GOD'S GOODNESS AND MERCY. LAID OPEN IN A SERMON, PREACHED AT PAULS-CROSSE ON THE LAST OF JUNE. 1622. BY Mr ROBERT HARRIS, Pastor of the Church of GOD at HANWELL in Oxfordshire. GAL. 6.10. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good to all men, especially to them that are of the household of Faith. LONDON Printed by JOHN DAWSON for JOHN BARTLET, and are to be sold at the Gild Cup in the Goldsmith's Row in Cheapside. 1622. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL, Sir BAPTIST HICKS, justice of Peace in Middlesex, Grace and Peace. RIGHT WORSHIPFUL; I Should much forget myself, if (whilst I press others to Goodness & Mercy) I should forget yours to my native Country; Campden in Glouc. shire. there you have done good, (to the house of God) not only in outward buildings and ornaments, M. Lilly. but in settling a Preacher, where before was none, and such a one as cannot easily be equalled in eminency of gifts: There also, you have exercised (Mercy) in building such an Almshouse, as that, I know not what may be added thereto, unless hereafter, you shall see cause to set over the blind and lame, and deaf (who are less able to repair to, and profit by the public Ministry) a more private Teacher and Catechist. Sir, I thank God, I could never yet the Art of flattery, neither will your Wisdom (if I know you) brook the trade. It sufficeth, that I have in a line or two recommended to others practise your example; and conveyed to Posterity, my thankfulness, with your bounty. If God make me able, I shall (haply) do it hereafter in a better manner, In the mean, I beseech you to accept my present thankes wrapped up in a dead Letter, and sick Epistle, and still continue to love his Country, who still rests Hanwell in Oxon: shire, july 9 1622. Your WORSHIPS in all thankfulness and duty ROBERT HARRIS. In this Psalm, we have 1. A duty, Thankfulness, described from its common nature, Confession. 2. Arguments, from the object of our praises, God, considered 1. In himself. 1. In his simple being, jehovah, vers. 1. 2. In his second being, viz. his properties, reduced to 1. graciousness 1. Simply good. 2. Respectively merciful. 2. Greatness. 1. Power is his. vers. 2. 2. Dominion is his. v. 3. 2. In his works delivered 1. In general, they are all wonderful. vers. 4. 2. In special. 1. Such as concern the whole world. Creation in the parts thereof. vers. 5 6. 7. Preservation & government. vers. 8.9. 2. Such as concern the Church. 1. In her first Plantation vers. 10-23. 2. In her settled estate, her blessings Privative. v. 23.24. Positive. Earthly. vers. 25. Spiritual. vers. 26. ❧ To the Christian Reader. GENTLE READER; Understand, that I was then Summoned to the Cross, when I was not in case, either to Study or to speak; the former strait, (when I could not be excused) forced me to a familiar and easy Text, the later to a brief and short kind of speech, which carried with it an appearance of that, which I ever shunned, Affectation and Obscurity. It may be, thine Eye will conceive me better than thine Ear, and therefore I yield to importunity, and present myself to thy view, entreating 2. things of thee, 1. Charity, 2. Conscience, Charity towards the Printer, in case some faults (in my absence) escape him: towards me, in case so frequent quotations offend thee: my now practice agrees with my ancient judgement; at home, my people neither understand nor desire tongues, and humane Authorities, and therefore I am sparing, on the other side, when I fall upon an Auditory that conceives and receives both, I use both, as I see my advantage. All is thine if thou canst be content, and wilt add conscience (the second thing) to charity. It grieves my soul to see the guise of many hearers; they desire novelties: when they have heard, théy judge the man and his method▪ and then sit down, seldom practising what is preached. Reader be not such an hearer, lest thou cozen thyself james 1.22. thou here seest, that if thou be of God, and God's goodness, and special mercy shall be thine, thou must be good, and do good, be merciful and show mercy, the times require this, the Lord expects this, our unthankfulness and unfruitfulness hath wellmost undone us, if we, who have more peace in the State, more preaching in the Church, than any other known Nation under Heaven, be not more fruitful and abundant in goodness, than other people, our light willbe turned into darkness, our Sun into blood: what shall I say? or to whom shall I turn myself? we call till we are hoarse, we speak till we spit forth our lungs, yet will not the Sons of Men hear us, they will not hear, I say (with tears) they will not hear, we can do no good: O Lord persuade japhet for we can not, and be merciful to this barren Country: Reader I leave thee, adding to the Martyrs, Fox his Martyrol. etc. pray, pray, pray, work, work, work. Thine in the Lord, RO. HARRIS. GOD'S GOODNESS AND MERCY, LAID OPEN IN A Sermon at Paul's Cross, on the last of june. 1622. Psalm 136. verse 1. Praise ye the Lord, because he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever etc. THis Psalm clears itself, and therefore a Title needed not, it answers all occasions: and therefore the Arguments are general, it was sung by course, and therefore the burden is still the same: In it we have a Duty pressed, and Arguments pressing: the Duty is thankfulness, delivered from its common nature; Confession: (our praises are but acknowledgements of God's excellencies.) The Arguments are drawn from the Object of our praises, God, considered first in himself; Secondly, in his works: in himself considered, he is apprehended by a first and second Act of our understanding; First, in his most simple being (confess to jehovah.) Secondly, in his second being, (to speak as we conceive things) in his properties. These mentioned are, first, Graciousness; Secondly, Greatness; for the first, he is first simply (Good) and then in a respect (Merciful,) for the second, his is Power, he is (Gods of Gods) Gods in the plural, because all powers are his, (God of Gods) in an hebrew superlative, because he is far above all Gods, whether so reputed or deputed; that great, that strong God, as Moses expounds the phrase. Deut. 10.7. next, Kingdom is his: He is (Lords of Lords) in the same sense, that is the Monarch and Emperor, of Princes and States; now if power be his, and Kingdom his, Glory is his also, therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confess it, saith the Psalmist: this is the first Argument from God's blessed self, the second, from his works, we leave for haste, etc. Of the Action (Confess,) the Object (jehovah) some thing at home. Goodness & Mercy, offer themselves next; and first, Goodness as the more general. Doct. God is good. This point is plain, a principle not needing proof; there be (saith nature in the Philosopher) some confessed goods, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist. Rhet. li 1. c. ● & inde: of these, God is the chief, nay all these in one, like an absolute pearl, that contains all beauties in itself, no Martion will deny goodness, where he yields a Godhead, we have therefore said enough for proof, when we have once said what goodness is, and how it is affirmed of God. For the first, Goodness is the perfection of things, for which they are , perfection imports freedom from all defects, and fullness of all excellencies, and is chiefly seen in the being, working, end of things; that which hath the noblest being, and therefore end, and therefore operations, is ever best and most : Desire is the reaching of the Soul after that that likes us, because it is like us: Now the All-sufficient God is his own Being, his own Act, or rule in Action, Bonum onmis boni. Aug. de Trinit. li. 8. yea he is the Author of all good, and end, & desire (in natural respects) and therefore the perfection of all, and all perfection and goodness. For the second, God is, first, essentially good, good without goodness, (saith Austin). Creatures be good, but not goodness; their nature is good, but goodness is not their nature, but the nature and substance of God (saith the Christian Philosopher) is goodness, nature and goodness differ not in him, but only in a respect. Secondly, causally good; v. Aqui. quast. de bon●. not as the form of particular goods, but as the worker of all; the end, that terminates and perfects all. Thirdly, (which follows upon the former) eminently good: first, in Order, Nature, Worth; and lastly, originally, and absolutely the only good. This Doctrine calls more for practise then proof, because as in nature, so here, the sweetest things are most abused, and being abused, prove most dangerous. God is good, let us put it to a good use; Use first, for Humbling, see what we were once, good: for of goodness, can come nothing but goodness; secondly What we are now by nature, bad; for first, we are sunk as fare from God as Hell is from heaven; he is holy, we profane, he wise, we foolish, he true, we false, he good, we naught. Secondly from this disproportion grows hatred of God's holiness, in his word, worship, people, presence, every way. Thirdly, from this hatred springs love to his Enemies, the World, Flesh▪ Satan. Fourthly from this love a listening to what flesh shall propound, and Satan suggest, and thence a capacity and possibility of being monstrous in life, and blasphemous to the death. Oh what a piece of ground is man's heart now become wherein no spiritualness thrives, unless Power itself plant it? wherein, Pride, Murder, Whoredom, Sodomy, Blasphemy, Atheism, either doth or soon may seed? this cursed nature, this renders us as odious, as goodness doth amiable, and this must be seen, if ever we will be saved. Now the glass that detects badness is God's goodness, by his nature and works we see ours, as by the sun we see motes, and filth by light; but God is a light too strong for our sense; Strato. apud justin. lib. 18. True, therefore we must with him (in the story) look for the Sun in the West, not in the East: behold the Lord, as he is reflected and refracted, first in the glass of his creatures, and his works, Secondly, in the face of his dearest Son, so we shall see (at one view) unspeakable beauty, and deformity; that in God, this in us: so way and overture will be made for that first, second, and third of Christianity, true humility: Aug. Epist. so God's goodness will be admired; man's wickedness abhorred all the errors of the times, and incongruities of action will be soon resolved into their first principle, estrangement from, and distrust in this goodness of God. Secondly, see what we should be, good, goodness is even admirable, Plut. and therefore (saith the Philosopher) imitable. Now the 119. Psal. vers. 68 tells us, that God is good, and duth good, and he is our Copy and rule. First therefore we must be good, and then do good. first the sap must be good, and then the fruit; for as things be, so they work; the effusion of the sap (the first act of our conversion) is God's act, our will prevents it not, but follows it. The second act (of fructifying) is ours, under God: for when God hath tuned and doth touch us, we do move, and whilst the spirit imbreathes us, we turn about like the Mill: in neither we must be wanting to ourselves, but concur, in this as agents, in that as patients, and as our liberty (in external acts) is still some, so must our endeavours be answerable. Quoad externam disciplinam, as to come to Church, to hear, etc. First we must have the patience to hear (what soever wanton wits may talk of the wills virginity or other exemptions of the higher faculties) that in our flesh dwells no spiritual goodness, all our goodness dwells out of ourselves in Christ. Secondly, that it is Gods own hand, that slends us from the first, and sets us in the second Adam. And thirdly that he doth this by his own means, & therefore we must tender ourselves to his means, waiting till he (who speaks in working, and works in speaking) shall please to speak life into the Soul, by the ear. Thus are we made trees, Esay 55.3. being such, we must in the second place, bear: and here lies our business, our errand hither, is not to please or preach man, but to call for fruit Mat. 21.34. you are trees in God's vineyard, well planted, fenced, husbanded, what is your fruit? your Land is good, your Law is good, your City good, your Sermons good, what be you? Is your truite none? Hear our blessed Saviour, every Tree, every Man, House, City, Nation, Math. 7.19. that bears not fruit, is for the fire: Is 18. your fruit bad? Hear again, a good Tree can not bring forth bad fruit, and the ground that brings forth briers after showers must be burnt. Heb. 6.8. You have received the rain of Heaven, and must be as the rain and dew, Mic. 5.7. else the curse is near. Is your goodness only Moral? hear your Saviour, Every branch that bears not fruit in me, he takes away. joh. 15.2. Your works must be the works of God, wrought from God, for God, in God, according to God, else they are but shining sins. Is your goodness spiritual? hear again, unless a man abide in me he is cast out, cast into the fire and burnt, john 15.6. Behold, if an other should cry fire, fire, fire, thus in your streets, you would be all awakened; our blessed Saviour cries fire, if your fruit be none, fire, if bad, fire, if not spiritual, fire, if not lasting. Oh be afraid of this consuming fire, and as you hear the words, so do the works of God. Religion, (we must know) is not a name, goodness a word, it is active like fire, communicative like light, as the life of things stands in goodness, so the life of goodness in action. The chiefest goods are most active, the best good a mere Act, & the more good we do, the more godlike and excellent we be; what is the excellency of meats? goodness, what of wines? goodness, what of grounds? goodness, what of all? goodness: what is man's comfort in life? what in death? what after? whatever? goodness. This is the man, Eccle. 12. the whole man, no crown to this in life, no comfort to this in death, no tomb to this after death, no gain to this in the day of accounts. Well done good servant, enter into thy master's joy. Glory, and honour, and peace, is to every worker of goodness, Rom. 2. whether jew or Gentile, bond or free, rich or poor, wise or simple, weak or strong; if a worker of righteousness, he is accepted, assisted, rewarded, therefore work. Now as you must be pressed to, Tit. 3. 1. and rich in every good work, so chiefly in the best, for kind or use, that is, good spiritual, and common, for the first, as spiritual gifts, so acts are most . Man never life's till the life of God live in him, and all that he doth be either a spiritual act, or (at least) spiritually acted, Zach. 14. holiness must be written (Zacharie tells us) upon our bridles, when we war; upon our cups, when we drink: In short, the kingdom of God, must first be sought and set up in us and ours; and, what we may, advanced among others, in the means of it and maintenance for it. And here the rich may join in one both these goods (spiritual and common) some Churches (you see) want men, some men Churches and means, I blush, I bleed to speak it, able men are ready to hire out themselves for bread, and excellent wits hang the head, for want of watering, gasping like fishes out of the water, being out of all, both means and hopes; if there be any true blood yet running in your veins, you that can feed Birds and Dogs, starve not Grace and Learning. Children might be Scholars, Obad. last verse. Scholars Preachers, Preachers Saviour's, and that of Thousands did not dogs eat the children's bread. Secondly, you must aim at the common good, for that is still the greatest good; and here two rules, first, if you will be for the public, you must be good in private: bear your own fruit, Psal. 1. work in your own hines, man your own oars, and make good your own standing. Happy is that body, wherein the eye sees, the ear hears, the liver sanguifies etc. Happy that house, wherein the Master rules, the man runs, the head leads, and the body follows; Happy that State, wherein the Cobbler meddles with his last, the Tradesman with his shop, the Student with his book, the Counsellor with State, the Prince with the Sceptre, and each Creature life's in his own Element; but woe be to the Heathens army, when all will be Captains, and none Soldiers, woe to that body that will be all head; members misplaced are neither for use nor ease. Secondly, we must shoot at the common white, that is, though you be private in your standings, yet you must be public in your affections, and intendments. For the first; Richard 1. as King Richard bestowed himself diversely, at his death, so must we in life; Bohemia claims a part in our love, the Palatinate a part, the Churches abroad, our Brethren at home, a part: at home, in selling we must be buyers, in lending borrowers, in visiting patients, in comforting mourners; abroad, we must in our own peace consider their wars, feel them panting, see them bleeding, hear them scriching; O husband, O wife, O my child, my child, O mother, mother, mother, my father is slain, my brother is torn, my leg is off, my guts be out, half dead, half alive, worse than either, because neither. O that we had hearts to bleed over them, and to pray for the peace of jerusalem. For the second, our thoughts must all meet in the common good, like so many lines in a Centre, streams in the Sea; Christ jesus pleased not himself saith Saint Paul, he died for us, saith Saint john, therefore we must for our brethren; one member will die for all, one heathen for many; if we must die for the common good, must we not live to it? If all must, must not the more public person? Yes you Lawyers (to Instance) must be common blessings, and not seek your own, you must (with Papinian) reject bad causes, and ripen good, there goes but a pair of Sheares between a protracting Lawyer and cheating Mountebank, that sets his Client backward and forward like a man at Chess, and proves a butcher to the silly sheep, which ran to him from the Grazier. You Landlords must be common too, v. Grin Epist. ad Synopsin Hist. bominis. if with that Duke you will trust your Tenants with your throat, you must not hurt theirs, you are heads of Towns, the head should care for the least toe, enclosure if it wound not the heart, yet treads it heavy on the toes of a State; force not men by wracking rents, by over laying Commons, and picking quarrels to undo themselves, betray not Towns as Rome did Carthage with a distinction, we will save the Cittic, but destroy the Town: a poor man in his house is like a Snail in his shell, crush that, and you kill him, say therefore with thyself, my Tenant is a man, not a beast, were he a beast, yet a righteous man is merciful to his beast, a breeding Bird must not have her nest destroyed, a young kidd must not be sod in his mother's milk, what will become of me and mine, if I destroy the nest of breeding Christians, and having chopped them to the pot, Mich. 3.3. seethe old and young in one another's blood? You Patroness must be for the common good also, prefer many souls to one tenth, when you be to choose a Shepherd; let the question be that of theirs in the Gospel, who is worthy? and the decision, detur digniori; when you present, present not a Prometheus sacrifice, skin and bone without flesh; when you have presented, Zach 5.4. fear Zacharies' curse against perjury and sacrilege, if perjury dwell in the Parsonage, and robbery in the Manor, the curse of God will pull down both. Lastly, when you have a Prophet, be you Patroness, study his peace, as he doth yours, what Law it may be, after vows to inquire I do not know, sure I am, Solomon saith, it is destruction, destruction of some estates, of many souls; whilst the nurse wants bread the children want milk, so both cry and both are heard, and woe be to him that hath a cry of Souls against him. Nobles, I know not whether they frequent this place or not, if so, I would entreat them to remember, what the Story saith of some men, that they are Medicinable from top to toe, Plin. li. 28. c. 3. and such should they be. First, they should heal themselves, because their actions are all exemplary; then their families, by establishing Nebuchadnezzars order, Dan. 3.29. that no man speak (much less do) any thing amiss against the God of Heaven; thirdly, the oppressed and wounded; they should rescue the poor, as did noble job; plead for them, ride for them, speak to Majesty itself for them, where poverty hath not access. So shall they be common blessings, Filij herôum noxae. and prevent the censure of former Ages. We close this Use with Magistrates and justices (Itinerant, or others); Rom. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saint Paul tells them their errand; it is the common good, and chalks out their way; they must be terrors and comforts: first, terrors to the evil, else evil-doers will be a terror to them, for sin is impudent and encroaching, as experience hath taught us: bribery will be sometimes bolder than innocency, falsehood then truth; a man that doth more than deliberate of Rebellion (which yet a Tacitus could call Rebellion), Lib. 2. Histor. he will embark himself in actions of State, embroil Kingdoms, transfer, for his public good, v. Carer. l. 2. ae potesst. Ro: Pont. c. 19 any Crown, speak most basely of anointed Princes, and yet such a man as this will be, near hand, heard as loud from the Bar, as justice from the Bench; a Gentleman-swearer, drunkard, whoremaster, stabber, will soon outstare a justice, an Alderman; and a Nobleman's man's man will so amaze justice (if she take not the more heart) that she is left speechless a long time after. O job, Phineas, Nehemiah, etc. what's become of your spirit? You would drive sin and sinners into their holes; now they dare the light, and stare justice in the face, as if they would outface her: arise (ye living Images of God) cloth yourselves with zeal as with a cloak, put on justice as a garment, understand, that there is a King in Israel, a God in heaven; and make sin understand, that you have zeal in your hearts, and a sword in your hands. Secondly, You must be incouragers of goodness; goodness (I say) both spiritual and moral, religion, and righteousness; for Religion, where is zeal comely, if not there? when, if not now, when false zeal blazeth, and true cools? View a zealous Papist (in that name and respect, better than a mere Neuter) and he dares tell us to our heads, that our Religion is error, ourselves heretics, our end destruction; that one Heaven cannot hold us hereafter, one Church now, that living and dying Lutherans, Cam. ca 10. Barrel. Paraen. Brist. Mot. 36. Coster res●ad Ruf. Luc. Osiand: etc. we shall be certainly damned; if we be not, he will be damned for us: Now if our Faith stand upon better pillars than his, why should not we be as resolute and confident as he? View again the Atheist, and he flieth upon Religion, as a Bird upon the Candle; he disgraces it, and will not you then grace it? He smites it, and will not you defend it? Yes, Religion calls in your sword to her succour, chiefly when she is opposed in her Prophets, they are the men of sorrows; Rerun Vocabula amisimus & Sallust. they find the Historian true, that we have lost the names again the Atheist, of things: Darkness is called light, light darkness; the Shepherd is hunted, and the Fox hunts him: Many a man cries out of blasphemy against God and the King, and the blasphemy is but this; Naboth will not part with a piece of his Fleece; many a fearful Bill is framed against a Preacher, when the indictment should run thus; Bonus vir, sed ideo malus, quia Christianus, Tertull: Apolloget. at lest Christinuncius. My Fathers, and reverend judges, open your mouths in the cause of the afflicted; remember, that you own your Hoods, Gowns, Lives, selves to the Gospel; did not our Ministry awe men's Consciences, nor you, nor the world would be one year elder; should you cease to countenance us in our righteous causes, you should betray your right hand with the left. Now as Religion brings the greatest good, and therefore must be most respected; so justice the next, and therefore must be carefully administered. And here we shall not need to mind you of the Orators dust, or the Heathens note, Tac: l. 15. Annal. How that many more offend by seeking favour, then offending; it shall suffice to refer your wisdoms to two Scriptures in job; the first, Chap. 15.34. is Chap. 15. vers. 34 and it's this; Fire shall consume the Tabernacles of Bribery: if Bribery (however disguised) get into the house, whether by the master or mistress, or son, or servant God will fire it out, or fire the house over it. The second, is Chap. 13. vers. 10. Chap. 13.10. He will surely reprove you, if you secretly accept persons. Carry it never so smoothly, yet if underhand, you prefer a Laic to a Churchman, a Lord to a Ploughman, a kinsman to a stranger, a Courtier to a peasant, and take away the righteousness of the innocent, God will certainly reprove you, chide, smite, curse you for it, and so set it on, as no man shall be able to take it off; that God that will not suffer you to be partial for the poor, job 13. for himself, will never brook other warpings, and partialities: Oh, then look upward, peruse your Oath, deal equally between party and party, plea and plea; and if you will needs hear any in private, hear the poor man speak, whose counsel dares not speak (sometimes) in public; and if you will hasten any hence, hasten him who languisheth, whilst head and body stand a hundred miles asunder. And when you ride circuit, I beseech you remember, that you ride circuit, not post, take time to hear poor men's grievances yourselves, lest in a Reference, you leave the Hare in the Hunts-mans-hands, and the Commissioner deputed, umpire the matter, as once they did at Rome, The Aedeates & Aricini, etc. between Neighbours; the ground is neither the Plaintiffs nor Defendants, it is the judges. To wind up all, nor you, nor we of the Ministry (to whom I had more to say if the place suited) nor any present, have done the good we should; let us say for the time past, That we have been unprofitable servants; and henceforward, resolve with the Church, of old; Nos non cloquimur magnased vivimus. Not to talk, but to live. The main dispatched, we would speak the rest, if we could, with one breath. Is God good? Then love him; v. Minut. in Octau. for, Goodness is the object of love: now love is a desire of union, it unites us to God, by conforming and transforming us, so that than our love shall appear to be true, when out of a desire to be made one with God, we conform to his ordinances, and be transformed into his image. Again, is God good? then let him be justified, and every mouth stopped; we instance. As B●llar: and Wright, and others charge us. First, sins are committed; Do me make God a cause of it? What as much as man? What more than man? What more than Satan? O blasphemy! O impudency! Did it ever come into any of our hearts so to think? No, no, we yield that sin cannot comport with a glorified estate, much less with glory itself: We hold, that God being goodness itself, and All-sufficiency, cannot be a cause, either moral or Physical, of that which is (formally) nothing but deficiency; and if our own words may not be taken in our own cause, let some consult SVAREZ, v. Suar: Opus. v. Arm: Thes. Vorst: Apol: Pro eccl. Orthod. and their own Schools; others their Arminius, and Verstius, and then tell us, what we say more than they, or they less than we (for substance) about the cause of sin. Secondly, the world (Christian) is embroiled, yet God is good; in this Confusion he seethe order, and in this doublefaced world, the side to God-ward is beautiful, when that to-us-ward is deformed. Thirdly, Disputes arise, touching Reprobation, which trench fare upon God's rights; say still, he is good, all that he decrees and does is of himself, and for himself, and therefore best, because from, and for the best. Lastly, Discontents arise; say still, God is good; the times are hard, yet he is good; men are nought, yet he is good; we have our wants; yet he is good to us, and where can we mend ourselves? Were we in France, in Bohemia, in Polonia; nay, were we not Christians but Heathens, not men but beasts, not beasts, but ghosts in hell, 'ttwere duty to say, God is good (for where power, justice, wisdom are, there goodness is) and if goodness must be acknowledged there, must it not in England, the face of Europe; in London, the eye of England? Behold, the Creatures refreshed with GOD'S goodness triumph; the Fields laugh; the Corn sings; the Birds chirp; Plut. of tranq. of mind. the Beasts skip; yea, (saith the Heathen) we love to hear them sing, not howl, not roar, not bellow; and shall we (in the midst of their rejoicing) whine and cry? Doubtless, what ever the times be, or our estates be, God is good; and goodness is excellent, and excellency challengeth honour, therefore do the LORD right. How ever it be (saith the Prophet) God is good to Israel; Psal. 73.1. Let the Israel of God taste it, relish it, confess it, Psal. 34. live in the strength of it, die in the sense of it, and ever continue in the fear of Goodness, as Hosea speaks, Cap. 3. vlt. Thus fare of Goodness. ❧ Gods Mercy. NOw follows the second; Mercy. Where, first, the thing: secondly, the adjunct. For the first, though (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) be somewhat General, yet our Translation is justified by our Saviour, Math. 9.13. who renders it (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) secondly, by our Prophet, who severs it from goodness; this being a general Mercy, that a particular Goodness, respecting misery and want. For the second, 'tis Everlasting; everlastingness (or eternity) is a perfect possession all at once of an endless life (saith Both:) Everlasting Mercy than is perfect Mercy, De Consola. which shuts out all the imperfections of time, beginning, end, succession, and such is God's mercy. First, his Essential mercy is everlastingness itself; for it is himself, and God hath not, but is, things; he is beginning, end, being, and that which is of himself, and ever himself, is eternity itself: secondly, his Relative mercy (which respects us, and makes impression on us) is everlasting too, in a sense; for the Creatures, ever since they had being in him or existence in their natural causes, did ever and ever well need Mercy, either preserving or conserving. Mercy in the first sense, is Negatively endless, that is, uncapable of end, because unboundable for being: in the second sense, it is Privatively endless, it shall never actually take end, though in itself it may, and some ways is bounded; the first is included in the latter, but the latter chiefly here intended; and therefore the Point arises to be this▪ Doct. 2 God's mercy (chief to his Church) is an endless Mercy, it knows no end, receives no interruption. Reas. Reason's hereof from the Word are these, (for as touching testimony this Psalm shall be our security) first, from God's nature; he is good. Mercy pleases him. Mic. 7.18. First, it is no trouble for him to exercise mercy: secondly, It is his delight; we are never weary of receiving, therefore he cannot be of giving; for, as it is a more blessed thing to give then to receive; so, God takes more content in that, than we in this. Secondly, from his unchangeable word and covenant, thus saith the Lord, though the Mountains should remove, &c: and though my Covenant with the Heavens should fail, yet not this. Esay. Thirdly, From our need; Every Creature is compounded of perfection and imperfection: the first, is the ground, the second is the Object of Mercy; for the first, that which moves to mercy is propriety, therefore we pity man, because he is our own flesh, Esa. 58.7. therefore a Christian man, because we be in the body. Heb. 13.2. Amat nos tanquam aliquid sui, Aquinas. We pity still our own, and therefore God shows mercy to us, because he hath an interest in us, and we be his own, either as creatures, or children, and so concur with him in some degree of perfection: for the second; the Object of Mercy, v. Aqui: secunda secundae q. 30. etc. is not misery, unless in (the Schoolemans' sense, that is) a general sense, but defectiveness; for whatsoever hath not all things in, of, by itself, stands ever at the mercy of another; and in these circumstances stands every Creature, As compounded ex ente & non ente. he partly is and is not, and therefore needs, and therefore receives mercy from God, where he intends its perpetuity. Uses. 1 Now, is God's mercy thus Endless? then (to say nothing of those uncouth disputes, touching that Apocryphal invocation of Saints, De vener: sanctorum. as Eccius acknowledgeth it touching excision and intercision of grace, the precedency of some Creatures above Christ, in point of Mercy, and other the like monsters of opinion and blasphemy) Let us learn of the Church, to dwell upon the mercies of God; here a man may let out himself without danger; God offers more mercy to our eyes then we can see; to our thoughts, than we can conceive; and when we have done all, he is above all praises: Neh. 9 hereby our hearts will be won to God; power without mercy, amazes, wisdom confounds, justice affrights, but mercy seen in all (as in this Psalm) unites and melts, here is daily employment, for he jades us daily with blessings, and his mercies are fresh every morning; we provoke him, Lam. 3. and he is patiented; we put him to it, and he is clement; we be empty, and he is bountiful; we be miserable, and he is pitiful, good to our bodies, souls, estates, names, friends, towns, Church, State, Court, Kingdom: Oh, let these Mercies soak into our hearts, till they draw forth tears, as they did from Bradford; Let the house of Levi say, his Mercy endures for ever; Let the house of judah say, his Mercy endures for ever; Let the fields say, it is his mercy that we be not all spoilt; led; Let our Cities say, it is his mercy that we be not all burnt; Let our Churches say, it is his mercy that we be not all razed, yea, let this Land (of all Lands) say, it is his mercy that sword and fire and pestilence, and other miseries, do not pray upon me, as upon my Sister-kingdoms; O Lord, who is a God like to thee? thus to bear thus to bless; had not thy Mercies exceeded all limits, our sins ere this had sunk us all. Is God ever merciful? Then the Argument is ever good, joel 2. jona 3. etc. Rom. 2. Turn to the Lord say the Prophets, repent says the Apostle, this the use, that Mercy must be put to, the better God hath been to us, the more we must bleed under his reproofs; O my people says God Mich. 6.3.— 6. etc. he spoke it once to judah, now to England, O my people, what is the matter that I cannot win you? Wherein have I wronged your Names that you tear mine? When did I grieve you that you grieve me? when was I hard to you, that you so hardly afford me one day in seven? What ails you, what ails you, that you will not be ruled by me? I would have you leave your sins, you will not; I would have you holy, happy, you will not, I would have a Covenant of Salt betwixt us, that I might never leave you, you will not; no words, no strokes, no fights abroad, no love, no kindness, no patience at home can melt you. O that yet, yet, yet we of this land would meet the Lord and make our peace with him, whilst peace is in our gates. Now what the whole Land in general, that this Chamber in particular must do, I will suppose your Government, yourselves present, to be good, but what shall we say of many in the City? I must turn to Ezek. 22. and speak that to our jerusalem, which the Prophet there doth to his London. In thee are they that make Idols, v. 3.4 7 etc. in thee they shed blood, in thee they set light by Father and Mother, in thee they oppress, in thee they despise my Holiness, and profane my sabbaths, in thee they carry tales, they eate upon the Mountains, in thee they commit Whoredom and abominable filthiness, in thee they take bribes and usury, in thee thy Rulers take dishonest gain, thy Priests hide their Eyes from my sabbaths, thy Prophets daub with vntempered Mortar, thy people (generally) vex, oppress, rob, and wrong one another; thus the Prophet then: now I report myself to you, whether a Prophet may not still take up his words against this place, & if so, then hear what the Lord further adds I sought for a man among them that should stand in the gap for the Land. O unspeakable Patience and Mercy, when they sought not God, God sought them, when the most were desperate, he sought for some few to stand in the breach, and a few should have ransomed multitudes. Now then (Much honoured and beloved) are there any men amidst you? any that can weep for the Abominations of the place? that can pray, and wrestle with heaven? Let these stand in the gap, Let these stand between the living and the dead with their Censers, Let them lie betwizt the Porch and the Altar, and say, O thou God of Mercies spare our City, our houses, our Churches, our streets, and be Merciful to our sins, for they are great. And what I say to all, I speak to every one now present, turn: Ho thou that hast been an Idolater, a Swearer, an Adulterer, a Wanton, a Murderer &c: Make this use of God's patience and kindness to thee, to wit, Repent. O but my sins are many? yea, but his mercies are more; O but they are great? his mercies are greater; O but I am exceeding bad; how bad? as Manasses? he had mercy for him; as Magdalen? he had mercy for her; as Adam? he had mercy for him; o but it is now too late, all his mercy is spent; no, his mercy endureth for ever. Beloved, the Lord hath sent this day the chief of Sinners to proclaim thus much in your ears, that never yet any perished for want of mercy in God; be it that thy sins be sins of darkness, sins of death, of blood, of hell, yet if thou canst find a heart to repent, God will find in his heart to pardon, see thou thy sins, confess, bewail, abhor, forsake them, seek thou the face of God, lie at his foot, Call, Cry, Lord be merciful to me a sinner: get his Son, his Image, and new Obedience, and thy case is blessed, nay if thou canst not thus repent, yet thirst, Math. 5. nay if thou canst not thirst, yet mourn, nay if thou canst not mourn, yet be poor in spirit, and being so in truth, the blessing is thine, and the blood of jesus Christ shall cleanse thee from all, all, (I say again) all thy sins. Is God ever merciful? then be ye merciful, as is your heavenly Father, Math. 5. nay he doth not only practise mercy but also commands it, nay commends it, nay rewards it, nay, plagues the neglect of it, even to utter destruction; your Elder brother Christ is also merciful, and interprets every kindness done to his done to himself, beside, Mercy graces Religion, glads the Church, fills her mouth with God's praises, stops the mouth of all adversaries, yea mercy preserves the afflicted, and refresheth the bowels; for Strangers, it wins upon them in point of Religion, for thyself, it comforts thy Soul as an evidence of thy truth, easeth thy body, being a lighter burden than what else will oppress, (fierceness and cruelty) crownes thy name, being that grace that exempts from persecution, Cypt. de op: & elecmos. and is most attractive, improves thine estate, sanctifieth thy present portion to thyself, and settles the remainder upon thy posterity; arms thee against sickness and death Psal. 41. etc. against oblivion in the grave, Acts 9 v. 39 against judgement at the resurrection, james 2. v. 13. Mat. 25. so that if we either respect our Father, God, or our Saviour, Christ, or our Mother the Church, or our brethren, Christians, or our observers, Enemies, or our own selves and souls, here or hereafter, we must be merciful. If you ask me, how this mercy must be exercised? I must (in this haste) refer Scholars to the Casuists, and the rest of you to other Authors, for a fuller answer, the sum is this: Mercy must have, first a good root, Faith in God, Love to God and man: Secondly, a good end, God's glory, in man's good and our thankes, not merit, not satisfaction, not impetration, as they. Thirdly, a good rule, the word must order us, both for persons and things, for persons, we must begin with God, and with the Macedonians give ourselves to him. 2. Cor. 8. v. 5. that done, we must proceed to the Common State, then to those next, that touch us nearest in the strongests ties; and so pass on till (like good stomaches) we have dealt something to the most removed members. For things, respect must be had to the Soul first, then to the Name, then to the body, then to the estate: Fourthly our Alms must be good for the matter of it, first, in itself being wholesome and our own, next for the receiver, being suited to his needs, (for the purpose) comfort, if tempted, Counsel, if distracted, succour, if oppressed, clothes if naked, either work or a whip, if Idle. Would you know (in the third place) what mercy you must show? I answer such a mercy as God shows, first universal mercy, to men's souls; bodies, estates, and (that which the worlds is little acquainted with) specially towards Rulers, mercy to men's Names. Secondly, Everlasting mercy, the righteous (saith David) is ever giving, lending etc. Alas Mercy breaks now as fast as trading, fair houses be shut in, mercy is run the Country, and is like to perish, for it will hardly line without a house; where a poor house is kept, there is something for mercy to feed and work upon, some rags, some scraps, some fuel, some thing; but when (Midas-like) all we touch is gold, our bread gold, our fuel gold, all turned into the penny, I mean so, that we cannot give, till we have passed through three or four Locks, and scene and felt our alms, then certainly we shall part with it most unwillingly. The housekeeper (if he want not an heart (hath opportunities more than any, for the exercising of mercy; be not ye weary of this well doing, the World (I know) is importunate in Comparisons, and impudent in pressures upon the free hearted, but do you your duties, and fear not Swine that are well neither full nor fasting. Now as Housekeepers, so others in their places must be ever merciful; all ever receive mercy, Let all ever show; all have opportunities, let all apprehend them; the poor (saith our blessed Saviour) are ever with you, if ever, now. Mercy needs not ride abroad to seek work in these days step but into thy Neighbour's house, and thou shalt find poverty in the Chimney, in the Cupboard, leanness sitting on the Cheeks, and cleaving to the ribs of old and young. O but we have not for them? Why where's the want? your houses be as trim, as ever, your Children as fine, your Tables as full, your wastefulness as much as ever, and can you be ever near, nay ever prodigal, and not ever merciful? What's become of Religion now? Is all turned into words, as once in Saint james his time? Time was when Christians would sell their plate Chalices, their Robes and jewels, their Lands and possessions to relieve the Church's necessity, and shall not we part with superfluities? tell me (you that read Saint john) how you satisfy his question, and your own Consciences? 1. john 3.17. if any Man hath these world's goods, and sees his Brother there want etc. how dwells the love of God in him? Will you say, we have not this World's goods? Then dissemble not, now ye stand in a cross point to good Araunah, he spent like a Subject, gave like a King; 2. Sam. 24.23 you build fair, go like Princes, and will you give like Bankrupts? Nay your Taverns, your Feasts, and Plays, will rise up against you: you have means to feast the Rich, and do not you remember Christ's Caviar, Mercy before kindness? You have a pint of wine for any Friend, and not a penny for Christ? you can find a Tester for some game, some show, some stage Play, and what, nothing for Mercy? Or will yond say we see no need? Why, what else can you see? Men want stock, want bread, want work, want money, and when that is dear, nothing is cheap, and is not here need? but there is no extremity? Woe is me, there be many at her stay, I have a little meal and oil in a Cruyce, 1. Reg. 17.12. I will bake, eat, die, they are now sinking, sinking, if you come not quickly to their succour, they are loft, is not this an extremity? But where be means? find you hearts, I will yet find means. First, the Back may lend you something, your golden fingers might some, and be never the Colder, your great Ruffs might feed others, and be never the unhandsomer, the Groves and Grounds upon your backs (as Tertullian speaks) might lodge others, De habit: mul: & li. de cult. Faem. and yet sit never the worse upon your own and children's backs. Secondly, the Belly might spare you something with advantage to your health, and strength, one meal saved in a week, one dish at a meal, one cup of wine, one pipe of Tobacco in a day would come to something in the year. I quake to think what Christians we be, some surfeit, some starve, all at once; rather than we will not pine the poor, we will cram and choke ourselves. Thirdly, our Houses might lend us something, for howsoever (with them of old) we feed, as if we would die presently, yet we build as if we would live for ever: It is a world to see how curious we be in suiting every Room, whilst the members of Christ go not like one Father's children, nay it is not necessary they should be all in a Suit, only if Christ may be heard, he that hath two coats, should give one to the naked. Fourthly, borrow of our Enemy Sin, and here if you will not hold, I know not what to say, but that, the Heathen saith, Senec. he is a bad Physician that despairs of his cure; we have money for brawls, for bribes, for the feeding of pride, revenge, ambition, lust, and shall we feed foes, & starve friends? let me speak it once for all, had we as much zeal to mercy, as to sin, to men, as to birds and monkeys, to Christians and Preachers, as to Clawbacks, jesters, Fiddlers, Fools, we would find means to relieve them; means for the present, but how shall our own do hereafter? Why, is not mercy as sure a grain as vanity? Is God like to break? saith not he, He that gives to the poor, lends to the Lord, and he will pay him? I have nothing to spare; thou hast for thy friends, for God's Enemies, Pride, Vanity, if none for Christ; receive thy doom, He that stops has ear at the cry of the Poor etc. Pro 21.13. james 2.13. judgement without mercy, to him that shown no mercy, depart from me ye cursed, you had meat, drink, cloth, houseroom, for sinful men, horses, dogs, carts, none for me. But the poor be as sine as myself? I pray thee, be said with reason; if others be not sit to receive, thou art not tied to give; If thou be fit to give, and they to receive, dispute no longer, rather hear the Apostle, Put on the bowels of mercy, Col. 3.12. verse 5. and to that end take his directions, first slay unmortified lusts, next steep thy thoughts in the Mercies of God, and they will dye thine, Ephe. 318.19. as the dye-fart doth the cloth, that done, be rich in faith and good works; first, in the Inwarce acts of mercy, pity the afflicted, bleed with them, mourn with them, thirst their good, cast their good. Secondly, In outward acts of mercy, go to them, sit with them, pray for them, lend them, speak for them, give them, forgive them, and if all thy ability amount but to one cup of cold water it shall be accepted rewarded. Math. 10. Lastly, God is ever merciful, let us then leave the labouring Church in his everlasting arms as Moses speaks. Deut. 33.27. Let's recommend our Israel to him, whose mercy hath prevented and will preserve us, if we constantly fly unto him, and let every one that is capable of mercy, being Fatherless, that hath obtained mercy, Hos. 14.3 being Penitent, and Merciful, stay himself here: The Mercy of God endureth for ever, my strength may fail, my estate may, my friends may, my outward comforts, my inward feelings may, but the Mercies of God never fail, all miseries have an end, God's Mercy (which is my Mercy) is endless, is boundless: It endures for ever. (⸫) FINIS.