Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	according_a	lord_n	love_a	2,028	5	9.4424	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A18603	A cordiall of comfort To preserue the heart, from fainting with griefe or feare: for our friends, or our owne visitation, by the plague. Also a thankes-giuing to almightie God, for staying the visitation in London, and the suburbs thereof. Both which may be of vse to Christians in other places, that are cleere, visited, or recouered. By William Chibald.	Chibald, William, 1575-1641.	1625 (1625)	STC 5131; ESTC S118343	43,911	197

remember comfort in him as God hath in iudgment remembred mercy for vs. 4 The Cōpanion of the outward affliction of Gods children The comdanion of their affliction it is inward Spirituall consolation at one time or other in one kind or other or in one measure or other wherein also wee haue had our share blessed bee God For as the h 1. Cor. 2.5 sufferings of Christ abound in them so their consolations also abound in Christ There i Psal 97. is light sowen for the righteous and ioy for the vpright in heart 1.5 And that which is sowne for them k Gal. 6 9 They shall reape in due time if they faint not the Lord Iesus will not l Ioh 14 18. leaue them comfortlesse hee will not m 1. Cor 10 13. suffer them to bee tempted aboue that they be able to beare hee hath n Ioa. 16.33 bidden them to bee of good comfort because though they shall haue afflictions in the world yet shall haue peace in him For though o Psal 30. heauinesse may endure for a night ioy sh●l come in the morning p Hos 6.2 After two dayes hee will reuiue vs in the third day hee will raise vs vp and we shal liue in his sight The last thing to be considered in our affliction is the end of it which is the same with the end of all the afflictions of the godly And this end is twofold 1. Gods intent in sending of them 2. The event of thē when they are sent For both these minister comfort 1. The end or intent of GOD in afflicting his children is generally their good For euen in them i God is good to Israel More especially God intends to them therein these good things namely 1. In respect of himselfe to make them k heb 12.10 partakers of his holinesse 2. In respect of Christ that they may haue l Phil. 3.10 fellowship with his sufferings and bee made conformable to his death 3. In respect of the wicked that m 1 Cor. 11 33. they may nor be condemned with the world And fourthly in respect of themselues n Heb 12. that they may liue namely in heauen and there bee glorified vvith Christ when first they haue o Rom. 8.17 suffered with him 2 The end or euent likewise which according to Gods intent follows vpon all the afflictions of the godly it is comfortable for generally it is their good so Dauid found it when he said It is good for me that I haue been afflicted More particularly these good things insue thereupon namely 1. grace p Psal 119 7. better to learne Gods Statutes and to keepe his word 2 Peace or comfort in God and in conscience q Psal 119 71.61 For marke the perfect man behold the iust the end of that man is peace r Psal 37.37 2 Cor. 4 17. 3 Glory for ſ Iam. 5.11 our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for vs a farre more exceeding and eternall weight of glory The beginning and progresse of Iobs troubles were very harsh and greeuous but S. Iames tells vs that t Ioh. 8.16 we haue seene and theard what an end God made It is true the visitation of the plague is vncomfortable because the feare of infection makes friends afraide to see vs but it is content that we haue had some that haue visited vs and it is comfort that though we had not had one to come vnto vs yet had we not been alone for u Mat. 18.20 God our Father hath beene with vs. x he hath not forsaken vs in our bondage for hee hath promised neuer to leaue of nor to forsake any of his And Iesus Christ hath been with vs for y wheresoeuer two or three are gathered together in the name of Christ hee is in the midst of them and wee according to our neede and dutie haue often humbled our selues before him in priuate fasting praying searching of our hearts and confessing our sinnes which is in part to bee gathered together in the name of Christ It was Sampsons Riddle that z Iudg. 14 14. out of the eater should come meate and out of the strong should come sweetnesse And it is a Christians Riddle That out of affliction should come consolation for of all the birds of the ayre fewe sing in winter but the Red-brest And of all the trees of the garden few are greene but the Bay tree and of all sorts of men few a Rom. 5.3 reioyce in tribulation but the godly That they haue cause to reioyce in tribulation bath euen now ben shewed in fiue seuerall points That they ought to doe so wee are taught by the Apostle Saint Iames who wills Christians b Iam. 1.2 to account it exceeding ioy when they fall into diuers tribulations That they do so may bee seene by the exampl●s of Peter and the other Apostles who c Act. 5.41 Col. 1.24 reioyced that they were counted worthy to suffer for Christ how it comes to passe shall be shewed hereafter In the mean while you that are made sorrowfull with our visitation bee ioyfull at our consolation and so from asswaging your griefe I come to compound your feare Your feare is twofold partly in respect of vs and partly also in respect of your selues Your fear in respect of vs is least the hand of God should still bee stretched out against our familie to strike more with the infection that is amongst vs and to take away more by death of it To hearten you against this feare How to hearten our selues against the feard of the plague I pray you to take into your thought and consideration these three things 1. Though the Lord be able to proceed against vs still and though hee should bee iust if hee did so yet it may please the Lord to spare vs d 1. Sam. 12.22 for his owne Names sake because e Ierem. 1.7 it hath pleased the Lord to make vs his people for the Lord f Eph. 3.20 is able to doe exceeding aboundantly aboue all that wee are able to aske or thinke Hee deales not with his children according to their iniquities for who should remain in health or life Ahac 3.2 Euen in iudgement the Lord remembers mercy as the Prophet Abacuck tells vs as wee see it proued in that great plague in Israel for when the Angel of the Lord had slaine thereof 70000 in three dayes 2 Sam. 24.19 and hee began to stretch out his hand against Ierusalem also the Lord repented him of the euill and said to the Angel that had destroyed the people It is enough stay now thy hand That all are not infected or die not of the infection It is not because he is not able to doe it or if he did it it were not iust and all did not deserue it Lament 3.31.32.33 but because the Lord will not cast

off for euer though hee cause griefe yet will he haue compassion according to the multitude of his mercies for he doth not afflict willingly Mica 7.18 for who is a God like vnto our God that pardoneth iniquitie and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage he retaineth not his anger for euer because hee delighteth in mercy 2. Though the Lord should smite vs all with the stroke of this sicknesse so that wee were all infected and sicke of it as in some families better then ours it is as iustly hee may deale with vs for ought we are able to resist or can deserue to the contrary yet may it please God to spare vs that wee die not a ●sal 38.1.5 Ezekiah was sicke of the plague as the learned iudge and the text saith he was sicke vnto death that is in his owne apprehension and in the opinion of the Physicians and in the violent and malignant nature of the disease yet did he recouer liued fifteene yeeres after The like is to bee seene by daily experience of many that doe suruine b Ionah 2. Ionah was in the sea but hee was not drowned c Dan. 3. The three children were in the fire but were not burnt d Dan. 6. Daniel was in the den of Lions but was not deuoured And why may not we be kept from dying of the plague though wee should bee infected with it if the Lord be so pleased in his free fauour Seeing in generall afflictions e Amos 4.11 some are as firebrands pluckt out of the burning euen as in haruest som gleanings are scattered that are not gathered by the owner and in the vintage some clusters of grapes are left on the vine that are not pluckt off I write not this in security as if I thought with Agag f 1 Sam. 15.32 The bitternesse of death vvas past or in presumption as if I were past all feare the conscience of mine own vnworthynes the knowledge of Gods after reckonings with som families do keepe mee from such folly But because the seruants of God may with Abraham g Rom. 4.18 hope against hope We doe not confidently assure our selues that it shall be so but comfortably we hope it wil in the free fauor and mercie of God which is as great as is his Maiestie and vvho vvill haue mercy on them on vvhom he vvill haue mercy 1 Rom. 9.15 3. What though all in our family that are now in health and life should bee smitten and that we h Isai 21.14 could not bee purged from our iniquitie till vvee die then for content I say for vs all as Paul did for himself and his companions k Act. 22. The vvill of of the Lord be done And as Christ our blessed Sauiour hath taught vs to say i Mat. 9.10 Thy vvill be done on earth as it is in heauen More particularly I say for my selfe as Dauid did for himselfe l Here am I 2 Sam. 15.24 let him doe to mee as seemeth good to him And for my selfe and children and seruants I say as good old Eli did for his sonnes m 1 Sam. 3 18. It is the Lord let him do what seemeth him good And for comfort to my selfe and you I say n Heb. 4 9. There remaines a rest for Gods people o 1 Cor. 15 19. We haue hope in Christ not in this life onely p 1 Cor. 51 For vvee know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle be dissolued vvee haue a building of GOD not made vvith handes eternall in the heauens q 2. Pet. 3 13. We according to his promise look for new heauens and a new earth vvherein dwelleth righteousnesse For we know that our Redeemer liueth r Iob. 19.25 Wee know vvhom vvee haue trusted and vvee are perswaded that hee is able to keepe that which wee haue committed vnto him against that day And therefore s 2. Tim 1.12 though the Lord kill vs yet will we trust in him t Iob 13.15 And so I descend from your feare for vs to your feare for your selues Your feare for your selues and your owne families is that though hitherto the Lord hath spared your houses from the visitation yet hereafter ere hee make an end he may though not with the first yet with the last either soone or Syne Concerning this your feare I must first giue you some instructions 2. Some directions And thirdly some consolations The Instructions shall be How we may lawfully feare the Plague in two points 1. How farre you may feare the plague lawfully 2. How farre and in what respects you may not feare the plague 1. You may lawfully feare the plague in three respects 1. In respect of it selfe 2. In respect of God 3. In respect of your selues 1. In respect of the plague it selfe because it is t 2 Chron. 20 9. an euill of punishment It is u 1 Reg. 8.30 a plague or sicknes It is x Deut. 28.21 a consuming pestilence And because it is a great plague yea one of the foure great plagues of God with which hee scourges his people when they rebell against him Ezek. 44.21 namely The Famine the Sword wilde Beasts and Pestilen●e 2. In respect of God likewise it is to bee feared because it is his sword wherewith he killeth whosoeuer is smitten with this sicknes hee is said after an extraordinary manner and more immediately y Ezek. 14 21 to fall into the hands of God which is a z 1. Chron 24.12 fearefull thing When the Lord sends this punishment into a land he is said to a 2 Sam 24.14 powre out his fury vpon it in blood and to b Heq. 10.31 plead with it in blood 3. In respect of your selues you may warrantably feare the plague for two causes 1. Because you are but flesh and blood and therefore subiect to bee infected by the malignant qualitie of it and to be corrupted in your blood with the contagion of it For you are not made of stones which it cannot pierce yee are as weake as water and cannot resist the stroke of GODS Angel you are b Ier. 18.6 as clay and cannot resist the Potter 2. You may feare the plague in respect of your selues because you are sinners and it is inflicted as a chastisement for c 1 King 8 33.37 sin Wee haue beene partakers of the sins of this Citie that moved God to send it Deu●r 28 15.22 2 Sam. 24 17. therefore we may iustly feare we shall be partakers in the visitation of the Citie by the plague sooner or later by infection or by death wee our selues or ours We that haue deserued the worst may war●antably feare the worst though God should be pleased beyond our expectation desert to spare vs as a d Mal. 3.17 father doth his own child which serueth him 2. How you may not feare

then vnto their spirituall and eternall good 1. Because it is not likely that death should worke vnto any temporall good for all temporal good things leaue them when they die And secondly because the good which by the text is said to be wrought is good vnto them that loue God and are called of his purpose therefore it is a spirituall and an eternall good in the eternal loue of God to their soules Reason 2 The godly which die of the plague doe dy in Gods loue because nothing can separate them from the loue of God in Christ Iesus The Reason is good because they that are separated from the loue of God in Christ doe die in Gods eternall displeasure because they die in their sinnes and goe to hell For if they that dye in the Lord are x Reu. 14.13 blessed then they that die out of him are accursed And that the godly cannot be separated from the loue of God in Christ is plaine by the Apostle who saith of himselfe and that which is true of one that is truely godly is true of all that partake of the y Iude v. 3. common saluation Neither z Ro. 8.38 life nor death nor any other creature can bee able to separate me from the loue of God which is in Iesus Christ our Lord. Whence I thus reason 1. If death cannot separate the godly from the loue of God then no death can for indefinite propositions are generall if no death can then death of the plague cannot 2. If nothing can separate the godly from his loue then death of the plague cannot for that is something and if death of the plague cannot separate the faithfull from Gods loue in Christ then must they needs dy in his loue thogh they die of the plague For a Ro. 14.8 whether they liue or whether they die they are the Lords therefore the Lord is theirs The state of Lazarus when hee lay full of sores and pouertie was in the eye of the world very wretched yet was hee blessed in his death for hee b was carried to Abrahams bosome Luc 16.22 and therefore died in Gods loue Indeed death of the plague may seeme to separate the godly from the loue of God but it is a separation of them from his loue of them as his creatures onely not as his children because it is not a separation of them from his loue of them c Rom. 8.38.39 in Christ Death of the plague is a signe of Gods displeasure but it is a signe of his temporary displeasure only and not of his eternall For though God in d Isa 58.7 8. a little wrath hide himselfe from his children for a moment yet with euerlasting kindnes will hee haue mercie on them Though God by death of the plague take our life and health from vs e Psal 89.31 32. Yet will he not take his louing kindnes from vs vtterly Though our friends depart from vs and death of this sicknesse part the parents from the children c. Yet f 2. Sa. 7.15 Gods mercy shall not depart from vs. And so much of the first point in the doctrine of comfort touching your feare to die of the plague The second point herein is to shew how it comes to passe that the faithfull dy in Gods fauour though they dy of the plague This is effected by that which hath ben done How it coms to passe that though the godly dy of the plague they dy in Gods fauour and suffered by our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ in whose righteousnesse we g Eph. 1.6 are accepted and by whose h Isa 53.5 stripes we are healed For 1. He hath i Ioh. 16.33 ouercome the world that is the afflictions of it one whereof is death which the mē of the world lay one them so that the afflictions which his children endure in this world while they liue here cannot hinder their saluation in an other world And therefore in this respect our Saviour wills them to be of good comfort Ibid. notwithstanding them 2 Christ hath giuen k 1. Cor. 15 56.57 vs victory ouer the stinge of death that it cannot now bee vnto vs a passage to eternall death and damnation as by nature through sinne it was and is to them that beleeue not in Christ nor amend their liues 3 Christ hath l Heb. 2.14 ouercome him that had the power of death which is the Deuill by his owne death so that he cannot carrie our soules to hell when we dy Luc. 16.22 as he did the soule of Diues and as he hath power to execute that punishment on all those that are out of Christ 4. Christ hath m Gal. 3.13 redeemed vs from the curse of the law being made a curse for vs. And thereby freed vs from the curse of any kind of death or afflictions bodily whatsoeuer In which respect S. Paule saith that in n Rom. 8.35.36.37 tribulation in death in persecution in famine in nakednes in perill in sword and why not then in o 1. Chron. 11.12 the sword of the Lord euen the pestilence in all these things wee are more then Conquerours through him that hath loued vs the Lord Iesus Christ 1. cor 1.30 vvho is made vnto vs of God wisedome righteousnes Phil. 2.21 sanctification and redemption and both in life and death advantage What makes death blessed or cursed It is not the kind of death in respect of the matter that makes men blessed or accurssed For in this respect a Ezek. 9.2 all things comes a like to all there is one euent to the righteous and to the wicked By this no man knoweth either loue or hatred But it is their graces or their sinnes wh●ch they carrie with thē to t●eir deathes and the reward or punishment that followes after them when they are dead that makes them happy or miserable The godly carrie their graces vertues with thē to death Heb. 11.13 for they b dy in faith they c Reuel 14.13 dy in the Lord they d Lu. 2.29 depart in peace But the wicked carry their sins to their death e Iohn 8.21.24 For they dy in their sinnes as Absolon in his treason 2 Sam. 18. Num. 16. Corah in his rebellion and Herod in his pride Act. 12. That which followes after the godly is heauen for f Heb. 4.9 there remaines a rest for them g 1 Pet. 1.5 an inheritance and incorruptible reserued for thē in heauen Lazarus went to Abrahams bosome and the good Theife on the Crosse was with Christ in Paradise Luk. 23.43 that very day he dyed But that which follows the wicked after their h Heb. 9.27 death is iudgement which is i Reu. 6.8 hell that followes death k Rom. 2.5 wrath against the day of wrath As Iudas that went to l Act. 2.15 his owne place and Diues

O Lord our God thus confesse our sins vnto thee as if thou knewest them not who art greater then our consciences knowest althings 1 Ioh. 3.20 but that by the repetition and remembrance of them we might be drawne more soundly to repent of them and to haue our eyes opened more cleerely to discerne thy iustice in punishing of vs with this thy visitation and thy righteousnes in afflicting vs with many miseries thereby Ps 52.4 that thou mayest bee cleare when thou art iudged Dan. 9.7 For Righteousnes belongeth vnto thee O Lord but vnto us open shame as at this day All this is come vpon us III. Acknowledging Gods Iustice in sending the Plague for our euill deedes and for our great trespasses and thou hast punished vs lesse then our iniquities deserue Ier 9.13 therefore will wee be dumbe and not open our mouthes Psal 39.9 Thou hast not done without cause Ezek. 14.28 all that thou hast done vnto vs Lev. 26.43 and therefore will wee accept the punishment of our iniquitie Though thou hast not punished vs according to the greatnesse of our sinnes as they deserue in measure which is thy mercy yet hast thou punished vs according to the kind manner of our sinnes which is thy iustice for we haue profaned thy house and sanctuarie with our formall and hypocriticall seruing of thee without the inward partes both of our selues and of thy worship and therefore hast thou shut the dores of thy house vpon vs when we were visited and hast by lawfull authoritie and good order shut vs vp in our owne houses Psa 101.2 In our owne houses wee haue not walked before thee with a perfect heart for false weights and measures false lights and bad wares haue been in many of our shops and ware-houses and therefore it is iust with thee to shutt vp our shopps for want of trading and to infect other of our roomes and chambers with a fearefull contagion Many of vs that were wont proudly to let and strutt it out in the streetes in the vanitie and varietie of strange apparell and new fangled habits and attyres hast thou now clad with mourning weeds and giuen vs cause to put sackcloth on our backs and ashes on our heads fo● we are baased even to the dunghill The members of our bodyes we haue abused as weapons of vnrighteousnesse vnto sinne and therefore hast thou O Lord weakened and deformed the bodies of some with blanes and sores boyles and carbuncles and filled the bodies of others with the Tokens of thy displeasure We haue corrupted one another wirh the euill example of our workes and made them sinne and therefore it is iust with thee that we should be a meanes to infect one another to sicknesse and death Many of our Ministers thy faithfull seruants wee regarded not while they liued and therefore hast thou depriued vs of them yea many of vs haue defrauded them of their double honour 1. Ti. 5.17 reuerend respect and plentifull maintenance and therfore hast thou taken from vs the means of our maintenance by commerce and traffique Wee haue been hard-hearted and close-fisted to the necessities of our poore neighbours liuing amongst vs and therefore it is iust in respect of thee that our neighbour countries round about vs did deny to bring vs that abode in the Citie food and victualls and to bury those of vs that did go out of it with comely buriall Wee haue by our bad liuing and vniust dealing caused thy Gospel thy truth so plentifully preached 2. Pet. 2.2 in this Citie to bee euill spoken of abroad and therfore it is iust with thee that wee should bee a mocking and hissing a by-word and a reproach vnto our neighbour countries about vs. Wee doe not O Lord God thus iustifie thy proceeding against vs as if it needed our cleering but to testifie our desire as much as possible wee can to glorifie thy iustice by shaming our selues to the end wee may bee the better prepared to glorifie thy mercy also which is aboue all thy workes in our wonderfull deliuerance Psa 145.9 IV. Thanking Gods goodnes for staying Plague For O Lord our God In that when the sicknesse was so hot and so many had dyed thereof thou shouldest then stay it It was not because the sword of thine Angel was blunted with so many strokes or because there were no more people to dye or no more graues in London or because there was in vs no more desert of punishment Exod. 14.11 or in thee no more power to punish But because thou wert pleased in iudgement to remember mercy Abac. 3.2 and that thou delightest in mercy rather then iudgement Mica 7.18 That wee are aliue when others are dead that wee were in health when others were sicke It was not because wee were not within the compasse of thy stroke or could defend our selues or were able to heale the wound But because thou wouldst haue mercy on whom thou wouldst no goodnesse or power in vs but meerely greatnesse and goodnesse in thee hath made the difrence And therefore as thou art worthy to receiue glory Rev. 4.11 honour and power so saluation and glory and honour and power euen glory and honour for manifesting thy power in our salvation and preseruation 2. Chr. 7.14 bee vnto thee for euer For in this our deliuerance O Lord our God we see and therefore desire to glorifie thy wisedome in putting it into the minde of our Gouernours to appoint thine owne means of healing our Citie by humiliation with Fasting and Prayer and enabling thy Ministers and people vnderstandingly feelingly faithfully and feruently to vse those meanes and also in taking opportunitie in our greatest extremitie to worke this our deliuerance to the end the worke might the more cleerely appeare to be thine owne In this thy deliuerance we discerne thy power and therfore accordingly wee desire to praise thee in that thou art able to countermand all thy creatures euen the very Angels those principalities and powers for thou didst on a sodaine and in a short time worke a great deliuerance notwithstanding the wonderfull increase of the contagion in so many places the heate of the weather the multitude of the people and heynousnesse of our sins all which wrought toward a contrary end In this thy deliuerance wee behold thy truth and faithfulnesse O Lord our God in making good thy promises of healing thy people 2. Chr. 7.15 when they shall seeke thy face with prayers teares humiliation and turning vnto thee in not keeping thine anger for euer in not letting the rod of the wicked rest for euer vpon vs all Psa 103. Psa 105. nor suffering thy people to bee tempted aboue their strength but giuing a good issue of their tryall In this our deliuerance we glorifie thy patience in that thou hast not dealt with vs according to our sins Psa 103.11 nor