Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	lord_n	sing_v	song_n	2,112	5	9.1761	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A66744	The British appeals, with Gods mercifull replies, on the behalfe of the Commonwealth of England Contained in a brief commemorative poem, composed for a memorial of some of those many signall mercies, lately vouchsafed to this rebublike; especially, for those deliverances upon the appeales of the Parliaments, and royall forces at Naseby; of the English and Sccottish armies neer Dunbar in Scotland, and for the late surrender of Edenburgh-Castle, &c. By Geo. Wither, Esquire.	Wither, George, 1588-1667.	1651 (1651)	Wing W3143; ESTC R222286	36,159	81

And then I felt these Passions I confesse My joy was then as great my fear no lesse Though neither much appeared to the eye Or to the ear of any stander by It fareth now with me as on that morning Which first inform'd us of his safe returning For when the voice of his arrivall came The City Bon-fires blaz'd into a flame Which menaced the Clouds the Clouds powr'd down A floud as if the City they would drown The Common people were transported so As 't is their guise that wisemen could not know Whether they might be thought exceeding glad Or rather to be somewhat less than mad The Earth seem'd joyfull of his safe return The heav'ns for something hidden seem'd to mourn And as in those there then appear'd to be A diffring Passion so it was with me Though none more wish'd the Kings returning Though I was truly glad to see him come home And for this safe arivall shewed then My joy as much as other sober men Yet joy and sorrow strove in me together As if they labour'd to supplant each other And long time kept me in a doubtfull pause Of whether His Return would give most cause And by what hath succeeded it appears My joyes were far more causlesse than my fears The same distempers are this day in me Great are my joyes and hopes great also be My griefs and fears God render them successe And consequences of more happiness Then followed after that and take away Th' effects and causes of my fears this day God turn all to the best and give us grace To cleave to him what ever come to passe God give us Will those Achans to remove Which to the publick Peace destructive prove God grant my hopes hereafter may be truer The causes of my fear much lesse and fewer And that the Councells Charles did then neglect May be received now with more respect Left his example that should make us better May make us worse and our damnation greater For God will not be mockt nor will he spare For ever though a while he doth forbear Where greatest Mercie he vouchsafes to shew The greatest of his Judgements will ensue He that improves not ev'ry gift God gives According to the measure he receives Shall lose the Talent upon him bestown And into utter darknesse too be thrown Then much more they who shall Gods Grace requi● With willfull disobedience or despight And for that cause it hath been said the Lord Is mercifull and therefore should be fear'd This being true what Realms or Nations be Obliged more to fear him now than we If mercies be inducements to his fear As all men well informed know they are What people now inhabits on the earth That hath more cause of trembling in their mirth Or of more filial dread when they draw nigh The holy name of God to sanctifie For whom hath he so many wonders wrought Since out of Aegypt Jacobs God was brought As for this Isle if we reflect upon Those things aright which he for us for us hath don And who can blame me if I sing with fear This day when we consider what we are What God is what they seemed who have been Destroyed for our sakes what we have seen Done for us by what means at what a season In what great streights how farre beyond our reasons Or our deserts Deserts said I nay when We had deserved worse than other men What passed bondage we are freed from What likely slaveries for time to come And what a heap of blessings we have had ●howr'd down to make us in his favour glad Who can these things consider'd who I say Can blame me if I am afraid this day Amidst our Triumphs and aloud should cry On other men to fear as much as I For such a fear no portion doth destroy Of ought which is essentiall to our joy But helps to keep it from an overcasting By future clouds yea makes it everlasting Rather preventing harm than harm portending And from a dull security defending Already I discover that this fear Which at the first destructive did appear To my Design by making up a Medley Which on a day of joy lookt somewhat sadly Proves usefull to my purpose and makes way To render that which I intend to say Much more effectuall than it would have been Unlesse it had been thereby usher'd in To make impression of a joyfull fear In those who shall of Gods protections hear I feel my spirit on a sudden freed From all Distempers therefore I le proceed With what I purpos'd and enumerate Some of those Mercies which we celebrate Thi●d●y in hope to represent them so That out of them a filiall fear may flow So tempring ev'ry Reader that none shall Neither presume nor by despairing fall Yea so to set them forth I will assay That in Remembrance they continue may That I who write them and that they who read them May with more seriousnesse hereafter heed them More often meditate them to encrease Our Joy into a perfect thankfulnesse And that as in a glasse our eyes may see How worthlesse how unthankfull yet we be How these good things which God in mercy ga●● To save mens lives oft send them to their grave If not to Hell how likewise to improve Gods judgements and the Pledges of his love To our best benifits and how to raise Such Monuments and trophies to his praise As answer their intents who set aside This day to be in publick sanctifi'd Without those ends the formall observation Of one set-day is but a profanation Or meer hypocrisie It makes men think They offer incense when they offer stink It makes them dream that they have somthing give● To God when they have but affronted heaven It proves like that Peace-offering of the Whore Which made her sin more boldly than before And to return again to her offence With lesse reluctance and more impudence To fast a meal or twain and to put on A sadnesse for a day is cheaper done Than to deny our selves or to supresse Our Avarice or our ambitiousness To say the Lord be thanked or to sing A song of praises is an easier thing Than to expresse a hearty thankfulnesse By works of mercie and of righteousnes As giving to the poore or taking care Of those that under great oppressions are And 't is alas with us too frequent seen That some who formally dispos'd have been To outward duties acting joy and sorrow This day with seeming zeal come forth to morrow And prosecute their avarice their pride With whatsoe'r they seem'd to lay asid● The former day and entertain as bad If not worse spirits than before they had Pursuing wilfully Distructive wayes What e're the Preacher or the Charmer says He that could finde expedients to prevent These Prophanations Well his time had spent And thanks might merit for so having done Although he peradventure shall have none I therefore to that purpose will assay To set my Meditations for

Who have nor wit nor musick in their souls Perceive not with what good effects we may Use them in our devotions at this day Gods Prophets who knew best what did belong To praises did expresse them oft in Song And left them written as the best Records To memorize what present time affoords Worth recommending to Posterity Or of safe keeping it in memorie For seeing Hymnes beget no expectation Of ought proceeding from an inspiration Upon emergent cause but are a story Expressing briefly to th' almighties Glory Matter of fact as that which hath been done Lately for us or many ages gone For others whose well-being did relate To us those Odes continue still in date And should sometimes repeated be to show What God hath done that hopefull we might gro● Of like Protection and be comforted By those examples when our hopes are dead And necessary 't is that those Records Should be preserved still in their first words That future times a certainty may see In those things which commemorated be And out of question to the end of dayes He who sincerely sings the to Gods praise Shall feel within him being so dispos'd That spirit move by which they were compos'd Therfore though Scorners those dull soul'd things Whose judgement knows not whether better 〈◊〉 The Nightingall or Cuckow flout me shall And in contempt these Hymnes my Ballads ●●ll ● will not be discouraged by these From saying or from singing what I please But in an awfull Joyfull strain begin A song to usher this dayes praises in Yea in those forms which are by them abhor'd ● and my houshold thus will praise the Lord Sing this as the 100. Psalm 1. WIth aweful Joy and joyful Fear To sanctifie O Lord this day Before thy Foot-stool we appear And our Thank-offrings here to pay Which though it be no other thing Then thy free-Free-mercies to confesse Or Songs unto thy praise to sing Vouchsafe acceptance nay-the-lesse 2. Within our selves we are so poor That we have nothing of our own But what we had from thee before Which by our sins impair'd is grown For our wit beauty strength and health The goods of body and of mind Our time our honours and our wealth To serve our lusts have been resign'd 3. And therefore till thou shalt renew Thine Image by our fault defac'd We and our Offrings from thy view Deservedly may forth be cast There is no musick in our Songs That 's worthy to be heard of thee Because our hearts eyes ears and tongues Prophaned and untuned be 4. Yet by those favours heartned on W●●ch were on us bestown of late A Hymn we joyntly have begun To sing this Day at Mercies gate Lord those eternall doores unclose Through which thy speciall graces flow The cords of our Corruption lose And let thy Spirit on us blow 5. Then ev'ry word we hear or say With ev'rything that 's done or thought In celebrating of this Day Shall do thee honour as it ought And they that study publike harms Or flout what we are doing here Shall be so bound up by these Charms That when they flout us they shall fear Thus having by an humble preparation Made first our way to God for acceptation Of our intended praises and that done A little meditated thereupon Or exercis'd our thoughts on other Notions Which may be pertinent to these devotions We in a second Canto will relate Some heads of that which we commemorate And thus expresse our thankefulnesse to God In exultations of a higher Mode Sing this as the 113. Psalm 1. OH God! how good how kind art thou What help what grace dost thou bestow On us in our distrest estate Our tears to triumphs thou hast turn'd We now do sing who lately mourn'd And by our Foes were jeered at When we were weak poor and forlorn Expos'd to dangers fears and scorn Our Comforter thou didst become And when we dreaded shame of face Spoils death or wounds joyn'd with disgrace Those fears we were deliver'd from As thou from base and servile bands And out of cruel Pharoahs hands Thine Heritage redeemd'st of old Ev'n so from those who fought our harm Thou broughtst us off with out-stretch'd arm With signs and wonders manifold They so were blinded Lord by thee Who might have seen but vvould not see Nor hear when they were counsell'd well And He that fraud and force imploy'd To make our Lavvs and Freedomes void In our own view like Pharoah fell This is the Day whereon our Yoke Of Norman Bondage first was broke And England from her chains made free This is the Day vvhereon the Lord Did manumit us by the sword And 't is novv signall by decree Slaves they deserve to be therefore And to be bar'd for evermore The Freedoms of this Commonweal Who shall not thankfull now appear And vindicate with sword and spear Gods just Replies to our Appeal By thee our Freedoms Lord vve got Oh! to our keeping leave them not But still their Guardianship retain And let not those vvho under thee Sub●●●ers of those Freedoms be 〈◊〉 our ●ins forfeit them again On th●se alone that are unjust Or shall be traytours in their trust To this Republike or to Thee Let thy avenging justice fall And on all those who hinder shall That Peace with Truth may setled be 5. Write in our hearts thy sacred Law And let no future failings draw Our former cursed bondage back But our depraved wills renew And to thy service keep us true Which wil our Freedoms perfect make The Kingdom Power and Praise be thine As long as Moon and Sun shall shine Be likewise thou our Heritage And in this Nation let there be No other King or GOD but thee What e're they are who thereat rage Warm'd by these Charmes I do begin to feel Another motion in an higher wheel Inclining my invention to indite Expressions raised to a loftier height That if it can be done I may awake Some other in my praises to partake Be silent then For I intend a strain That shall reach heaven and eccho down again Such repercussions hither through the ayre As will within our Foes beget despaire Of their designes and those to us unite In praises who in Englands peace delight Sing this as the 148. Psalm doubling the last strain of the Tune 1. ALl you that present are Come let our hearts and tongues The Praise of God declare In new-Thanksgiving songs Come let us sing ●trains that may make the walls to shake The Roofs to ring Still sounding higher ●ill thereby we with Angells be Joyn'd in one Quire Related we have heard What he for us hath done With how much disregard Our Foes he looks upon And we have seen ●ow he befriends when righteous ends Pursu'd have been VVe likewise vievv VVhat will befall to those that shall Their lust pursue We see or may behold That he our Armies leads And as in times of old His Banner o're them spreads And for our sakes ●hrough threats

Joys and future expectations Let them examine how much yet they want Of making good their vowed Covenant Not in the Scottish but the English sense Which hath relation to our just defence And to that mutuall aid which to each other We vow'd when we were thereby joyn'd together Let them examine whether they have not That part of their Ingagement so forgot As to desert their friends in th' executions Of their just Vow and made their Prosecutions More mischievous to them then unto those That were appa●ently our guilty Foes And whether whilst this Lot on them attends Men may not cheaper be truth's foes then friends Let them examine if there be not some Who to their Counsells and Committees come ●eldome or never but to set those free From Prosecution who most guilty be And whether many of them do not know Who these men are and often find it so Much to their grief because they are unable To hinder what they know unwarrantable Let them consider whether some effects Of partiall and of personall respects Have not oft times destroy'd an Innocent The just dooms of the guilty to prevent Whether this Lord that kinsman or their friend Or he that can promote their private end This Lady with the fair bespotted face That gallant in the suit bedawb'd with Lace Or seeming Converts who perhaps are come To Fine for means to mischief us at home Let them I say consider whether these Are not receiv'd with more civiliti●s And with much more respect then many are Who from the first beginning of this war Have served faithfully and ever stood Firm in all Trialls for the Publike-good Let them examine whether they and we Partakers of one Common-Justice be According to our right Or whether they Allow not to themselves what they deny To some of us who have the self-same Cause And claim the self-same equity and Laws Let them examine whether none of them Seek opportunities and watch for time How to surprize their House to gain a Vote Which in a full Court never had been got Because their motions had been then gainsaid By many and their purpose better weigh'd Let them examine how they do pursue Their self-denying Votes which gave a shew Of honorable and of good intentions Though frustrate by unlooked for preventions Let them examine if these Common-weals Can hope for benefit by just Appeals Against Oppressors who shall Office bear When in Supreme Authority they are And while they shall be priviledged so That they may Judges be and Parties too In those Appeals and how their bribery Or other injuries can possibly Be prov'd where all Appellants against these Shall find so many disadvantages To struggle through and while those they impeach Are in a Sanctuary out of reach Let them examine if the distributions Of places gainfull by their executions Are equally divided or bestown So frequently for any merit known As for some nigh relation unto those Who get the power such places to dispose And whether one may five or six deserve Whilst many of our friends are like to starve Who might have been reliev'd yea made our debter And serv'd the Common wealth perhaps much better Let them examine whether they who lent And freely gave till all they had was spent The Publike to secure are car'd for so As they have been who fought our overthrow Whether they see not many more arise To speak for them upon emergencies To represent their seeming-sad conditions To offer and to second their Petitions To get Provisoes pardons or Reprieves And means to keep their children and their wives Then do for those when their distresse appears Who freely spent their bloud to save our tears Let them examine whether some of them Do not by their proceedings both condemn And help destroy themselves when in their Choises Of Publike-Ministers they give in Voices Or Names for by-respects or kindreds sake Enabling them Confed'racies to make For private interest let them together Take consultation and examine whether They favour not among them such as drive Those actings on whereby they may contrive The ruine of our Cause Let them moreover Examine whether none they can discover Who constantly endeavour to bring in Those who most worthily depriv'd have been Of their late trust that they might them assist In strengthening their corrupted interest And whether an indulgency to these May not procure some disadvantages To that Militia which hath been of late Established to fortifie the State And let them if they find it to be so Prevent the mischiefe e're it further go Let them examine whether Avarice Ambition malice pride or some such Vice Hath not been so indulg'd as that it may Deprive us of the comforts which this day We have hope yea let us all apart And joyntly seek true Peace with perfect heart These memorandums I am bold to add That our Thanksgivings may be thereby made More perfect and more acceptable too By minding what we further have to do That by these Observations I may keep My friends from singing of themselves asleep In that security which will destroy The truest sweetnesse of our present joy That we might save Supreme Authority From that contempt that blame and obloquy Which may be cast upon it by our Foes Or by the secret faithlesnesse of those Who by pretending for it have much wronged Their Actings and our miseries prolonged ●●d that we may not by our heedlesnesse 〈◊〉 those things which will mar our happinesse ●●wle Elegies and roar out Lamentations ●●ead of songs of praise and Exultations Lord give thou hereunto those good events Which may in somwhat answer my intents ●nd take with acceptation I thee pray ●●is my imperfect this may weak assay ●sten thy work and bring it to conclusion ●aw us out of that chaos-like confusion 〈◊〉 which we are As in our preservation ●ou hast appear'd so in our restauration 〈◊〉 unity please likewise to appear ●●at Peace and truth may keep their dwellings here Let Parliament and people from this day ●●ise thee by Reformation of their way 〈◊〉 City Countrey and both poore and rich ●●deavour with sincerity as much ●●t our victorious Armie do the same ●●tributing unto thy glorious Name 〈◊〉 their prevailings persevering still 〈◊〉 faithfull executing of thy will ●●d seeking publick-peace without design ●ought which may to selfishnesse incline ●nd make us all with as much willingnesse 〈◊〉 forth thy praises for the righteousnesse 〈◊〉 thy severest Judgements as to sing ●anks for those blessings which thy mercies bring And my dear countreymen let me not pray ●●r you in vain nor sing my songs this day 〈◊〉 Beasts and Rocks and Mountains to be heard As they have often been without regard ●●st I have cause to change my joyfull Odes 〈◊〉 mournfull Epicedes and Palinodes 〈◊〉 ill presaging Raven to this Nation ● would not be croaking of desolation And sad events I rather with the Dove My winged Contemplations would improve To bring such Olive-leaves as

signified by Frogs Lice Flyes and Locusts God in like manner hath proved them by his judgements and by plagues upon their beasts their fruits their treasures their persons and their hopes of posterity he hath punished them as well with a gross darknes and other privations as by arming against them all the Elements They have seen their late King for continuing in his hardnesse of heart like Pharaoh drowned as it were in the Red Sea even in that sea of blood which by his wisfullnesse hath overflowed these Islands Yea they see those waters which gave passage for his people to escape their 〈◊〉 ry stand on both hands ready to swallow 〈◊〉 up yet they being more blind and mad 〈…〉 Pharaoh and the Egyptians because they 〈◊〉 for examples the● 〈…〉 purposes as in despight of God and will not acknowledge his Actings though they see them nor his Voice though they bear it nor his hand though they feel it Now if all these things have not softned their hearts and if neither the Pillar of fire which they see going daily before us nor the Cloud out of which God looks often very terrbly upon them can move them to praise God with us in our publick acknowledgements of his mercies I must not think my charmes will operate much upon them and therefore to Gods good pleasure I will leave them and you who are better affected to the enjoyment of his mercies whereof I humbly expect and confidently believe to be a partaker Your faithfull and ancient Remembrancer GEO. WITHER The British Appeales with Gods mercifull Replies on the behalf of the Commonwealth of England c. The Argument The Muse begins with filiall fear To raise a joyfull trophie here The differences doth express 'Twixt formall and true thankfulnesse Brings out those mercies to your view For which our praisefull thanks are due Warns all men timely to take heed What God hath done and may succeed To those that will not understand The work which he hath now in hand Then after some thanksgiving-thanksgiving-songs Informs what further yet belongs To thankfulnesse and open layes Th' event of right and left-hand wayes MY soul in honour of th' Eternall King Of Judgement and of Mercy now shal sing Of Mercies and of Judgements and again Of Mercies that they may not be in vain And that out of my poverty I may Add to the publick offrings of this Day A supplement to fill up vacant places To fill up extraordinary Graces To make us mindfull what is further due To keep sheedfull what may else ensue And perfect that which others have begun Concerning what the Lord of Hosts hath done I sing the breaking of that Brazen yoke Which from our gauled necks was lately broke The gracious Verdicts which the Court of heaven To our Appellant-combatants hath given The thrusting of the Proud out of the Throne The setting up of humble men thereon The malice craft and wilfulnesse of those Who were our open or our secret Foes And therewithall the matchlesse love of him Who from their Tyrannies did us redeem Shall be my Song and I desire it may Be set and tuned unto such a Key As that my Readers may perceive thereby The usefull power of hallow'd-Poesie In raising Gods neglected mercies from Forgetfulnesse to shine through times to come My Structure therefore shall be rather strong Then Lofty that it may continue long And though my Weaknesse may not reach to that Which my Intentions have been aiming at Yet I am hopefull that I shall be able To offer an Oblation acceptable For God in willingnesse takes much delight Although it can but set a stone upright As Iacob did vouchsafing acceptation To ev'ry Faithfull-Offrers free oblation And equalling the raising of one stone Eve'n with the Temple of great Solomon I Voices hear of wondrous things abroad Of multitudes of Mercies from our God Mercies too great for Scorners to believe Too good for men unthankfull to receive Such Blessings as no former Age had greater Such as no time ensuing shall have better Yet every day almost brings forth new matter Of exultation both by land and water Good newes employeth almost every month Yea weekly from the East the West the South come And thence from whence 't was said no good can Even from the North Glad tidings are brought home To those who for their own escapes have mourn'd With Zions Ruines God hath back return'd Those Signal Victories which you have heard In Publick by a Publick Act declar'd With their dependent-Mercies now I 'le add What from my private notions may be had O give attentive heed to what is said And let it with doe seriousnesse be weigh'd For I shall mention if time fail me not Things neither to be sleighted or forgot But whence comes this alas now I am ready To write I find my shaking hand unsteady A shivering doth surprise me and a fear As if som Apparition did appear Obstructing my Designs and to assay The turning of my thoughts another way What ails my heart that in this uncouth fashion There strives in me a Contradicting Passion Which like the twins within Rebeccas Womb ●eem to be strugling which may overcome Why is my heart which hath enough to do Wi●h one at once thus overcharg'd with two Two Passions as destructive to each other As fire and water clos●d uptogether And so divided that it hardly knowes To whether most reluctancy it owes This is a day of triumph wherin they Who have atchiev'd them set us Trophies may 〈◊〉 ou●ward Ioy and such as could not win Externalis may keep Holyday within ●heretofore they so good husbands were ●o store up ought for entertainment there It is a day wherein I ought to sing A Song of praise and purposed to bring Expressions forth which might be to this Nation A lengthening out of Thanks and exultation By making Gods free mercies thought upon When all this generation shall be gone Yet now I should perform what I decreed I am unable further to proceed Of glorious victories the Guns the Bells And this dayes due solemnization tells To make us with more seriousnesse to heed Gods owning of our Armies at their need And those glad tidings which divulged are Invite to mirth yet somewhat bids me fear Yea though my lips are tempting of a smile Mine eyes I know not why drop tears the while Seeming to tell me with a silent voice That we with trembling should this day Rejoyce Yea though I feel my heart is truly glad Of what I hear it is as truly sad For what I know for what I daily see For what hath been or may hereafter be Distempred thus I very seldom grow And therefore it the more affects me now With Jealousies and Fear left somewhat may Ere long befall us to beeloud this day With me 't was never thus but when from Spain Our late unhappy King return'd again Depraved and made giddy by that Cup Of Poyson whereof there he took a sup