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
A86526	The faithful covenanter. A sermon preached at the lecture in Dedham in Essex. By that excellent servant of Iesus Christ, in the work of the Gospel, Mr. Tho. Hooker, late of Chelmsford; now in New England. Very usefull in these times of covenanting with God.	Hooker, Thomas, 1586-1647.	1644 (1644)	Wing H2648; Thomason E81_18; ESTC R15313	27,284	46

may stablish us to day for a People unto himselfe and that we may curse our selves if we doe not walke with God both our selves and ours and woe to him that hath no care to keepe his Oath no wonder he is a begger no wonder his debtors run from him and leave him in the lurch It is a wonder that the earth doth not open her mouth and swallow him up Numb 16.32.33 as it did Corah Dathan and Abiram and all the plagues written from the beginning of Genesis to the end of the Revelation Amen fall not upon his soule and body Why you have entred into a curse man and an Oath with the Lord Nehem. 10.29 Neh. 10.29 See how the holy man continued this course how they entred a Covenant there with the Lord as if they should have said The Lord curse this tongue if I speake not graciously the Lord curse this hand if I doe not yeeld obedience to his will and command look to it the curse will dog thee and follow thee if thou break Covenant as it did the Iewes in Nehemiahs time Now when he had returned the people out of captivitie he brought them all before the Lord to enter into a Curse and into an Oath to walke in Gods Law It was a sweet course every soule here stands bound to doe as they did They tooke a solemne Oath what ever they had beene they would now walke in Gods Law Give me your hand brethren or at least let me have your heart in the mean time because that cannot be Are you the servants of God entred into Covenant with the Lord then know you are bound to keepe Covenant by vertue of that Oath and when you are in your Families remember your Oath you are bound hand and foot to the Lord and therefore when you are drawne by any thing to breake Covenant with the Lord thinke thus with your selves What an honest man and lie and forsweare my selfe you have all sworne to the Lord brethren your little ones and all Cursed shall you be in all that you take in hand if you doe not walke precisely and exactly in his Law and Covenant Husbands call upon your wives Husband and Wise and Parents call upon your children when you see them breake Covenant and say Wife or children What shall we bring a Curse upon our selves When you begin to be carelesse of the Sabbath and cold and luke-warme and dull call upon one another and say You know the plague was neere at hand husband at such a time but the Lord kept it from us For Gods sake husband let us take heed that we doe not bring the curse upon our Family No marvell though one runne away with this from us and an other with that and the Lord lay this sicknesse and that affliction upon us What wilt thou be a perjured man for shame keepe thy Oath God will never trust thee else hereafter Now the Lord sweares to us by himselfe Heb. 6.13 because he hath no greater to sweare by It is a sweet thing that the Lord hath bound himselfe by Oath to us to keepe Covenant with us If you have an honest and an able man bound to you for a debt you goe away content you have enough Why we have the Lord in bonds for the fulfilling his part of the Covenant He hath taken a corporall Oath of it that he will doe it and shall we not take the Lords bond and rest content with that Let us now * Heb. 13.22 suffer the words of exhortation with patience and meeknesse O brethren this point concerns us neerely this day Covenants goe farre especially if they be for weighty matters when a man is in Covenant for more then he is worth Thinke of it seriously The first use shall be of Examination Vse 1. If this be so we may have a touch-stone from the forme of Doctrine delivered to discover to us who is the sound professor indeed There are a great many formall professors but few true ones indeed A man can scarce tell who to trust you say for trading I say for living you say for buying and selling I say for professing Would you know whether you are sound at root and not have a name onely to live and yet are dead Rev. 3. vers 1. Revel 3.1 Let him that keeps Covenant that deales squarely you know what that is brethren that keeps touch with the Lord let him be the sincere man he is worthy the name of a Christian There are many fadling patching Christians that are off and on here and there there is no hold of them a man knowes not where to have them that will say faire and bid well but doe nothing in the end Goe you home to your selves see whether you keepe touch with the Lord. You thinke you are bound to keepe covenant in nothing but in your money Rich men thinke all honesty is in paying of money I will not speake of the misery of them that must patch up and down in that fashion and hang on every bush But ô sayes the rich man that is carefull to give every man their due and to keepe his day what times doe we live in a man knows not where to lend to have it againe at his time there is no honest dealing to be found Marke the villany of his heart because he keepe touch with men and is as good as his word O sayes he we live in very ill times and their is scarse a man to be found that one may trust of his word there is such unhonest dealing in all places that there is no hold of mens words But yet oppresses and grindes the face of the poore and looks for his gaine altogether where is your honesty So some that are carefull of the body and give it its due but the soule whines within for mercy mercy that it may have something to refresh it withall but that cannot be heard that is starved the body is fat but the poore soule is leane enough where is your honesty doe you not owe repentance hearing reading and praying to your soules your poore soule crys ô remember me let me have some mercy and forgivenesse sought for me at the hands of the Lord let me have some time imployed for my good But you cannot heare it Is this honesty brethren if a man sterve his servant so that he pine away till he is scarse able to goe and at last come to the grave every one cryes out shame of him But ô brethren the poore soule that is starved but no man cryes shame of that when did the Lord heare of many of you here present Alas never brethren never But when the soule said now pray for helpe against this corruption and for mercy for such a sin now awake out of thy secret worldlinesse you went away and would not heare that you have no leisure nor no time for that but starve your poore soule and the devill he hath

is his wrath that they execute The wicked of the world are but the Lords instruments the Sword is thine Lord though thou usest them as the hand to strike with The Lord commanded destruction to come upon them Doct. 1. Hence observe God is the Author of all those punishments and judgements that ever come upon a nation or people family or person It is his will that is the worker He is the bringer of all sorrows troubles and judgements upon any It was not the Babylonians that overthrew them It was not Nebuchadnezzar it was the fierce anger of the Lord that did it you know what God himselfe sayes Is there any evill in the citie and I have not done it Amos 3.6 And he hisse for an enemy Isa 4 5.7 all places are at his command Isa 7.18 he commands deliverance for them that serve and obey him as it is in the Psalm and plagues and destruction for them that disobey him and rebell against him To make this then our own brethren by application briefly for I meane to fasten upon nothing in this verse but to passe on to the other wherein is contained the maine point which I intend to stand upon as thinking it in my thoughts most fit for this congregation If this be so then here is a cooling card for the wicked Vse All you that heare this word this day whose consciences accuse you that you are enemies to God and goodnesse heare and feare and tremble for ever If God bring judgements who shall feele them and finde them surely his enemies be them that shall feele them Psal 10 16. Psal 10.16 It is the collection that the Psalmist makes The Lord is King for ever and what then the heathen are destroyed sayes he If all judgements be at his command then his enemies shall be sure to feele them You that have wicked husbands or wives feare every night when you goe to bed lest the judgement of the Lord should come upon them yet ere morning and cut them off and send them to destruction Vse And you that are carelesse of your wayes and goe on in your wickednesse understand the Lord hath vengeance for you He hath rods enough they are not all burnt he will bring them our against you Psal 68.21 and will wound the hairie scalpe of him that goeth on in his sins Marke what the Apostle saies 1 Pet ● 18 1 Pet. 4.18 If the righteous scarcely be saved where shall the ungodly and the sinner appeare If the righteous brethren hardly get to heaven but loses an arme an other a right eye as it were and with many prayers and sighes and graplings with God and through many temptations hardly come to heaven in the end and a poore humble soule begge for power against his corruptions as if he would pluck mercy from the Lord by strong hand and yet scarcely subdue sinne and obtaine salvation what then will become of a company that are enemies to God and godlines a company of unrighteous men where shall they appeare The day will come when they that stand against the gracious voyce of the Almightie now shall heare the thundering voyce of the Almightie Luk. 23.30 and shall call and cry to the mountaines and hills to fall upon them and cover them Rev. 6.16 that they may be hid from the presence of the Judge Secondly observe that the Text sayes What means the fierce anger of the Lord against this nation Exod. 19 5. Tit. 2.14 1 Pet. 2 9. Psal 60 5. and 108.6 and 127.2 Rom. 3.2 What nation why the nation of the Jews Gods owne people his * peculiar his first borne Exod. 4.22 his beloved Cant. 1.14 15. and 5.1 2. to whom the oracles of God were committed to whom the Prophets came in his name That nation that had all means of good that had all mercies priviledges and all encouragements the Lord shewed his fierce wrath to them Learne Doct. 2. No outward priviledges in the world will free any nation under heaven from the judgements of the Lord if they sinne against him and be stubborn and rebellious If any people might have been exempted and freed surely the Jews might They might have said Why Lord wilt thou plague us what wilt thou destroy us why we are thy people we have thy sacrifices and thy Prophets and thy Temple is amongst us That is all one what means the fierce anger of the Lord against this nation sayes the Text. Be the man what he will the means never so excellent and the priviledges never so great if he sin he shall be sure to be plagued Ier. 7.12 Brethren you may see there that when the Prophet threatned the judgements of the Lord against them Jerusalem began to brag of her priviledges and the mercies of God which he had bestowed on them Go to Shiloh sayes the Lord to them the place where I set my name at first and see what I did to it for the wickednesse of my people Israel The case is cleare and plaine no priviledges though the word of God and his ordinances and the meanes of grace be there will keepe away judgements If people sin God will proceed in wrath against them Amos 3.2 You only have I knowne sayes the Lord of all the families of the earth what then therefore will I cocker and dandle you no but therefore will I visit you for all your iniquities If this be so brethren Vse this teaches us this instruction Not to depend upon our priviledges not to boast of them and rest in them and go away and say What the Spaniards come into England what the enemy overcome England We have the Gospel the meanes of Grace no nation under heaven so many in it that feare the Lord as our nation hath O trust not tolying vanities Jonas 2.8 saying The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord Jer. 7.4 as the Jews did when the Babylonian● came what good did their Temple doe them your outward profession will be your bane if you trust to it Rom. 2.9 when time of trouble come Tribulation and anguish shall be upon every soul that sins upon the Iew first marke that brethren The highest in preferment the first in punishment you that have enjoyed great meanes the Lord will proceed more heavily against you then against others when he begins to execute his wrath once To have the name of outward profession is nothing it will leave us in the dust if we trust to it Priviledges are like to paper walles if a man reare up a paper wall against Cannon shot will that defend him brethren They are good in their place and kinde but if we put our confidence in them as if they should keepe us out of trouble it is like as if a man should put on a cut Sattin suit or coat of silke to goe in the warres withall will that preserve him against the Cannons and the

one part of your time and your lusts another Is this honesty brethren This is the man God esteemes as an honest man not a Protestant at large that hath a good purse and is good in his kinde and will deale honestly with men and pay them their due and at their day but he that will pay God and their soule their due too Exod. 19.5 Exod. 19.5 If you will obey my voyce indeed and keepe my covenant then you shall be a peculiar treasure unto me If your debtors keepe day with you you will trade with them rather then with any other man Let it be so in your dealings with men but remember that you do it with God Think not to put off the Lord with faire speeches Good words pay no debts Brethren we come here and give the Minister hearing and God a glosing but we walke not according to Gods commandements You give God good words but you goe home and are as unprofitable as vaine and frothy and idle as ever you were If one owe you money and take this day and that day and promise it and not pay it you would not thinke well of this dealing what may the Lord thinke of your hearts when you have made so many promises to him and had so many resolutions to performe your part of the covenant to him but have not yet kept promise with him Good words are good in their kinde God likes them well as it is in Deut. 5.28 29. This people have said well Deut. 5.28 but these are not sufficient we have enough of this sayes the Lord O that there were such an heart in them Vers 19. to doe as they have said There is the point Brethren If we have a debtor that comes oft to us and promiseth us payment but keeps not day we say you give me good words but I cannot pay debts so and keepe my family so Where is my money So Brethren you come and heare cheerefully and pretend that you will doe that you heare Ah but give God his money O that there were such an heart Know what God cals for Good money will he be payd with counters and shews No but currant money of England when the heart is changed the soule turned and the affections moved to what God cals for and that is good equall and righteous and we desire with all our heart to performe it Brethren when you are gotten home call to minde what you have said this day and this covenant which you have entred into with the Lord and say ô Lord that I had such an heart good words are well but ô a heart a heart Lord is that which thou requirest and I would have And it must be alwayes and in all things you must not picke and chuse and say I will not be a drunkard yet be covetous I wonder that you will not game and be drunke and yet gripe the poore O that there were an heart to keepe the commandements of God alwayes 1 Sam. 13.14 Act. 13.22 This is an honest man with God a man after Gods own heart a man of Gods minde as we may say If ever there were a Saint thou art when the Lord sayes O that they had such an heart the heart answers and sayes O Lord that I had such an heart when the Lord sayes O that thou wouldest keep all my commandements O that I could sayes the soule againe This is upright faire dealing indeed currant money your tongue and outward appearance is nothing that sturdy and peevish heart let it be humbled and your untoward and rebellious heart be brought into subjection Tit. 2.9 And you servants not answer your masters againe And you little ones be not sturdy against your parents and disobedient unto their commands Remember the little ones that mocked Elisha 2 King 2. 23 24. O but you will say we cannot doe what we would No it is pitty you should for then some of you would be without sin which cannot be here But doe you indeavour to doe what you can and are you humbled and grieved for that you cannot doe and doe you strive towards perfection and say with David Thou hast commanded that I should keepe thy statutes Psal 119.4 O that I could Lord Vers 5. O that my wayes were directed to keepe thy statutes And doest labour to mend thy pace because thou hast been slow and art cast behind in the way to happinesse and hast lost thy time This is all God requires of thee If one that is in debt to you fall into decay and come to you and say he is not able to pay you your money but he desires you to goe to his house and take whatsoever is there that is worth any thing to satisfie you I appeale to your consciences is he not an honest dealer yes you will not deny it but you will pitty his case and say the Lord may crosse any man and you will be favourable unto him because he shews an honest minde in that he desires every man should have his own to the utmost he can either in money or in money worth So brethren observe what the soul wants in obedience that it may plucke it out in repentance that is the money worth that when the poore sinner finds a dead heart a sluggish indeavour weaknesse in performance and he cannot doe as he should doe yet what he wants in obedience he fetcheth out in repentance step but in at the entry doore or under the wall or under the window and heare how he will breake his heart bewaile his abominations cry out of himselfe and say though much means and grace have been offered me yet good Lord this wretched world that I should dote upon lying vanities Jon. 2.8 so as to forsake mine own mercies Good Lord subdue this earthly mindednesse Good Lord take all away rather then this should take my soule from thee and from happinesse O thus brethren he labours to please the Lord in sorrow and griefe and mourning for the short comings of his payment in obedience He lays load upon himselfe in this case This is an honest heart this is very good pay it is money or money worth he is humbled and ashamed and confounded because he cannot doe what he would In this case he deals squarely he is an honest Christian An honest man if he be cast backe in his estate he will intreat Libertie of his creditors and resolve and promise them too that if ever God make him able his family shall not gaine by it but he will pay them to the utmost farthing so is it with an honest heart brethren I looke not that a man should not have temptations and corruptions and that sometime prevailing over him but this thou must have and thus thou beg earnestly of the Lord godly sorrow and griefe of heart for thy failings and that he would recover thy * Psal 39.13 strength before thou goe from hence and be