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
A34898	A cabinet of spirituall iewells wherein man's misery, God's mercy, Christ's treasury, truth's prevalency, errour's ignominy, grace's excellency, a Christian's duty, the saint's glory, is set forth in eight sermons : with a brief appendix, of the nature, equity, and obligation of tithes under the Gospell, and expediency of marriage to be solemnized onely by a lawfull minister ... / by John Cragge, M.A. ...	Cragge, John, M.A.	1657 (1657)	Wing C6783; ESTC R4552	116,039	199

〈◊〉 〈◊〉 light easie supportable but glory is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heavie weighty beyond all possible Epithite superlatively great a phrase able to challenge all the profane Writers in the world neither Sophocles his high buskin nor Demosthenes his lofty strain is able to come neer it Lastly it 's amplified by the act 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it works forth which is as it were the Trutina or pin to turn the beam of the scales where affliction hath no more proportion to glory than the drop of a bucket to the whole Ocean or the dust of the ballance hath to a mountain This then may serve for a ground of comfort to every soul distressed with the tedious bitternesse of this life for short sorrow here we shall have eternall joy for a little hunger an eternall banquet for light sicknesse and affliction everlasting health and salvation for a little imprisonment endlesse liberty for disgrace glory In stead of the wicked to oppresse and afflict them they shall have the Angells and Saints to comfort and solace them in stead of Satan to torment and tempt them they shall have Christ Jesus to ravish and affect them Joseph's prison shal be turned into a palace Daniel's Lion's den into the presence of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah the three Children's hot fiery furnace into the new Ierusalem of pure gold David's Gath into the Tabernacle of the living God Obj. But shall every affliction bring the patient to the Kingdome of God shall the frenzie of Cain ter●our of Iudas horour of Achitophel trembling of Felix be turned into triumph Ans No afflictions to the wicked are like often baiting to some beasts which grow mad at the stake and makes them worse specially if the cause be bad It was a golden saying of St. Austin and I hope we are all of his minde Non ex passione certa justitia It 's not suffering that makes a cause righteous sed ex justitia gloriosa passio but its righteousnesse that makes sufferings glorious It was well observed by Saint Cyprian that the first Martyrs that suffered for Christ were Innocents and as well said Non supplicium sed causa facit Martyrem Not the punishment but the cause maketh the Martyr Who suffered more then the Cicumcelliones those Donatists in this Father's time and yet no Crown How many are there who when they are punished for their misdemeanours do lift up a hideous noise like Swine and cry out They are persecuted Hujus farinae of this leaven are our Ranters Quakers Levellers their language you know is persecution altogether and when they suffer for their opinions or rather disordered practises they are persecuted they say for their consciences as if every conceit were conscience every groundlesse opinion religion We must not measure the cause by the sufferings but the sufferings by the cause for unlesse a mans cause be good his conscience good and his carriage in some measure good too his sufferings will amount to no more then a condigne punishment unlesse the end crown all which makes St. Cyprian and St. Jero●● say That the Thiefe's suffering on the Crosse was turned to Martyrdom What if then in a good cause thus circumstanc'd our afflictions as in the Text be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many no single appellation but a compound of all cruelty nomen multitud●nis like the possessed that lived amongst the Graves her name is Legion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they are many her Pavilion hung about with trophies of death fetters and whips racks and strapadoes halters and swords stakes and fire What if one affliction still treads on the heel of another and where the old went off new scenes of miseries have taken up their cues here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Kingdome that will recompense all It pitties me when I read what those Romans Cocles Mutii Curtii Decii what those Graecians the people of Marathonia Salamina Plataea and Thermopol● endured toget them a fading name upon earth that we Christians should not do as much or more for this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kingdome of God a Kingdome in regard of the dignity of it of God in regard of the author and giver of it one Kingdome but the estates are two one Militant another Triumphant of Grace of Glory one in substance varying in degrees but not an earthly not a fading Kingdome but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of God Herod was a King so was Ahab Jezabel was daughter wife mother sister to Kings and yet still afflicted Alexander wept when he had all the Crowns and Scepters in the world piled as it were at his gates that there were no more to be subdued Godfrey of Bollene refused to be crowned at Jerusalem with a Crown of Gold where our Saviour was crowned with Thorns 'T is only this Kingdome of God that can wipe all tears from our eyes Go then a pilgrimage to this holy Land Heaven is feisable and more easie to be attained then an earthly Kingdom here we cannot all be Kings there are not Kingdoms enough but lo in Heaven there is none under the degree of a King And in this Kingdome Revel 21. the Metropolis or chiefe City is of pure gold the walls of Jasper having twelve foundations of twelve pretious stones twelve gates made of twelve pearles every gate of severall pearl The streets of the city paved with gold interlaid with pearls and diamonds The light of this city is the splendour of Christ himselfe in the midst thereof from whose throne issues a river of water as clear as crystall to refresh the city and on both sides of the banks there growes a tree of life bearing continually twelve kindes of fruit Into this city no darknesse nor any unclean thing shall enter Now afflicted soul tell me thou that wouldst upon earth have wondered with the Queen of Sheba at Solomon in his royalty at the Grand Sultan going to his Seraglio at the Pope in his Procession tell me how thou wilt wonder and glory to see that wonderfull glory that neither eye hath seen ear hath heard nor hath entered into the heart of man Which glory God of his mercy bring us all unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A SERMON Preached the fourth day of June 1656. at the Funerall Obsequies of James Parry Gent. The Text 1 Sam. 3. 18. And Samuel told him every whit and hid nothing from him and he said It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good HEre we have a divine Oracle sent not from Daphne or Delphos but from the Tabernacle of God at Shilo wherein two things specially remarkable are couchant First Samuel's Revelation And Samuel told him every whit and hid nothing from him Secondly Eli's Acceptation And he said It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good It is the Lord there is his humble confession Let him do what seemeth him good there is his patient submission In the former branch is considerable first the Persons

pretious stones and then Peacock-like prides themselves in these which are but liveries of beasts scum of the earth badges of sin earnests of death and recognisants of hell thus jetting till death comes and sounds his trumpet in his ear O fool this night they will require thy soul of thee c. Fourthly this discovers the vanity of intemperate and voluptuous men that with Philoxenus studie only to relish dainties make their throats tunnells and their bellies barrells and shewes by their daily sacrifices their O●gia D●onysia and Bacchanalia that they are of that Epicure Sardinapalus his minde that was wont to say ventrem deorum esse max●m●m that the belly was the greatest of the gods living thus till death arrest them and then they shall be arrayed with nothing but a shroud or winding-sheet have no dwelling place but the grave no house but a stinking coffin no servants and tenants but crawling worms have no allowance to give them but their own flesh which they shall feed upon till all be consumed and they made a fit Sceleton for death to read Anatomie's Lecture upon Consider again this was more particularly for the sins of Eli and his Sons Let those that attend upon God's Ordinances in this present age reflectupon this It must be acknowledg'd sure that the hand of God hath gone out against us more then against others of our rank at other times at least that God hath not restrained violence against us so as he did against those of our profession in the daies of old The portion of the Egyptian Priest that served the Ox the Ape and the Onyon escaped sale in the time of the famine Learned Junius in his Academia Cap. 4. saies that the Philistims spared the Schooles of the Prophers in their warrs with Israel and that the Phoenicians Chaldeans and Indians were tender over such places the Goths and Vandalls as barbarous as they were when they entered Italy scarce laid a sacriligious hand upon the Churches revenues Thus then did God restrain the spirit of Princes yet that God who in his own Law Levit. 25. 22. gave the Levites a speciall priviledge of redeeming lands sold by themselves at any time when other tribes were limited to a set time hath not stayed the raging of these waves but that the Churches Patrimony is sold to others without redemption We must acknowledge that God's wrath whether for our personall sins or the sins of our Predecessors or for the sins of the people joyntly hath taken hold of us Zach. 1. 5. that the Lord hath devised a device against us hath watched upon the evill and hath brought it upon us For under the whole heaven hath not been done as hath been done unto Ierusalem Dan. 9. 14. Let us not flatter our selves presumptuously the punishment answers the sin as the wax the seal and as the moulds own the figure and let us own both Yet let none think now that this confession will give advantage to the adversary they may take where none is given They may say let the Lord be glorified by their own confession we offend not though we devoure and dishonour them because they have sinned against the Lord the habitation of justice Ier. 50. 7. But they shall finde at last that to forsake the Levite is a sin that it is a bitter thing to help forward affliction when God is but a little displeased that Ierusalem will be a cup of trembling and a burdensome stone to every one that cries but down with it Wo to thee O Ashur the rod of Gods wrath the stasse in thine hand is Gods indignation for our correction to purifie us the sons of Levi from our drosse For It is the Lord that does it So we passe from the Revelation to the Acceptation And he said it is the Lord. But how did Eli know that it was the Lord Partly by the man of God partly by Samuel's dream or vision for he knew that the Lord had called the Child It is a heathenish tradition that no dreams that relate to publick concernment are to be credited that proceed not from Princes as Macrobius stories it upon Somnium Scipionis Hence Nestor in Homer proclaims in the Grecian Councill that credit is to be given to Agamem●on concerning the marshalling of his Army because he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Generall or ruler of the people which otherwise should have been sieighted But Ely was better instructed who knew in part though not so fully as was afterwards revealed Ioel. 2. 28. that God would poure his spirit upon all flesh and their sons and daughters should prophecy their old men should dream dreams and their young men should see visions Therefore Ely willingly submitted saying It is the Lord. Lord by Creation all things were made by him Ioh. 1. 3. Lord by Donation All power is g●ven me in heaven and in earth Matth. 28. 18. Lord by Redemption for we are bought with a price 1 Cor. 6. 20. Lord by Conquest By death he destroyed him that had the power of death the devill Heb. 2. 14. Lord by Marriage I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine Cant. 6. 3. Lord by way of excellency depending on no creature Lord of Lords Lord not only of goods body life but of soul and spirit Lord not for a season but for ever an eternall Lord a Lord that cannot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abuse his authority but is Jehovah zedeck Jehovah our righteousnesse Ier. 23. 6. A Lord that doth what he pleaseth Let him do what seemeth him good So we passe from his confession to his submission Let him do what seemeth him good Peter Martyr makes a scruple whether these words proceeded from a penitent soul or no saying they might come from an evill and hypocriticall minde though God who is only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a searcher of the heart knowes this yet he concludes probabile est illum resipuisse non tamen necessarium it is probable that he repented but not necessary Gregory is of opinion that this answer is no true signe of his humiliation but rather of his hardnesse of heart and reprobation and endeavours to confirm it by three reasons First saies he we finde not that after this he either repented or corrected his sons Secondly because he seemes to be willing rather to incur the heavy displeasure of God then by severe and condigne punishment to offend his children Thirdly because he seemes rather presumptuously and disorderly to trust to the mercy of God than by serious repentance and selfe-denyall to go in the way of God It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good Si Dominus ubi timor If it be the Lord saies he where is his fear where are his prayers where his tears where his groans we read of none Haec oratio non culpam agnoscentis non dei misericordiam implorantis sed animum despondentis iram provocantis This speech is not of one imploring Gods mercy

vale of tears which drawes on apace shall present it selfe you may look Death in the face without dread the Grave without fear the Lord Jesus with comfort Thus let all the saving blessings of Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity be gloriously shining upon your selves your children and posterity which is the daily vote of him who is Your Worships most humble and devoted Servant in the Lord Jesus JOHN CRAGGE Octob. 10. 1656. A SERMON Preached formerly in the University of CAMBRIDGE The Text Psalm 144. 4. Lord what is Man A Time there was before all Times when there was no Day but the Antient of Dayes no Good but God no Light but the Father of Lights Arts were but Idea's the World a Map of Providence Heavens the Book in Folio Earth Water Aire and Fire in Quarto Hell the Doomes-day pageant Men and Angells but Capitall Letters in the Margent of Gods Thoughts Elohim Bara But loe the World and Time begun the Heavens were spread as a Curtain the Sphears incircled round Comets and blazing Stars Lightnings and Tempests Birds and feathered Fowls seated in the Aire Leviathans and Fishes in the Sea The Earth infoulded within the armes of the Ocean embraces the Centre beset with Plants and Herbs and Garlands of all Flowers gives nourishment to Beasts and Creeping things Sanctius his Animal Lastly Man was made Lord Paramount of all he calls Earth Heaven and Elements Birds Plants and Beasts according to their Nature each by their names clear light of Reason makes him a Logician Stars an Astronomer Nature of all Creatures a Philosopher Earth and Paradise a Geographer Thus nothing is hid from him while he is unknown to all The Stars shine Heavens smile upon him the Aire cherishes him Fruits nourish him Lions and all Beasts couch before him all at once as with a sudden rapture admire and know not what to call him It 's thou O Lord alone that madest him that pouredst him out as Milk that curdedst him as Cheese that writst all his members in the volume of thy Book that knowes him Lord what is Man Man that was here David's mirrour of admiration must be our glasse of speculation Ignorance in not knowing the true cause of things is the true cause of Admiration in things David a man after Gods owne heart knowes Man and yet he knowes not Man he knowes him in respect of the efficient 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the ofspring of God as Aratus said he knowes him in respect of the matter Adam quasi Adamah composed of red earth he knowes him in respect of the form his soul is spiraculum vitarum breath of lifes life vegetative common with the Plants life sensitive common with the Beasts life reasonable peculiar to himselfe temporall and eternall He knowes him in respect of the end all his thoughts words works are so many motions God is the Centre his speculations imaginations meditations are so many Lines God is the Circumference in God from God and for God is all his good in whom we live move and have our being But in this he knowes not man Reason is at a stand why God that stood in need of no Creature should create Man to delight in him so vile a creature that Angels more glorious Creatures than he should minister unto man that Heaven with all her Hosts and Armies should serve man that Christ that was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both God and Man should be accursed and dishonoured for Man that Man might be blessed and honoured with God should leave Heaven and his Father's Throne that Man might live for ever in Heaven and before the Throne All Creatures confesse your ignorance in this confessing it admire admiring give God the glory Fountains clap your hands Mountaines bend your heads skip you little Hills like Lambs old men and Babes young Men and Maids Angells and Choristers of Heaven joyne in this hymne Glory be to God on high peace on earth and towards men good-will But why peace on earth and towards men good-will cease to scan and leave it to him that is the Lord of Man Lord what is Man Which words are an Epiphonema or conclusion following an Eucharistia or spirituall gratulation inforced from a soul deeply solaced with the meditation of mercy in the depth of misery The parts are two First an Apostrophe or Appellation Lord Secondly an Erotema or Interrogation What is Man There is a what of objurgation a what of interrogation a what of admiration a what of meditation David meditates of Man the more he meditates the more he admires the more he admires the more he asks the more he asks the more is his task till mirrour is changed into terrour and every glance into a trance Earth that sustaines him tell me Fruits that nourish him tell me Aire that cherishes him tell me Creatures that serve him tell me Stars that shined at his Nativity tell me Astronomers calculate Gymnosophists unfold this Riddle Angells unvail your faces and tell me Man unmask thy selfe and tell me What is man Mount up my Meditations higher pierce through the clouds towards Heavens Glorified Saints Principalities and Powers tell me If all these be silent let wretched Man be bold to ask of Him that sits upon the Throne concerning man Lord what is man Man before the Fall created Man after the Fall degenerated Man by grace regenerated Man after death glorified What in his creation What in his degeneration What in his regeneration What in his glorification Man by creation wholly pure an Angell by degeneration wholly impure a Devill by regeneration partly sanctified a Saint by glorification entirely crowned a King An Angell in Eden a Devill in the World a Saint in the Church a King in Heaven and all this but silly Man Lord what is Man First Man created before the Fall what Man was in God's decree and intention before the Creation what in his union and composition in the Creation what in his rule and dominion after the Creation Man in Gods decree and intention a creature next to the Creator that Hell envied Earth admired Heaven desired a Gemme of beauty a Pearl of vertue a Star of glory Heir to a Crown if he had not crossed himselfe What in his union and composition in the Creation The Son of God moulded by God and yet not as the Manichees dream of the Substance of God the Image of God and yet not that Image which was God a Spirit from Heaven breathed into a Body of Earth and yet not all earth Fire gave him naturall heat Aire gave him vitall breath Water humours the Fire was purified the Air clensed the Water purged the Earth refined to make up this fine complexion of Man and yet materiam superabat opus the workmanship surpassed the matter as far as Heaven surpasses its matter At the contemplation whereof Dav●d bursts out into admiration Psal 139. 14. I was fearfully and wonderfully made And Ga●en before an Atheist composes an Hymne in the

Pigeons having drunk of this River of life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 joyntly together hold up our Bills towards Heaven in token of thankfulnesse thank him who is the God of glory for devesting himselfe of glory that he might restore us to hope of glory We reverence men on Earth Rome gives 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worship to Saints in Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more worship to the Mother of our Saviour Queen of Heaven as they style her But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 glory only to the God of glory My glory saies God I will not give to another but my peace I will give Which was sung by the Angells at the Nativity Glory be to God on high peace on earth It is Aristotle's saying in his Ethicks We give praise to men but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a better thing than praise to God And what is that but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Glory Therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Glorifie God in your body and your spirits which are Gods It is Plato's phrase in his Respublica 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Glorifie God Aratus his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye are God's offspring Joyne them both together and we have the poynt Glorifie God because ye are Gods But as Honour so Glory is in dante in the Giver we have no glory to give all glory is Gods to whom we ought to give and when it is given it is but his own but a part of his own And if all tongues should glorifie him at once it addes no more to his glory then a drop of a bucket returned to the Ocean whence it issued As Rivers return to refresh the Sea whence they came Sun-beams by reflection are inflamed so our hearts by glorifying God must be enflamed that he may glorifie us In storms in calms blow what winde wil the Mariners Needle still points at the Pole in prosperity in adversity we ought to aime at Gods glory Here I say we ought in Heaven I am sure we shall for there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Angells Leiturgie is singing of Hymns of glory But what need we look so high was not our first Reformers so Observe the blessed method the Spirit dictated them in the very dawning out of Popish superstition First Contrition then Confession then Absolution then Petition then Gloria Patri Glory be to God then Venite exultemus Come and rejoyce then severall Psalms as so many Hallelujah's for the Day each concluding with Gloria Patri Glory be to God After the first Lesson Te Deum laudamus We praise thee O God or the Song of the three Children Benedicite omnia opera Let all his works glorifie God After the second Lesson Jubilate Deo Be joyfull in God Ending still like Frankincense put out with this sweet odour Gloria Patri Glory be to God Well then if this was the heavenly language in the infancy of our Church let every grown Member of the Church glorifie God in Body This was delivered An. 1640. in Spirit for all his mercies but especially for this mercy of Redeeming us with the price of his own pretious blood Therefore with Angells and Archangells and all the company of Heaven we laud and magnifie thy glorious Name evermore praising thee and saying Holy holy holy Lord God of Hostes Heaven and Earth are full of thy glory Glory be to thee O Lord most high To thee we ascribe all honour and glory both now and for evermore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A SERMON Expressing the benefits accruing from our Saviours Death and Passion insisting only upon the latter part by reason of the affinity with the former Subject The Text Rom. 8. 32. He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things THIS Text is an Exchequer the Treasurer God the Gift all things the parties to whom all men the key Christ God the Father that spared not to give Christ for us all will not spare with him to give us all The Parts in generall are two First an Hypothesis or Supposition Secondly a Thesis or Position The Hypothesis or Supposition hath a double reference looking back at the former unties a a knot looking forward at the latter is an argument to confirm a truth in matter drawn a majori from the greater to the lesse in form an Enthymema thus unfolded God spared not but delivered up his own Son therefore he will not spare but deliver up all things for his Saints It is amplified first from the party or person giving 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He in Grammer the Third but here the First Person in the Trinity Secondly from the double act 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath not spared negatively 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but hath delivered up affirmatively Thirdly from the object or gift that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his own Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his only begotten Son Fourthly the subjects or parties for whom not Angells but Men for when he ascended above Principalities and Powers he gave gifts to men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 us not restrained to some of us but with a note of universality all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for us all He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all The second Branch is in it selfe a Position in reference to the former a Conclusion The parts of it as the Rivers of Paradise are principally four First the Donor God Secondly the Donation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a free gift or Charter Thirdly the parties to whom it is given 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to us Fourthly the Donative or gift and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things amplified with the correlative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with him By him all things were made in him all things are given All of this illustrated by a threefold Emphasis here expressed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a note of Interrogation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Negation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Augmentation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How shall he not also He that spared not his own Son c. We have already ●ntred into this Exchequer where we have seen the rich treasurie of Gods mercy in delivering up his Son for us all Now is the second return this Exchequer is yet open let us all enter in further by him the Dore and the Way to see how that with him he will freely give us all things How shall he not with him also c. The first part is the Doner He The word is twice repeated by an Epanados in relation to a double act of mercy He that gave Christ for the health of our souls that He will give us all things for the health of our bodies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is which was which is to be Jam. 1. 17. Every good and perfect gift is from above and commeth down from the Father of lights He is Omnipotent to make

continuance by reason of our unthankfulnesse all places have become Aceldamaes houses of blood fields of blood ditches of blood towns of blood Churches of blood in this land that was once Insula pacis an Island of peace Lord water our eyes with tears of godly sorrow like Gideon's fleece while others are drie that we may be drie saved from those waters of afflictions wherein others are drowned beget in us fruits of contrition worthy of repentance and then repent that thou hast sent this spirit of division and destroying Angell amongst us Secondly this necessity of afflictions may comfort Gods children in all troubles on this consideration that afflictions are sent of God consecrated by his Son Jesus Christ suffered of all Saints that are now triumphant in Heaven that he that sowes in tears shall reap in joy that he that wears a Crown of thorns with Christ here shall wear a Crown of glory with him in heaven hereafter Seriously meditating in our hearts that God afflicts us not in fury but in mercy and that for these ends 1. That he may draw us from the Love of the world 2. That he may cure our spirituall sicknesses 3. That he may preserve us from fearfull falling into damnable sins 4. That he may deliver us from the wrath to come and the torments of hell 5. To try and examine the sincerity of our faith 6. To make us run unto God the fountain of living waters 7. That God might shew his outstreched arme in delivering us 8. That they may be sanctified to the increase of our glory Now our afflictions are of two sorts either internall in soul or externall these either in our names or in our goods or in our persons here we have comfort against all Is any in prison look upon the Irons entring into Joseph's soul and yet delivered Is any in banishment look upon David restored from thence to a Kingdom Is any hungred starved naked full of soars look upon Lazarus in Abraham's bosome Is any afflicted with losse of goods health children look upon Job's triumph after misery Does any suffer for conscience sake look upon the crowned Martyrs in heaven Is any a man of sorrowes look upon Christ before whose Throne Angells Saints and Cherubims throw down their Crownes and Palms of glory Thirdly the necessity of afflictions may teach us not basely to fear them but rather fear sin that laies us naked to Gods fierce indignation and the malice of our enemies fear indiscretion that creates unto us many needlesse troubles fear superstition and ignorance for that makes a man mistake his cause fear singularity and presumption so as to rest upon our own sufficiency These are worse then affliction as much as the sin is worse then the punishment Fourthly the necessity of them may make us lift up our eyes at Him that rules the wheel of providence No affliction springs out of the dust but comes from God he hath tempered the cup and said Drink this Christ could not escape it though he besought it thrice with tears and then shall we Our sins deserved afflictions to the full God turned them to our good Moses at the first called the Rod his but when he had wrought miracles with it it was God's The rod of affliction is Gods let us therefore kisse it Thy rod and thy staffe saith David hath comforted me Swine feed upon Acorns and look not up at the Tree Doggs snarl at the stone and mind not the hand that threw it But David minded Shimei not so much that cursed him as God that sent that shame upon him A Christian that makes this right use of afflictions is the worlds wonder with the bush in which Jehovah appeared to Moses he burns and yet consumes not Hananiah the false Prophet broke off the timber yoke from Jeremie's neck but had one of iron put upon his own He that burnes God's Rod shall be beatt with Scorpions Fifthly if this life be a passage through the wildernesse of afflictions then here we are not perfect as we would be The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 passe through afflictions Every passage is a motion every motion as the Philosopher said is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an imperfect act moving for an end running for a goal this end this goal is the Kingdom of God for We must through much affliction enter into the Kingdom of God So the second Proposition offers it selfe That through these afflictions or waters of Marah we shall at length come to heaven This is somewhat sweeter and sugars the former therefore I beseech you observe it For a storm here we shall have a calm for Christ's crosse an eternall Crown our nights of mourning shall be turned into Halcyon daies for months of affliction we shall have years of jubilee for a rod of correction we shall have a palme of victory our mournfull Elegies of lamentation shall be turned into Hallelujah's of consolation With this Athanasius comforted the Saints under Iulian's persecution that affliction was but nubecula citò transitura a storm that would quickly end in a sunshine or calm So did our Saviour his disciples Matth. 5. 10. Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven Nay as if they were already in the suburbs of glory v. 12. Rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven Take up the perspective glasse of Faith and look towards Heaven and there you shall see the noble Army of Martyrs Prophets Apostles Evangelists set down with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdome of God yet if you look at their journall towards heaven you may trace them by their blood These afflictions are sometimes called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 passions but such passions as are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lessons of no lesse than Christ and his kingdome Here they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of straitnesse elsewhere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of narrownesse Matth. 7. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strait is the gate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 narrow is the way But it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 leading unto life into a heavenly Canaan that flowes with milk and hony Hony in the Bee is not without the sting neither the Kingdome of God without affliction 2 Cor. 4. 17. we have an unparallel'd parallelism of these two This light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding great and eternall weight of glory Here they are both cast into the scales and their weights duely poysed where first consider the difference between the subjects or things weighed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 worldly affliction is cast into the one scale and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heavenly glory into the other Secondly their quantities and that either durationis of continuance affliction is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 momentary for a day glory is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 everlasting for ever or molis of weight affliction is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉