Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	hear_v	lord_n	sin_n	15,720	5	5.7661	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A51487	Aug. 7: 1670. A most useful sermon preached in London, By a most worthy and faithfhl [sic] minsiter and servant of Jesus Christs, most learnedly pressed from Amos 8. 11. ... From which text of scripture, he learnedly shews the dreadful and deplorable condition of that kingdom which a famine of the word of the Lord seizes upon; and further shews, that they are the greatest felons who would rob us of the word of God, and that there is more justice in hell then is here upon earth, for in hell they do not punnish the innocent		1671 (1671)	Wing M2931BA; ESTC R213887	17,302	48

Aug. 7 1670. A most useful SERMON Preached in London By a most worthy and faithful Minister and Servant of Jesus Christs most learnedly pressed from Amos 8.11 Behold the day cometh saith the Lord God that I will send a famine in the Land not a famine of bread nor a thirst for water but of hearing the word of the Lord and they shall wander from Sea to Sea From which Text of Scripture he learnedly shews the dreadful and deplorable condition of that Kingdom which a famine of the word of the Lord seizes upon and further shews That they are the greatest Felons who would rob us of the word of God and that there is more justice in Hell then is here upon Earth for in Hell they do not punnish the Innocent Printed in the Year 1671. Amos 8.11 Behold the day cometh saith the Lord God that I will send a Famine in the land not a famine of Bread nor a thirst for Water but of hearing the Word of the Lord And they shall wander from Sea to Sea A Sad Text and Sad Times too well agree In the beginning of this Chapter there is a Vision in the first verse The Lord hath shewed me and behold a Basket of summer fruits it was a Type or Embleme to signifie the suddainness of Israels misery you know summer fruit doth soon perish winter fruit may be preserved long but summer fruit doth soon fade so the glory of Israel like to summer fruit it shall soon fade away there is the Vision 2. In this Chapter there is a Prophesie in the 32 d verse The Songs of the Temple shall be turned into howling a sad Prophesie God grant it may not be our Portion songs of the Temple to become howling where God formerly was served in a pure manner where there was sweet singing and melody unto the Lord now there would be mournful Songs that joy of the Temple it shall be quite ceased A sad Prophesie 3. In this Chapter is set down the cause why the Lord did write such bitter things against Israel his own People the cause was very apparent it was their sin sin drew Plagues at the heels of it Israel grew now weary of God in the 5 th verse of the Chapter When will the New Moon be gone that we may sell corn they had rather a great deal be trading in their shops then worshiping in Gods house when will the New Moon be gone when people grow weary of Ordinances then God grows weary of a People And 4. There are set down the punishments for those sins of Israel in the 9 th verse of this Chapter I will cause the Sun to go down at Noon day Beloved this is not meant the natural Ecline of the Sun but the meaning is God would now darken Israels outward glory and splendor The Sun in Scripture is a Metaphor for joy now the going down of the Sun at noon it is to express great afflictions coming upon this People when they thought all things should be well every thing should be well flourishing peace and prosperity kissing each other why now there should be a suddain change God would Eclipse their outward Comforts saith he the Sun shall go down at Noon day and this was not all there is a greater punishment yet behind and that is in the Text I have read God threatens for their sins that there should be a Famine in the Land not a Famine of Bread nor a Thirst for Water but of hearing the Word of the Lord as if God should say it was a mercy if onely a Famine upon your Bodies that may pine your Bodies Oh but it is a worse a Spiritual Famine a Famine of hearing the Word of the Lord. In which Text you have these four parts 1. Here is a note of admiration in these words Behold it seems to be a wonder that Israel God's People in Covenant to whom the Oracles of God were commited that these should want the word of the Lord Oh what a wonder that such a full breast should be drawn dry that they that had such plenty of Ordinances should now be cut short and forced to cry out We see not our signs there is no more any Prophet among us that 's the first Behold there is admiration 2. Here is the judgment threatned in the Text a soul Famine 3. The extention and universality of this Famine why saith God it shall be a Famine in the Land not in a House or Parish but there shall be this soul Famine it shall be universal in the Land 4. Who it is that gives the Famine a Commission and that is God I will send a Famine not of Bread or Water but of hearing of the Word of the Lord. The words thus opened into these several parts they yeild us these four Propositions or Doctrines 1. It doth shew That the word of God is to the soul as food to the body for strengthning and refreshing of it and that 's imply'd in Job 23.12 I esteemed the words of thy mouth as my necessary food they are my food that my soul feeds upon 2. The second Doctrine is this When the word of God is despised or opposed it is just with the Lord to take it away from a People 3. The third Doctrine is this The taking away of the word is the beginning of a Spiritual famine and 4. That a famine of the word is far worse then a famine of Bread A famine I will send saith God not of Bread nor of Thirst for Water but which is worse the hearing of the word of the Lord. The famine of the word is worse then a famine of bread next to damning of a soul what can be worse then starving of it bodily famine is very sad much more spiritual famine I shall speak a little of bodily famine that will set off the other the more Famine is that with-drawing of an necessary recruit of Nature Famine is the with-holding of that Oyle which should be poured into the Lamp of Man's Life Famine and Death is such as you see a picture they both bring the Body into an Anatomy See a description of a famine in Jer. 14.3 Their Nobles have sent their little ones to the water they came to the pit and found no water they were ashamed and confounded and covered their heads It is a very unusual sight to see Noble Mens Children Tanckard-bearers the Nobles sent their Children but found no water Famine of the Body is worse than the Sword is and that in these three respects 1. The Sword cuts off suddainly it makes a quick dispatch now Famine makes you dye a lingring death Lam. 4.9 Those pine away strucken through for want of the fruit of the field they pine away Famine will neither let a man live nor yet suffer him to dye He that is in famine may say as St. Paul In death oft how many deaths doth he dye before he dyes 2. Famine is universal it reaches more then the

prevent the spiritual Famine and a loss of the gospel because there is such a fear of the gospel departing from your you have seen it evidently proved before your eyes But here is a question now you will say unto me we cannot denie but there is a fear of the removal of the gospel and of a famine of the Word but how shall we do to prevent this soul Famine now to this I answer do these three or four things to prevent the gospel going away First Take heed of those sins which will surely bring a Famine of Gods Word there are some sinnes which we must endeavour to prevent that will bring a famine of the word there are several of these sinnes set down in this Chapter Amos 8. Pray observe them I will mention some of them The first sinne the Prophet does set down is Oppression Amos 8.11 Hear this Oh you that swallow up the needy Those Jews they were like the Fishes of the Sea the greater devour the lesser For this sin of Oppression God threatens a Famine of the Word and is not this sinne to be found among us Oppression I appeal to any one that hath his Reason left Does not one Man now become a Woolfe to another does not he tear from him the Golden Fleece I dare be bold to say there is more Justice to be found in Hell then among men upon Earth for in Hell no Innocent Person is opprest that is one sinne Secondly Another sinne the Prophet sets down that is the cause of this Spiritual Famine it was wearinesse of Gods Ordinances Amos the 5 th and 8 th Verse When will your New Moons be gone that we may sell Corne and the Sabbath that we may set forth Wheat Verse 6. For this sinne I will bring a Famine of the Word are you weary of me They were more for Trading then they were for worshiping The Lord hath fed us of this City with the finest of the Wheat the Bread of life he hath given us the very Creame of his Ordinances but when we have been fed to the full have not we begun to surfeit have we not said when will the Sabbath be gone what a wearinesse is it Truely when we have lost our Stomach it is most just with God to take away our Food If a Mans Commodities bares a better price in one place then in another he will remove his Marker the Gospel is grown a cheap Commodity it bears but a loe price now Men are weary of it and may not we fear God will remove his Market he will transplant his Word into Foreign parts Surely if we begin to say what a weariness is it if our mercies be our burthens God can soon ease us of this burthen this is a sinne brings a Famine of the Word when we are weary of the Ordinances and hath not this sinne caused a Famine of the Word already in many parts of this Land There is none knows how to speak to their Spiritual Case that can feed them with the Bread of life that can divide the Word aright in many parts of the Land it is so they have Husks given to them instead of Food and Musick instead of Manna Thirdly Another sinne that brings a soul Famine is this cozening in mens Dealings Verse 5. Making the Ephar small the Ephar it was the Kings Measure Verse 7. In selling they made the Ephar small the meaning is they gave but scanty Measure they made the Ephar small and saith God you sell the refuge of the Wheat that is mear Cheating they pick out of the best Grain for themselves and the Husks and Refuge they sell to the poor here is mear Cheating saith God I will bring a Famine of the Word upon you for this let none hold in their hands false Ballances I would there did not Fourthly Another sinne that brings a Famine in this Chapter is Idolatry Verse 4. They that swear by the sinne of Samaria and say Thy God Oh Dan liveth here was plain Idolatry but let us understand this sinne of Samaria what was that that was the Calf that was set up at Bethel near to Samaria and to swear to this Calf here was plain Idolatry for this God threatned a Famine of the Word and are we free from this sinne I would we were is there no Idol worship among us are there not some so impotent as to say in Print It will never be well with us till we are reconciled to the Mother Church of Rome Idolatry it inrageth God it breaks the Marriage Knot it makes God give a Bill of Disvorce to a People Idolatry it does so provoke the Lord that he takes away the visible Tokens of his presence from a Nation 2 King 17.12.18 they served Idols What follows Verse 18. Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel removed them quite out of his sight he unpeopled them he unchurched them he removed them out of his sight I say this to you when once you see darke shaddows of Popery stretched out then fear the Sunne of the Gospel is going down Fifthly Another sinne that brings a Gospel Famine it is opposition to Reformation when God calls to a Land to returne to him by Repentance Turn ye turn ye why will you die but they will go on in sinne when God cries to them by his Judgments to break of sinne but they will not hear the voice of Gods Rodd Jer. 5. verse 3. they refuse to receive Correction when once it is thus with a people God will pack up and be gon from them 7. Jer. 13.14 ver Therefore will I doe to this House which is called b my Name as I did to Shilo why what did God do to Shilo when he left the tokens of his wrath there at Shilo the Priest was slain the Arke taken Prisoner all the signs of Gods presence were removed and we never read that the Arke retuned to Shilo any more Oh dreadful hath not the Lord blown the Trumpet in our ears hath not be called to us to repent but we hate to be reformed we turn a deaf ear to God let England let London take heed it be not with it as once with Shilo that God does not make the Vision cease and bring a Famine of the word in these our days Levit. 26. verse 23. pray observe 24.30 saith God verse 23. I will punish you yet seven times more for your sinnes I will make you lie waste and I will bring your Sanctuary into desolation that is the first thing if you would prevent a Gospel Famine I beseech you beloved take heede of those sinnes which you have seen have brought a Famine of Gods Word upon a Land Secondly If you would prevent a Famine of the Gospel let us besiege the Throne of Grace by earnest prayer Oh pray to God you that can pray pray that the Lord would not depart from you that he would not make the Vision cease that he would not turne the Songs of