Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	judgement_n	sin_n	sinner_n	2,057	5	7.5058	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

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

vs 1 King 22.8 shall say and may truly say peace is come Esay 57.2 So much for the Plague of Pestilence darkly described and vnder the cloud of the figure the description of it without figure and plainely followeth And from the most grieuous Pestilence OR from the Pestilence of griefes in the Hebrew deliuering it by weight from thence and it is called the Pestilence of griefes because it pierceth them through with many sorrowes and is most grieuous to all or most of all that are visited with it as by pensiue solitarinesse their friends forsaking them and their neighbours not daring to come neere them by the anguish and worke of the sicknesse it selfe being very painfull and so pernicious that it passeth presently and terribly to the vitall parts getting into the head or working vpon the heart the castle of life and destroying there by opportunity of temptations the soule in so dangerous a priuatenesse being open to Satan and his malicious obiections not strengthned with the aides of Preachers or christian brethren in some by sundrie pitifull distractions caused by a hot bath or fire in the braine and through the whole bodie which maketh them to fall into fits of rauing and madnesse in many by the extremitie of paine and shortnesse of time in which so little respit is left if any to dispose their estate to their friends or to order their soules to God and in whom not who by reason of the contagion that it sendeth out dare not take leaue of their friends nor see the children of their owne bodie and must die separate and comfortlesse And is it not a sicknesse of griefes that maketh a mans whole acquaintance and best friends to forsake him that hurteth trades and impouerisheth townes that snatcheth here there emptying not some few houses only but whole townes and large towneships that breaketh and weareth men to nothing Doct. 1 The Doctrine from hence is the Pestilence of griefes is not to be regarded so little as some regard it who reuerence none of Gods iudgements The consideration hereof moued Dauid and the Elders of Israel clad in sack-cloth to fall vpon their faces 1 Chron. 21.16 for when they saw the drawne sword of this sicknesse in the hand of the Angel readie with it to destroy Ierusalem as hee had done other parts of the land with authoritie from the Lord that sent him they in humble cloathing and with their faces to the earth feared then as before some great destruction Where if they had regarded it no better nor otherwise then farre meaner persons at this day do they would neither haue feared so much nor walked so humbly before it He profiteth d Psal 4 4. Prou. 28.14 in the loue of God that profiteth in his feare by considering his iudgements And therefore he loued much that said My flesh trembleth for feare of thee Psal 119.120 that is in my imperfect state here when thou threatnest I feare and my heart is moued when thou art a little moued For feare makes way to loue and loue as it increaseth diminisheth feare But wherefore is the Pestilence in this Scripture called most grieuous and else where in the Scriptures the most terrible Plague Deut. 28.59 60. Ezech. 14.21 If it were no more to bee regarded It is one of Gods curses Deut. 28.45 and is any curse of God light or lightly to be respected The Lord by Amos complaines of the gouernours and people of Israel dwelling in Samaria that none of his strokes whereof the Pestilence that he sent among them was one could turne them by repentance Amos 4.10 Would he haue complained of this as of some strange thing if the Pestilence considered in it selfe had not bene a forcible outward meanes to worke in them this repentance and turning to God The Reasons The desolations it worketh are fearefull and the distractions Reason 1 that it is cause of are lamentable as hath bene said Secondly the finger of God is to be regarded in any stroke Reason 2 and shall not his whole hand bee feared in this of the Pestilence Thirdly of the foure valiant men that the Lord will send to reuenge Reason 3 the breach of his couenant Pestilence is and is said to bee one Ezech. 14.21 And if one then to be feared not desperately but profitably when it cometh Then the foole-hardinesse of some is no way tolerable who Vse 1 like mad persons runne vpon the naked point of this perillous sicknesse hazarding themselues vpon it by eating and drinking with those that haue it These feare too little and not where they should and therefore cannot but fall into euill Prou. 28.14 For as moderate feare worketh tendernesse so want of feare causeth hardning The godly though they haue greater confidence and more boldnesse in the changes then such audacious fooles can haue yet expell not godly feare but make the Lord their feare by fearing to amendment when such trumpets are blowne in the kingdome Amos 3.6 And therefore they cleaue to God and vnclaspe with sinne fearing his iudgements and feeling his louing fauour when the other go on still and are punished Prou. 22.3 Vse 2 An admonition to Christians wisely to looke into themselues when a iudgement of such griefes is sent For where a grieuous Pestilence walketh there are great sinnes and grieuous that make way for it in Towne and Countrey which is true and would be considered in euery other iudgement of God that is strange and grieuous For where he so visiteth he is forced by Mans impudencie in sinning so to visite As the world groweth in wickednesse so of the seede of sinne it bringeth forth according to the growth of that ill weede a like growing and proceeding in Plagues and Iudgements God hath new punishments for new sinnes and strange Plagues for strange offenders the store-house of his iudgements can neuer bee emptied It therefore much concerneth Christians well to obserue the workes of God whether they be done in mercie or iustice in his Church and if he execute iustice in it whether after the common rule or extraordinatily For if his strokes be other then vsuall the sinnes so visited are more then common and ordinarie This meditation will make the godly wise in such varietie of iudgements as haue within these few yeares shewed themselues among vs to feare not them so much though they bee all fearefull and fearefully wrought as the more fearefull sinnes of the State and Times that caused them nor onely the rod but chiefly the striker But because we saw nothing extraordinarie in so long and strong a Plague as so much and terribly wrought in London and all England so few yeares since and do see nothing but common matter in those varied Plagues which the yeares after fearefully and successiuely followed that therefore We are not wise to consider our end Deut. 32.29 And it is to be feared that we are giuen vp to the hardnesse of our heart to walke in our owne counsels to

crummes of Gods mercie vnder the table which the children had at the table in plentifull teaching and strange miracles as in a full seruice there And so by this little being thankfull for a little she held Christ as in the chaine of his word to giue her more Math. 15.27 Saint Luke sheweth that Christ reproued some who told him of the Galileans whose bloud Pilate had mingled with their owne sacrifices Luke 13.1 because they stroke others in the application as sinners with the seueritie of that horrible death not themselues verse 2. But Iob a man of another spirit and taught in a better schoole feared to do euill because hee set Gods punishment before him which was fearefull and God in Maiestie from whom none could deliuer him if he would plague him Iob 31.9.11.23 The reasons The threatnings and promises of God are laid downe generally Reason 1 in the word is it not that Christians might make their vse of them by particular faith as Iudges in ciuill matters make vse of the Law by applying it to the offending or innocent persons case for punishment or praise Secondly life eternall standeth in this that we know the true God Reason 2 to saluation Ioh. 17.3 and who can know him so that maketh not first some proper vse of his power to humble him and of his goodnesse to raise him Reason 3 And if thirdly no medicine can worke that is not applyed not potion do good that is not taken then from the like wee may conclude that the wrath o● the Law not feared and promises of the Gospell not apprehended can do no man good to true life Vses Vse 1 An instruction when the hand of God is heauie vpon vs in Famine Pestilence losse of cattell or other losses and Plagues temporall to trie our hearts by the word how these things haue humbled vs and whether in an holy despaire of all power in our selues to helpe our selues they haue turned vs to God from whom commeth our helpe Lam. 3.40 at all times we should particularly apply to our selues the threatnings written in the Law to humble vs but specially when the Lord himselfe enforceth them by some seuere chastisements as lately he did and beginneth to do againe A traueller when he hath lost his way will examine himselfe where he went out and returne So should wee do that trauell with iniquitie in this doubtfull vale through earth to heauen And because when we should go Eastward to the Gospell many of vs go Westward to Poperie or Atheisme and in stead of going forward to heauen go backe to hell ô how should we examine as by the booke our daily flips and turnings out of the way not forgetting where we mistooke by any errour of our life seeking speedily to recouer the path of righteousnesse Iob 42.5.6 That that maketh the common Passenger so carefull of his way is his feare to loose it If we that are Christian Passengers were as suspitious of ours our care would be greater to hold it and God should not be driuen to hedge vs in sometimes with burning thornes as with the Pestilence sometimes with troubles of other nature Hos 2.6 Vse 2 An item to those who cannot abide to lay iudgement to the rule nor righteousnesse to the ballance Esay 28.17 but make a wanton vse of Gods mercies and no vse of his threatnings Deut. 29.19.20 If he send health they vse it as a weapon against him by an impenitent and carnall life if he send sicknesse they waxe furious or senslesse and then let him take health and let him take all If he furnish their table they abuse his full table to all wantonnesse and wickednesse if he draw their table by a sparer diet of fruites and graine neither is God remembred nor sinne thought of If Pestilence be sent they hide themselues in vaine refuges not in any sound repentance from it Prou. 22.3 and when it is remoued what do they but call for it againe by sinning as much if not more stubburnly and in a greater height then euer For since the quenching of the last great Pestilence which in the yeare 1603. as a great fire consumed in London and about the Citie of London thirtie sixe thousand eight hundred sixtie and two and in some weekes two thousand yea three thousand and some odde hundreds a weeke I say since this fearefull sword of Plague was put vp what good effects do we see of that mercy of God in the liues of townes-men or country-men since Is not all forgotten as if such a thing had neuer bene in Citie or Village wee haue bene remembred euery yeare since but with warnings of another kinde and yet who considereth So much for the Proposition confirmed by the Prophets owne example the further application of it followeth VER 3. Surely he will deliuer thee from the snare c. HEre the Prophet applyeth that to the faithfull for their assurance wherewith he had resolued his owne hopes before which he doth by a more particular recitall both of the troubles that may befall them and of the meanes that God will giue for their safe being in them and happie issue out of them In this third verse he speaketh of the great affliction out of which God will bring them and in the next of the manner how and meanes whereby he will do it the affliction that he speaketh of is the Plague of Pestilence which is first figuratiuely described and then plainly without figure For the Angell of iustice which the Lord had sent into Iewrie to smite downe the people with the sword of Pestilence 2. Sam. 24.16 17. is here compared to a Fowler and the Plague with which he smote them to a Net The Angel is compared to a Fowler because like a mighty hunter he ranne swiftly or rather flew throughout the land destroying in a very short time threescore and ten thousand that died of the Pestilence from Dan to Beer-sheba Frō North to South b verse 15. The Pestilence it selfe is called a Snare or Net because it came suddenly vpon the people as the snare vpon the bird taking them eating drinking walking sporting or in their beds fast asleepe that is thinking of nothing lesse then of a change so hasty and neare Where the Angell that was sent is called a Fowler that layeth snares The Doctrine is Doct. 1 When God is minded to punish with Pestilence or otherwise a rebellious Nation flying will not serue For whither shall we go from his Spirit and whither shall we flee from his presence Psal 139.7 Nothing can hide from God not heauen aboue for there is his presence nor hell beneath for there is his power ver 8. from the top of Carmel to the botome of the sea there is no couer nor hiding from him Amos 9.3 He that fleeth shall not flee away and he that escapeth that is thinketh he hath so done shall not be deliuered ver 1. It seemeth that people Priests in the dayes

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

in them at such times to helpe it with prayer or to relieue it with victuals and haue esteemed it their best policie and part to keepe their people and markets from it Such behold the Plague of a Towne as Dauids flatterers beheld his trouble who beheld it a farre off Vse 2 An instruction as at all times to put on large bowels of nature and tender of compassion so especially when our neighbours miseries require the same We must at all times pray one for another but specially in trouble and one member helpe another but chiefly in that members need So when the Lord visiteth with Pestilence a Towne or Citie in that case of sicknesse and restraint of trades the rich whose store God hath blessed should in an odour of liberality to the poore there offer that Sacrifice to God which the Apostle sayth was offered to the Lord in him by Epaphroditus An Odour that smelleth sweete a Sacrifice acceptable and pleasant to God Phil. 4.18 And to prouoke them the rather to this duety let them remember that it is the exhortation of the Holy Ghost by the same Apostle While ye haue opportunitie doe good vnto all Gal. 6.10 Now is the time and they that haue this worlds goods haue the fit time of doing it or what can they tell if God wil euer put such an occasion into their hands againe neglecting this So much for the Prophets earnest affirmation the euidence spoken of followeth VERSE 9. Seeing thou hast made the Lord which is my refuge Euen the most High thy habitation THe euidence for further proofe of the secure estate of the Righteous casting themselues vpon God is in the Prophet himself who out of his owne triall assureth it calling the Lord his Refuge As if he had sayd because thou hast done as I did who ran to the bosome of the Almightie in times of temptation thou hast as good an euidence or the same for thy safetie that I euer had which is that God will bee their refuge who make him their refuge in trouble and will deliuer them This is his meaning and to trust in God is not to say so onely but by faith and with the amendment of our wayes by his word to do so Doct. 1 The Doctrine from hence is He that maketh the Lord his deliuerer by putting trust in him and by beleeuing his word shall be deliuered Asa did so as we heard when an hoste of ten hundred thousand came against him and the Lord tooke him to Sanctuarie and put them to slaughter 2. Chron. 14.11 12. The Apostle Saint Paul notwithstanding that he was enuironed and begirt with many and long afflictions on all sides yet safely passed through them as his Master through the multitude who had brought him to the edge of an hill to haue cast him downe Luk. 4. 29.30 for he had committed himself to a good keeper who neuer suffered him to take shame seeing he beleeued him 2 Tim. 1.12 or as here made him his habitation God himselfe saith by Samuel them that honour me I will honour 1 Sam. 2.30 that is them that honour him with trust he will honour with safety and Dauid prayeth with assurance not to bee confounded seeing hee trusted in him Psal 25.2 So the three seruants of God could say to the King the God whom we serue or in whom wee trust is able and will deliuer vs Dan. 3.17 viz from the fiery fornace and out of thy hand O King as if they had said we serue God or we beleeue God and therefore shall most certainely bee deliuered from the fornace by miracle or from thy power by death verse 18. the Scriptures are plentifull in this matter I say then them that trust the Lord mercy shall compasse on euery side The reasons Where God is trusted he setteth store by his credit to do for Reason 1 those that trust in him for to such he hath promised large redemption and hee cannot denie himselfe or suffer his truth to faile Secondly they that trust in God and make him their confidence Reason 2 will giue him this honour with the obedience that is better then sacrifice 1. Sam. 15.22 and more then all burnt offerings Hos 6.6 If God haue deliuered them from one fornace or kind of death by Plague or otherwise they will shine in a better life like pure gold to the glory of God their owner hauing praise in their mouth and not sinne in their right hand they will make a penitent song with Hezekiah Esay 38. and a confessing Psalme with Dauid Psal 116. and hauing bene carelesse of the word before become afterward carefull both hearers and doers of it To be short they will set themselues to serue God by that same word hauing receiued those gracious fauours as it were wages for their seruice and being resolued thus to turne vnto God and thus to put trust in his mercie how can he denie them How can he turne from them and leaue them besides they cannot truly trust in him that cannot comfortably with repentance do so and what contrite sinner was euer reiected by him Psal 51.17 and who euer was confounded that so put trust in him Reason 3 Thirdly if earthly fathers will not cast those children off that fully and altogether rest on them by promise for protection much lesse will he that is our Father in heauen forsake them or the defence of them who haue like confidence in him for their helpe in trouble and wholly rest on his promise when others go from him to second causes as to other Gods But if a child in the extreamitie of sicknesse shall chuse rather to endure any hardnesse and paine then not to content his father who will say but it must needes moue a good father the more to seeke and what he may to provide for the ease and recouery of such a child So for Gods children that so submit to him that they will patiently beare the the sorest gripes and pulles of the crosse rather then prouoke so good a Father and who so watch all their wayes that they are vnwilling to giue him the least matter of offence or his spirit of griefe by an impatience or rude moode how can they but obtaine both pitie and deliuerance at such a fathers hands and who can thinke that the Father of mercies will deale otherwise then mercifully with such children Vse 1 An instruction more to rest on God then on the greatest earthly safetie For oftentimes mans helpe proueth vaine where Gods helpe neuer faileth Man may haue mens good wills and be neuer the better but he that with repentance trusteth in God is sure to bee deliuered Dauid therefore in danger and Christ in death commended their spirit into Gods hands Psal 31.5 Luke 23.46 So the godly do not build towers to themselues but make the Lord their tower of defence This tower is on high farre aboue all troubles and Plagues and they that rest in this highly mounted castle of