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	soul_n	wait_v	5,279	5	9.2073	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A70932	True gain, opened in a sermon preached at Pauls, Nov. 9. 1656 by Edward Reynolds, D.D.	Reynolds, Edward, 1599-1676.	1659 (1659)	Wing R1300; Wing R1245A; ESTC R18711	21,848	41

to give himself for us to make his soule an offering for sin that our souls might not be undone by it A Son to die for servants an holy an onely and beloved son for rebellious servants a Judge for malefactors to come not only to save but to seek those that sought not that inquired not after him as there was never sorrow like his sorrow so there was never love like his love ● The infinite mercy of God in revealing Christ unto us bringing life and immortality to light by the Gospel and waiting upon us that he may be gratious unto us If Thales the Philosopher gave thankes that he was born of a Grecian and not a Barbarian how much more should we bless God that we are Christians and not only Philosophers that the Lord hath taken care not onely to adorne our soules but to save them 4. The infinite sweetness of his powerfull and most efficacious grace in perswading us to give entertainment unto the mercy thus tendred unto us who of our selves were ready to beleeve lying vanities to forsake our own mercie and to thrust away saluation from our selves 5. The great reasonableness and wisdome of true Religion as being that which promoteth our supreme interest namely the happiness of the soul Wisdome is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the knowledge of the most honourable things and of greatest concermment He that winneth souls is wise saith Solomon Prov. 7.11 30. how much more he that saveth his own Prov. 9.12 1. Tim. 4.16 A man may be wise for others and a fool for himself Achitophel was a wise man when he counselled Absolom but a fool when he hanged himself Iudas a wise man for others when he preached Christ a fool for himself when he betrayed him no greater folly in the world then for a man to barter away his soul though it were for the world it self 6. We should therefore all be exhorted 1. Seriously to study the worth of a soul the spiritualness the immortality of it the image of God after which it was both created and renewed the glory reserved for it if it stand the wrath prepared for it if it fall 2. To walk as men that have souls many walk as if they had nothing but bellies to fill and backs to cloath fancies to be tickled with vanity eyes and eares to look after pleasure brains to entertain empty notions and tongues to utter them but their souls serve them to little other purpose them as salt to keep their bodies from stinking Socrates wondred when he observed Statuaries how carefull they were to make stones like men and men in the mean time by their carelesness turning themselves in to very blocks and stones 3. To secure the salvation of the soul to take heed of exposing our principal Iewel unto rapine and miscarriage Keepe thy hurt saith Solomon with all diligence Prov. 4.23 Give all diligence saith Peter to make your calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 that so we may never be without the comforts of God to delight our souls Psal. 94.19 that we may be able to say as David did Returne to thy rest O my soul for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee Psal. 116.7.4 To prize the meanes of that salvation and to incourage the Ambassadours of Christ as those that watch for your souls and unto whom is committed the ministry of reconcilation They study pray watch labour and sweat for you Esteem them highly in love for their works sake 1 Thes. 5.13 It is recorded for the honour of Hezekiah that he spake comfortably to all the Levites who taught the good knowledge of the Lord 2 Chorn. 30.22 And of Nehemiah That he took care of the Offices of Gods House Nehem. 13.10 14. Of the good Shun●mite that she provided for the Prophet 2 Reg. 4.8 10. And of the Galatians That they received Paul as an Angel of God and would if possible have plucked out their eyes to have done him good Gal. 4.14 15. And though you do these thinges and your honour it is that you do it in an age wherein God hath suffered seduced souls to pour contempt upon the Ministers of the Gospel and as mad-men to fight with the Physicians that heal them yet give me leave to stir you up by putting you in remembrance 5. To resist the enemies that withstand this salvation fleshly lusts worldly snares Satanical temptations which war against the soul 6. To pitty the souls of other men to promote in our several stations and imployments the interest of mens souls to save them with violence to snatch them out of the fire to disquiet wicked men in their sins to encourage good men in their wayes to our uttermost power every where to promote the grace of God which bringeth salvation to the souls of men Lastly To be wise merchants for for own souls Our Saviour telleth us That the Kingdom of heaven is like a merchant man seeking goodly pearls Matth. 13.45 And as else where the Virgins are distinguished into wise and foolish So may we distinguish those Merchants who trade heavenward For as he said Mala emptio exprobrat stultitiam It is a note of folly to make an ill bargain Now there are several things wherein the wisdome of a Merchant doth shew it self 1. He considers where the best and most sure commodities are where he is certaine to make a good return as it is noted of Solomon 1 Reg. 10.11.22 28. and of Tyrus Ezek. 27. So our Christian merchant knowing that the best commodities come from heaven hath his thoughts and affections most there And as those that trade to China though they cannot travell far up into the Country are admitted to some skirts and maritine Harbour to receive the commodities of the Country so our Merchant though he cannot go to heaven it self yet he hath access as it were to the out borders of heaven the Word and Ordinances calld frequently in the Epistle to the Hebrews {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Heavenly things Here then they watch at the gates of wisdomes house here they search dig hide and lay up that the Word may dwell in them richly and that they may be rich in knowledg Prov. 8.34 Col. 3.16 1 Cor. 1.5 2. A wise merchant considers where is the easiest purchase of those commodities It is true heavenly things are in their own nature the most precious and do indeed cost the most excellent price The Redemption of a soule is precious Psal. 49.8 1 Pet. 1.19 yet because this precious price was none of ours we are said to be saved freely Eph. 2.8 to buy milk and wine without money and without price Isai. 55.1 for though we must sell all for this Jewel if not actually yet in praeparatione animae yet it is all no reall or valuable estimation in such a bargain but like the glass beads and such like trifles which we give unto Indians for their silver and gold

gratis but do promise themselves Some benefit by their wickedness If Esau sell his birthright if Balaam curse Gods people if Ieroboam set up Calves if Ahab sell himself to work wickedness If Iudas betray his Master it is all upon a contract and bargain under the intuition of the wages of unrighteousness Si violandum jus regnandi causâ violandum Therefore God is pleased 1 To Dehort men from the wayes of sin by undeceiving them and discovering the unprofitableness and perniciousness of those wayes My people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit Jer. 2.11 Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread and your labour for that which satisfieth not Isai. 55 2. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof you are now ashamed Rom. 6.21 The voluptuous sinner promiseth himselfe abundance of delight in his stollen waters let us take our fill of loves let us solace our selves with loves Prov. 7.18 but at last when he hath destroyed his name and gotten a wound and dishonour when he hath destroyed his estate and strangers are filled with his wealth when he hath destroyed his body and given his years to the cruel when he hath destroyed his soul and is gone down to the chambers of death then tell me whether his perfumes of Mirrh Aloes and Cinnamon be not all turned into gall and wormwood The worldling promiseth himself much content in his dishonest gain in fraud oppression circumvention and violence Populus me sibilat at mihi plaudo ipse domi I shall have a brave vineyard saies Ahab I shall have sheep and oxen saies Gehazi I shall never want friends nor contents money answers to All O nummi vos estis fratres But what saies God Thou fool this night shall they take thy soul from thee Thy vineyard O Ahab shall bring forth grapes of gall Thy talents O Gehazi shall purchase thee and thine heirs a leprosie Thy wedge of gold O Achan shall cleave thy soul from thy body Thy thirty pieces of silver O Judas shall be the price of thine own bowels as well as of thy masters blood Treasures of wickedness shall not profit in the day of wrath Prov. 10.2 They that will be rich drown themselves in destruction and perdition and peirce themselves through with many sorrows 1 Tim. 6.9 10. The ambitious man promiseth him self much honour and power when he hath arrived at that greatness whereunto he aspireth I will ascend into heaven I will exalt my throne above the stars of God Isai. 14.15 When I have by plausible compliances gotten the glories of the world I will then please my self as Nebuchadezner did with the view and fruition of so gallant a purchase But what saith the Lord Though thou set thy nest amongst the star● thence will I Bring thee down Obad. v. 4. Isai. 26.5 Thou art a man and no God though thou set thine heart as the heart of God Ezek. 28.2 O Nebuch●dnezzar in stead of the majesty of a Prince thou shalt have the misery of a beast Thy feasting O Belshazzar shall be turned into mourning thy pride into terrors thou shalt be drunk not with wine but with astonishment and thy joynts shall stagger one against another Thus do men sell themselves to sin for hopes of gain and thus miserably are they cheated in the bargain the Devil dealing with them as some say he doth with Witches giving them leaves of trees in the shape of gold and silver so that in the conclusion it appears that they did indeed sell themselves for just nothing Isai. 52.3 2. By the same argument God is pleased to vindicate the ways of godliness from the prejudice which wicked men have against them as if they were unprofitable What is the Almighty that we should serve him what profit should we have if we pray unto him Job 21.15 Ye have said It is vaine to serve God what profit is it that we have kept his Ordinances Mal. 3.14.5 To take off this Objection God assures his people That his wayes do good to those that walk uprightly Mic. 2.7 That his people do not seek his face in vain Isai. 45.19 That he is not a wilderness unto them Jer. 2.31 That godliness is great gain and Profitable unto all things 1 Tim. 4.8 and 6.6 That he who soweth righteousness shall have a sure reward Prov. 11.18 That in keeping of his commandments there is great reward Psal. 19.11 And he is pleased to animate his servants against the hardship of their Christian warfare against externall difficulties and internal faintings by setting before them exceeding great and precious promises Having these promises let us cleanse our selves and perfect holiness 2 Cor. 7.1 Ye have need of patience that when ye have done the will of God ye may receive the promise Heb. 10.36 Be not weary of wel-doing in due time ye shall reape if ye faint not Gal. 6.9 When ye are reviled and persecuted rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward Mat. 5.11 By this consideration not only Moses and Paul Heb. 11.25.26 Phil. 3.4 but the Lord Jesus himself for the joy which was set before him endured the Cross and dispised the shame Heb. 12.2 Now here in is the mercy of God greatly commended unto us that when he might use no other argument to enforce obedience then his own soveraign authority over us is pleased to incourage us by our own benefit The chief reason of obedience saith Tertullian is the authority of the Lord not the utility of the servant He made all things for himself and might have looked no farther then his own glory we do so with the creatures which serve us we labour our Oxen and then we destroy them first we make them drudge and then we make them die But God is pleased to encourage us unto duties by our self-love commands us to fear him for our own good Deut 6.24 sets the blessing of obedience and the curse of disobedience before our eyes Deut. 11.26 28. The work of Christianity is a difficult work there are many enemies many temptations Satan and and the world resist us without corruption wrestles and rebels within But here is the comfort Gods servants work for a Master that remembers all who looks to their profit as well as to his own honour who keeps a book for our prayers a bottle for our tears a register for them that fear him Mal. 3.16 a memorial of but a cup of cold water given to a Prophet as a Prophet This is encouragement indeed unto Gods service Christ is willing to put it to this issue Though I have a right and power over you which Satan hath not I made you I bought you he never had title unto you either by dominion or purchase as I have But I shall wish you to look to your own interest see which service is most advantagious to your selves mine or his If he can make you more precious promises if he