Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	heart_n	let_v	lord_n	11,278	5	4.0773	3	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A03698	The shield of the righteous: or, The Ninety first Psalme, expounded, with the addition of doctrines and vses Verie necessarie and comfortable in these dayes of heauinesse, wherein the pestilence rageth so sore in London, and other parts of this kingdome. By Robert Horn, minister of Gods Word.	Horne, Robert, 1565-1640.	1625 (1625)	STC 13825; ESTC S104237	130,560	160

that caused it Rom. 6.23 but this hath bene spoken 〈◊〉 This is the deliuerance propounded the same further proued followeth VER 8. Doubtlesse or onely with thine eyes shalt thou behold c. WHat was before propounded is here earnestly affirmed concerning the deliuerances of Gods people in daies of trouble when thousands fall For the Prophet saith Thou shalt behold these Plagues vpon others to wit with eyes of faith and seeing or God will lay them before thee and not vpon thee prouided that thou feare before his anger and loue his goodnesse And he speaks of seeing because the experience bringeth peace vnto the godly and many good things but then they must haue eyes to see his iudgements and an eye of faith to obserue his loue his iudgements vpon the wicked his loue to them Where the Doctrine is Gods children must not passe ouer Gods iudgements vpon others Doct. 1 with a carelesse eye nor be without eyes to behold his goodnesse vpon themselues When they meete with such an experience by day or night they must haue their day-booke and night-watches for a remembrance of it So Dauid marked diligently as it were with a Selah Gods proceedings in mercie to him and his Church Psal 32.4.5.7 for where he had done any notable thing for his people or for his King he as it were foulded downe a leafe at it and committed it to tables of memorie Neither lost he by the hand nay the obseruation was gainefull to him for it ministred great courage to him against that brauing monster Goliah 1. Sam. 17.37 Abraham also was comforted in God by the same obseruation of Gods former wayes when out of him he could haue but small comfort to offer to death his best sonne Isaac in whose bloud the whole world might seeme then to haue bene drowned Genes 22.3.8 Further it was the practise of that excellent Author of 119. Psalme who in like case of Gods speciall doings meditated in his precepts and considered his wayes that is carefully considered them or wrote them downe The flesh is dull in these matters therefore Dauid summons his soule vnto them saying O my soule praise the Lord and forget not all his benefits Or let no benefit of his be forgotten Psal 103.2 as if he had said write them vp in thy memorie and let not thy forgetfull sense keepe the booke of them or trust not thy senses with them but write them in thy heart In another Psalme the same Prophet for he was a great obseruer of things in his time doth not onely penne these mercies of God as in a booke for his owne memorie but calls others to the meditation as if hee would helpe their remembrance also by reading these things out of his booke to them and therefore saith Come and behold the workes of the Lord Psal 46.8 as if he should haue said I haue noted them and do you obserue them As if one of vs should say to another Come and see what times haue bene and how they be changed what sicknesse raigned once and what health raigneth now what want of fruites at some times and what abundance at other This yeare great stormes of trouble and the next a great calme of peace v. 9. The reasons Reason 1 Gods children must be thankfull for Gods benefits which cannot be long if they forget them nor longer then they be remembred therefore God hath commanded that his high Acts should not be forgotten as where he hath beene extraordinarily good to his people or seuerely sharpe to his peoples enemies Deut. 6.12 and 25.17.19 Reason 2 Secondly the Lord doth these great things that they might be remembred Psal 111.4 and shall we by our neglect of them frustrate his ends Reason 3 Thirdly if men threaten vs we remember our danger and count it a dishonestie if they do vs good to forget their loue and shall Gods threatnings not moue vs nor his loues make vs thankfull Shall a heathen Monarch keepe a Chronicle or day-booke of good turnes done to him by his subiects Hest 6.1.2 And shall Christians keepe no memoriall of so wonderfull things done to them by the soueraigne Lord of all worlds Lastly the faithfull consideration of Gods iudgements vpon Reason 4 others mercies to vs will make vs to feare his anger and to loue his goodnesse Habac. 3.2 Exod. 14.31 Iudg. 5.1 Psal 78.35.40.42 A reproofe of the slumbring multitude that passe no obseruation Vse 1 vpon Gods doings let him be angrie or pleased they are one kind of men still and neuer care to draw any thing from his anger or kindnesse for their amendment Let him thunder maruellously with his voice Iob 37.5 it is but a voyce that passeth by and when the earth is moued they are not moued If hee bring the sea out of his place as lately he did to punish our disorder what great thing doth he worthy noting His iustice in punishing with so long and fearefull a Plague is not in our minds and wee haue forgotten his maruellous goodnesse in the discouerie of the Powder-plot which is past as if God had done nothing The earth hath trembled vnder vs the heauens haue bene vnquiet and much distempered ouer vs our houses haue bene tossed and shaken with winds the staffe of our bread hath bene broken the enemie hath threatned vs at our doores and God hath taken away the wise man and the Counsellour yea the righteous perish and who hath considered Esay 57.1 Hath the Lord done any thing to wit in our opinion in all this or have we learned ought by it more then if nothing had bene done Haue not his wonderfull works lately done deserued the pen of a readie writer in euery of our hearts but we haue prepared them not as bookes of remembrance but as graues to burie his kindnesse An admonition to Gods faithfull Ministers the louder God Vse 2 is in his iudgements the louder to sound the trumpet of exhortation in their preachings Our admonitions must not runne alwaies in one tenour but haue the point put vpon them as the Lord is more or lesse prouoked Esay 58.1 For he hath placed vs in the watch-tower of his Church that wee might haue an eye to his iudgements The like admonition to all the faithfull to obserue Gods doings and to vse the eyes that he hath giuen them to see his workes and not to behold vanitie It hath beene said of the righteous that they see the Plague that is as they thankfully score vp blessings when they come so they dolefully record the curse when it commeth Prou. 22.3 Neither do they see it onely but hide themselues from it in a pure heart and innocent life where the wicked not fearing the shot of God neither the artillerie of his iudgements go on still to wit after one fashion and in their old way of impenitencie and hardnesse till they be destroyed Good men will deepely imprint Gods doings and be sure to haue an arke of prouidence builded by

to the earthly Ierusalem the house in which the publick Minister and people praise God together or by thy preferment in death to haue thy soule carried vp to the Ierusalem aboue where thou shalt praise him without ceasing perfectly in his owne presence with Angels and Saints innumerable Though men forsake thee God will tarrie with thee by his comforts in thy flesh and by his spirit in thy heart Iohn 14.23 when thy house is shut vp God that cannot be shut vp will prouide a large walke for thee in the pleasant gallery of thy good conscience when men write Lord haue mercy on the doore he will shew mercy within doores when men keepe thee darke he will giue thee light when they close vp the windowes of thy chamber he will set open the windowes of his Kingdome and when they go from thee he will come vnto thee sup with thee Apoc. 3.20 When God restraineth the fruits of the earth by keeping in his raine or by giuing it in excess with the breaking open of the flood-gates of his waters he hath his Boaz of secret prouidence as long agoe for godly Ruth Ruth 2.8 9. so still for his faithfull children that they may eate and their soules may liue And when the wicked who haue not God for their hiding place shall vpon the bruite of euery calamitie and crosse comming runne hither and thither as men without hope or distracted thou knowing in whom thou hast beleeued maiest hide thee with the feathers of Gods truth and faithfulnesse and goe to thy Father Luke 15.18 the words that follow are in effect the same that the words are which we lastly heard and the repetition is safe for vs Philip. 3.1 for therefore doth God speake twice that we might heare him once and because through our imperfect state of faith we come fearefully as vpon the waters with Peter to Christ in long and great troubles Mat. 14.29 30. therefore are the words doubled that we might haue the stronger consolation So much for the first of the meanes by which God will deliuer his people in affliction The second and more principall followeth His truth shall be thy shield and buckler BY the truth of God is meant the truth and faithfulnesse that is in all his promises or the truth of his promise and truth in his word He that hath promised is faithfull but if I would know how much he hath promised to whom and vnder what termes I must bring all my considerations to his word as to his onely or best seale and standard By it al his truth is allowed as vnder seale and measured truly as at a iust standard and this truth is one with the word or with Gods truth in his word Iohn 17.17 Also this truth is called the godly mans shield buckler because it is as a shield buckler vnto him against al the arrowe-heads thrusts of affliction so wardeth the blowes of those crosses that come in the Pestilence in sicknesses in malicious enemies in other troubles of bodie or minde that they shall not strike him to death or turne him to hurt taking in his defence by faith the promise and truth of God for his shield and buckler So the meaning is they that keepe within the compasse of Doct. 1 Gods sure word can neuer take hurt And it teacheth that the truth of God b Lam. 3.22 cannot faile and what he hath promised shall bee done Blinde Balaam in his Parable could say shewing how true God is alway of his word hath he said it and shall hee not doe it as if he had said may it be that Gods words and deedes should not meete or will any beleeue that he cau say one thing and doe another or if he lack not will doth he want power to doe as he saith for hath he spoken and shall he not accomplish it shall any thing hinder his purpose or weaken his power So where by Hosea the Lord saith I am God and not man Hosea 11.9 what can his meaning be but that being God hee changeth not like one of vs and repenteth not like man In Malachi he putteth himselfe to the triall asking the sonnes of Iacob if it were not so for he saith I change not and yee sonnes of Iacob are not consumed Malac. 3.6 as if he had said I promised not to consume you and you can tell I haue kept promise with you for ye are not consumed to this day so I change not your selues being iudges Now as God repenteth not so his gifts and calling that is the peculiar endowments of his elect linked together vnseparably in their saluation are without repentance that is are neuer taken from them Rom. 11.29 And he that hath promised is faithfull I. Cor. 10 13. saith the Apostle his meaning is that he is not at times but alway so or alway iust in word and euer faithfull Mens promises are yea and nay his promises are yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 when it is said it is done if he speake the word but wee say and vn-say and so say and doe not The reasons Reason 1 It is sealed that God is true and Christ speaking of himselfe as God saith I am truth Iohn 3.33 and Iohn 14.6 that is to be true or rather to be truth is of his being and therefore to denie his word is to denie himselfe but God cannot denie himselfe and therefore God cannot but keepe his word Reason 2 Secondly God cannot breake by vnfaithfulnesse Rom. 3.3 for he is righteous nor be hindred by weaknesse for he is Almighty 1. Ruth 21. Apoc. 1.8 He promised the land of Canaan to Abraham and all the rebellions of his children could not make him to falsifie his word but at the time appointed they received the promises and inherited the land so he promised Israels deliuerance from Aegypt and returne from Babylon and hee brake not an houre with them and when the fulnesse of time came that God should send his sonne he sent him Gal. 4.4 and when it was time he should come he came as he kept touch with Abraham for a sonne Genes 21.1 so hee kept his word truly with vs for the sending of his owne sonne Reason 3 Thirdly God when he sweareth sweareth by himselfe not only cause he hath no greater to sweare by but because hee changeth not as an oath is immutable Heb. 6.18 An admonition not to distrust God any way where hee hath Vse 1 giuen his word for our safetie and welfare for if it be intollerable to discredit an honest man in his word how intollerable is it to call Gods truth into question If then God haue promised to those that feare him that nothing shall bee wanting vnto them Psal 34.9 let not such doubt in the wants of many to bee prouided for In the wildernesse he plowed the heauens for his children and fed them with the bread of heauen Psal 78.24 so they that followed Christ were fed by miracle in

vs imitate the wis●dome that is often to be found among worldly men For if they hauing a suit to the King or some Noble man at Court misse of the successe and issue they hoped for they beginn to take themselues aside in the matter and to reckon with themselues in what circumstance point or points they sailed that the businesse went against them and hauing found their ouer-sight they seame by it to be wiser against another time So when in dealing with the Lord in our prayers wee finde that our cause sals to the ground and we are not heard as we expected we should reason with our selues religiously for what offence in matter in manner or of our persons God hath dismissed vs without hearing or refused vs in the prayers that we made vnto him and hauing found the fault to be as if we seek as we should we cannot but find to be all in our selues no blame in God we should further learn to amend that fault to beware of all such vntowardly comming to God hereafter Psal 66.18 If we pray in our sinnes or without repentance in any sinne wee must not looke to be heard nor if we pray without the putting away of wrath and the leauen of bitternesse If we aske not temporall deliuerances and blessings with a reseruation to Gods will we must looke to be denied much more if we aske things that God hath forbidden as his vengeance vpon our enemies their fall and our rising by it we deserue not onely to be denied but to be heauily plagued for our prophanenesse And if we would not be put back with shame when wee put vp our supplications to the throne of God we must keepe in with him at least wee must not prouoke his wrath by such a general vnreformednesse in tongue and manners as raignes at this day For who that meanes to obtaine his request at a mans hand will wilfully prouoke and displease him Let vs learne this for our selues that if Pestilence come or some sicknesse contagious or a dearth euer the land or some other affliction we may haue hope when they who sinne wilfully can haue no boldnes and therefore must needs despaire or haue small comfort in their prayers when in trouble they call vpon God A comfort to those who labour to take all impediments of Vse 2 hearing out of the way of their prayers by good affections and a holy life For they that pray with Faith and Repentance neede not to feare when they cry vnto God in the Plague in the Famine in oppression by foes and in other troubles Sometimes and for some time God in affliction may be as one that heareth not yet his eyes behold and his eyes may be as eyes of one that seeth not yet his eye-liddes consider Psal 11.4 that is the godly in trouble may think him absolutely gone from their help and that he is deafe in heauen at their prayers but when he winketh at the wayes of those that vexe them he sleepes not in them neither when he takes day with his afflicted and puts them to a new-hearing doth hee forsake their cause or them in aduersitie but onely taries the time when he shall see it best who onely knoweth when it is best and fittest for their deliuerance Gods eyes are not so shut at any time but hee sees vnder them what is done in the earth and when euill is deuised against the righteous the bright eye of the Lord is vpon the first thought and imagination thereof It doth not presently seeme so to vs because he takes leasure and respite to bring things to light but whatsoeuer we think or iudge to the contrary so it is And this d The Bishop of London D. King in a Sermon preached the 5. of Nouember 1608. at VVhite-hall The sometimes Reuerend Father of this Church and Right-worthy trumpet of the Gospel hath iustified plainly cleerely in Gods seuere watch ouer the Powder-traitors saying That he went with them in the whole course thereof that he saw them when they trudged to Doway and gadded to Spaine and marked the hissing of the Bee of Egypt to the Flie of Ashur and noted all the intelligence that passed betweene the Leiger Iesuit in England and the Leigers of Flanders and Spaine yet he bewrayed nothing of this at first but sate as with his eyes shut let them runne on till they had runne themselues to perdition After he shewed that hee slept not in so great danger toward vs but brought all to light and what the wicked had done which hee manifested by their own confessions and by publike example as vpon an hie Stage So when he seemeth furthest from hearing he heareth the very silence of his seruants prayers Exod. 14.15 Psal 55.17 And therefore the comfort of the righteous abideth firme which is that when they call they shall be answered first or last and alway in due time So wee haue spoken of one of the promises another followeth which is of deliuerance but otherwise then hath beene spoken of I will be with him in trouble I will deliuer him BEfore we heard of deliuerance but here it is promised in a strange manner to the righteous and that is that God will as it were put himselfe into their troubles to make himselfe a partie in them and so bee their deliuerer for by his being with them is not meant onely his being so by an infinite Essence and generall prouidence for so hee filleth all things and is with all his creatures but his being with them in a more speciall manner and more particularly by his Spirit of promise and comfort in their troubles it being certaine that the soules of the righteous sometimes eat and drinke and feast with Christ and at other times crie much and aske many watchmen for him before they can finde him Cant. 5.5 6 7 8. The meaning therefore is that God will assoone be foiled himselfe by the trouble of the righteous as suffer his children to perish in them From whence we learne Doct. that the godly haue the Lord alwaies a present deliuerer in great troubles They shall wade through many afflictions but when they begin to sinke his hand is ready to saue them Mat. 14.30.31 Psal 89.19 Hee is alwayes present with his Church but more familiarly in great troubles as a good father is alwayes affected to his childe but more tenderly in some grieuous sickenesse And as a King doth shew a more louing countenance to his houshold seruants at one time then at another sometimes frowning and sometimes smiling vpon them so the King of all the kingdomes of the earth doth not euer alike graciously shew himselfe to his dearest people though he be neuer from them more then the King from Court but sometimes in the smiles of his mercy and sometimes frowningly in displeasure hee lookes vpon them Yet howsoeuer mortall Princes may change their fauours God will neuer leaue his children The Prophet Dauid

set the Lord alway before him Psal 16.8 that is committed his wayes in all matters to him or made him Arbiter of his pathes and his reason was he was at his right hand or his readie hand who alway hedged him in with his power against present euils and dangers to come When they that were humbled for their rebellion against the words of the Lord cryed with faith to him in their affliction they were instantly deliuered from their distresse Psal 107.12 13. God was within call and so neare that if they had in that case but sighed to him which is a lesser matter then to cry hee could not but haue heard of whom the Prophet saith My sighing is not hid from thee Psal 38.9 And when the three seruants of God were in the fierie furnace God was with them in it to preserue them Dan. 3.25 and in the Kings heart to bring them foorth for the King spake and said Shadrach Meshak and Abednego the seruants of the high God goe foorth and come hither Verse 26. Thus God as a partner in sort communicateth with the righteous in their troubles being at hand to saue them from all aduersitie The Reasons Where God is said to be with them in trouble Reason it is spoken of God in Christ who by that spirituall vnion that is betweene him the Head and them his Bodie is said to be afflicted when they are in affliction Zach. 2.8 Acts 9.4.5 Zach. 12.10 Secondly when such are in trouble he remembreth that they Reason 2 are his children whom he cannot forsake and his weake children whom if he forsake he should leaue to perdition in their slipperie wayes And if the childes trouble be his fathers crosse how can we be in trouble and God our Father not troubled Psal 27.10 Esa 49.15 Thirdly the contrary would too much discomfort his people Reason 3 and comfort his peoples enemies but God will not doe so who will not break the bruised reed Esa 42.33 That is further grieue those that are much afflicted already A reproofe of the fearefull in religion who dare not be seene Vse 1 in a good cause though their conscience subscribe vnto it lest they should purchase trouble and get enemies for their forwardnesse that way Therefore that will not goe downe with them that will not go downe the narrow throat of the state and times in which they liue Acts 18.17 But what if thou be troubled for thy well guided conscience in good matters hath not God promised his presence in such troubles or will hee promise to be in place and faile thee and if hee come to thy helpe is not his goodnesse infinitely greater then mans malice and his arme stronger to saue then mans to destroy Many whom I cannot call ill men are vnreasonably afraid when God sendeth the Plague of Pestilence or a plague of raine and waters but who hath power in these Plagues and who hath promised to the righteous his comfortable presence in them Therefore put trust in God walke with him in thy good life and shrinke not from his Commandements and if Pestilence come feare it not for if ●●ou miscarrie in it God will miscarrie with thee and if a Famine pinch the land care not for it for thou shalt bee fed or God will want power to feed thee Psal 37.3 Vse 2 A comfort to the righteous seeing that they are not singled out or exposed in troubles but haue God in company in all that they suffer suffering for his sake or by his will Such haue no cause to feare but rather they who in wronging them prouoke that God to his face who will put vp no contempt at any mans hands loseth the collar of Kings Iob 12.18 He hath builded his house strong as vpon seuen Pillars Prou. 9.1 that is the godly whom the wicked would pull downe are surely and strongly founded in his prouidence and so safely kept in his hand that none can pluck them from thence Iob 10.29 And as the righteous shall most certainly be deliuered so all that vexe them shall perish for looke what safety is to this house and them that be in it the like perill is to this hous's enemies and all that come against it God being as a wall of defence about his people so a wall of fire against all that molest them Zach. 2.5 When the Disciples were in the ship there was a great tempest in the Sea but Christ being with them in the tempest and ship immediately there followed a great calme Math. 8.26 So whatsoeuer tempests or seas of trouble come as long as Christ is with vs in them wee need not despaire of any calme of deliuerance be it from Famine Pestilence the sword of the enemy or any other noisome Plague I say so long as Christ is with vs and we deuoutly with him in the ship of our Church-assemblies calling vpon him and doing reuerence to his name But let vs be sure as he is with vs in trouble so to be with him by faith and holinesse in all our troubles he to deliuer vs we to serue him This sheweth that the best shall haue troubles yea great troubles Vse 3 for here a promise is made to the righteous of deliuerance in troubles not of freedome from them Many and great many times are the troubles of the righteous saith Dauid Psal 34.19 And how can they but feele trouble that haue many troubles Now what Dauid said that same said Dauids Lord for Christ speaking to and of his said in the world yee shall haue afflictions Ioh. 16.33 as if he had said this world is a sea and they whom my Father hath giuen me out of the world Ioh. 17.6 are as so many sloting Barkes or Boats tossed vpon huge waues of trouble hauing windes and sea against them till they put into harbour or there is no end of troubles till ye enter into the rest of God Also this that Christ said saith the faithfull witnesse of Christ Saint Paul All that will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution 2. Tim. 3.12 he saith all excepting none And if we shall but point to the opening of the fist seale and in the vnsealing of that mystesterie take a short view of the infinite number of the soules of them that were killed for the word of God and which therefore lye behinde the Altar crying night and day to God with the voice of the blood of Abel that hee would require all that blood at their hands that shed it Apoc. 6.9 10. how can wee be ignorant that it hath alwayes been the portion and lot of those that truely loued God through much tribulation to enter into his Kingdome Act. 14.22 If therefore being professors of the truth we haue not suffered some troubles and rubs for the same it is not sealed vnto vs that we are right professors and our profession is but as a Deed vnsubscribed For true godlinesse draweth troubles to it as the loadstone doth iron and