have also good Beds ●nd Decent Chambers answerable to their Abilities ●ll which necessaries are daily allow'd and given ●hem according to agreement during the time a●reed for they are all carefully look'd after by ●imself at his House in Stoke near Guilford in Surry ●ein● a pleasant place and good Air and such as ●lease ●o be at Thorp his Son looks after them by his ●athers directions who comes every Tuesday to see them and instruct his Son in the true Method of curing such distemper'd People Note also That at Thorp any person may have at any time D. Irish's Medicines of his Son for any Distemper incident to Men Wome● or Children at reasonable Rates and eve●y Tuesday they may there also have D. Irish's Advice The Conclusion of this Treatise I shall not here give you an Account dear Country-men how to go through with the Cur● of Melanchol● by Medicines and other Means which I daily experience to be successful because I have no other Maintenance but my Practice therefore I shall conceal th●se Secrets and will not impart them to any Person whatsoever save only to my Posterity to whom if God send Life I intend to make expert in the Cure not only of this but of all other Diseases But ●s to you my intention was not to make you a Phisician or to give you a Warrant to adventure upon Practise as those do who attempt to Cure diseases by taking Medicines upo● trust out of any Book they meet with many of which Medicines are really insignificant or hurtful in most cases and many of them tho' good yet are

Creatures which if I may so speak people the Elements are the handy works of God Man tho' the chief yet perhaps to teach him Humility was made of the mould of the Earth and as some think Adam the first Man was made on a Friday about 3 of the Clock in the After●oon and out of him Eve his Wife who bare several Children and here I cannot but observe that the first War was about Religion for Cain slew his Brother Abel by reason of his more acceptable Sacrifice Thus we may see that in the Worlds Infancy as well as now Goodness the Mark that Envy aim'd at and Innocence Persecuted by the greatest Guilt and Religio● suffer by the hand of Hypocrisie and Cruelty from which Good Lord deliver Vs. Tho' as you have heard God at first made all thing● good yet besides the mighty defection among th● Angels there grew also great Iniquity amongst Men so that God resolving to wash away the abominations of the World by W●ter commanded Noah t● build an Ark into which according to God's appointment all living Creatures entred by Couple● to replenish the Earth anew but note ●ere that 〈◊〉 some sorts there entred more than two that No●● might not want proper Sacrifices to offer to the Lord And thus much of Noahs Flood The Scriptures both in the Old and New Testament plainly and copiously declare the uncommunicable Attributes of the Lord being the Heraulds of his Truth and the Witnesses of his Mercies the Instances they exhibit of his ample performing the Tenure of his comfortable Promises are as sufficie●● Testimonies of his Infallible Truth as the sending o● his only Son is of his Mercy who as his last Prophet Sealed up all the written Verities and Command●we are Bound to Believe and observe This is the Son of Righteousness whose refreshing Beams 〈◊〉 Mercy shine upon our Souls to eternal Happiness Here it will not be amiss to give an Idea or Notion of God as far as the weakness of our understanding 〈◊〉 able to perform for none can say what the Essence of God is or which is the same give a true and adequate Definition of this infinitely perfect Essen●e because he is in all his Perfections In●inite ● Spiritual Entity whose Exis●ence is Eternally of him●elf independent of all other Beings dwelling in Orbs 〈◊〉 inaccessable Light hence the Message which we have heard of God in the first Epistle of ●ohn Chap. 1. v. 5. tells us That he is of a most Pure Simple Holy Perfect and glorious Nature resembled by no Creature ●o much as by Exquisite Light in which there is nothing but clear and exact Brightness without any ●he least mixture of Darkness He is Incomprehensible therefore none but himself can give an Account what he is He had no Beginning nor can he ever have an End all times and things whether past or to come are ever present to him so that as I often inculcate it is impossible to speak him fully yet so far as it hath pleased his Divine Majesty out of his unspeakable Goodness to Reveal himself in his Word to us we may to the utmost of our capacity express as that he is a glorious Spirit full of Truth and must therefore be Worshipped in Spirit and in Truth Now there is no way but by consulting his Written Word to know in what particular manner we ought to Honour and Serve him Though as is said whatsoever we can say or conceive of God comes far short of his Excellency yet it is lawful as far as our weakness can reach to say or rather lisp what he is still regulating our discourse by the Line of his Word therefore I say he is an Independent Being existing of himself Ego sum qui sum Exod. I am that I am saith the Lord that is he is alone of himself for all other things are not but by him nay in him we live move and have our Being saith St. Paul He is most Perfect because he is the Fountain and Origin of all Perfection Be ye Perfect saith Christ even as your heavenly Father is Perfect He is One. See saith the Lord that I am alone nor is there any other besides me And again Thou shalt have no other Gods but me according to which we say in the Belief I Believe in one God He is simple ●or Ioh. 4.24 He is called a Spirit now a Spirit is a simple Being or a Being void of Material Composition therefore God who is in all that he is Superlative is consequently most Simple He is Eternal for saith the Lord Vivo ego in aeternum I live for ever Deut. 22. And the Kingly Prophet cries out Thou art the v●ry same and thy years have no end He is Immutable as he speaks in Malachy 3. I am God and not changed which is agreeable to Reason thus That is Immutable which neither can be augmented nor diminished but God cannot be augmented because most Perfect nor diminished because most Simple Therefore he is most Immutablé He is Immense as the Wise Man speaks Wisdom 1. The Spirit of the Lord hath filled all the World He is Infinite for that is Infinite which has no Bounds according to David The Lord is great and of his greatness there is no End besides he must needs be Infinite whose Perfections are all Vnlimited He is Omniscient as appears from that of the Psalmist Thou hast understood my Cogitations afar off and hast foreseen all my ways and knowest all things before they are done He is Iust according to that of David Iust is the Lord and he hath-loved Iustice. He is most Merciful for the Mercies of the Lord ar● above all his Works Psalm He is most Good because the Fountain of all Goodness He is most True because the first Truth He is Omnipotent because he can do all that is possible and from him is all Power both in Heaven and Earth by me Kings Reign Wisdom He is lastly most Blessed because he is the Felicity of himself and of all things whatsoever 'T is from the consideration of these Divine Attrites that multitudes of Reasons may be drawn to courage us in our Duties For Example The con●ering of God's Justice and Power will stir up-in us ●ear of offending a Being both Iust and Omnipotent 〈◊〉 this fear will prove the beginning of the best of ●isdom I mean of an indefatigable endeavour to 〈◊〉 his Written Laws and Commandments and ●●ese Attributes will make us know that from and in 〈◊〉 by him we enjoy Health Live Move and have 〈◊〉 Being and that all we Possess descends from the ●ther of Light see Iam. 1.17 Hence we ●ie under obligation of giving him hearty and frequent ●hanks for the daily benefits we receive from his ●●unty Begin therefore every work in God that ●●ereby it may by him be Perfected and for his Ho●●ur and Glory ended Rely on Jesus Christ as the 〈◊〉 Foundation that can be laid for us to Build upon testi●ieth both

unto them for this is the Law and the Prophets by the due observation of these words we may obtain the Peace of God which passeth all Vnderstanding Now to be out of Peace with God is sad and deplorable beyond the Power of words to express Humanity makes us justly grieve at the loss of a Friend a good Neighbour a loving Wife kind Husband or obedient Child These are indeed great losses but ought to be moderately Lamented but the loss of Christ is so great that no Sorrow is sufficient to set forth the sadness of such a State Other afflictions as to see Christian Families scatter'd by the violence of some grievous Visitation is to be Lamented but is capable of a Comfort from the hopes we have of a gracions meeting with ample retributions in Christ but the very thoughts of being out of God's favour is enough to shut the door against all Consolation did not his Goodness promise That at what time soever a Sinner repents and turns from his wickedness he would receive him with stretch'd forth Arms of Mercy Therefore let us timely grieve for our Sins and take care never to offend him who is able to cast Soul and Body into Hell and Christ will as when he heard Mary weeping at the Sepulcher no longer absent himself Mary said Christ she answered Rabbi then her heart full of Love and Joy cleaved to him her Arms circled him about and she hears that Golden Message Go to my Brethren and tell them I go to my Father and to your Father Thus were her Sorrows turned into Joy and Gladness No Christian 't is observ'd rises so high in Divine Consolation as he that is lowest cast down in Evangelical Humiliation Mary was a great Mourner we seldom have a view of her in Scripture without Dew on her Face and Tears in her Eyes Luk. 7.38 and 23 27. Ioh. 19.25 and 20.11.15 And she had the special honour and favour to see her Lord even our Blessed Redeemer before all others in the very Ingress as I may call it of his Exaltation for he appeared first to Mary Magdalen out of whom he had cast seven Devils Mark 16.9 As Mary had sinned greatly so she sorrowed greatly which sorrow you see was of great value with God Peter wept bitterly therefore Christ took care to bind up his broken heart by pouring the saving oyl of Repentance into his Wounded Conscience Nay he 's prefer'd too for when a Messenger is dispatch'● from Heaven to acquaint the World with the joyful News of its Saviours Resurrection no Name is particularly mention'd in his Commission but Peters●punc Go your way saith the Angel to the two Women and tell his Disciples and Peter that he is Risen and goeth before you into Galilee there they shall see him Now Peter was in an Afflicted condition because he had forSworn Christ least Christ should forget him but lo his Penitent Tears had so Reconciled him to Christ that our Saviour ordered That if but one in the World besides the two Women at the Sepulchre had notice of his Resurrection Penitent and Weeping Peter should be the Person O! the powerful Rhetorick of unfeigned Tears Repentance hath more prevalency with God than all the Riches costly Robes Crowns and Diadems of the greatest Potentates in the World True Repentanc● is an aversion from Sin If they saith the Lord will humble themselves and turn from their Evil ways God will have Mercy on them 2 Cor. 7.14 We are so subject to Sin to Offend to Err and to conceive a miss of God that we all stand in need of Council and of props to help us The general misery of Mankind is threefold we are easie to be Seduced almost unable to do Well and weak to Resist for if we would discern between Good and Evil we are deceiv'd in doing good we quickly faint and our greatest endeavours to resist Evil are not so strong but that we are easily overcome The consideration of this frailty of our corrupt Nature made our Saviour Christ graciously to admonish his Disciples saying Watch and Pray least you enter into Temptation What shall I say of the Tyranny of the Mighty of the Misery of the Poor of the abundance of Wickedness and of the spreading Contagion of Heresies all which by variety of Methods draw or fright us from our Duties Can I say better than what Nestro did to his Children Pray for unless God help us we all Perish Finally the fear of Perishing the shortness and uncertainty of Life and the suddenness of Christs Coming his Justice in Judging and many other Reasons should one would think make us not lightly over-pass and neglect his Divine Service and Commands for what availeth it here to abound in Wealth excell in Honours and have all that the Vanity of our desires prompts us to Covet if when Christ shall come we are found unready and so lose our precious Souls Mat. 16.26 Happy therefore is that Servant whom the Lord at his coming shall find Watching and Praying expecting the Bridgroom with the oyl of Faith in his Heart Mat. 25.4 and 24.25.10 Be therefore constant in the Duties of Watching and Prayer for all will be excluded the Presence of our Lord who are found in them negligent With I ●now you not Mark 13.33 Colos. 4.2 Watch and Pray continue in Prayer and Thanksgiving Luk. 11.19 Ioh. 6.23 There were never wanting powerful Motives to stir up the faithful to daily Prayer but I perswade my self it was never more nee●ful than now in this last and as I may call it old Age of the Doating world wherein there do's more grievous and woful Wickedness Reign than ever heretofore Hence it may ye fear'd that in the Church will arise more horrible Heresies and in Common-wealths more miserable Confusions than ever did except these impending Evils be averted by daily and fervent Prayer The Fountain of all true Wisdom and Learning God the Father of Mercy continue amongst us for his Sons sake the purity of his Word and the light of the Gospel may he encrease the study of Virtue maintain Peace and Concord in his Church stimulate our desires continually to advance his Glory both in Deed and Word and to keep his Commandments to the utmost of our Power that living always in his Fear we may Die in his Favour and rise again to Everlasting Blessedness with him to Reign for all Eternity Amen Of Prayer and Meditation I May call the following Meditations Divine pa●●ly because they are of Divine matters and concern the Glory of God and partly because they are taken out of the pure Fountain of Divine Truth the Scriptures and partly because they are collected in part out of the Writings of several Eminent Divines whose Volumes are too big and of too great a price to be in the hands of many Pious people They are in a word such as are not to be found in common Authors As to the necessity of the Duty of Prayer

tells us That the last Tru●pet is the Seventh Trumpet that is a m●●●●rious Number in which as by many instances ●●●ht be proved God seems peculiarly to delight S● that the Sixth Trumpet as it is expressed in the Revelations soundeth before this shewing that the ●a●t end of all will not ●e till the last Trumpet but yet there will be a vast tract of Time within the time of the last Trumpet many things being to be performed within its Compass so that at the first beginning of the last Trumpet the Enemies of God so fall that the Kingdoms of this World becomes the King●oms of the Lord and of his Christ c. Revel 11. vers 15.16 17 18. which is a Summary Preface or a Prefationary Sum to the Catastrophe or upshot of the Revelations to follow unto the End And in ●evel 20. and the first seven Verses is expressed how l●ng this visible Kingdom of Christ on Earth shall continue and consequently so long is the last Trumpet viz. As the Learned conclude a Thousand years but the last end of all and ultìmate Period shall not be till the last end of the last Trumpet Rev. 20.12 c. and thus 't is probable the Resurrection will continue the Thousand Years of Christ's Reign upon Earth touching this see Isa. 16.19 cap. 19.20 and cap. 25 vers 6 7 8. and Daniel 12. vers 5. where it is said Go thy way unto the End and rest and awake in thy lot in the End of Days for the Lord hath spoken it The Lord will then remove the Vail of Ignorance which is now cast over the faces of all people so as they shall clearly see the great and wo●derful Mistery of Man's Salvation Now touching the place where Christ shall sit in Judgment the Scriptur●s make it out that it shall be in the Air over the Valley of Iehosaph●t by Mount Olivet near unto Ierusalem then w●ll Chris● set for●h magnificently his holy Spou●e the Church Tri●●phant First all things will be made New sitting for the Merits of so Beautiful a Bride Secondly there will appear the Glory and Excellency of ●he Lambs Wife Thirdly the earnest desire of the Elect who will say Come Lord Iesus to whom the Fountain of Mercy will answer Behold I come quickly see Revel 3.11 This will be a glorious Spectacle repleat with Rareties far beyond what our weak fancies can imagine it will not be like our transit●ry Pageantry for a day but such as will for ever fully employ the most pier●ing eyes of o●r Souls with ravishing satisfaction Her● have we first the Precursor a Iohn Baptist going before and giving Warning Ecce Behold he is coming who hath been oft foretold and long the darling expectation of all Nations even Christ the only begotten Son of the Father Venio I come Thirdly the manner of his Coming will be Wonderful he will not come leasurely as he Rode to Ierusalem upon a slow Beast but Riding upon the Wings of the swiftest Wind born up as it were by a bright Cloud of Angels Venio cito I come saith the Lord quickly Now the many comings of Christ which are dispersedly related in the Holy Bible I will set down in the order following His first Coming was Virtual from the beginning of th● World full of the Vigour and Power of Red●●ption as he was a Lamb slain from the begining of the World and thus Abraham saw him as com● 〈◊〉 his day as present His other comings were Actual namely in Carne when he came to Man by assuming his Nature when he came ad suos to the Iews and they received him ●ot this Coming was in Humility and Debasement 〈◊〉 ●orma Servi in the form of a Servant to make us 〈◊〉 by his Sufferings and Bondage His Coming to Ier●salem was Local being both a Preparative to his c●●el Passion and a Prefiguration of his glorious Exaltation venit ●ex was the Proclamation which was f●llowed by the Royal Acclamations Hosanna being Sung to him With a Blessed be he that cometh in the Name of the Lord. He also has a spiritual and invisible Coming into ●he secret recesses of our Souls by Grace and ●he power of his Holy Spirit which doth raise us from the Grave of Sin and Spiritual Death This Co●ing is in Misericordia in Mercy But his last Coming is in Justice in Majesty and in Glory to Judge the Quick and the Dead and to render to every one according to his Works whether they be Good or Evil and to Transform the Church Militant into the Church Triumphant And this C●ming is called by St. Paul the Glorious Appearance of our great God and only Saviour Jesus Christ and himself has foretold that he the Son of Man shall come Cloathed with a Triple Glory that is in his own Glory in his Fathers and in that of the Holy Angels Now of the several Comings I have hitherto spoken some are past some to come and others are daily coming and ever present as his coming ●o his Chosen by moving and changing their Hearts by renewing their Spirits by comforting and instru●●ing their Souls present also in his coming to th● Wicked and Reprobate in such mann●r as he cam● to Pharaoh But the last and most Universal Com●ng is that which is not yet come and is promised in th●se words Behold I come Rev. 5.6 and this is usually call'd his Second Coming which will be visible and proper wherein it is suit●ble to his coming by In●arnation and yet it much differs from that first in manner that being in the Depth of Hum●●iation this in the Height of Exaltation that in Re●roach and Infirmity thi● in Glory and p●●fection o● Health then he came to Die and bear a Crown of Tho●●s now to wear a Crown of Life in that he came to b● dispised and spit on by his Enemies in this to bruise his Adversaries like a Potters Vessel and to make his Foes his Footstool Secondly in Time that being in the fulness of Time yet i● Time when the Vail of Mosaical Tipes and Ceremonies was to be pull'd off and yield to the Substance Gal. 4.4 This Future in the very End of Time when the whole frame of the Earth is to be broke in sunder the Curtains of the Heavens to be w●thdrawn and all things sublimated and purified by Fi●e then shall Men see the Lord Christ coming in the Clouds with omnipotent Power and infinite Glory with Millions of Angels and all Souls whom he knows to be his by Faith and good Works each of which will than move in an Orb of Glory far surpassing the brightness of the Suns Meridian Be●●●s and yet the Glory of Christs Body will infinitely exceed them all then will the joyful Elect say The ●ime is come of Singing Eternal Halalujahs and the Voice of Christ and his Holy Angels will be ●eard over the whole World in a Diapason of most Revishing Notes which will awaken and raise up all that are in

this World where it is not to be found there i● no st●te of Life be it what it will but what is att●nded with Misery enough in those that live after the Flesh. Nay many times the very Courts of Justice torment Men abroad as m●ch as their Families care does at home the Country life is opprest with continual Labours at Sea there is confusion of D●ngers the Merchant teaches his Estate to Swim and he that Travels with Riches gives a great Temptation to Highway-men and exposes his Life and Mon●y to the mercy of Thieves the Rich are Plagu'd with the desire of Encreasing care of keeping and fear of losing Riches while the Poor are obnoxious to Scorn and Contempt Marriage in general is no more ●han a conjunction of mutual Perplexities and accidental Calamities Children are ●onuments of Care and for the most part very un●●rtain Comforts especially in these days and on 〈◊〉 other side a single Life oft proves a solitary ●ischief or inconvenience the Fruitful bring forth C●res and Barrenness is counted a Curse Youth is a tormenting Fury old Age a meer lump of Infirmi●ies and an incurable Disease Thus there is something in every life that proves the bane of our Happiness except we entirely give our selves up to the Service of God Mat. 6.24 No Man can serve two Masters God and the World he that is a Vassal to his Wealth can never make a true Servant of God he that is a Rebel to his lawful Prince is no good Subject of Christs tho' Religion be the Pretence The Parable of the Rich Man and many other places of Scripture make out how hard it is for such who trust in uncertain Riches to enter into the Kingdom of God Therefore mis●rable is the case of all covetous Rich persons Usurers Extorti●ners Thieves and Robbers not can we think better of the Envious Murderers Whore-mongers Sorcerers Idolaters Sabbath-breakers Swea●ers Drunkards Gluttons and such as are given to Detraction and Anger without cause calling their Brother Fool to these add lying Reprobates the Proud the Cruel and ●●ard-hearted Hippocrites the Sloathful and Unbe●iever and many pr●sumptuous Sinners all which a●e threatned to be cast into unquenchable Fire as unprofitable Servants They are such as prefer Vice before Virtue Iniquity before Godliness Falshood before Truth and their own dark works before the light of the Gospel Also among the unprofitable Servants may be reckoned the Rebellious who by belying their lawful Governours rob the Peoples hearts of Obedience and so fit them for Rebellion which is a kind of Witchcraft and spiritual The●● Nay those that corrupt the Minds of others by leud Examples Hippocrites Slanderers teachers of Lies whereby ●he Souls of th●ir Hearers are rob'd of Eternal Life a●e condemn'd All that foolishly attribute to th●ms●lves the benefit of Health Weal●h or Liberty and so deprive God of his Glory are hither refer'd such as purloi● from their Masters Parents Husbands Wives Friends or Neighbour● suffer them to incur any loss or detriment whi●h they might prevent are in the same Class with the former such as Rob their Neighbours either by false Weights Measures bad Wares or subtile Practices all Lawyers that make good Causes bad or Bad Good all Debtors that never design to pay all Creditors that cru●lly Triumph over the Bodies o● their poor insolvent Debtors by Imprisonment or any other kind of Oppression And lastly Envious Men who when they have done a Man what disgrace they ca●●y Words fall to the practice of unjust Deeds to over-throw and ruine those whom they causelesly Hate such sure cannot so much as have the least pretence to be Servants of God but on the contrary Slaves and Vassals of Satan Now to know who are unprofitable Servants I say ●●rst They are such as are Magistrates abusing their Aut●ority to the hurt of those they ought to Protect Secondly Such as are no Magistrates but either neglect their calling or deprave it by their wicked Practice Thirdly Rich men who relieve not the wants of the Poor with their Plenty Fourthly Learned and well instructed Christia●s who suffer the Ignorant to go Astray without giving them good Advice or necessary Instructions Touching those that have their Portion in the Sulp●urous Lake which burneth with Fire and Brims●one where Men und●rgo as 't is call'd the Second D●ath see Revel 21.1 By this Second Death is understood the deplorable separation of the Soul and Body for ever from the Beatifical Vision or Presence o● God and this is the Death which the Wi●ked must suff●r y●t the fulness of their Punishment will not be inflicted ●pon them till the day of Judgment when th●ir Souls and Bodies are reunited then they will receive their dreadful Doom and condign Punishment for their Evil Deeds for your further instruction herein see Luk. 16.22 23. the 8.28 the 10.23 ●nd the 12.30 Mat. 23.23.31 and 5.24 and 13.14 ●nd 14.31 Thess. 1.10 1 Pet. 3.19 Iud● ● ● 7. Acts 7.5 and in many other places the Scripture g●ves a large account of Hell and of its Torments of which none can doubt since our Blessed Saviour said That Heaven and Earth should pass away but hi● Word should never pass away Therefore unless we be regenerate and renewed in Christ our condition i● d●sperate hence let us with all speed Repent and streighten the unevenness of our ways according to the Level of God's Word and Commandments let 's Love one another and do as we would be done by ●nd shew the loveliness of our Faith by the uprightness of our Works For it is not every one tha● cryeth Lord Lord that shall enter into t●e Kingdom of Heaven No It is the doing the Will of God that dwelleth in Heaven that must bring us thither We must be Born again not of the Blood nor of the Will of the Flesh but of God who in Christ is our Father and will renew his own Image in us every day more and more and apply to us the Merits of Christ's Sufferings fo● the blotting out of all our Sins original and actual together with the guilt and punishment belonging to them Blessed is he therefore to whom the Lord hath not imputed Sin s●e Ezek. 18.21.2 Cor. 33.13 for to s●ch all the Righteousness of Christ is freely and fully imputed to the Reconcili●tion of them unto the Lord who approveth them as Righteous not taking notice of ever● fault but bearing with their Frailties and Infirmities Exod. 34.67 Rom. 4.8 The godly Man hath an assurance of God's Fatherly care and protection Day and Night which care God manifests in providing all things necessary for his Soul and Body so that the godly Man is sure of having enough ● God gives his holy Angels as Ministers a charge to attend upon the Righteous Psal. 34.7 And to prevent all da●gers the Angels pitch their Tents about the lust for their safety where ever th●y go yea God will d●fend them with a Cloud by day and with a Pillar of Fire by night and his Providence shall hedge them from the Power of the Devil see Iude 1.9 where 't is Recorded that Micha●l the Arch-Angel was set to keep the Body of Moses which being secretly hidd●n by God was sought for by Satan by which it appears that God's good Angels keep all such as live and die in the faith of Christ and in the fear of the Lord 2 Kings 6.17 The Eyes of the Lord are always op●n to see their State and also his Ears to hear t●eir Complaint and in his good time will deliver them out of all their troubles and bring them to the glory of the Church in her perpetual Triumph in the World to come when joyned to her Bridegroom Christ Jesus in Joy that shall never have an End a tast of which Joy is in some sort made manifest unto us in the Revelations cap. 2.22 Therefore let us all with St. Stephen say Come Lord Iesus come quickly and in the mean time the Lord g●ant that we may be always Purging out by true Faith and Repentance the Malignity of our Spiritual Diseases till we arrive at divine and saving Health that at the End of our Bodily Infirmities the great Physician may administer a Cordial to us of his own Living Water and grant that at the Night of Death when our Sun shall set the Sun of Righteousness may rise upon us with healing under his Wings and make our Souls as the Lame-man's body in the Gospel entirely whole and so elevate us to those Light Orbs and Heavenly Mansions where the Su● shall no more be our Light by Day nor the Moon by Night but the Lord our God shall be ou● Everlasting Light and Glory Which are the Hearty Prayers of READERS Your True Friend And Faithful Servant David Irish. Advertisement THE Small-Pox being now in many Places I thought it convenient to publish That if I see the Small-Pox break out of any or but newly come out I will tell them at first sight whether there be any Danger of Death by having them or not And I do affirm That I can with God's Blessing give an Antidote against them and of such Vertue to those that are not already infected that tho they eat and drink and be always with those that have them yet shall they not have them So God preserve us all from all manner of Contagious Diseases and f●om sudden Death Amen