Gods Goodness and Mercy Laid Open, Title page – To the reader
GODS GOODNES AND MERCY.
LAYD OPEN IN A SERMON, PREACHED AT PAVLS-CROSSE ON THE LAST OF IƲNE. 1622.
BY Mr ROBERT HARRIS, Paſtour of the Church of GOD at HANVVELL in Oxfordſhire.
GAL. 6.10.
As we hauehave therefore opportunitie, let vsus doe good to all men, eſpecially to them that are of the houſhold of Faith.
LONDON Printed by IOHN DAVVSON for IOHN BARTLET, and are to be ſold at the Guilt Cup in the Gold-ſmiths Row in Cheap-ſide.
1622.
TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL, Sir BAPTIST HICKS, Iuſtice of Peace in Middleſex, Grace and Peace.
RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL;
I Should much forget my ſelfe, if (whilſt I preſſe others to Goodneſſe & Mercy) I ſhould forget yours to my natiue Country; Campden in Glouc. ſhyre.there you hauehave done good, (to the houſe of God) not onelyonly in outward buildings and ornaments, M. Lilly.but in ſetling a Preacher, where before was none, and ſuch a one as cannot eaſily be equalled in eminency of gifts: There alſo, you hauehave exerciſed (Mercy) in building ſuch an Almeſ-houſe, as that, I know not what may be added thereto, vnleſſe hereafter, you ſhall ſee cauſe to ſet over the blind and lame, and deafe (who are leſſe able to repaire to, and profit by the publique Miniſtery) a more private Teacher and Catechiſt. Sir, I thanke God, I could never yet the Art of flattery, neither will your Wiſedome (if I know you) brooke the trade. It ſufficeth, that I hauehave in a line or two recommended to others practiſe your example; and conveyed to Poſteritie, my thankfulneſſe, with your bountie. If God make me able, I ſhall (haply) doe it hereafter in a better manner, In the meane, I beſeech you to accept my preſent thankes wrapt vp in a dead Letter, and ſicke Epiſtle, and ſtill continue to louelove his Country, who ſtill reſts
Hanwell in Oxon: ſhire, Iuly 9. 1622. Your WORSHIPS in all thankefulnes and dutie ROBERT HARRIS.
In this Pſalme, we hauehave
1. A dutie, Thankfulnes, deſcribed from its common nature, Confeſsion.
2. Arguments, from the object of our prayſes, God, conſidered
1. In himſelfe.
1. In his ſimple being, Iehovah, verſ. 1.
2. In his ſecond being, viz. his properties, reduced to
1. Graciouſnes
1. Simply good.
2. Reſpectiuely mercifull.
2. Greatneſſe.
1. Power is his. verſ. 2.
2. Dominion is his. v. 3.
2. In his works delivered
1. In generall, they are all wonderfull. verſ. 4.
2. In ſpeciall.
1. Such as concerne the whole world.
Creation in the parts thereof. verſ. 5 6. 7.
Preſervation & government. verſ. 8.9.
2. Such as concerne the Church.
1. In her firſt Plantation verſ. 10-23.
2. In her ſetled eſtate, her bleſſings
Privatiue. v. 23.24.
Poſitiue.
Earthly. verſ. 25.
Spirituall. verſ. 26.
❧ To the Chriſtian Reader.
GENTLE READER;
Vnderſtand, that I was then Summoned to the Croſſe, when I was not in caſe, either to Studie or to ſpeake; the former ſtraight, (when I could not be excuſed) forced me to a familiar and eaſie Text, the later to a briefe and ſhort kind of ſpeech, which carried with it an appearance of that, which I ever ſhund, Affectation and Obſcuritie. It may bee, thine Eye will conceiue mee better then thine Eare, and therefore I yeelde to importunity, and preſent my ſelfe 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 practiſe agrees with my ancient Iudgement; at home, my people neither vnderſtand nor deſire tongues, and humane Authorities, and therefore I am ſparing, on the other ſide, when I fall vponupon an Auditorie that conceiues and receiues both, I vſe both, as I ſee my advantage. All is thine if thou canſt be content, and wilt add conſcience (the ſecond thing) to charity. It grieues my ſoule to ſee the guiſe of many hearers; they deſire novelties: when they hauehave heard, théy iudge the man and his method▪ and then ſit downe, ſeldome practiſing what is preached. Reader be not ſuch an hearer, leſt thou coſen thy ſelfe Iames 1.22. thou here ſeeſt, that if thou be of God, and Gods goodneſſe, and ſpecial mercy ſhall be thine, thou muſt be good, and do good, be mercifull and ſhew merciemercy, the times require this, the Lord expects this, our vnthankfulnes and vnfruitfulnes hath welmoſt vndone vsus, if wee, who hauehave more peace in the State, more preaching in the Church, then any other knowne Nation vnderunder Heauen, be not more fruitful and aboundant in goodnes, then other people, our light wilbe turnd into darknes, our Sunne into blood: what ſhall I ſay? or to whom ſhall I turne my ſelfe? we cal til we are hoarſe, we ſpeake till we ſpit forth our lungs, yet will not the Sonnes of Men heare vsus, they wil not heare, I ſay (with teares) they will not heare, we can doe no good: O Lord perſwade Iaphet for we can not, and be mercifull to this barren Countrey: Reader I leaue thee, adding to the Martyrs, Fox his Martyrol. &c.pray, pray, pray, worke, worke, worke.
Thine in the Lord, RO. HARRIS.