Mercy in her Beauty, Title page – Dedication
Mercy in her Beauty: OR, THE HEIGHT OF A DELIVERANCE FROM THE DEPTH OF DANGER.
Set forth in the first SERMON Preached upon that Occasion, By NATH: HARDY, Master of Arts, and Preacher to the Parish of S. Dionis Back-Church.
PSAL. 118.17, 18, 19.
I shall not die, but live, and declare the Works of the Lord.
The Lord hath chastened me very sore, but he hath not given me over to death.
Open unto me the gates of righteousnesse, I will goe into them, and I will praise the Lord.
Basil. Mag. Hom. 9.
foreign.
Aug. in Psal. 41.
Quia magis crebra sunt mala, dulcior …rit misericordia tua. Etenim scriptum est quodam loco speciosa misericordia Domini in tempore tribulationis, sicut nubes pluviae in tempore siccitatis.
LONDON, Printed by J. G. for Nath: Web and Will: Grantham, at the Black Beare in St. Paul's Church-yard, neere the little North-Doore. 1653.
Sermons Preached and Printed by Mr Nathanaell Hardy M.A. and Preacher to the Parish of S t Dyonis Back-Church.
JVstice Triumphing, or The Spoilers spoiled: A Sermon preached on the 5th of November in the Cathedrall Church of St Pauls.
The Arraignment of licentious Liberty and oppressing Tyranny, in a Sermon at a Fast before the Lords in Parliament; In the Abbey-Church at Westminster.
Faiths Victory over Nature, A Sermon preached at the Funerals of Mr John Rushout Junior.
The safest Convoy or The strongest Helper, A Valedictory Sermon before the Right Honourable Sr Thomas Bendish Barronet, his Majesties Ambassadour to the grand Seigniour at Constantinople.
A Divine Prospective representing the Just mans peacefull End, A Sermon at the Funerall of the Right Worshipfull Sr John Gayr Knight.
Love and Fear the inseparable Twins of a blest Matrimony, A Sermon occasioned by the Nuptials between Mr William Christmas and Mrs Elizabeth Adams.
Divinity in Mortality, or The Gospels excellency and the Preachers frailty, A Sermon at the Funerals of Mr Richard Goddard Minister of the Parish of St Gregories by Pauls.
Printed, and are to be sold by Nathanaell Webb and William Grantham at the black Bear in St Pauls Church-yard near the little North-door, 1653.
To the Right Worshipfull, Worshipfull, and Wel-beloved, The Inhabitants of the Parish of S. Dionis Back-Church, Health and Wealth, not only in this life, but chiefly in that which is to come.
Worthy Friends,
IT is a full Decade of yeers since I first was called by Divine Providence to begin the work of my Ministry among you: and it is not yet half so many months, since in humane probability both my Ministry and life seemed to be at an end: But the wise and gracious God (in whose hands all our times are) hath mercifully lengthned my dayes (blessed be his name) for the greater good of my own,Psal. 31.15. and (I hope) of your souls.
These Sermons which upon this comfortable occasion I lately preached, were by some of you desired to be made more publique, which I have fulfilled, so much the more willingly, that I might testifie before the world, first, my infinite obligation to Almighty God for so remarkeable a deliverance; and withall my manyfold engagements to a great part of you for your affectionate love, and multiplyed courtesies.
And now (my Dearely Beloved, and longed for in the Lord) give me leave (having this opportunity) to acquaint you with my serious thoughts and earnest desires, and I trust through Gods grace that the transcript of them before your eyes, will helpe to make a deeper impression of them upon your hearts.
And first, I thanke my God through Jesus Christ for your stedfastnesse in the faith, and your mutuall amity, whereby you become exemplary to many parishes in this wavering and contentious age. Oh that not onelyonly you, but all the people of this Land were alike minded, one towards another according to Christ Jesus.Rom. 15.5.
Next, let me in the bowels of our common Saviour beseech you,2 Tim. 4 1. and if this will not prevaile, charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall Judge the quicke and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdome; that as you drinke in the heavenly raine which commeth oft upon you, so you endeavour to bring forth herbes meet for the great husbandman who dresseth you. I beare you record (and that without flattery) you are attentive hearers,Heb. 6.7. oh that you may be all forward doers of the word.Jam. 1.22.
There are some amongst you whose love towards me hath been, not onelyonly in tongue and in word but in deed, and that in a more than ordinary measure.1 Joh. 3.18. But yet, let me freely tell you. There is nothing (if I know my owne heart) would so rejoyce me as to see the fruit of my weake labours, in the holinesse of your lives. Beleeve it, this is the greatest Kindnesse a people can show to their Minister, since whereas by a liberall contribution they adde to his comfortable subsistence upon earth, by a religious conversation, they increase his eternall reward in heaven.
And now Brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace which is able to build you up,Act. 20.32. and to give you an inheritance among them which are sanctified,Rom. 15.30. humbly intreating you to strive together with me in your prayers to God both for me and your selves, that I may so preach and live, you may so heare and doe, as that we may behold each other, and all of us our Redeemer with joy in the last day. So prayeth
Your faithfull servant for Christs sake in the Gospel, NATH: HARDY.