Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n
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A05358
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An excellent and learned treatise of apostasie made by the most reuerend and godly learned man M. Iohn de l'Espine minister of the word of God in the churche of Angers in the dukedome of Anjou. Directed against the apostates in the churches of France. Written first in the French tongue by the author him selfe, and now faithfully translated into English. The contentes of the booke appeare in the page following; Traité de l'apostasie. English.
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L'Espine, Jean de, ca. 1506-1597.
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1587
(1587)
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STC 15511A; ESTC S106904
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98,822
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213
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Apoc. 9.8 by Saint Iohn in the Reuelation Where we may beholde a most notable â—nd ample description of their pompes riotes â—nd all their royall magnificences Apo. 17.4 vnder the figure of the great Whore arayed in purple â—nd scarlet and guilded with gold and pretious â—ones and pearles hauing a cuppe of golde in her hand sull of abhominations and filthines of her fornication And the mortall hatred likewise which they al beare vnto the truth which they caÌ„not abide to be published without woÌ„derfull griefe passion of minde nor without spilling cruelly the blood of the faithfull witnesses of Iesus Christ and that in such aboundance that they and the whole earth are drunken and ouercharged therewith All the world seeth euery daye the attempts and practisâ— which they worke by their Ambassadors whome they sende forth into all quarters like a companie of Furies to shake all the cornerâ— of heauen and earth to stir vp by all meaneâ— they may the great Princes Potentates thaâ— they should hinder their abuses from being descried and that the trueth shoulde not bâ— knowen nor the kingdome of Christ establiâ—shed Seeing then that the Apostates are reâ—turned to the worlde and are gone againe tâ— the campe of Antichrist and doe employe aâ— their fetches and forces to quench the light 〈◊〉 the Gospell and to hinder the aduancement 〈◊〉 the truth may we not iustly say of them thaâ— they are the enemies of Christ For those thaâ— are of his flocke and are his sheepe 〈◊〉 Ioh. 10.3 heare hâ—voice and obey him acknowledging him foâ— their sheepeheard follow him as their lighâ— They are neither afraid nor ashamed to confesse his name publikely by their testimony to confirme the whole doctrine which he hath preached and are not held backe from following of him by the remembrance of the hatred of the world which might be set before their eâ—es of the losse of their goods of the danger of their life of a thousand other incoÌ„modities which doe accompany all those that make a true and right profession of the gospell The Apostates then who wil not beare these burdens nor submite themselues to these condiciâ—ons can not be the disciples of Iesus Christ neither can he receiue them otherwise into his schoole and companie Moreouer did he not say that no man could be his disciple except he were resolued indeede to abide constant and â—table in his doctrine vnto the end those then who for a time haue receiued followed and apâ—roued it tentations comming haue slidde â—acke from it haue they not shewed thereby â—hat it had neuer taken roote in theire heartes that the profession thereof which they made for a tyme was but in shewe and outward apâ—earance onely which action he hath in abhoâ—ination aboue al other things which he doth â—eclare by effectie when departing from Ieruâ—lem Math. 21.19 finding by the citâ—e a figge tree without fruite which had but leaues only cursed it at the same time Neither ought it to be marueiled at if god who is for euer true who loueth a rouÌ„dnes sincerity in al things caÌ„ not suffer long in his house such hypocrites disguised persons without discouering and making them knowen When a branche of the vine is shred of shall we say it is yet of the vine or any member to be yet of the bodie after it is cut of If then the Apostates not staying the censure or iudgement of the Church haue preueÌ„ted it haue excoÌ„municated themselues seâ—uering theÌ„selues of their owne accord not only from the body but also from the head what caÌ„â— they looke or hope for at Iesus Christ his haÌ„dâ— from whom they are altogether separated did they not euedently shewe by that that they were not the plantes which God the Fatheâ— had planted Mat. 15.13 For if they had bene of the number he woulde not haue rooted them vp Ioh. 10. And that likewise they were neuer of the fould oâ— Iesus Christ for who were able to plucke oâ— take them out of his handes by force and also that they were neuer well grounded for thâ— house which hath not his grounde vppon thâ— sande but vpon a stronge rocke can not fall oâ— be beaten downe by anie winde that blowetâ— vpon it nor by any tempest or waue that beaâ—teth teth against it To conclude Mat. 7.24 they haue shewed by this their reuoulting that they were neuer of the seede or of the children of Abraham to whom the promises of saluation and blessings doe belonge Gen. 15.5 For such are as the starres of heauen which are so fastened and fixed within the firmament that they can neuer be moued out of the place wherin they were set in the beginning So likewise the children of God being â—nce in the kingdome of heauen they do abide â—n it as in their houses and dwell therein withâ—out euer departing from thence as the Prophet saieth Psal 65.4 Blessed is he whome thou choosest and cauâ—est to come to thee he shall dwell in thy Courtes Psal 23.5 And in an other place Thou doest annointe my â—eadwith oile and my Cuppe runneth ouer Doutâ—s kindnes and mercy shall follow me all the dayes 〈◊〉 my life and I shall remaine a long season in the â—use of the Lord. Wherunto that agreeth which â— spoken by our Sauiour Christ in S. Iohn Ioh. 6.37 all â—ut the Father giueth me shall come to me and â—m that cometh to me I cast not away Whereby â— appeareth plainely that when the chosen are â—nce entred into the fould of the shepeheard it â— to abide therein and to be nourished in the â—me for euer and therefore S. Iohn speaking â—f those who in his time had reuolted and forâ—ken the church saide they were not of vs 1. Ieh 2.19 for if they had bene of vs Iud. 13 they would haue continewed with vs. What shall we saye then of those wandring starres which could not stay themselues in the house of God to be coÌ„tinually partakers therein of the brightnes of the Sonne of righteousnes which doth shine daye night without end and for euer but that they are all eclipsed and haue loued darkenes rather then light the company of the deuill who is the Father a murtherer from the beginning more theâ— Iesus Christes Ioh. 8.4 who is the waye the life and the trueth That the Apostates being departed from Iesus Christ are miserable Chap. 8. BY the reasons and argumentes which wâ— haue heretofore rehearsed we haue sufficiâ—ently proued that as the Apostates are without God so also they are without Christ Whereof it may be inferred that they are moâ—miserable for who can be happy without Goâ— who is the welspringe and fountaine of liâ—â— and all happines and without whome all othâ—â— goodes are nothing but a curse and miserie Fâ—â— the temporall goodes as are riches possessioâ— and frends the corporall goods as helth streÌ„gâ—anâ—â— beauty the goodes
sonne who hath spoken vnto vs Mar. 16.15 secondly by his Apostles ambassadors whom he sent into all the world to preach the Gospel to euerie creature to the ende that whosoeuer would receiue him by faith and true obedience should receiue also by the same meanes the remission of all his sinnes thereby his saluation life Whereby we may see that the word is the instrument which God vseth to accomplishe his worke when he would regenerate vs cal vs iustifie vs lead vs to glory happines to the which he hath predestinated vs and that finally all that which doeth appertaine to our saluation is brought to passe accoÌ„plished by this word By it we are illuminated in the true knowledge of God of Iesus Christ of the whole mistery of our redemption by it we know our selues that we are nothing but vanitie corruption Psal 39.5 to the ende we may learne alwaies to humble our selues before God and presume nothing of our selues nor of our vertues nor of our dignities nor of wealth nor of frends nor of riches nor of our power but to depend of God in all our affaires and to bow downe our neckes and make the curtesie euer before him and not to ground the hope of our saluation in any other thing then onely in his grace and mercy By it we learne how to serue god to wit the affiance which we ought euer to haue in him and the recourse vnto him in all our necessities the homage and reuerence that we owe vnto his maiestie the obedience which we ought to performe towardes him the feare which we ought to haue in offending him the care to acknowledge call to mind oftentymes the benefites which he hath bestowed on vs to thank him aboue all the perfect loue which we ought to beare vnto him with al our heart with all our soule with al our strength that doth cause vs to esteeme lesse of all other things theÌ„ of his honor seruice by it wear aduertised of those things wherby he may be blasphemed disho nored to the end we may take heed of them shuÌ„e theÌ„ Furthermore by it wear taught how after what sort we oght to pray what things we ought to aske Ihon. 14.13 1. Cor. 14. what assuraÌ„ce we haue to obtaine them when we aske them in the name fauour of Iesus Christ by it we are exhorted moued to performe our duty when we are neghgeÌ„t slouthfull likewise threatned wheÌ„ we are to much behinde hand Psal 19. By it we are coÌ„forted and vpholden in our afflictions there is no kinde of sorowe for the which we maye not finde a ready preseÌ„t remedy to asswage heale the same Ephes 611 By it we are fortified against all teÌ„ptations which may happen vnto vs by Sathan the world the flesh and other cur enemyes by it we are sharply reproued wheÌ„ we go out of order out of the way wherin we oght to walke It is vnto vs in stead of a bridle to restraine vs wheÌ„ we wold go astray of a spurre to prick vs foreward when we are laisie slow to do that which our maister coÌ„mandeth vs. It the light which doth direct our steps for feare of stuÌ„bling Psal 19. the guide which doth accoÌ„pany vs to shew vs the fairest surest shortest waâ—es It is the rule which god hath geuen vs wherby we must squaire al our thoughts our affections our words actioÌ„s in measuring theÌ„ therby we must see whether they be straight that we may continue in them or croked that we may redresse them Mat. 4.4 It is the foode of our soules It is the armor both to hurt our enemies defend our selues to strengthen fortifie assure vs in all combats oh who were able to tel all the coÌ„modities which the word of God bringeth to those Psal 1.2 who will heare beleeue read meditate therin day and night as Dauid doth exhort vs for the Apostle saith that 2. Tim. 316 The whole Scripture is geueÌ„ by inspiratioÌ„ of god is sufficieÌ„t WheÌ„ by the grace spirit of god it is receiued and wel imprinted in the heart of maÌ„ to make him perfect absolute in al good works And he that will diligently know what is the vertue efficacy of this word together with the great coÌ„modities honor riches pleasures the felicity which it bringeth vnto all those which loue follow it Let him read diligeÌ„tly attentiuely the psalmes of Dauid especially the 119 Psal 119.1 wher euen in the beginning he doth ascribe vnto it the felicity of man Blessed are those that are vpright in their way and walke in the law of the Lord Blessed are they that kepe his testimonies and seeke him with their whole hearte And by by after he setteth downe the partes of true felicitie to wit honor riches and pleasures the honor in the first place ver 6 Then shall I not be confounded when I haue respect to all thy commandements Secondly the riches ver 72. The lawe of thy mouth is better vnto me ver 14. then thousands of gold syluer Thirdly the pleasurs I haue had as great delight in the way of thy testimonies as mal riches Furthermore in another place ver 174. O Lord thy law is my delight and in the 19 Psalme wheÌ„ he saieth the law of the Lord is perfect coÌ„uerting the soule the testimony of the Lord is sure giueth wisedoÌ„ vnto the simple the statuts of the lord ar right reioyce the hart ver 10. the coÌ„maÌ„demeÌ„t of the iord is pure giueth light to the eyes a litle after more to be desired theÌ„ gold yea theÌ„ much fine gold sweter also then hony and the hony combe and in the 130 Psalme speaking of the grounde of his hope and the meanes which he had to vphold coÌ„fort himselfe in his greatest sorowes euen theÌ„ when by reason of his sinnes he did so feare the rigour and seuerity of the iudgement of God that he was altogether beateÌ„ downe therwithall and ready to fall into despaire he saieth he had no other meanes to releaue himself and to thrust backe these horrible feares whereby he felt him selfe so assaulted but by the onely remembrance and meditation of the worde and promises of God wherein beholding his mercy and readines to take pittye on all miserable sinners who with greife for that they haue offended him desire humbly his mercy began to come to himsellf againe say Psal 130.5 I haue waited on the Lord my soule hath wayted I haue trusted in his worde my soule wayteth on the Lorde more then the morning watche watcheth for the morning Moreouer is not counsaile and wisedome as necessary for men to carie gouerne themselues in all their affaires well and happily as the eye for the members