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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A80396	A pattern of mercy. Opened in a sermon at St. Pauls, before the Right Honorable, the Lord Mayor, and the Lord General Monck: February 12. 1659. / By Tobias Conyers, minister at St. Ethelberts, London.	Conyers, Tobias, 1628-1687.	1660 (1660)	Wing C5994; Thomason E774_8; ESTC R207295	28,966	47

and melancholy Sect who sleighted the Hierarchy of Moses dissented from the common way of Worship and held Community as Josephus reports of them He suffered the Herodians Mark 3. 6. a politick and ambitious Sect who thought Herod the Aschalonite to bee the Messiahs the sent of God and thence called Herodians It is likely they were abused into that opinion from the misconstruing the prophecie of Jacob Gen. 49. 10. That the scepter should not depart from Judah nor a Law-giver from between his knees till the Shilo came Hence they might conclude that Herod was the Shilo because the ensigns of Royalty and Government ceased from the Asmonean race and Herod a stranger the son of Antipater an Idumean succeeded by unjust usurpation in the Government of Judea He suffered the Samaritans who though they acknowledged the five Books of Moses yet denied the Authority of the Prophets because they judged them not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inspired by God and likewise sleighted the Temple consecrated at Jerusalem and worshipped the God of Israel upon mount Gerizim Where first they had a magnificent Temple built by Sanballat a Samaritane-Prince in opposition to Jaddus the High-priest of the Jews and when it was afterward destroied and razed to the ground by Hircanus the Maccabaean the earth remained sacred to them on which it stood and continued a place of Worship to the daies of our Saviour Joh. 4. 20. Our father 's worshipped in this mountain c. He suffered the Sadduces mentioned Mat. 22. who denied the souls immortality and all future estate and being after this life many of them serving God zealously and strictly according to the prescript of Moses his Law upon no other expectations then a temporal reward upon earth In the Gentile world the mercifulness of God appears that he does not rain down fire from heaven to avenge himself of those Idolaters who worship the Host of Heaven the Sun Moon and Stars which he hath created And still he beareth with almost incredible clemency and mercy in the Christian world those strange monstrous and absurd conceptions that are framed of him he suffereth himself to be represented as unjust unwise unmerciful and whatever is unworthy of his eternal Truth and God-head And there are two things that render his Mercy more eminent and conspicuous 1. In that he is infallible in his judgement liable to no mistake or mis-apprehension and consequently may be absolute and definitive in his sentence and determination albeit he knoweth most certainly the difference 'twixt good and evil light and darkness truth and error yet he buildeth nothing thereupon unless in some extraordinary cases to man's outward prejudice and damage but endeavoureth by the light shining in us by the inspirations and notices of his spirit by the convictions and authority of his word to reduce humane conceptions to a likeness with and conformity unto the fair and beautiful Idea's set up in his own mind and declared unto us in his holy Word of Truth 2. In that he is of Power sufficient to vindicate the sacred honour and credit of his Truth and to avenge himself upon the Erronists the Transgressors thereof He hath the power of life and death health and sickness poverty and plenty and were he so minded he needs not be beholden to any arm or power to assist him If it were objected God punisheth not Murder Theft c. it doth not follow that therefore we should not To this I answer The case is not the same all men have a perfect and distinct knowledge what Murder is what Theft is but in matters of Opinion concerning Religion and the things of God there is the greatest variety and discrepancy imaginable and * The Church of Rome excepted no man does so much as pretend or lay claim to an unerrancy or infallibility of Judgement Besides it is agreed that the civil Magistrate does ex Offlcio punish the breach and violation of the Laws of Nature and the Laws of God where he is authorized and appointed so to do let it be shown primitively that under the Gospel he ought either ex officio precepto vel exemplo to judge determine and censure opinions abstracted and wholly remote from secular consideration or let it be shewn wherein or when the People did chuse them either for their Representatives in Religion or make them Judges in matters of Opinion and Conscience and the Controversie will presently cease and the Dispute end 2. The mercifulness of God appears in that he suffereth the breach and transgression of his Laws and does not speedily avenge himself of the transgressors He looketh into our houses and there he findeth profaneness sensuality riot excess He looketh into Chambers and more secret retirements and behold wantonness intemperance luxury uncleanness He looketh into our places of commerce and there he findeth deceit fraud cozenage He looketh into our places of Judicature and behold favours partiality injustice oppression Or as it is Amos 6. 12. in cicutam mutatur jus fractus Justitiaein absynthium Judgment turned into Gall and the fruit of Righteousness into Worm wood He looketh into our Churches and places of Worship and for Knowledge he findeth Zeal for Piety Interest and for Devotion little else but Curiosity spectatum veniunt Our Churches are turned into Theatres whereinto we come to see and to be seen not remembring that great Theatre wherein we must all appear before the Judgement-Seat of Christ In our hearts he beholdeth envy jealousie emulation cruelty in our lives disorders and confusions and yet God holdeth his hand he endeavoureth the reformation not the destructionof of his creatures So great was the mercy of God that David seems to awaken him and stirred him up to Judgement Psal 119. 126. It is time for thee O Lord to work for they have made void thy Law And the Apostle Peter is forced to make an Apology for God to the profane scoffers why he seemed to defer his coming and neglect Judgement in taking vengeance upon the World 2 Pet. 3. 9. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise as some men count slackness but is long-suffering to us ward not willing that any should perish i. e. God does not forget his promise neither is he unmindful of Judgement but he is loath to come in upon the World at unawares as a Thief in the night to overtake them in the height of their presumption and security and therefore he extends and lengthens out the day of Grace that none might perish if 't were possible but that all might come to repentance 2. We come to speak positively 1. Mercy it is the same with Pity and in this sence God is merciful he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 full of bowels pitiful and compassionate towards the children of men he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pater miserationum the Father of Compassions Numerus pluralis est emphaticus There dwells no hatred no malice with God no rancour exasperation

We complain much of the want of Love of that hatred malice and jealousie that we finde stirred up amongst the present Gospellers and Professors in Religion me-thinks it should be with us the Students in Divinity as it is with those Students and Proficients in Philosophy at the University who though they do often dispute their Opinions pro and con in the Schools and Halls yet do they love one another nevertheless though one be for Aristotle another for Ramus a third for Zeno a fourth for Epicurus yet doth it not occasion the least animosity breach or dis-affection We all acknowledge one God the resurrection from the dead salvation by Jesus Christ future rewards and punishments the necessity of Virtue Righteousness and Holiness that no man hath power of himself to do any thing that good is that all grace strength and suffic ency are of God These are every mans Concessions neither do I know any man living that does so much as dispute or question the truth of them We agree in the greater why do we differ in the less How much would it make for the Church its peace encrease and enlargement could we give unto one another some few Granes of Allowance in this case 2. It is best for the State for the settlement of the peace and prosperity thereof This I offer to humble consideration there wants nothing so much to make us happy and glorious as mercifulness one unto another there is nothing more tender then a mans conscience the Grashopper is a burden to it those that will suffer others to touch them in their Estates to touch them in their Dignity and Greatness both which are very dear to them will not endure to be touched in their consciences This hath broken us so oft in pieces that men are not content to secure their own Christian libetty unless it be with the infringement of othet mens May the Princes and Magistrates of this World to use the expression of a sober person take heed of coming too near that Mount which Jehovah hath sanctified for himself and for his Son Jesus to set their Thrones on We are for peace and settlement and that upon such a Basis as may stand to the good liking both of God and men till he come who shall call in the Commissions of all the Kings and Rulers of the Earth may the foundations therefore be laid in Principles of Justice Righteousness Moderation that the glory of our Nation may grow up in Renown The Consciences and Judgements of men are the proper Territories and Dominions of Christ whosoever shall enter by any other Authority then this upon these Sacred Demeans intrencheth upon anothers Right I passe this Use with these following Limitations In general by what hath been spoken we do not seek to infringe the Magistrate's just Power or to lessen his duty as he is a Christian we willingly yeild him the dignity of being Gods Deputy and if he please Custos utriusque tabulae 1. That they vouchsafe to see to the observation of the Lords Day not onely that men forbear their Callings but also that they come to Church or such places of Worship where Divine Service is performed that under a pretence of Liberty of Conscience men take not an occasion to transgress the Laws of sobriety and holiness For were this Lords Day an Ordinance onely of man it becomes every man to submit to it for the Lords sake 2. That nothing that hath been spoken extend to deter the Magistrate from punishing swearing profanation of the Lords Name all immodesty and violation of the Laws of Nature for these are things that all men have agreed in as worthy of punishment and if there were no warrant from the Word of God yet volenti non sit injuria he that is willing hath no injury done him 3. Nay I would even subscribe to punish blasphemy according to the Judicial Law if there were any persons lawfully appointed who could infallibly determine 2. Br. Let us imitate the mercifulness of God in pardoning Injuries and forgiving offences one against another let us take out our Saviour's Lesson Let us pray for our enemies do good to those that hate us so shall we heap coals of fire upon their heads But alas how far are we from this God-like temper Every man almost seeks to be Deus ultionem a god of revenge We write favours and benefits on the Sand but injuries in Marble never to be blotted out Though we crave and expect all forgiveness from Heaven daily yet we exercise very little upon the Earth Instead of extenuating one anothers offences we heighten and aggravate them in our bills of debts and trespasses for fifties we write hundreds and for hundreds thousands As God is prone to forgive so we are to take revenge one upon another I wish there were not that occasion for me to tell you how much you are unlike unto God For pity lo cruelty for love envy hatred and iealousie and for pardon behold revenge every man studies the Law of Retaliation to return like for like which our Saviour expresly abrogated Matthew 5. 38. Let me borrow an Apostrophe O cruel Revenge of a venomous and dangerous malignity which filleth the heart with Plagues the life with Furies and the World with Tragedies What havock dost thou make what flames dost thou kindle unless Grace and Reason give some temper and alleviation A spirit from beneath raised from Hell injurious to civil Society pernicious to States and Kingdoms kindled by pride nourished by flattery sharpened by insolent Tongues which makes their lives a continual crime and their memories that exercise it a perpetual execration Christians what shall I now say farther to perswade you to Moderation Clemency Pardon Forgiveness If the example of God the pattern of Christ the practise of the most eminent Saints If this will not do it what will Onely let me re-mind you of that great day which is ready to dawn upon the world when the Judge of heaven and earth shall come riding upon the clouds with ten thousand Angells in his company and shall take his seat in the air when that general Assize shal be kept wee shal all come to hold up our hands for mercy at his Bar. Let me tell you from God in whose name I now prophesie unto you that unless you here display the ensigns of your mercy on earth neither will God hold forth the Scepter of his mercy and pardon unto that day 3ly Let us imitate God in his bounty and liberality that I may speak a word for the poor who causeth the Sun to shine and the rain to fall both upon the just and the unjust I speak now to the rich thè great and mighty in this world You live upon the alms of heaven subsist by divine bounty and are maintained at his cost and charge he keepeth a plentiful house and hath made large provision for You onely in the disposition of things he hath left the