Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	call_v	great_a	lord_n	6,325	5	3.8864	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A34096	An exhortation of the churches of Bohemia to the Church of England wherein is set forth the good of unity, order, discipline, and obedience in churches rightly now, or to be constituted : with a description premised of the order and discipline used in the churches of the Brethren of Bohemia / by J. Amos Commenius.	Comenius, Johann Amos, 1592-1670.	1661 (1661)	Wing C5507; ESTC R27266	107,538	185

offerings of the people every man with whom was found gold and blew purple scarlet or fine linen goats hair and red skins of rams c. and that the Lord inspired and moved the workmen to frame their works therewith Exod. 35.23 and even now that we hear that men of understanding are consulting about the erecting in the Churches the Throne of Christ viz. Discipline and even the most excellent form of Church Government why should not every man finde in his heart as Moses speaks v. 29. freely to offer what he hath no man being able to offer what he hath not that so the Artificers which the Lord doth and shall raise up selecting digesting and polishing these preparations may erect a Tabernacle to the Lord 134. I believe verily that Luther Bucer Calvin Musculus Zanchy Beza Olevian Vergerius c. were Besalee●● and Aholiabs filled with the Spirit of God and able to judge what is more or less fit for the Divine work But yet do not you that are entred into their labours suffer their judgements to forestal or prejudice you but judge impartially and freely of all things that shall be offered to you onely withal remembring that what is spoken or propounded by the Apostolical Spirit must be discerned by the same Spirit i. e. here is no place to seek for sublimated speech or speculation of humane wisdom but the evidence or demonstration of the spirit and power thereof c. 1 Cor. 2.1 135. But more of this after the matter it self hath been premised We will speak as to men of understanding judge ye what we say Dan. 9.7 TO thee O Lord belongs righteousness but to us confusion of face even to all that are near us and them which are afar off throughout all the Countreys whither thou hast driven us because of our iniquities Vers 15. And now O Lord which hast brought thy people out of the Land of Spiritual Egypt and hast gotten thy self renown as it is at this day Vers 16. Let thy anger and fury be turned away from the Christians which are thy people Vers 17. O our God hear the Prayer of thy Servant and his Supplications and cause thy face to shine upon thy Sanctuary for it is desolate for the Lords sake Vers 18. Encline thine ear O God and hear open thine eyes and behold our desolations for we do not present our supplications unto thee for our own righteousness but for thy mercies sake which are very great Vers 19. O Lord hear O Lord forgive O Lord hearken and do and defer not for thine own sake O my God for thy people are called by thy Name Amen An EXHORTATION To the CHURCHES PARTICULARLY And by name that of England now piously solicitous for the most excellent Forme of Church-government THus have you had an account of the Slavonick Churches especially that of Bohemia and the maine of that the unity of the Brethren of Bohemia to what end was also touched towards the end of the History § 132 133 134. viz that those who endeavour the Reformation of Church-affaires may even from hence be furnished with some thoughts conducing thereunto I shall now renew my address to you with whom I began O! you the Churches of the Britane World Amongst whom your controversie about the most excellent way of Church-government hath been in agitation for the space of an entire generation and that even to the violent shaking of the whole State or Secular government Who would have thought it that such a question so very inconsiderable at first sight could produce so great tempests earth-quakes and flames Herein it hath appeared what the force of zeale is which is once set on fire for God and Liberty of Conscience whether it be right or wrong and how Circumspect they had need be that look to hear the whispering of the still Calme and the wholsome instructions of God himself When ever you shall once have an opportunity to determine among you this affaire of your so great concernment and it is the Interest of whole Christendome to have it rightly determined You and by your means the Churches must call upon God that you all viz your Pious David restored to you with the great Senate now sitting and the Ecclesiasticall Synedrim to be convened and whoever shall be entertained for Counsell in these sacred things may be governed by his holy Spirit that your Consultations may have a good issue such as may be for the glory of God and yours and the Churches salvation Amen And because God in his ordinary course works by ordinary Means and trust on Divine Providence doth not exclude but include humane Prudence It will be needfull after the seeking of Grace from above that wheresoever any thing of sober Counsell may be had it may be prudently sought out modestly communicated and diligently pondered that so at last in the depth of wisdome that which is found most excellent may be chosen decreed and setled Nor can there be wanting hope of good success when it once appears that you are willing seriously to traverse the business not to huddle it over but to heare the many preparatory deliberations both those at home and elsewhere offered and then after all things be truly sifted to come to a Conclusion For the sighs of holy men unto God for you will not be wanting as also nei●her good Counsells from all Corners to be suggested God also will come in with his direction and blessing Now because the Catholick Church is one whereof we are Citizens even all that beleeve in Christ in whatsoever particular Churches or Nations they be dispersed Communion of Saints requireth that upon occasion we make a common Collection of desires and prayers votes and judgments for the comfort and advantages of undertakings for the common good In confidence hereof I though a Stranger have yet adventured to speak my mind and yet not mine but the Judgment of my Church and of some pious wise men Luminaries of the Church which have given Testimony to the Constitution of Affairs amongst us as they were viz that this way of Church-government is the very same which Christ instituted and Apostles used or else the nearest to it and therefore 't is to be wished it were setled in all Churches See the premised History § 76. 79. 80. 82. 85. 90. 94. 96. 106. 107. 108. 111. 112. 113. 115. 122. But is it so indeed We boast not of Perfection which we know is not to be found on this side Heaven neither doe we prefer our selves before others being conscious of our own defects But that we may not be wanting to the Cause we have undertaken and verily that which is any where good ought to be made common we say they which have given their approbation of this Church-government may seem not to have been deceived in that First so reverend men cannot easily be said to want Judgment nor yet to be led aside by affection such as sought to please some obscure

publique Candlestick may not be suffered as it now is quite to be extinguished 128. But alas what remains to be done by a Nation most sorely afflicted and that for this very cause that ●he hath more diligently adhered to the Apostolical Doctrine the footsteps of the Primitive Church and the conduct of the holy Fathers being beyond all others hated assaulted cast down and troden upon forsaken of her own and finding no pity amongst men but this one thing alone that crying out for help to the onely Eternal God of Compassions with that perished people of God of old she should say For those things I weep mine eye mine eye runs down with water because the Comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me my children are desolate because the Enemy prevailed Lam. 1.1 Sion spreadeth forth her hands and there is none to comfort her the Lord hath commanded concerning Jacob that his adversaries should be round about him Jerusalem is at a menstruous woman among them ver 17. The Lord is righteous for I have rebelled against his Commandments hear I pray you all people and behold my sorrow my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity v. 18. I called for my lovers but they deceived me my Priests and my Elders gave up the ghost in the City while they fought their meat to relieve their souls v. 19. Behold O Lord for I am in distress my bowels are troubled my heart is turned within me for I have grievously rebelled abroad the sword bereaveth at home there is as death v. 20. They have heard that I sigh there is none to comfort me all mine enemies have heard of my trouble and they are glad that thou hast done it thou wilt bring the day that thou hast called and they shall be like unto me v. 21. Remember O Lord what is come upon us consider and behold our reproach c. 5.1 Our inheritance is turned to strangers and our house to aliens ver 2. We are Orphans and Fatherless v. 3. Our necks are under persecution we labour and rest not v. 5. Servants have ruled over us there is none that delivers us out of their hands v. 8. The joy of our heart is ceased our dancing is turned into mourning v. 15. Thou O Lord abidest to Eternity thy Throne from generation to generation v. 19. Wherefore dost thou forget us for ever v. 20 Turn us to thy self and we shall be turned renew our days as at the beginning v. 21. 129. Nor was it much better in this age with the Slavonick Churches in other Nations we here being oppressed with the Papal yoke they there with the Turkish or else overgrown with the manifold superstitions of the Greek Church Have mercy on thy Christian people so many ways bruised and broken in pieces O Jesus Christ 130. Now to what end are all these things recorded is it not to comfort us remembring that as of old in the times of the Primitive Church no violence no torments no executions could hinder the propagation of Christianity so even at this time that this extreme rage of Papal cruelty shall not be able to stop the course of the Gospel forasmuch as although the light thereof be put out in some places as amongst us yet in other places it blazeth forth with so much the greater lustre Neither is God other then he was of old or is his hand shortned but he can still finde out away to deliver his people out of the Babylonish fornace and to enclose his enemies in their own flames Great is our Lord and great is his power and of his wisdom there is no account can be made Psal 147.5 He doth what he pleaseth in Heaven and in earth Psal 135.6 For the Lord will not put away his people for ever but though he causes grief yet will he again have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies Lam. 3.31 32. 131. And for others that they remembring these things and seriously considering how severely the Lord hath corrected us which were even the portion of his inheritance may learn themselves also to be afraid of the judgements of God who therein for the most part begins at his own house 1 Pet. 4.17 yea at his own Sanctuary Ezek. 9.6 For whether they believe that we came nearer to the Sanctuary then they or themselves nearer then we as to the way of the purer Discipline it is all a case since that we came up nearer to true piety Truely they which are so regardless of the life of Christianity must look to hear that of Christ If these things were done to the green tree what shall be done to the dry Luke 23.31 but and if they are nearer the Sanctuary then we surely then they must be attended with greater plagues then we unless they take warning and repent by the means of our example For he to whom much is given must be beaten with many stripes Luke 12 47 48. 132. Some haply may think that we have herein in short reported many things in our own praise But I answer we have not commended our selves out of our own mouthes but onely related the opinions of others I may therefore say with our great Master If I bear witness of my self my testimony is of no value there is another which bears witness of me John c. John 5.31 32 34. I receive not my witness from men saith our Lord but speak these things that you may be saved v. 55. i. e. that you may ponder the truth unto the acknowledgement of it and so be excited to give glory to God Nor indeed have we any other design in reciting so many testimonies but that the godly Readers may be incited to give so much the better heed in perusing this ensuing book and then to judge whether so many grave Authors have without all just ground on our part as not at all answering the character they give of us published so great things concerning us and thereupon to retain what is good amongst them or amend what is corrupt 133. If we have formerly hitherto offended in hiding our talents behold we amend our fault setting it now forth to publique view and if it now be our lot which was the lot befel that unthankful and slothful servant to feel the judgement of the Lord saying Take the talent from and give it to him that hath ten Luke 19.24 we must humbly say with David It is the Lord if he shall say I will take no delight in us behold here we are let him do with us as it seems good unto him 2 Sam. 15.26 And behold O you Churches which have more talents unto you do we here now deliver ours also respectfully entreating you to receive it of us so as it may now bring in a greater improvement or income unto the Lord then it hath done whilest it remained in our hands We read in Moses that God commanding the Tabernacle to be erected for himself required free-will