Sermon f. had beene evill with us. Mercie it was, Iuffice it was not. Forthen, our owne-good defercs might procure ir, as due to them; and fo we come about againe, ro finde the 6rll: caufe in our fe ve~,becau(e we were this .or rhar. All commeth to one: if it were our ownefore·Jight, 1t was not GQdlandtftt wereourownemem,~twas nor Hce neither. . . . But for this, I appealetoour felvcs. For(! venly thmke) tf we would but call 10 mind;(and here now, I would, tlut every man would tall to minde) in what cafe be was for his fouk tOGod-ward, at that very time; whether in ftare of{znneordf urace; Sure, ifwe did but rerurne to our hearts, and there (as'Sa!omon fpeakerh) cog1 Reg.s,,li. ~ofccreqr•ifq~teplagam cordisfui,every manfeele how hisheart beatcs; that heart ofours would loone tell us. Befl:clatme not byJttfltce: Bell:; even confdfe(Wtth femme) It ,v.wGod, and Gods mercie, without more adoe. We were ioconfr<mpti, ifit were but our confuming fins: r. Ifbut ofwhat theri wasand(may I not fay)llill isconfl•medand wafl:ed ~ What huge fummes in fuper– fluiry,riot, ofbelly andbacke,and worfe matters! 2. Our time: ifbmtheconfu– JDin<> ofir, in eafeand idleneffe, and too well-knowne fruits ofthem both. 3· Of the Service ofGod, that is quiteconfumed by mofl: ofus, now: fallen too, but a{er– mm, ifrhat, and how little like a Sermon, weheare it, and leffe (I feare)afrer regard it! 4· OfGods name that runnes wafl:e; and our bleffed S A v I o ull, that is even peecemeale conjitmed in our mouthes, by all manner oatfm and execrations,and that without any need at all. Thefe, with other linncs, that fret like amoth,and creep like "CAnker, to the confreming ofour foules, wee lhould finde :~rhar, as it was our ene~ mies purpofe, we lhould have beene co,fumed; fo it was our deferr, to have beene cmji;med .· and that, it was His mercieone!y, we wcra »dt conjiemed. This is the true caufe, G'o o's mercy. In which, norethefe two :how fidy it anfwereth and meets both with 1 our,·ou– jilming, and ' with us. 1 As the cruelty ofmanwas the caufe, we lhould have beene; Co (full againfl: it) themercieofGod, the caufewewere not. The true caufeof ourfafety, Gods mercy; as ofour deflrutlion, ma?>s cmelty. . :z.. Againe,ro provid~,that being out ofonr con{tei!Jptio»,wc£11l no~ intofrefump~ lrow, and fo pluck a worfqudgemenruponus. Thememeo{Gcd, agamfl: ourdeferr. Ourdefertit was, to have beene: His mercy it was, wervere not. Hisjtljlice, for our de– fens, would have come upon us: It was His mercieturnedHis jt.jice from us, upon them. Hisjufiicewould have fubfcribed the [Hmus: His mercy it wasthat gave the .Non, and frayed it; Glory be tri God, and to His mercie for it. Which mercy ycelderh us three things to be obferved : 1 Then11mber, •the ·na. tr~re, and l theproperty. · . I. ThenNmber: that it is not mifcricordidbut mifericordit; not one, but many 0 His m.,;;,.: even a plurality ofthem: A multitude ofthem, becaufe amultitude ofus; They ma- • Their ••Ill-: ny, becaufewemany :'We many,and our linoes many more, and where fins are mu!- 6 "· uplied,there amultiplicity ofmercies is needfull, Ne forte non{~fficiant nobis & vo- Mar.•H· ~".· lefl: ther.ebe not enough for bothhoufes, and for all three Ejfates in them: For fo ~tt to be wdhcd, there may be a reprefenration ofall His mercies, asrhat Affembly !Sthereprefentation ofall theRealme: rlur fo there may be enough for all. 2. Butthen ofmercy, theear.fehereisfcrdowne; (another cau[e; )bew.fe His zTh<ir ••: Cdmpafionsfaile not : How hangs thistogether~ Thus: the word, which here is rur- '"''· ned ~ompafions, in very deed properly lignifieth the howt!s. Iris to (hew, tlut not me!'ctes, nor a number ofthem at large, from any place or any kinde, would fcrve for thts worke: bur, acertaine fpeciall kinde ofchoice mercies was required; and tho{e arct.hey, that .iffu~ from thebowels: mifericordi<t vi(.:cmm, or vi{ardmifericordi.e ~whtch you will.) You !hall finde them together in fomefpeciall workes of Go o, .uch as, th•s was. Thefe are the choice: for, ofall parrs, thehowcls melt,rdent,yedd,yerne foonefl:. ~onfequently, themerciesfrom them,ofall other,the mol'l:rendcr,and(as I may fay) Mmmm 3 the
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