Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	eye_n	lord_n	wait_v	2,901	5	9.3473	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A01554	Two sermons tending to direction for Christian cariage [sic] both in afflictions incumbent, and in judgements imminent : the former on Psalm 13.1, the latter on Hebr. 11.7 / by Thomas Gataker, B. in D. and pastor of Rotherhith.	Gataker, Thomas, 1574-1654.	1623 (1623)	STC 11681.3; ESTC S118743	126,618	154

sinketh not downe into the heart that consisteth only in speculation and proceedeth no further doth not at all pierce into or worke vpon the affections it is no sound knowledge no true faith it is but as the glittring of a glow-worme a light without heat Why saith Bernard doth Salomon say That the feare of God is the beginning of wisdome when as Knowledge and Faith goe both before Feare Because saith he there is no true wisdome in either vnlesse they doe worke in a man this Feare The Sunne saith hee affordeth light to many whom it imparteth no heat to And it is not the light of it but the heat that quickeneth and maketh fertile and fruitfull It is one thing to know wherein wealth consisteth and another thing to haue it and it is not the knowing of it but the hauing of it that maketh a man rich and wealthy So it is one thing to know God and another thing to feare God and it is not the knowledge of him but the feare of him and the knowledge of him so farre forth as it bringeth vs to the feare of him as a mans skill so farre forth as it is a meanes to bring wealth to him that maketh a man wise and happie And that knowledge or faith therefore that worketh not in this manner vpon the affections is but a liuelesse shadow a dead counterfeit of Faith Secondly if it make vs stand in awe of God and his Iudgements which he inflicteth oft vpon others euen to keepe vs in awe So when God smote Vzza in DAVIDS sight DAVID it is said feared God exceedingly that day He feared him before but exceedingly then that roused vp renewed and made his feare more fresh And when Ananias and Sapphira were so suddenly slaine feare came vpon the whole Church and vpon all those not that saw it onely but that heard of it This is the nature of true Faith to worke in mens hearts not a presumptuous securitie and a regardlesnesse of God but an awfull feare a reuerent dread a trembling at his Maiestie when he giueth but warning of Iudgements to come and much more then when his Iudgements are already abroad in the world My flesh trembleth saith DAVID for feare of thee and I am euen heartily afraid of thy Iudgements And surely if it be the property of the childe of God to tremble at his word Iosias heart melted againe for feare at the hearing of the Law how much more at his worke at his rod at his scourge at the shaking of his sword What awefull childe will not tremble to see his father take the rod in hand and it be but to correct some seruant therewith much more if it be to scourge one of his brethren To feare any euill is naturall to be afraid of Gods anger is a worke euen of grace too And Nothing more fearefull saith Nazianzen than not to feare it Neither let any here obiect vnto me that of the Psalmist He shall not be afraid of any euill tidings for his heart is fixed and beleeueth in the Lord. For the very first words of that selfe-same Psalme are Blessed is the man that feareth God So that He that is not afraid so yet doth feare Some feare argueth a want of faith and a want of faith appeareth by the want of some feare There is great difference betweene a distrustfull feare and an awefull dread Faith quelleth and killeth and expelleth the one it breedeth feedeth fostereth and cherisheth the other And we shall doe well to obserue how the Holy Ghost therefore oft ioyneth these two together The eye of the Lord is vpon them that feare him and that hope or trust for hope and trust are in effect here as oft else-where the same in his mercy And againe The Lords delight is in them that feare him and that hope or trust in his mercy In which places as it is well obserued by Augustine that the Psalmist hauing said that feare him he addeth withall and that trust or hope in him to exclude the former feare For saith he Men feare a theefe or a wilde beast in one manner and children feare their parents in another manner Men feare the one so as they flie from them good children the other so as they seeke to them And in the latter manner not in the former ought men to feare God Wicked men and damned spirits feare him so as they flie from him Gods children so feare him as that yet they sue and seeke to him If they seeme to flie from him it is but to flie to him they flie but from his Iustice to his Mercie as he that appealed sometime from Philip to Philip from Philip sleeping to Philip awaked So doe they flie from God to God from God in iustice angrie with them to the same God in mercie pacified and appeased towards them So againe on the other side doth Bernard well obserue that being to say that hope in him he saith first that feare him For saith he well there are foure●… sorts of men some hope not some despaire some hope in vaine and some hope aright The first sort is of those that neither hope nor feare neither hope for Gods mercy nor feare Gods wrath it is all one to them whether God be angrie or not angrie whether he be pleased or displeased with them The second sort is of those that feare but hope not they feare Gods wrath but they hope not in his mercie they haue both their eyes fixed on the wrath and iustice of God neither eye on his mercie or goodnesse and so come to be swallowed vp with despaire The third sort is of those that hope but feare not they hope in his mercie but they feare not his wrath they haue both eyes fixed on Gods mercie neither of them on his wrath and so presuming on his mercie but hauing no regard to his wrath they take libertie to themselues to lie and liue in sinne without any remorse of conscience or repentance for the same But they hope in vaine their faith is no faith but a fancie a presuming without promise hauing no warrant from Gods word A faith not in God but in such an I doll as they haue framed to themselues moulded out of their owne fancie and set in Gods stead a God made all of mercie hauing no anger at all a farre other manner of God than Gods word hath described to vs or rather than the true God hath described himselfe to vs in his word And if their Faith be so bad their Hope can be no better that being of necessitie the foundation of this The fourth sort is of those that both hope and feare So hope in Gods mercie as that they stand in awe yet of his wrath as they cast the

humble you and to proue you and to know what is in your heart whether you loue him heartily and will constantly keepe his Commandements or no. As a Father will sometimes crosse his Sonne to trie the Childes disposition to see how he will take it whether he will mutter and grumble at it and grow humorous and waiward neglect his dutie to his Father because his Father seemeth to neglect him or make offer to runne away and withdraw himselfe from his Fathers obedience because he seemeth to cary himselfe harshly and roughly toward him and to prouoke him thereunto So doth God likewise oft-times crosse his children and seemeth to neglect them to trie their disposition what mettall they are made of how they stand affected toward him whether they will neglect God because God seemeth to neglect them forbeare to serue him because hee seemeth to forget them cease to depend vpon him because hee seemeth not to looke after them to prouide for them or to protect them like ●…orams prophane Purseuant This euill saith hee is of God and why should I depend then on God any longer Or whether they will still constantly cleaue to him though he seeme not to regard them nor to haue any care of them and say with Esay Yet will I wait vpon God though hee haue hid his face from vs and I will looke for him though he looke not on vs for they are all blessed that wait on him and he will not faile in due time to shew mercy vnto all them that doe so constantly wait on him As Samuel dealt with Saul he kept away till the last houre to see what Saul would doe when Samuel seemed not to keepe touch with him So doth God with his Saints and with those that be in league with him hee withdraweth himselfe oft and keepeth aloofe off for a long time together to trie what they will doe and what courses they will take when God seemeth to break with them and to leaue them in the suds as we say amids many difficulties much perplexed as it was with DAVID at this time Thus was Sauls hypocrisie discouered Hee would seeme to depend on God and sought to him in his troubles and asked aduice of him But when God seemed to neglect him and ga●…e him no answer neither by dreame nor vision nor by Vrim and Thummim neither by Prophet nor by Prie●…t then left he God and sought to the Sorceresse and by the Sorceresse to Satan Where a question may be moued how that is true that the Holy Ghost saith else-where that Saul did not at all aske counsell of God Saul asked counsell of God saith one place but the Lord gaue him no answer And Thus died Saul in his sinne saith another place which he sinned in that he asked counsell of a Witch and asked not of God and therefore the Lord ●…ew him But the answer is easie and may be returned in two Rules of the Ciuill Law 1. That is not deemed done that is not sincerely done or that is not done so as it should God accounteth that as not 〈◊〉 that is not done in sinceritie Take it b●… 〈◊〉 like It is said of the idolatrous Heathen that were placed in Samaria that they feared the Lord and yet serued their owne Idols too and yet in the very next verse againe it is said of the very same persons Neither they nor their children feare God to this day Their Feare was no feare because no sincere feare and so Sauls seeking to God no seeking because no sincere seeking The Lord is neere to all that call on him but that call on him in sinceritie And The true worshippers are such as worship in Spirit and Truth But no counterfeit coine will go for currant with him 2. That is not done that holdeth not out that keepeth not firme There is nothing said to be done as long as ought is yet vndone Perseuerance is all in all He is faithfull indeed that holdeth out to the last He is a true louer that loueth euer But He neuer loued truly that loueth not continually He was neuer a true friend that euer ceaseth to be a friend that is not a friend alwaies that loueth not in aduersitie as well as in prosperitie nor is content to take part with him whom hee seemeth to loue in either So he neuer truly trusted in God that euer ceaseth to depend vpon him that dareth not trust God as well at sea as on land as well in aduersitie as in prosperity that is readie to leaue and giue ouer relying on God so soone as God leaueth in outward shew at least to looke after him On the other side thus was Iobs sinceritie approued Why saith he to God doest thou hide thy face away from me and carriest thy selfe as an enemie towards me Surely for no other end Iob but to trie thy sinceritie and to make it manifest what thou art The Deuill slandered Iob and traduced him as if he had beene but an hireling one that serued God onely to serue his owne turne vpon God and would therefore soone leaue God if God should seeme to leaue him yea would not stick to curse God if he should but a little anger him to his face But the Deuill proued a lier like himselfe it was farre otherwise with Iob As he was no hireling so he proued no changeling As the Heathen man saith of one Hee ceased not to worship euen an angrie God Though he slay me saith Iob yet I will trust still in him And thus the Saints of God approue vnto God their owne sinceritie in that though God had forgotten them yet they had not forgotten him though he had smitten them that is by smiting throwne and thrust them downe to the very bottome of the Sea the place where the Whales lodge and had ouer-whelmed them with the shadow of death and suffered them to be butchered and massacred all the day long as if they were no other than sheepe sent to the shambles and set apart for the slaughter yet for all this they would not from him nor seeke to any other but him As Diogenes the Cynick somtime told his Master Antisthenes there was no cudgell so crabbed that could driue them away from him Secondly God doth this to exercise the gifts and graces of his Spirit in them For many graces of God as Patience Confidence in God and the like are like Torches and Tapers that shew dimme in the light but burne cleere in the darke or like the Moone and the Starres that are not seene in the day but shine bright in the night There is no vse of patience when all things goe well with vs. Yee haue heard of Iobs patience saith Iames. But we had neuer heard of it had Iob neuer

one eye on the one so they fixe the other eye vpon the other And these are those that hope well and profitably that trust to good purpose in Gods mercie The first of them neither hope nor feare the second feare but hope not the third hope but feare not the fourth hope and feare The first regard neither Gods wrath nor his mercie the second regard his wrath and not his mercie the third regard his mercy and not his wrath the fourth regard both his mercy and his wrath Yea their very faith that reposeth it selfe on his mercie maketh them regardful also of his wrath And hereby therefore may wee trie our faith whether it be sound and sincere or no if it make vs stand in awe of him whom wee seeme to beleeue and to trust in especially then when either he executeth or giueth warning of Iudgement Which if it doe not it is not true Faith nor such Faith as NOA here had They are 〈◊〉 Children of God no other than Children of wrath faith Bernard that feare not Gods wrath that stand not in awe of his Iudgements Yea lastly Let this admonish vs to labour to haue this Feare wrought in vs whereby we may feare with NOA and other of the faithfull when God giueth warning of his Iudgements that we may not feele them when they come When I heard it saith Habbakuk my belly shooke and my lips quaked rottennesse seased vpon my bones and I trembled at my very heart that I might rest in the day of trouble The fearing of them now is the onely meanes to preuent the feeling of them then And the more now we feare them the lesse shall we need then to feare them He that feareth Gods word shall not feele his Rod. He that feareth before it come shall the lesse need to feare when it commeth Feare wee must therefore saith Gregory well that we may not feare feare when we heare it that we may not feare when we see it Feare with an awefull and childe-like feare now that wee may not feare with a distrustfull and seruile feare then For those that feare most now shall haue least cause to feare then because they shall then be safe and those that feare least now shall feare most then as those become most fearefull that out of ignorance were most forward when they come to see and know the danger that they are in which they apprehended not before NOA feared the Floud before it came and when it came was in the Arke safe and secure free from feare of any danger to him or his by it The wicked World feared it not because they beleeued it not till they saw it and then were their hearts drowned and ouerwhelmed with feare and despaire before their bodies were ouerwhelmed and destroyed with the Floud But feare God! may some say Why who doth not feare him We might rather say with the Psalmist Who is he that doth feare him Implying the number of those to be very small that indeed sincerely so doe But since that the feare of God seemeth so common and euery one will lay claime to it come we againe to the triall Wherein appeared NOAES Feare but in his carefull obedience in his diligent endeuour to preuent the peril though not yet approaching not yet apparent Moued with feare saith the Apostle he prepared the Arke for the sauing of him and his In which Act of his obserue we both his Obedience to Gods will and word and his Care to preuent the perill First his Obedience to Gods will and word God biddeth NOA goe and make such a Vessel to saue him and his from a Floud that should drowne vp the whole World Alas if he should doe it euery one would but laugh at him for his labour as no doubt of it full many did They would thinke him no wiser than the Prior of Saint Bartholomewes here among vs who vpon a vaine prediction of an idle and addle-headed Astrologer went and built him an house at Harow on the Hill to secure himselfe from a supposed Floud that that Astrologer had foretold As Lots sonnes in law when their wiues Father told them of a showre of fire and brimstone that should come and destroy all Sodome they thought that either he mocked but and dalied or else that he doated and was strangely deluded So saith Basil of NOA when he told the World of a Floud that should swallow vp the whole World and set himselfe thereupon about the building of an Arke of such strange forme and bulke a worke of so great toile and charge to saue himselfe and his houshold in they thought the poore old man doated he had dreamed not as we say of a drie Summer but of a wet Winter he was drowned in a deepe melancholy and would be soused and drowned in his own sweat with moiling and toiling about such a building before they should bee ouer-flowen with or drowned in any deluge But all this NOA contemned and notwithstanding all this hee went not about only but through with that that God had enioyned From which Cariage of NOA we may learne this instruction that True Faith and Feare will make a man contemne worldly mens scoffes and notwithstanding them doe any thing that God shall enioyne We might for the further proofe of this point muster vp a multitude of Examples Abrahams leauing his owne Countrey and Kindred to wander vp and downe hee knew not whither himselfe in hope of an inheritance that he neuer had as long as he liued and the causing of himselfe to be Circumcised when hee was almost an hundred yeere old together with his young sonne and the rest of his family a thing that was neuer heard of before and such as would of any naturall conceit be deemed not ridiculous only but most vndecent King DAVIDS dancing before the Arke for which Micol derided him The Prophet Esaies going naked though not so naked as many imagine without his vpper garment his propheticall habit and without shooes on his feet Ieremies breaking of a bottle for the confirmation of his Prophecie his wearing of a woodden yoake and going vp and downe with it about his neck And his making of yoakes and fetters and sending them with such strange messages to foraine Princes and those Infidels by the hands of their owne Embassadours Ezekiels laying siege-to a modell of the Citie vpon a tyle or a table and making batterie against it and placing an iron pan betweene him and it His lying and sleeping vpon his left side alone for a long time together His making and eating bread of corne and pulse of all sorts mingled together meat fitter for beasts than for any man to feed on and baking it with cow-sherds in the open and publike view of his people euen of those that desired nothing